Hank's *A Restaurant in Victoria

This is still our favorite date night spot!!

The food is unreal good! Every member of the staff is friendly and charming! I cannot recommend the Best Things enough! Ive tried so many things that I never would have otherwise and always leave satiated! Food

We were given a recommendation from friends of ours. They raved about the food. We ordered the salmon and lamb loins. The salmon was fantastic, but when the lamb loins were set in front of my husband, we both looked at eachother. At 50 dollars for lamb loins, I am sorry that our expectations maybe way overexceded what was provided. He was served two very skinny, small and way overdone lamb rack pieces. I asked to speak to the manager very nicely. When he approached the whole conversation started with him completely on the defense. After a not very satisfactory exchange he walked away without much discussion. I was not impressed. I than walked over to their other restaurant and asked to speak to someone else, who in turn ended up being the owner. I was just trying to explain out experience and he was completely shut me down and was very aggressive in saying we should just leave. The staff after when we got our bill and was just trying to have a conversation, said to us would you say these things to me if I was a man OMG!! I have never felt so horribly treated in a restaurant ever as I was there. As a server and manager for most of my life this is probably one of the worst experiences I have had in a restaurant.

Run dont walk to get the rabbit gnocchi! Probably the best gnocchi Ive ever had. Hanks was the moist enjoyable dinner we had while visiting Victoria. Creative, unique, and delicious cocktails and food.

I just went and already can t wait to go back. I loved the Maple Soda, I was expecting something else but it was mello and tasty and great. Flat iron steak in a perfect French onion soup with mushrooms and a grilled fat slice of fresh mozzarella was so damn good. Like SO good. We were attended by some lovely people who were cheery and friendly and super helpful. We were comfortable dressed as we came and got treated like rockstars. Worth the time to make reservations 100% plan to want to come back. Just saw the sister restaurant *Ate next door we are going to have to try that too. Thanks Chef!!

Amazing dining experience!

Fantastic. Super friendly service, and the food was amazing with big portions. Lots of variety and they change the menu often. We ordered the Best Things and everything was the best. Would recommend. Wheelchair accessibility: Restaurant is level entry and all on a single floor without stairs. Space is small overall so access for come chairs may be difficult. Staff are very helpful however so would suggest mentioning mobility needs on reservation and I expect they would be willing to accommodate.

Amazing food, service and atmosphere served by people with a clear passion for creative food.

I brought a group of 7 here to celebrate a birthday after having heard incredible, rave reviews. A lot of the items were fairly good, but the prix fixe menu underwhelmed. They did bring a few good dishes for our group, but they seemed to resort to lazy tactics of clearing the kitchen of several mains of overly salty smoked meat with mediocre sauce. There were numerous creative, higher quality items on the a la carte menu, but I feel they really took advantage of the group by bringing a poor variety of the lowest effort dishes. Ordering a la carte would have worked far better. The desert cookies were totally inedible filled with literal chunks of salt, as if they mistook it for chocolate chips.

Wonderful food, great service. Worth it, 5/5.

We got Todays Best Things and loved it. It was a ton of food and it was all delicious, was basically a selection of the listed menu items but we didnt have to choose. A perfect option if you are hungry and are tired of making decisions.

A hidden gem of top notch tasty menu from a chef that I can only presume is world class. The fried chicken was amazing, the gravy for it was like an Alchemist created it for gods to savour. Music playing was very cool too, like listening to Zeppelin while enjoying a last meal at the end of the world. I look forward to trying more items at this place in the future, go try it.

A good choice for a date night out. We got four plates to share which was plenty. The entire meal with two drinks came to less than $80. So reasonable! The fried chicken dish was our favourite of the evening - definitely get this if it s on the menu. Their menu options seem to change often, which means we will come back!

The food here is just unreasonably good. We went recently for a friends birthday party and they made a whole tasting menu for her, everything on it was amazing. Rachel (I hope thats how you spell it!) our server & bar tender is awesome, shes just a completely delightful human being and very knowledgeable about everything on the menu. If you like truly delicious food in casual, unpretentious surroundings, you should try Hanks.

I crave the day I can return to Victoria for this place. No need for a long review, everythings good here, certified platinum. Food : 5/5

Fine dining but we didn t feel out of place in T shirts and jeans. The chefs are working right there and the food was top quality and perfectly done.

Absolutely amazing dining experience. Although we werent sure how good it would be when we first walked in due to the restaurants location, it absolutely exceed expectations. The food, cocktails and service were all top tier, and I would highly recommend doing the Todays Best Things tasting!

The restaurant was empty and they seemed inconvenienced that we didnt have a reservation for a party of 4. Small portions, $26 for a childs sized plate of pasta, a burger that came undercooked with no sides or fries for $13. Requested a burger that was fully cooked, was advised by the chef that if it was cooked well done it wouldnt taste good. He was right. It came back WAY overdone and dry. The only good thing is the reasonable price for a beer. Do not recommend and will not be back.

Not even close to my first experience two years ago. Wine list was mediocre and the $65 taster menu was all over the place ending with beefcheeks which I took home for Samy the cat! Dont think I will be back.

Absolute gem. Theres like 8 tables, the food is elevated but simplistic and the atmosphere is very casual but cozy and very familial. Come here if you love food!

