Pagliacci's

Wonderful atmosphere with great service. Got in quickly and were treated with fresh focaccia bread! So good we ate 2 baskets!! I had a seafood curry pasta - very good - and my friend had the truffle meatball pasta which she also loved. We had the small size and still left stuffed because we had so much delicious bread! Also loved the sangria on tap! Would come or recommend to anyone in Victoria!

We stopped at Pagliacci’s for lunch during our cruise stop in Victoria, and it turned out to be a great choice. Our group of eight was seated quickly, and the customer service was excellent. The staff was friendly, efficient, and made us feel very welcome. The menu has something for everyone, whether you’re in the mood for seafood like fish and shrimp, hearty options like beef, or chicken dishes. It’s a place where everyone at the table can find something they’ll enjoy. I should have listened to our server when he recommended the pastas. I was craving seafood, and while the shrimp was very good, I found myself wishing the pasta had a bit more flavor. That said, the Hemingway Short Story pasta that Tim ordered was a solid 10 out of 10. Nathan also gave the duck wings top marks — another 10 out of 10. Pagliacci’s also has a great happy hour, with solid prices on both food and drinks. It’s a fantastic option for a relaxed meal with great value. Overall, this was the perfect stop for a fun, easy, and tasty lunch in the heart of Victoria. Highly recommend for cruise visitors, groups, and anyone looking for a place with good food and good energy.

Excellent service and accommodating to gluten-free allergies. Excellent food for my gluten free Large Hemingway Short Story with 6 prawns. I Highly recommend the duck wings! This place is popular! Very crowded and loud inside. Enjoyed it even though it was packed. Live music. There was the option of quieter outdoor seating with plenty of room while we were there.

This place is popular and I can see why. We showed up at 4:30 PM and were able to enjoy the happy hour as well as regular dinner menu. The seafood trio was great value for happy hour, and the pastas were all quite well done. The only thing that I thought was that the noodles were a bit overdone - but I do personally enjoy quite al dente pasta. Overall, if you are wanting a enjoyable Italian meal, would recommend you check out Pagliacci's!

Octopus appetizer was delicious, cooked perfectly and not chewy. Pasta was also very good however presentation could be improved. The in house ice cream was a serious must. A busy well established restaurant, servers were very attentive. A must try if you are an Italian food lover.

The bread is AMAZING and I think bottomless?? Or our server was just amazing then. But seriously I think about the bread everyday. Warm, buttery, flaky salt. I got the pesto pasta, tbd it was too rich for me, and I only got the regular size. The Brussels sprouts dish was wildly tasty.

We had heard about this restaurant for years but had never gone. When in Victoria recently we finally decided to go for lunch. I have never seen tables so close together in my life. If you like space around you, don’t go here. It’s a fun vibe and the service was outstanding. The food was good but I’m not sure if I’ll come back. It wasn’t so good that I feel I need to try again. I would recommend you try it once for the atmosphere.

We are from Ontario, and our family here on the island recommend this place.It is a little crowded and the noise level is high. The food and service was excellent, from the hostess to the wait staff and delivery of the food. I would recommend coming here. The food portions are enough for two meals.

The Best Seafood Lasagna Ever!!! It's Memorable - All the way back to the 90's. Can't wait to return!!! Thank You!!!

Pagliacci's is a classic Victoria restaurant, which I definitely recommend to anyone! The food and drinks are great, and the staff are all super nice! Every time I've come, I've had a spectacular night. It is packed full of tables, they are quite close together, but that's never presented any issues. Pagliacci's is meant to be a lively, fun, and chaotically good restaurant. And it delivers that! The vibe of being in a busy restaurant like that is almost thrilling, and adds to its charm. They don't take reservations, which I really wish they did. They make you line up outside in order to get in, and often the wait is about 30-60 minutes. For me, I don't mind waiting in this line, as I ultimately think it's worth it for how much I enjoy the food. However, I have a disabled partner who is simply unable to stand in a line that long. Because of this, he is unfortunately unable to come back as often as he would like. Please introduce reservations, or a number system, or something else to make the waiting line more accessible for your guests.

