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Baru Latino
Category: Restaurants Latin American Latin American [Edit]
2535 Alma StVancouver, BC V6R 2C1
Neighbourhood: Point Grey
(604) 222-9171
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 5 pm - 1 am
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Garage, Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
27 reviews for Baru Latino
Review Highlights
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"Shrimp and halibut, with fresh lemon juice, avocado..." In 3 reviews -
"If you're a first timer, the Ceviche Trio is a great way to..." In 11 reviews -
"For the main course, I had duck and it was very nice." In 8 reviews
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27 reviews in English
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Review from Gosia Z.
Vancouver, BC
Updated - 4/24/2012
I'd like to give these folks a "Follow-up Props"...
Essentially after being pretty horrified by my first review, one of the owners tracked me down, and treated me to a complimentary night at Baru. We sat at the bar and I was introduced to the friendly bartender who kept the wine flowing all evening :) I opted for the food to be chosen for me, and everything that came out was fresh and flavourful.
I was even provided with a big spoonful of (very fresh) guacamole... ;)1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/12/2012
I was drawn in to visit this place because I am a huge ceviche fan - and they offer 3 kinds!
Since… Read more »
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Review from Kenneth E.
Vancouver, BC
4/20/2012 2 Check-ins Here
Impressive, guess it's been awhile since i threw out a -star here, perhaps being my 1st time here.
everything that went into my mouth was a different explosion of greatness, not just goodness. Primarily a tapas so sharing is fantastic for those who are generous and caring like me lol.
Recommended in this order:
Lamb chops, halibut, soup w/ chicken, chorizo sausage w/ some good kick, and chiptotle chips that came w/ 3 dipping sauces, nicely-done, home-made. Pretty well every dish came w/ some sort of salsa, and again, you know it didn't come out of a jar at Superstore.
Had heard about previous complaints re customer service, but our server was terrific, great in splitting up bills--it can be more work for them.
Modern decor, awesome ambience. for this area, it's nice not to have to go to DT to get this type of quality.
no doubt a happening place, and an impressive place to take your date.
Will run here soon ;) -
Review from Lisa S.
Vancouver, BC
4/17/2012
Over the years, I've been to Baru countless times. In general, I've liked the food and the atmosphere, and the service is usually decent. I often order the halibut, which is nicely done, not overcooked as can often happen. The food -- starters as well as mains -- is generally quite flavourful, and the drinks are decent. On top of it all, often the restaurant is very quiet, with few tables full (granted, we tended to go on weeknights back when we lived nearby).
The last time we were there, though, has put me off a bit. We had a 6:00 reservation before an 8:00 concert out at the Chan Centre. When we showed up, they were quite full, for once -- which is great for them. However, it didn't seem so great for us when they seemed uncertain whether they had a table at all for us, despite the reservation. After seating us, they had to move us to another table, where we then finally got to order drinks, but waited quite a long time for them, and had to wait even longer to get the waitress back to order.
Once the order was in, it took nearly an hour before we got our food -- and this was with increasingly desperate pleas to the waitress, as the concert drew nearer. She kept telling us that they were "just plating it now." 10 minutes later, they were still plating it; 5 minutes after that, still plating it. Bottom line: she delivered our full cheque before she ever delivered our food (!) and got snotty with me when I said I didn't want to pay until I had actually been given a meal to eat. Our food finally came at 7:40, and we had to bolt it to get out the door -- seriously shovelling it in as quickly as we could. That part was probably the least enjoyable restaurant experience I've had in many years; I suppose the fish was decent, but didn't have time to taste it. You'd think maybe they'd have given us a drink for free, since we'd waited so long, but no such luck.
Go on weeknights, when the kitchen and the staff are able to handle your order in a reasonable fashion, and enjoy the food. -
Review from Ying Ying L.
Vancouver, BC
5/19/2012
First time and I wasn't sure what to expect as this was during Dine Out. The food was pretty good and the atmosphere was nice. Service was a little slow but that could be due to Dine Out. Overall, good experience and I would go back again.
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Review from Kristoffer Vik H.
Vancouver, BC
5/15/2012
Try the Ceviche trio! Amazing together with the plantain chips. Also loved the scallops and the baru fish taco.
