Ferris' Upstairs Seafood & Oyster Bar — Restaurant in Victoria

Upon discovering this establishment through various "must-try," "happy hour," and "fresh oyster" lists, we decided to visit and experience it for ourselves. We arrived shortly after 5 PM, and were fortunate enough to secure seating, as the majority of the restaurant was already reserved for the Dine Around event.

We availed ourselves of the happy hour menu, which included the following options Miyagi Fresh oysters - These small to medium-sized oysters were carefully selected for their clean and fresh taste, and were served with an option of additional sides of horseradish and mango marinara for 50 cents each.

Arancini Balls (3pcs) today's selection were gumbo-style risotto balls filled with shrimp and savory chorizo, which were expertly cooked to perfection. The slight spiciness of the chorizo was perfectly balanced by the acidity of the tomato sauce, creating a harmonious blend of flavors. The exterior of the ball was incredibly crispy, providing a satisfying texture that was both comforting and enjoyable.

Buttermilk Fried Oysters - Five large, plump oysters were lightly battered and fried to perfection, resulting in a crispy outer layer that encased the succulent oysters. They were served on a bed of crisp lettuce and accompanied by a tangy mayo sauce, which added a contrasting flavor and texture to the dish, making it a perfect balance of flavors and textures.

Chorizo Puff (4 pieces) - featured a mildly spicy chorizo, encased in flaky, buttery puff pastry. The dish was elevated by a drizzle of sweet honey, which added a subtle sweetness that perfectly balanced the savory flavors of the chorizo.

The Burrata dish was a standout favorite for us during our dining experience. The Burrata was expertly paired with a flavorful mixture of pistou, zucchini, hazelnuts, basil, and urfa pepper, creating a truly irresistible combination of flavors. The depth of the flavors in the pistou perfectly complemented the delicate creaminess of the Burrata, making for a truly mouthwatering dish. The only downside was that it was only served with two slices of grilled bread, however, upon request, the staff promptly provided us with additional bread to fully enjoy the dish. Along with our dinner, we both decided to complement our meal with a Hoyne Espresso Stout. The stout was smooth and creamy, with a subtle hint of espresso that complemented the flavors of the meal perfectly. Our experience at this eclectic seafood bar was a fantastic start to our mini getaway in Victoria. The atmosphere was lively and fun, and the seafood was fresh and expertly prepared. We highly recommend this establishment for a night out, whether you're looking for a casual meal or a more formal dining experience. Additionally, it seems that they also have a downstairs restaurant that serves a variety of different foods, providing even more options for diners. All in all, it was a memorable and...

Positively mediocre, unfortunately. My brother and his friend were visiting town, so we decided to give this place a shot. Between the four of us we tried a wide variety of items on the menu.

We began with oysters and cocktails. The oysters were fine, although the prepared horseradish was a bit of a let down when fresh grated should be/is standard fare, especially from a joint that has an upstairs oyster bar. The cocktails we ordered were all quite watered down in flavour, one-note, and ultimately underwhelming. The mix was weak, too much ice, and tasted something reminiscent of what one would whip up on the fly at a college house party. Thoroughly disappointing given the prices.

In advance of the mains, one of us ordered the seafood chowder, which was standard, but not exciting by any means. The other ordered a tomato-based soup that I do not see listed on the online menu anymore. The soup tasted like straight tomato juice, no complexity, bland, and was quite the let down. We split an order of the curried clams and mussels, which were prepared fine, but again, the curry flavour was minimal. Everything tasted thin and diluted.

For the mains, two of us ordered burgers. An oyster and a chicken burger. Both guests were happy with the sandwiches. Chicken and oyster were crispy, fries were hot. However, my brother and I ordered the seafood laska, which sounded great, but to our utter dismay was served on a bed of overcooked pasta noodles. We absolutely assumed this would be served over rice (why wouldn't it be?) and it was our oversight not seeing 'rice noodles' as part of the dish. Regardless, these were not rice noodles. This was straight pasta - a linguine or fettuccini of sorts - overcooked at that. Picture a bowl of thin curry, with some fish on top, with 75% of the dish being soggy noodles. The curry here was also diluted, thin, and lacking flavour. This was definitely the most disappointing dish of the evening. We were half of the mind to send the dishes back, but were enjoying good company, did not want to 'get into it' with the server, and with the way everything else had tasted up to that point, why would we think something else would be better?

We had a couple bottles of local white wine, which were nice, but we were all thoroughly underwhelmed by each course. Consensus among us was this food compared to a Boston Pizza/Kelsey's in style and quality. Not at all what I would expect from a well-regarded, seemingly cornerstone staple of Victoria's downtown food scene. While we were hoping for a fresh, exciting seafood dinner, we were left feeling letdown, overcharged, and agreed there was nothing to go back...

Four Course Meal for Two First of all, this is the second time I've been Upstairs and the second time Michelle was our server. I don't know if servers have above average memory but she remembered us from last time and what we ate. Incredible. She's a joy. We love her. Last time we were there, she suggested the four course meal but we chose other dinner items - but thought the four course would be great for the next visit. Tonight was that night, and she was so right about recommending that special. I'm sorry we couldn't post a picture of the whipped ricotta cheese spread and the smoked seafood plate (which we ordered separately) but they were so good we completely destroyed them. Not a single crumb was left on the platter. I can't tell you how much we love the smoked platter and the variety of items. It's almost enough to make an entree. The second course were three incredible Korean deep fried oysters over a spicy slaw. Crispy, spicy, and garnished with kimchi and a dash of samba olek. The main course I chose perfectly. The striploin. Cooked to perfection and served over the most incredible choices of crisp green beans, tender white beets(?), asparagus that was firm, cooked perfectly and yet somehow had the most delicious crispy tasty tips! But what stole the show was the potatoes. I don't know the culinary term, but they had been sliced so thin, they were like pages in a book. Crisp, savoury, and delicious. Incredible. The steak was awesome as well, with a nice dollop of garlic butter on top. My date had the clam linguini and besides the perfect blend of garlic, herbs and butter there was an uncanny amount of perfectly cooked clams. They topped off the meal with a little mocha mousse for two - with a couple of spoons for sharing. Although we were stuffed from the entree, there was a tiny bit of room for dessert. It all paired well with Hoyne Dark Matter and in a setting that relaxing, warm, and super friendly. Thank you all at Ferris; you fine cooks, diligent and friendly servers, and Dave, who made sure no small detail was left untouched. From replenishing the cutlery, filling the water and even replacing the napkin after it unknowingly fell in the floor from my lap. If you're visiting Victoria, or live here and have never been, please, do yourself a favour and check out their menu. I've come to realize a restaurant shouldn't have a lot of menu items, but specialize in what they do have - and that's exactly what Ferris has, and does. I look forward to trying more of what they offer and hope Michelle is there to greet is again. A most special birthday dinner. Thank you all for making it...