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  • The Empress Room - The Fairmont Empress Hotel

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Reserve at The Empress Room - The Fairmont Empress Hotel

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The Empress Room - The Fairmont Empress Hotel
The Empress Room - The Fairmont Empress Hotel

The Empress Room - The Fairmont Empress Hotel Details

  • Dining Style: Casual Elegant
  • Website: http://www.fairmont.com/empress
  • Phone: (250) 384-8111
  • Hours of Operation: Dinner Monday - Sunday from 6:00pm - 10:00pm.
  • Payment Options: AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, JCB, MasterCard, Visa
  • Cuisine: Northwest, Contemporary American
  • Executive Chef: Morgan Wilson
  • Dress Code: Smart Casual
  • Accepts Walk-Ins: Yes
  • Additional Details: Banquet/Private Rooms, Beer, Chef's Table, Farm to Table, Fireplace, Full Bar, Non-Smoking Restaurant, Private Room, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Private Party Facilities: The Royal Table is an added refinement to your fine dining experience. Providing guests with a heightened touch of elegance during their dining experience, this experience is truly memorable for a birthday, engagement or simply an evening together. From silver cloches and candelabras to customized wine selections from our Sommelier and a few special touches from the Chef, The Royal Table service provides a sophisticated refinement to an enchanted dining experience. The cost is a C$30 surcharge per person in addition to meal selection costs.
  • Private Party Contact: Dining Reservations (250) 389-2727

Getting there

  • Parking: Public Lot
  • Parking Details: Underground parking is complimentary when dining in The Empress Room.
A word from The Empress Room - The Fairmont Empress Hotel
Notably the most picturesque dining room in the city, The Empress Room combines impeccable service with an exquisite menu.

The finest ingredients with a "farm to fork" philosophy of bringing the region’s epicurean rich cuisine to your table are marveled into culinary masterpieces paired… with an extensive wine list. Dine beneath the ambiance of a hand-crafted wood ceiling where iconic movie stars, royalty and notable guests have dined; - if only these walls could talk! An experience not soon to be forgotten.

From Our Executive Chef, Morgan Wilson:

