Marilena Cafe & Raw Bar

If you’re in need of a special somewhere in Victoria, this is your place. Food is out of this world. Really truly next level food. We don’t eat in ‘fancy’ places often, so this was a real treat and it didn’t disappoint. The seafood was particularly fresh, zingy and delicious. Hot food was piping hot. Beer was cold and tasty. The pudding was out of this world. Really brilliant service too - knew their stuff, super friendly, and we weren’t waiting long either. 10/10 all round!

Marilena Cafe & Raw Bar was the perfect dinner experience we wanted to celebrate our 48th anniversary. Our waitress Violeta was amazing, suggesting wines and cocktails (you’ve got to try One Sailing Wait and Chandelier), an arrangement of salmon Oshi (a must try if you’ve never had it!), and split orders of scallops followed by miso glazed sablefish. Violeta surprised us with a small tray of candies to finish the meal. We enjoyed watching the sushi chef for two hours as we ate, (sadly we never asked his name) who was as much an artist as a chef, meticulously assembling a wide variety of sushi rolls. Thank you to Marilena for a most memorable evening!

Took my wife here for her birthday and we couldn’t have asked for a better experience. From the moment we walked in, the atmosphere felt warm, elegant, and welcoming. The service was exceptional—our server went above and beyond, offering thoughtful recommendations that turned out to be absolutely perfect. Every course was beautifully presented and packed with flavor, making the dinner feel like a true culinary experience rather than just a meal. My wife was thrilled with her entrée, and I really enjoyed mine.

The meal was, as expected, spectacular: every dish was not only perfectly cooked, which is so important with seafood, but also artfully presented; the combinations were inspired, and the sensational desserts were a delicious conclusion to an amazing evening. But our enjoyment was heightened by the fact that our server, Miriam (hope I have her name right), was incredibly warm, engaging, and the perfect guide through every step of our meal. Her service really heightened the entire dining experience.

AMAZING, truly. The experience I had here made me feel like I was at Blue Water Cafe. The fish was fresh, the service was personable, everything just ticked all the boxes. Some notes for those looking to come here: Highly recommend reserving and showing up on time. If you wait-list for a table you never know what will happen or how long you will be waiting. It will be pricier than your average Filter-o-fish from Dons. It’s fine dining. If you look after your servers, they will look after you. Trust me, that is what builds the experience. Bryon gave my wife and I an amazing experience, that alone will make us want to come back from more. Highly recommend for any celebration or just a great night out.

Just happened to stumble across this restaurant and SO happy I did. Amazing food, superb service!! Gorgeous room! Can't wait to come back next time I'm in Victoria.

Yes, its expensive. But this is the best fine dining restaurant we have found in 11 years in Victoria. Cafe and Raw bar seems a bit of an odd name for it :) but certainly fabulous sushi, wines, desserts. And the selection of small and large plates is really excellent - and useful if you value variety.

Fine dining at its best! Marilena was a top recommendation to me on an eat local page I posted on asking for recommendations in the Victoria/Saanich area as we are visiting for a birthday weekend getaway! We had shared; Garden rolls Grilled broccolini Charred sakuru farms pork belly And the miso glazed sablefish With a vanilla bean cheese cake for dessert With some drinks It was a wonderful place to celebrate and we very much enjoyed our evening! Service was top notch! We will absolutely be returning and hopefully with some friends and family

We had dinner here on our last night in Victoria. The service and attention to detail were awesome! One of the servers, not our server , noticed that we were having a hard time reading the menu in the low light so she brought over a little lamp! That attention to detail set up for the rest of the night. Upon seating, they bring you Parker house rolls but since I'm gluten free, they brought me house made gluten free rolls!! It was delicious which is hard to say about gf bread. I felt so seen! If you have ever been on a special diet, you know how you can feel a little left out. It was nice to feel included. We ordered some sushi items (their in house soy sauce is naturally gf) and they were fresh and delicious. Our daughter had Parmesan chicken which she thoroughly enjoyed. For dessert there are several desserts on the menu that's either gf or can be made gf. Since the family ordered a dessert that's not gf, our server brought some gf dessert bites for me to eat. I don't expect people to go out of their way to accommodate my gf diet but it was nice to have that option and inclusion. It was a great way to spend our last night in Victoria.

