The Seasider Bistro + Wine Bar + Patio

Nice wine bar with decent food, situated on the shore of Malaspina Strait. We enjoyed a light supper and some excellent NC wine as we watched the sun set.Food was very good and the service good, even though it was busy on a Wednesday night.

Confit duck wings weren’t wings. They were pretty good. Garlic chicken was mind-blowing. It had ittle a 5 vegetable pieces on the side that were similar to Brussels sprouts. They tasted burnt, but they’re not in my diet anyway. Great ambiance and clean. Booth seating was comfortable. Went when it was too dark to see the view. No racism experienced as a person of colour. I would return.

We were guests over the weekend at the Seasider. We had such a great experience the first night we could not resist going back. Amazing staff, although they were very busy the service was incredible, very personable. Corinne was our server Friday and created a genuine relationship. Maddie was just as incredible the second night Our food arrived in a timely manner, and we were not disappointed. The live music on Friday was an added bonus and you cannot beat the incredible beauty this place has to offer. Highly recommend.

A $40 yorkshire pudding with a frozen yorkshire, unseasoned steamed veggies, and undercooked, dried out, and somehow sour potatoes. I wasn't going to say anything to our server but she saw me spit out my frozen yorkshire. To her credit, she was absolutely fantastic and did everything she could to fix the frozen yorkshire; she even brought me another one to replace it, but that one was still frozen. It seems like the food standards have gone down drastically since the old chef left, which is disappointing because I really liked coming here.

Our hostess greeted us warmly and sat us where we wanted with a smile. Minimum expectations met nicely. She gave us a QR code to scan to access their menu and then placed a feature sheet menu outlining the specials of the day - then promptly pointed out 3 things that were not actually available.A bit off-putting, especially as it was a Wednesday and we were the first customers. One of the items unavailable I was interested in so I was a bit bummed before I'd even sat down.I don't know how, but I think finding a way to provide updated lists so that at opening all items are available would be worth the effort.Our Server was great.She was lively, adjusted to our stumbling and indecision, happily suggesting to come back after giving us a few more minutes, multiple times. Very patient.The Food:I picked two items from the afore mentioned Feature Sheet; the Tom Yum Soup, which I've always been interested in, and the East Meets West Bratwurst. Essentially a German hotdog with Korean toppings. It comes with kimchi & aioli topped fries.My wife chose the wonderful sounding Prawn, Avocado + Mango Salad and then the Truffle Parmesan Triple Cooked FriesWe received our salad and soup first as they were the only things we could decide on initially = patient server.My wife couldn't stop praising the salad. It looked amazing and was a decent size, though $22 for a salad is on the steeper side. I can vouch that the prawns were chunky and I named them Larry, Curly, and Moe. Stars of the show and gone too soon.The Tom Yum soup was excellent. I enjoyed it. I would get it again, though I'd wait for a cooler day. This is where air con would have helped :-).After a protracted discussion about the merits of burgers, hot dogs, and pulled brisket poutine, I chose the hot dog. It was a near thing and had our server been using paper to record our orders instead of her mental powers, she'd probably have burned through a pad, a pen, and possibly developed a stutter.With my decision locked in, my wife chose the truffle fries as a chaser to her salad.Note - all food arrived with alacrity. I've been wanting to use that word for some time.The truffle fries were great and disappeared without help from me. My hot dog looked amazing as did my kimchi and aioli covered fries. I started with the fries and they too were good. They really don't need any toppings as they stand up by themselves (metaphorically, I didn't test if they could stand on end.)My Hot Dog was a Hot Mess. It looks amazing as you can see in the photo I attached to this review. However, upon picking it up and applying the requisite pressure to the sides, as one does with hot dogs preparatory to taking a bite, the bratwurst squirted up and the secretly hidden condiments underneath and around it, forged a path through the minimal connective tissue joining the bun halves and fell onto the plate, my shirt, and the chair.I shoved the bratwurst back into the hug of the bun and scooped some of the escaped toppings (the ones on my plate of course) placing them on top. Then I rectified my initial mistake and grasped the hot dog with both hands like it was a goose's neck and I was trying to keep it from biting my face. Then instead of bringing the hotdog to me, I went to it.This was the correct decision. My mouth isn't small, but it isn't a muppet's hinged face hole either. I managed to take a decent bite, once more spilling toppings and condiments over my strangling hands and onto the plate.It was pretty tasty.I finished it with a knife and fork.So there's my quick tip for you. Buy the East Meets West Bratwurst - but eat it in the middle of your plate.This brings me to the napkins, which I'd forgotten about until now.BEST napkins ever. They are paper but feel and look and act like fabric. They saved my chair, my shirt, my hands, and my face. I just needed 2 of them.

We enjoyed a really great evening with our traveling hockey team here - what a beautiful location and view of the ocean! Good food, great service (we made a last minute reservation for over 40 people). 20 noisy kids and we were welcomed with open arms. Big open space - great for large groups and parties. Looks like an awesome patio too! Definitely recommend. Thank you!

The mussels and atmosphere by the coast was absolutely stunning. Recommend going just for the mussels!!

We sat on the the farthest point on the patio on a magnificent evening. The view was to die for. The food was great. It took awhile for the server to take our order and for our food to arrive....Some may have complained, but with that view we appreciated the time to enjoy it. I recommend this establishment - especially on a summer evening.

Corrine has gone above and beyond on numerous occasions for myself and for staff parties. We recently had a year end staff party for teachers. The chef accommodated us off menu as well as on menu appies and charcuterie boards. The deck is gorgeous and we live close, but the service is our main reason for going back as things have changed many times over the years, Corrine is pleasant, kind and really cares about her customers. All the staff are genuine and make you feel at home.

Manager physically pushing at the guests.Extremely Disappointing Experience at The Seasider BistroReview:I recently had a highly unpleasant experience at The Seasider Bistro, which I feel compelled to share. Our group had made a reservation for a large party, and to ensure everything was in order, a part of our group arrived at the restaurant two hours prior to the scheduled time for confirmation purposes. However, to our utter dismay, when the rest of us arrived, the manager suddenly informed us that they were unable to serve our group.This sudden change in their stance left us feeling disheartened and frustrated, but we suggested splitting up to make it more manageable for the restaurant. Despite our willingness to accommodate their seating arrangements, the manager still insisted that they couldn't serve us. In an attempt to convey our disappointment and willingness to appreciate their service, I explained our perspective to the manager, emphasizing that they should have informed us of any issues when part of our party initially arrived.To our astonishment, instead of trying to find a solution, the manager became increasingly confrontational. They began pushing us and even went so far as to threaten to call the police. While I had no qualms about them involving the authorities, as our reservation was clearly documented on their schedule, it was incredibly disheartening to witness such an aggressive response from the manager.As a customer, I firmly believe that establishments should strive to find ways to accommodate guests, especially when reservations have been made. The Seasider Bistro's failure to fulfill our reservation, coupled with the manager's unprofessional behavior, has left me deeply dissatisfied. It is crucial for any business, particularly in the hospitality industry, to prioritize customer service and communication.I sincerely hope that The Seasider Bistro takes this feedback constructively and implements measures to ensure such disappointing experiences do not occur in the future. It is my genuine belief that a proactive approach to resolving issues and prioritizing customer satisfaction will contribute to their long-term success.In conclusion, I strongly advise potential patrons to exercise caution when considering The Seasider Bistro for their dining needs. The lack of service and the manager's unacceptable behavior marred what could have been a pleasant evening, leaving an indelible negative impression.