Ferris’ Oyster Bar

I will be honest… i came here for their happy hour oyster…
they have $ 1 oyster from 5p-​6p… if you there early, you can go to the restaurant downstair which also have $ 1 oyster from 3p-​5p (i believe)… the decoration is very nice… and the server is very nice even i told them we just want $ 1 oyster… she is fine with it…
they oyster is a lot «cleaner» and «smoother» compare to the fish store at Fisherman Wharf… they don’t have cocktail sauce, but they have their own dipping sauce which are also pretty good… along with lemon, pretty good… even i don’t eat raw oyster, i had 4… (and my husband had his dozen…)

A longtime Victoria favorite, now called Ferris Grill and Oyster bar. One of four adjacent restaurants under same management. Both my bouillabaisse and my wife’s poutine were excellent, fine interpretations of a Mediterranean and a Québécois classic. Try to get a patio table if possible. Our very small booth inside was uncomfortable, and it was too warm for comfort, so we ate and left quickly.

The food and drinks were great. We loved them all. The service was ok. We sat outside and felt a bit left out. Some basic things didn’t get offered… small plates/​Salt/​Pepper etc. Not a big deal the servers were very nice though. Maybe it was super busy inside. The sauce for oysters didn’t get offered on the first round. We thought there was no sauce for oysters. The outside seating was great as it was very open and not noisy as inside. There were some pretty plants outside so they make the outside seating look warm and cozy. Not all pictures you see on Unilocal was offered on the first floor. Some pics are only for the second floor.
This review is only for the first floor. Overall, I think this place is pretty neat.

Food: very good
service: good
experience– meh. My husband’s iPhone disappeared during the meal. He never left the table, but when we got ready to leave, we realized the phone was no longer on the table. A search of the area turned up nothing. Some staff members were helpful in trying to locate it, but it wasn’t found. We can’t track it since we don’t live in Canada. So, we’re assuming it’s gone. Can’t say I have any desire to return to the restaurant.

Great place all around. Food was great and not just run of the mill. We took our kids on recommendation of a local and it was fine for them too. Their plates came with veggies to dip. Staff was pleasant and helpful with ordering. Definitely an add to the spots we will frequent when visiting again.

As good cooks with high standard, we were blown away with each and every dish served to us at Ferris Upstairs.
Colin, the multi purpose bartender, make us a Mezcal sour fizz that combined thyme and orange peel. Fantastic!— we ordered a second round! (The cava negroni was also reordered)
Chole, our able waitperson, gave us great suggestions. The local oysters were fat and tasted like they were plucked from the ocean within a few minutes of serving. The baked oysters are especially note worthy. The octopus appetizer with chorizo was large and succulent and could have been an entre. My wife ordered a simple mixed green salad with a good lemon dressing. The baked cauliflower with prociutto
and moorish spices should be order as a side dish and split among four people. The service was terrific. As first time visitors to Victoria, this first dinner in town exceeded our expectations.

Very good restaurant with high quality food. The waiting time in the line was a lot, though.

Great vegetarian bottomless soups for lunch. My go to place for soup. The staff is friendly but they don’t get the idea of the one hour lunch break. I want food fast especially if it is just being scooped from a pot. If they addressed service speed it would be 5 star.

Really great place. Was on cruise ship and was able to make reservations online via my computer. Place is about $ 12 taxi ride (10 minutes) from dock. Oysters were small but I guess it depends on the season. Bill was $ 200 including tip for 3 people.

For my anniversary with my lady, I reserved online through SeatMe, directly through Unilocal — I was a little hesitant to do so, rather than phoning, but it worked out perfectly. The staff seated my lady and myself exactly where we asked, a quieter spot so we could talk without undue volume. It was my first visit with them and I wasn’t sure what to expect — we got Super Service!
The food was excellent and arrived quickly, even though it got busy just after we were seated. Everything was tasty, very fresh and in perfectly-​sized portions to satisfy us without leftovers… delicious! The service was prompt and attentive, seeing to our needs without us ever having to ask; at one point I wondered if they employed mind-​readers, it was that good.
A wonderful first experience here and *exactly* the anniversary dinner I’d hoped for: a perfect meal, sublime service and a highly memorable evening with my lady. Our only issue now is how to top tonight next year!

Fantastic gem in Victoria — great service, and food. Had the fresh oysters — loved the 3 sauces and presentation. I sat at the bar which is my favorite place to eat. The owner, happened to be tending bar. I asked for a recommendation for a spicy dish — had the seafood laksa. Loved it! Highly recommend this spot.

