We stayed at the Surf Motel for 4 nights and made it here twice. It was great to be within walking distance and the happy hour starts at 8pm which is not too early or too late. The chowder soup was perfect, had it both times. My wife had the duck poutine it was very good even if the ingredients seem odd. You have to give it a try. The second night I was not too hungry just had the ceasar salad,... more

The drinks served up by Julian are awesome! Love how friendly he is! I come back every time I visit victoria - for real!! Loving my Moscow Mule with the Fentimans Ginger beer!!!

A bit disappointed that they had run out of the lunch special - I really wanted that Turkey Club today!!! But the fried chicken burger with guacamole (Julian's suggestion) was great! Fries are awesome too!

I will be... more

Two words: Duck Poutine

Also despite what Yelp says, they are indeed open on Sunday. The building they are in is doing some renovations, but definitely find this place and get the Poutine.

Loved this place for breakfast at 1 pm on Friday. We were in town from Portland Oregon and wanted somewhere we could have a casual breakfast with our young kids even though it was past lunchtime.

We ordered a kids French toast for our young kids to share, and they split it before bringing to the table and each child also had lots of fruit on the plate! So delicious. My husband's crab Benny was... more

Went in for the oyster special. Was informed they don't honor it anymore but still advertise it. Was told I could have the new special but when the bill came was told that it was the wrong day and I would have to pay full price.

2 months later and they're ad is still up!
Contacted management an just got the run around with know effort to make amends.

Just another Victoria restaurant only... more

It's pretty rare to able to take your first forkfull of a dish and have your first thought be, "This dish is perfectly seasoned."

We were in the neighborhood and found it, around the corner from the Thirty's parking lot we were standing in, with Yelp.

We walked in at 5 mins past noon on a sunny Saturday afternoon to a 70% full room and were greeted by a friendly hostess who seated us... more

We came to the Island for my sister's wedding and wanted to visit the Beacon Hill Children's Farm (which is amazing. For a suggested donation, its well worth it!), and needed a breakfast place nearby. Google suggested Heron Rock and we're so glad it did. Very friendly staff, my daughter had their kids cheeseburger, that looked like it was all homemade, and I had the Chorizo Hash, which was... more

The restaurant was walking distance from our hotel and I came here specifically for the poutine. The restaurant doesn't look like much from the outside, actually doesn't even look like a restaurant but it's cozy inside with live music. The place was fully packed and our option was to either wait 45 minutes or sit at the bar and we opted for the later. The bar is definitely busy with drink... more

I'm eating here right now. I had to interrupt my meal to write this. INCREDIBLE!

The Corned Beef Hash is the best Ive ever tasted. Go to this place you wont regret it. Amanzing!

This place is so great!!!! A really nice size menu, featuring many local meats, cheeses & seafood, whether it's been breakfast, lunch or dinner this place has yet to dissapoint me. Tasty dishes, pleasant staff & a cozy environment keep me coming back.

Off the beaten path in a strip mall, the space itself is quite nice. The food was pretty good, but we'd hoped for better based on the good reviews. The poutine was delicious and we would definitely order again. The rest of the meal was just OK, although portions are large. Biggest gripe was very slow service- took forever to get drinks, then to order, then for food to arrive, then to get the... more

Our B&B recommended Heron Rock Bistro and others as good places to eat. HR is near our B&B, too, so made it worthy of consideration. We were out walking near dinner time when we passed one of the other recommended places, but they had a wait list, so we walked on to Heron Rock, who had an empty table.

My wife had Chicken and Dumplings, I had Moules Frites. She enjoyed her dish, but would have... more

I'm not a local here, as I live in Southern California...but I do know my way around Victoria as this is where my folks have lived for more than 25 years. I always think of Heron Rock Bistro as a really great place for breakfast or lunch. That was until my dad suggested I try it for dinner. I'm glad he did because it was excellent. I enjoyed the evening's featured entree of fresh pan seared... more

Second visit disappointing

My husband, daughter and myself visited the Heron Rock Bistro last week, having previously visited a month before and found that visit enjoyable so decided to eat there again assuming our second visit would be just as good. I do not like writing negative reviews but feel strongly enough to do so. I expected from the menu description of the... more

Yummy lunch

Our B&B host recommeded this restaurant for dinner. We stopped by to make dinner reservations and ended up staying for lunch instead. The burger was tasty. I have to admit I wasn't taken with the poutine but it was my first experience with it and wasn't sure what it was going to taste like. Next time I'll stick with the... more

