Trollers Fish &amp; Chips

No wait time, easy to read menu, and great service. We order steak with mushrooms, fries, and…read moreveggies. Also a sushi pizza with the pulled pork. So yummy live the fried bread rice in the pizza and the steak was yum! Not very crowded so not very loud but it was great.

We walked into Firehouse Grill with no prior information and had the absolutely best meal in weeks!…read moreThe menu is surprising--including cornbread muffins and jambalaya! We ordered burgers--best burgers we've eaten in a long time. Amazing food, prepared and quickly out of the kitchen. Beautiful presentation. Service was perfect. Chef (owner?) came out to meet us and we learned his history, including time spent in New Orleans where he learned how to prepare cornbread and jambalaya. Interesting note--we'd asked for restaurant recommendations and this one had not been mentioned by anyone. Honestly, don't know how the other places could beat Firehouse Grill for service, selection, and taste. Next day, sitting in Vancouver, we talked about riding the ferry back to Nanaimo to eat here for a second time.

Steak with mushroom sauce

Miyagi's Magic Prawns

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The View Oceanside Grill

3.7(34 reviews)

We chose this place for their celiac gluten recommendations. They definitely accommodated celiac…read moreand shellfish allergies. The staff were extremely friendly and knowledgeable, even when we showed up close to their closing time we did not feel rushed, pushed out or an inconvenience to a staff considering we were there at closing. The place was very clean. The food was EXCELLENT definitely exceeded expectations. You will not be disappointed by coming here. Whatever staff chef was working July 29 at closing definitely deserves recognition. They did really well. We are not from Canada, drove all the way up here and this was the best food that we have had in a very long time even from our local area.

First time ever going there. Born and raised here…read more There was six of us tonight and our waiter was not good. I had high expectations going in here. He was so unprofessional. Read and study the menu and drinks. Learn to multitask. That's all I have to say. We will never come back here.

8oz Sirloin Surf & Turf (Dine About menu)

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Dungeons crab &Lobster Platter

Lighthouse Bistro & Pub

2.8(99 reviews)

0.2 km

We lived this little pub on the ocean. First time sat in the restaurant, second time on the outside…read morepatio. Service could be better but the seafood risotto I had was delicious. Would go back!

We've stayed in the neighbourhood a number of times in downtown Nanaimo and have read about this…read moreplace a few times. Finally took the plunge, and really wish we hadn't, and certainly will not again. Our server was quick to seat us, took good care of us, gave us some insight into the menu items, and generally speaking was great. The view from the top floor part of the Lighthouse is great. Overlooking the marina and sea plane dock in downtown Nanaimo, there is plenty to see, and plenty to watch, it should be a licence to print money. Sadly to food was atrocious, in both taste and the visual. Looking at it as it was as delivered, we should have left right then. The salad that I chose with my beef dip was terrible. The mixed greens part had black ends, and black slime on it. I tried picking through it, and finally gave up and didn't touch it. The dip for the sandwich was thick, very dark and had what looked like the part that sticks to the pot while it's reducing. The meat colour looked a little off as well. K had the wings and clam chowder. The wings looked like they had been sitting for quite a few hours in a bowl on the counter prior to tossing them on the plate. The cut veggies had also been out for a while, she had to cut each end off the celery. The soup was hot, but had no flavour. I could go on, but you get the idea, don't go to this restaurant for food. Have a beer enjoy the view and eat elsewhere. The photos attached say a lot!

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Off The Hook

4.0(21 reviews)

3.2 km

Nice atmosphere despite being in an out of the way place. We were thrilled that the fish and chips…read morewere gluten-free and they were amazingly fresh and good with great tartar sauce!!! The hamburger not so much ...not much flavor nobody wanted to finish it ...gluten-free roll should've been buttered and toasted. Cocktails and gluten-free beer were excellent server did not know why everything was gluten-free would've liked to appreciate that. But, a fun meal !

Very pleasant service. Fried salmon was quite greasy. Ribs were OK, could have been meatier. Shrimp…read moretaco was small but good. Way too many fries. The $65 surf and turf for two is a decent value. Clean restaurant with reasonable prices. Would have been four stars if the salmon wasn't so greasy.

Halibut tacos. Excellent!

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Pacific Katsu Chicken Bowl

Minnoz Restaurant & Lounge

3.7(30 reviews)

We stayed at Coast Bastion Hotel and after walking all day, it was nice to have a place to eat…read morewithout leaving the hotel. Yes, they were pricey but the food was delicious. We ordered crab cakes and top sirloin . Service was awesome.

