We had dinner here twice and breakfast once. We dined as a pair, a 4 top, and also a 6 top. In all cases I'd say that service was a tad slow but overall fine. I wouldn't recommend coming here if you need a "quick bite" or have fussy kids who will become impatient. But, if you're ok to sit and enjoy a bit you will find the service fine. As a vegetarian, I was delighted that there were ample options for me to choose from without modifications necessary. This didn't stop me from ordering the delicious cavatelli with pesto and goat cheese for two nights in a row, but I loved having options! While dining with a larger group, the person who had the chicken and the person who had the short rib, both agreed their dishes were possibly the best preparation they'd ever had. The one complaint was that some in our group felt their dish was over salted. After enjoying the pastries at duo earlier in the day, I knew dessert was going to be worth it. We ordered the earl grey bar, the apple cake, and several other little bites. All were delighted with their selection. These desserts are on the smaller side (maybe about 4-5 bites each) so I do not recommend sharing. At breakfast, I had the avocado toast which was likewise delicious. They kept the coffee hot. Aura consistently exceeded my expectations. read more

We visited the Aura Waterfront Restaurant in Victoria, BC, during our vacation, eager for what the hype promised--a nice waterfront dining experience. Big mistake. Right at the door, they told us we'd be "needing to wait." We waited over 30 minutes before finally being seated. Once seated, another 20 minutes passed with no water and no acknowledgment from staff. It felt like we'd been placed in the restaurant's awkward introvert corner. Finally, a disrespectful waitress acknowledged us, took our drink orders, and then we waited another 20-30 minutes just for a simple glass of milk for our 10-year-old. By then, the kid was already eyeing the exit. Our waitress approached with the warmth and enthusiasm of a DMV employee on a Monday morning. Her attitude was dismissive and condescending from the start--acting like our presence was an imposition on her perfect day. We ordered: my partner chose the Wild Mushroom Agnolotti, I went for the Aura 6 oz Beef Striploin and a Margherita, and our child ordered a cheeseburger. Thirty minutes later, with our hungry and restless child losing patience, I politely asked for an update. The waitress responded with a condescending tone, "This isn't a fast food joint." I immediately asked to speak to the manager, who, to their credit, handled it professionally and did their best to de-escalate. The food finally arrived--and surprisingly, it was really good. The steak was solid, the agnolotti hit the mark, the burger kept the kid happy, and the Margherita was decent. After that, we had minimal interaction with our server, which honestly was a relief. The food was the bright spot amid an otherwise miserable experience. The slow, disorganized service, her snarky attitude, and the feeling that we were treated like second-class citizens the moment we arrived with a child left a terrible taste that no steak could remove. The high prices only made the disappointment sting more. I will never recommend Aura Waterfront to anyone visiting Victoria, BC. If you're traveling with kids, especially, steer clear--you'll be treated as an inconvenience rather than a valued guest. Save your money and sanity for somewhere that actually appreciates your business. read more

We came to Luna for my wife's birthday on a recommendation from a a friend, and were sadly disappointed. The view is beautiful - definitely the highlight. The service was "mid" at best... our server was not very attentive or knowledgeable - 2/5 at best. We were seated next to an obnoxious table - they were so loud and actually FaceTiming for the entire restaurant to hear. Then a 5th friend decided to stop by - we hoped they would move to the bar at this stage (away from us) but he pulled up a chair and was even louder than the 4 at the table. We muscled through the first course (Burrata - pretty tasty), and were halfway through the halibut when we finally asked to be moved. Unfortunately the only tables were in the bar area - no view, but nice and quiet. We ordered dessert - zero mention of my wife's birthday (which was on the rez) or action to deal with the table that killed the vibe of the whole place. I left with a sour taste in my mouth after an expensive meal. There are much better options in Victoria. read more

The food is amazing. For breakfast we had their Garden Benny with poached eggs, grilled kale portobello mushrooms, hollandaise, roasted tomato and crispy country potatoes. We also had their buttermilk waffle with peach compote -lots of subtle and amazing flavors. For dinner we had in room service and selected a Winter Green Salad with apple, pickled beets, goats' cheese and sherry vinaigrette. We also had crispy Brussels sprouts and Autumn bisque soup and citrus cake to top it off. All top quality and amazing and dedicate flavors. Service was great. And with waterside views the ambiance was fantastic. read more