Food was okay, a couple dishes were better than others. The bar service was great but we ordered the tasting menu and saw every other table get a visit from the chef except us...so not a great feeling. They supposedly had Bresse chicken...if so, I have no idea why you would pull it apart and drown it in an unbelievably salty sauce. Overall, were huge foodies and wed heard so much hype about this place that we were very excited...but no. Based on what we saw tonight, we can definitely cook better at home.

food was awful

Shocking how good this place is!!! Had the burger and wings - sounds pretty standard right? Ya..not here...these were elevated to a level that left me completely shocked...everything (I mean everything) is made from scratch right down to the delicious bun the burger was served on..every sauce, ground their own meat - wings were brined, then sous vide, then fried crispy - in house hot sauce as well as hous-mead bluecheese sauce - Im running back!!!See you soon!

Last night we had such a disappointing experience at Hanks. We have been there twice before but last night the service was so slow, food was over cooked and we noticed there was 1 chef for a very full restaurant.

We had a wonderful time at Hank s. we went on a Friday and were able to walk in without a reservation. We ordered the goat tacos, the oysters, the ling cod, and the radicchio salad with riblets. Everything was served tapas style, my husband, and I shared everything. We especially loved the goat, the oysters and the cod. We both highly recommend Hank s. It s definitely a great restaurant.

Some of the words I muttered during the meal: this is shockingly good and this should be illegal... needless to say, this place was absolutely impressive. Unassuming but the chef (who was also the owner) had true talent - the sauce flavours being the star of the show, but the perfectly cooked meats, homemade pasta, and homemade ice cream were right up there with them! We will definitely be back for the tasting menu and to have some of our favourite dishes again. ...and my husband said, the seats were comfy... (he also LOVED the food)

Went for a dinner date on a friend recommendation that is was good. Ordered the tasting menue $65 per person. Every dish came out salty and over seasoned. The oyster dish tasted way to fishy which makes me think the oyster was expired. The music was disappointing, all rock music and way to loud, not something you would expect when coming to this place. Overall a serious disappointment and not at all worth the cost. The cost was most disappointing for the food that was served. Edit: The oysters were so bad that my partner and I got food poisoning from here

I used to be a huge Hank s fan when I lived in Victoria, and was super excited to show it off to my friends when we visited town over the holidays. This decision turned out to be a mistake. Despite the restaurant being pretty empty (and the fact that it remained this way for the time we spent there), we were seated at the bar. Our server was fine, if relatively inattentive. One of the mains came 10 minutes before anything else, which was weird. A person in my party had a severe egg allergy, but despite this mayonnaise was put all over his fries. His burger was also tiny, way overdone, and barely edible. The wings were all hot sauce, with no other discernible flavour. The only good food we ordered was braised cabbage, and we ended up paying over $100 for three people. It felt like a huge waste of money, and I felt like an absolute dolt for hyping this restaurant and disappointing my friends with a memorably bad dining experience. Won t be back.

I feel like they are trying too hard to not try hard. Ambitious menu that might be out of their league. Very nice people and service. Get the Jambalaya if you must eat here.

Exceptional in every category. Menu is interesting. Food is delicious. Service is friendly.

AMAZING. get the todays best things! can t wait to come back! Food

Ive heard high praise for Hanks with friends telling me to eat there, but I was left feeling like I got pranked. Ill start off with saying that the servers were very kind, although some plates werent being taken away for some time. Thats unfortunately the only praise I have are the kind people working there. We ordered beets - which were advertised with chiles but had no spice. Next we got Brussels with grapes which turned out to be one of the spicier things weve had in a while (not advertised spicy though). And last we got mac and cheese... The most anticipated and most disappointing. Mine arrived in a white bowl, rather soup like which cheese at the bottom to be mixed. My girlfriends arrived 10 minutes later in different presentation entirely - broiled in a cast iron with a more white look compared to my yellow mac and cheese (mine did have much more sharp flavor compared to hers though which tasted like nothing). Im adding a photo of the menu and our mac and cheese and our empty dishes that sat for some time for reference. Ill end on saying the atmosphere was also lackluster for what I thought itd be based off the price of dishes.

A small intimate place with exceptional food. Everything I tried was unique, tasty and cooked to perfection. And the people who work there are friendly and fast at their art.

Food was lit and the chef called mark is a cool dude with questionable taste in shoes. He should take a BT with his boys

One of a kind dining experience! Would dine here again without hesitation!!

We had the tasting meal. It was excellent. Im not a seafood fan normally, but even I enjoyed their use of the octopus and lobster in those plates. Service was friendly and informative about the food. Really cozy and private atmosphere at the little table we had. Not cheap, but worth what you pay for in ingredients and quality. Would go back again.

There arent really any new words that I can add other then you need to visit this place. Note that its small (3-4 tables and about 8 bar seats so resos are recommended), the food is made from scratch in front of you so expect a bit of a wait. I cant believe that my plate was only $25, this was a gourmet execution of a simple concept, and it was big enough to serve 2! Apparently the Victoria foodie scene is really good and Hanks is one of the places that you need to go to.

