I was looking for a unique place for lunch in Courtenay. I wanted to steer clear of the pubs and chain restaurants. I stumbled across Atlas and was presently surprised. There is a quaint patio in the back and a map style decor throughout the interior. Nice touch. The portions are large though it would have been nice to have complementary chips and salsa. I ordered the large quesadilla and was unable to finish it. It was quite delicious with in house guacamole and a sprinkle of cinnamon which really tied it altogether. All in all a pretty neat experience and great Mexican style food. One more thing: portishead's "like a fire" was playing as I paid the bill and that was just fantastic. read more

Atlas Cafe - Look at the size of the quesadilla! - Cafes Near Me - Courtenay, British Columbia

We went to lunch at atlas today. Everything was delicious. I had a small quesadilla. I liked it very much. It was huge. Wow wonder what the regular size is like. Service was good as welll read more

One of my brunch favourites! Great eggs Bennie. Decent service and certainly worth it

This was a great restaurant and an amazing experience. We have recently moved to the island and have been eating out alot. Disappointment after disappointment until atlas cafe. Service was great. Our Waitress Tannis, very good at her job with good knowledge of the menu, great personality and on top of it all. Food was awesome. Despite the fact that the whole restaurant was filled up in a matter of half an hour, dishes were rolling out quite fast and not at the cost of quality. All items perfectly cooked and perfectly presented. I like how the menu is not repetative and items rotate and new ones come quite often. I am a big eater and i found the portions to be satisfying for me so may be bit large for the average eater. I had the angela burger it was delicious. Had pear on it which sounds wierd but tasted awesome with the brie cheese on the burger. Wife had the buddha bowl and loved it ( i must mention shes a picky eater with a high standard for restaurant food ) relative had the meditterenean platter ( terrible spelling im sure) and loved it. Spanakopita was soo good.greek salad great. I personally found the lighting to be overly dim but that just may be me because apparently its a thing now it seems. Overall great experience and would surely return. Im not sure how kid friendly it is, i did see kids there around 3-5 ish and they were ok. Im sure my son would not last longer than 10 minutes but he does that everywhere. PS: if going for dinner show up early place can fill up in a blink or look into reservations read more

I like the dark, moody atmosphere in this little place, great place to bring a date or sit at the bar and have a nice conversation. The service here was attentive without being intrusive and the wait staff were very friendly. Our food arrived quickly, was served hot and was very good. The menu was varied and deserts are homemade on site. A very good restaurant that deserves a try. read more

We dined outside with our golden retriever and the wait staff was really nice about it. They even filled the water bowl for her. We had the inari wrap appetizer to start. For entrees, I had the falafel wrap (they let me order from the lunch menu) and my BF had the large pulled pork burrito. The inari was super good. It was filled with smoked salmon, peas, shredded carrots, and rice. It was so flavorful! The falafel wrap was good but a little dry, since both the whole wheat wrap and falafel were on the dry side. The large pulled pork burrito is crazy big and is meant to be shared, so order a small. Service was courteous and quick. A great place to dine. read more

Atlas Cafe is one place where you can definitely believe the hype you've heard about it. There's a lounge area if you're in the mood for cocktails and a homey restaurant with exposed brick and hardwood floors for a comfy, cosy dining experience. I've never ordered anything off the menu that didn't taste incredibly amazing and a lot of the food is locally sourced. There's a tiny sundeck for summer days and ample seating inside. Service is attentive and friendly. It's a must on any visit to Courtenay. read more

Solid. Courtenay, I kinda dig yew. First off, this was a HUGE improvement over lunch (see Flying Canoe review...ugh). Although we waited a few minutes to be seated, our waitress was 5 stars. Attentive, informative, inquisitive without being imposing. I wasn't too hungry so kept it light with the peanut stir fry. Probably one of the best peanut sauces...not too thick, tasty and fresh. Other people in my party had steak, nori rolls, lamb shank, burrito...all to rave reviews. Prices were very reasonable and the quality of the food all around solid. And for dessert...creme brulee. Oh ya. This was a good one. Also 4 stars. If the top had been a smidge thicker (i like cracking that layer) I might have considered 5 stars...maybe next time. read more

Our visit here came based on two suggestions that we try this place. One from a local friend and another from a friend who grew up here and now lives many miles away. It was well worth their praise. Although we weren't exactly taken with the place when we first arrived, and the pairings for egg dishes on the breakfast menu seemed a little pretentious it turns out that someone really knows what they are doing. We both selected the Goats Cheese Eggs: poached eggs on red pepper polenta, sautéed leeks, oyster mushroom, fire roasted tomato salsa, goats cheese Very nicely done. read more

Atlas Cafe - Cafes Near Me - Courtenay, British Columbia

Sort of cozy except for the lined vinyl tablecloths , hit and miss service (mostly hit), reggae heavy soundtrack. Caesar salad wasn't memorable, short rib pappardelle with chipotle sour cream was hearty and tasty at first but the kitchen's heavy hand with peppercorns and allspice became overwhelming halfway through. read more