Open late with live music in relaxed atmosphere. Off the main drag, so it's neither crazy busy nor expensive. Great wine selection, too. We enjoyed it after a long travel day... more

Very good neighborhood restaurant

Heron Rock Bistro is a gem hidden in the James Bay neighborhood of Victoria. The prices are very reasonable and the food is very good.
I do not understand the recent negative reviews of this restaurant. The menu is not fusion - the food is pretty normal with salmon, mussels, steak, burgers, etc. This is clearly not a high end... more

menu needs rewriting to reflect what will be served

I'm old school. Chefs earn their stripes. Too many cooks trying to make their mark in Victoria and elsewhere mixing hot and cold on one plate, and weird combinations. And too many fusion combinations that aren't clarified on a menu.
And too few young servers who don't understand 'classic' food and modern fusion food, and how to deal with customer... more

Slipping Into Medium Standard

So disappointed, this used to be a crisp well presented Bistro which now appears to have slipped into the Medium to Poor bracket. Took a group of friends that love to eat out when they are in town for their 6 month getaway for dinner and there was just nothing great about the food or the service, definitely off our... more

Good neighbourhood bistro

Recommended by our nearby B&B, we had an enjoyable dinner (prime rib stroganoff, and salmon with spaghetti). The salmon was seared but not overcooked; the interior still moist. The stilton cheesecake was a nice finish; just enough tang to offset the blandness of many cheesecakes. Service was prompt and friendly. Worth visiting again.

This place is great! Great seafood dishes and the bread is to die for....save room for the cheese cake. Nice staff.

Another Great Dining Experience

We've just returned from a month in France, and the Heron Rock was able to hold its' own and impress us. From the exterior, it is unpretentious, and in the interior is in the style of authentic local dining. Everyone in our party of 6 was pleased. We all ordered a different dish, and everything arrived fresh, hot, and accurate.... more

Visiting my parents, my fiancé and I were delighted to visit this neighborhood gem -- an unassuming place from the outside -- not only for dinner, but breakfast the following day! The cuisine is a nice mix of New Orleans, French and Northwest Canadian -- and nothing we tried here wasn't delicious (snapper and bacon Po'boy, chicken and dumplings, duck poutine, oysters on the half-shell, and... more

Went as a group of 6 on Saturday night, and everyone was impressed by the quality of food, service, and value. The exterior is less than unpretentious, and the location is obscure, lending a clientele that appears to be mostly local nearby residents.
However this restaurant serves suburb food, large portions with fresh ingredients (there is a herb garden on the sidewalk out front). Off of the... more

Guaranteed best meal you've had

My fiancé and I discovered this lovely joint two years ago when we moved to james bay. We are now regulars attending jazz nights on monday nights and breakfast every time we can make it. The staff is top shelf and as knowledgeable as they are friendly! Andrew (the owner) has become a friend and always makes sure we are... more

Pleasant surprise

When asked if there were any restaurants around that had live jazz, this place was recommended. I now know why.
Great little find in James Bay area, which also happened to be very close to our hotel. First, we didn't have a problem being seated on a Friday night without reservations. We arrived around 7 and I noticed that it... more

Red snapper with mussels were superb! Also enjoyed the starter, crab and shrimp corn fritters and dessert, chocolate brownie served warm with maple nut ice cream! Service friendly and prompt. A real treat!

Small and delightful

Great little restaurant in James Bay. Simple but delicious food (maybe the best frites I have ever had). Sitting on the patio on a sunny day is a delight

Great time all around

From our smiling server named Victoria, to the great food, to the live easy listening music and $10 off our bottle of wine! What a great Monday start to our week long stay in Victoria!! We could have shared MANY bowls of the White Wine mussels.
The service and the atmosphere made you feel like you were eating with friends.... more

great local restaurant

a little way off the beaten track for visitors, it is well worth finding. The moules frites were excellent, and the lamb burger a meat lover's heaven.

Excellent service, great food

I made a reservation for lunch and Andrew, the proprietor, was waiting for us when we arrived. His ebullient manner made us feel right at home. We tried the duck poutine as an appetizer and the gravy along with the nice, big pieces of duck was delicious. Crab cakes made with Dungeoness crab were moist and perfect along with a... more

Lovely Lunch

We arrived on time and were greeted by Andrew, a very personable manager/owner. The wait staff were very accommodating as we waited for the fourth guest to arrive. My daughter and her husband ordered the Duck Poutine as we waited. They stated it was very good with large pieces of duck. Our guest did not show so we ordered. I... more

Solid breakfast / brunch food, but we both found our orders to be a bit on the greasy side. Eggs were above average as was the hollandaise.