This was one of the worst experiences I ve had in Victoria. There was a lot of hype about it, but did not deliver. I ordered the pasta with scallops. It had 2 tiny scallops in it and was extremely fishy tasting. My friend ended up giving hers back and the cocktails were subpar.

Really enjoyed the tasting menu here. Food portions were fair and the service was excellent.

This was one of my favourite dinning experiences in Victoria BC. Very intimate restaurant. AMAZING food and great staff!

Amazing food with lots of unique flavors. A gem in Victoria!

it was pretty good!

Had to check this place out after I ate at their sister restaurant Somewhere last time I was in town. It did not disappoint! At one point one of the chefs heard me say I think this is my new favorite restaurant...! He kind of gave a quick look over his shoulder, and then back to making delicious food he went. Everything we ate was just seasoned sooo well. Every dish was full of flavor. We went for 6 different dishes, including their limited burger. Everything was amazing. The rabbit, burger and peppers were my favorite. The sable agnolitti and potatoes with chorizo following close behind. The one dish that needed more was the duck with foie ravioli. Too rich and salty, needed some relief on the plate. But Im nitpicking! Like I said, its one of my new favorites! GO!

Horrible, overcooked noodles, given all fat no meat, way too salty and terribly presented. Our server was very kind none the less.

Went to Hanks before a performance and was pleasantly surprised by the food; imaginative and tasty. Only reason for the 3 stars is the for the room. A shoebox can still be stylish. And have comfy chairs.

Insanely delicious food!!

Yes the food was good but waiting 20 minutes for a cocktail and then each person getting served 10 to 15 minutes apart from each other (and the place was 1/2 full) was a very sad experience.

I remember clearly as a small child that the best things came in small packages. If you are one of the lucky ones to get inside this Victoria Gem called Hanks *A Restaurant , then you ve just won the lottery of an experience like no other. We ordered and shared the Walnut and Arugula pesto & the Cheeseburger with potato fries . Each bite was like the first time you experienced Disneyland for the first time . Clark , the Culinary Artist and part owner, personally checked to see how our meals were. His attention to detail and passion for his craft is why we will return to experience many of the other incredible menu items . We hadn t even finished our first meal experience, and we were already talking about what we d order next time. A true Victoria Gem definitely worth experiencing ! Dietary restrictions: Has gluten free options Parking: Street meter parking as well as a parking lot behind with hourly parking

Everything was salty. Even dessert. Not sure if the chef tastes while he cooks

Went for dinner at Hanks and it was phenomenal. Unique dining experience and f***ing fantastic food.

My son and I had dinner at Hanks last night and were thoroughly impressed. We had the 6 course tasting menu and each dish was excellent. Each dish was unique and so flavourful, with fresh local ingredients that were clearly made with love. Our service was excellent and the vibe was perfect. Our server even overheard my son saying that he has an allergy to coconut so when dessert came he brought us two as one of them had coconut in it. We will definitely be back as I cant wait to try some of the other items on the menu.

This place encourages you to trust the chefs. The menu is constantly changing and with the creativity that goes on in the kitchen the menu is only a guideline anyway. I would be willing to crown this place as the best restaurant in Victoria.

Anti-fine dining - fine dining by a rag tag gang of young bad-asses cooking like wizards of old. A stripped down, almost unrefined atmosphere stands confidently in the awareness that its dark cathedral walls host a different kind of church. These guys are an absolute thrill to watch in their element as they dance around their tiny, open kitchen, slinging seriously excellent food and drink into the mouths of worship. Well don chaps! Your passion is carving a unique path, keep refining your process and you will ascend into the ranks of infamy. To any fortunate enough to find themselves at this bastion of excellence, let these Young Guns show you FLAVOUR, no white tablecloth symphony here - Hanks is a rock concert - and they dont miss a beat. Bravo!

Food was fun, but salty. Service was garbage, rude maybe drunk. There is better eclectic food in Victoria and the service isn t rude and stupid. Skip it if you want a pleasant dining experience.

A fantastic taste experience in a small, cool restaurant. Every surprise course tasted really good. Thumbs up for this funky place. Food

Excellent!

Fabulous tasty innovative menu. Great lively atmosphere. Looking forward to the new venue opening in August. Food

I thought it was about time I d write a review and with no bias because these guys are hella fam to me. These guys have a rotating menu. One of which is abstract and unique. Some of the items may not be up your alley and that s okay. I ve personally had a couple of dishes I didn t like but that shouldn t take away from the experience. The majority of the time I love their food. Yes, it can be seasoned a bit heavy. But I mean honestly the food IS GOOD. The drinks are also great! Rylan does a sick job at his cocktails, being unique and diverse, and I hope to see more in the future. They re usually fully booked on Friday s and Saturdays. I suggest using Tock to book a seat. Also check out their IG posts and stories for last minute cancellations. The team is always super fun and rad! Again, these guys are fam to me. I love them to bits. I cannot wait to see their next ventures!

We came to Victoria and had the pleasure of eating at Hanks last week. My wife and I tried the best things tasting menu. They arrange 6 menu items + dessert for you to try at a reasonable price. We were absolutely blown away with the quality of food in every dish. Every dish was so unique and flavorful. You can tell all the staff that work there really care and it shows in the food. A+ experience!

great experience

So many pork options!

