The patio is so perfect for the summertime. Clam chowder and mussels are tasty. We also ordered…read moreoysters; they have Kusshi oysters. It is a bit pricey, but they taste good. Service is slow because there are only 3,4 waiters for that busy restaurant. In general, the restaurant needs renovation.

Our server misgendered me TWICE gave the kids tiny kids pink cups that tasted like plastic but the…read moreservice WAS quick key word " was " the server came asked for food quickly but for the next hour we were just waiting and waiting but the ambiance was cool. The server came running over and crawled under the table said is it to wobbly and left. The food finally came and everyone liked it but the kids burger which we specifically said NO CHEESE so the burger came and it had no cheese. Or so we thought I looked closer and the cheese had been pulled of it and bits of cheese were still on it WHAT IF I WAS ALLERGIC this was BAD

This is an upscale modern Canadian restaurant in Cedar, BC, technically the greater Nanaimo area…read more We made reservations for 6pm dinner on a Saturday, and we were promptly seated. There are lots of parking available both the main lot or the side lot that takes you to the back of the restaurant. We got beef carpaccio, calamari dijonnaise, and lingcod to share, as well as a glass of red and white wine from Vancouver Island. We were served some small fish bites as amuse bouche which is a nice touch and pretty common in nice restaurants like this The beef carpaccio was super fresh and contrasts well with the texture of crispy sunchokes. Very aesthetic and well executed Calamari dijonnaise has a sharper flavor from the sauce, and the calamari is lightly battered but still crispy. A heartier dish for an upscale restaurant, but it works well as we were quite hungry after lots of walking that day Lingcod is more Asian fusion take of an entree, so I am a fan. The crispy rice is super flavorful albeit on the oilier side, and the cod itself is very fresh. Every bite has a bit of sophistication from all the ingredients around alongside fresh vegetables like pickled beet. The wine pairs well with the dishes. Service is excellent as I was very thirsty and the server kept up well with water refills. They clean up plates in between courses and checked up on us a few times and had a nice yet brief conversation to keep the energy flowing. Don't forget to take a walk outside before or after dinner! It's a small nice garden, quite romantic. Overall, I would recommend this place tucked in a bit away from Nanaimo, and it is worth the journey whether you rideshare or drive or transit.

The dining room is charming, cozy and has great ambiance! The servers are pleasant, attentive,…read morepatient, not rushed, thorough, and their timing is perfect. The dishes we have had there are unforgettable...and we keep coming back for more! The Chef is stellar, creative and on Wednesday nights you get to discover the pre fixe menu that he designs...and we are excited to sample these delectables next Wednesday evening! This will be our fourth time at the Mahle House! It is WORTH the drive out to Cedar!

See review in Yelp7 or 8 years ago we dined at the masthead and the food and service excellent. 2…read moreyears ago we dined at the masthead ( under new ownership) and found the food was terrible and the waiter was extremely arrogant and rude. Recently we went there when we saw the new Oliver's sine hopping ownership was new, not so, same ownership.In this case the food was terrible as per our previous visit, but the servers were very polite and caring. Nevertheless we will never return

We have dined at The Masthead a couple of years ago, and at that time it was regarded as one of the…read morebest restaurants on Vancouver Island. At the time, it certainly lived up to its reputation. Would that still be the case on our return visit? Read on... THE ROSES: Lovely ambiance. The dining room is spacious, classy, and peaceful. They also have a very large deck overlooking the marina for outside dining on nice days. The staff is efficient, accommodating, and gracious. THE THORNS: Staffing issues in the kitchen meant rather long waits for food to come out. To their credit, the server did let us know when we came in that this was the case. We weren't in a hurry, so it wasn't an issue. The dinner menu was somewhat more limited than I would've expected, and I was very surprised to see my first choice (Bison Bolognese) run out at a rather early in the evening (6:30), leaving me with rather humdrum choices to pick from. WHY ONLY THREE STARS? After our first visit in 2023, I would've given The Masthead a solid 5-star review. Unfortunately the chef they had at the time has moved on, and the current chef, while competent, doesn't have the came creative flair in entree design and execution that their predecessor did. My steak was just fine, but the presentation was rather uninspired, and my wife's chicken was a bit 'over'. THE VERDICT: Considered on its own merits, The Masthead is an OK fine dining restaurant, but it suffers in comparison to how it was two years ago with a different chef. That said, The Masthead has been around a long time, and restaurants like this do have their ups and downs. Perhaps they'll be different in a couple more years?

