Victor’s On Water

OK… I gave it another chance (after bumping into the manager at another establishment in town). It was a better vibe… the crazy waitress was not there, and we enjoyed our drinks there. We didn’t stay for dinner, and I am not sure I can get past the other experience, but it was a nice night, and we will go back and give them our money.
Now Victor’s needs to get past the bad juju they have created when they complained about the wonderful Excelsior farmer’s market. That, my friends, was not a good community play.

Absolutely delightful in every respect from the service to the unbelievably good food.

Cute location, spot on service and our meal was delicious. We made reservations on the same day for an impromptu date night. We each had a Caesar Salad and then shared the squid appetizer and bolognese. Each course was perfectly done. The Caesar and bolognese were authentic and fresh. The squid was a flavorful combination of sweet, spicy and a little char… in a good way. The service was very quick and responsive, but never felt rushed. We were very pleased.

I stopped into Victor’s for the first time last weekend and was pleasantly surprised. Both the food and service were outstanding. I’ve come to have rather low expectations for Italian food in MN (it’s usually soggy pasta covered with cheese) but Victor’s menu was an absolute delight. The pasta and meatballs were fresh and brightly flavored, reminding me of my favorite places in Brooklyn. The grilled octopus appetizer was my favorite (highly recommend). It was crisp but still creamy and tasted as fresh as if we were in Boston’s North End. The squash puttanesca was fresh and light, perfect with a glass of white on the patio. The crisp and airy pizza passed this New Yorker’s test, but they could simplify the toppings a bit (don’t need to reinvent the wheel if the ingredients are this good). The bartender informed me that they recently hired a new head chef (from Blue Point) who is bringing in some really creative ideas and great dishes. After tasting several wines, I went with their wine on tap, which was delicious and a great price. The atmosphere is sophisticated and airy without being stuffy. I loved eating at the bar, it’s large enough to not feel crowded but lets you chat with the friendly bartender and other guests. I should note that their online menu doesn’t seem to reflect their recent changes or current menu offerings, so they should change that. Overall, I’m definitely going back the next time I’m in MN.

Dont.
Pork shoulder was so dry that after two bites I left the remaining portion on the plate. This is a first for me, as I tend to love all food. Also, at 29 $ this is a major disappointment and certainly speaks to more endemic issues with this restaurant.
This was my second disappointing trip to the restaurant. I live in the area, so I really wanted to like this place but I can confidently say that I will not be coming back.

Loved this place. Had a great date night here with my wife. The scallops and rissoto were wonderful, and the service was fantastic. My wife really enjoyed the brussel spouts and chocolate cake for desert. Atmosphere is nice with downtown Excelsior to explore afterwards.

We’ve been to Victor’s on Water twice now. Both times the food was top notch as was the service. They have awesome bathrooms too :) I never thought I would even try chicken liver pâté much less like it, but I did. Very tasty and smooth. The pizzas we had on our first visit were equally tasty– the Keith Richards was my favorite. The pasta dishes we had on the return visit were perfectly prepared. Straightforward yet interesting dishes at the same time. I live Italian restaurants! Can’t wait to go back and try the rest of the desserts offered. We had the chocolate cake and the Gelato so far which were soooo good. The restaurant décor is tasteful with a good vibe throughout. Two thumbs up!

Went for dinner with three friends on Saturday night. The dining room is gorgeous, the staff is helpful and friendly and the food is to die for!
They have some wonderfully creative pastas on their menu. Our table had the Saffron Lumache with crab, a Truffled Gnocchi with duck, a Pacheri Bolognese and a Spaghetti with spicy meatballs. There was also small plates, some interesting pizzas and a nice looking selection of larger plates that our group never got around to, but we will be back!
I highly recommend this little gem in excelsior to everybody! Do yourself a favor and check it out!

Terrible service. I am out at least 4 nights a week and I have never been treated as rudely as I was at Victors. The service was incredibly slow and rude. The manager is apparently under a lot of pressure, and he snapped. It was a surreal experience. I’m never going back.

New Years Eve 2015 … Service good. Food was tasteless, tough and very small portions. We expected, with the limited menu, that we were in for a real great evening. Very, very disappointing.

Victors is a great addition to Excelsior. We have been many times. Their staff is very attentive and friendly. The food is excellent. Our favorites are the short rib and the pasta bolegnese. The pizzas are delicious too! My only complaint about the menu is that I wish they had a better variety of appetizers. The restaurant itself is very nice. Definitely an upscale vibe which the town needed. The tables are a little too close together which can make things a little awkward at times. Overall it’s a great place to dine though. Hoping to get there for dinner over the next few weeks!