The menu is broad enough to have something for everyone, and the small but mighty set of beer taps was enough to convince me that beer and brunch go hand in hand.

Definitely would be a go-to spot if I lived in the neighbourhood. They also have live music... more

Went for Brunch because we heard a Chef named Jesse who used to work in Tofino was working there and we weren't disappointed. Food was amazing, service was good.
Minus one star for the leather table cloths and the room went from Freezing to very hot in the time we were there.
Otherwise highly I recommend it!

A Quick Light Supper

We visited here for a quick light supper. When we explained that we were on a tight schedule,our waiter was most accomodating. Some seafood chowder, tomato soup and the crabcakes were delicious and quickly served. We left feeling very satisfied and wishing we could have stayed longer to try more items on the menu. Hope to return some time to... more

Reliable Dining

We all had the thirty dollar menu. The appetizers and desserts were exceptional the mains were good. Home made ice cream is a treat. Fritters were very good and almost a main course sixe.

Wonderful, welcoming service and good food

We have visited this restaurant a few times when in Victoria and the service and food have been consistently good. Our dinner on New Years Eve was great, and with the addition of the jazz band and a friendly crowd of people, it made for a fun evening. The 5 course dinner was reasonably priced: the starters and salad were... more

Small area..Big food

It was worth waiting for a table. Though it may have been congested, the food more than made up for it. Absolutely delicious meals were enjoyed by those at our table. Good value..great staff !!

I can only speak for their brunchables but I've been here many times for breakfast over the years partly because my brother lives nearby but the service is awesome & the food is consistantly delicious. It is a hidden gem of the neighborhood & I would not hesitate to recommend it!!!

Best Breakfast in Victoria

I love this place so much!! I used to live in Victoria, but now I live about 16 hours north. I make it a special point to eat at Heron Rock as many times as I can when I come to Victoria to visit! My favourite is the Roasted Garlic and Portabella Hash, if you haven't tried it you MUST... more

First time but not the last

Went to this cosy restaurant in James Bay. Can see why the locals love it. Great atmosphere and very friendly staff. Four of us went and we all enjoyed our lunches. The soup of the day was excellent as was the pate sandwich. We didn't realize it was also a breakfast place so we will be heading down there some... more

Excellent breakfast. I had the huevos cubanos; eggs just right, very tasty, great potatoes. Staff was excellent. I'll be back. It's an easy walk from Parliament, or the Helms Inn where we stay (walking there from the ferry terminal). Don't let the strip mall dissuade you, the place is in a nice setting around the right side. For stronger coffee, head to the 5-intersection to the cafe-bookstore.

Good Clam Chowder

The Clam chowder was tasty but mostly Patato. A few small pieces of clam & scallop carrots, etc. house Pinot Noir was good but a little too sweet & fruity for my taste. Service was prompt, attentive and quick. I'll be back. Great value.

Great Place

Was visiting Victoria this week on business and a friend recommended going here. I was not disappointed. Not being from Victoria, it was a little more difficult to find (I was staying downtown), but I got to walk in a different part of Victoria that I hadn't really seen before (James Bay). The service was friendly and efficient. The atmosphere... more

Neighborhood Gem

We loved our dinner at the Heron Rock Bistro. The service was fantastic and the food excellent. My husband had the lamb burger with the poutin and I had the chicken and avocado salad with a crab cake. We also had the bread pudding - great to have that on the menu. The service was some of the best we... more

I thought it was time to write an update about this lovely place. A year after my last review, we still continue to go there...only, we have now become obsessed with their breakfast menu and we try to go at least once a month.

I consistently get the smoked salmon benny with lemon horseradish cream cheese and crispy capers, because it is so good that I can't bring myself to try anything else... more

Heron Rock Food is good

The seafood is great, it was quite affordable. Decor was very modern and perhaps not as interesting as the food.

Neighborhood place

We ate here on the strong recommendation of our B&B owner. We were tired and it was close so we went. Food is a mix of sandwiches, seafood and poutine. They seem to be doing their best to offer fresh and local. Everything we had was just okay. Nothing horrible but nothing fabulous either. My daughter had the clam chowder... more

Great crab cakes

My second visit to the bistro. Can't believe anyone would give this place a poor review. The service was attentive, prices in line with the quality of food
and the crab cakes absolutely wonderful!

