We have been to the AQUA Bistro a few times for afternoon appys and to try some of their signature…read morebeverages. Went to Ocean7 restaurant to give the finer dining side a try. For the most part it was very good, but fell short of a five star experience. With reservations we were seated quickly in the restaurant which was decorated for the holiday season. First thing I noticed is haw far I sunk into the seat, and I'm not a big dude. Second thing I noticed was the dirty wine glass in front of the lovely K. They took it away when it was noted with another off the table, but did not replace them. Our guests arrived and as locals they had been here on occasion and spoke highly of the place. Drinks were ordered and came out along with a bottle of wine. Still only two wine glasses, which our waiter offered to fetch, but I just gave mine to K. Should've already been dealt with. Both couples ordered the Caesar salad which we were told was big enough to share, and was. Pretty good salad, but the romaine was left large enough you had to cut it with a knife to get it anywhere close to bite sized. The entrees were good, a couple of chicken two ways, a lamb, and an eight ounce strip loin. My chicken was a little over and had no real carbohydrate on the plate. K's steak was cut right down the middle, for presentation, which she does not like as the steak cools too quickly. Overall it was good, not fantastic. I also noted the AC/ heat above our table needed a vacuum as it was very dusty, a little thing, but it's blowing air down on us. We'd give it another go, but there are things to improve upon.

We are staying at this resort and decided to try the Aqua Bistro attached to it. We are so glad we…read moredid! Our server, Jocelyn was professional and cordial. She made excellent recommendations. We both had the Korea Fried Chicken and Rice Bowls. Delicious! For mixed drinks we had an Old Fashion and Lycee Martini. The inside has adequate seating and a well stocked bar. We had a delightful time here!

All three courses were wonderful - chicken Brie cordon bleu for the main course was the highlight…read more Nice experience - quiet due to the playoff hockey game. Likely lucked in to being able to walk in, suggest reservations as limited seating.

While staying at a nearby resort, we got a reccomendation for Brie & Barrel. It was also one of the…read morefew restaurants that was open late in town. The restaurant is in an historic building downtown and seems to be a part of a city revitalization effort. Inside, the restaurant is well appointed and there are many tables with views. We chose the bar area for a more social vibe. The bar seating is a bit awkward for socialization with the bartenders or other patrons. The staff we met were super friendly even though they were quite busy. We both had drinks. My wife had a Cranberry Fizz which was executed well and made her happy which makes me happy. The rosemary bread is excellent and makes for good snacking with the libations. I had the steak frites for an entre and my wife had a Caesar salad. Both plates were elevated in technique and presentation. My steak was the proper temp, but could had used more seasoning. Everywhere we go on the Island, the only steak choice seems to be flat iron. Why? Where is the rest of the cow going? Anyway, we like this restaurant very much and reccomend you try it if you want something better than a burger and a beer while in Port Alberni.

We went to the Kingfisher on Christmas Eve to the Sky Dome dinner. It was absolutely lovely and…read moreincredibly relaxing. I was a bit worried it might be cold, but it was perfectly comfortable -- the heater kept the temperature just right. There were blankets provided on the chairs, though we didn't even need them. Dinner was a set menu with two choices, and the whole experience lasted about three hours. It truly felt special and memorable. I would highly recommend it, especially for a special occasion.

This is still our favorite spa getaway in the world. We've been coming for 20 years, and the spa…read moreand hotel experience is always perfect. We did the hydropath and massages and booked the romance suite down on the water. That suite is enormous, and while the tub in it looks neat, after a whole day of being in the water, we didn't need a bath. ;) Everything is freshly renovated, and after all these years, the spa looks just as clean and well-kept as it always was. I actually prefer this place to Canyon Ranch or the Mission Sonoma. I know. That sounds crazy but I do love it here. Note: there is a separate Yelp listing for the restaurant. It's a bit hit-and-miss.

Emily is OUTSTANDING. michelin star service, she was the vehicle to the entire vibe of the night…read more it was saturday night, eve of mother's day and it was PACKED. we happily waited because there is a lot to do at hotel zed, including arcade games and a sunken-lounge area with a ton of games. i would rather wait for a meal cooked with love and support local over something ingenuine in a beautifully historically rich town like Tofino. coming to hotel zed, ROAR- you will be IMPRESSED. mahalo nui to emily and everyone at hotel zed for making my family and i feel so welcome and happy!

We enjoyed this place!…read more Wonderful service, great portions, nice plant based and vegetarian options. Beautiful open kitchen. Thoughtful menu. The ambiance is clean and bright, nice for a comfortable yet elevated dinner to catch up with friends or loved ones. We'll definitely be back.