The atmosphere in this restaurant is amazing, perfect for a date! This place is a favorite of mine in Vancouver. Best Latin food in Vancouver for sure!
If any drawbacks with this place it is that the portions could be bigger. -
Review from Dan M.
Vancouver, BC
5/13/2012
Been there once...fabulous place in sleepy Dunbar/WPG...ceviche trio and paella a must try...service was superb. Wine list a disappointment
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Review from Michael N.
Vancouver, BC
2/3/2012
Always love coming here. Some great south american food and the vibe is just great. Great for a first date. Intimate and unimposing with just the right level of 'cool'... great cocktails too (though I wished their caiparinha was slightly sweeter)
Love. It. -
Review from Andrea P.
1/22/2012
Love love loved this place! After living in California I've come to notice the dearth of decent Latin cuisine options in Vancouver. Baru certainly surpasses "decent" and makes it into the "fantastic" category.
Started off the evening with a mojito, which was very good. Tried their dine out menu which featured the ceviche that all the Yelpers rave about (for good reason), Paella which was choked with chorizo and seafood and had a lovely fiery kick, and Orange Flan which was a nice light way to end the meal.
Ambience is quite cute with lanterns and a very cozy atmosphere. This is a fantastic restaurant to take a date! Can't wait to go back! -
Review from Annie W.
11/24/2011
I walked in a skeptic of all food labeled "fusion", and came out a believer. While I remain unconvinced of Asian-fusion, Baru Latino has shown me the light and made me a born-again Latin-Fusion devotee. Amen!
As soon as you sit down, order some Latin Chips - they come with 3 different salsas and are a great nibble as you wait for the rest of your order and have that first glass of wine. My favorite starter is the Beef Carpaccio w/ Chimichurri sauce - it's beyond delicious and I hate sharing it. If you're a first timer, the Ceviche Trio is a great way to try them all out and pick a favorite. For mains, the Paella Baru, Guava Glazed Pork, and Chepen Duck never disappoint.
Inconsistent service is the star-docking fault here. I've had nights (usually when seated at the bar) where the service has been fan-fricken-tastic. Then I've had nights where I had to wonder if our server had died in the back between our appies and main course.
However, all is forgiven over an extra spicy Baru Caesar and a shot of good tequila. Latin-Fusion is definitely back in my good books, with full credit going to Baru. -
Review from Jenn W.
Vancouver, BC
7/14/2011
Went to Baru with a a group of friends off a recommendation. As soon as we walked in we were greeted by the staff and smiles. We ordered 3 of their famous Mojitos (recommended by our server), 2 of us had their fresh Raspberry Mojitos, yum!, and 1 lime margarita on the rox. Best part aside from the taste, is their cocktails are always doubles.
We started off with their 2 tiraditos, one beef with a chimichurri sauce, and the other was the octopus. Both served with flatbread and both amazing. We then had their Ceviche trio which had a Baru: shrimp and halibut, a Ecudorian Red: shrimp and octopus, and mexican: albacore tuna. All really good, my preference was the Mexican. Lastly for our shared appetizers we had the Arepa which is sausage and corn patties with some salad on the bottom topped with guacamole and a plantain chip.
Moving onto dinner: 2 bottles of Luigi Malbec (which was a nice bold red) reasonably priced. We had the Paella which was most of our favourite, the guava glazed pork (never had better pork) and the duck.
Everything was amazing, we shared one Morocho (soft chocolate cake) and called it a night. Aside from the food, the atmosphere was epic! Staff was friendly and down to earth, music was great, and everyone around us seemed to be having a good time.
I've been back and definitely recommend this little place! -
Review from Vincci L.
I've only had Latin cuisine once before and loved it. Always wanting to try out Baru, when I found out that they were offering the Dine Out menu, it was the perfect chance to sample their food.
Inside, a small restaurant with a large lantern type as their center piece. Modern white chairs, and a cozy atmosphere.
Started off the night with some freshly squeezed blood orange mojitos. A unique twist on the classic.
As for our meal, I started off with their signature Baru Ceviche. Shrimp and halibut, with fresh lemon juice, avocado, tomatoes, onions and cilantro.....this was delicious. Everything was fresh, and a great tangy flavour to start off my palette.