Atlas Cafe - Cafes Near Me - Courtenay, British Columbia

Tried to have lunch here with the family and after an hour of waiting for a table we gave up since they were letting two's and three's ahead of our party of five. Just poor front end service and will never return to this spot again, very disappointed and ruin a nice day out to support a local restaurant. Give it a pass if you see people outside waiting! read more

Once again Yelp recommended a gem! What a cozy little restaurant. I'm in town in business having never been here before and it was perfect. It was pretty busy on a Thursday evening but I was lucky enough to get a window seat. I selected the local salmon dish from the daily specials menu - perfect! I highly recommend! read more

See all

We came here on a recommendation from the owner of Laughing Oyster Books. Such a great recommendation! There were three of us and we arrived during lunch rush. We were seated within 15-20 minutes, and then well-attended. They brought water straight away, and a new server was training. She did an excellent job, and the server who was shadowing her was very polite and helpful too. I'm a vegetarian, and one person was lactose-intolerant, and all our meals were tasty and met our dietary needs. They were also well-priced, nicely presented, and tastytasty. read more

A very strong 4.5. It was borderline 5 had it not been for the goat cheese app. Awesome dish, I just couldn't taste the goat cheese :-( Outstanding service. Knowledgeable, efficient, and friendly. The perfect mix Cumin crusted salmon was superb. Well prepared and the aioli was excellent. Add to that the veggies were all cooked to perfection Very enjoyable meal. Hopefully will get the opportunity to dine here again! read more

Excellent dining experience. I am vegan/vegetarian, my partner is not. Didn't bother them at all... And we got a delicious combination of food and beverages. With an awesome service. The house martini, with fresh rosemary, was absolutely delicious and unique. Thank you. Next time we are in the area, we are coming back. read more

Great local spot. Ate the Ham Sandwich with curry lentil soup and it was unreal. In house baked focacia bread with local ham and lots of cheese and veggies made this sandwich feel like one of the best deluxe grilled cheese I've ever had. The staff is so friendly at the Atlas, easy listening music and nice decor sets a good atmosphere for any meal. Will obviously return and highly recommended. read more

Amazing food - the roasted garlic and Brie, and goat and beet salad... are incredible. Staff are professional and friendly.

The nicest staff and amazing coffee!! super cute back patio!!! Really good experience, would definitely come again cute place for Instagram pictures love it!! read more

If you are passing through Courtenay make an effort to stop here for lunch or dinner, you will not be disappointed! Everything on the menu is so fresh and they try to use local and organic whenever possible. They even have many vegan friendly dishes, which was what impressed me the most! The ambience is also fabulous! Highly recommended and can't wait to return!! read more

At the risk of setting a low bar (Chad's, the Greek Taverna, et al), Atlas is, by far, the best restaurant in Courtenay. Wonderful variety of dishes with an impressive fresh sheet. Beer and wine selections plentiful and enjoyable. Service both attentive and patient. Our family of four enjoyed thoroughly - the only potential negative is/was the price. Stated, happy to pay for such a positive experience; restaurants of much lesser quality in this area cost nearly the same. read more

The food was AMAZING! But it is quite dark inside and the drinks were only OK. Not the best dinning experience I have ever had, but I would give this place a second try. read more

3.5 stars Located right in the "downtown" section of Courtenay, the Atlas Cafe has a warm and relaxing vibe to it. We came for a mid-afternoon lunch and the place was still very busy. I ordered a chicken satay roll with a side of mixed greens and my husband ordered a shortrib braised beef baked burrito with a side of mixed greens. First things first, the portions are massive! Quality-wise it was a mixed bag. Although my wrap was loaded with chicken and the flavor was nice, I think the chicken itself was a processed variety, rather than something that they baked in-house. That is definitely a demerit. My husband's burrito was a little skimpy on the beef and they were super skimpy with the salsa, although the salsa was clearly the product of a jar and not homemade so it wasn't too much of a loss. Overall, not a bad experience. We would be willing to return to try other menu items. read more

We were travelling from Nanaimo to Quadra Island. When we realized we were a little peckish, we decided to look for a restaurant. Since we were traveling with our dog, I needed to find a place with outdoor seating. The Atlas Cafe came up as one the most highly rated restaurants in Courtenay. When I saw that one of the featured reviews mentioned that they were dog friendly, I was sold. First of all, the food was amazing. Hefty portions of flavourful, imaginative dishes. My pulled pork burrito was incredible and my parents thoroughly enjoyed the spicy chicken burrito and the inari pockets. All highly recommended. If you're not looking to burst your pants, my mom and I would both suggest you go for the small size burrito. Also, don't forget to ask about the truffles if you're feeling too full for dessert like we were. They will not disappoint. Secondly, the service was speedy and friendly. There have been many other restaurants where we have been the only people seated on the patio and have been forgotten about. Not the case here. Finally, they were very accommodating to our dog. The water bowl out front is a dead giveaway that all dogs are welcome. All in all, a fantastic experience. Totally worth the drive in to Courtenay from the highway. read more

