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The Reef Restaurant Victoria
- Hours:
Mon-Wed 11:30 am - 10 pm
Thu 11:30 am - 10:30 pm
Fri 11:30 am - 12:30 am
Sat 10:30 pm - 12:30 am
Sun 10:30 am - 10:30 pm
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
24 reviews for The Reef Restaurant Victoria
Review Highlights
"Jamacian me crazy for brunch Johnny cakes."
(in 7 reviews)
"Mission Tacos (can be made with Jerk Tofu."
(in 4 reviews)
"...veggies, and my bf had thyme chicken with mashed potatoes."
(in 2 reviews)
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24 reviews in English
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Review from Beth C.
Victoria, BC
Updated - 12/20/2011
I would just like to refresh my review with an update saying how much I appreciate The Reef come brunch time in Victoria. Why this place - with its good, strong coffee and free Jonnycakes - doesn't have a brunch line-up out the door like other places is beyond me.
The service is better than it used to be, too!
I wish they'd open earlier on weekends for brekkie, but we can't always get what we want.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/27/2009
So I've traditionally had a love-hate relationship with The Reef.
Cons:
-the service. Sweet Jesus,… Read more »
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Review from Monique B.
Port Moody, BC
10/18/2011 2 Check-ins Here
I have been to The Reef in Victoria on pretty much every occassion that I visit the island. I've also been to both Vancouver locations and I have to say that the island restaurant is more consistent than the mainland locations.
On my most recent visit we stopped in for brunch since it's always nice and quiet, compared to other breakfast spots in Vic. We were all feeling a little rough from the previous night's festivities but The Reef promptly whipped us back into shape! Our server Andrew was a total doll and had us cracking up with every visit to bring us more much needed coffee or delicious breakfast johnny cakes (the filling was raspberry this time around).
After a low-key brunch of Jamaica Me Crabby and a lovely Mo-ginger-ito, as well as copious amounts of coffee (refilled on the regular by our awesome server), I and my little group were set right and able to continue our island adventure!
A great place to relax and unwind with a good carribean vibe.Listed in: Victoria Favourites
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Review from Weirdie B.
Victoria, BC
4/14/2011
The food is interesting, but not phenomenal. It's nice to have a different choice for dinner in Victoria besides the usual sushi or pub fare. We had a moderate sized group and our food came out in a reasonable amount of time, though admittedly it was mid-week and pouring outside. A 15% gratuity was added to all of our bills, which would normally be fine, but the service was AWFUL. It seemed like our server was either getting over the flu and hadn't slept for three days or he knew he was getting an auto-tip and didn't feel it was necessary to put in a real effort. When I go out for dinner, I'm not looking for someone to hover over the table with a huge, fake smile to grant every wish. But I'd at like my server to smile at least once and maybe refill waters a couple times. I should have known he wasn't into it when his idea of taking our orders was to say, "OK, what do you want?"
I'd had bad experiences at the Reef before (food poisoning anyone?) and the only reason I went back last night was at a friends request. I won't be going back again. -
Review from danna m.
Victoria, BC
1/12/2011 1 Check-in Here
Jamacian me crazy for brunch Johnny cakes. Stuffed with banana and rolled in cinnamon and brown sugar. Can I get a second helping?!
Brunch is serves until 3 and it's super chill -
Review from Hilary G.
5/16/2011
This is a great restaurant to check out and a welcome break from the pubs. They have an amazing selection of rums which is heaven to me. The service was attentive and the food good quality. I enjoyed the jerk chicken roti (huge tortilla with a curry type sauce) which was even better with the homemade hot sauce they provided. My husband's fried chicken was amazing and the sweet potato fries are among the best I have had. The jerk aioli was so good that we bought the jerk sauce. The only thing I was disappointed with was the spinach and artichoke dip which was supposed to have jalapenos in it but the cream cheese was the most dominate thing in it. There were setting up a band when we left which I was sad to miss.
Listed in: Victoria Tips
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Review from Tristan S.