Second time in this hotel restaurant inside of a week. Both nights had large crowds attending a…read moretheatre event around the corner. Not surprisingly they were very busy. That said, we were there for both "slammed" situations, and endured little, to no, service. Our server last night had no answers to our menu questions and spent entirely too much time leaving us to ask someone else. Specials, fish of the day, etc should be a part of the offering that is well known and sold by the wait staff. We find hotel chain restaurants to be sub-par in general, but this Coast hotel disappointed twice inside of a week. The space is nicely appointed, but we found the folks that followed us in were looking to watch the hockey playoffs at 8 PM. Should be prime dinner/date night out. Overall, so average, which you are not looking for out of a Coast hotel situated a few hundred meters from the ocean.

Foyer at the Bastion Hotel

Crab cakes and top sirloin

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Vermicelli Asian salad , seared tuna

Penny's Palapa

3.4(53 reviews)

Food, drinks and service were amazing, as always! Our post-regatta stop when in Nanaimoread more

We were in the marina on our boat for the night. Arrived at about 3:30p and after getting settled…read moredecided this very cute place was what's for dinner! Very cute place, service was amazing and margarita was delish. The food was also good.

Penny's Palapas!

Pork Pastor Tacos

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Signage off Port walkway

Astera's Greek Taverna

4.6(188 reviews)

0.6 km

We showed up without a reservation and they squeezed us in on a very busy night. This is obviously…read morea very popular place and family run. Staff was professional, the owner greeted and welcomed us as we arrived and when we left. Food was outstanding! The lamb was delicious and well seasoned, sides very tasty and the baklava fresh and a great finish to the meal. It's not cheap, but well priced for this level of atmosphere, service and quality of food. Highly recommend...but probably best to call ahead and get a reservation.

We started off with an order of Melitzanosalada, which was probably the best melitzanosalada I've…read moreever had. Creamy, savory, and just delicious. Also, the presentation of the pita bread was unique. Toasted, basted in olive oil, and sliced into 3 sections like "spears". Overall, a great appetizer. At the behest of our lovely waitress, we ordered the #1 Combination Platter because it had both the roast lamb & moussaka, two things I wanted to try the most. We also made one substitution - instead of calamari we asked to replace it with garlic prawns. The roast lamb was fall-off-the-bone, but not super flavorful. The moussaka was (surprisingly) a bit sweet, which wasn't the flavor profile I was expecting. The dolmades weren't great and the spanakopita was not impressive. Having said that, the garlic prawns were STELLAR. If I were to come back here, I'd order the garlic prawns with rice and extra garlic sauce. It was incredibly tasty and very satisfying.

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The exterior is funky but welcoming.

Top Notch Burgers

3.0(28 reviews)

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.

FRESH START Breakfast with fixings and yogurt/granola. Yogurt was very thick and creamy.

Canadian Benedict with hash browns

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Simple stack

The Modern Cafe

3.5(99 reviews)

0.2 km

Discovering another gem in downtown Nanaimo Modern café is nestled in a heritage site built in…read more1910. They bring a fresh twist to classic comfort food using locally sourced ingredients. We stopped by for brunch and indulged in the Modern Acai Berry Bowl ($16) and the Modern Breakfast ($18). Whether you're in the mood for brunch, lunch, or dinner, this all-day dining lounge has something for everyone. Don't miss out on this unique spot! The Modern Cafe 221 Commercial St, Nanaimo, BC V9R 5GB 11:30-9pm (open till 10 on weekends) Food Parking 4.5/5 Service 4/5 Ambiance 5/5

I was visiting Nanaimo for the first time and had brunch here with a large group, it wasn't super…read morebusy and I appreciated the service. I thought it was a decent brunch place however felt that the dish was a bit heavy -- big portion though. The duck while there was a decent amount in the hash, didn't have anything special to it and tasted like a regular pulled meat. I did like the addition of pineapple as that was something I hadn't seen before and the potatoes were pretty good! Overall, for the price point ($26), it's definitely not a go-to for me if I lived in the area however it's a nice spot to visit if you're on the island for a getaway.

Roasted Halibut Special

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Mocktail

Cod Squad Fish & Chips

4.1(14 reviews)

3.6 km

Went here on a whim for a lunch with my mom. Restaurant was super tidy and clean smelling inside…read more The staff were so kind and the food was great. extremely comparable to saltys in terms pf vibe/quality. Id go back next time im nearby.

Doesn't look like a hot spot but I gotta tell you this fish is phenomenal! Had the halibut and the…read morecod and both were great but the halibut was the best I've had in a long time! The chips are a fresh as can be! Tastes homemade from Fresh potatoes! Scratch fish in chips at its best! Highly recommend this place!

Not good value.

The fish is ok but I was hoping for extraordinary halibut. The batter was a bit gooey.

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Yummy Cod Fish and chips !!

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Fredrik C.

