My partner and I came here on the last night of our three day honeymoon (mini-moon we're calling it) and it was far and away the best meal and experience we had in Victoria. The food was incredible. We had the endive salad, bison tartare and ricotta gnudi and they were all incredible and well-portioned (it's knee jerk to assume establishments with these kind of offerings will default to skimping on portion-size but everything was more than abundant). Drinks before the meal were amazing; a cognac-forward cocktail called Laundry & Taxes was my fave, while my partner loved the Vaporwave. We each had wine with the meal was (they have solid orange/rose options by bottle and glass). The very best part of our experience was bartender Charlotte and the rest of the charming staff. We felt big love and in turn feel compelled to return it. read more

All star food. Loved the seared scallops with peas, bacon, pureed cauliflower, and pea shoots. Members of our group all enjoyed the food. Great spot for a special occasion (it's a bit expensive). Lovely ambiance. read more

Wind Cries Mary - Menu - Wine Bars Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

The food was not very good, and it seems like it is trying to come off as fine dining but the quality truly isn't there. Very overpriced for the quality. The wine was ok but nothing special. Would not come back soon. read more

I'm only giving it 3 stars because the salmon was good. The "concept" as our wait staff so pretentiously referred to it, sucked. My friend ordered the pasta and I ordered the salmon. We were promptly told that the restaurant had a "sharing concept", and how dare we order separately! The thing is, we weren't interested in sharing our food. The wait staff seemed peeved, but allowed us to order separately. Pretty decent of them, don't you think? As I said, I ordered the salmon, even though the menu said it came on a bed of mushrooms and kale, neither of which I am able to eat. So I politely told the waiter about my inability to eat mushrooms and kale, and asked if they could substitute that with potatoes or rice instead. To which our waiter staff replied snottily: "I'm sorry, we don't do substitutions." If I'd had been alone, I would have replied: "And I'm not doing this restaurant" and I would have walked out. Given I was with company, I sucked up his rudeness, ate my salmon and gave the mushrooms and kale to my companion. One pasta dish, one salmon dish and two cups of tea cost me $88.00. Not. Going. Back. Ever. read more

Wow what a disappointment. We were told it was tapas style and the food would come in the order it was ready--what we weren't told was that it would take forever to get our meals! Service was very slow and we waited 15 minutes between each course--the food also came out in a weird order meaning we didn't get our main dish until an hour and 15 minutes after we arrived. The server also didn't come by and ask if we wanted drink refills while we waited with empty glasses between courses. The food itself was good--but not worth the wait. read more

Food was excellent but service terrible Host had snotty attitude. It took over 30 minutes between each dish so we were there 2.5 hours to eat 3 dishes read more

Had an outstanding dinner here, with delicious cocktails and food, and excellent service. The ambiance is hip and very dark - a bit dark to read the menu (or maybe I'm 97 years old). The menu was different than what is posted online, and maybe for the better. The food is served family style as it's ready. We were looking to get a little bit of veggies in our dinner so we ordered the kombucha squash (more of a quinoa salad with squash in it), lentil ragout with vegetables, gnudi, and tuna. Although we would have preferred a couple tweaks to the items (something to break up the lentils dish, and not having the tuna mixed in with the chow mein and other ingredients), we loved all the items, and they had very unique flavors. We were too full with the four items so took most of the gnudi to go. Service was on point, from the host to the server to the food runners. Would definitely recommend! read more

We were without a reservation one evening and we took to wandering the downtown Victoria area looking for an appropriate restaurant. We came across a restaurant with an interesting name "Wind Cries Mary" - think Led Zeppelin. We were looking for outdoor seating and the restaurant has a front and back patio. We were lucky that there was a table for two in the back enclosed patio. Service was excellent, our waitress was outstanding. I ordered the Albacore Tuna, my wife ordered the Heartbeat Greens. Both dishes were excellent. Prices are reasonable and we truly enjoyed the evening. read more

Wind Cries Mary - Front outdoor seating area - Wine Bars Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