The Prawn Tagliatelle was excellent but our server (Kirsty) uhhhh not so much. It's GM 6 of the…read moreStanley Cup Final (CAR @ VGK) and I specifically came here because I wanted to watch the game and see CAR hoist the cup. Mid meal after being seated for about 35 mins she asks me to move to accommodate another table that sat down after us. Other tables were also watching the hockey game and wondered why it changed to a soccer game that wasn't starting for another 10 mins. She clearly is not a sports fan and who asks someone to move in the middle of their meal??!! My food was great but Kirsty ruined my experience. Off to any other place to watch the 3rd period...worried I might get asked to move again by my clueless server. Pissed off hockey fan

The Bear describes itself as an "elevated sports bar". What this translates to is a laid back and…read moreupbeat but classy vibe and a menu of sophisticated but approachable dishes. And of course there are TV's. They were a little busy when I visited on a Monday night but you didn't need a reservation to be seated right away. The service was good. My waitress was very friendly. While the food wasn't lightning fast, it took less time than I expected to get my entree after ordering given that they seemed busy, and my dessert came out very quickly. I had: Foragers martini: This tasted exactly as you would expect from the name. Spruce-flavoured anything was not actually in the ingredient list, but I would describe the flavour of the cocktail as "sprucey". It was pleasantly strong. Grilled wild sockeye salmon: My first thought was that this was a small portion for the price, but the huge plate was deceiving and this was actually a very satisfying serving with a large cut of salmon and a healthy heaping of farro salad. The salmon was cooked perfectly - I loved how the skin got crispy and flaky. The farro salad was hearty and delicious on its own or with the salmon, and the pickled fennel and the orange coulis were interesting compliments to enhance the dish. Chocolate basque cheesecake: I was going to choose this anyway, but my waitress also recommended it. This was a great basque cheesecake - rich with a slightly burnt crust. The candied hazelnut brittle totally elevated it. The slice was big enough to share, but it was really good and surprisingly not too heavy, so I finished it by myself easily. It was so expensive though... I was staying at the hotel so I got 10% off food, and even then I spent $80 after tip! I knew it was going to be expensive and decided to treat myself since it was my last night in Tofino, but I think without the 10% I would've gone somewhere else anyway. Even with the whole "elevated" thing and acknowledging that the food and drink was not at all what I would consider typical sports bar food, it felt so bad to spend $80 on one person at a place calling itself as a sports bar.

A complete flop of an experience. Nice looking place inside…read morethe black rock resort. The nice ended there. Drinks were overly sweet. Food was meh. Fish and chips - cod was so greasy. Watermelon salad dressing was thin and tasted weak. Worst of all was the service. Totally forgot to enter our orders. Had to ask for appetizer plates twice. They took silverware and didn't replace. Had to ask for more. By the time we left we were eager to just have leave and never look back. And all this with a cavalier "you're lucky we even let you enter here" kind of attitude. Needless to say, not recommended. Always like to spend my money at places that feel like they have to earn it.

Pricing very reasonable for this outstanding food! The deep-fried Ling Cod is as good as it gets:…read more fried in FRESH oil, thinly battered, and cooked to just the right done-ness so it was tasty, flaky, and not greasy. As good as any halibut we've had anywhere, including fresh off the boat in Alaska. Four of us ate there and were all raving about what we had. Geoff Johnson was the entertainer the evening we were there, who played a variety of wonderful songs and played them well, all by himself.

I had little context when arriving with a group of 7 to a restaurant that planned to seat 8 of us…read moreat 2 tables. They had expressly stated that they did not "do" large tables of 8. We were confused. Our organizer's assistant had set this up. I was just along for the ride. What a ride it turned out to be. The reason they don't do tables of 8 became obvious when we realized that this was a 2 star Michelin star restaurant that didn't have the stars yet. Pretty hard to get the folks at Michelin to wander into Uculet BC. Trust me when I say - it doesn't matter if they've been anointed by the rubber tire makers, they qualify in any event. They graciously accommodated our slightly diminished group of 7 at one cobbled together table. This is a world class dining room entirely contained within the floor plate of a 20th century home. It likely holds about 20 people per seating. The kitchen pumps out tasty pieces of art. The artists studio is naturally designed for intimacy, not rambunctious conference attendees. They bent the rules and pushed the limits of the kitchen to ensure we all got to experience the service as designed. They pulled it off. The photos below give you a glimpse into the menu. It clearly ebbs and flows with the seasons, and they were also able to accommodate needed dietary restrictions. Claire, our lovely server, took the time to ask each of our names, and then used them correctly throughout the evening. We were no longer strangers, we were guests in this former home. It happened to be Claire's last night before she left on a personal hiatus. I hope they can find someone as lovely to replace her. The food was tasty and beautiful. The wine pairings were sublime (with one slight miss) and the chef's amuse bouche and little delights were woven into the experience in a way that surprised and delighted us throughout. If you enjoy world class, and you find yourself in Tofino or Uculet - make the effort and head over to Pluvio. 4.9/5

Best to make a reservation and arrive on time, not earlier cause the restaurant is quite small…read more There's no place to wait. We had the set menu. The food!! Or shall we say the ART! Everything is surprising. Delicious, super creatively crafted and fresh. It definitely an experience, that satisfies all your senses. I love that they also give you some little treats between your five courses and everything adds up together you're perfectly full.