'We embrace local and regional authenticity with our Empress Room offerings by partnering with nearby organizations focused on driving sustainable culinary operations."Continued
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Awards voted by OpenTable diners
  • Diners' Choice WinnerBest Overall
  • Diners' Choice WinnerBest Ambiance
  • Diners' Choice WinnerBest Food
Diner Reviews
  • "I reserved a Royal Table dining experience in the Empress Room for a special 70th birthday celebration, for a party of 7. We had pretty high expectations after reading reviews from other diners. Overall the evening was a success. However, I do feel the 'Royal' part was not quite worth it. Pros: VERY good service from our server. Fairly quiet considering Canada Day celebrations were going on in front of the hotel in the Inner Harbor (including live music). Surprisingly, the Empress Room was not at all crowded. Food was delicious. Fantastic desserts! Cons: The wine list was a little sparse to our eyes. And the Chef who came out to tell us about the food was very reticent. That part was very weak."
    Dined on 7/1/2014
  • "We were excited to eat at one of the historical landmarks in Victoria, and figured we were in for a real treat at this hotel. I'm sorry to say we were completely underwhelmed. The food was mediocre at best, and disappointing at worst. All of the seafood and meat were overcooked (tenderloin, shrimp, salmon) and the taste was just blah. The bread served first was good, and the service was good. Overall, the price we paid was extremely inflated given the quality of the food. It's not worth the time or money to eat here - you can find something else fun along the waterfront. We would not return."
    Dined on 6/26/2014
  • "The Empress Room has fabulous food in a quiet and romantic setting. The service is superb and offer to help in selections. The food was so delicious and presentation was incrediblble done. They ended our dessert with a personalized happy anniversary!"
    Dined on 6/25/2014
  • "Our dinner at the Fairmont Empress Room for dinner was the highlight of our trip to Victoria."
    Dined on 6/6/2014
  • "Fellow diners, please avail yourself of the hospitality and grandeur that this restaurant affords, but be prepared to pay for it. The overall dining experience should be a couple hours, as you want to relax and enjoy each exquisite offering with its recommended wine pairing and not feel rushed. The Royal Table is highly recommended as you are personally engaged by the chef and have a fabulous range of choices, as well as a small amuse bouche from time to time. The service is impeccable and most all menu items are sourced locally from farmers and growers. Pay special attention to the Foie Gras, and the Butter Poached Venison as these are both brilliantly paired with local wines and have deep, rich flavors for a discerning palate. Overall 5☆"
    Dined on 6/7/2014
  • "Had 2 dirty items of cutlary in the resterants. Did get them changed but at this standered would expect better"
    Dined on 6/5/2014
  • "We were there 3 hours and did not even want to stay for dessert! Tasty fish dishes. Loved all 3 once they arrived. (Crispy skin salmon, halibut, sablefish) Rib-eye was average, w/minuscule (2 ½ inches) lobster tail added on for $15! 3 of us had a salad and we ordered a nice bottle of wine, after cocktails. Thankful for the fun conversation b/c the insanely long waits between service (being ignored) were horrible. Empress room has a better reputation than this. We will not be back, but will continue to enjoy the Tea Room on each future visit."
    Dined on 5/24/2014
  • "I've been here many time for dinner and breakfast and have never been disappointed by the experience. The only glitch this time was that the server was a bit slow approaching the table to start and never really engaged with us. It seemed like she was preoccupied with something else. The food was exceptional as always and the ambiance was good for breakfast."
    Dined on 5/16/2014
  • "While staying at the Empress, we enjoyed dinner in the famed Empress Room. Wait staff was most gracious for two late night diners, as we dined after our evening exploration of the beautiful city. Waiter's suggestions were great and he was attentive without being intrusive. Food was outstanding."
    Dined on 5/14/2014
  • "Easter Brunch was very good. Excellent selection, seafood, breakfast items, fruit, desserts. Would highly recommend"
    Dined on 4/20/2014
  • "A superb meal, an elegant atmosphere, and a very memorable way to celebrate our 17th wedding anniversary. Many thanks to Marc, Kyle, and the rest of the staff for making our evening absolutely perfect."
    Dined on 3/29/2014
  • "This is a splendid room in the former Canadian Pacific (now Fairmont) Empress Hotel. The panelling and ceiling are gorgeous. Since the last addition of a new lobby, the room is divided with the front third having a lovely view of the harbour. When it is not too busy, it is this part that is used as it was on my recent visit. Most of the time I have been in the back two-thirds of the room, which has no view. It is a bit pricey, but the food is very good to excellent. Most of the waiters have been there for many years and the service is what one has come to expect in these ex-railway hotels. A couple of years ago some "bright bulb" decided to replace all the silver cutlery with stainless steel. To me, that detracts from the ambience."
