I just had supper here a few nights ago and the service was terrible. The food was quite good and I really liked the menu, but the rude and unprofessional service was completely uncalled for. I would strongly recommend avoiding this restaurant until they get some better wait staff.
Excellent food, great service and a place you will adopt as your favorite go-to resto on Fort Street. One visit is all it takes.
Excellent food, courteous and attentive service, half portions available - highly recommended!
Was not aware that a 15% tip had already been included in our bill as the party was over 12 people.
So waitress let it slide when we added our regular 20% tip to the cost of the meal, which was $54
With our extra tip, the final cost was over $80 : 2 half salads, one half pasta dish, one bowl of soup, and a glass of wine, $82 !!!!!
If I had been the waitress I would have been kind and informed us that the tip was already included
I wonder how many others of the party got " taken " as well, very disappointed, but was warned about high prices there
I went here with a friend last night, this is a great place to dine at, friendly staff, amazing food, and great drinks menu, thanks
Went for a private reception and loved it! The staff were super attentive and the food was to die for.
If those appetizers were anything at all like their menu I would make the trip back to Victoria just to eat there.
Fantastic friendly staff and dedicated owners. Food and wine that makes your stomach happy. A real Italian restaurant stuck in Victoria.
excellent food excellent wine excellent service nice place !
Had a wonderful experience. The house made salumi and pates are wonderful. Also had duck breast and a simple spaghettini with tomatoes that were both fantastic. Will definitely be returning in the near future.
Excellent flavors. Dinners are available in half portions which is great for the smaller appetites. Very warm and inviting decor.
A really good place to have a great time. Good food, great environment, customer service 110% approved!!!
Definite must place to dine. I have only been here once but will be back for sure. Whatever you do make sure to get the sticky toffee pudding for dessert.
Absolutely amazing food and service. Funky art to go along with the cool owners. Recommended for anyone!
Amazing food, very friendly staff and great atmosphere. Would recommend to anyone looking for a classy place to eat.
I love it.
Being from Europe, I sometimes miss a restaurant, where you are not squeezed together with dozens of other guests. And then, I go here. The service is excellent, the atmosphere is nice. And the food is great.
The menus I had so far, were great compositions and you can totally rely on the recommendations of the staff.
Incredible food, great service and consistent attention to detail you rarely see today. A job well done by the owners and staff of this great establishment.
Had dinner here last night. In spite of the Covid protocols that everyone has to follow they have managed to make your experience warm, welcoming and very friendly and homey. The staff were wonderfull and knowledgeable about the menu and More
Always great food and service. Particularly like the option of smaller portion sizes that enables you to try more dishes. The patio area is the best way to enjoy the atmosphere.
Nothing is better than being welcomed into a restaurant by the owner and feeling right at home. Food and drinks were outstanding as always and the half sizes are so perfect! The perfect date night
Very expensive. Food was hit or miss. One plate was good the other was not. I would recommend checking it out, but i don't think this place is as good as it's made out to be.
Very nice food, atmosphere and service. The atmosphere of the restaurant feels quite European to me - there are many interesting paintings on the wall and the music choice was rather "old-school".
Great higher-end dining; cozy atmosphere, and fabulously prepared foods and wines. Great recommendations from serving staff.
Really enjoyed the food, great staff. Very popular place. Definitely recommended.
Simply delightful. The food is always amazing, and the staff are super helpful. The owners are quite wonderful...It's like dinner with friends, but the food is way better. Also, check out the art!
Still our favourite place in Victoria!!!! Had our wedding dinner here and as always, it was perfect!!!
Fantastic food, the rabbit was amazing! As are the house made cured meats.
The Food was incredible we had the sharing Menu...a.little of this and that...the best idea for our first dining experience at Cafe Brio .The service was top notch Our Waitress had perfect wine suggestions ..Lovely romantic atmosphere! We will be back!
Excellent restaurant. Incredible food, classy setting, wonderful service. Very highly recommend. Plus, they are dog friendly.
By far my favorite restaurant in Victoria. I have never had a bad meal here. Wonderful people, excellent service, exceptional food.
I've been here twice and must admit it's not on my radar. The food is good but small portions. However that tends to be the norm at many restaurants in this price range.
With that said it's one of the restaurants in town that has very good service. The servers and owners are all smiles and very friendly.
Beautiful place to dine for casual or aromatic dinner out. we have been patrons for more than 12 years. Excellent wine list, very decent dinner menu. A must go for all Victorians and out of town visitors.
Exquisite food in a charming and low key environment. Avoid the half portions if you are hungry but leave room for dessert. Couldn't have left more satisfied, the food was tremendous!
perfect Ambience and a amazing staff from servers to Chef. I totally took care of all of my vegan eating requirements without a problem.... EXCELLENT dinning experience!!!
