The Tapa Bar
• 620 Trounce Alley | Victoria, BC | V8W 1K3
Average User Rating:
8.59/10
8.59/10
Recommended by:
100%
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"Great Food! Great Experience!"
Marion Ann
October 2011 — "The Tapa Bar on Trounce Alley is one of the most fun dining experiences I’ve had with friends. The host greeted us right away with welcoming enthusiasm. Our server was very attentive, knowledgeable and genuinely caring. We ordered several items of the tapas menu and on Wednesday’s they have ten dollars off all bottles of wine, which made it easy to order for several people. The first round of tapas came to the table and each bit was savoring. The chili chicken wings were amazing with the calamari and mahi-mahi tacos, the bacon wrapped almond stuffed figs were the best part of the meal along with the chicken Madagascar! We did make reservations for an early dinner and by eight o’clock the entire restaurant was filled, I do suggest to make reservations as this place is a hidden local favorite’s, and if you are visiting Victoria you definitely don’t want to miss out on this great dining experience! "
User Rating
9.67/10
9.67/10
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"Wow, I could eat here every day"
Melissa
August 2010 — "Bustling, bursting with energy and flavour. What a great place to go; it really feels like a special night out.
There are so many things on the menu that I want to try, and the beautiful thing about tapas is that you can try pretty close to as much as you want. I had an eggplant and goat cheese dish that was divine, but the real star of the show, it's agreed, was the grilled kale.
I'm serious, you need to try this kale. It's marinated in coconut milk, cayenne and lemon, then charred just slightly; just enough to bring out the kale's incredible flavour. I wish we had seconds.
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User Rating
9.17/10
9.17/10
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"Great food, great friends"Allison
August 2010 — "I went to The Tapa Bar for the first time this past month, i had heard numerous good reviews about the place and decided to go check it out with a girlfriend of mine. I was really impressed and i will certainly go again. One of the most intriguing features of the restaurant, in my opinion, is the location. It is located in the middle of Trance alley in down town Victoria, you can sit on the patio and watch the passerby's while doing a little window shopping at the same time. there is no noise from traffic and it is a great place for some peaceful people watching. The food was great, the friend that I went with has been several times, so she helped me decide what to order, as everything looked great. we had the bruchetta like dish that was served with avocado and beans, as well as a chicken dish, some grilled carrots, and also the calamari! It was all delicious! We shared all the plates, and i think that it is a great, social way to eat your meal, you can chat about the flavors of the food, and what you liked best or didn't like, it is also very casual and comfortable. the service was great, the drinks looked delicious as well, i had cranberry soda...always a great choice too!
the bathrooms were clean, and i would really like to go again, perhaps this time i will even bring my husband and our babe!! i think they would enjoy it too!
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User Rating
9/10
9/10
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"Best Tapa's in town"Allison
June 2010 — "The Tapas Bar should really be visited by everyone in Victoria whether you are visiting or live here. My guest and I were seated very quickly even though it was a very busy evening for them (a Thursday). The low lights and low music offered the perfect setting for a romantic dinner! Although the restaurant was pretty crowded the tables are set up in such a way that it still felt intimate and was not too loud. We were lucky enough to be seated by a window and the view of Trounce Alley is so quaint and makes you feel as though you are in a small European bistro – that night the alley even included two young teenagers in love dancing without a care in the world! Really it did!
The Tapas Bar has a large drink and wine list and the server was very helpful in our wine selection. We began the meal with a ceasar salad that I haven’t stopped thinking about since ($9)! The lettuce was fresh and crisp and the dressing was amazing. We then moved on to our coconut curry sauce prawns ($12) which were cooked very nicely. I did, however, expect a little more heat in the sauce but still delicious. We were torn whether to order from the chicken or beef menu, and we were happy we chose the beef! We decided upon the New York steak – YUM ($16)! My boyfriend and I enjoy our meats cooked very differently myself well done (yes, I said it well done!) and he enjoys medium. So we were pleasantly surprised when we were able to order our meats done differently for the same plate – a great touch! Both meats were cooked perfectly with a beautiful sauce. After only a few tapas we were full and satisfied and content with what we had spent on the meal. Best tapas bar I have tried in town by far!
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User Rating
8.33/10
8.33/10
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"Tempted by Tapas"
Thomas
March 2010 — "I was first introduced to the Tapa Bar when I moved to Victoria two years ago. I loved it right off the bat and continue to go there for those special occasions. It's a classy joint and has the prices to match, but the food, drinks, and desserts are fully worth it. For those who don't know, tapas are small dishes, much like appetizers, and are great for sharing. These are no simple appies though, they are flavorful creations that must be savored and paired with a worthy wine (not into wine? they also offer some of the best martinis I've had). Don't be frightened off by the small plates either, the last time me and my friends visited, the three of us shared the tapa platter for two, and it easily fed us all.
On the downside, the atmosphere and service are a little too pretentious for my tastes, another good reason to limit my visits. Additionally, the line up gets long at peak times, and as good as it is, I'm not sure if its worth a half hour + wait."
