I've been here twice in the past year, both during Happy Hour, and the food is not only very good…read morebut affordable. We did have one hiccup, but I've addressed that with the management of the hotel, and will look forward to visiting again and seeing if there's any improvement.

PATHETIC customer service! ! Stayed at the Dorchester Hotel (great service) my last night in…read moreNanaimo (Jun. 24) and stood at the entrance waiting for 1 of the 2 waitresses to acknowledge me. Neither of them did. After 10 minutes, the bartender (kudos to him) ended up seating me with the menus and brought up the extended Happy Hour. The "blond" waitress whose section was where I was seated, showed up with a glass of ice water and said "I'll be back". For the next 30 minutes, she repeated walked back and forth past my table, intentionally avoiding eye contact, and even thought it was more importance to wipe down 1 of her 2-seater pub tables than to return and take my order. After 30 minutes, I walked out, was provided the restaurant owner David P's personal email by the front desk (they apologized) and emailed him my experience on Jun. 26. He's never responded ! ! I can only presume that he's the one whose set the standard (or lack of) for how his waitstaff conduct themselves. I've had many breakfasts at Top Notch and the morning staff have always been fantastic. But after this experience, I'd strongly recommend that Dorchester guests and non-guests check out the better quality restaurants in the area (Modern Cafe, Gina's, Minnoz Restaurant in the Coast Bastion). The customer service and food are both far-superior and you'll never have the bottom-tier service experience at those options.

The best burgers! Fun and friendly atmosphere! They are very busy so plan to give yourself plenty…read moreof time or make reservations! Highly recommend and bring your appetite!

I arrived at 11:30am to learn the restaurant didn't open until noon. I decided to wait so went for…read morea walk returning at 11:55am to discover most of the tables were taken. The server told me there were no seats available even though I could see one seat at the bar/window. Disappointed, I asked if I could order to-go and was directed to the owner behind the till. I told her that I really enjoyed the burger I'd had on my first visit so wanted to order the same thing. 'THAT IS NOT THE RIGHT BURGER, START OVER!!' I was completely taken aback by the condescending tone. Once my order was entered, she handed me the payment terminal so I could pay and walked away. When she returned, she didn't look at me, instead focused on the payment terminal. Then she looked at me and hollered "NO TIP!! SERIOUSLY!! After we put you in front of all these other people!" This was said in front of the entire restaurant which was completely embarrassing and humiliating. I was totally shocked! As someone who has worked in restaurants and tourism around the world I always tip - even on take-out orders!! The exception is when I get bad service. How would I have known that I was 'put in front of other customers?' I don't work there and it's irrelevant! TIPPING IS DISCRETIONARY, especially on a take-out order. A prudent, professional owner wouldn't comment if a guest didn't tip - or, would ask if there was a problem with the service. The burgers might be top-tier, but the owner's rude behavior makes this a zero-star experience

May 7/26 Ordered the 50/50 combo Fries/Onion Rings First time ordering this Usually order the small…read morefries which are exceptional The rings were very soft and wet because of the deep fried oil Just looking at these onion rings I knew I wasn't going to eat them and put into organic bin Waste of money Hopefully the owner/staff can do something about this so it doesn't happen to others Do not order onion rings!! The service was a 5* and atmosphere a 4* Sorry onion rings 0*

Fantastic burgers and fries, never disappoints. We've been a…read morenumber of times and will continue to try other items on the menu.

The lovely K picked the place for our lunch today. Not often she misses the mark, but she almost…read morehad a swing and a miss here. It's bare bones in the decor department, with the wooden floors showing a fair amount of wear and tear. The kitchen service was quite slow, with our three meals taking quite some time considering the place was almost empty. The fryer is someone friend, but the items we ordered were over cooked. The menu has plenty of chicken items on it, but we were informed upon sitting that they had no chicken, other than wings. K ordered the wings, and when they landed she asked for some dip, which never materialized, though our server did come by and mention it after we had finished eating. She mentioned she asked the kitchen for it, but then Buddy in the kitchen sneezed and had to wash his hands, at least he did that. In the time he washed his hands the dip was a forgotten memory. My veggie sandwich was ok, but the cream cheese was very evident overpowering the rest. The sliders were ok according to our guest, but identifying the fried additions took a while to identify. The washrooms were very clean, which was a positive. I can't imagine being there when it's busy, you'd wait an eternity for your food I fear. Not a redo for us, sorry.

Conveniently located off the Hwy between Nanaimo and Ladysmith, Cassidy Country Kitchen was the…read moreideal place to stop for a quick breakfast. I was served quickly and was very satisfied with my breakfast sandwich and potatoes. Friendly service too. I will definitely drop in again when passing by.

Met some friends here for dinner after a wonderful dinner the night before at another local place…read moreserving far different fare. The interior is very plain, and somewhat looks thrown together, and that's ok. It's not trying to be anything other than what it is, no apologies. When your claim to fame is a dinner, or lunch, on top of a Caesar in a glass, you are kind of throwing up your middle in defiance aren't you. The service was good, everything was well taken care of. The food itself is good and quite abundant. K's wings were very nicely cooked and quite plump. The sauce was meh, but that's a personal choice. The taco salad, which we shared was quite good as well, but the taco chips could have been of a better quality, or better yet made in house. My beef dip was pretty good, not fatty at all which is a turn off for me. Fries were abundant, but the au jus needed a helping hand. Our guests had wings as well and a hot chicken sandwich. Both were quite good as well. I could have seen a five star, and it was quite close, just not quite there. We'd go again though next time we are in Parksville!

I was really wanting a good burger & seen location listed in what I think is called the "taste of…read morethe Island" for local restaurant features of Parksville & Qualicum Beach. I was surprised to find them still open on a week night in Nov but on Remembrance Day, I felt I hit the jackpot. I suspect I wasn't the only one searching for good food options, as the limited seating indoors filled up quickly. The burger was really good (and they prepare you for messy - with the heap of napkins delivered to the table) but it was the parm fries that sent the supper over the top. So much, that I actually had to stop myself eating the parm fries & the delicious dip & enjoy the burger while still hot. I actually took leftover fries home - that's a very rare thing for me to do. The strawberry milkshake was tasty on its own & I wasn't prepared for the brownie chunk that accompanied it (I truly had dessert before supper that night!). There's covered outdoor seating but I suspect they weren't expecting a huge crowd as I didn't feel any heat as I walked by both covered areas to wait to be seated in the restaurant. There's street parking & as well, a uniquely configured smaller parking lot area that I assume the restaurant & the nearby shops share. Staff was all very friendly & even though I was my myself & wasn't there long, I enjoyed the atmosphere. For those that worry about a washroom axes, this legit was right in the front & big enough for any accessible aid logistics to maneuver within. Nothing blocking access to it either (amazing for such a small indoor space). Lastly, if you're picking up the food, this is near to all the big hotels by the boardwalk & beach. So perfect walking distance for those that want to take to enjoy elsewhere.

Fatburger makes amazing, juicy cheeseburgers. They use fresh beef, no fillers, your choice of…read morecheese, and only the freshest toppings. Their chicken burgers and wings are also top tier. My strongest critique is their hiring practices. It would be nice to see a restaurant hire outside of the Indian community for once. It's frustrating to have to repeat my order six times before they get it right. I don't know how many times I have to say "add bacon" for them to actually add bacon to my burger.

Didn't open on time waited till quarter after and still wasn't open. And this was in the pouring…read morerain too.

Must eat here! The zucchini strips were cooked to…read moreperfection. Burger and poutine were delicious. The owners are friendly and clearly care about quality. This is all topped off with beachside tables.