I've been about 5 times and each time was treated like royalty. Right alongside the Inner harbour makes the location perfect. Flavourful and creative dishes made this a wonderful dining experience. read more

Gosh so tempted to give 5 but I promise it's a SOLID 4 star!! Of everywhere we ate in Victoria, this was our fave. Loved Kain our server! Amazing view! Go here for sure. read more

It's horrible and 100% my fault, but for a smaller hotel like this, my brainwashing and lived experience tends to expect lower quality food, esp. in the lower 48. So glad this was totally not the case with Aura. Wonderful food, service and atmosphere, overlooking the water. read more

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If you wanna spend a lot for dinner and be hungry afterwards, this is the place for you. The servings are very small, and NOT worth the price. We started with tuna tartare and I expected to get a lot more for the price. Unfortunately, it was more like 4 bites and it was gone. Then came dinner salmon with succotash in a huge bowl but with very little in it. I must say, though it was good. The dessert oh my gosh, odd tasting, and came with a piece of thin toast and a dab of ice cream. I can't tell you what it was cause it wasn't memorable. My daughter had the Pavlova. Boy, was she disappointed with how tiny it was and not a lot of flavor. So, go for the view not the food. read more

Aura Waterfront Restaurant + Patio - Seafood Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

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Happy hour was held on the patio where we enjoyed viewing all the waterfront activity. We then transferred ourselves, cheque and waiter into the restaurant to conclude an early dinner. Good appies, very good pasta, reasonably priced wine and happy hour pricing on a big portion of our bill. Even better, service was truly the best we've experienced in a very long time. Highly recommended! read more

Fantastic view of the harbor. Our server is nice patient, and responsive. Food was sooooooo delicious. I have aura Benny which contains Korean ingredients. Traditional muffins replaced by kimchi pancakes, lettuce replaced by seaweed. Hash brown is crispy and seasoned. Basically EVERYTHING is great read more

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Great food. Great Ambience. Loved the tables by the window. The service was good. The timing for the food was good. Never felt rushed or left wanting. read more

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Absolutely a great location to watch all the activity on the water. Made it during happy hour and had good meaty wings. Would go back again and try more when visiting. read more

Food was great, service was friendly. View was pretty. We had a couple different dishes - the scallops

Oh man was this place a delight for being a hotel bar/restaurant. I consider ourselves lucky that we stayed at the Inn at Laurel Point to enjoy this place. We had this wonderful waiter, Kain, who I believe is in the main picture for Yelp. This guy is personable, outgoing, and funny. Not to mention attentive, gracious, and humble. So much so we requested to sit in his section on one occasion. Food was amazing. Our table of 5 had various dinners, lunches, and breakfasts from their menus and all of it was good. Some highlights were the unique West coast omlette that was tasty, The chowder with wild Pink scallops which was hearty, and the Wild Pink Swimming Scallop Aglio Olio which was succulent. The drink were so good also. If you like Old Fashioneds you gotta try the Bone Splitter with it's yummy Honey Liquor. And the Old Dog new Tricks drink is like an Old Fashioned on steroid with it's flavored ice cube which delivers the sweetness to the drink. Very cool idea! Service, food, drinks, all amazing! Patio and dining room overlooking the harbor picture perfect! Highly recommend this place even if you are not staying here!! read more

Brunch with a view. Good selection of small plate brunch items that's meant for sharing. My favourites were the veggie flatbread and the chicken and waffles. A side of fries and mayo also hit the spot. I'd say it's more for the ambience than the food, but still a solid place for a relaxing brunch. read more

Aura Waterfront Restaurant + Patio - Menu - Seafood Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

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We went here for their pre fix NYE dinner. They surprised us with a free amuse-bouche. The food was good and the service was excellent. We ordered a dozen oysters and we were surprised the "mignonette" came in eye droppers. You have to really enjoy bare oysters if you order them. read more

