The Bayside Bistro in Courtenay

Cute spot to grab a tea or coffee!

Family owned and operated coffee shop, serving both Asian and western snacks and meals.

It was a nice place for a group. They were very friendly. And great service,

Great food! extremely friendly service, 11/10! You need to check this place out!!!!

Service was poor. Food was terrible.

Very Very Limited Selection

$5 for a small Nanaimo bar seems expensive.

Buckle up for an experience... Do not eat here, I failed to read recent reviews and paid the price. Staff were friendly, however when I ordered gyozas I was asked if I wanted it just microwaved or pan fried for an extra 2 dollars... Microwaved should not be an option. I chose pan fried and also asked for a tuna bowl. I was informed that the wait would be ten minutes for fresh rice so that left me hopeful for a decent tuna bowl. The gentleman who took my order wasnt confident on his pan frying skills and asked one of the other staff if she could fry them for him which she obliged. She put them in the pan and then began sweeping out on the floor and completely forgot about my gyozas and burnt them, the guy who didnt want to fry them came out and told her they were burning, to which she replied f#$& and ran back to the kitchen. She then came out and told me the news, she would also be making new ones so it would a few more minutes.(A better decision would have been to ask for my money back and leave) 20 minutes to get my pan fried gyozas which came in a coffee to-go cup with a soy sauce that had an expiry date of 2020. These gyozas were not burnt but were lightly fried and cold in the middle. They had the added bonus of a cardboard texture with an off taste. After another 10 minutes my tuna bowl arrived with fresh rice and very, very brown tuna. 30 minutes of waiting to politely say thanks, leave the building and throw that food poisoning in a box, directly in the garbage. It was amusing but definitely not worth the time or money. Coffee would probably be fine, but its probably best to avoid this place. Cheers.

Ordered through Skip, so I cant speak for service or atmosphere, but my god the food! ...yeah its bad. Just so bad. I mean, to clarify, some of the food is perfectly edible, like the steamed buns, but Im pretty sure nothing is actually cooked there unless you count some sort of reheating process like microwaving. And when its bad, it is BAD. The pork in the onigiri had a texture like freeze dried food that wasnt rehydrated. Just so unpleasant.

I generally dont leave reviews but people need to know about this place. Service was ok, nothing special. However the food quality was awful. My wife and I ordered 1 roll each. I ordered the prawn tempura roll and she ordered the maple smoked salmon roll. Unfortunately there is nothing good to say about either roll. Both rolls the rice was old, dry and hard. Both rolls also had old seaweed which made the rolls very chewy. In my roll I had 1 small tempura prawn rolled with a piece of lettuce and cut cucumber. The roll its self was quite small for a $6 roll. It consisted of 4 regular sized pieces. Not 6 or 8 pieces you would expect from a $6 roll. It really felt and looked like I was getting half the portion. My wifes roll was very small as well for a $6 roll. It only consisted of 6 small pieces that were made of rice, seaweed and small chunks of very dry maple salmon chunks. What bothered me the most was that they are satisfied with the quality of food they serve people. This food, in my opinion wasnt even worthy of serving paying customers. I have been to countless sushi restaurants coming from Vancouver and this was one of the worst qualities in sushi I have ever experienced. I do not recommend this place at all as it has very poor food quality, unfortunately.

A great place to meet a group of friends over coffee and treats

I used to love this cafe, but they seem to be under new ownership as of 2023. The drinks and food menu is greatly reduced, and while I welcome more asian foods (although, $5 for miso soup???), its missing the cafe-comfort feel that Bayside used to have. Also, no more rainbow flag at the counter, which makes me feel that this is no longer an LGBTQ2S+ friendly establishment. The vibe felt cold and sterile: no music, just two people working and they werent friendly at all. Sad to see a community hub change so dramatically. I dont just go to a coffee shop for the coffee, and I dont think Ill be coming back here again.

New owners that have taken away any bit of coziness it had before. Now serving Asian foods, zero welcoming feel, no ambiance. Will not be going back.

Café, americano, not the best tasting.

This place is not the same place as I used to remember. The service is good but the coffee and food is suffering a tad.