Cool atmosphere , loved the music . Chefs take your order , cook your food, then serve you- very one on one. Very unique, well thought out menu with sharing options. Gnocchi was to die for . Would eat here again, anytime

Excellent food made from fresh local ingredients. Highly recommend!

We have been there before but this time we were not very happy with the food or the atmosphere. Music was loud and not really a calm and relaxing one. This is not a pub, I wouldnt choose that type of music for a boutique restaurant like that. Were there to eat and talk not to dance... We ordered a bottle of white wine, which was good. We just ordered one sole fish to share and would order after finishing that. When we saw the plate, we decided to finish to wine and the fish and leave. Fish was tasty, candied tomatillo sauce was too sweet, but the worst part was how the plate looked.. Ill add the photo. You decide yourself.... We sat at the bar as we wanted to watch the kitchen, which is the fun part of eating at open kitchen restaurants. There were more kitchen staff than guests and they were mostly doing nothing. The kitchen wasnt nice or looked clean or tidy, and even the tiny bar area was a mess. There was leftover food on cutting boards, cream, milk, etc. bottles were out for the whole night, the rags were just here and there in the kitchen... Not a pleasant kitchen at all. It was a very weird experience, and Im not thinking of going back.

Great night at Hanks

Everything about here is great.

I wanted to love Hanks, but sadly I couldn t. The service started off very attentive. We began by ordering two glasses of wine and two dishes (I have to say that the wines list is small, but good). When the food arrived, it was so salty I couldn t eat more than a few fork fulls of each. No one bothered to check-in with us to see how the meal was. When our wine glasses emptied, no one asked us if we wanted another glass. Eventually someone came to take our plates, and even though half the food remained, they didn t ask us how the meal was our if we wanted more dishes or another glass of wine. Shortly thereafter the bill was presented to us.

New space rocks. Food is wild.

LOVE the new Space- (they moved about 15 meters north) Private tables but options to sit at the bar overlooking the sexy new kitchen and the artisan culinary operations and chat with the very friendly and knowledgable chefs- Great locally sourced food- Amazing Service- Devon the manager is lovely! We had the chefs choice 5 course meal - our waitress and the chefs made GF arrangements for me with no hassle- and they have a Mayne Island Brewing Brew on Tap! We recommend HANKS for a special night out or to make it your weekly local hangout! Dietary restrictions: made Gluten Free happen for me

We love their new location. Its bigger, higher ceilings, and has an indoor restroom. The food is always amazing. We are never disappointed with their menu choices.

Experience here compared to No* where a restaurant didn t meet our expectations. Our servers were delightful but the food wasn t great. None of the dishes on the tasting menu left an impression. This is not to say that the meals were bad, just not that great. Service was great.

As a professional chef, I was skeptical about coming here to eat but my partner had such a great experience in the past so i gave it a chance. The food was terrible, the elements of the dishes didnt make sense. When the food came, it wasnt what it was described on the menu. The Marget duck was a joke. 4 small VERY over cooked end pieces! The Ling cod came and was raw so we had to return it, we were offered another dish option- at that point we were so disappointed we got our bill and left. The server was nice about it. A huge disappointment after hearing my partner rant and rave about it as its been her favorite restaurant for 7 years- only to have such a saddening experience. Will not be back

Cool eatery. Food was delicious! Recommended!

Probably the best in Victoria. Amazing food

A friend and I got some takeout burgers and devoured them in my car. Cooked and seasoned perfectly, and messy as all heck (a good thing). 10/10 would devour in car again

Make sure you bring your A eating game. Great flavors and amazing cocktail/wine paring.

Super delicious meal, service was amazing! You definitely need to eat here.

Pretty great! The staff put time and effort into experimenting with new recipes every week with the intention of creating tantalizing, unique culinary experiences (the reason why the menu changes weekly). Its truly an art and feels like it. Whether its dining in the cozy restaurant with one of their carefully crafted, generously poured cocktails or the indulgent takeout, what youre getting is more than food - its a transformative rendezvous into the depths of what food can make you feel. Hanks sits up there with the best of all time and can elevate the reputation of the Canadian restaurant scene - although Im sure the Hanks folk are too cool to care about any of that, I get the impression theyre just trying to do an amazing job and have a great time. Also would like to note: takeout is a steal these days and a super easy way to dip your toe into the Hanks experience. Instead of spending 12 bucks at some unmemorable sandwich or salad spot, allow a Hanks fried chicken sandwich or wagyu burger to serve you up intrigue, emotion and glee by the mouthful. T*Hanks for all the memories and looking forward to many more!

I had an incredible evening at Hanks. I sat at the bar with my friend and ordered the tasting menu paired with wine. What an experience! The amount of food was perfect. The selection was very diverse and delicious. There will be pictures of each dish, so check them out! By far, my favorite dish was the elk leg and mushrooms. Our chef explained each dish in detail, so I will spare my attempt at doing that and say that if you go, Id reccomend sitting at the bar. He is very inspired and passionate about his craft. We were lucky the owner was there to bring each glass of wine to life! Im very much looking forward to returning for another incredible evening. Thank you everyone at Hanks for putting love into what you do!