View! Service!! Food!! Al fabulous. Ate breakfast here twice. It's super convenient to dash over from the ferry after getting in line. Big outdoor patio. Both times we all ordered ffe same thing because we enjoyed it so much. Goat cheese / bacon omelette and roasted potatoes. Delicious . Highly recommend. read more

Very good selection of tapas, good size portion and tasteful. Nice view of Victoria downtown and water with excellent service. read more

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Beautiful location and service. And the food was spectacular. Not one dish disappointed! I especially loved their vegetable dishes - roasted carrots and the soup with sunchokes. Wonderful spot for a special occasion! read more

Aura Waterfront Restaurant + Patio - Seafood Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

Amazing view with great food. The restaurant is somewhat small within the hotel. You likely will need to ask for directions when you enter the hotel to find the place. There was a wedding reception outside of the restaurant but not sure if the kitchen was preparing food for them. The key highlight dish was the scallop & sea urchin linguini carbonara which was a beautiful dish with lots of flavour. The miss was the deep fried sushi which was somewhat difficult to eat since the tuna and other ingredients were placed on top of the deep fried rice. It looked nice was I was not the biggest fan. Service was impeccable and I would not mind returning during the day instead of dinner service. read more

As usual, we very much enjoyed our meal at Aura. Food, service, ambiance - great. We were introducing some Vancouver friends to the Aura experience, which they also much enjoyed. We were given the choice corner table for 6, where they view is amazing. read more

Beautiful view . The cocktails were fantastic My husband enjoyed his burger I ordered the skirt steak and definitely would not recommend it It was tough as shoe leather and so salty I could not eat it. I only ate 3 pieces and being so salty I thought this is not good for my health. They said they would make it over but nothing would change the cut of meat. Alberta girl here was raised on a beef ranch who knows good beef and knows how to cook the toughest of cuts. Just a note to the chef, you need to step it up a lot or just don't serve beef. It was totally unpalatable! read more

While the atmosphere is top-notch, the food appeared to be really good, we ended up seeing a mouse run to the middle of the floor after a few bites of food. It quickly darted away and I thought I was crazy but it came back and I pointed it out to my wife. That was not ideal, but what's worse is the server's reaction. It was odd, as if she had heard it before, she made one comment and left and never brought it up again... not even reassuring us that she let management know. We paid our bill in full and will never be returning. read more

Aura is found in the Inn at Laurel Point hotel, which has a gorgeous modern décor and the grounds are immaculate. The restaurant itself is a few steps past the lobby, and serves tapas style plates for dinner. We found the dinner a bit underwhelming. We started with the smoked tuna, which was great - however the cracker to tuna proportions was off as we didn't have enough of the shoyu crackers to pair. The featured grilled asparagus which was also done well. However, the next few main dishes were a disappointment. The bavette (steak) was gamey and did not seem fresh at all. The hungry hearts (roasted halibut) was OK, but was a bit acidic in flavour. Overall, maybe we chose the wrong plates but we left unsatisfied. read more

Food was great! We had a nice lunch, not an extensive menu, but,what I had was delicious. Will definitely be back for more. The service was 100%. Ambiance, you won't find a better view of the harbour than from this restaurant. Choice of patio, or inside, we had a window seat and it was just a gorgeous setting. read more

A bit expensive but if you want a breakfast at your hotel the continental breakfast is delicious. Lots of fruit. Regular breakfast is done to perfection! read more

Date night potential missed it's mark. Beautiful views on the water from this Asian influenced, minimalistic dining room. A nice change to the dark woods and warm halls found throughout the area. Prices are reasonable too. Risotto with duck, mushrooms, ginger and green onion at $13 was good but the Halibut Hot Pot BBQ pork, kimchi rice cabbage roll, enoki mushroom, baby bok choy in an agedashi broth for $28 stole the show. Amazing. Pan seared Steel Head $25 was delicious too. While the food and view was superb, the service was lacking the attention needed at a swanky joint of this caliber. Drinks were not kept topped off and the food took a long time to come out. The staff did not seem busy, just did not seem to care. That bothers me. Tough to say if I'd go back. read more

