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    Hanks A Restaurant

    4.4 (108 reviews)
    ModerateCanadian (New), Bars
    Closed Closed

    Hanks A Restaurant Photos

    HANKS A RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for kids
    Good for dancing

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    Salty lamb

    TLDR: Hilariously bad. Service was poor and the food was even worse. Was served a hockey puck for a burger and ribs drier than jerky. Food: middling flavors with disastrous execution. Service: inattentive and unapologetic. Vibe: tries to be both industrial and rocker, ends up as neither. The ambiance was, like the food and service, lacking. Review: This was, without doubt, the WORST dining experience I have ever had. That is not hyperbole. I am not exaggerating for effect. Everything, from the service to the food, was so genuinely awful that I'm laughing just thinking about it. Things got off to a rocky start the moment we stepped inside. We had a reservation for the countertop so we could see the chef at work, but the restaurant was clearly not on the same page. All of the counter spots were already taken, and the server had erroneously thought we had a booking for a regular table. When I showed him our reservation, which read "kitchen counter", he offered no apology. So we stuck it out in the dining room. Fine, not the end of the world, I thought. We ordered their tasting menu for one, as well as their dry-aged burger, the latter which came highly recommended. Somehow, it was not until after we ordered that we found out that what was featured on the tasting menu for one was different than if it was ordered for two people. I guess explaining that to guests was too much to ask. We should have taken the hint that this was an unserious establishment, but decided to give the food a chance to speak for itself. The first two courses, the carrots and cucumbers, weren't bad. But neither were they very good. The choice of ingredients were more interesting than they were harmonious. The lamb moussaka that followed was flavorful, but was so utterly drowned in salt that my wife could not eat it. Rather than send back what was a rather small portion, I ate the rest, hoping the next dish would offer redemption. Nope. The BBQ chicken was an equal miss. Again, the flavor was fine, but the meat itself was overcooked and dry. My wife would later say the best bite she had at this place was the coleslaw on the side. Wow. Next were the ribs, served with a basal and berry salad. I wish I could have infused all of the moisture from those berries into the ribs, because just like the chicken, this thing was dry and barren to the bone. And then came the burger. Oh my god, the burger. This was the most horrifyingly dry burger I have ever had the displeasure of sinking my teeth into. Not just in a restaurant, but anywhere... ever! The most novice dad at any backyard cookout could make less lifeless patties than this. Even the water-boiled burgers from the elementary school cafeteria were A5 wagyu compared to this bite of the Sahara I had to choke down. How on earth could anybody, let alone a professional chef, let this mummified carcass of a once proud bovine leave the kitchen? Dry aged beef? No, this was just DRY. When I told the waiter this "thing" was inedible, I asked him to take it back and said "thank you" out of politeness. He responded with a simple "you're welcome" and walked away. Again, no apology for serving up a leather sole and trying to pass it off as meat. No condolences for my palate having to suffer its texture. Just... "you're welcome." The final dish would have been dessert, but at that point, we had enough. We paid the bill and left before any more culinary torture could be inflicted. An extremely disappointing (to put it lightly) end to what was otherwise a great time in Victoria.

    Art work
    Lorie C.

    Great service, cool vibe and creative menu. We did the best things tasting menu and tried a variety of the dishes because we could not decide.

    Parris J. W.

    I've only been here the one time, but man oh man will I be back! This small, intimate restaurant is perfect for those looking for something romantic, local and very charming. There is only about 15 seats in the entire restaurant and I don't believe they take reservations. It's more of a: if they have room- you better take advantage of it. I wish I was able to go into more depth as to what these guys do- but pretty much everything they do is made in house from scratch. They have a small team but a knowledgeable one. Hank's is a great place to go if you appreciate the art of cuisine. Ask questions because everyone there is super friendly and wants to teach the community about what it is they do. Check it out if you're walking by and you see room! It's worth it.

    Fast L.

