Pagliacci's, Victoria

If you want pasta, salads or sandwiches, Pagliacci's is the place to go. This place is more than a restaurant, it's an experience!

Most dishes, which are Italian based, but some with an international character as well, are available in half or full sizes. For most people the half size is more than enough.

Even if you are only one evening in Victoria, and you were just thinking of eating something different, think again and go here. For 20 years already, Pagliacci's is one the most popular places of Victoria. Be prepared to queue to wait for a table, but it really is worth it.

The restaurant is extremely busy, with many tables very close together, often live music and a very warm atmosphere with lots of movieposters and celebrity pictures on the wall. Many dishes are named after movies as well.

Favorite Dish: It seems that simply everything is great here, but pay some extra attention to the cheese cake, lasagna, desserts and the foccacia bread.

Pagliacci's is a longtime Victoria institution. If you want GREAT food, with a nice ambience, and even sometimes live music, then this is THE place to go.

Best to arrive by 5pm or you'll be waiting a long time for a table!

You know how mediocre, generic Italian restaurants have popped up all over North America? This restaurant redeems my faith in unique, flavorful Italian cuisine.

I went because I had read Mel Gibson quote it as the best place for lasagna. It ended up exceeding my expectations.

The dishes have fun names like "Meat John Doe" or "The Pawn Broker".

I can only wax poetic about this place. Their tomato sauce tastes like art. I normally do not enjoy seafood lasagna, but I had a taste of my husband's...and it was a love affair.

The decor is fun. We had a great time listening to a 7 piece band. The prices are reasonable enough that I can justify the price of a ferry to get back to Victoria soon!

Favorite Dish: I loved everything I tried. My goal is to try every dish at least once. The pasta is so fresh that it melts in your mouth.

The restaurant has a nice charm with very friendly service. It is a bit crowded and you will be near other patrons. However this can be a plus depending on your disposition. The menu is large and everything I saw looked great.

Favorite Dish: They bring you fresh bread (with no butter). I had a bite and to my surprise it tasted better without butter. WOW! The bread must be filled with butter in it's ingrediants as it tasted so rich. I could have just eaten that. I then had thier famous lasagne. It lived up and surpassed my expactations. I believe the best lasagne is home made and that is what you get here. Not a baked personal dish but a huge slice from a tray. The tomatoe sauce is amazing. It was my favorit meal of my stay in Victoria!

I've lived in Victoria (on and off) for about sixteen years, and I had never been to Pagliacci's until this week! Locals don't believe me when I tell them that, but it's true. Finally, after hearing non-stop hype (mainly about the bread) for the last sixteen years I finally made it into Pagliacci's.

The restaurant isn't small, but the tables are packed together so closely that you can hear almost every conversation in the whole restaurant. High volume, high turnover. They like to keep the customers moving. Service was brisk but our server was quite attentive and paid attention to our table.

As I visited at lunch, I opted for my favorite lunch meal- bottomless soup. Our choices that day were Lentil or Cream of Asparagus; I chose the former. It was obviously homemade, nicely seasoned and very filling. However, it wasn't unforgettable. If you're looking for something unforgettable, head to Pags (as locals call it) and try the bread. It's served hot, oily (like real Italian focaccia) and laden with sea salt. Delicious. Take some home to serve with your dinner, grab an order to eat while you sit on a bench overlooking the Inner Harbour... whatever. Just get some of this great bread!

Another small restaurant with amazing italian food! Best in Victoria! Their fresh bread is amazing. Great atmosphere, excellent service, great food. My favorite place in Victoria.

Favorite Dish: The seafood lasagna! So Good!

Owned by a local legend who LOVE'S movies!!! Howie Siegel also owns The Roxy Theatre (Victoria's only independant movie theatre) and co-own's John's Place. Both pags and John's have good food and good portions at a great price. Pagliacci's has a Movie Theme and a mostly Italian Menu. The food is AMAZING and they have good choices for ALL diets. it is a grat place to hang out for the bottomless bowl of soup at lunchtime or to bring a date and enjoy live Music at night. Make reservations or be prepared to wait.
The service is phenominal!

Favorite Dish: mmmmm... There are so many great oone's to choose from. So many pasta's and noodles with veggies and different sauces all made oh so fresh!!!!

You will undoubtedly have a long wait to get in - there are no reservations - one must line up and even on weeknights after 7:00 the line often goes down the block. It is a funky, romantic, cramped space with great eats. They often have great music later on as well.

Favorite Dish: Everything is made from scratch. Cheesecake is divine.

You will undoubtedly have a long wait to get in and there are no reservations. One must line up and after 7:00, even on weeknights, the line often goes down the block. It is a funky, romantic, cramped space with great eats. They often have fantastic music later on as well (the owners partner is the lead singer in a gypsy band:).

Favorite Dish: Everything is made from scratch. Cheesecake is divine.