Irish Times Pub

I happened to overhear from a passing tour guide that the Irish Times Pub was once a bank, which would explain the grandeur of its exterior and interior. But what he failed to mention is that their service, food and drinks are similarly lavish, extravagant, and worth investing your money in.

I truly struggled with the dilemma of ordering either the shepherd's pie, or the bangers and mash, eventually choosing to go with the former, as it is one of my all-time favorite dishes, and based on how fantastic it was, I know would not have been disappointed in the latter, either. A thick, warm, fluffy layer of mashed potatoes over seasoned beef and veggies, with a thick crust of melted cheese on top; it's like a creme brulée for people with savory, sanguine palates, or who hate sugar (like me)! Couple that with an Irish Old Fashioned, and you have made me one happy boy! For a few moments, I was able to forget the impending sorrow of having to leave Victoria on the ferry in a few hours.

My wife, who had enjoyed a larger brunch than mine, supped on a cup of their fantastic crab bisque: a surprising find on the menu of an Irish pub, in our opinion, but well-received - it had a savory twang to it I could not identify, but gave it a unique quality that we appreciated, and will not soon forget.

I didn't get the best look around the interior, as it was nearly full, and we had a stroller with us, so outside seating was our only option. That said, service was prompt, friendly and efficient, and everything arrived sooner that we expected it to, even out on the patio.

Every aspect of our visit was top notch, proving that it's not just the luck of the Irish that makes this pub a world-class establishment, and a four-leaf clover in Victoria's hat! Sláinte!

We have always enjoyed our experiences at the Irish Times pub. This time it was so bad we walked out. The young women refused us to sit us either at the bar or at any of the tables near the front despite us asking for one. This was at 9pm when the place was empty. She only allowed us to sit in the very back.

I she was extremely rude and I felt we were discriminated against due to age.

We won't be back.

What a charming place to grab lunch!
The hostess, Valerie was an angel! My mom wasn't feeling well and Valerie promptly got us a table by the door so she could sit down quickly. She was super sweet and attentive!
Our sweet server Kaitlyn was lovely as well! She checked on us multiple times and the service she provided was great.
We loved the food - poutine, clam chowder and shepherds pie on a rainy day.
This was a great spot to stop by!

We tried some classic poutine for the first time! It was really good I do recommend. We got it to go because I had my son with me. It was late and they legally couldn't have him in the pub, which I totally understood. They were very accommodating getting it for us to go since it was too late for him !! We ate outside with the beautiful surrounding Victoria offers! Thank you for our first Canadian poutine!

My DH, DS, DBIL and I stopped in during during our cruise stop. We took a taxi for $15 USD from the port. We were seated quickly and greeted by our knowledgeable server. Our order included fish and chips, clam chowder, turkey pot pie and bangers and mash. They offered a good selection both local and Irish beers. Overall this was great and we all recommending this venue when visiting Victoria.

Fun place with great happy hours and great food. Located in a great place too and they sometimes have music

I see why this pub is so well received. The ambiance felt exactly what it should be without going overboard. Very welcoming and what I was looking for in an Irish pub. Staff was very friendly and made me feel at home. While I would not go out of my way for it again, the shepherds pie hit the spot and the toffee pudding was really good. Being right on Government Street it is a bit more expensive than most but I knew that going in and found it acceptable.

Right off the bat this restaurant is in such a cool location, in a beautiful old building with lots of character! The food was delicious, fresh oysters, flaky fish & chips, and generous portions. Our waitress was friendly and attentive, providing great recommendations for my friends and I. Will definitely be back for more hearty food in a little piece of historic Victoria, BC.

Service was good, decor is nice, the What's Kraken specialty hot chocolate and Loaded Potato Skins were good, but wouldn't return for the salads. The chicken on the Caesar was dry and the dressing was not very good and was too heavily applied. The Chopped Prawn and Avocado salad could have been really good, but there was too much dressing. I requested light dressing, the salad chef obviously doesn't understand a light amount of dressing. I included two photos of the salad. The second shows how the lettuce was coated in dressing. I couldn't finish it.

The food is not very cheap but not very expensive either, every dish is at least $18(~$13US) and up to $40(~$30US). The nacho starter was $30(~$21US). Everything else was nice. They had delicious food, I enjoyed the Mac and Cheese very much. They had nice portions, you can definitely split some of the meals. The service was nice, nothing to complain about. Inside the restaurant was so warming and welcoming, the outside wasn't as nice but I still enjoyed it. It makes sense overall this is a very touristy part of town, and the massive inflation has certainly not helped.