Visited this spot while in Victoria as it was rated one of the top 50 restaurants in Canada. Food - 4/5 - There were some dishes that I loved and some that I thought were OK. I think the ones I didn't like, I was just not a fan of the flavours as opposed the dish not actually being good, if that makes sense. The bread was really good and buttery! Lobster Tacos - 3.8/5 They were pretty good and very fresh, but I just feel like I've had better at some other places Salmon Aburi - 4.5/5 This was fantastic; it was my friend and I's favourite dish on the menu. It was so flavourful, really fresh, and perfectly torched.. would definitely recommend this and get it again. English Pea Agnolotti - 4.5/5 Again, I really enjoyed this and thought it was very unique and tasty. I'd also recommend this dish for anyone who likes truffle flavoured pasta. Miso Glazed Sablefish - 3.5/5 I thought this was ok, but more-so because I think I'm not a sablefish person. I knew before I ordered it that I probably wouldn't love it, but it was their specialty, so I had to try it. If you're not someone who likes too many different fish, I'm not sure if you'll love these flavours Service - 5/5 - Everyone was super friendly, professional, and we were well taken care of Ambiance - 5/5 - A very classy place, perfect for an anniversary or some sort of milestone. Overall, I'd come here again, specifically for the aburi and for the agnolotti. Thanks for a great experience!

We say there are makers and fakers. This spot is full of fakers. It's super trendy and spendy. The restaurant is beautiful inside, but I cannot eat a beautiful interior. Our server, who seemed nice enough, just had no idea what she was selling. When I asked about a dish she corrected my pronunciation three times. I am not trying to sound like I am better than anyone, but I have actually learned how to make this specific dish in culinary school so I think my professor knew how to pronounce this dish. Their concept is Asian and Italian fusion and frankly I guess I just did not get it..the sushi chef's were Korean so no real Japanese influence. The fish was precut which surprised me. The portions are small but they are beautiful and they did have nice flavors. When I asked chef to fry the heads on my sweet shrimp he peeled off half of the head and said it's not flavorful and fried this tiny piece. Unfortunately the pieces he removed were my favorite part of the heads...oh well to each his own. Also their wine list is out of control expensive. We had a few items so we could try a portion of the menu then went to a local sushi bar and for another $100 ate a full meal for 4...I am not adverse to spending money at dinner but frankly this was not worth the cost of admission in my opinion. It just seemed really pretentious for no reason,

The seafood here is super fresh and I love getting the two tier raw seafood platter to split with someone. I loved being able to sample and try different little plates, but my favorite bite must have been the cocktail shrimp. It was bouncy, it was cold and fresh and just texturally snappy. The free warm bread they give is really delicious and fluffy and the olive oil and butter pairing was also really good. We also tried the octopus and I wish it was grilled a bit more and the flavors were ok.

James, our server, was spectacular. A blend of professionalism and humour that made the evening so fun. Our sommelier took the time to find us the perfect wine for our amazing food. A must order is the sablefish. So tender and full of flavour. We can't wait to come back and try the sushi!

Top notch Service. Incredibly beautiful inside. Very elegant yet simple. Service is impeccable. The variety on the menu is irresistible and hard to decide what to order. Such a treat to get a reservation so please plan ahead. Our server one was fantastic. Very knowledgeable and friendly. He made our dinner very memorable and special. Be sure to check out the restrooms. So much fun to go into the space age and have a seat warmer. The details big and small were not missed when they built this place.

This was our second visit to Marilena and it was phenomenal. It truly exceeded our expectations. Love the seafood. They do a great job! Their house-made milk roll buns were also really delicious! The desserts were amazing! Excellent service! The soft lighting created the perfect atmosphere for an intimate, upscale dining experience. I loved the open view of the kitchen. If you're in Victoria and seeking an unforgettable fine dining experience, it's highly recommend it! Please make a reservation in advance.

