Pagliacci's

This was some of the best Italian food I’ve ever had! I had the seafood lasagna and it was so good, the seafood was fresh and the cheese was so creamy! The clams were amazing too, and there was a live singer at 10pm which was very enjoyable too. All in all, a wonderful experience, I would highly recommend this place!

I used to LOVE this place say 4-5 years ago. I don’t know if they changed chef or something but their pasta has been over-cooked past 2 years (I visit them once a year when in Victoria). If 8 minutes for linguine is Al-dente, 9 minutes is in-between and 10-11 minutes is over-cooked, they’re pushing the 11 minute mark. Their dishes are very New York style (non-traditional) Italian and creative. My to-go is “The shell game” with scallops, I love it and my friend ordered it. I ordered something new this time and tried the “doors of perception” with meatballs, mushrooms, truffle and peas. Sauce and meatballs were great! But as mentioned, everything would have been SO much better if they stuck to the 9-minute mark for linguine. Not a second more lol I will come back but will specifically ask for the pasta to not be over cooked next time. Oh and also, their house wine is totally drinkable. I order it every time. Worth knowing you can’t make a reservation, you have to line up and sometimes it takes 30 min to get a table, easier and faster if you’re only 2, but worth knowing if you’re a family etc. service has always been great here. Their house made focaccia that you get at no extra cost is also delicious.

We discovered Pagliacci’s three summers ago, and now we purposely make a trip to Victoria every year just to eat here. The service has always been amazing, the staff are extremely friendly and welcoming. Their bread is absolutely delicious, and we love to soak up sauce with it. The portions are large and we love the happy hour options. They don’t take reservations here, so we suggest coming around 4:30-5pm or earlier, otherwise there’ll be a wait outside. Overall, fantastic food and people, highly recommend coming here!

This is a spot that has been around forever. It’s been over 20 years since I’ve dined here but it was nice to be back in town and experience as an adult. Always popping with a lot of buzz, lovely energy, and long lines that move quickly. Was able to get seated outdoors quicker than indoors. Perhaps it was overly busy on a Tuesday night and lots of moving parts/people but we had to ask for water and bread multiple times initially and didn’t receive water until our meal was over. Our server was very helpful and the food and drink were tasty though, a local legend spot.

Drinks were brilliant Most food was really nice. Focaccia was good. Mixed starter board was great and .oat dishes were food. Service was amazing. Downside, main dishes were under-seasoned and I sent back my Clams linguine twice as the chopped garlic was uncooked on both occasions. I love garlic but it needs to be cooked to add flavour and be digestible. No drama from the staff who were amazing and empathetic. Get there early and be prepared to queue.

Five star experience. I do recommend going in early for dinner if you can. Chris was our server and he was great. He checked back regularly and we did not have to wait for anything. We both ordered half portions and after having some yummy soups, my wife and I still took some food with us when we were done. Go hungry, leave satisfied.

Greatest little restaurant in Victoria. The interior is amazing to look at. There was live jazz music which was very enjoyable. We had the Jones dinner for two and the oceans eleven. I would say i personally did not like the duck wings and sausage because there is already so much steak with the dish. But the oceans eleven was great. The broth was wonderful. Espresso cheesecake blew my mind.

When they say they’ll find you a spot and the lineup will be fast they mean it! It’s so busy and booming with life in this restaurant and makes for great atmosphere. The food was delicious, we got the Minnesota Fats to start, followed by The Prawn Broker and The Big Easy for our main. We also had sangrias on tap, and a glass of wine each. The service was great considering how busy it is, there’s always someone making sure every table has what they need and asked for in a timely manner. I highly recommend eating here if you’re in Victoria, all around great experience.