Not like before, coffee (latté) weak. Not a relaxing environment, chairs and tables only. Needs relaxing chairs and sofas. Needs at least some background music. Wheelchair accessibility: Easy access

Other than half decent, could get better anywhere else coffee, and a nice looking place, there no good things to say. Food is really bland, not worth the price, and all bulk store bought and just reheated, the staff try hard with what theyre given though. And its Onigiri Not veggie sushi which btw you are not supposed to add frozen green giant mix veggies to. Call it what its supposed to be, and make it properly. Highly offensive and Im not even Japanese.

I have to regularly talk myself out of driving 45 minutes each way just to get a steamed pork bun and fresh miso soup.

A variety of tasty foods, delicious coffee and friendly staff. The owner is very personable and has hosted several Warhammer events for a small group of us, most appreciated! Kid-friendliness: Very patient with children in the Bistro, nice to see

I love going there. The new owners and staff are so sweet. Ben and Gerry are lovely hosts ^_^ Prices are reasonable and the food is delicious. They are slowly restyling from the older 90s coffee shop look and I love seeing the new tweaks each time I visit. Vegetarian options: There are numerous vegetarian options, roughly half of the menu. Dietary restrictions: Some things are gluten free, some are dairy free (the smoothies purposefully so). There are meat and vegetarian options. Parking: Parking is usually fine and always free, theres usually a spot or two open. Kid-friendliness: We take our little one there all the time. He loves it. For kids, there are colouring books, reading books, blank paper and crayons. In the winter, our son likes to watch the kid-safe fireplace change colours. Wheelchair accessibility: Ground level entry and most of the shop. There is one small section up some stairs but I often see patrons with mobility aides in the cafe.

Lovely place delicious food with lots of taste, great prices. Will stop again

Amazing staff, good food and drink.

Awesome staff and great service

Sushi tasted like it was three day old rice . All I could hear the whole time was the microwave turning on and off in the kitchen . They tried to trick me in telling me they made a new sushi roll but it was thrown in the microwave and re served to me lol. Miso soup had onions in it and was terrible . All reheated food from somewhere nothing is fresh . Think they need to start over again from scratch sorry to say

Delicious coffee and specialty coffees. Friendly and fast service. Best way to start your morning or have a pick me up in the day. Would recommend to any of my friends or family....even strangers if they ask wheres the best place to go.

I knew it had changed management/ownership and wasnt inspired by the signage. I was desperate and the Soup Pot was closed. The food was garbage. I was open minded that the miso soup would at least be piping hot alas the small crock pot used to cook it must have only been turned on to the medium setting for the day. The grill marks on the veggie spring roll fools you to believing its been prepared fresh, then you think to yourself when the hell did you last have an authentic spring roll on a panini press? This has been cooked days ago and reheated to order. The veggie pickle whatever roll is aged when the pickling has softened the cucumber to mush. Delightful. I wonder what creative things they do to kill time so you get the impression any of the food is being prepared fresh? The young lady taking my order was polite and helpful. Id have given her service 5 stars if she told me to leave and never come back. I knew I should have asked her to blink twice if this was going to be the biggest mistake Ive ever made spending $12 to support local.

Great prices! Great food!! Lovely people:)

The egg english muffin was marginal at best and the Nanaimo Bar recipe was not traditional. The iced coffee was lukewarm with a few ice cubes diluting the taste of old coffee put in the fridge for such an order. Very disappointing for what I paid. Even McDonalds would have been better.

Good experience here. Friendly staff.

Best Grizzly Chai tea Ive ever had. The steamed buns and specialty coffees are fabulous. Good service, great atmosphere.

Understanding restaurant and the industry as much as I do I can see a fair standing point of only having 1 person on for slow days. However that cost vs the cost of a customer being satisfied should never be outweighed. Regardless of probably more than the countless times of being slammed with orders of drinks and food, its quite appreciated to see that even when being overwhelmed still service is applied with smile. Kudos to all your staff.

Best vanilla Latte in the valley and great staff. The upstairs area has comfy chairs to hang out to visit with friends or sit and work uninterrupted. Vegetarian options: I had a tasty veggie sandwich.

One of the best coffees in town.