went on a wednesday night for dinner and there was a line which is expected with how popular the restaurant is. we waited around 30-40 mins with four people in front of us. the ambiance was definitely LIVELY especially with the live band playing. the tables are seated very close together so you'll definitely hear conversation with the people next to you but it's too loud to even notice. definitely not the restaurant to go for a quiet dinner date. lowkey overstimulating at times. luckily, we were seated at a booth so we had a little bit of privacy. the service was friendly and got us started with our drinks right away. i got the blush and pucker lemonade. this lemonade was LEMONADING!!!! true it's to name i definitely puckered every time i drank this. it was sooo sour though i couldn't fully finish it. we got starter bread at the table. the bread was fluffy and buttery but very SALTY. i also ordered minnesota fats which are the risotto cheese balls which were deliciously cheesy. i ordered the sophia pasta dish (small plate) which was basically a seafood alfredo. it was good. the seafood was fresh especially the clams. portions was a lot even tho it was a smaller plate. honestly the food was okay. was expecting more especially considering how popular it was. the vibes are fun here tho

Upon our visit to Victoria, BC a couple of months ago, I was looking for a restaurant with good vegan options that also had options for my omnivore family. I reached out to the amazing vegan community in the Vegans of Victoria ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/VegansOfVictoria ) Facebook book and one of the options suggested was Pagliacci's Restaurant, as they have a lovely atmosphere with a separate vegan menu! It's always a thrill when a restaurant not only has vegan options, but a whole separate vegan menu (or vegan section on their menu). Their menu options seemed rather unique and original to me, options that you might not expect to find elsewhere. I think this originality carries over to their whimsical names for their dishes as well. We opted for "The Doors of Vegan Perception" lol, linguini with sausage topped with truffle oil and a cream sauce and, "Manchuria Candidate Vegan Platter", crispy tofu with black bean tapenade and garbanzo beans. Both dishes were very hearty with a lot of flavors to absorb. The latter really struck a good balance between hearty and healthy. The restaurant is very small, as they're trying to do a lot, serve food, while also have space for live music. It's not a big deal but something to keep in mind if you need to make a quick restroom break lol, you might be squeezing yourself and saying "oh, excuse me" a bit lol.

Food: 3/5 We ordered the duck dodgers, crab cakes, salmon sing in the street, medium rare rib eye, the bicycle thief, and the Sophia! The texture of the pasta was good and the half portions were still big. However, it was a little bland but if you're a fan of a simple flavor palette, then this is perfect. If you want more flavor, definitely get one with tomato sauce. The salmon was great though. The duck and crab cakes though were amazing! Seasoned beautifully and full of flavor. The steak was good, just heavy on the rosemary. Overall, place was good but if you're coming specifically for pasta, I'd pass. Service: 5/5 Fast, quick, and very friendly service !! We got seated quickly too. Ambiance: 5/5 Beautiful place and they have live music on certain nights!

3.5/5 stars Came here for lunch on a Sunday, and there was no wait. The menu had some unique items. I got the seafood lasagna (half portion - $19), and my bf got the Cabinet of Dr. Cappelletti (Large portion - $28). They gave us some focaccia bread to start, which was just ok. The seafood lasagna was pretty good. It had a crab flavor, but didn't really have much crab pieces in it. It also only had a few pieces of shrimp, and maybe could have had more cheese in between the layers. I tried my boyfriend's dish, which was tasty, especially the layer of cheese on top. It was supposed to have meat, but we didn't taste any meat. Overall enjoyed the meal, but it was carb-heavy and needed more protein!

Bread - light fluffy and covered in Italian crust spices Sauce - rich Meatball - large, cooked well, tasty

Amazing food and friendly staff.. imo portions are huge and the music is great addition to listen to!

This is a solid Victoria Italian restaurant. It was recommended by a hostess at The Empress, and we did enjoy it. Nothing spectacular, but good food. They have specials on drinks and appetizers during their happy hour from 3:00-5:00. We got the Krabby Patty (a tiny crab cake, but good) and the Pete Rose Headfirst Slider (includes two meatballs) for $6 each. My wife got the La Scala (a pasta Bolognese), and I got the meat lasagna. Both were good. Our server was exceptional. Very attentive and ready to assist. The place has a lot of pictures all around it. It feels a bit like a Manhattan restaurant. Seating is really crowded.

