We went for a lovely lunch for my sister's birthday and we were treated royally, from a warm greeting at the door, prompt, friendly service from a smiling server to scrumptious food. Between my companions and I, we were able to taste (and share) 5...different dishes and a shared dessert. I felt I had my money's worth. Kudos to the chefs and kitchen staff for attention to details; every morsel and sauce was a pleasure to the taste buds. The menu definitely has something for everyone's pleasure. The staff was invested in making our dining experience the best it could be. It's comforting to know that the legacy has been taken up by enthusiastic local talents who share in the vision of the previous owners, but who will also bring the restaurant into the future to maintain this little jewel, uniting producers and farmers for a true Locals farm-to-table experience. I look forward to a return visit.... I have lots more I want to taste on their menu. Congratulations to the new owners!!More

I have been coming here for years now when I’m town and along with many things this place has had an obvious decline since the covid pandemic, prior to the pandemic Locals was my Courtenay treat and I looked forward to enjoying a great lunch/dinner...meeting with clients. The flavour of the dishes are lacking love now, under seasoned , and my last meal the beef cheeks were not even close to the tender melt in your mouth goodness I used to order pre Covid. The vegetables I got were burnt, my client had a rotten mussel in his meal, and his bread was rock hard. The prices have gone up and the quality has plummeted. I was told there are new owners now? Not sure if this has anything to do with it? I was also told many of the important figures in the the kitchen moved on to other ventures once the pandemic hit and now it’s a whole different kitchen crew. Regardless, it’s not the same and never will be and I will never go back , a darn shame really.More

What a great place serving very good food. My wife and I went to The Old House 42 years ago.and loved it. We were back on the island before flying out on vacation and stoped in for dinner. It was an exceptional evening. Great service,...great atmosphere and great food. A little $$$ but we did not leave hungry.More

A wonderful lunch experience. Great service, amazing food, super ambiance. A real treat! Would definitely go again. Presentation of food excellent. A little pricey but definitely worth it.

I just paid $47.63 before tip for a bowl of bland seafood chowder (3 small clams and 2 small mussels and a few small chunks of fish and bacon) and an 8 oz glass of local Rose. Fish Market Chowder $24 West Coast medley of...fresh seafood and smoked candied salmon simmered in a creamy vegetable broth In Courtenay, no view, horrible acoustics, had to listen to some loud, self-important guy explain his cataract surgery in detail and carry on to brag about this and that.More

This place was awesome!!! We went for multiple visits and was never disappointed. The staff was very accommodating and the food was marvelous

This restaurant is without a doubt one of the best places we have experienced. From the very friendly staff to the unique food offered, you will want to include this on your list when visiting Courtenay. Great ambience in an old 1920 building set next...to the river, with bunnies on the lawn. Lovely patio area also.More

Sat outside, great atmosphere and excellent service (Tues/12:30) Had the Pacific rim crepes and my sister had the green curry. Both were very tasty!! We had virgin BlackBerry Mojitos which tasted amazing!!! We shared the date toffee cake for dessert~it was the bee's knees! Would...most def return:))More

I have tried this restaurant a few times and each time I left feeling disappointed. Each time the meal was way over priced but this last one made me angry. I paid $32 for so called spring rolls with prawns, it was 3 overly large...rolls containing one piece of napa cabbage, lots of rice, flavourless mushrooms, which was weirdly out of place and pre frozen bland shrimp, not prawns. They say they are local but those “shrimp” were not local. The covered patio contains old plastic patio furniture which just doesn’t fit what they try to sell …not going back.More

Amazing local chef inspired cuisine! The kind of food that demands respect, so do it justice and dress the part. Fabulous oysters, artisan breads and cheeses. Fresh local seafood and meats. Extensive selection of wines and beverages. Kaleidoscope of desert flavors across the menu. Friendly...knowledgeable staff. Each dish is so good don't be upset if they don't share; because you won't either.More

It was father’s day and there were 7 of us including 2 small children under 6. Our entre was 2 hours after ordering it. My bouillabaisse was flavourless and the seafood was dreadfully over cooked. The prices were not cheap,not that I expected them to...be but considering the tardiness and quality of our food and no apology. I am very disappointed!!!!! I will not be back.More

Our disappointment with Locals is mostly related to value. Before I talk about that, if you haven't been to Locals, let me first give you a brief idea of the place. Locals is housed in a Heritage building adjacent to the Old House Hotel &...Spa. The building was originally a residence constructed in the 1930's in the Arts and Crafts style. In addition to indoor seating, the restaurant has a large tented area adjacent to the building as well as a pleasant patio. While many seem to regard this as a special occasion restaurant, we saw a number of patrons dressed quite casually. We began our meal with the Cakebread Artisan Bread & Butter. (I find charging for bread & butter in a fine dining restaurant to be excessive and the $6 charge brought unremarkable bread and a very small amount of butter.) We then moved on to the Fish Market Chowder (remarkably bland) and the Albacore Tuna Tataki (fresh, flavorful and the best dish of the evening). For our mains, we both had the Fresh BC Pacific Halibut Fillet (fresh but again, the preparation lacked flavor). Our evening featured a dour server who, when we ordered the bread & butter appetizer along with the seafood chowder, neglected to mention the chowder came with the exact same bread & butter as the seperate appetizer. We had also ordered a glass of wine with our entrees, which was not served until, more than halfway through our entrees, I managed to catch the attention of our server who then brought the wine. At no time during the meal did the server return to inquire if everything was satisfactory or if we needed anything. So, bottom line, in my mind, poor service, unremarkable, bland food and high prices do not add up to good value or a restaurant to which we would return.More