STICKLEBACK OCEANFRONT CIDER & TAPHOUSE, Sooke - Updated 2024 Restaurant Reviews, Menu & Prices

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Yes

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Details

About

Stickleback was conceived from the love of the west coast and our beautiful natural surroundings, tucked away in the sanctuary of Cooper’s Cove here in Sooke BC. Stickleback is family owned and operated and has had the pleasure of serving Vancouver Island residents and guests since 2012. To celebrate our 10-year anniversary this month, we have created a new model highlighting fresh, local beers and ciders on tap! We have also launched a brand new summer menu that explores beautiful local ingredients, inclusive gluten-free and vegan options, and is, as always, mouth-wateringly delicious! Come down and enjoy our gorgeous waterfront patio with a flight of Sooke’s local craft brews or our local Ciders from Sea Cider Farm & Ciderhouse. We look forward to serving you on our sunny patio after your next adventure; hike, bike, kayak, paddle board, run!

PRICE RANGE

$8.00 – $20.00

CUISINES

Bar, Seafood, Canadian

Special Diets

Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Gluten free options

Meals

Lunch, Dinner, Brunch

FEATURES

Takeout, Reservations, Outdoor Seating, Seating, Parking Available, Free off-street parking, Television, Highchairs Available, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, Wine and Beer, Accepts Mastercard, Accepts Visa, Digital Payments, Accepts Credit Cards, Table Service, Waterfront

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4.0

378 reviews

Excellent

150

Very good

133

Average

48

Poor

26

Terrible

21

Bruce M

Pender Island49 contributions

Disappointing lunch

Aug 2020 • none

We stopped here for lunch on our biking day along the Galloping Goose trail and were really looking forward to it as we had a great experience the last time we stopped. The staff was very careful to follow all the Covid-19 procedures and we appreciated that, except we felt the staff should be wearing masks. We had to order at the entrance, pay (including tip, which is a bit tricky as there frankly was little or no service) and then go to your table to await delivery of your food. My wife's fish chowder was excellent but unfortunately the Rueben sandwich I had contained corned beef that was very tough to chew, very sloppy to eat and no sauerkraut discernible. Hopefully the other dishes had fresher food.

Written August 9, 2020

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

ChrisP1956

Bothell48 contributions

Great food, great service, great location

Feb 2020 • none

Three of us visited this place around 2pm on a Saturday. We all picked different food (chicken and mango wrap, salad and a fettucini with shrimp I think), and had their amazing cauliflower bites as a starter. The food was great, our waitress friendly and helpful, and a lovely water view as well. Definitely plan to return!

Written February 24, 2020

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

chuck h

Vancouver152 contributions

Dinner Time

Sep 2021 • none

The restaurant is located on a nice little bay with a great patio. I had the Spicy Chicken Bowl Medium hot how I like it, which was excellent! I even asked the server to tell the cook that it was the Best Spicy bowl I have ever had and trust me I've had a few! My wife had a Chicken burger that had a full sized breast of chicken, It was too much for her to bite into. The service was very good and they followed all the new protocols that the Government had demanded! If it wasn't a ferry ride and an hour and a half drive from the ferry I would go there again!

Written September 22, 2021

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

DebLove456

Victoria4 contributions

Dinner at the Stickleback

Oct 2020 • friends

My friend and I were going to have a nice meal out! What a disappointment that was. We enter the building to see half of the menu up on the wall and we’re told to order and pay before we get served. No glassware but paper cups are available to have water or any other beverage or we can bring our own water in. We sit at our table Get our food, server is not wearing gloves or a mask, handed our plates to us. Half way through she leans over the counter asks how the meal was. She was told awful but snickered and said it should be juicy. We were told to pick up our dirty plates put them outside and leave the building through the patio. I said Again what a disappointment and we now have to remove our plates that you have touched without gloves or a mask. The server said we are following protocol others are not! I would not recommend to eat here.

Written October 6, 2020

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Rob R

Sooke1 contribution

First time I’ve ever walked out of a restaurant (and I eat out a lot).

Sep 2020 • none

It was a strange experience as soon as we walked in. We were asked to order our drinks and meal at the reception desk and pay for them before being seated. How can you decide on the tip for service before you even get served? What if we had wanted another drink or a desert? Another unnecessary walk around people through the restaurant to the front again? I was then served my unopened bottle of wine and given a paper cup to drink it out of! I questioned the paper cup and was told it was to save contact. You had to bring it to me, I would have had to touch it to drink out of it then someone would have had to touch it to take it away, why is that less contact than doing the same thing with a glass? And I suspect you did not put the paper cup through the commercial dishwasher to sterilize it before serving it, possible putting me at slightly more risk? I pushed for a glass and it was refused. Sorry I asked for a refund then, but I was not going to drink my wine in a nice restaurant from a paper cup! There is a difference between taking precautions against covid (which all the restraints I have visited lately are doing) and being paranoid. You were the later. Maybe following guidelines and doing contact tracing would be a better idea than paper wine cups? (I would also have tolerated a disposable plastic wine glass but a paper cup was completely ridiculous).

