Hank's A Restaurant
A compact downtown restaurant for a more deliberate dinner.
A counter, a couple of tables, and a menu that's never twice the same.
It started as Hank's Untraditional BBQ and still smokes meat like it has something to prove, but the room has grown into one of downtown's most quietly ambitious kitchens. Barely more than a dozen seats, a few of them at the counter where you can watch the whole thing happen, nineties hip hop turned up past polite, and a menu that changes with whatever the farmers and fishers brought in. It's for people who'd rather be surprised than handed a laminate. Come hungry, do not dress up.
The move
Order "Today's Best Things" and let the kitchen drive. The 40-day dry-aged ribeye with house fries is the headliner, but the off-menu pork, the house bacon, and whatever's been smoked that day are why the regulars keep their counter seats warm.
Go when
Wednesday through Saturday, 5 to 10, and the room is tiny, so book through Tock if you can or get there early. Go when you want dinner to be a small event. Skip it if you need a quiet table or a menu you can plan around.
“Mark's your man now, show him some love.”
Clark Deutscher, founding chef, handing Hank's to Mark Taggesell (Victoria Buzz)
Known for
Perfect for