    Fun - lots of character and an amazing effort. Staff really cares and tries... A small sit at the bar "it's about the food" place. This place is on the edge of being 5 stars,not quite there yet, but easily could be ... the base of each dish great but then lacked that final complex searching for changing /balanced flavor complexity. That said the 150 day aged beef with beet reduction was terrific by any standard as was the home made ham. The dark truffle dishes relied too much on the truffles. The pasta very good but was missing that last aromatic, herb or cumin finish ...wine list interesting but could be a bit more sophisticated. Also the tightly measured pour is a bit clinical and counter to the warmth and vibe of the place. I am being tough because they really could totally nail it with that last push...

    Karim F.

    Fancy fancy place... Every meals was so original and amazing !! I heard they change the menu once a month or something so I hope I can go back again. But it's a bit pricey so maybe on some special day :) This place is pretty small so maybe it's hard for a big group to come in when it gets busy. We saw a lot of people who tried to get a table but were told the waiting time and left. Also the staff were good. Our server was friendly and another looked drunk ... I mean he looked happy. :) I'm looking forward to going back :):)

    Creamed oysters
    Jacqueline D.

    By far my favourite restaurant in Victoria. Never the same menu, never a less-than-spectacular meal. This is my happy place.

    Ruben E.

    Beautiful place, good food, always busy. The cheese, the burger, the pasta, all beautiful, thanks!!. I will back.

    Tasty beers from moon under water
    Madeleine D.

    This. Place. Are you deciding where to go for dinner? You should go to Hanks. What are you up to tomorrow? One word: Hank's. We showed up late-ish on a Sunday night. It was easy to settle on a first main from the chalkboard menu--pork belly with sour orange--but we needed some advice for our second choice. Clark was happy to help, telling us what was the most special (anything pork, because they raised the pigs themselves on fruit and berries and happiness) and what was the most exciting (the cured meat plate, because homemade head cheese and pork marmalade). When we said we liked beer, we got a sour, a barley wine, and a crazy pumpkin pear situation from a great local brewery. It was spectacular. The cured meat plate was the best I've ever had, and I was raised in a Swiss household where we learned to pair meats and cheeses before we learned to read. There's more: Andrew, one of the chefs, added pork skins with apple sauce and foraged wild leek pesto. Yes, it was as good as it sounds. Wow. And then there was the pork belly. So crispy, so caramelized - my bf had to stop me before I ate the whole thing. (Oops sharing is hard.) The food is amazing, and I love the connection to the land --with local beers, hand raised pigs, and foraged veggies -- but the real gem is the guys who run this place. They're kind, goofy, creative. They're doing something amazing in their tiny little kitchen, and I'm so so glad I got to experience it. Thanks guys!!!

    Pork belly appetizer.
    Traci T.

    This place is fantastic!! My friend and I happened upon this place as soon as we arrived in Victoria. We were a little hungry but definitely not famished. We were looking for a quick bite to eat to hold us over. And luckily for us we found Hanks. It's a small restaurant that has a lot of character. The owners are really nice and welcoming. They helped us decide what to order. The food is scrumptious! The pork belly appetizer is to die for! The hoisin sauce pickled onions and cilantro made for a wonderful combination. Seriously, I could have eaten five servings of that dish. We had the pulled beef sandwich which was super moist and topped with a generous serving beef. If I lived in Victoria I would be frequenting Hanks all the time!

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    7 years ago

    Favourite place in town. Sad that Andrew has left but they have a have a good crew of talent there so I'm sure quality will stay strong

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    Bard and Banker

    Bard and Banker

    4.0
    (580 reviews)
    0.2 km
    $$

    Our party of four have been checking out pubs in Victoria during this trip. So, we decided to check…read morethis place out for dinner. The first point is the food was well presented and very tasty. It was Monday and the special was fish and chips but we had that yesterday so we picked other things. The spicy chicken sandwich was very good. My wife commented that the yam fries were great. The tomato soup was top notch as well. The service was excellent. We ended up having two different servers. Second time we were switched out during our trip. Kind of funny but it gave us an opportunity to meet a couple servers. Both were excellent and took good care of us. I don't usually comment beyond good service but both ladies were funny, playful, and just plain awesome. The original server checked back as well to do nothing other than make sure we were having a good time and to share some laughs. The folks that ran the food were also engaging and genuinely wanting to provide good a great experience. All in all, the best place we have dined at to date in Victoria!