WARNING: Save your time and money. I visited here for the first time after looking at the 4.7 stars and their 25$ deposit for the reservation. Worst mistake as the pictures are outdated and presentation are completely different. Food was salty when asked to be lightly seasoned. The portion for carbonara 23$ are the most smallest portion ever and their 49$ dried age steak doesn t even appears to dried age with burnt and salty smell all over it. After letting the server about these problems, all they do is apologize without offering to make another one or take off the bill. Absolutely one of the worst restaurant I had.

We celebrated our yearly anniversary at Hanks and to say we were disappointed would be an understatement. We were seated an hour after our reservation slot - which I get happens and lack of staffing is a pressing issue in the city. We were more than considerate of their scheduling errors. However, it was disappointing they called us about 10mins before our reservation started and we were already there. They were behind schedule the entire evening (hours before us) and a phone call even 30 mins before would ve allowed us to grab a drink somewhere or spend more time getting ready. To sum it up, we ordered the tasting menu and we got food poisoning. Threw up most of the night. We appreciated their efforts to compensate us by gifting us a bottle of sparkling wine on the house, and don t get me wrong - I feel for the employees. But there is a certain level of responsibility that falls on the staff (management specifically) where things need to be kept in order. It s not a cheap restaurant and for the price we paid, I am heartbroken this is where we chose to spend our anniversary.

Love Hanks. Been here ten times. But I doubt if go back. Between the significantly higher priced, much smaller portions, and lack of vibe in the space anymore, it fell off my personal pantheon as western Canadas best restaurant. I know times have been tough. I know COVID destroyed a restaurants ability to survive. I also know that what Hanks was two years ago and five years ago is gone.

Wow! So @*#% great! As my mother said about our dinner every dish is an adventure and every adventure was exceptional . If you want to have outstanding dishes with the perfect balance of creativity, local flavor and editing, this is the place. I d recommend specific dishes, but honestly, every bite, start to finish, was sensational.

My second try, We made a reservation online for 6 pm on Friday for dinner. It was a date night. We were seated right on Douglas Street just the two of us. It was a different/neat spot to sit for dinner. However the window was filthy. Not just on the outside but on the inside. The whole booth where we were seated was actually gross. There were all kinds of dried marks on the walls and along the ledges, where there was also substantial dust accumulated. Yuck. We ordered two of the tasting menus @ 90$ per person and an order of a waygu beef @45$ We also ordered drinks. The first plate arrived. It was a tuna salad. Thinly sliced tuna with thinly sliced strawberry alternating in a small log formation. Heavily salted. It was very very small. I had to ask our server if he had made a mistake on our order. Confirming we had both ordered the tasting menu, we were told that it was served family style. So both of our servings came on the same plate. The plate was hardly a tasting for 1 let alone a tasting for two. The second single plate showed, again a single plate for both of us. It was smaller than the first. It was a very unusual dish. Ice cream and prawns. Although thr food had a nice flavor, the prawns were raw. Inedible. At this point I told the server we wouldnt be staying for the remaining service. The filth itself was enough to warrant leaving. The laziness and short cuts, to make individual plates for each customer paying for the tasting menu, is un-fathomable. Also the preparation of the food was sub par. We simply couldnt eat the second plate as it was severely undercooked. The only positive was the way the waiter dealt with us. I felt bad pointing out why we were leaving and I could tell he felt bad too. I will not return to Hanks again. Value <1/10 If ur wondering about the cleanliness. Examine pictures closely of others reviews. Look at the bottles. Look at the ledges.

A great food adventure, very creative unique and inspired dishes, very expensive. It is worth a visit to experience high level food creations. Not all work, but worth it for the dishes that succeed they can be amazing! Unique sauces that could be great to soak up with some baguette (not provided), so most of the sauce goes back to the kitchen, unless you use your fingers or lick the plates. The concept is great but in need to smooth out some bumps. Good service, downtown. Great effort, worth a try.

Friendly service but well below par food for the price. Too salty, too sweet or both.

Best meal Ive ever eaten--did the tasting menu and it was soooo good. The staff is friendly and great about offering recommendations and dishing about the town. The beer, wine, and cocktails are all top notch.

This was our first time at Hanks and it was perfection. We went for the tasting menu of the week and were given 6 courses. I wouldn t call myself a picky eater, but I m not very adventurous when eating at restaurants, so I usually order a meal I m familiar with and know I ll enjoy. I ended up ordering the tasting menu because I wanted to try items I wouldn t regularly order and I m happy to say each plate turned out amazing. Special shout-out to the cheeseburger because it was DELICIOUS. Every detail was spot on; the bun, sauce, crispy cheese, and juicy patty.

Simply perfect ! A young man who freshly prepares the finest food in epic calm before the eyes of the guests.

Because wagyu. Thats enough reason right? Because home made nearly everything or imported from the best origins. Because meat. Because foodgasms. Continues to be my favorite.