    Dined on 3/20/2014
  • "The staff went above and beyond, the food was delicious a perfect evening!"
    Dined on 2/15/2014
  • "Wonderful atmosphere and service, very genuine and presented as such."
    Dined on 12/21/2013
  • "Great service! Their side salad was outstanding, the fish and veggies were fresh. Dessert was great. The old world charm of the place wonderful for a special occasion. We had Christmas Eve dinner there."
    Dined on 12/24/2013
  • "The setting was fabulous... In The Empress Hotel. It gives you the impression you are in a castle. Service was great. Food was very good. It's definitely high end and worth every penny. Dress up, put on your best threads and be prepared to enjoy a wonderful experience."
    Dined on 12/23/2013
  • "I was so disappointed to find that for the money I paid $39 per person, there was just the breakfast items, no brunch items on the table. I was expecting a ham carved at the buffet table, a dessert table and waffles made at the buffet table, not the burnt ones that came out of the kitchen which were now cold. The buffet table should have been in the centre of the dining room, not along the wall. Service was awesome but food was mediocre and not much variety. I enjoyed the smoked salmon and the eggs benny but after that, pffft, no dessert."
    Dined on 12/25/2013
  • "My wife and I stayed at The Empress ,Victoria,BC for my birthday and were looking forward to a nice dinner there. We reserved the room and dinner about a month prior to the visit. The room was nice with a view of the inner harbour(as requested) and the bed comfortable. The food was disappointing, the variety limited and very expensive for what we ate. $40.00 for a plate of venison that didn't come with much, I was still hungry after eating and wasn't going to spend another $40.00 to satisfy my hunger"
    Dined on 12/21/2013
  • "after one hour we finally got our meals which needless to say, neither were hot. presentation of food was not terrific. our waiter was very cocky and aloof . wanted the night to be extra special and it wasn't."
    Dined on 12/23/2013
  • "We like to take our very special friends to the Empress for dinner as a Christmas present. We know that the food and service will be excellent and that the dining room will be very pretty and festive looking. We also enjoy an after dinner stroll to admire the many Christmas trees on display. A totally wonderful experience! Thank you!"
    Dined on 12/13/2013
  • "This is the 2nd time we had dinner at the famed Empress. Again, delicious food, beautiful presentation, outstanding waiter and oh so delicious desserts"
    Dined on 12/5/2013
  • "As always The Empress Room has impressed again. Great service & check out the new grill menu. Definitely worth a visit!"
    Dined on 11/9/2013
  • "It is one of the best places to bring ones guest in Victoria. Everyone welcoming yet not too friendly. Food is excellent."
    Dined on 10/30/2013
  • "We always enjoy dining at the Empress. It takes us back to old world elegance and tradition. We are grateful that there is such a place in Victoria."
    Dined on 10/23/2013
  • "I took a dear friend of mine for her dinner and had a wonderful time. The service, food and overall ambiance was far beyond anything we have ever experienced or could expected. Would definitely recommend for a special occasion and will be returning."
    Dined on 10/25/2013
  • "A truly romantic place, the food was simply excellent, the service impeccable, and the ambience perfect! My husband and I had a wonderful time celebrating ( in advance) our wedding anniversary!"
    Dined on 9/23/2013
  • "Had the Cinnamon Waffle, it was excellent but still just a waffle. Breakfast for two of us almost $60! About $20 of that was in coffee and juice...come on really???? Nice atmosphere, chair coverings at our table are getting shabby and for this type of hotel/restaurant, should not be. Service was a bit slow, but maybe by design. Nice place for a special occasion, but save that for the dinner hour when the ambiance might be more romantic."
    Dined on 9/29/2013
  • "This is a great place for a special occasion, The food was good in general. It was not the best Chateaubriand we ever had. The best was by far at William's Tell in Vancouver, B.C. Sad story, no longer in existence. The dessert, specialty of the house was outstanding. The service was very poor and we were quite unhappy about it."
    Dined on 7/24/2013
  • "The food was terrific, the three course special was a great value, and our server Kirk was excellent. A memorable meal to cap off our wonderful stay at the Empress."
    Dined on 9/22/2013
  • "The atmosphere of this dining room really takes one back to the Edwardian period. It was fun just to sit and take in the beautiful surroundings of carved wood and elegant wall coverings. The dinner was excellent. My husband had rack of lamb which was the most tender cut we've ever tasted. My wild caught Pacific salmon was cooked perfectly and the sticky rice and peas was a nice touch. I enjoyed a local Pinot Noir also. Service was very attentive and the waiter was especially good about answering all our questions about the food. A most memorable experience!"
    Dined on 9/17/2013