We were in town visiting and had a wonderful delicious dinner here. First off they moved tables to fit all 8 of us in on a busy Saturday night. Incredible work! We barely had to wait 20min. That was very appreciated. The bread is outstanding, buttery, garlicky and salty. Just divine. And heck The service is just as good as the bread. So friendly, helpful and quick. The duck lollipops were definitely a highlight. We had 2 orders of that appetizer. The duck was flavored so well and peppery. The pasta dishes were phenomenal and all of them were difficult to finish because there was so much food in the bowl. I probably should have split a dish with my husband. The curry flavor was phenomenal and the shrimp were jumbo. Nothing I tried was bad nor even mediocre. It was simply perfect. I wish I lived closer because this place would become our family's staple Italian restaurant.

This place is popular and I can see why. We showed up at 4:30 PM and were able to enjoy the happy hour as well as regular dinner menu. The seafood trio was great value for happy hour, and the pastas were all quite well done. The only thing that I thought was that the noodles were a bit overdone - but I do personally enjoy quite al dente pasta. Service was excellent, bringing bread over right away and even giving us some to go as well. Overall, if you are wanting a enjoyable Italian meal, would recommend you check out Pagliacci's!

they let us dine outside with the dogs. really enjoyed my "ill have what shes having".

OMG. Vancouver clams are legit good. We ended up ordering 2 lbs worth of it during happy hour at Pagliacci's. Definitely a must stop for us whenever we are in Victoria Island. On the menu, it's listed as "OCEAN'S ELEVEN" and u can get either their mussels, Vancouver clams, jumbo prawns, or all 3 on a lemon, butter, garlic, & chili sauce that was so good we were scooping them up with the clam shells and dipping out bread in them. We got all clams because they were so good. We also tried the SCROOGE MCDUCK which was their duck wings and it was tasty but you only get the drumette part of the wing so it wasn't my favorite. The KRABBY PATTY was their crab cakes and they were Delicious. It was a bit on the pricey side so we decided to order more of the clams instead but I would definitely get them again next time we come back. The 33 acres IPA was light and delicious. Even for someone like me who doesn't normally like beer it was refreshing. The staff was fast and friendly, the place small and intimate on the inside with comfortable booths on the sides. They also have space outside for those who want the fresh air. Definitely a nice looking place to enjoy a meal and drinks.

Wow! What an absolute gem. Not only is the food delicious, but the service was absolutely lovely. They had a great gluten free selection. The ambiance was lively like a var, but not too rowdy to be offputting. It was definitely a pleasant surprise. If you're looking for good gluten free pasta in Victoria, this is the place to go.

amazing food. great atmosphere, we loved the low lighting and live jazz band. the food was fast, hot and DELICIOUS. Waitress was nice and we never had to wait long for anything. 10/10 experience.

We came here for dinner because of a personal recommendation and because of the reviews I had read. I think we walked in at the perfect time because we were seated almost immediately, even though the restaurant was absolutely packed. This felt like an Italian grandmother's kitchen who didn't turn anyone away and found a seat for just about everyone, eventually. That is to say the space between tables and seats was minimal, but hey this staff would be great at Tetris. The food was good and enjoyable. I'd say the winner was the Minnesota Fats dish, or their version of arancini. These were light and the filling was flavorful and cooked to perfection. The second best was the New York cheesecake, which was a great way to finish. We also ordered the lasagna, the crab cakes, and a slider. These were good, but I wouldn't necessarily recommend them as hits. I did really appreciate that the meat in most cases was only beef and wasn't mixed with any pork since we don't eat pork.

Stopped in for happy hour and had a great time! The focaccia bread was tasty (more on the oily side) and delicious! Tried the duck wings, clams, crab cake, and risotto balls. The duck wings ended up being a surprise hit- tangy and tender. The meat came right off the bone. Had the Catalina wine mixer to drink which was like an alcoholic lemonade. Loved it! The space is small and tables are close, however at the early hour, it wasn't a problem. Parties all seemed to be a table away so it didn't feel crowded.

