Crooked Goose Bistro — Restaurant in Saanich

10 years ago we lived in a small house about a five-minute walk down the hill to what is now known as the Crooked Goose Bistro. It was back then one of the very best family pubs remaining in Victoria and suburbs.

I went to pubs far more than often than I do now, because it was easier to find one with good food, and this one was conveniently close. Shortly after I moved away the owners decided to apply for a variance to change the pub into a liquor store.

I have never seen such an outpouring of Feeling by a neighborhood to preserve its traditional family Pub. Hundreds of people wrote in support of keeping the pub and I was one of them.

We have too many private liquor stores and far too few really good family pubs and that is not a good trend. When I went there last night 2nd of July with my housemate, I told him that years ago this was one of the best pubs, with great food, prices, and service,+ but I'd no idea what to expect now.

When we went in shortly after happy hour started an owner greeted us; I then told him that it was nearly 10 years since I was here last and I looked forward to seeing if it was still the same great place.

For the next hour my housemate and I had a great time because of the warm atmosphere and the very good food, local beer, and my housemate's cocktail. The reasonable prices were a happy feature on top of the very good food.

Ezra left I made sure to tell the waitress and the owner we had had a wonderful time the food was really nice in all aspects and we were sure to come again probably once maybe twice a month even though it means a 12 to 15 minute drive.

There's not a single Pub in all of Esquimalt or View Royal that can come closer than a 3-star rating to this one, which I give at least a 4.5 to 5. My housemate, who is a foodie and hard critic, was also very happy and would agree...

We’ve had the same waitress once or twice now a few weeks apart and it doesn’t seem like she wants to be there. She took only two out of the five of us at the table drink orders, before walking away and not seeing her for another ten to fifteen minutes. Even when she came back to drop off the two drinks she turned away before we could to speak and give her our order. When it came to food, I gave her my order twice before she actually put it into her system. She was on phone in the back of the restaurant instead of waiting on our table. We had to go up to the front of the restaurant to pay our bill as she never came by to bring it over to us. We gave her the benefit of the doubt the first time we had gone there as we assumed that she was new. Also they never seem to have the craft beer they have on their menu on tap. The service isn’t there and it’s pretty unfortunate as it is a really good bar close to home but it has turned me off of...

Food was mediocre at best. They brought out and served the rib dinner to us; it was ice cold, no meat on the bones and charcoaled beyond recognition or flavour (except burnt!). Slapped on some cold BBQ sauce to top it off...ugh. I'd be highly embarrassed to serve that at a "smokehouse" which is supposed to specialize in this.

No kids meals, although they have a "kid's menu." Drinks are not included and no treat for kids. The cheeseburger meal is way to big for kid under 12 (unless they have a HUGE appetite.) Costs $14, then add the 3 fingers of "kid juice" for $3.95 and you've just paid almost $18 for your kid to eat maybe half.

To be fair, the fries (came with burger) were good and arugula on beet salad was fresh, although there was about 5-6 crumbs of goatcheese...lol. I paid over $80 for 1 pound of chicken wings, a beet salad, "kid's meal", diet coke and one beer. I sent the disgusting excuse for "ribs" back. Your money is better...