Hands down my fav dinner in Victoria! This neighborhood gem has it all. Wonderful, attentive but not obtrusive service, a great location & beautiful indoor & charming outdoor space. Now let's talk about the fab food & drink.... We started with their take on a Manhattan & old fashioned..yum, absolutely solid & I know my cocktails! They had a great cocktail selection & their Wine list was also impressive with not only local BC wines but great international offerings. Our server suggested a perfectly chilled and delish Semillon from Argentina to pair with our selections. We started with their EPIC tater tots, served with a jalapeño ranch dip topped with caviar... omg. I could have had this for my last meal. Next up, an artfully composed endive salad with sliced apple , nuts & crumbled goat cheese. Middle course was their decadent & perfectly cooked pasta, Cacio y Pepe ... peppery , buttery & cheesy .... No calories spared here! For our mains, we so enjoyed the king salmon with courgettes & the delicate flaky Ling Cod. Absolutely no room for dessert but what a meal, Bravo! read more

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Much of the restaurant is tucked in a below-grade brick area with barred windows. The interior was welcoming and trendy , sparkling candles and racks of wine bottles everywhere. The items we had were Burrata and tomato, oysters, and sesame crusted tuna with a side dish of yams, cashews, coconut milk and bok choy. Delicious . Smaller portions , but everything is presented beautifully and very tasty . read more

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Went here on the recommendation of the bartender at Tora Tiki. What a great restaurant! Highly recommend the fried chicken. Cocktails were perfection. Beautiful dining experience. Just go! read more

Wind Cries Mary - Wine Bars Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

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It's a difficult thing to review a place that I very much want to like but, if I'm honest, isn't great. Beautiful environment and wonderful staff. Romantic and in demand - we made 4:30pm reservation on a Wednesday (which they appreciatively called to confirm the day before) to make sure we could experience the place while in town. Warmly welcomed to a spacious table (two of us at a four top) we ordered tartar, endive salad, salmon, and the "very popular" fried chicken. Everything arrives as soon as it's prepared in a conservatively sized "family style" manner and I like that, especially since each diner gets their own small set of tongs - very thoughtful. Disclaimer: I adore salt. Salt the salt. Salt salt salt. ...every item we ordered was too salty. The tartar was obviously good beef and fresh salad garnish with house made radishes. Didn't taste of beef at all and the accompanying tortilla chips were stale. Didn't work. Endive salad with apple and walnuts - beautifully fresh and dressed in a sour dressing on top of already sour main ingredients and then bits tasted as if they'd been dipped in table salt. We tried because of the obvious good quality of the ingredients - but it didn't work. On the heels of the starters we asked for our mains to have all sauces on the side. Salmon arrived atop cooked cabbage and prune gastric. Cabbage was heavy on the vinegar (which I also like) and the prune was a nice choice - but the salmon was shocking. Clearly not frozen, as evident from the texture, otherwise intolerable. Tasted like dishwater. Spat it out. The Misses actually gagged. This was the heartbreaker of the experience. Fried chicken - moist meat, crispy batter, and far too salty. The small bucket with three house made hot sauces inside were fun to try. The honey butter it's normally tossed in (delivered on the side by request) offered a little balance. Still couldn't get through it. This place has so much going for it. I'm going to visit again and order less ambitiously. My lady won't set foot for a meal - the salmon really was that inexcusable. Off night? Maybe. Am I picky? ...at those prices certainly. Am I willing to recommend it for an evening's fun after this terrifically long-winded review: no. read more