7/1/2011
Came here for a late-night dinner with a lot of friends and it was really good! We ordered the yam fries, island crab cakes, J.A.H. dip, "doubles" (a chana sandwich), and ackee & saltfish. It was all good except for the J.A.H. dip--it was supposed to be jalapeno, spinach, artichoke, and cream cheese, but the flavour was dominated by cream cheese and spinach, which was actually kind of nasty. We didn't finish it. But the rest was delicious so this place still earns my seal of approval. I just wish I hadn't eaten so much!
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Review from Steve S.
1/8/2009
I know it is totally odd to find a great Caribbean restaurant in Victoria, but here it is in all its splendor. The food was amazing and the staff was really helpful and friendly. Maybe its just Canada but even the other patrons were friendly.
Plus, they have rum. I am so going back there the next time I am in town. -
Review from Matthew L.
Edmonton, AB
9/18/2009
The Reef serves affordable, delicious food in Victoria seven days a week for the entire day. This is a rarity in Victoria.
With Dinner the Reef serves their signature "Johnnycakes" (more like sweetened, deep-fried corn fritters) beforehand..
I like how the menu both denotes which dishes are vegetarian-friendly and which fish dishes contain fish obtained through sustainable fishing practices (with the OceanWise seal).
I enjoyed a perfectly-cooked and well seasoned shrimp and scallop dish - I often find that scallops are too tough on my past visit. On a previous visit, I ate a Jerk Tofu roti. I liked the filling, but I found the Roti bread itself to be too tough. And the toughness tended to drown out the flavors of the filling. My wife loves the Jerk Tofu burger, which I've only tried a few bites of.
The Reef is also a great place to grab an after-work cocktail - they have drink specials every day. -
Review from O. G.
9/13/2009
This place turned out to be the surprise of our trip to Victoria. I have eaten plenty of Caribbean food while visiting many of the Caribbean islands and the food here was as good or better than any I've ever had! I felt compelled to give a shout out since our experience was much better than many others here.
Service: When we first walked in, we didn't get the warmest reception so we were a little uneasy but once our server (Danielle) arrived, we knew "every little thing was gonna be alright". She had a warm smile and was extremely knowledgable and helpful with our menu selections. Our party made a ton of special requests (vegetarian-this and vegan-that and substitute this and allergic to that. Most servers cringe but with Danielle it was no problem, mon. She was outstanding and a definite asset to this place.
Atmosphere: Very rustic and warm, exposed brick, high ceilings, lots of islandy accoutrements, a very nice combination. We were there for dinner (2 nights) and both nights they were playing some of the best roots reggae I've ever heard (although no one seemed to know what specific artists or songs were playing).
Food: This is where my 5 stars come in. Every single dish we ordered was cooked and seasoned perfectly, especially the jerk dishes. Some of our faves:
Chana
Jamaican Patty
Yam Fries
Plantain Chips (with amazing sauce)
Mission Tacos (can be made with Jerk Tofu)
Jerk Tofu (best tofu ever)
It was so good and there were so many intriguing dishes on the menu that we actually went back the next night for dinner again! Reef, please open a restaurant in Orange County, CA. We need you! -
Review from Stephen R.
5/29/2011 2 photos
My wife and I were looking for something open late, inexpensive and satisfying on Friday night. Thanks to a Yelp. search I stumbled upon this place. It didn't quite meet the inexpensive requirement but being from Bermuda I was intrigued by the Caribbean categorization and had to try it. The mood and vibe in the place put me in my element!
We ordered a Jamaican beef patty, Calypso oxtail and Island Thyme Chicken. I also ordered a ginger beer to see if it was anything like Barritt's Bermuda Stone Ginger Beer but I was quite disappointed. The food however was spot on! The chicken was a breast which I try to avoid due to the difficulty in getting it moist and flavorful but it turned out pretty good. My wife enjoyed her oxtail w/gravy with pea 'n rice. I had a sample and agree it was pretty good. As I said it wasn't cheap (look at the menu) but it was specialty type food so... what can you do? I totally recommend this place to anyone. Good food, prices...tolerable and a chill vibe!
I forgot to mention the Johnny Cakes they provide to get things started... quite good! -
Review from Irena L.