0

6

0

11 years ago

My family enjoys fish & chips. I'm not ordinarily a fan, but Trollers impressed me with their crispy fresh fish, crispy fries and very delicious cole-slaw. And you're floating right on the water! read more

Christopher R.

0

1

0

11 years ago

By far the best 'fish and chips' in town! And did I mention the location. Situated right on the water, this locally owned eatery is definitely worth a visit. read more

Hannah L.

0

1

3

6 years ago

The staff was very friendly. The food was good but nothing that i would go out of my way to get again. The environment was cool!

Greg B.

0

5

3

7 years ago

Way over priced for the small amount of food you get and the pic of fish was so small 1 pic with fry for 17 dollars

John V.

0

1

0

8 years ago

We had fish and chips and it was not good. There are much better places to get good F&C.

Tanya G.

0

1

0

11 years ago

If you want fish and chips this is the place to go. I have never been disappointed.

Greg S.

51

26

0

14 years ago

Awesome, the best I ever had. Btw.......had the cod nuggets.

Jesse P.

0

4

1

11 years ago

Good overall. Cool location. Love the chips.

Shawn O.

22

30

17

14 years ago

Good Food!

Trollers Fish & Chips - seafood - Updated August 2026

People who viewed Trollers Fish & Chips also viewed

Cod Squad Fish & Chips

4.1

(14 reviews)

Went here on a whim for a lunch with my mom. Restaurant was super tidy and clean smelling inside…read more The staff were so kind and the food was great. extremely comparable to saltys in terms pf vibe/quality. Id go back next time im nearby.

Doesn't look like a hot spot but I gotta tell you this fish is phenomenal! Had the halibut and the…read morecod and both were great but the halibut was the best I've had in a long time! The chips are a fresh as can be! Tastes homemade from Fresh potatoes! Scratch fish in chips at its best! Highly recommend this place!

Maggie's Seafood Market

4.3

(18 reviews)

Maggie's Fish and Chips serves up absolutely stellar top notch fish and chips. The batter is thin…read moreand crispy without being greasy. The portion of fish in each piece was quite substantial. Our party ordered cod, red snapper and Ling cod. Every piece was cooked to perfection; meaty and tastey. The fries were hand cut and fried perfectly. They stress fresh oil and wild caught fish is used to prepare the orders. I will definetly be going back to Maggie's because the quality is equal or exceeds Red Fin Blue Fin in Victoria. There are about maybe 10 to 12 tables and counter seating. Not a fancy restuarant because after all, it is a seafood store. Maggie is very friendly and there is a self serve water station. You order at the till and the food is brought to your table. She totally gets a two thumbs up from me.

We found this spot far from the waterfront and decided to try it. Wow am I glad we did. The first…read moreindication that this was going to be good was the fact that they had a fresh fish market counter. We ordered Halibut fish n chips and was not disappointed, it was amazing. Maggie came to our table and made sure we were happy, she was great! I love supporting businesses like this, they have a quality product and are passionate about what they do. You won't get a waterfront view but you will get the best fish n chips in town.

Off The Hook

4.0

(21 reviews)

Nice atmosphere despite being in an out of the way place. We were thrilled that the fish and chips…read morewere gluten-free and they were amazingly fresh and good with great tartar sauce!!! The hamburger not so much ...not much flavor nobody wanted to finish it ...gluten-free roll should've been buttered and toasted. Cocktails and gluten-free beer were excellent server did not know why everything was gluten-free would've liked to appreciate that. But, a fun meal !

Very pleasant service. Fried salmon was quite greasy. Ribs were OK, could have been meatier. Shrimp…read moretaco was small but good. Way too many fries. The $65 surf and turf for two is a decent value. Clean restaurant with reasonable prices. Would have been four stars if the salmon wasn't so greasy.

Aioli Seafood Restaurant

3.7

(63 reviews)

We came here as it was across the street from where we were staying in Parksville. It's a good…read moreseafood restaurant in Parksville. It was packed and we were able to get a table as we didn't have reservations. We had the red snapper and maple salmon. The food was delicious and not dry. It was a lot better the restaurant at the hotel we were at. We'd recommend this place if you're in Parksville.

Vacationing in BC, we are in parks ville and had a hankering for seafood. The halibut sandwich I…read morewas told by the hubs was good. Jambalaya shrimp was missing flavors and salt. The parmesan linguine was meh. Missing some flavors in my opinion. Chicken was braded and topped with 3 type of cheese, cheddar, parmesan and mozzarella. Chicken tenders were ok. Would I recommend this place? Probably not unless there's nothing around.