Amazing! Delicious and diverse menu with friendly service and good value (we got the best best of today menu). Highly recommend. Being able to watch the kitchen was definitely interesting too

Although Hank s has been around for a while, I ve never thought to go there until recently. For my son s birthday, who happened to be a red seal chef himself, I thought it would be a unique experience to sit at the counter to watch as the chef prepared our meal. When we got there, we were greeted and seated and began to peruse the menu. After admiring the selection of entrees, all made from locally sourced products from nearby farms, we opted for the sampler menu. For $65 per person we were treated to a smaller potion of 6 of the items from the menu. For an additional $50 per person we could have had wine pairings but decided to enjoy a couple of pints of local micro brews on tap. Our courses included a duck carpaccio with melons and goat cheese, an amazing puttanesca dish that was accented with herring and garlic chips, braised beef ravioli, potato and cheese gnocchi with fresh crab and corn, a molè risotto, and a potato dish to finish that was decadent and delicious! Every dish was presented by the staff with a description of the ingredients used, and where they were sourced. This was a great meal that allowed my son and I to enjoy the ambience, converse with the staff as they prepared the food, and savor each dish. This was an evening of fine food and savoring each plate that was presented. Fair warning.. the entire meal took just over 2 hours so this is not recommended for those looking to grab a quick bite. Also, seating is limited so making a reservation is a must.

Have faith and enjoy the adventure. quirky food geniuses! incredible flavors that had us spinning. wanna try nowhere next!

Loved it. Super creative dishes, great atmosphere... great seeing chefs stretch concepts and pull it off beautifully. Definitely dine again

This place is definitely top-notch! Always creative and ever-changing menu and they definitely never cease to surprise. Does not seat many but I feel definitely adds to the atmosphere of this establishment. Phenomenal food and alcohol pairings make for quite the evening.

Great food and experience! Had the lamb and pasta and crispy pork belly with cheesey potatoes!

Did a quick search for a place to dine on our first night of our weekend in Victoria. Hanks is small (18 seats) so better for 2 or maybe 4 people. Most seats are at the bar where we watched the chef prepare the very tasty and unique meals. Get wine list, by the glass. Would highly recommend this cozy high quality food and service spot.

Here for a quick trip to Victoria and wow walking by saw this little gem. It s an absolute must! We ordered the squash, the meatballs and the steak. The taste, presentation and flavours were out of this world! Completely impressed, it s quaint and perfect for a group of 3 , a single or a romantic couple we shared each dish and it was a perfect portion! Unbelievable far exceeded any expectations! This is a must eat here spot! If you live here and haven t been - this is a must and for any tourist wow you must stop in!

Ive eaten in Japan, Scotland, Spain, Morocco, Netherlands and France and no where has tasted this good!

This little gem gets a 5/5. The food was UHMAZING! Thoughtfully prepared and a unique dining experience that did not disappoint. We highly recommend..

Lots of nice things to say about this place. Love the concept, service was great, and each thing we ate was at least fine. The dessert paired with an awesome cocktail was a great finish to the tasting menu. Loved all the drink pairings. Portions are hearty. But 4 of our 6 tasting menu rounds were pork dishes. One of them had two different types of pork so dinner was a five pork feast. All the pork dishes were quite salty too, with a ham in particular reminding me of an old Kids in the Hall skit. There was some variety in the tasting menu rounds being served (ie - the couple next to us got steak for #5 and we got more pork), so maybe we just came up unlucky. Altogether it was a bit of a let down and especially relative to the price point.

Too salty. Burgers were inedible.

Absolutely phenomenal food can be found right here. My girlfriend and I had the tasting menu ($65/pp) and were beyond satisfied. There was an optional drink pairing but we opted against it. The service from was personal and warm despite only having two employees who prep, cook, serve, and clean themselves. From in-house cured duck and lamb haggis, to gnocchi with Lion s Mane mushrooms and halibut cheek, everything was farm to table, freshly caught that day, or made in-house. Come with an appetite, or just order a la carte and you won t be disappointed!

Fantastic. Very high quality ingredients crafted into lovingly made creative and unique dishes. Incredible wines too.

Between them and Nowhere they re simply phenomenal. Either place can go toe to toe w any of the great fine dining establishments in the country. I bring friends here when I want to show off an island gem. Also very reasonably priced.

Third time eating at Hanks, first time indoors since covid. I had the raw oysters, beets (shown), and the sablefish. Once again I can say that what I got was fresh, locally-sourced ingredients married together in a simple yet elegant way. The complementary flavors are well-chosen, unique, and bring the star of the dish to another level. Atmosphere was cozy, and the staff were welcoming and engaging. Definitely the place you want to go for a date night (make a reservation) or if you want to enjoy excellent ingredients you might otherwise neglect.

This is my first time ever doing a tasting menu and it was an enjoyable experience. The staff member serving us gave us a detailed breakdown on each dish. The food was all local and the menu was only available for a limited time. The cocktails were crazy good in a different unique way. The restaurant is small with only a few seats but a very relaxed and casual atmosphere. Definitely make a reso if you want to come here for dinner and fully consider getting the tasting menu and drink menu. It was expensive but by the end of the meal we were both stuffed and there was plenty of food. The quality was top notch and the experience was unique.

Excellent! The products are highlighted

If you can get into Hanks, Go! Perfect for a special occasion! Clark even noticed our particular tastes and adjusted the pairings perfectly. Unique wines and drinks too.