User Rating
8.83/10
8.83/10
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"Rich delicious food"Sara
February 2009 — "The Tapa Bar is hidden in a location in Trounce Alley off of Government Street. They have a patio with lights and heaters outside and a comfortable setting inside. After a night out, a few of us decided to share some tapa's late in the night...their kitchen must be open late because we were their until midnight and there were others still eating. We ordered the calamari fritos, three baked oysters, roasted leg of duck, chicken wings, almond stuffed dates, chile relleno, the chorizo and mushrooms pizza, and drinks. I tried a bit of everything and it was all yummy! My favorite is the roasted leg of duck and the almond stuffed dates - I definitely will order this again! They have changed their menu over the years and what they've got today is worth holding on to! Check it out with some friends and enjoy their many different tasty tapas!"
User Rating
8.17/10
8.17/10
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"Delicious tapas in a lively atmosphere"
Joy
July 2008 — "This place was recommended to us while visiting Victoria so we headed here on Canada Day for a dinner out before taking in the fireworks over the harbour. We hadn't made reservations but were lucky to arrive at a time when a table was free on the patio, which suited us well. Inside, the restaurant has a stylish and sophisticated decor and outside, the patio looks out on Trounce Alley. As it was Canada Day, the place was hopping but I imagine that it has a lively atmosphere most nights and looked like it would be a good place to go with groups of friends, for parties, etc. There were four of us and we shared several dishes, all of which were delicious and followed the traditional style of tapas. We were glad we tried it! "
User Rating
8.50/10
8.50/10
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"Delicious Tapas"
Sally
July 2008 — "We read about the Tapa bar on a leaflet listing Victoria restaurants and it said it was the newest, hippest place in town. It is on Trounce Alley, which is a very narrow little street with some up-market looking shops, in the downtown area. When we arrived at about 8pm there was a couple waiting but fortunately for us we were a four and we were also happy to sit outside on the patio. Inside the place had high ceilings and felt very cityish. We ordered the pork cubanette, vegetarian cubanette, a plate of rice and pinto beans and almond stuffed dates in bacon and blue cheese. The dishes were brought to the table as they were ready and we were each given a plate to sample each one. After the first couple of dishes we decided to add a thin crust margarita pizza to our order. We then regretted it as the dishes got bigger, but they were all so delicious that we ate everything, including the pizza. I really like the Tapa tradition of small dishes with just a taster of each thing and this was a popular place to have it and deservedly so. "
User Rating
8.50/10
8.50/10
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"Tasty Dishes and Dry Martinis"Dan
January 2008 — "Me and some friends visited the Tapa Bar for a birthday celebration and it was a great choice. Though a little too uptight and trendy for my tastes, the food and martinis made up for it. There was a great variety of creative dishes and the best part about tapas is you get to sample them all! The Hot to Trot Tarts were excellent as was the Grilled Eggplant and I will never look at carrots the same way after tasting their Grilled Carrots. "
User Rating
7.50/10
7.50/10
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"Best Sangria in Victoria"Maria
August 2007 — "The Tapas bar is a hidden gem in downtown Victoria. Located in tiny alley, this restaurant is small but busy. Tapas bar is a great place to take a romantic date or have a night out with friends. If you are planning on taking a large group I do recommend making a reservation in advance as seating is limited.
The menu contains appies with both traditional and new age Latin influence. I recommend going with friends who you can share with as there are many delicious items on the menu making it very hard to choose just one! The restaurant also has a very large cocktail menu and wine list. Their drink specialty is sangria which they serve both a white and a red version that you can order by the glass or pitcher (I recommend a pitcher with friends). The service is friendly and very efficient considering how busy the restaurant is on any given night.
I would recommend the Tapas bar to anyone who is looking for a change from the ordinary restaurant dinner and who has a friend or two to share with."
User Rating
7.67/10
7.67/10
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"Great Place for a Party"deb
August 2007 — "After some shopping in downtown Victoria, we stopped in at the Tapa Bar. We asked for outside seating but instead we had to sit at a table inside. The atmosphere was close and cozy but noisy. The place was packed. This place definitely draws the 20something crowd and is bustling with constant activity. The Sangria is one of its specialties so we tried a red and a white sangria. The menu was fabulous with a wide variety of trendy items. We couldn't decide between chorizo fondue or the dry garlic riblets so we tried the pesto and roasted apple thin crust pizza. Good choice - we both enjoyed it. The service was okay, maybe a little slow but the place was also very busy. I would definitely go again but this is not the place for a quiet, intimate dinner. Go with a group of friends and try everything on the menu!"
User Rating
9.17/10
9.17/10
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DescriptionThis restaurant's menu spices things up with its Latin fusion cuisine, featuring a selection of unique hot and cold tapas, as well as thin crust pizzas, pastas, fresh seafood, steaks and signature chicken dishes.
Location Information620 Trounce Alley
Victoria
BC
V8W 1K3