This is currently my favourite place to get wagyu steak. My partner took me here for my birthday since we were in town! We got the Aburi Sablefish, Albacore Tuna Crudo, Jumbo Shrimp, Grilled Octopus, 4oz Wagyu Steak, and a Selection of Ice Cream & Sorbet. The Aburi Sablefish was absolutely delicious! Perfect ratio of rice and topping. I don't know what sauce they laid on top of the oshi about it was so good.. The flavours danced in my soft mouth. The Albacore Tuna Crudo was okay. The horseradish buttermilk wasn't what I thought it was going to be. The wasabi flavour was still quite strong -- I thought it was going to be muted because of the buttermilk. The charred potato wasn't very potatoey.. and there wasn't a lot of pickled walnut on our dish in particular. The tuna was fresh and amazing though. The Jumbo Shrimp was my second favourite dish of the night! Shrimp were perfectly tender, not an ounce overcooked. The dipping sauce it came with was really flavourful and the lemon sauce drizzle underneath was the perfect complement. Watch out for the shishito peppers! Take out the seeds if you can't eat too much spice. The Grilled Octopus was also really delicious. I love the tomato sauce and the beans it came with. Perfectly grilled. The star of the show, the Wagyu Steak, was divine.. The most melt-in-my-mouth wagyu I've had to date. The red wine jus that comes with it is perfect. My only complaint is that they were stingy on the finishing salt and I wish the slices were cut thinner. The Ice Cream & Sorbet was nothing special. You get a selection of three flavours--I got vanilla, yuzu, and peach hibiscus. I would not get the ice cream next time but splurged since it was my birthday! Service was impeccable and the ambiance inside was fine dining yet casual. Very dark in there.

On our day trip to Victoria Island, we were pleased to grab a happy hour bite at this upscale cafe and raw bar! I would definitely return to sit at the raw bar counter or restaurant proper as we were slightly busy and had our 3 yo toting along. We were appropriately seated in a small, covered outdoor area where we still received excellent and prompt service. We started with cocktails of course and also ordered a seafood tower and a couple pieces of sashimi and nigiri. This was vacay after all and a great start to the afternoon happy hour scene on Victoria. Surprisingly, the manager recognized us as outsiders yet still came to check up on us and chat! Benjamin was super friendly and gave good venue advice which turned out helpful for the remainder of our Vancouver visit. When in Victoria, you can not go wrong with a visit to Marilena!

We had assorted sashimi and sable fish. Everything was amazing. The ambience is amazing, the staff are cordial. They offered us complementary champagne as New customers.

Now I wish we had made this our first gastronomical stop in Victoria. We only ate at the bar but the service was very friendly, bartending was excellent, raw bar was delicious along with the Caesar salad. The people watching was great fun.

Spectacular Valentine's Day dinner experience- we had such a delicious meal and lovely time at Marilena last night. 5/5! Great service from everyone, especially our waiter, and great ambiance. We went quite early (4:45 reservation was the only available for the dining room - but glad we did that vs the heated patio - people looked cold and bundled in coats!) Here's what we had: - complimentary fresh bread 5/5 - warm, delicious even without the butter - lobster tacos 6/5 - this was the highlight! Amazing and glad we ordered one extra so we had 4 to split - we were able to order without cilantro - salmon and prawn sushi - 5/5 - beautiful bites of food - scallops - 4.5/5 - loved the scallops, the apple pieces were a bit of an odd pairing texturally but still delicious - prawns a la plancha - 5/5 - yum! Buttery, great aioli - miso glazed sablefish - 4.5/5 - fish was perfect and delicious- we felt there was too much of the dashi broth - key lime brûlée cheesecake- 6/5 - perfect ending to an amazing meal Would do it all again, maybe try something else instead of the scallops, but wow. What a meal!!!

The food was so lovely at Marilena! The seafood was fresh and perfectly cooked. The La Tour seafood tower is totally worth it if you enjoy fresh seafood. The grilled octopus was tender and grilled nicely. The steelhead trout was also nice although I'd prefer it a little less well done. The restaurant was busy and lively although the service could be more friendly.

We had an excellent evening at Marilena with Brian at the bar serving. Brian paced our meal gave great advice and contributed to an outstanding evening out. Of course he suggested great wines and yummy cocktails. We shared plates. We started with the yellow fin tuna which was amazing followed by scallops, octopus and finishing with the gnocchi. nothing disappointed. I cannot think of a better place to start your culinary journey in Victoria. don't miss this one.