I was excited to try this place. After selecting the set menu, the food started to pour out of the kitchen. I was happy with the rate at which they served. What through me off about this restaurant was how dirty it was. Many of the serving plates were dirty with bits of staining previous servings. The glassware was cloudy. We sat at the bar and watched the server collect our plates, serve other plates and move onto making cocktails - the ice cubes came out of freezer plates (like you use in a home), and he was taking them out of their settings with his bare hands. I find this really unsanitary. The whole place could use a very deep clean. I didnt like that the set menu used the same beef for two of their dishes. A raw appetizer and cooked entree - it was a lot of beef. Overall, the food was okay. The chef was capable, but the environment and serving practices were unsanitary.

Extremely unsanitary, I was at the bar, and witnessed the chef cut up a peach, a cooked rabbit and a piece of raw pork on the exact same cutting board! You will also notice how sticky and dusty the tables are. Food was very soso/poor. After reading and looking at pictures posted previously (2-3 years) I think the kitchen staff has changed since Covid. We ordered the pork leg, the chef had to go to the back of the kitchen to ask another staff how to cook it, it came out very dry and salty. When we expressed our disappointment, they did remove the item from our bill but the the staff asked us to pay and leave in a very rude manner (the guy bang the machine on the counter and crushed our bill), I have never experienced such poor customer service If you come to Victoria for vacation, please avoid this place to not kill your mood and ruin your overall impression of the city.

This place is very much worth your time and money. The staff work really hard and create inventive and delicious dishes. The atmosphere is very welcoming and personal. Would go back anytime

The other reviews are accurate - this place is probably Victoria s best restaurant. Update - back 3 years after original review - had the best things tasting menu and it was awesome.

This place was worth the 2000km drive from the Prairies. Go.Eat. Be Happy.

Honestly one of the best meals of my life. Came here during our stay in Victoria and everything was spot on. Try the tasting menu - you will not be disappointed.

Hanks is always a go-to restaurant for me. From the staff, to the drink to the food, the experience is always above par. Thank you to everyone for the consistency of a great experience.

Just awesome. Came in with 3 friends. Told them that we didnt want to make any decisions all night. Just keep us boozed and fed. We were not let down. Amazing. Just amazing

Delicious! All foods have a perfect mix the taste is so amazing! I cant wait to come here again with my family and friends.

Visited Hanks a few weeks ago for dinner, and both the food and drinks were par. But, I got very sick later in the night after (in the bathroom for hours..). Whether it was food poisoning or a mis-identified wild mushroom in the dish we had, that was a rough time. I called the next day to let them know, but they were very apathetic/not concerned. Overall this left me very unimpressed.

We went for dinner based on the 4.7 out of 5 star rating. Really not sure how or who is leaving these reviews in order for this restaurant to rate so high. I leave my review in the hopes that other peoples evening out is not ruined by coming to this place for dinner, as well as in the hopes that whoever is running this place can somehow do something about it to turn this place around. Four of us went for dinner. I will start by saying that I am usually the person that adds salt to my meal. My wife and i ordered 2 dishes to share, the Clams and the fried chicken. The clams dish was so salty that i found it to be not edible ( remember that Im the one that likes salty) , the fried chicken was served with a gravy that was also super salty, then as i cut in to the center of the chicken it was very pink ( uncooked) . Both of these dishes were deducted from our bill. My daughter ordered the Trout dish, which came out on cubed potatoes ( like hash browns) but the entire plate was swimming in gravy. My daughters friend ordered the Scallops / risotto which consisted of 3 scallops served on one ladle of risotto for $25 !!!! I would not even consider this sufficient fo a kids meal. Had the food been stellar with small portions I could live with that. The feeling I got was that whoever was cooking had no idea what they were doing. The worst part about this is that it was the one evening that we had to go out to dinner and it was absolutely ruined! Dont make the same mistake.

One of the best meal I had in Victoria !! Its a small place but the ambiance was just amazing, the staff are great !!

Came here for the first time with friends for dinner. Place is small so we made a reservation to ensure we would get in. Cocktails were great. I had an eggnog one and a beer. Tried the burger for dinner and it was delicious. A friend got the duck and it was fantastic as well. Will be back at some point. Service was exceptional as well.

The tasting menu is superb!

Absolutely ridiculously good food. Couldnt recommend this place enough to any foodies out there.

Excellent brisket und the Best smoked chicken sandwich I ever had

Have you not heard of Hanks? This place is an absolute dream. Follow them on Instagram @hanksvic

If you want a treat, I cannot recommend the chefs best tasting option enough. These dishes change as the menu changes and are up to the creativity of the chefs. Each dish was brought out by the person who made it, so if you like talking food or asking questions, this is also a real treat! I enjoyed the whole experience and would go back again (and again...).

I had the set menu and I shall never forget it. Quality, creativity, style. Farm to table done right. Each dish a delightful surprise. So good.