I was on the fence and a bit nervous about the food since I read mixed reviews online. We waited approximately 20-30 minutes before we got a table when we came around 7pm on a Monday evening. The good thing was that we got to dine with the live music since it started at 8pm and we basically got the table around 730, so by the time we were enjoying our meal, the music started. We came with our toddler and it was very generous of them that they served kid's pasta complimentary (you can either choose the pasta plain w just butter and cheese or w tomatoes sauce) and kid's shirley temple. My toddler was very very happy with their dinner (she loveeedd the live music too). The star of the meal was the Hemingway (tortellini), we ordered large and smaller stomach can certainly split the plate. It was very flavorful and not too rich. We did not opt for the baked version. The LA strada was good too, .y hubby liked his plate clean! For dessert we shared the black and white checker cake. It was 16 CAD, but the piece was quite large and 3 of us shared it. Service was friendly, but the keep in mind the restaurant is compact and always busy so you do get seated close together. They also have outdoor seating, but you won't get to enjoy the live music if you sit outside. We certainly recommend this restaurant for a great meal with live music (starts at 8pm).

Bar none, the best Italian food we have ever had (including the food we had in Italy!). The Mr.Roberts seafood lasagna was amazing, the Dempsey lasagna was also fabulous. One of our party ordered from a "choice menu" with three options and had the best halibut and Scallops he's ever had! The Manhattan Transfer was only marginally less spectacular. We were amazed by the Chianti we shared. It was memorable the place was totally packed but it didn't matter because the food was crazy good!

Really quaint place. Food was excellent and enjoyed a bit of the live band as well. Server was attentive.

This place is so cute, everyone's so friendly. They started us off with focaccia, loved it. We ordered the salmon eggs benny and the birdland eggs benny. Absolutely delicious, the birdland was just enough heat from the Siracha and perfect amount of crispy. We will be returning to try other items on the menu

Absolutely delicious!! The impeccable service on top of delicious menu items, truly made our first dining experience in Victoria memorable. This restaurant was referred to us by several people at a recent visit to a store when we asked for recommendations for dinner, and we weren't disappointed. The bread, Meatballs and marble cheesecake overloaded my taste buds with yummy deliciousness. The ambiance and impeccable service was top notch. I think our tall. Dark and handsome young man waiter, whom ithink was named Xavier, was not only a cutie patootie, but full of charm and personality:) The small world Italian charm of this restaurant surpassed our expectations.

Seating very tight because the restaurant is so small but the food is worth it. Great location and good service.

What a lively and vibrant experience! The atmosphere is indeed celebratory, yet our table felt cozy and intimate. Our server was so present and lovely, managing several tables while providing personal and generous attention. The food was delicious - we had the regular portions which were more than enough along with an appetizer of arancini and focaccia. We'll order the smaller size next time and save room for dessert.

We were so full from a day of eating but still had to come try this place we heard so much about. Super crowded restaurant with friendly service. The food was good.

Context is important. My death row meal is served at a restaurant in Victoria but subsequent to enjoying that beyond-amazing pasta dish a handful of years ago, I had to go gluten free. My husband and I traveled to Victoria figuring our dining options would not measure up to pre-diagnosis nirvana. Enter Pagliacci's. They offer GF alternatives for many of their dishes, and they take your issues/allergies seriously. The food was extremely delicious, the ambiance was charming and romantic and the service top notch. Shout out to Johanna who made our dinner memorable. Cody also makes one mean "reverse roobois Manhattan". Thank you for a wonderful dinner and experience!!!

Came with hubby and one of our sons, with high expectations as hubby started his career cooking at the Nanaimo location. Pagliacci's did not disappoint. From the deservedly famous focaccia through appies, pasta entrees, and desserts, we were blown away. The service was great, the ambience was awesome, and we will definitely be back.

Great vibe, awesome service and delicious food! We were here for happy hour and had a spicy meatball, bread, fried risotto....all so good! We will be back!