Wow! So glad i found this place! I called to make a reservation and Kathy called me right back to accommodate all 8 of us and everyone was in awe at how delicious this restaurant was! They did not miss a beat! Super vibey inside and with lots of people and super cool you can see all the things happening in the kitchen. Fancy yet casual you feel comfortable in there not to stuffy. And the food HOLI SMOKE! Did not lack in flavor at all, everything was delicious! The oysters were the freshest ever, my fish was cooked perfectly, the sushi rolls were amazing and the carrots are a must! The onion rings thinness was perfection. The Som was super helpful in picking out a great wine and our server was so attentive and helpful with recommendations and all the courses. Definitely a spot you need to visit while in Victoria you will not be disappointed!!

Marilena Cafe is an upscale open kitchen steak and Seafood delight. Extremely well managed and a place that you will want to return eat at again!

The food and drinks were spot on. We had the tsunami, I would highly recommend. The sauce was delightful! The service was awesome! Please go visit if you have a chance.

A delightful evening. Worth every centavo! Service and cuisine world class. Every seat filled. Sophisticated ambiance. Go!

This is the second time we have come to the Marilena cafe. We came for dinner and used it to entertain an important out of town business guest. It was easily as good if not better than the first time. We had appetizers. We had cocktails. We had amazing dinners and desserts. The waiter and staff were excellent. As you can tell we are very happy and cant wait to enjoy time here again. Interior decor is modern and both crisp and relaxing Lucas Boas

Excellent all the way around. Ambiance Excellent! Service Excellent! Food outstanding! A must in Victoria

We had a great dining experience here! We ordered the large seafood tower, pork belly and chocolate cake. We paired it with a glass of local white wine and a non alcoholic rose (which was fantastic). They serve you these incredible sweet/soft yeast rolls with your meal and complimentary yuzu cakes at the end. Everything was fresh elegant and flavorful. The oysters were some of the best I've ever had- as someone born and raised in Seattle near abundant seafood. Likewise for the spicy tuna and scallop rolls included in our tower. The pork belly was crispy and juicy with a fantastic sweet tasting glaze. Our waitress was extremely attentive and kind, she stopped by to check on us and refill our water often. We also got to watch the sushi chef's prepare our rolls as we were seated at the counter. They were friendly fast and professional. The restaurant itself is stunning with marble countertops, moody lighting and modern decor. It felt very swanky and romantic, but not stuffy or overdone. I saw a few people wearing jeans and casual attire here and there. We are sure to be back on our next trip to Victoria! It's our new favorite place.

We had an awesome dinner at Marilena tonight! Husband got the tenderloin with broccolini, I got the chestnut agnolotti with brussel sprouts. We split the carpaccio as an appetizer, and got a couple cocktails and a bottle of wine. All in all, we had a fantastic evening. The carpaccio was so rich in flavor yet delicate in texture. The fried onions on top added a peppery whimsy to the dish we both appreciated. My chestnut agnolotti was OMG creamy in the middle with a perfectly tender pasta pouch surrounding it. The brown butter sauce was heavenly and rounded it out. Husband's tenderloin was a perfect medium rare throughout, and sported a simple-yet-delicious flavor of tender beef. We ordered the Butter Box beforehand because it was my birthday and we were feeling it, yo. The Somm was so incredibly helpful in selecting a peppery Oregon Pinot noir to really accentuate each of our dishes. Folks - their wine list was put together with intent, and you can tell. Take advantage. Really, their entire collection of wine and fine liquor was superb. We did not have the Beckstoffer To Kalon on their cab list, but wow I was so tempted. I did indulge in a small dram of Glenrothes 18 to shut it down while my husband closed with a creamy chocolate sorbet. Our waitress was so friendly and lovely. Very fun to talk to and very knowledgeable about the dishes and wine. She really made our evening that much better. The dining room is lively, well lit, comfortable seats, a vibrant clientele who know how to dress. We were a bit more casual but didn't phase one bit. Everyone was friendly. Can't recommend this place enough.

Excellent food and service. The restaurant is beautiful. It is well located. It is a must visit whether you live in Victoria or you are a visitor. Ideal for special occasions as well as for a wonderful evening out.