I heard the hype about this place, so we made a reservation for 6:00pm on a Sunday night. When we got there, there was one other table so maybe a reservation wasn't needed. It's much nicer to sit inside than outside because the outside seats don't look comfortable or nice enough for the price tag. I did see that they have blankets available. Inside, there is a nice bar in the center. The restaurant is located on a slight basement level so all the natural light from the high windows made the restaurant have a rather bar-feel. I liked that. The decorations don't make sense and there's a slight breeze from the front door being open so it lacks the snug feel of an indoor restaurant. Overall, I wouldn't come back to the restaurant, at least not for a little while. The food is confusing, the colors are weird, and frankly, it's too expensive for too many missed promised tastes. But I do appreciate that there's a new restaurant in Victoria that's catering beyond just bar foods and Italian food. Cocktails: Black and Yellow ($16) was suggested as the best seller. It tastes like liquified Maraschino cherries. Imagine that. It's sweet and sticky for a cocktail. 1/5. Dashi Old Fashioned ($16) is a good ol' old fashioned and a trustworthy back up to the sickly sweet drink above. Island Time ($17) is ok. Try it. Ricotta Toast ($14) is not special. Black pepper on top is likely not necessary. It needs something like cooked cherries because the sourdough and whippy ricotta combo still feels like it's missing something. 1/5. Beet salad ($16) is really yummy. The colors are confusing but the beets are not. The colorful assortment of Vancouver beets are tender and juicy. FYI beet puree is purple and the green sour cream sauce means nothing because there's no taste. The whipped ricotta (the same thing above I guess) was also good. This plate is yummy for the beets themselves not for the colors or the sauces. 5/5 Mac and Cheese ($16) is watery and extremely mediocre. You could make something better at home but maybe you're too tired, so you come out to a new restaurant and have a bite ? 3/5 I had to ask for some hot sauces for the mac and cheeses and the hot sauces probably made this exciting and fun. There were 3 types - pineapple, medium spicy, and mango. I do have to say that some of them were missing the stopper on the bottle, so the sauce was running down the bottle and my hand. Hopefully, they change that. Lingcod ($30), as noted by other reviewers, is small. But Lingcod is a pricey fish so that's to be expected. The fish was salty. The orange dollop on top of the fish was supposedly some take on Georgian spice (I don't remember because it was not memorable). The best thing about the plate is the cabbage, which is amazing. The puree was ok. I suggest you put little bit of everything in one bite. 2/5 Humboldt Squid ($22): The chorizo and squid are tasty. The micro greens on top are extremely bitter and take away from the tenderness of the squid. They pureed kalamata olives which suggests that the restaurant loves to puree anything. But the pureed olives are weird and it honestly looks gross. This plate, visually, was a 1/5. 3/5 With that's that's about $160 for 2. I think with time the restaurant will find that its use of grandmother's plates and unflattering color scheme of the foods are not as attractive and hipster as some people might find. The taste is actually lacking in some dishes and exceptional in others. I expect some changes are due soon. read more

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We came here November 2021 and just recently again last night and let me tell you, this place does not disappoint. The first time we had an exceptional experience with bone marrow luges and otherworldly cocktails. Last night they repeated the same great experience one year later that will stay with us for another year until we are back in 2023. We had a variety of local wines and foods that left us very satisfied and our wallets not as empty as we thought. The bartenders here are 2nd to none in victoria in their craft and service. Nothing but valuable information exceptional service. 2/2 for 2 years in a row, we'll see ya Dec 2023! read more

We enjoyed the intimate patio with twinkle lights on a warm evening this week. The whipped ricotta with honey and olive oil on french bread was delightful. The beef bolognese was hearty and comforting. Meritage wine from BC was a nice compliment to the food. Our server was so gracious, as we found most canadian people to be, very refreshing! A great spot for a romantic date night! read more

We stopped in for a quick bite to eat. Great outdoor seating in the back. Very cozy and quaint. Blankets on each chair to keep legs warm. We wanted something small, but only large items and a bit pricy for our want of a quick snack. We opted for a glass of wine and some roasted nuts. Will give this place another try on next visit. Enjoy! read more

Wind Cries Mary - Great outside patio - Wine Bars Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

We wanted to love this place so much. Our boss gave us each a $75 GC for Christmas and went together hoping to relax. Our server was very dry from the start. But hey, sometimes that happens?! We can take time to warm up to each other. We ordered our drinks. I got the Scarborough old fashion which is an interesting twist on the drink with Brown butter Hornito tequilla, walnut bitters and gomme. My gf got a local beer. The broccoli parm anchovy vinegrette dish was delightful but beyond rich for more than a piece or two so it's excellent for a shared dish. The ricotta sourdough is excellent and always surprises me how sweet it is with the honey and olive oil combination on top. When we transitioned to drinks is when the service slid off the table. I had to find her a few times for drinks. One of my friends chilled drinks came warm. She didn't complain but asked for the next one to please be cold And the server didn't even acknowledge it. When I tipped 20% she was still icy and borderline rude. The food and drinks were excellent but the service is not what I would hope for a place of such caliber. read more

Wind Cries Mary - Scarborough old fashion - Wine Bars Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