Seaside Restaurant

3.4

(45 reviews)

Excited to eat fish and chips but they ruin everything with horrible service and probably didn't…read moreeven know or car. All the people got their food and the waitress goes your fish and chips coming along. 15-20 mins later and finally it came and with no fries wtf. They bring me fries and say on the house , it bettter be on the house. Fish and chip was majority batter and no fish. Fries hot but soggy not even crispy. Dont recommend at all !!! No pic cause I was pissed and hungry

Came by here and enjoyed a fresh halibut fish and chips and an order of poutine fries. Everything…read morewas so fresh and delicious done in minutes! Service was fast, friendly customer service . This restaurant has the BEST views on the island. Amazing sunset here on salt spring island. Definitely recommend if you want to enjoy some great food, beer and the views !

Chick to Sea Express

3.3

(6 reviews)

customer service is not excellent but good food is…read morephenomenal! fish and chicken are fantastic! salads are always fresh...weird hours of operation though...

Potato salad was hard potato bits in soupie sauce. Couldn't eat it, too weird. Fish was just OK,…read morechips were just OK. There are much better Chippies in Nanaimo.

Off The Hook

3.5

(8 reviews)

To be generous, maybe we visited on an off night, or maybe this is a newer restaurant trying to…read morefind its footing. (We've never visited the restaurant on previous Salt Spring trips over the years, so I'm not sure how new it is.) But they weren't covering some of the basics on our recent visit. The restaurant is clearly a recent renovation, at the very least, and looks lovely inside. The portions for both starters and mains were generous and more than we could eat, but that was partially because we weren't tempted to finish them. The food and drinks are uneven. Both our cocktails were made with a heavy hand on the sugar syrup. For example, I would have expected that in a rhubarb Paloma, the tart rhubarb would undercut the sugar pleasantly, but the rhubarb just seemed to be there to turn the copious sugar syrup a light pink. The wine list is also pedestrian. I ordered a lemon pasta with added prawns. The prawns were cooked well, and the sauce with capers was decent. The farfalle pasta itself, however, was complete mush. Al dente does not seem to be a concept the kitchen cares about, yet at $40 for a pasta dish, I have to say I expected properly cooked pasta at the very least. My partner said his mahi mahi was a bit overcooked but otherwise fine. It is disappointing that in an area of the world with excellent local seafood, few of the fish dishes they offer feature local fish. Service was...relaxed. For example, we ordered cocktails early on (15 min after we arrived, when the staff finally took notice of us), and they arrived well after our appetizers and just before our mains. Fortunately they didn't seem fussed about the time limit stated when we reserved. All in all, we're unlikely to return when we're back on Salt Spring.

Incredible service! Showed up at 5 when they opened without a reservation and they enthusiastically…read moreworked us in. One of the drink specials was a Yuzu Margarita and it was excellent! A very well balanced cocktail. The tuna credo on the starter menu is ridiculous. A generous portion of tuna with the perfect blend of olive oil, lemon zest, salt, pistachios, and green olives. Definitely a highlight! The salmon fish and chips were most excellent too. Other items ordered by our group were equally impressive. A huge thumbs up!!

The View Oceanside Grill

3.7

(34 reviews)

We chose this place for their celiac gluten recommendations. They definitely accommodated celiac…read moreand shellfish allergies. The staff were extremely friendly and knowledgeable, even when we showed up close to their closing time we did not feel rushed, pushed out or an inconvenience to a staff considering we were there at closing. The place was very clean. The food was EXCELLENT definitely exceeded expectations. You will not be disappointed by coming here. Whatever staff chef was working July 29 at closing definitely deserves recognition. They did really well. We are not from Canada, drove all the way up here and this was the best food that we have had in a very long time even from our local area.

First time ever going there. Born and raised here…read more There was six of us tonight and our waiter was not good. I had high expectations going in here. He was so unprofessional. Read and study the menu and drinks. Learn to multitask. That's all I have to say. We will never come back here.

Firehouse Grill

3.4

(83 reviews)

No wait time, easy to read menu, and great service. We order steak with mushrooms, fries, and…read moreveggies. Also a sushi pizza with the pulled pork. So yummy live the fried bread rice in the pizza and the steak was yum! Not very crowded so not very loud but it was great.

We walked into Firehouse Grill with no prior information and had the absolutely best meal in weeks!…read moreThe menu is surprising--including cornbread muffins and jambalaya! We ordered burgers--best burgers we've eaten in a long time. Amazing food, prepared and quickly out of the kitchen. Beautiful presentation. Service was perfect. Chef (owner?) came out to meet us and we learned his history, including time spent in New Orleans where he learned how to prepare cornbread and jambalaya. Interesting note--we'd asked for restaurant recommendations and this one had not been mentioned by anyone. Honestly, don't know how the other places could beat Firehouse Grill for service, selection, and taste. Next day, sitting in Vancouver, we talked about riding the ferry back to Nanaimo to eat here for a second time.

Bonnie Martins

3.7

(20 reviews)