Before we even had our meal I was disappointed. I arrived with a cake after emailing with now with someone who I think is the owner or manager (Greg). I was not advised of a cake cutting fee but the server who accepted the cake said she thought there was one - maybe $3 or $4. When we arrived for dinner a few hours later the same server seated us and advised the fee was $4. I now had my phone so I showed her the email of my communication with Greg and advised her that would have been the time to mention the cake cutting fee. She came back and told me it would be taken care of then came back a few mins later to say we would have to cut the cake but they would provide plates etc. I agreed to this. Greg than came over a few minutes later and loudly states that wouldn t you expect to be charged for bringing in your own food at which time I advised him that the majority of restaurants in Victoria DO NOT charge a fee, only if it is a wedding. To top it off my dinner, the tagliette, was over cooked and left to sit so the sauce was soaked up while other meals were waiting to be cooked. The mushrooms weren t even chopped - basically a dish literally thrown together without any care. I don t understand why Cafe Brio has such wonderful reviews as it is not close to what Italian food and service should be.
This was the best meal I've ever had. The Beef Tenderloin was absolutely delicious. Highly recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for a quality meal.
Came with a large party, 'full portions' are small and the size of what you think to be half portions. Food looks quite presentable for what its worth but the food was nothing special. The duck was rather tasteless and underwhelming. Better off going to Il Terrazzo.
First time here, very slow service unfortunately. Drew out our stay to almost 2 1/2 hours. Granted it was New Years eve, but a couple tables that were seated after us received their meals before us and were finished and gone well before our party. I had the pasta which was very dissapointing - dry and mostly un flavorful. Pork chops were over cooked and risotto was runny. Salmon was very good as was the scallops and prawn dish.
Atmosphere was intimate and cozy with lovely art work hung on the walls. Servers were efficient, friendly and professional.
A beautiful romantic restaurant, perfect for date nights or special events with friends. We've enjoyed New Year's eve at Cafe Brio as well as Dine Around. Highly recommended!
Food so fresh and tasty you can tell it s lovingly grown local produce, expertly put together by a very talented chef, and brought to you by staff and owners who take pride in what they do. Silvia talked us through each dish and made us feel very welcome. Jeremy was an attentive but not intrusive bartender (we ate at the bar).
Two of us had an unspecified set menu where the chef prepared a feast of seasonal produce. We then indulged in a homemade truffle each. It was a delight.
This is our first of three nights in Victoria and the bar has been set very high.
Sat on the patio. Was a bit cold but they had blankets which was nice. Food was really good. Loved the pasta. They also offer half portions on everything i think which makes it nice to try a lot of stuff.
Once every few years my wife and I go here as a special treat. We get the family coursed meal and just sit back and enjoy. Great cured meats, fantastic service and great wine pairings make this place hard to beat for special occasions or dates. Sit outside if you enjoy that and it's a lovely atmosphere. Reservation recommended, and if you prefer inside ask for one of the forward rooms. I l really enjoy those for the ambiance in the middle of it all.
I am a vegan, and although they didn't have many vegan options on the menu (besides a salad which was delicious), the chef made me my own vegan meal! It was so good.
Small portions with a high price. They'd recently gotten a dessert chef and it wasn't very good. Great atmosphere and adorable outside seating.
Food was delicious, great wine menu and the service was great! Really happy and will definitely go back
The foods were fantastic with reasonable portion. Lovely atmosphere but a bit dark to see the menu. Service was friendly. Would love to be back to try the family sharing dishes
Great atmosphere and good food. Ownership is by previous Herald Street Cafe original owners.
Top level service. The dinner was excellent. I had the braised short ribs with chantrelle mushrooms and even a half order was plenty and a week later, I still have a distinct memory of it.
Deserts were not too sweet; just right! Really enjoyed the green apple sorbetto with calvados!
A very special night out.
Cafe Brio is one of those amazing local restaurants that never ceases to surprise and always exceeds your expectations. The food is exceptional and the service is top notch. I've been there twice in the last two weeks and both times every person at our table was over-the-moon with their food choices whether they were meat eaters, vegetarian or vegan.
Was here with our dog. Wonderful food, wonderful service, wonderful experience.
Just loved it !! It was absolutely amazingly tasty and the service was impeccable! Would highly reccomend the chef's course 6 course meal!! Well worth the money. The desserts were to die for, so save room!
Impeccable food and service. So good that it should have tablecloths.
Came here for the first time from having read some online reviews. It's a cute restaurant with a large bar area in the middle, and good number of tables around. We ordered the family meal (2 people portion). It came with a first course of 3 different starters (salad, soup, chacuterie), and a second course of 3 different mains (seared duck breast, grilled halibut, olive oil tomato basil spaghetti). The seared duck breast was out of this world! The best I have ever had. Other dishes were also outstanding. Service was friendly and attentive. The owner was so kind; she kept helping us entertain our toddler to give us some time to enjoy the food. The experience was way beyond my expectation. Will definitely come back!