4/6/2011 2 Check-ins Here
This restaurant definitely gets 4.5 stars! Love the food, love the service, love the place, love the price! It's one of those places you can just go and hang out! It's all in tiki style, and colourful!
We went for dinner at this place because our bus driver that took us to Butchart Gardens recommended it! And then, yelp also recommended it! How can you go wrong with that?!
Johnnycakes that came before the meal were amazing, I will now forever go to The Reef (since they do have a Vancouver location) for Johnnycakes! I just love them!
I had mahi mahi with rice and veggies, and my bf had thyme chicken with mashed potatoes. We also had cocktails (and I really liked them, they are not watered down, but nicely flavoured). My meal was delicious, very flavourful! My bf didn't really like his, and I didn't either. That was a bit of a miss;/ the sauce wasn't tasty and chicken wasn't really tender. But we decided to come back for brunch next day since I insisted we had to try some 'jerk' flavours in order to really try this place out. And so we did...and it was one of the best brunches ever! I has jerked salmon benny, and my bf had jerked chicken wrapped in a roti and served with coleslaw. Both dishes were exquisite! The best part it that you can buy the sauce and make it at home! I will so have to try that! We also had mimosas with our meals, and they were nice too! Before our meal we got Johnnycakes which were mango flavoured and sprinkled with sugar, OMG, I almost had an orgasm tasting them. So delicious!
You can imagine how thrilled I was when I found out that there are, not one, but TWO Vancouver locations of The Reef restaurant! I will so have to try them out. Fingers crossed they are as awesome as the one in Victoria! -
Review from Alison C.
Victoria, BC
9/10/2010
This place is definitely enjoyable for both the food and the atmosphere, but the key is to give up the notion that you'll be served Jamaican/Carribean food and accept it as an anglo twist on island foods.
As already mentioned, the roti is substandard but (knowing this going in) I ordered the West Indie Roti with jerk chicken and just opened it up and ate it off the roti wrap. Serving sizes are great and I ended up taking half of my chicken roti home with me and was happy to find that the roti had absorbed a lot of the sauces overnight and it was excellent reheated in the oven.
Service was fast and friendly both times we visited.
I would give this 3.5 stars if possible, only because I find the food and extras to be generally overpriced. -
Review from Dan B.
Abbotsford, BC
8/9/2009
Echoing another reviewer, I was expecting more bold flavours from a Caribbean restaurant, but the food was good, service was decent, and prices fair. And the complimentary johnnycakes were delicious!
I didn't partake this time round, but their drink menu looked great and judging by the amount of tasty looking pitchers at other tables, it's a great place for a thirsty group.
By the fliers it looked like some nights there is a live DJ. -
Review from Stacey E.
9/21/2008
The food at the Reef is worth checking out if you're getting tired of the multitude of "west coast fusion" bistros in town. It is also open late. Jerk tofu is very flavourful though can be quite salty so skip it if you are having it with cheese too.
Crispy fried Johnny cakes come with each meal. They are one of those things that you'll probably think about afterwards.... a lot. This is what brings me back anyway.
The homemade ginger brew is usually a tasty treat. Most of the rum mixes are available by the pitcher too. While they have good booze and stay open this isn't really a scene at night, it's usually very mellow. -
Review from J H.
3/8/2011 1 Check-in Here
Amazing! I can't describe how great this was. Marinated and cooked to perfection. Don't miss this if you're visiting Victoria and like true Caribbean flavor.
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Review from cailen s.
Oakville, ON
3/25/2009
It was a few years ago that I was here so my memory is a little foggy. I remember the vibe being very upbeat (it is Caribbean after all) and that was echoed by the staff and other patrons.
I tried deep friend bananas here and I was pleasantly surprised. -
Review from Grace B.
7/20/2010
This was by far my favorite place to eat during my little touristy weekend. Everything tasted so smooth and delicious, including the rum cocktails and ESPECIALLY the johnnycakes served before our meal. It's been a long time since I've tasted something so perfect! My dinner was good too, I got the West Indian curry. My boyfriend's dinner was amazing-- the most tender beef he's ever had, and their hot sauce was actually spicy! Thanks for the memories The Reef, I miss you here in Portland. I'm sad I didn't get to try your fried bananas and mango ice cream.