I went here because it was highly recommended by friends. I also read through the Google reviews and people seemed to really like it. I understand that its not a traditional restaurant, but overall the experience was not very good. The service was very poor, when the server was at our table he was extremely nervous and struggled to speak. When we asked about a wine he described it as cheap. One guest at our table was drinking beer. He finished his first beer in 15 minutes, was only offered 1 more over the next 2.25 hours. The dishes themselves were poorly executed, either being over seasoned or oiled. The gnocchi seemed to be cooked in a dirty pan. I did read before I went that the seats werent comfortable as listed on your website. But why would you do a tasting menu that takes multiple hours and make people sit directly on a hard piece of unshaped wood. Also 3 of us sat at a 4 person table and the plates didnt fit, you dont need to put 2oz on a 14inch dinner plate. The meal for 3 ended up being over 300 dollars, with 2 and beers and one bottle of cheap wine. After finishing our meal we waiting at our table for 25 minutes with no food or drink. We had to wait at the door for our bill. If you cant execute on a slow night in February when the restaurant is empty Id hate to see it on a busy night. I thought the concept was pretty neat, but extremely poor execution. I was quite embarrassed I suggested we go there. I have over a decade of restaurant experience having managed and worked all aspects of a restaurant. I have never left a review like this before, but really felt it necessary. Focus on food quality and guest experience!

Wow, these guys just invite you to their kitchen. Great attention and very tasty too

Great service, very cosy atmosphere and truly amazing food.

Cozy and home-like. This place is a gem, highly recommend.

The restaurant Ive ever been to

Ordered for pick up in this crazy world and the food was beyond 5 . I would eat the duck confit 3 times a day! Excited that they are offering pick up!!

WOW is an understatement. Food made with love, quality, and local ingredients. Can t get enough!

The very best.

Hanks is back to basics and by basics I mean awesome food for lunch or dinner. Order ahead, order in person or do the delivery thing. Best damn sandwiches to sustain you while the world is acting all crazy.

I wish I lived near this place. The pastrami sandwich was delicious.

Fabulous food, staff was very friendly!

Fantastic food with a real relaxed chill feel. Ive been 3 times now and have enjoyed myself every time.

Had ribeye steak, good food, friendly service, cosy place

Incredible dinner at Hanks! I cant say enough about the food, staff, and overall experience here. We made reservations and settled on the tasting menu. Highly recommended. Course after course exceeded expectations, and we left with our bellies happy and full. This is a fun, quirky place with a small kitchen, and an awesome team behind the counter. Theyre happy to walk you through the menu and detail each dish they serve. We were only in Victoria for a day, and Im certain wed return here the very first night on our next trip to the city. A+

Our favourite meal in Victoria. The tasting menu was spectacular. Amazing service, ambiance, beer list, and food. The crab gnocchi dish blew us away. All local ingredients, unique dishes.. cant say enough positive things about our meal.

Small and fresh food

This was our first time at Hank s having visited it s sister restaurant behind the restaurant several weeks back. The difference between the restaurants is that Hank s serves mainly meat dishes whereas Nowhere serves mainly seafood dishes. Also Nowhere I m told has a little more extensive wine list. Supper at Hank s was amazing and the service is probably the best that I have ever had in Victoria. Chef Clark is in charge of the menus in both restaurants and clearly is passionate about what he cooks. We are always worried about ordering gnocchi as my dining companion has eaten extensively in Italy. We asked Clark whether we should and he said he was very confident. The gnocchi dish served with crab and corn was unbelievable. We also had the bear tooth mushrooms served with farinata. It too was unbelievable. Oh, and because we loved the housemade butter we had at Nowhere and they were out, Clark whipped up a batch of butter while we waited! Clearly this place is passionate about its food and that comes through in every dish they prepare. You don t want to miss this place!

Great food great service

Its lovely

Without a doubt *the* best meal I ve ever had in a restaurant. Period. A foodie friend from Montreal was visiting and had been wanting to eat at Hank s for a few years. Let me just say that we were both blown away. We each ordered the $65 tasting menu and this is absolutely the way to eat at Hank s. i ve included a photo of the menu that night indicating which courses we were served and in what order. I would have really regretted just ordering a single dish had I gone that route! The seven courses come from the dishes on the current menu. The chef will tell you a couple of the things that he will serve you but likes to keep some of it a secret. He was very accommodating when we asked if one particular dish could be included in the tasting menu (the rabbit ravioli, and it was one of the most amazing things I ve ever eaten). There were a number of things I had never eaten before and I wasn t sure I liked but I decided to be adventurous and it REALLY paid off. Everything was absolutely perfect. The chef personally delivered every course, explained it, and answered any questions we had about it. Do yourself a huge favour and eat at Hank s you deserve it!

It s excellent!!! Fresh and seasonal, a treat for the taste buds!!

A restaurant with excellent food. The staff is also very friendly. A restaurant I want to go to again. The price is a bit expensive

Great food, great service. A little smoky in the small space but overall had a lovely experience.

Fantastic food

Lads are lovely but the place is overpriced for what it is. Portions were small and the food could be better.

one of the few places in town deserving of 5 stars. Amazing food, awesome hole in the wall atmosphere with passionate and knowledgeable employees. Staff we re excited about the food, and we re quick to acknowledge and correct errors. (Miscommunication with order and some errors on the nights menu) *most of the menus online for Hanks show the old BBQ menu from years ago, food is far more elevated.

Great dinner experience in this intimate setting. Great food which mixes seasonal and unusual ingredients in a surprising and delicious combination. They have a set menu worth every penny which includes 6 dishes and is plenty! The cook is right there where you can see the magic happen. Drinks are nice too.

fast serving . like it

Great service, great wine list by the glass, cozy atmosphere (18 seats mainly at the bar), and super fantastic unique menu. Very tasty. Highly recommended.

nice food