Victor’s Bar and Grill

The boy and I decided to duck in here after a movie at Park Lane because he was itching for wings (well, he’s always itching for wings, but he tends to itch more on Thursdays). I had eaten here before — actually my friends surprised me with dinner here on my bday back in December — so I figured I sorta knew what I was getting into.
Once we got upstairs, however, I almost wanted to run right back down and head somewhere else. For one, there were only 3 tables occupied, which seemed slow at 9pm on a Thursday — I realize that just because a restaurant is not busy when you go in doesn’t mean it’s bad, but I’m a firm believer that the number of «butts in the seats» is generally a good indicator of quality (this goes for concerts as well as restaurants, I know this for a fact bc I used to work at Symphony NS). It at least makes the place APPEAR more fun, and this place did not give off that vibe at all. It felt empty, slow and boring, which we weren’t expecting.
Not only was it almost empty but a lot of the tables were stacked away and the remaining ones were laid out in a haphazard way. It looked really strange and we were confused as to why it was set up like that as there certainly wasn’t an event going on (though when we left there was a girl taking cover at the door and guys setting up for music, so we figured there was maybe an event happening later — in retrospect we should have asked our server but we didn’t think of it). There were large empty spaces and the tables were in wierd configurations so we were stuck sitting at a table for 6 bc it seemed to be the only one that wasn’t on top of other diners and that had normal chairs (I’m only 5 feet tall, ok, I can’t do the tall stools — well, I can but I look like a huge idiot getting on and off them; I prefer to be closer to the ground, where I am used to being ;)
Once we sat down we felt chilly and could clearly smell smoke and realized that the door to Spring Garden was left open for some reason and I found this wierd as well (and uncomfortable). I mean, it’s April, but in case people haven’t noticed it’s still not warm, especially at night so there was no need to have the door open, especially when your place is so empty. It was also really dark! I had to hold the menu and check close to my face to even be able to read it. Again, made no sense and only served to contribute to the discomfort. They also had quite loud, crappy pop-​radio music playing which didn’t do anything to enhance the mood. Given the wierd first impression we didn’t have high hopes for our meals, to be honest.
I have to say our waitress was very sweet — she didn’t have many answers to our questions but she told us it was her first night working and so we had sympathy for her. If she didn’t know something, she offered to ask and would get back to us very promptly so I was impressed with the service. I was also impressed with the prices as between 9 – 10 pm every night their App’s are half price! So my calamari was only $ 4. Also, their martinis are only $ 5, which is great value. My calamari was tasty too — not the best I’ve had and I could have done with less mayo (and it was a rather small portion overall), but it was good enough for a quick snack. The boy seemed to like his buffalo wings, too.
So, all in all our experience here was ok — not bad service, prices and food but the strange set-​up of the place looked really odd and messy. In my opinion, even if you are going to have an event later, you should never have the main restaurant completely turned upside down for it, especially if you are still open for regular business. It just looked sloppy, to be frank. And I would be a bit more sympathetic if my experience back in December was great, but it wasn’t. That was «ok», too. Sorry, Victor: I don’t believe you should judge a place based on one bad experience, but I also believe that generally if you have two «ok» experiences in a row, that’s an indicator that the restaurant itself is just «ok».

Forget Martini Monday’s, it’s Martini Everyday at Victor’s. This is my go to place for $ 5 drinks (usually the lemondrop, but sometimes the James Bond if I need to slow the pace down) after work.
Appy Hour runs between 4:30 and 6 and it’s half priced appetizers. You can do couple of appetizers and three or four drinks with a friend and keep your bill under $ 30. I love the sauteed mushroom bruschetta, pot stickers and the slider burgers. The plate of fries is huge and great for sharing. Pass on the Asian nachos — those are not good times (trust me).
The staff is fantastic (I’ve never had to wait long for a drink), but the décor is a little… well, it’s less than fantastic. There is leopard print on some walls and light fixtures that look dated. But, for cheap, tasty drinks and appetizers, you can easily ignore the décor (besides, it’s kind of dark in there, so you barely notice).
It’s also a good place if you want to do drinks and a movie, which will ease the disappointment if you picked a bad movie (the drinks helped get me through SATC2).