This restaurant came highly recommended by a few people we encountered around Vancouver city and in Victoria so we decided to give it a try. Since everything on the menu sounded great we went for the tasting menu expecting to get blown away but if I'm totally honest, every dish was a dud. It seemed like the chef just gave us whatever was leftover in the kitchen. None of the flavors went well together, for example, the salmon with an olive tapenade atop a lentil stew that tasted like it was tossed in cheap canned tomato sauce was awful. There wasn't a single dish I couldn't have made myself at home - what a disappointment. The only things that qualified it for the 2 stars were the amazing service and stellar cocktails. I definitely wouldn't return and I wouldn't recommend it to others. read more

Recommended by locals, we were looking forward to trying their version of scallops and pork belly and the lamb entrees. The lamb was the favored of the two. The restaurant service is family style, so the expectation is that you will be sharing your entree. They say they bring out the plated food when it is ready. With that in mind, we expected each entree to be served at appropriate temperatures. Nothing on the plates was hot. The lamb was barely warm, so temperature wise a disappointment. The lamb was flavorful and the carrots still had a little crispness to them.The scallop and pork belly entree was disappointing. The scallops were on the edge of being overcooked and the pork belly lacked flavor. The best part of this entree was the corn and chorizo medley. If the pork belly had been cooked with the corn and chorizo it may have been a fabulous entree. Dessert was by far the highlight of the meal. A flourless chocolate cake layered with cream cheese and a scoop of coffee ice cream. I'd return for dessert. read more

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Refuse to substitute anything in order to accommodate food allergies. Will omit, but not substitute any ingredients.

We had an outstanding meal and a lovely experience. Edamame hummus was a healthy start. Scallops were perfectly cooked and complimented by an earthy combination of grains & root vegetables. Tuna was seared just enough, with vegetables & a coconut milk sauce that tempted me to kick the plate (I resisted). Staff was helpful & efficient, & ambience was warm & welcoming. read more

Came here with reservations on a Thursday night with a couple of guys for a mini "bachelor party" style gathering. We probably ordered over half the menu if not more and tried a number of their cocktails as well. Not one item was a miss, but top 3 food items were likely the tater tots (we ordered a 2nd order cause they were so good) , the fried chicken, and chocolate mouse dessert. Everything was top notch, including the fantastic service. Would definitely recommend this restaurant to anyone as it is one of the best in Victoria. read more

Could not recommend it more. In fact we went back a second time two nights later. The pasta cacio e Pepe was amazing; the scallops; tuna tartar were all must haves read more

Wind Cries Mary - Scallops in coconut curry - Wine Bars Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

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We were seated across from kitchen entrance. Servers blurt out "clear" every time they move the curtain aside to enter / exit the kitchen, which was every ~15 seconds. Our party of six could barely hear each other over the "clears". Food and service was fine. Dining environment was awful. If you go here and they stick you with this terrible table, leave. Very, very disappointing dining experience for $65 pp. read more

I came to this place excited and really wanting to like it. We had had a drink and a delicious snack at End Dive beforehand and I was looking forward to keeping the good times going on our night out visiting Victoria from "the Big Smoke". The place is in the basement of a historic building downtown. It's a cool building but the place is dark with a swanky vibe. I get what they're going for but I think it could have been pulled off better. We had wine and ordered three courses of food. The wines they were pouring by the glass were limited but we found a couple things to drink. They're known for their fried chicken so we ordered that, bison tartare and the endive salad with walnuts and blue cheese. The server let us know the dishes would come out in no particular order, as they were ready which is fine with us. The tartare came first. It looked delicious and was presented nicely with a radish and arugula salad on top and house made corn chips on the side. My partner and I both dug in and immediately looked at each other. I'll say we both love salt. I cook a lot and I'm often told I've over seasoned my food. This dish was inedibly salty. We thought "maybe just one part was over salted by accident" and tried each part individually. Every single part was inedibly salty on its own. When the server came to check on us we told her and she didn't hesitate to take the dish back. We thought that the seasoning must have been a mistake, there's no way a highly regarded restaurant like this would serve something like that on purpose. Just in case, instead of having it remade we opted to wait and see what the rest of the food was like. The next dish that arrived was the endive salad with apples, walnuts and blue cheese. We watched each other try it and laughed as the first bites hit our mouthes. Again, so salty you couldn't taste any other flavours. To me, it tasted as though the endive and apple had been brined in salt water to reduce the bitterness of the endive and keep the apples from browning. It was less salty than the tartare so we kept nibbling, hoping the famous fried chicken would balance it out and turn our meal around. The fried chicken was a large portion served with house made bread and butter pickles, fried polenta and drizzled in honey. Again we tried our first bites while watching for the others reaction and this time both laughed out loud in disbelief. Although the best dish of the three, the pickles, chicken and polenta fries were also salted to the point of being unenjoyable. It's possible our taste buds were still shocked from the first two dishes, maybe we would have enjoyed the chicken otherwise. Regardless, it definitely didn't deserve to be the star of the menu. We left with most of the food remaining on our plates. The whole experience just fell short. The staff were very friendly but the service was mediocre, the ambiance was lacking, the wine was ok, the menu sounded great but the food was inedible. I would not return to eat here again which is disappointing because they have (what sounds like) an awesome late night menu and serve food super late which I love. I would return to sit at the bar and order cocktails. The vibe at the bar looked great and so did the drinks. The space lends itself to a nice cocktail lounge much better than an upscale, modern restaurant. read more