For casual dining the Atlas is our all time favorite spot when we visit this part of the Island. We just ate there three times in three days and every meal was fabulous. Our only problem is deciding what to have as everything is yummy, prepared with such care and attention and showcasing the bounty of the Comox Valley. We especially love the tacos both fish and short rib versions, the tuna tataki salad in pappadam bowl, huevos rancheros, the list goes on and on. The icing on the cake is the great staff who are personable and accommodating no matter how busy this popular place gets. We will be back as often as we can! read more

Atlas Cafe is so delicious (not to mention great service) that we came here two nights in a row while visiting from San Francisco and Portland (OR), two foodie cities. Not sure I need to say more! Don't miss it if you are in Courtenay. It's been here for 20 years apparently and still feels like a fresh concept. We are told in the summer there is a line out the door. read more

Atlas Cafe - Chocolate mousse. Seriously dark chocolate and deelish! - Cafes Near Me - Courtenay, British Columbia

I have to say that this is one of the most pretentious eateries in Comox Valley. The male servers act like well behaved secret psychopaths...no smiles...no small talk. The females servers are much kinder and open. The food...way OVERPRICED. If you happen to be a single senior you will be left standing whilst they seat new customers before you or you will be plunked in front of the stupid bar in full view of all waiting customers. I don't like it at all. Place needs a deep cleaning too. read more

Amazing Mexican fusion dishes with 8 - 12 vegetarian options. Two meals and two alcoholic drinks was 45$ so pretty cheap, especially considering how good the food was. read more

Had a great dinner here Sep 8, 2020. Probably one of the busier restaurants we've been to in the Comox Valley during our stay. Easy to find parking and just a bit of confusion as to entrance/exit. Service was good (Carly), food was excellent, prices decent. We started with the mussels which were amazingly fresh. We each had an entree (fish tacos and Mediterranean Platter). Both dishes were excellent. Fish tacos are highly recommended. We finished with the Belgian chocolate mousse which was delicious and tasty. Highly recommend Atlas! read more

This place is so cool. I love the old building it is in, and I love the veg options they have. Perfect for any vegan, or vegetarian. The atmosphere was great! I will definitely be visiting here again. read more

The best food ever! My husband and I went twice for dinner during 3 days in Courtenay for the 2014 Musicfest, and it was so good we will be driving back from Nanaimo, just to go for dinner at Atlas. The enchiladas (beef) were huge and had amazing flavours; when I asked if the Caesar salad was "garlicky", which I wanted, they added some especially for mine and it was excellent. The prices were good - 2 dinners and 3 cocktails for less than $50. The service was outstanding - how many waiters remember the drink you ordered two nights previously? Miguel (sp?) really took care of us! I don't write reviews very often, but this place deserves it! read more

Awesome that they are conscious of gluten free, and I felt confident they actually knew what gluten free meant. Great food- I had the enchilada with corn tortilla and pulled pork. Only downside was it was a bit tough to cut, but looked and tasted fabulous. They know how to make a mean Caesar as well (the drink). Creme brûlée wasn't the best I've had but was enjoyable. Very attentive service as well. Would come back again! read more

Atlas Cafe - Creme brûlée - Cafes Near Me - Courtenay, British Columbia

See all

Delicious Chili Chicken Burritos--hot and HUGE. Everything was fresh and tasty. Kitchen was very accommodating about my daughters' special orders (no onion, no salsa, no guacamole, etc). My only complaint was for the hostess, who had an eye-rolly, disaffected manner. We felt we should be apologizing about making her show us to a table. Otherwise, really great lunch. read more

I just went to Atlas Cafe and tried the Angela Burger. I wasn't sure how a pear would taste on a burger, but it was fantastic. Definitely recommend it. read more

Cozy atmosphere, good food, nice cocktail selection, and delicious homemade desserts.

Excellent, had the veggie quesadilla and veggie enchiladas, unlike anything I have ever had, it was a fusion of Cuban, Italian, and Indian... yumm read more

Hip, tasty, innovative, and served with grace and expertise, you can't go wrong with Atlas. There is something on the menu for every taste, and almost everything will exceed your expectation, both for beautiful plating and tastiness. The wait staff are truly excellent. read more

There's one place in Courtenay that EVERYONE seems to recommend: the Atlas. Coming from New York and then Vancouver, two towns that know good food, this place could compete with the local fare in either city without a problem. The mexican parts of the menu are what I've mainly sampled, and definitely very good. Other people I've eaten with have enjoyed everything else they've had as well. There are definitely other places to eat in the Comox Valley, but the Atlas should probably be on everyone's list who's visiting the area. Seating isn't great for large groups. I wouldn't go there with more than 4 other people. read more

I go here often and always bring my friends. Excellent service, food is always fresh and deeelish!

Fantastic menu and great tasting food. Highly recommend this place. Salmon burger is great and so are the fish tacos.

It was the first option to pop up for Vegan food in Courtenay. There wasn't many options. I had the vegan plate. It was decent. Lots of options for people who aren't on a plant based diet though. read more