Written September 12, 2020

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

dec0rs

Edmonton97 contributions

Poor Food

Sep 2020 • none

The covid measures in place here are ridiculous. Drinks cannot be severed in glasses, plates are plastic, etc, many other dumb restrictions. Besides that the food is not good. Our fish and chips came with tiny bits of wilted lettuce in place of a salad. The service ( because of covid) is non existent. You must pick up your own drinks from the bar, clear your own “plastic” dishes, etc. No wonder they want you to pay the tip before you sit down, there is NO service. There are much better places to eat in Sooke.

Written September 9, 2020

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Michelle R

Edmonton28 contributions

Delicious ocean-side restaurant

Jul 2021 • family

We biked here for dinner on Sunday evening & it was well worth the ride. The vegetarian noodle dish was delicious - very generous with the tofu. The staff were all super-sweet & accommodating. One server told us the bread served with the noodles was her family’s bannock recipe. It was unique & really tasty!

Written July 27, 2021

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

GaryReg

Victoria510 contributions

Kayak Before Lunch

Jul 2021 • couples

Fabulous place. Patio right beside the water in a nice picturesque bay. You can rent kayaks here…We did. We had lunch, I had their special Pork “Philly Cheese steak”. I asked for no onions (normally w grilled onions) and got roasted red pepper under the blanket of 2 types of cheese, in a lovely baguette. We’d been on holidays for 3 days, eating and drinking too much and this sandwich still tasted wonderful. I didn’t like their Tap options but got an S.O.B. “Stiff Jab” in the tall 473 ml (16 oz. can), a nice flavourful ale at 5.3%. abv. My Sweetie had her favourite Yam fries with Fish. She said it was excellent!

Written July 20, 2021

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Gary B

Missoula159 contributions

Call Ahead for Hours of Operation

Jun 2019 • none

Once we finally found the place open, we thought the food was all right, though nothing to rave about. They offer sandwiches, burgers, wraps, soups and salads. The burgers were about average (size, taste, toppings, price). Stickleback has a great setting on the water. There is outdoor seating overlooking the Sooke Basin. Definitely call ahead for hours of operation. We stopped just after noon one day and they were not open.

Written January 20, 2020

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

johnyoung22222

Nanaimo230 contributions

Great location, friendly service, and delicious food!

Dec 2020 • none

We dined there on a Friday afternoon during the height of the COVID restrictions. Only a few other diners. The restaurant took great care to keep the place clean and safe for its customers. We were greeted warmly, seated promtly, and had great service. Two of us had the seafood chowder and my wife had the burger with fries. Our food was delicious, the waitress friendly and efficient. We will return!

Written December 6, 2020

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Moochie-La-La

Calgary702 contributions

Great outside deck

Jul 2021 • friends

We ate supper on the beautiful Stickleback deck and enjoyed the boats and water view. I recommend the mango chicken wrap or the burger. The staff members were friendly and the food tasty. Prices are average. Location is great, maybe 10 minutes east of downtown Sooke.

Written July 24, 2021

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Kiltie5

14 contributions

Wonderful surprise

Nov 2022 • none

We were here for lunch today. Right on the water with a lovely view of the bay. The menu was interesting, the staff friendly and attentive. I had the pulled pork burrito bowl, and my partner had a chicken noodle peanut dish , absolutely yummy generous portions. I do believe that kayak and SUP rentals are available too but i didn’t check into it. Looking forward to eating on their deck next summer

Written November 11, 2022

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Walt G

1 contribution

What a Great Eatery!

Sep 2021 • none

We went for lunch on Saturday after doing 9.5kms on The Galloping Goose. I had last been there in the 90s went it was a different restaurant so was looking forward to what it was like now. What a great experience. All the Covid protocols were in place and we were seated on the patio as it was a beautiful day. What a great location. Our host and servers were super friendly and the food was awesome! I had the burger and the others in the party had the flatbread pizza, the chicken wrap and the tofu noodle bowl. Great presentation and very tasty. Must come back again soon to try the rest of the menu. Incentive to do more hikes on that part of The Goose...lol.

Written September 26, 2021

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Peter F

Houston61 contributions

Fantastic fish and chips

Jun 2022 • friends

Fantastic fish and chips at lunch today. Cycled out from Victoria with a friend and we stopped at this waterfront restaurant to re-fuel. As a Brit, I am super critical of fish and chips outside the UK, but the Stickleback has nailed it. The fish was obviously put in a good hot fryer as the batter was crisp and brown, accompanied by hot fresh chips. Awesome job!

Written June 2, 2022

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

embisole

1 contribution

Could have been so much better

Aug 2022 • couples

This is a gorgeous location on the bay, with a beautiful patio. No one was able to sit outside, however, because we were told everyone was either seated outside or everyone was seated inside. The weather was fine, blue sky with puffy clouds. The restaurant was about half full and not understaffed. The noise level inside was high due to the sound system being cranked up- people around us were almost shouting to be heard. The food was good but our tuna Buddha bowls were an unusual mix of curry, feta, and soy sauce on the tuna.

Written August 10, 2022

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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