We walked over here from the Harbour Towers on a lovely rainy afternoon for some lunch. We were seated in a nice, large booth overlooking the harbour that was the perfect place to watch people strolling the path in the rain. We ordered some drinks which were a bit slow to come, but it was busy. My daughter ordered a Shirley Temple that came as an orange juice with Grenadine and Ginger Ale. In the States it's only made with Ginger Ale and Grenadine so the Orange Juice (which my daughter is allergic to) was a surprise. The server was sweet and understanding about the cultural difference and brought her one made the American way. We ordered our food and were promptly given a plate of scones that were so good my son asked for seconds. When lunch arrived it was beautiful, but I felt a little like Goldilocks - my daughter's soup was too hot and my hubby's fries were too cold. It took quite a bit of time for the soup to cool and my hubby just passed on the fries and went straight for the burger which was tasty. My son and I were perfectly happy with our meal and gobbled it down. Overall it was a nice meal and I'd like to visit it in the summer to see how the menu and atmosphere change. read more

Aura Waterfront Restaurant + Patio - Seafood Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

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My husband and I came to Victoria to celebrate our anniversary and we wanted to have a nice dinner on the waterfront. I am really glad that we came to Aura, for the view alone if nothing else. It is right in the harbor and you can see the sea planes coming and going, very peaceful. They also have gas warmers and blankets for you to use in the evenings when it gets a bit chilly. The food was also really good. I had the salmon and my husband got the halibut. Both were very good and cooked perfectly. Our favorite side was the crispy potato rounds with the habanero reduction. The portions were small, but what you expected. It was more about the beauty of the food and the plate arrangements. We really enjoyed our dinner here and I would definitely come back again in the future. read more

Aura Waterfront Restaurant + Patio - Salmon dinner - Seafood Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

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A really fantastic restaurant. Word needs to get out. The presentation and quality were superb. Nice touches on each dish that made them unique without. The nuts with the cheese plate are house made. Delish! The oyster presentation was excellent and the watermelon salad presentation and flavor was really original and wonderful. The staff was good. I would suggest more and better beer choices for the future, but now our stop in Victoria. read more

Aura Waterfront Restaurant + Patio - Beer on the half shell - Seafood Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

One of the best dining experiences I've had. My fiancée and I had got engaged the day before we dined here and took a trip to Victoria to celebrate. It was my first time up there (we're from Los Angeles) and we found Aura through Open Table. The manager gave us the best table in the house with an amazing view of the harbor. From the second we walked in, we were treated like royalty. The food was fantastic, the service was impeccable, and the view and ambiance were stunning. There are great walking paths just outside, so after our romantic celebration dinner, we were able to take some beautiful photos. The staff offered to and took a few photos of us with the Harbor in the background which we both loved. The prices are great considering the quality and presentation of cuisine. Next time we head up to Victoria, we will definitely be coming back. Everyone made our evening incredibly special and memorable and I highly recommend this place to anyone visiting Victoria. read more

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Food was absolutely delicious, view was top notch. For "tapas" small plates, the portion and pricing were very reasonable for the view and what we expect of a restaurant or this quality. The restaurant manager was very pleasant, sat us by the window with beautiful view and checked on us a few times. The proteins were all done perfectly, smoked tuna was fresh and the daikon complements it. Duck breast temperature was perfect and sauces paired elegantly with it. We particularly enjoyed the patata bravas, this is something so many places do but so little places stand out - this was fluffy with crisp skin and the mayo their paired with that was unique & flavorful. The food selection was rather limited for a tapas style restaurant, but everything was done very well. It was our honeymoon, so we got desserts on the house. It was a great gesture from the hotel and both tasted delightful. I would hope both would be properly plated, since the presentation didn't feel classy. A note on the service, I'm not sure if we actually look well below our age, we got the feeling that we were treated like teens eating at a restaurant too fancy for us. We dressed for the occasion, and didn't conduct ourselves inappropriately; but the server seems to prefer to speak as though we didn't know what "fancy words" mean when we asked for recommendations. It was our honeymoon, so it was natural we wanted to take pictures. The server never offered so we just took a selfie at our table. We figured the server didn't offer to help due to COVID, but she seemed a bit annoyed when she came to deliver us the food mid-picture. When I ate at similar restaurants in Toronto, usually we don't get an almost snobby vibe, so I feel the staff definitely needs better training to match the quality of the food and view. Other than the service, I would say this restaurant is definitely 5 stars and think this place is a steal for the price. read more