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Review from Christian T.
Victoria, BC
3/11/2010
My wife and I went and both had a great meal. We both started with the Jamaican Patty, followed by Crab Cakes. She then had the Quesadilla with Jerk Chicken and I had the Jamaican Jerk with chicken breast. For dessert, we shared Key Lime pie. Everything was excellent!
A small warning: the jerk sauce sauce is very spicy. -
Review from Gordon P.
9/7/2010 14 photos
Another super place we went to on our trip to BC. We went by Yelkper reviews and everyone was right on with the pluses of this place. Fun fun place, great rum punch. Great food and neat music. All round a neat time and very good food, you must try.
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Review from josey r.
Victoria, BC
3/24/2010
Good service, good food, shitty music.
I had the jerk tofu tacos and they were fantastic, though very small. The server was very helpful in pointing out what was vegan friendly and had multiple recommendations. The two others in my party (both meat eaters) also enjoyed their meals.
Even though it was a Friday night, we only waited 5 or so minutes for a table and were served promptly.
I'll definitely be returning. -
Review from Courtney C.
Victoria, BC
10/22/2008
Worth going to for the complementary Johnny Cakes alone (with warm coconut butter yum), though I think they only serve them at night. Have tried several of their appetizers and entries, which are consistently delicious. My favorite is the jerk chicken trini roti with coleslaw. The meals are very reasonably priced for what you get. Cozy, fun atmosphere with reggae music, good for out-of-town guests.
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Review from Derrick C.
5/24/2009
When I think Caribbean, I think big bold flavors and as hard as I tried to like this place, it did not live up to its expectations. We went in for brunch and found ourselves having to deal with subpar service even when there are only 2-3 other tables being waited on. I don't think it's that hard but the server did say it was her first day so whatever. The johnnycakes which come with some meals (couldn't exactly figure out which ones) were these fried donuts w/ a banana center and a brown sugar coating that comes w/ mango coconut butter to spread. Pretty interesting but also one small donut hole sized piece/meal to whet your appetite. The food however took quite a while to come. We ordered the quesadilla, crab cakes, and a bacon/tomato benedict special and all dishes were just meh. Seems like this place is more popular for its drinks than its food b/c it definitely left me wanting more. The fried plantains were also mediocre and the whole meal didn't really leave me wanting more. If you only have a short time to spend in Victoria, I'd pass on The Reef.
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Review from Hal B.
8/25/2010
Good friendly service with ok food. The jerk sauce was quite mild compared to what usually passes as Jerk seasoning. The Johnny Cakes were good. Curry was nice. We'd certainly go back.
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Review from Sylvia S.
Victoria, BC
5/9/2010
After having gone there a couple of times and having mediocre service, I decided to try it one more time with a small group of work friends for a gathering. I booked it for 12 people because I was not sure on the number, and the week before the night that was reserved, they called me 3 times asking for the exact number because they were "so busy". When my friends and I showed up at the start time, 30 minutes later there was only 7 of us, so the rude waitress promptly took the extra chairs away to use for other customers. After coming back about 30 minutes later to take our order, we ordered our food, and asked for some johnny cakes in the meantime. We ended up asking for johnny cakes THREE times and still never got them, and also waited nearly an hour for our food. When we got our food, half of it was cold and soggy and it took the waitress another 20 minutes to come back to ask how it was. She also rarely came back through the whole meal and we were sitting there with empty glasses a good portion of the time. When she finally brought the bill, we went to pay and saw that a 15% gratuity had been added automatically to each of our bills. When I asked why, she said they do that for parties of 10 or more. I said, there's 7 of us, to which she rudely replied that because I had booked for 12 I was subject to that charge, which I was never told on the phone nor does it mention that on their website. Needless to say, I will be writing a letter and NEVER GOING BACK to The Reef. I can spend a lot less than $20 to get a piece of chicken on top of some soggy yam fries and a side of coleslaw with incredibly bad service.