This little delightful gem was so good that we ate here twice during my two week stay in beautiful Victoria, BC. That’s saying something when we decided to eat our way through this fine city.
Great décor (exposed brick), awesome vibes in this joint. It was only my second time having oysters and the server was knowledgeable and helpful. I loved that they had different ones displayed on (maybe chalkboards?), to help one decide on the assorted variety of oysters from different coasts to choose from… excellent oysters and the mains were just as tasty.
Our second visit we chose to sit on their great patio in the back. Equally as appealing.
When visiting Vic, I’d most certainly be back a third time.

Buck a shuck oysters here from 5pm to 6pm daily. If you’re earlier, head downstairs to Ferris’ Downstairs Grill where buck a shuck is 4pm to 5pm.

I love oysters, so their buck a shucks special was right up my alley. Great service, really quick. Decent beer list.
My partner had a chicken linguine pasta that was really good — excellent flavours, and well-​cooked pasta. Will definitely go back.

I’ve been eating here since it opened. The food is solid and tasty, and the prices are good for what you get. There was a time when they had the best fries in town, but others have surpassed them. The lamb burger is what keeps me coming back.

Great service. Really good drinks. Food tasty and fresh. Relaxing environment in a great location.

Went here for dinner on Dec 27^th. My partner and I were visiting Victoria from Ontario and were looking forward to some good seafood… unfortunately, our experience left something to be desired.
We both wanted the tuna steak, but the server returned a few minutes after we ordered to say they were out of stock, then stood and waited by our table until we chose alternate dishes. I had the linguine with clam and my partner had the grilled salmon. The salmon was overcooked, but otherwise reasonably flavourful. My linguine, on the other hand, was disappointing. For $ 22, I definitely expect something more than gummy white pasta with 4 tiny clams placed on top of it (there were 5, actually, but one was closed and should have been chucked out straight from the pan, as you should never eat shellfish that didn’t open when cooked).
All in all… not impressed with our entrees. We got the smoked seafood platter to start, though, and that was pretty good.

Best fresh oysters ever. Our server (Tupac! all of the servers have hip hop names… and the exclamation point is included), told us that winter was the best season for oyster flavor and I wholeheartedly agree. These oysters blew away anything we’ve had in Tomales Bay, Seattle, San Francisco, or Santa Cruz. Phenomenal.
Steamed mussels and clams were great. We usually prefer clams over mussels, but in this case the mussels were so sweet and fresh that they were the highlight of the dish. Delicious sauce, perfectly crusty baguette. Highly recommended.
Smoked Castelvetrano Olives. Good, not too salty, light smokiness. Generous portion
Smoked platter — Trout, Salmon, Albacore, and Oyster. Trout was great, Salmon good but did not stand out, Albacore was mild with great texture, the Oyster was fantastic. I’ve never had a smoked oyster this good — it was sweet, tender, plump, and just plain awesome. My only complaint was there was only 1 oyster (it was big, but we could have finished many more).
Cocktails were creative and tasty. We had the spanish negroni, harvest cocktail, and one other. Highlight was definitely the maple foam used on one of the drinks.
House made truffles with bourbon caramel were very good. Rich chocolate, smooth texture, not too dense. Comes with 4 pieces, we could only do 1 per person (took the other 2 back to our bed and breakfast for later). We also had a calvados and a 30 yr brandy… highly recommend both.
Service was extremely friendly and helpful. Pacing of the dishes was good.
Ambiance was comfortable and fun. Noise level never got too high — although that could change depending on your neighbors.
Will definitely come back.

Great place to visit and to have a snack or dinner! Make sure you have your stomachs empty because they give excellent large portions and the team there are super nice, trendy and awesome.
I was visiting Victoria this past weekend and it was just great. I really enjoyed the ambience and décor there. It is like old style meets nautical meets lounge. I liked the lowered lighting and all the candles. The waitresses wore nonchalant whimsical summer dresses and were all fun, hipster and friendly. They were quick and didn’t need you to ask too much before they already knew what you needed.
We were about to get the large poutine to share but she was honest– get the small because its already huge. And it was! It was delicious w the pulled porc and lots of cheese on it. I loved it but could barely finish it between the two of us. You can have this on your first date and it would be a good story to tell later as well. I got myself one of the east coast oyster shots w champagne and it was delicious. Alas, I love the shooters:) And I get one everywhere I visit where seafood is abundant and fresh. The coffee was constantly refilled and she even came to give us a fresh cup seeing that the last one was sitting there on its own being lonely and cold.
I highly recommend this bar if you come visit Victoria! A must– stop!

I must say here’s the best oyster I ever had.