We had my mother's 96th Birthday lunch here. The food was excellent with a wide variety of choices…read moreeven for the vegetarians in the group. everyone was very happy with their meals. They happily accommodated our group of 12 with a reservation for lunch in a separated room and all the food came out at the same time which is often tricky with a larger group. As for the staff, our servers were terrific, efficient and friendly. Prior to the day Robert replied to emailed questions very quickly and made the whole event very stress free. I honestly can't recommend this restaurant enough.

We came here for the Reuben and were not disappointed! Thankfully we decided to split the sandwich…read more(with fries) and added the Little Gem salad. Wow! What a great combination and great flavours! Plenty enough for lunch for two people. The meat on the Reuben was so juicy and flavourful and the Little Gem salad was amazing. We throughly enjoyed our meal. The service was great; quick, friendly and welcoming. I would definitely come here again when back in Nanaimo.

Discovering another gem in downtown Nanaimo Modern café is nestled in a heritage site built in…read more1910. They bring a fresh twist to classic comfort food using locally sourced ingredients. We stopped by for brunch and indulged in the Modern Acai Berry Bowl ($16) and the Modern Breakfast ($18). Whether you're in the mood for brunch, lunch, or dinner, this all-day dining lounge has something for everyone. Don't miss out on this unique spot! The Modern Cafe 221 Commercial St, Nanaimo, BC V9R 5GB 11:30-9pm (open till 10 on weekends) Food Parking 4.5/5 Service 4/5 Ambiance 5/5

I was visiting Nanaimo for the first time and had brunch here with a large group, it wasn't super…read morebusy and I appreciated the service. I thought it was a decent brunch place however felt that the dish was a bit heavy -- big portion though. The duck while there was a decent amount in the hash, didn't have anything special to it and tasted like a regular pulled meat. I did like the addition of pineapple as that was something I hadn't seen before and the potatoes were pretty good! Overall, for the price point ($26), it's definitely not a go-to for me if I lived in the area however it's a nice spot to visit if you're on the island for a getaway.

A nice coastal pub on Salt Spring with beautiful views and solid pub food menu. The duck wings were…read morepretty tasty and unique and fish and chips had a great batter. We got seated outside which had nice views. Decent size beer list and we found our server was attentive. Food came quickly. 5/5 for pub food. If you're looking for something upscale in terms of dining, then this would not be a 5/5 for food of that standard but we enjoyed ourselves.

This is a hard review. My wife had the wings and they were excellent. I had the pulled pork, the…read moreworst pulled pork sandwich I've ever had. They fill it with coleslaw. Not coleslaw on the side. So the hot pulled pork was smothered by cold messy coleslaw. Scraped it off and found very little pork. The French fries were very good and hot.

Quaint, cosy with a view of the water. Perfect spot to grab a bite after getting off the ferry to…read moreFulford Harbour SS. My wife loved the seafood chowder and even drove back the next day to get another bowl. Fish and chips were on point. Loved the crunch of the batter. Service was friendly and welcoming. Parking is limited but some more street parking up the hill. Enjoy!

Best calamari I've had in my life! This is a wonderful little restaurant on a very special island.read more

Nice atmosphere despite being in an out of the way place. We were thrilled that the fish and chips…read morewere gluten-free and they were amazingly fresh and good with great tartar sauce!!! The hamburger not so much ...not much flavor nobody wanted to finish it ...gluten-free roll should've been buttered and toasted. Cocktails and gluten-free beer were excellent server did not know why everything was gluten-free would've liked to appreciate that. But, a fun meal !

Very pleasant service. Fried salmon was quite greasy. Ribs were OK, could have been meatier. Shrimp…read moretaco was small but good. Way too many fries. The $65 surf and turf for two is a decent value. Clean restaurant with reasonable prices. Would have been four stars if the salmon wasn't so greasy.