My husband and I stumbled upon Aura while we were in Victoria for an evening during a cruise. The restaurant is in the lobby of a hotel, but don't let that fool you, the food and service are very good. The price was our only complaint. The restaurant is on the waterfront and would be gorgeous, but we came at night and it was too dark to see much. Our server was very attentive, friendly, made sure that my food was allergen free, and made sure we never ran out of drinks. The food was very good. The portions are small for the price you pay, but since we're from the US, we're likely used to larger portions anyway. The specially modified one of the seafood plates to make sure it was gluten free for me, which I thought was fantastic. I see that they're renovating the hotel/restaurant and while they're closed, they're revamping the menu. If my husband and I are ever in the area again, we'd definitely go back and check out the new menu. read more

A super cool find! We stumbled upon Aura on a suprisingly busy Thursday in Victoria. Aura is a bit hidden away but so worth the trek. It is a tapas/sharing plate place so beware of the interesting experience. The burger, seared octopus were great and the miso crusted halibut was phenomenal and I usually do not like halibut at all. Colleen was really knowledgeable about the menu and fine dining in itself and gave great service! read more

Im back in one of my favorite cities and eating at one of my all time favorite restaurants anywhere. The menu has changed to a small pate format but the food is as exquisite as ever. and has never disappointed. They have an excellent wine list. The food combinations and beautiful views make for a fabulous evening. Treat yourself and enjoy. read more

Buckle Up! This is a one of a kind dining experience like no other. I tend to roll my eyes when I see fusion anything. I came here tonight with some work colleagues and we thoroughly enjoyed our experience. The service was friendly and attentive. The tapas style menu has something for everyone. Vegetarian, meat and seafood. The food is definitely Japanese's inspired where every dish was carefully prepared and presented with pride. Most importantly, everything tasted great. It is a true fusion where miso soup isn't your typical miso, but 3 times better. I highly recommend this place to anyone who considers themselves to be serious foodies. You will be surprised. Oh, the views were an amazing bonus. read more

Great Eggs Benny this morning. Everything about it was good. The muffins well toasted, the ham flavorful, Eggs poached right and a great Benedict sauce. Potatoes were cooked perfect and he onions and peppers were a perfect addition. Better yet it was free baca use it was included in the package we bought from Black Ball Ferries. read more

Aura Waterfront Restaurant + Patio - Eggs Benny! - Seafood Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

One of my favourite restaurants in Victoria, the fusion food arrives on small plate format. On our last visit we ordered their wine pairing with an array of small plates. It was heaven. read more

Best restaurant in Aura. I was here for a few days on vacation and sampled many Restaurants on my stay. Food was fresh and delicious. Restuarant is located in the Laurel Inn along the water. Service was A+. Chef does a wonderful job! Ate here 2 nights in a row. Great food, service and waterfront view. read more

Aura Waterfront Restaurant + Patio - Haddock - Seafood Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

I don't like giving bad reviews, but honestly, for the price of the food here I feel like Aura has a lot of room to grow. The staff were all very pleasant and accommodating - they even gave us a free toast amuse-bouche to celebrate our special occasion (at least I think that's why they gave it to us) that was very tasty. The food was also pretty good, though I guess I didn't read my menu closely enough because the corn soup I ordered came chilled (which I don't typically like and don't see the reason for as a general rule) but was delicious, and my main gnocchi entree was made of beets rather than accompanied by beets as I had thought. It was ok, but the texture was off and beet gnocchi probably isn't something I'd order again. There just wasn't much of my entree or my boyfriend's and we expected more from the price tag. The wait time for everything, however, was atrocious. The restaurant didn't seem very crowded at all, but we waited over 45 minutes for our appetizers and it was a full hour and a half before we got our main courses. I know this is standard in some countries where dinner is a relaxed and casual affair, but as a hungry pregnant woman, dinner at 9:15 wasn't cutting it for me, and although I love my boyfriend very much, staring at him across the table for two hours got a little old. All in all, I wish we had tried one of the other fine dining options available in Victoria, instead of using up one of our three nights on high-priced but low-performing hotel fare. read more