Who ever does the marketing for Victor’s is earning their keep. You see their ads everywhere and have a great on line presence. Though the ads do not really tell what this place is, it lets you know it exists.
So here we are at Victor’s, a place where I“ve been 3 times but under different names and ownership. The sign changes yet the room stays the same. Kinda like your ex changing hats, its still the ex.
The recent hype eludes to a higher end hotspot, though the flimsy menu and battered floor cools it down fast.
Service was over the top amazing. As soon as you enter the bar staff informs you to sit anywhere you want. Your coat has hit the back of the chair before the server is taking your drink order.
2 well made martinis later, I’m ready to order. They have a wide variety to choose from, something for everyone. The food wasn’t bad and thankfully better then the décor.
I“m not thrilled about the place but on a very positive note, its a good party. The room turns into a club around 930 and people were actually starting to flow in. This is the perfect size venue if you want to eat and then start the night. The type of atmosphere where you can easily lose track of time while the DJ’s bring the early evening to the next level.
I won’t rave about the food but I will say Victor knows how to throw a Party.

Two incentives for me:
1) Great Spring Garden Patio
2) Lots of opportunity for cheap weekend martinis
Other than that, Victors is strictly in the «Meh» realm of restaurants. Lingering on mediocre ground, the service, food selection and interior appears as nothing outstanding.
However, who can refuse a martini-​kick on a warm summer’s night? This venue always seems to be plugging DJs and music acts, as well as drink deals. I’d consider Victor’s a worthy joint to keep on radar, although there are many other downtown spots I’d likely venture.

Victor’s will take you back to hotel bars and airport lobby boozing joints from the days of your past. It’s a peculiar spot, with a strange ambiance and an undecided personality.
Prior to a Park Lane movie, I went in for cheap martinis with a group of pals. The girl working was quite funny, telling us her music choices were ironic and that she could change it if we wanted. However, the music was great (Beatles and other classics) so we told her the selection was a-​okay with us.
Being able to see into the mall is a bit of a drag. It really ups the hotel lobby vibes and definitely takes away any of the potential romance or hipness you may otherwise be feeling. The appetizers were so-​so and we only really ordered them because there was a price special going on.
The drinks were fine, and I suppose everything was fine. But that’s the issue, mediocrity is so boring and well, I just want more. Victor’s isn’t all that cool, even though they may try, somehow, it all comes off a bit contrived and unfocused. I’d probably go back for a bevie prior to a film again, but on the other hand, I could just save my money and buy Starburst. Oh, the dilemmas of the social vixen…

I’m confused by Victor’s. Juding by the exterior signs and interior setting, I would say that this is a fancy restaurant. Judging by their menu and service (or lack thereof) I would say it’s a pub.
I don’t understand the marketing for this place. It needs to make up its mind. Is it a fancy restaurant or a greasy pub? The food they offer is pretty standard of a pub with burgers and some pastas, as well as steak and lamb dishes. They have shoestring fries — which just taste like grease — or potato chips — which also taste like grease. I recommend spending the extra money and ordering the sweet potato fries. At least those taste like something else.
The inside is extremely nice with dim lighting and intimate chairs. I would think it was a fancy restaurant. It just doesn’t fit the mood of the menu… one or the other has to change.
And, I’m sorry, I’m going to have to complain about the service. First of all, we were the only people in there and it still took a few minutes before we were told to find a table. Then, it takes 5 minutes for our drinks to come and another 10 minutes for her to take our order. I would assume that since we were the only people in there she could remember to help us. I guess not.
All-​in-​all, I don’t understand what Victor’s is aiming for and don’t really care for it.

This is not a place I would head to for a meal, but they do have one main attraction: $ 5 martinis, all the time. You really can’t argue with that. The downside to this situation is that they are a bit unflexible when it comes to said martinis. Customization is out — no doubles, no changes, at least that’s what we were told when we tried to super-​size our drink orders. Plus, some of those suckers can be pretty sweety-​sweet, which is not always what I’m into. Cest la vie, I suppose. Maybe that’s the universe’s way of telling you not to mess with a good thing.

Oh, there are lots of choices on the menu at Victor’s Bar and Grill, but when you get down to it, this place is really all about the burgers. And the real fun is in choosing how to dress it — which can be a challenge because there are a lot of options to choose from.
You might have a tough time just choosing a cheese from the many choices that include mozzarella, Swiss, blue, smoked Gouda, feta, applewood cheddar or regular cheddar.
Then there are the toppings: smoked bacon, roasted vegetables, artichoke and spinach, onion strings, pineapple salsa — or a fried egg!
And the choosing doesn’t get any easier, because by the time you’re ready to order, you may have had a few of their $ 5 martinis.
But no worries, it’s all tasty, if you can fit the monstrosity you’ve built into your starving maw. But you’ll probably find a way. Oh, and I recommend their homemade potato chips, which are a unique take on the usual french-​fry side dish.