Wow! THIS is what we were hoping to find when we came to Victoria. Just fantastic!
Had a very pleasant dining experience. Had the family-style dining menu option which gave us a chance to try out various dishes.
Nice place overall, the food was good. Friendly and knowledgeable staff!
Absolutely the freshest I have ever tasted. Highly recommend.
Cafe has a romantic atmosphere. The food is gourmet and uses locally grown ingredients. They're pleased to recommend a good wine that complements your dish. Their coffee is high quality and their desserts are delicious. Perfect anniversary and special occasion spot.
went for the first time for our anniversary. the starter was i little late coming but everything else was fantastic. such good food and atmosphere
Out of the way secret place where the locals go....authentic fresh local food.
Best desserts in town, I mean not just awesome but beyond nearly anyone's dreams.
Service is very attentive, not specially friendly, very professional.
Sadly, we waited over 45 minutes for our meals. The servings were very small and barely warm. We were not impressed by the taste either. Perhaps, it was just the situation this evening, since there are so many positive reviews.
Hands down this is one of my favourite restaurants in greater Victoria. I surprised my wife by taking her on a special evening here, from the empress. Where we were Chauffeured To cafe brio. The staff and food were amazing. We had the restaurant to ourselves for a bit. Thank you.
Never fails to live up to its reputation and standards. Service and food are always top notch and memorable. Ask for James!
the best toffee pudding i have ever had! Scallops were unreal. the setting is romantic, the service very friendly. Will go back
My boyfriend surprised me with reservations here for our anniversary. It is a beautiful looking restaurant from the moment you approach it, and the beauty continues inside. Very warm and cozy, lit with dim lighting and candles with a wonderful variety of music. The hosts and owners are very welcoming and seem to love what they do.
My boyfriend ordered the duck, and I ordered the lamb. Both were superb. For a fine dining restaurant I found the protein portions quite large, the vegetable sides could have been a little larger, however they were delicious. I have never had a more enjoyable meal, and can not wait to go back again!
We shared the Sticky date toffee pudding, it was so moist and flavourful. I have never been so pleased or impressed with a meal before. It can be a little pricey, but well worth it!
Fabulous high end food with venue and service to match.
Great place, get half orders and experience two meals!
Amazing night at the Quail's Gate Winemaker's Dinner, hope to see more of these events at Cafe Brio.
Absolutely the best Italian cuisine in Victoria. Very Juicy decent duck and absolutely brilliant halibut. The sticky date toffy Putin can taste a drop of Gordon Ramsey. Recommend everyone come and try, u will appreciate those dishes.
Seriously good food, charming service and relaxed decor.
Superb restaurant with locally sourced, seasonal menu.
Cafe Brio is so much more than a place to eat. It is a dining experience, easily one of the best in the city. The food was jaw dropping quality, the bar is incredibly well stocked and the wine pairings are exquisite. This place is a must for anyone looking to experience the best the city has to offer.
Excellent! Small cozy bistro, lots of locals. Food was all great!
Just 5 days in Victoria and we came here twice!
Just always classy and entertaining. The food is good but it is the ambiance that seals it for you.
Lovely restaurant with amazing food! Sometimes we go for dessert their sticky toffee pudding is to die for!
Extra ordiaryily excellent in every way except the chairs arent loungy enough for me
Best food ever!! Amazing flavor combinations. Highly recommended!! Staff are excellent! We'll be back!
This place is so absolutely wonderful. They can get a bit busy, so I recommend that you and your party plan ahead and make reservations. However, I was very luck and managed to get in without making a reservation. The staff was very friendly and was able to accommodate me and my party.
Now for the food, what can I say other than delicious. Every thing was nearly perfect. The only reason I did not give them a perfect score of five stars was because of the large crowds.
Great food, attentive service, interesting artwork.
Really disappointed. I had heard of Cafe Brio and had always wanted to go there but simply had not made it until recently. People had said it was the best in the city ...well I can honestly say I have definitely had better meals.The More
I have never experienced better food or service. Make a reservation as it is busy for very good reason. If you are in Victoria, this is a must to experience.
Cafe Brio was an excellent spot for a New World take on Italian classics, and was spectacular for a birthday dinner. Although reservations are only available on the phone, we were glad to be able to get in later than some places would like and had a spectacular time.
We ate outside (by ourselves) and were pleased to have blankets on our chairs for when the evening temperature dropped. We had the chef's choice and would greatly recommend it! The six dishes over three two courses were perfectly portioned for two of us to share. I loved the duck breast, and my husband loved the pasta.
I took a photo of the cocktail menu because I was so excited about some of the options. For our entire time at Cafe Brio from being seated to paying our bill the service was spectacular. The servers were great at offering wine pairing suggestions. This is a great place to eat.
Very good food and the service is fair. Prices are quite high compared to other restaurants of similar quality.
cafebrio.com