Conniving and condescending service. My wife and I were placed in the atrium, and the server first moved us to a different table and then said "You look like you would like to be where the action is - in the main dining room. However, I'm not sure there's an open table, but I'll check." She came back and said, "I had to pull some strings, but I found a special place for you." We picked up our stuff for a second time and followed her. She led us to the kitchen bar (not the sushi bar). We felt awkward given the situation and reluctantly agreed. No one sat at the bar all night but us, the reason being very obvious. It's not a popular place to sit - who would want to sit facing the loud kitchen? It then became obvious that she must have had a good laugh at conning and conniving us. Maybe she thought she'd hold out for who she thought would be bigger spenders??? We dropped over $300. The food is really good, but the experience was a real turn off and we'll certainly never go back. What kind of server would pull a stunt like that? It's hard to believe they would hire someone like that. My recommendation is to go elsewhere. Il Terrazzo is fantastic !

It was all very nice. Felt like a big city restaurant. Servers fell over backwards to give good service. Food was tasty but not plentiful. Ambiance was very noisy. Very loud. The booths were difficult to get in and out of.

This placevis a hudden gem. Been here twice and each time the food was amazing and the servers top knotch.

This was the best restaurant experience i have ever had in downtown Victoria. From phenomenal sushi to well prepared small plates and drinks, Marlena delivered on all fronts. The space is beautiful and the service is at the highest level. Will be back.

For a restaurant only open five weeks it is a well oiled machine. Drinks, food, service absolutely the finest.

I wanted to believe the hype about this restaurant. I really did. I've eaten at many fine dining establishments and I don't think this one lives up to its rating. The patio wasn't the nicest. The service was very very slow. From order to food on table was an hour and a half. We asked for more bread 3 times and didn't ever receive it. The food was good but not memorable. Again. I wanted to love it but I didn't.

The uni is really fresh and reasonably priced. The lobster spaghetti has a great taste

Service: I came here for our #mangosboutique dinner party. The second I walked in they offered to take our coats and immediately sat us down. Our waitress was very lovey. She came to check on us so many times just to check we were enjoying our time. My water was refilled every couple minutes just to make sure my water was always full. 10/10 service very impressed. I was personally most impressed with, when i went to the bathroom and came back our waitress re folded my napkin. Very impressed and would totally recommend. Food: Food was top tier and I left the restaurant very pleased. Everything about it, left me with a smile. Such delicious food. Ambiance: Such a clean and amazing setting. I felt like I was in Vancouver. Overall would come back.

This place is amazing. The ambiance is beautiful even if it is a bit loud. They do have an atrium and a patio area if you really want quiet. The service was spot on and the food was incredible. Started with the Sunseeker oysters which were sooo good. My husband has the octopus and the scallops and I had the lobster tacos and salmon sashimi. All of it was amazing. Cheesecake for dessert and you're done. My only negative comments were the dinner rolls. They are your first culinary introduction to the restaurant and they have no lick whatsoever to the cuisine. Look past them and you'll be okay.

Good service , delicious sushi , had the sable fish, light and delicious. Enjoyed Gin cocktail

Went for dine around and sat at the sushi bar which was really great. Had sushi to start and it was outstanding. Followed by the oysters on the half shell. Entree was the tenderloin and it was so delicious! Dessert was cream brûlée, OMG can't wait to go back

Best seafood restaurant I've ever been to! We had the salmon crunch roll, the oysters, the lobster bucatini, and onion rings. Everything was so fresh and delicious! Our waiter, Parker, was friendly and made great suggestions. Highly recommend!

This is surely the best dining experience you can have in Victoria. The food is incredible - each dish blew me away and made me want to stop, savour, and share (especially the sablefish!). The ambiance is both cozy and exciting - even the ceiling and washrooms were surprisingly beautiful. It was a very romantic evening for my husband and I, and looking around, you could see friends, couples, and families having really special evenings too. I couldn't help but people watch a bit and feel elevated by everyone's energy! The staff were excellent. I loved being there and I'm grateful that there is a place in Victoria that can make you feel so spoiled and amazed.

I went there to treat myself I ordered Slow Hand Pilsner which came in a can and turned out to be rather bitter and strong. I also ordered the pork belly appetizer but they gave my dish to the customers beside me I eventually got my dish a half hour later but by that time I was seething inside. I ate it. it tasted good, was cooked well with a tamarind glaze, a little spicy. Then I paid my bill and left. For that reason I'm giving them 3 stars. The place looked awesome though really nice ambiance. Maybe I'll give them another chance and sit at the sushi bar instead.