Vis-à-Vis

Vis a Vis is Penny Farthing's (whom I'm a huge fan of) sister restaurant.

We went for dinner and it was one of the best meals my husband and I have had in ages. We just loved everything about this place.

The food was unbelievably good and it's got the ultimate candlelit cozy French bistro vibe. The gnocchi with braised beef was sensational.

Our server Chris deserves a shout out. As well as single handedly looking after the entire restaurant, he acted as busboy, bartender, barista, served the outdoor patio, emptied the dishwasher and disinfected tables. All the while never losing his cool and doing it all flawlessly and with a smile.

Management should triple his salary or Gordon Ramsey will snap him up.

I was invited to a continuing education event and was grateful to be given the opportunity to sample a 3 course meal.

Our group had a beautiful brightly lit private dining room in the back. The ceiling heaters kept me warm and toasty from the cold drizzly weather.

Salad had a good mix of greens and shredded carrot. The dressing was slightly tangy and very delicious

Main course was a chicken dish, which was quite alright. I especially liked the potatoes that complemented the chicken with its perfectly tender texture.

Chocolate mousse was for dessert. The coconut whipped cream was a welcome addition to the mousse and paired well. The portion of the mousse could be smaller, though, as I and many others did not finish it.

The service and ambience definitely deserve a 5 stars! The menu is extensive and I hope to come back to try something else.

Nice atmosphere and good service but food was just Ok. My wife liked her shellfish bisque and I got the steak frites but although the fries were tasty the steak lacked seasoning and wasn't very good. Salad and wine selection were very nice. .

A delightful little spot with a pleasant atmosphere and nice outdoor patio with heaters and blankets. Service was amazing. The staff is friendly and helpful. The food looks great but does lack a little bit of flavor for the level of presentation. The drinks are unique and meticulously manufactured and the wine list is reasonably priced and the selection is solid. All in all, a place worth stopping in if you are nearby.

Vis a vis is on Oak bay avenue and shares a kitchen with the Penny Farthing next door. It's very small and quite loud inside, but cute and they've got the French theme going.

I was seated and waited for the rest of my group to arrive. After 10 minutes I asked for a cappuccino. I had mentioned on the reservation it was a birthday celebration, but no one noted it. I was told however there was a reservation set for our table in two hours.

We had some of the new menu items - the octopus salad (meh) and a scallop soufflé (excellent). The French onion soup was only mediocre and the winter salad good. My mussels were good but expensive at $33.

An average lunch.

Off the beaten tourist path in Oak Bay and it's worth the Uber, which they have got started after some fighting with the other cabs and the government. Anyhow, Great little place and an attached to an Irish Pub next door, so you don't have to leave. Great food, the duck is must and we didn't have anything that was sub par. They also had a good wine selection with knowledgeable staff to help you pick. Definitely worth checking out!

Vis a Vis is located in the Oak Bay Beach neighbourhood in Victoria. We decided to try this restaurant out for dinner. It's a casual French bistro with classic dishes such as French Onion Soup, steak tartare, mussels and steak frites. We ordered a couple of drinks to start. They had watermelon cocktails which sounded yummy but there was a lack of watermelon flavour. For the food, we ordered French Onion Soup, Escargot and shared the steak frites. All of the food was delicious. My friend even said that it was the best French Onion Soup she had ever had! Would definitely recommend a visit here if you're in the area.

We had a lovely experience at Vis-à-Vis. The feeling of the restaurant was welcoming and traditional without being pretentious in any way. The service was attentive while giving us plenty of time to talk and make decisions about the wine list and menu. The food was outstanding with the scallop soufflé being a standout. Chef Kevin came out from the kitchen to check on our table and was charming. Highly recommend.

We are tourists in the area and this was our favorite restaurant in Victoria so far. Very comfy and romantic atmosphere. The bartender, Adam, was wonderful, very friendly, and gave us great suggestions for things to do in the area. Our food was excellent!!! Just what we wanted. We ordered oysters, French onion soup, the beef entree, and the chicken. So delicious and perfect! I would definitely recommend

This was a chance upon on a rainy Thursday. We love french food and so we figured to give it a try. The place was packed, which is always a good sign. Love the French ambiance and the menu had great french cuisine. The vibe was an up-scale pub but not over the top. The service was great. We had french onion soup and a chicken sandwich. They were both very good.
This restaurant is a part of the Victoria Pub company and it shows as they always do a great job.
Will definitely return when we are back in Oak Bay.