Shady Rest | Restaurant & Pub

Food was really great. I had the Ahi Tuna and it was delicious, loved the little salad on the side... it paired well. I also got the beef dip and that was top notch, too. I loved conversation with the regulars and felt very welcomed at the Shady Rest. Also, the view of the ocean where we spread Dad's ashes was super comforting as well. 5 stars all around Shady Guys!

My husband and I came here in June when staying at a local hotel on our road trip on Vancouver Island. The lady waiting on us was very nice. Service was timely. The food was fine. My husband had the Fisherman's Pie and I had the Striploin. There are windows all along the side, so we had a great view of the beach and the water. We had no complaints.

Absolutely one of the best meals I have ever had! The bison burger was divine from the first moment it touched my lips! The service was exceptional and the waitress was so cautious around the toddler we had with us! The view of the oceanview was gorgeous! We will come again'

Great menu. Everything was delicious. Lovely view. They even lend you binoculars when the whales go by.

Best restaurant on the island.

Delicious food (bison burger and the flatbread are our go-to dishes).

Really kind and engaging staff who seem to enjoy their work (I actually had a conversation with a waitress about how even though she was moving, she was planning on commuting, and I've met the owner as well, who is awesome).

The view is excellent.

I've had anniversary dinners here, celebration events, and family outings, so it's something of a chameleon restaurant that suits multiple needs.

Good pricing, also. The kid's meal even satisfied my kid's bottomless appetite.

Great food and staff were lovely! Even though they were very busy and probably short staffed, they didn't make you feel their pressures! They were friendly and smiled a lot. We were a large table and not one complaint from any of our meals! Beef dip was especially delicious! I would have taken photos but we were so hungry!
View was amazing too!

This place had gorgeous views and super friendly and attentive staff. We got lobster mac and cheese and BBQ chicken, all the food was beyond delicious, definitely a top ten on the island 👌🏽 they even had extra parking beside the restaurant which was nice as the road parking was pretty full.

There was easy access down to the beach and we had a stroll, the water was warm and beach has soft wonderful sand, it was a nice way to end the dinner.

We had the fish and chips and I had Calamari to start, all were delicious. Went for an early supper around 4, not many people there and was nice to see the ocean right outside the window. You can park at the restaurant or along the road with plenty of parking to find if you don’t mind a wee walk.
Service was friendly and attentive during that time and it wasn’t too noisy inside as there were only two other couples there.Portions were adequate but I could have done with more fries. All in all, I recommend checking it out as the food is tasty! And I can only imagine the view in the summer!

Very good value for the money paid, plus a FANTASTIC view of the ocean.

Friendly staff and a comfy "at home" vibe.

The food is comparable to a perfect home cooked meal away from home and is a nice change of pace from the other restaurants I ate at (not that they were bad! But it was just nice having some proper comfort food yk?)

p.s., the pizza is to die for, 10/10 would recommend

My favorite pub on the island. They have a restaurant side as well that's just as good. Also, it's the only pub I've found in central Vancouver Island that's right on the ocean (I've scoured Nanaimo, Parksville, and Quallicum).

Here's what makes Shady Rest my favorite pub:
-The view! The raised patios are right on the waterfront. Check out the photos I uploaded from my last time at Shady Rest enjoying the patio view at sunset!
-Friendly, laid back servers and bartenders. -Excellent food. Not just your standard "pub grub" - Try the cioppino; it's fresh local clams, mussels, prawns and fish in a tomato broth... Thank me later ;)

Attentive staff who accommodated my allergy, good food and a lovely view of local wildlife. 8/10

Beautiful view from a fantastic patio. It's our go to place on a sunny day motorcycle ride. The Oceanwise burger is the best, hubby loves the lobster mac and cheese and the great beers on tap. Brunch is fab as well. It gets busy, so we usually visit there about 4pm and then head north for our 1 hour and a bit ride along the ocean to home. Paradise!

Fantastic veggie burger and a pretty decent beef dip. The decor is dated but the view is great. Definitely a comfortable hangout for the locals. Decent drink menu and next time we plan to try one of the other burgers - the one at the table next to us looked incredible.

Went to The Shady Rest while visiting Qualicum Beach and had an enjoyable dinner and beers. The Jaegerschnitzel dish was excellent as were the beers.

Plus, the views of the water are amazing.

Far more interesting menu than most places in the area. Awesome view of the Georgia Strait and bright , cheerful atmosphere. The attached pub is an additional plus although I can't really give it a rating as we only visited the restaurant, and that at least is highly recommended.

My wife and I had a great experience stopping here for dinner. The food was amazing, the waitress was friendly and the patio experience was awesome. We look forward to stopping in again next time we visit the island.

The Shady has been around since 1924, we love all the old pictures of the area that adorn the walls, snip-its of history and an amazing story. We stop at the Shady at least a couple of times a month as you cannot beat the gorgeous ocean view. The service is always friendly and timely even when they are busy. We'll usually have appetizers (great calamari) and share a pizza or other menu selection while enjoying our drinks. Recently we tried the Tourtière and the Porchetta off the "features" sheet and it did not disappoint. The Tourtière pastry was flaky and light and the filling nicely spiced and delicious with a great chutney, we had salad on the side which was fresh and great dressing. The Porchetta was equally good, tender roasted pork nicely seasoned, not greasy at all very tasty with a side of veggies, great selection of craft beers and wonderful friendly service. The restaurant side is looking a little tired, the carpets could go all around and it's a long trip downstairs to the bathrooms, although there is a single washroom on the main floor. The pub, well it's got "neighbourhood" pub character I guess you could say, we like it, Friday night Trivia is fun it would be nice to see live music there again on occasion.

Here for the first time a week ago. Our friends had been before, though, and we all had a great time during music trivia night. Great food, service, and environment! Gorgeous view of the ocean from most of the tables, beautiful spot. Will definitely return

Excellent Food, Service and Atmosphere/ View. Best Clam Chowder I've ever tasted !!!

Almost every trip to Vancouver Island resulted in a trip to the Shady Rest. Could always rely on a good meal and good service.