Dinner at Victor’s was a bit disappointing. Ordered drinks for 4 at the bar prior to an 8 pm reservation. One drink completely wrong but went with it. 2 old fashioned’s (my favorite cocktail) not drinkable and decided to politely ask for different drinks or a remake. Bartender said «sorry babe, those are old fashioned’s, made em myself». Bartender did finally make right on cocktails after a bit, but not willingly. Got seated an hour after reservation time with complimentary apps. on them which was very kind. First two choices for dinner already gone for the evening. Had really great service but dinner was very underwhelming. I will go back because i grew up n the restaurant business and i know it is not easy to make it perfect, but that bartender really set me off or i would never have been bothered by taking the time to write this. Just goes to show how important it is to have the right people taking care of your customers. I’m actually a total push over and hate to complain but felt compelled.

We were very pleased with Victor’s On Water. Our server was top notch, knowledgable and attentive without being pushy. The food was very good. I completely agree with Jada M’s review.
White linen table cloths and black napkins. When my wife is wearing a dark skirt, she has to ask for a black napkin. Not here. I think that says a lot about their attention to detail.
This is a sophisticated restaurant. If you like chain restaurants in shopping malls, Victor’s is probably not for you.

The atmosphere in this restaurant is very lively and sophisticated. I loved how bright the space was, the open kitchen concept and the exposed brick! I was immediately impressed with the vibe and décor (it’s actually what drew us in, as we were originally planning on going to Yumi’s).
However, the food did not even come close to meeting this first impression. We started off with the radishes, which were recommended by our server. We thought these were so salty and basically inedible. The Saffron Fazzoletti, which is a pasta dish with king crab, was lacking in flavors and the crab was chewy. For the price, it was a major letdown and it’s a pretty small portion. Our favorite food item was the Donnay Farms Chèvre cheese, which was soft but did have a stronger taste. It was decent cheese.
Drinks were good! The Chupacabra is a delicious spicy tequila drink. It does have quite the kick, which was much appreciated by myself. I also enjoyed the Pinot Grigio wine on tap!
Atmosphere and drinks were great (even worthy of 5 stars), but food (which is the main thing I look for in a good restaurant) was extremely disappointing.

Ok, went to dinner and sat outside at a table for two. Ordered a few drinks and enjoyed the outdoor weather. We ordered the baked brie, which was really good but the portion was pretty weak. For entrée I had the steak and my wife had the king crab pasta. The pasta was a win but the steak had to go back as it was just not good at all. I have never returned a steak anywhere but this one had a paprika oil which was just fowl. avoid at all costs. waitress was fine with striking item but a major bummer for a 42 dollar steak. Not sure we will return. owner/​manager was nice but settled for popcorn @ movies across the street.

Tasteful menu, great wine list, and sophisticated urban vibe in the heart of old Excelsior make this a destination from anywhere in the metro. Western suburbanites can enjoy an excellent dining experience without the hike to downtown Minneapolis. And a cool bar to meet your friends for drinks before a memorable meal.

Average, ate at Victor’s last night. A very average italian restaurant that I will not rush back to. The pasta was pretty bland but I am comparing it to my favorite italian Rinata in uptown minneapolis which is fantastic. A little too formal for me inside.

I have been here twice, once for happy hour and once for dinner. Here is my take.
I love the wine on tap. The happy hour pizzas are fantastic and well work stopping in for a quick bite with friends. Dinner was another story all together.
We sat down with another couple and the waitress comes up and ask for our drink order. The two guys had glasses of wine and the ladies ordered water. The waitress made the comment «well, looks like the guys are the only fun ones tonight.» It kinda set the mood with a little childish peer pressure to push alcohol on the table. I ordered the scallops and the wife had a pasta which I can’t recall and she didn’t want to. The pasta was soaked in oil and didn’t have a good mouth feel. It just felt like a mess in a bowl. The scallops on the other hand were really good.
The atmosphere isn’t the most welcoming vibe giving off in the place. It felt kinda cliché with the snooty hostess, surly cook staff and «rocking» bartender. The food is hit or miss depending on the rotating menu. You won’t be wowed here but you won’t be disapointed either.

Horrible. We went there for my son’s 21^st birthday and it was one disappointment after another. The food was less than mediocre and so was the service that night. I asked for bread 3 times and it never came, so I told the waiter that he never brought the bread, and he had the audacity to ask if I wanted some after our dinner (and desert) dishes were cleared. The spaghetti was nothing more than a small bowl of buttered noodles with chopped basil on top for 18 dollars. The shrimp and grits was the worst I had ever had. They should actually google a grits recipe as what they served me was small squares of cardboard with tomato paste with grilled shrimp. Never again.