A very disappointing experience. We've wanted to try this place for a long time and finally got our chance. Walked in at open & sat at the bar which was empty except for another couple (who were sitting at the bar as well). It was happy hour so we decided to start there. We originally both wanted a cocktail (Field Daisy - which is still on their website as I write this) we saw on their online menu but were told it hadn't been updated in years, so my wife had the Black & Yellow (Gin based and would recommend) & I had the Whiskey Highball which was decent. We then ordered some bites (Fish Poppers and the Bacon & Onion Dip with pretzel bun) before getting into the main menu. The Fish Poppers arrived and they were really good. Lightly battered and not oily. We then ordered another round of drinks (the same) & then the dip came. The pretzel bun was perfectly toasted and went really well with the dip which was delicious. Unfortunately the bun is fairly small compared to the amount of dip you receive so we tried to order another (and this is where the issues started). The bartender said he would ask the chef but wasn't sure we could which seemed strange. He went into the kitchen and on returning told us the Chef said we weren't allowed another bun. I said we would pay however much for another but he said the chef said absolutely not, and that we were not allowed another. We had just over half the dip left and now nothing to eat it with. I then asked the bartender for another full order of dip & pretzel but hold the dip and was again told no but in an unfriendly way. He said they were saving them for later and instead could order a side of tortilla chips. Absolutely ridiculous! Apparently the kitchen not only cook but run the bar and tell customers what they're allowed to order regardless of the menu. After that treatment we decide it was best to leave and not stay for dinner. I have given them 2 stars as the food was good but there's no excuse for rude service and with so many great options in the area don't waste your time. Shame. read more

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We had an unreal experience dining here at Wind Cries Mary. The service was awesome, the staff was friendly and helpful. The food was delicious, definitely can't wait to come back to try out the other dishes. read more

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Food was great. 4 of us shared 5 dishes and a desert. The pepper spaghetti was quite good and both the fried chicken and cod was perfect. The atmosphere was pleasant and sleek. The service was fair. The server was not very engaging. A bit stand off. read more

Food and service was awesome! Better than we expected. The food was prepared very well and tasted fantastic.

What could have been a good anniversary: turned into a failed attempt. Upon showing up the hostess said we had until 6pm for the table. When the email said until 6:30pm. Which left us only 2 hours. With a table of 8 people. That's a chore! The waitress who was British was the most nasty and didn't make the celebration anything left to be desired. Me and my husband got a bottle of wine but never got offered another one after it was empty for awhile. A few people never got asked for drinks or refills. Auto gratuity of 25% is understandable but never brought up! Also not well deserved. One of our friend's drinks was weak so he sent it back but they weren't too happy about it. The food was alright but not great. When 6pm rolled around we jumped ship to another restaurant that actually wanted our money. Also had a waaaay better time too! Won't be back! read more

Delicious food in a unique style. The meatballs were very well done and full of flavour. It had a hint of chorizo. The Gnudi was a favourite, very unique pasta in a delicious sauce. Fish and muscles tasted fresh and were seasoned well. A worth while place to visit with friends so you can try a bit of everything. Overall the dining experience was pretty good, the service was quite attentive. If you have room, ask for the secret menu dessert ;) read more