Strategy was to come early before the dinner masses. Surprisingly the huge inside seating was already filled and crazy fun loud. Luckily, we got in quick for the outdoor patio. Inside was the classic mosaic of picture framed walls but back to back seats are a millimeter apart. IMO outside was the choice spot to enjoy the fresh air, people watch strolling the street, and chitchat with the tables next you without having to shout. It is a pasta joint when offered 14 regional wines on tap! A few local beer on tap also but mostly in cans. Sauvignon Blanc was crisp and not too sweet. Pasta perfect ~ nice & chewy, meatballs meaty, seafood not overcooked. Everything delicious. Service was as local friendly as it gets! Busy as she was, our server took time to describe a few of the specials & recommend some wine without feeling rushed through. Very diligent on making sure we were enjoying our time throughout the dinner. *This is a great spot for big groups. Just remember everybody's big group is coming here too ;)

My friend N recommended this place. B ordered the large braised beef ravioli with Caesar salad. I got the Door of Perception small. This restaurant has some really interesting names on the menu. When we sat down, we were served with complimentary bread. Wow those were delicious. It was so good that we asked for seconds. The bread was really filling. The Door of Perception was very delicious. It was made with truffle creme and it had peas, mushrooms two giant meatballs on spaghettis noodles. The meatball was super flavorful. It had a very strong spicy kick to it. B said he liked his ravioli. It was delicious but it was definitely not something that he can eat everyday. It was very filling and had a lot of carbs. The bread was the best part of the entire meal. It was very oily. They make the bread inhouse and they bake them in a layer of olive oil. B liked the Caesar salad and I have to say they were very generous with the parmesan cheese. Note that this place doesn't take reservation and they are super busy on the weekend. I highly recommend trying this place.

Visited Victoria during a cruise and found this place. It had a great cozy ambiance and the staff were super friendly. Our server Tommy gave us great recommendations. My sister and mom had the shell game and loved it. I had the Hemingway short story with melted cheese and it was the perfect dish for a warm day. Note that it is heavy. I got the half serving and still couldn't even finish. Definitely would recommend coming

Stopped by here for the happy hour on a drizzly Saturday afternoon while waiting for the return clipper to Seattle. We just wanted a few light appetizers as we would be doing quite a bit of walking afterwards while waiting for the boat. The waitress seemed quite put out that we would only be having appetizers and not ordering entrees or alcoholic beverages. At that point the service was subpar but let's skip to the good stuff. For the appetizers we had their complimentary bread, which like everywhere in town was divine! We also had the arancini 3/5, the crab cake 5/5 ( I ordered a second one) and the meatball sliders 4/5. Decent prices for happy hours apps but I would hesitate to return given the hostile vibe of the waitstaff if you aren't ordering entrees (the waiter acted the same to the couple next to us who ordered one drink and 3 appetizers).

A TOTAL DISAPPOINTMENT!! Paid extra for the LARGE Arancini and Pasta...Food actually was delicious but the portions were unbelievably small. Even though I paid extra for the large portions the food portion received was a huge let down. $70 for this was a brutal ripoff..also paid an extra $6.50 for Caesar salad with the pasta..what a joke!!....Spend your hard earned money elsewhere...don't give it to these thieves!! Forgot to take a pic of the LARGE Arancini ..but 6 small rice balls for $20+...total waste of money like the rest of the meal. Will never order again from this,place!! SPEND YOUR $ ELSEWHERE!!

This place is fun but the tables are a little too close together for my taste, especially when it's crowded you feel like packed sardines and it's deafening. I also found out that they use Canola oil in their pasta dishes and not olive oil. No thank you.

It started with our waitress, Janice! Amazing service from the minute we sat down! And it wasn't just her.....everyone was chipping in from taking away dishes to filling water glasses. The place was packed but they never seemed rushed or made us feel rushed. The food was amazing......we had risotto balls, crab cakes and mixed seafood bowl with white wine sauce and oh, the carrot cake!!!!! The price was more than reasonable and the atmosphere just incredible. A must go in Victoria!

Not worth the hype. Food was overrated. We had 3 dishes- nothing that was wow or super flavorful.

A must visit spot when in downtown Victoria! I throughly enjoyed my Sophia pasta while my husband and sister in law enjoyed their own dishes. Our meat and cheese plate starter was fantastic. Loved their selection of meat and cheese. Their cheesecake and ice cream were too amazing but we were already so full from dinner. On the day we went there, they had a live band playing music. The place is charming albeit a little tight but definitely worth experiencing.