Always good

We started coming to Heron Rock for brunch a few years ago; since then we have had some lovely dinners there. Top notch ingredients, great staff, a room full of artworks, music on some evenings. We have never been disappointed! I love the portobello hash, but my husband can't stay away from the poutine!

A Real Kitchen Nightmare

Living around the corner, I’d been here quite a few times, usually during the week, and had even recommended this place to people I know. This weekend, though, our visit at 2 in the afternoon was nothing short of a “kitchen nightmare.”
What is the minimum any customer would want? I’d say a server who knows the menu, gets your... more

Nice location, not bad food, noisy and slow

I have been to this restaurant twice now and both times it was packed and noisy. The service was slow (40 minutes to get lunch) but the food is pretty good, above average but not excellent.
They had a nice selection of breakfasts including quiche, eggs benny of several varieties, french toast and traditional egg options. Lunch included fish and... more

great eggs benny

Great selection of eggs benny. I had the Dungeness crab and my friend had the smoked salmon. Both were delicious and cooked exactly as we ordered them. Side potatoes could be a little more flavourful but that is my only suggestion. Otherwise service was good and so was the food.

Great Bistro

This is an excellent place for eating great food and drinking good wine in an elegant and relaxing atmosphere.
I took Moules Frites and it was the first time I eat them since my Belgium experience. And they were extremely good, tasty and the french fries were natural and handcut.
The local wine was an excellent white wine, perfectly matching... more

Many great things

Our trip to the Heron Rock had many great things, including blue cheese and bacon Caesars and duck confit poutine. My chicken burger on the other hand was lacking any type of creativity. We will be going back on New Years Eve..Let you know.

My favorite breakfast place

There are two things i like about breakfast: eggs benny and caesars. Heron Rocks makes both 10/10! I recommend the smoked salmon benny with a bacon blue cheese caesar.

Simply My favourite Restaurant in Victoria

I have eaten regularly at the Heron Rock for a number of years now, both at lunchtime and at dinner and have never failed to really enjoy the food, the relaxed atmosphere and the well-informed and friendly staff. I particularly appreciate the West Coast locavore aspect of the menu, and whatever else I select, I always have to have the... more

Great Value, Excellent Oysters, Great Service

This place is just excellent, casual dining in the evening with entertainment and the food and service of a 5 star. If you are one of those people who like the best but don’t want to fuss with having to play the role or dress to impress this is the place, lots of high rollers and regular people, but no... more

Love their burgers, and Caesar salad. They have some free-range chicken and local food choices which is great. I stay within my budget so haven't tried the higher priced items. Some nights they have a special on the wine ($10 off) so great to share that with a friend. And, go when they have JAZZ night...so cool to eat great food and listen to great music. I like the staff, they are friendly and... more

disappointing

not good for those on celiac diet - very little choice - food expensive for what it was.- potatoes undercooked - salad uninspired.

Great Find

The Heron Rock Bistro was recommended by the owner of our B&B. It was within walking distance of the port area, so for people coming to Victoria on cruise ships, this would be a fantastic choice. It has the ambiance of a locally-owned and locally patronized restaurant, unlike many of the touristy spots closer to downtown. The food is excellent... more

A surprise for breakfast

Never would have thought to go here for breakfast but for someone's suggestion. We were very glad we did, as it was a relaxing and quiet place to have a lazy weekend breakfast. The service was good, and their eggs benedict was excellent. We would return there for breakfast any day.

Enjoyable experience

We went there on September the 13th for a light dinner after a long day. Everything was to our satisfaction except my 1/2 dozen fresh oysters. You needed a magnifying glass to see the meat.
Extremely disappointing
Otherwise the service was good and friendly..
Drink prices are reasonable.