  • "Everyone said we should go for afternoon tea at the Empress hotel, however we decided to opt for dinner instead and we made the right choice! When on holiday it is nice to dress up one evening and share a truly wonderful evening and that is what the dining room at the Empress delivered. The food was outstanding - 65 dollars for a set 3 course menu which included a whole lobster and beautiful seared frois gras. The service was impeccable and we had a wonderful evening. You should definitely splash out for this one."
    Dined on 9/14/2013
  • "My fiancé and I went to the empress to have a fancy night out for our engagement and at first we were astounded by the beauty and elegance of the restaurant. Our server was nice, with an odd sense of humor which was fine until we smelled the BO reeking off of him, nothing like BO to compliment your 140 dollar meal. I ordered a steak and my fiancé had the lamb chops. The apps were excellent well present and very tasty. The lamb was very tasty. My steak however I order medium rare and I was brought a well done steak. After complaining I was brought a rare steak to which I ate unhappily. At 730 we told our waiter we had to be out by nine. At 915 when he brought the bill it was wrong. We missed the rest of our night plans. Our meal was 250!!"
    Dined on 8/16/2013
  • "Chef went off the menu to answer my request, and followed up with personal attention. the food lived up to its reputation. Service was attentive and exemplary, the food beautifully presented, tasty, and served beautifully. A bit pricey but would return and recommend."
    Dined on 8/14/2013
  • "We heard a lot about The Empress Hotel for their afternoon tea. Since our cruise ship arrived at 6:00, we could not attend. Instead we mad reservations for dinner and took a couple with us from the cruise. It was perfect all evening from being seated, ordering the meal, and surprising them with the dinner as an early anniversary gift. The waiter suggested the Meiomei Pinot Noir and it is now in our favorites list. Thanks so much to the staff for making it a wonderful evening!"
    Dined on 7/27/2013
  • "We had dinner during the August long weekend and being a vegetarian I found the entree to be interesting, delicious and quite unique. Quite often being a vegetarian all that is usually offered is a pasta dish or salad. So it was really a treat to have something other than the usual pasta dishes."
    Dined on 8/3/2013
  • "The breakfast menu (which includes a small buffet) is good,and service at the restaurant is always of high quality. Pleased to see that the restaurant continues to have menu items that meet the needs of people with the various health issues (gluten-free, diabetic etc). We continue to enjoy our experiences at the Empress Fairmount for special occasions or when we want to spend some time in the Inner Harbour area. The Empress Fairmount hotel and its restaurants are treasures that deserve strong support from local residents and not just from seasoned travellers."
    Dined on 7/28/2013
  • "if you appreciate Red Seal cuisine then go to the Empress. The food the presentation and choice is phenomenal. The award winning chocolate dessert is so unique it is worth going just for that. The waiters know what they are doing and have experience in service no waiting around wondering where they went or the if the food was ever coming. If you have a special occasion or even if you don't they had a special that was comparable to mediocre restaurants. Bon Appetite!"
    Dined on 8/2/2013
  • "This is just as good as you can possibly imagine it to be. I didn't check off family friendly, but they treat kids like VIPs here and we have seen several families bring their kids and it has always been lovely. The staff cares for you as though the restaurant was built for your arrival. We love eating here and will do so many times again."
    Dined on 7/13/2013
  • "We went to the Empress for breakfast and the entire experience was incredible! When I initially made the reservation, I mentioned that it was our anniversary, so I hoped we could sit by the window. When we first arrived, we were warmly greeted and wished a happy anniversary and brought to a window seat. The dining room is so elegant - even the chairs are extra comfortable and beautiful. The staff is amazing - genuine, attentive without being intrusive. The food was absolutely fantastic - we ordered from the menu, but the buffet also looked excellent. The highlight, however, was that after breakfast, they surprised us with a slice of chocolate cake garnished with a "Happy Anniversary" chocolate. Such a surprise, and such a treat. Wonderful!"
    Dined on 7/11/2013
  • "This is a beautiful restaurant is a historic hotel. It is great for romantic dinners, special occasions and business dinners. The décor is well appointed and the service was great. The food was delicious I had the foie gras appetizer it was delicious. My lobster tail was cooked just perfect. The wait staff addressed in a manor just like you would expect in a classy restaurant. It was a great experience."
    Dined on 6/21/2013
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Diners' Choice Awards
  • Vancouver / British Columbia Winners
  • Northwest
  • Romantic
  • Special Occasion
  • Victoria Winners
  • Best Overall
  • Best Ambiance
  • Best Food
  • Romantic
  • Special Occasion
Learn more ›