Careful with these reviews, they are reflective of the previous cafe, not the current management. Pretty disappointing. Vegan don was a pickle salad with no rice. They dont appear to have a grill or full kitchen, so bistro is an interesting title for the restaurant. Items were microwaved or put in a panini press to reheat before serving. We went home and made another lunch as the portions were small and quality low. Ordered at the bar, server was polite. I cant speak for the specialty coffees, but I cant recommend the food or general atmosphere.

Super kind, friendly staff. Delicious breakfast bagel thing too! Highly recommend!

Great experience.

Great space. Good cafe and sandwiches. Friendly service Parking: Free parking at the door and wheel chair accessible. Wheelchair accessibility: Cafe doors are accessible.

Best coffee in town, very chill atmosphere

This place had an excellent vibe with extraordinary coffee!

Disappointing, ordered a sandwich, took a lot longer to make than I would expect and was not worth the wait. The bread tasted like it was frozen and had just been microwaved to thaw it, rock hard and unpleasant.

Laid back space with books to borrow and a loft space with more seating in the back. Coffee was pretty good!

The new owners are friendly and are making Bayside an even better experience for the wide range of people looking for the right comfortable nook.

Nice place

I come here all the time to conduct interviews because the upper level is perfect for this....its usually quiet up there. I went there today at 2:15 and the upstairs was closed off and when I asked why they said because we close at 3pm I dont understand....guess I have to look for a new place to do interviews.

Top notch Matcha Latte.

Cute, local coffee shop! Great, friendly service, cozy atmosphere

The host Dave amd his wife Laura are amazing people who give the utmost in customer service. Their Chicken Chipotle sandwich is the best I have ever had! Fresh and made with love! Highly recommend this local eatery.

Nice place that still has some of the charm of Joe Reads from years past. Atmosphere is a bit subdued which could be appealing to some.

My favorite place to grab a coffee and visit

Fast, covid safe, friendly, and my favourite place to relax with a coffee.

Friendly staff, real local vibe, plant milk options and lots of choices. Fair warning, the vegan breakfast cookie is quite dry (I still get them though). You can sit indoors or outside. Famously the weekly meetup spot of the Comox Valley Amateur Radio Club who have enjoyed the Bayside for years.

Great coffee. Good sandwiches, even gluten free english muffin. Nice cozy space.

I went here only because I saw a review that they had an awesome Matcha Latte, and boy do they ever! They must use a really good quality ceremonial grade, it was sweet and smooth, no bitter aftertaste. Best Ive ever had (and Ive had a lot). I will definitely be back :)

Great atmosphere..lots of books to read..just needs a bit more selection of breakfast

Electric Vehicle Association meets here

Coffee is great friendly

Fresh fresh

I recommende this cafe to everybody

Cozy coffee shop with quick service, good coffee and drink options and perfect for large groups (above) or small groups, couples or singles below.

Great coffee. Nice atmosphere with art on the walls and books to read.

Great spot to get together for a coffee with a small group

coffee not very consistent in quality

Lousy coffee and rotten service.

The snacks here were really good ( GF Nanaimo bar and GF date bar) but the cashiers/baristas were super unfriendly and looked as if they d rather be anywhere but at work. Too bad because the inside of the place is super cute but because of the mediocre customer service we won t be going back.

Great place to meet friends in a responsibly safe environment. Top notch coffee brewed just right.

One of my favorite coffee shop

Name changes but this cafe stays great.

Excellent

Love the Bayside. Nice people. Good snacks and coffee. Chai latte is delicious. Nice places to sit and relax. Highly recommend.

Great coffee, awesome food and sweets to enjoy! Good people here.

Our walking group meets here every Thursday where the mezzanine is set aside for us. Great place with very good coffee. Owner is appreciative and service minded.

Always good food and cappuccinos! :D

Great place to go for coffee with a friend. Laid back and calm atmosphere. A real coffee shop. Staff are great, seating is great and coffee is good. Perhaps a little pricy once you start getting into fancy coffee, but it doesnt exceed coffee chain prices.

Great place to meet for business meetings And the service is fantastic

Very nice! I enjoyed my visit. Lots of good seating. Bathroom was clean. I just had tea today but the food in the display looked really good! I will go back!