The highlight of the evening was the chocolate dessert which was absolutely delicious and generous enough for two to share. I’d go back for dessert but that’s about it.
The caesar romaine salad sounded wonderful but was terribly disappointing. It was mostly an uninspired hunk of romaine that was a head of lettuce sliced in half. The dressing was almost non-​existent and tasteless so asking for more was not going to improve the situation. One of us had the ½ chicken which was tasty but small and certainly not worth $ 28. The salmon was very good but again — considering the portion size and ingredients, was pricey for what you got at $ 30. Not enough to bring us back

Fathers Day Brunch was very disappointing. Our server complained upon greeting us that she was the only server. Returned to repeat same comment. Slow to even get water. As we awaited our coffee we heard something break and a loud s***.Do you know what you want was our wait staff way of taking order. When asked if any special Fathers Day items, she said «No one tells me anything». I had received a notice that of Steak and eggs and unlimited bloody Mary’s $ 20. She came back to us and said yes to that. We ordered and had broken eggs with almost raw steak and very fatty. She then came at end of meal and said twice she would return w/​coffee. Finally did and filled cup ½! And when bill came the Steak and eggs $ 20 and Bloody Mary $ 9. When I questioned this I was rudely told it was my mistake. Poor service, underwhelmed by food. Will not recommend or return!

Love the décor, nice upscale dinner place. If your looking to impress a date it just might do the trick, not much room for intimacy though and the food… well I’m sorry to say overpriced and honestly not that special. I wish I could say it was worth every $. But, it’s truly not. Tip: Don’t ask for the house wine. If you order a pizza or a mediocre pasta dish maybe $$. I’d say a good entrée expect to pay $$$.

The food here is great and tasty but the staff is not so great. They hardly make an effort to give any attention to the customer. During a slower time of the day (brunch on a Saturday), the beverages were forgotten and we would have to flag someone down to get anything done. Though the food is good, customer service is what will make me not come back.

Make sure to reconcile your credit card to your statement. I’ve given Victor’s the benefit of the doubt 4 times in the last 2 months and have spent about $ 1000 on the 4 visits. None of the experiences have left me wanting more personally. Food is reasonable and some servers are hit and miss but my last experience and final experience with Victor’s was today. It started earlier this week when I was reconciling my credit card statement and I noticed the charge from one of the last times I was in was off, not a big deal only $ 6.00 more than what I showed, but I had already left the bartender a $ 20 tip on $ 116 bill so I called the restaurant because I remembered the bartender from that night and he seemed a bit smarmy so my suspicion was more that this overcharge was intentional, looking at my copy of the receipt it showed a $ 20 tip and was subtotaled correctly. When I spoke to Matt, who I’ve talked to once before after witnessing the horrendous antics the valets put on, blocking street parking spots, ignoring guests to service ones they know better, opening the door for the driver but not the passenger, I let him know I thought it should be dealt with, his excuse, which he always seems to have one was they are subcontracted. In regards to my overcharge, I called in on Tuesday, I discussed the overcharge and asked Matt to pull the restaurant copy which surprisingly showed the same info I had, $ 20 tip, $ 136 subtotal, he claimed my 0 on the 20 was not complete but my total was accurate. I explained to Matt that it was not about the $ 6.00 but rather the feeling I had about the bartender and that I feel it was intentional, who’s going to pick up on a $ 6.00 overcharge on a $ 136 bill, me since it was a business expense and I reconcile my accounts, do that to 100 checks and that’s an extra $ 600, probably would not take very long. I asked Matt to text me a copy of the restaurant receipt, I never received it, so I called today and asked to speak to him, hostess asked my name which I gave, she came back on the line and said he was on the other line, I said I could wait, she said she would take my name and number, I did not trust I’d get a callback and said I could just hold, she then hung up on me. So as much as I have hoped for more good dining options in the western suburbs, Victor’s will not be one for me.
My recommendation, check your restaurant charges to your copy of the receipt.

I’m surprised by some of the poor reviews! I went to dinner with my husband and another couple on sat evening. The restaurant is beautiful! Very modern with some original elements of the building incorporated. We were greeted immediately and seated. The drink menu is fantastic with new twists on old cocktails. I had the French 75 which was excellent!
Our server was attentive and informative, we were also checked in by management several times. Our plates were cleared immediately when finished can’t say enough about the amazing service!
The menu was a good size a nice amount of options without being over whelming. The duck pâté was excellent, as was the spaghetti, short ribs and coconut crème pie dessert. A few of the other items we had were very good but those were the highlights.
I am so glad to have this as an addition to excelsior! Fabulous restaurant!

I thought the menu had a lot of variety. I had the spaghetti and it was phenomenal. My friends had pizza and the Gemelli. Our server, Ana, was very knowledgeable and willing to help give us some suggestions. The atmosphere was romantic, slightly overcrowded, but with the flavor of elegance. I am looking forward to returning.

I was under-​impressed by Victor’s. It was a Friday night (Valentines Day weekend) and two of the favorite dishes were sold out (gnocchi and pappardelle). Given the occasion (Valentines Day), I had high expectations.
I ended up ordering a pizza, which was good but nothing spectacular. I also ordered the broccoli/​sausage side, which I would expect to be salty but not THAT salty. Also too much butter which made the dish very heavy. My boyfriend seemed to like the short ribs, though.
I’m all about good service but our server really hovered over our table (the table next to us seemed to agree and they had a different server). Not to mention the tables are very close to each other which I don’t like, especially for the price tag!