    We stopped here for an appetizer and a cocktail before continuing on our way while we are walking…read morearound Victoria. The restaurant itself is beautiful the inside and original decor is quite exquisite as it used to be a bank. The food was OK. I felt like it was overpriced for portion served and lacked a little bit of flair for something that is normally smaller portions. The oysters were good and a cocktail was decent, but since we weren't super impressed with the other appetizer, we decided not to have dinner there. The service was OK, but they were very busy so we had to go up and get our check when it was time to leave.

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    Pulling IPA Craft Beer
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    Tablorone Hot Chocolate
    Love the old school decor

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    Love the old school decor
    Big Bad John's

    Big Bad John's

    4.1
    (72 reviews)
    0.1 km
    $

    A very cool bar to check out while in Victoria. They have cider, beer, and full bar for cocktails…read more The aesthetics inside were nice and ladies if you feel compelled you can leave your bar behind! Overall a cool dive bar spot

    You don't walk into Big Bad John expecting refinement--but even by dive bar standards, this place…read morefeels less like a throwback and more like it's been left behind. There's no warmth waiting for you here. No charm to soften the edges. Just a small bar, guarded--literally--by a security presence, and a room filled with heavy, worn wooden booths that have seen better decades. Not years--decades. Look up, and you'll find the signature décor: a ceiling crowded with women's undergarments. Bras, mostly. Some scrawled with messages, others just hanging there, collecting time and dust in equal measure. The occasional pair of panties or something more adventurous makes an appearance, but the effect isn't quirky so much as... committed. Committed to a theme that's long overstayed its welcome. Dust is part of the aesthetic here, whether intentional or not. It clings to everything, including those ceiling relics, turning what might once have felt playful into something closer to a time capsule you're not sure should've been opened. And yet--there's life in the room. The ambiance, somehow, is still jovial. People are laughing, drinks are flowing, and there's a certain unspoken agreement among patrons to just go with it. The drinks are surprisingly cheap by Victoria standards, which certainly helps smooth over some of the rougher edges. And then there are the peanuts--toss the shells on the floor, no one's judging. In fact, it's encouraged. It's chaotic, a little grimy, and unapologetically itself. For me, it's a one-and-done. The kind of place you visit once, take in the spectacle, and check the box. But talk to the regulars, and you'll hear a different story. For them, this isn't a relic--it's a ritual. A place that hasn't changed, and that's exactly the point. Whether that's endearing or exhausting probably depends on how much nostalgia you're willing to drink with your beer. Cheers...

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    Big Bad John's
    Big Bad John's
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    The Churchill

    The Churchill

    4.2
    (71 reviews)
    0.3 km
    $$

    I am giving the overall bar a 5! It's a super fun bar located right off the major street in…read moreVictoria. I was visiting for only 4 short hours. We wanted to grab a beer and head back to the boat. The atmosphere is super fun. We were greeted right away and I was overwhelmed with the beer list. The server let me try a few. I don't think she heard me because it was a little loud. I ended up getting a beer I wasn't a fan of. I'm not one to send things back so I drank what I had. 1 star for the beer I had. This place has MANY drinks to try from. I didn't see a food menu. They might have one. I also didn't see a physical menu, it was scanned from the bar. Still recommend going here!

    Our group decided they wanted to try a local pub while we were in Victoria for our last night of…read morethe cruise. After a quick search on Yelp we settled on The Churchill so they could try several different local beers. I opted for the featured cocktail of the month Into The Wild with blackberry gin, blueberry liqueur, honey, lemon & orange bitters. I thought it was really good, smooth but potent. When visiting Canada, I thought it was mandatory to get the Poutine - Beer battered fries, squeaky cheese curds, homemade beef gravy. Very filling and did not disappoint. The rest of the family liked their choices (Nashville Hot Grilled Chicken Burgers, Pulled Jackfruit Bun) as well. We sat in a large booth instead of at the bar like most of the regulars and locals. Service was a little slow but would not keep me from coming back.

    Photos
    The Churchill
    Booth area
    Booth area
    The Churchill

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    Hanks A Restaurant - newcanadian - Updated June 2026

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