Nice Place to meet People

Good food, good service. Nice atmosphere.

Decent coffee at this place

Great atmosphere and coffee. Amazing staff!

Not a bad spot for a sit down and a java

Nice coffee shop.

Good food, better coffee and great staff

Like strong coffee and friendly staff. This is the spot. Good place to water with friends. Lots of artwork too.

Nice place to go. There were shelves of books you could sit at a table or in a comfy chair or even a couch. Very relaxed atmosphere.

Comfy atmosphere, came for a coffee with a family friend and went for a walk after around the park. Nice spot

Go alot good friendly service

I like tea or vanilla steamer. I am pretty boring

Had a nice pumpkin spice latte here and nice coffee many timed before. It has a nice upstairs area and is spacious to sit with friends and not feel crowded

My all time favourite cafe in the valley Im in love with the medium roast coffee, mochas and the Creekmore americanos!

Excellent Soup and atmosphere

Nice atmosphere, friendly staff

Awesome place with a great atmosphere, tasty food and incredible coffee. My go to coffee place!

Good location. Parking can fill up fast, so that can be a problem for those that dont like to walk (the Driftwood Mall is across Cliffe road). But good coffee and decent food, and seating. Art work from local artists (I think), for sale and a library as well

By far the best cafe in the Comox Valley! The staff are wonderful and the coffee is great.

Had THE most delicious iced decaf Americano with a hit of chocolate! Their grilled veggie sandwich is amazing. They accommodate dairy intolerance, have yummy banana bread & lovely service.

Relaxing location, great food, love their grilled veggie panini and fresh coffee. Close to the Courtenay Airpark and Estuary trail.

I had the chicken club sandwich. It was awesome. Lots of meat and nice and moist. Delicious. The coffee was also good. Ill be back next time I travel through.

Great place! Nice cozy, calm atmosphere with awesome coffee and the food is always fresh...super yummy breaky sandwhiches and bagels :) Couldnt have nicer Baristas either.

Had a great Chai latte last time. It is a great cafe to get a real taste of Courtenay, lots of locals meeting and sipping coffee and tea.

Good for reading a book

Friendly place, love the delicious food the prepare

Uncomfortable chairs and bland coffee

Nice find on a rainy day.. Chilled and relaxed atmosphere. Good coffee..

Yummy lattes and yummy espresso.

Good food

Nice coffee lounge and meeting spot. Great brew and crew!

Great place

My favourite coffee shop in the area. Excellent and prompt service from a friendly staff. Great coffee shop atmosphere, including a comfortable lounge area with shelves loaded with books to read.

Excellent coffee and snacks. Handy when you renew your drivers license.

Good coffee, yummy sandwiches!

Great coffee, good service. Great for groups.

Nice staff and very roomy

Great Americano. Relaxed atmosphere.

Restful spot, to take a break and recharge ...

Great coffee Shop

Great coffee and service, nice place to get together

Coffee is great , the staff are great and the atmosphere is great so I give it 3 thumbs up!

Quiet, convenient, good coffee and sandwiches.

Excellent coffee and great staff.

Great service, food and coffee, lots of comfortable space.

Good coffee, lots of space, and friendly staff - Bayside is a local favourite.

What a great atmosphere & yummy treats!!

Coffee was great and staff were friendly . I would recommend this place to anyone going by.

Good espresso, decent price, friendly staff.

Great coffee shop

Nice spot for an early morning Joe! Lots of treats and a wonderful good-natured staff.

Quaint, Cozy, Coffee, Tea stop! Sandwiches and Treats. Local Art, Comfy, Espresso and Pop! Books and DVDs. Free medium beverage after 9 punch cards.

Descent coffee & food. Good atmosphere.

For starters the coffee and snacks are amazing. The the people and environment are very warm and welcoming. I highly recommend people to check it out and taste that beautiful coffee.

Great coffee and treats. Ambience is classic cafe and sitting room comfy.

Good coffee and muffins. Wi-Fi is good. Lots of room.

Had a fantastic oolong chai which was delicious. Husband had shot in the dark which wasnt weak at all. The ambiance is fantastic with loads of room. Excellent meeting place.