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I can't say enough about how our server Faye and the kitchen knocked themselves out to ensure I had an excellent experience on a busy Saturday night despite my many food allergies. I was served gorgeous beet and yam salad on a bed of kale and quinoa, followed by large, juicy scallops on a bed of pureed corn with caramelized leeks and red peppers. The food was perfect, the atmosphere was perfect, the care and attention was perfect. It was a glorious evening for nine friends on a birthday. read more

Good spot. Food was excellent as were drinks. Pricing was a bit out of whack, so I can't give it five stars.

Looking for a break from cruise cuisine, we found Wind Cries Mary on our ship's stop in Victoria, and had the best meal of our trip. It started with a cocktail of mead, that tasted like an aged rum... I don't even know the name but it was outstanding. I saw several other diners sipping the same. The server was doing an excellent job of promoting them. My husband and I shared the beet salad - wow. Outstanding freshness and variety of flavors. Paired with the caraway bread, it was a hit. The butter was so goo9d, too, salted with a drizzle of olive oil! Our entree was the fried chicken and the potatoes. Wow. Watch out for the hot sauce served with the chicken. We both enjoy spice, but that one was too hot for either of us. Take a small taste first! The ambiance, the service, the whole experience was great. We have already recommended it to family who live on the island. Check out Wind Cries Mary and enjoy the flavor. read more

Stopped in for a cocktail and a snack before our dinner reservation. Friendly host, bartender and staff in general! I ordered a Disaronno sour and the man ordered their house cocktail called "Castles made of sand", both super yummy! Castlevertrano olives are also very tasty Will definitely be back to try their dinner and check out their secret patio read more

Spent an hour walking around looking at restaurants in the area, and ended up picking this one....and glad we did. Nice 'vibe', great location, very pleasant/informative/helpful staff and delicious food. read more

You don't have to leave the heart of Victoria for local eats/drinks. Unfortunately we were stuffed to the gills from an earlier dinner (the food menu looked amazing!), but fortunately we bypassed the other tourist hotspots to enjoy a few cocktails before leaving the island. As a Jimi Hendrix fan, the name caught my eye. But I also have a penchant for cozy sub-street-level places, so we stopped in. Jessie is the Owner, and was working the host stand. He happened to mention his Bartender is super-talented and could make anything your heart desires. I decided to put that to the test. Clayton is the bartender. Cocktails are his art. Spirits are his canvas. I mentioned I'm a Florida girl with rum in my veins, but don't like syrupy umbrella drinks. He whipped up fruity, herbal, not overly-sweet lavender and rum-based drink that made my heart sing. He shows attention to detail with every citrus peel curl, perfectly sliced to sit on the rim of your glass like a fascinator at the Kentucky derby. If you have a couple hours to spare in Victoria, for God's sake don't spend it in lame souvenir shops. Instead, invest your time and money in a handcrafted experience at Wind Cries Mary. You'll leave as mellow as the song's creator. read more

We had an amazing evening. The food was amazing and the service was top notch. Our favorites were the fried chicken and the tater tots but everything we had was delicious. Charlotte, Matt, Bronwyn were all great. Very special thanks though to Soren though whose knowledge of our drinks, and explanations of the restaurant's history and philosophy absolutely made our evening. We can't say thank you enough to the entire team. read more

Wind Cries Mary - Manhattan - Wine Bars Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

Don't walk to the incredible place.....RUN CHEFS CHOICE option with amazing. 5 courses including fresh oysters ,fresh burata with basil and heirloom tomatoes ,braised lamb ,duck in blueberry ju ,grilled cheese with beef tartar, salmon tartar with Dill. Such a memorable evening . Great staff. Warm atmosphere. Wish I did not live 5000 miles away or I would return ext week. Best meal for this vacation. Please don't miss this experience. read more

Beautiful dining area, especially the heated outdoor patio. The dim lighting was lovely, and our warm and welcoming server just gave us the full dinner experience. Food was absolutely delicious, I never even knew I'd like capers this much. Will be sure to come back again and try out more of the menu! read more

Wind Cries Mary - Capers on top! - Wine Bars Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia