60 replies to this topic

[Gary H]

No, that's not the line for the opening of Victoria's Secret in Vancouver - it's the typical dinner line for Pagliacci's, one of the best Italian restaurants in Victoria. It's been around forever but why is it so popular? I think it comes down to this, well, I'll just let the pictures do the talking...




Spinach salad - just $3 with an entree



Caesar salad - just $3 with an entree (and this is a split portion)



Somerset Praughn appetizer - $10



Silence of the Lambs - $26.50 (just awesome and enough to share)



Hemingway Short Story - $11.50 (this is a half order!)



We've found that we can share pretty much everything, and the kitchen will split it for you for no extra charge. I think that's the other reason this place is so popular, and why we keep coming back - it's a good value.

Just get there before 5PM to avoid the line.

[Holden West]

We were there last week and they were already starting to line up at 4:45 pm.
Didn't you have cheesecake?!

[zoomer]

Was there today for lunch, had the Last Chicken in Paris and unfortunately it was tasteless, with a few round blobs of something called chicken.

[sdwright.vic]

Went last night to try again after years away. WAY to much garlic, pasta "doughy" and a bit "slimy". Service was horrid! Sat for 10-15 without as much as a table touch. Table of five, messed up one of the orders and acted like not a big deal, especially as I sat there eating by myself as it took that long to get my meal back. Had to ask for cheque three time, each time being asked first if any of us wanted coffee, finally having to say that we have told you no twice please bring the cheque!

Remember why I haven't been back.

[mysage]

Went last night to try again after years away. WAY to much garlic, pasta "doughy" and a bit "slimy". Service was horrid! Sat for 10-15 without as much as a table touch. Table of five, messed up one of the orders and acted like not a big deal, especially as I sat there eating by myself as it took that long to get my meal back. Had to ask for cheque three time, each time being asked first if any of us wanted coffee, finally having to say that we have told you no twice please bring the cheque!

Remember why I haven't been back.

Agree completley. Line ups here seem to be based more on its past rep than its todays reality. Many more and arugably better options today than in the past but each to their own.

[Mike K.]

The lineups are part of the experience and for as long as I can remember people have been lining up for the place.

Pag's has a lot of local lore associated with it and people have been conditioned to "like" the place. That being said I've had some great meals there with great service and other times the meals were not so great and with bad service.

[Bingo]

I can relate to the coffee story. Years ago we had been sitting around waiting for service and after about 15 minutes Howie Segal walked by and I asked him if it was possible to get a cup of coffee ( I don't mind waiting as long as I have my coffee) so Howie turns around and in a loud voice "Could someone bring this guy a coffee".

Otherwise I enjoy the pasta, and can you really have too much garlic.

[gumgum]

You're all nuts. Pags is great consistently. And no I haven't been "Conditioned" into thinking so. It's actually a place I forget to go to, but when someone takes me there, I'm always surprised what a great experience it is.
Ever been for brunch? The fact that they serve free toasted bagels with cream cheese and jam as a roll replacement is enough reason to go.
Whatever bad experience anyone has had is not consistent with what it's like usually.

[Szeven]

I find the place inconsistent as well. Why cant they get the bread to rise consistently?

[Greg]

I've always found this to be the most overrated restaurant in town, and by a significant margin.

[G-Man]

I agree with Gum Gum. It is good honest and inexpensive. Try getting anywhere close to the portions you get here for the cost in Vic. It is just not going to happen. Bottomless soup is always a great feast.

[aastra]

Yelp review:

A chain with an annoying menu of cutesy names ,gimics
Old spaghetti factory big box corporate style dining
Pack em in and ship from across the country , call it food
A local recommended it and loves it but it is everything that over rated chains are
Definetely a success story ,as well as a tragedy...

...I also like wait staff that don't treat people like sheep,even though they are trained to do so.(Turn tables) I don't like the herd mentality ,even though today's world seems a bit money grubbing .......
So Pags is not my cup of tea

[Bob Fugger]

Yelp review:

Oh sweet! Where the other locations at?! I wonder if their queues are as deep.

[Matt R.]

This is all very strange to read as I was downtown yesterday and walked by pags at lunch time heading to the passport office and then back again a while later, noted to my kids that both times they were lined up out the door, and some important reasons why that might be. We are often lined up out the door too but for different reasons.

Have not been to pags for many years, do they still serve 'coffee' while you wait in line outside?

Pasta is so cheap to make! I am sure the margins are fine, combined with the volume allow to keep prices down. Great business model.

Matt.

[gumgum]

They also serve wine while you wait in line now.

[aastra]

That Yelp review is odd. Even if we assume that he's confusing Pagliacci's with Pagliacci Pizza, is "big box corporate style dining" an appropriate slam against Pagliacci Pizza? Maybe it is, but it seems a bit misplaced to me.

[cakeman]

Ive been there a few times, when dragged there by others, over the years.. Have never managed to be a fan.. Crammed in elbow to elbow, lights down so low I couldnt see what I was eating and loud enough I couldnt carry on a conversation with the person across the table..

cakes..

[concorde]

Ive been there a few times, when dragged there by others, over the years.. Have never managed to be a fan.. Crammed in elbow to elbow, lights down so low I couldnt see what I was eating and loud enough I couldnt carry on a conversation with the person across the table..

cakes..

and that's exactly what its supposed to be, New York style.

I've never had a bad meal in the well over 30 years I have been going...er, yah it sucks, stay away, bad food, bad service, please go down the street, anything to keep those long lineups at bay ;-)

[manuel]

I'll go around the corner any day to Tibetan Kitchen

Hate lineups and being crowded for just so-so food at Pags

[pherthyl]

Ive been there a few times, when dragged there by others, over the years.. Have never managed to be a fan.. Crammed in elbow to elbow, lights down so low I couldnt see what I was eating and loud enough I couldnt carry on a conversation with the person across the table..

cakes..

Bingo that's why we stopped going. Yes we had some good food there, but just good, not stellar. I can get similar food in other places without being crammed in like sardines and not being able to move an inch without bumping into the guy at the table behind me.