Great food and Great music

This is a smaller bistro in a mall/condo development, and we really just "happened" on it 3 years ago. We now make it a point to go there at least once whenever we're in Victoria. The staff is great....the food wonderful, and every Monday and Friday there is live music. We have never been disappointed....On Monday nights they have $10... more

Just good food

Strolled over to this kind-of-hard-to-find bistro to have eggs bennie before catching the afternoon ferry. While the place, which is in a shopping center complex, of sorts, isn't too warm and fuzzy, it was getting some very good reviews in the local rags covering restaurants. I had the crab/shimp eggs benedict, while my wife had a mushroom omelet. I skipped... more

Consistently Enjoyable

Some friends introduced us to this hidden jewel a few years ago. At that time, Heron Rock was offering a choice of a great pasta dish with a glass of wine for $20 (in addition to regular menu choices); the dinner deal was specific to one day of the week and we took advantage of it on a few occasions.... more

We'll be back

We came upon this little restaurant by chance and are very glad we did. All of our meals were very tasty, service was good, and atmosphere pleasant. We will certainly return the next time we visit our daughter in Victoria.

The best bread served with dinner that I've ever had!

Hiding in James Bay

I hesitate to write this review, because we love our little neighbourhood bistro - and part of me doesn't want it "discovered". In fairness to all, it's an unpretentious, casual and friendly spot that offers breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner with live music some evenings. The kitchen concentrates on locally available food - organic when possible - and does wonders... more

Great food - great atmosphere - awesome selection

I am going back - so much that I want to try. My friend had the crab benny - I had fish & chips: both meals were delicious and good coffee.

off the tourist track is a gem

A nice restaurant in James Bay which is about a ten minute walk from most of the hotels. The food is fresh, creative, and local. The chef just returned from New Orleans and will try a little Pacific NW/NOLA fusion if you let him. Good wine values with local beers on tap. Nice service. Will go again on the next... more

Good food and live music

Nice little bistro. The staff were really professional and attentive. The food was great (try the stilton cheesecake with port reduction - it's AMAZING). The wine list was decent and the recommended pairings were well thought out and complemented the meals perfectly. We went Friday night so there was live music - an old school swing/jazz duo, and they were... more

Worth a visit

This bistro has been consistently good and is worth a visit. Perhaps not the greatest location (no view, etc.) but easy to get to from downtown or James Bay. Live music & specials.

Good local bistro

Several locals recommended this restaurant. We are pleased they did. Good freshly made food, varied menu, seasonal specials, and good advice on wines for the meals.
We ate here twice during our stay. The first time was with group of eight, children and adults. Everyone found something they liked. The next night it was only the adults. Our waiter from... more

Good food, attentive staff

While the menu shows they offer more interesting fare, we just wanted burgers. We had the Fat Buoy Burger which is 'naturally raised ranchlands BC beef'. But at $12 (with fries) it seemed a little overkill to add $1.5 - $3.5 for the burger bar for ANY extras. The buns were more like fresh bread (great!) but after already being... more

Went for Valentine's day with my man, had a very tasty meal! Services was great, food was very tasty as well!
I would return

Tried the salad and poutine with four people and found it to be pretty disappointing. Salad with apple and seeds only has a touch of apple and perhaps a sunflower seed somewhere in it. This makes is rather lacking in substance and anemic. The poutine made me sick so i had to run to the nearest restroom afterwards. There are good restaurants in Victoria but this is not one of them.

Heron Rock Bistro completely surprised me. Where are all the reviews?

The space is a little dark but very spacious with fresh flowers on the table. The menu is filled with many eggs benny options and is a perfect place for a group brunch. We went with a large group and everyone enjoyed their meals in particular, the eggs benny, and veggie sandwich get special high fives for tastiness!

The... more

I drop in to the bistro about once a month because I am comfortable eating alone there, I always find something I enjoy eating and the service is good. The menu for a vegetarian is somewhat limited but I do enjoy their breakfasts and lunches and like that they have local live music in the evenings. Friendly staff, good atmosphere.

If you are not a local this one is a bit tricky to find. Food and service is great. A full meal: the lamb burger - suggest it with avocado and cheese, fries with aioli. Lunch: soup and sandwich.

This restaurant is literally a hole in the wall that not everyone knows about because its a smaller restaurant hidden away in James Bay.
After reading the last 2 reviews I was quite surprised because I have had nothing but good meals here (both lunch and dinner).

Me and my family consider this restaurant a good contender to go to if you want something similar but cheaper then a restaurant like... more

I took my boyfriend to the Heron Rock Bistro for a special occasion (anniversary) dinner. We had a bottle of wine, appetizers, entrees, dessert, coffee. The food tasted great, and the service was fairly good, and we enjoyed ourselves.

Six hours later I became violently, horribly, terribly ill, first from one end, then the other. To the point that I had to do laundry. I was sick all that night,... more