Best seafood lasagna I've ever had. I would travel here all the way from NJ again just to eat Pagliacci's seafood lasagna. Only watch out is that the bathroom is rather small - just one stall in ladies room

Went here for their spaghetti and had a great meal. Service was good and the kitchen staff seemed to keep up albeit the restaurant was very crowded on the Saturday evening around 8PM. As they don't take reservations we had a short wait outside lined up to the door. In addition to the inside main floor they had second floor balcony seating upstairs and outdoor seating under an open tent as well as tables lined up against the wall along the sidewalk. We were fortunate to get a small table in an alcove as the noise level was otherwise quite high. I dropped the star primarily that they had too many customers too close together for our liking. The need to make revenue needs to be balanced with the customer experience.

It give me darrira :0 please dont eat the veggie pasta with tomato sauce:( it very bad i wil never go the place again :( sorry

Located in the heart of Victoria. This cozy Italian restaurant is a must see. We came as there were not a lot of options opened, not expecting this. The live music was relaxing and comforting. We started with the Polenta fries that were good. The pasta was delicious, I had the artichoke spicy pasta. The stars of this restaurant were the delicious focaccia bread to start, the marble cake dessert and the service. The service was prompt, extremely courteous and attentive. The marble cake was heavenly. If you are looking for a great unpretentious, delicious meal, try this place.

Yelp failed me on this one. Tourist trap with mediocre food. Had the tortellini (supposedly the popular item on the menu) and it tasted like tomato sauce with hard burnt cheese on top - I couldn't differentiate anything in the dish, and salmon fettuccine which had a small piece of lox on top and tiny shrimp and tasted fishy. Complementary focaccia was delicious. Music (live and not good) was so loud you couldn't hear anything. Server was very nice and it's a cute place but save your calories.

We had an amazing night at Pagliacci's. From the lovely hostess, to the funny amusing menu, to the bustling ambiance, to the delicious food and drink and even live music!! What a wonderful night out in Victoria. We had our heart set on the "I'll Have What She's Having" which is basically a choice selection of salmon, halibut, clams, mussels, jumbo prawns, scallops, and king crab legs in a peppery tomato sauce. As if that wasn't enough, it comes with focaccia and a bowl of simple pasta to soak up every last drop of sauce. We were debating ordering another pasta, but our waitress advised that the dish was usually enough for two and to save room for dessert! So glad we went with her recommendation as we were stuffed with seafood and couldn't even make it to a slice of cake (looked like a wedge) at the end of the night. Instead, we ordered a drink and enjoyed the live jazz before heading home.

Great, interesting place with lots of characters running around the place only orders seafood here the Italian is not palatable Italian food

Went for a date night- absolutely best date night in a while for this old married couple. The food was delicious- hubby had steak and I had the cabinet (small). Caesar salad dressing was good, and the cheesecake was delicious! Our service was on point and the trio jazz band was the perfect accompaniment to dinner. Def recommend!

It had been almost 10 years since we have been to Pagliacci. This place is timeless and consistently DELICIOUS. The foccacia bread is still tasty. We were fortunate enough to get there shortly after 3 and were also blessed to be in time for happy hour and no line up (yet). We got the Pete Rose slider and fried aranchini type appetizer, both delectable. Hubby ordered the Hemingway pasta and I got the loaded Sid Cesar salad. Both dishes were superb. We also shared two adult beverages, I also got diet soda and we took cheesecake back to hotel for dessert. Our grand total before gratuity was 97 CAD. I would have given 5 stars but one star knocked off because lack of attention to our drinks being low but that could be because the swarm of patrons about 30 minutes into our meal. There was a line up when we left. Still the restaurant of my dreams.

Beautiful place, the staff is so kind and the food is amazing! This is a must stop in Victoria :) I could live on their bread. The pasta was perfect. I would come back frequently if I didn't live so far away!

They are friendly, flexible and fun! The focaccia bread basket comes with your meal and once empty, it magically gets replaced with new. It's pretty loud inside but less waiting if you eat outside and they provide blankets if it's cold.

I guess all good things come to an end. Went for brunch on a Sunday at noon and it was empty. Being empty should have been a dead give away but brushed it off as luck. Ordered a Benny with crab and shrimp got 4 cocktail shrimp and the only crab was our server We were clearly interrupting his day where he would rather be at the gym. So sad to see another piece of Victoria crumble. Oh and the bread was even wrong, no herbs and under cooked. Even in this rainy spring I had more colour than the bread.