Had the Cartagena Crusted Halibut next, a plantain crusted Halibut with grilled asparagus and roasted tomatoes, served on rice and finished with a tamarind rum soy glaze. Crispy yam pieces were sprinkled on top, which added a nice texture to the fish. Halibut was cooked just right, and the tamarind rum soy glaze was quite amazing. Liked the dish a lot except it was just warm; I would have preferred it if it was hotter.
Of course, we ended off the night with a Latin flan- orange blossom flavour with caramel. This was topped with berries. A very delicious dessert. The flan texture was very creamy, and perfectly sweet.
Service was great during our meal, water glasses always filled, we were attended to, and overall no rushing us during our meal.
I know I'll be back again, Baru. -
Review from Sheryl D.
1/9/2011
Foodies and sensible people generally go for Latin American cuisine to partake of ceviche. I've heard about the legendary ceviches at this place, more notably the Honduran Coconut Ceviche and the Baru Ceviche, so I hyped up this place to my better half and successfully convinced him to go with me. Usually, it takes about a week of negotiations to go for a dinner out but I must have been really hangry because he said yes the same night (it's not a typo, I sometimes have blackout hunger rage). We got dressed in our Sunday best, headed out and conveniently found free parking underground when we got there.
In my excitement, I completely forgot that this husband of mine does not eat anything from the sea. You think you remember everything about somebody after 7 years... the biggest irony of all is, he is a seafood expert, working as a seafood manager at a grocery chain (the biggest cosmic screw up ever). So I grudgingly agreed to the Plantanitos, an order of the Chepen duck (the one with the passionfruit sauce everybody's talking about) and the Steak Chimichurri for him. I would have ordered drinks but found it to be too pricey for a "school night". My thought bubble upon opening the wine list was "what year are we in and why does a mojito cost this much?" I'm from the suburbs you see. Note to self: get out more.
Anyway the food was fresh with flavours nicely complimenting each other. I was in love with the passionfruit sauce and the chimichurri butter. Our server was friendly and charming, quite a down to earth fellow actually.
I'm coming back for sure for that ceviche, this time with seafood-eating friends and perhaps a glass of that mojito everyone's been talking about.Listed in: Be Discreet!
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Review from Doug G.
11/16/2010 1 Check-in Here
All busses lead to Baru . . .
Well, not all, but many of them stop right outside the door. Convenient to get to, Baru Latino was a real treat.
We came here to celebrate a friend's birthday. Classy decor is the first thing I noticed. Comfortable, intimate. Great date place.
Favorite Tapas of the evening for me was definitely the shortrib - closely followed by the scallops.
Unique mix of latin American flavours and dishes. I'll be back. -
Review from Nikki N.
Vancouver, BC
2/11/2012
I liked the atmosphere of this place, a little crowded and small but intimate. The ceviche was goooood! I went with some friends for dine out , I enjoyed my choices for food. My friends said their paella was kinda citrusy.. Id be willing to go back and try some other things on the menu. If I could I'd give it a 3.5!
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Review from Namit M.
3/8/2011 1 Check-in Here
Not sure why we crossed the Burrard Bridge to get to this one.
The room was neat and cozy and everything was looking very promising.
Our first sign of trouble was when the waitress approached our table - in a very robotic way she wanted to know if we knew what we wanted. We had yet to put down our coats!
The service was consistent in that it remained sketchy all evening.
The food was so so - the Empinadas were decent but the Ceviche was so ordinary.
The steak was OK but the Paella was cold and flavourless. All in all it was a disappointing meal. Given its location not sure we will be heading back any time soon.
Not once were we asked if everything tasted good. What gives? -
Review from annik l.
Vancouver, BC
12/20/2010 1 Check-in Here
We came here for a staff party and loved it so much we wanted to write a review. We sampled everything on the menu and this is what we heart most. The halibut, the plantain w guacamole n cheese, the empenadas, and most of all, for dessert we had the caramel wafer n the moracho mixed together = yummy.
The staff were all super amazing and helpful. :) -
Review from Ernesto G.
6/12/2010
Haven't been here in a while, but wanted to bring my fiance somewhere new and different. The good news is that the ambiance of this restaurant is still super cool. The good news is that the food is still very good.
The prawns were yummy, and the calamari was tasty, and the shortrib was the best thing we tasted that night.
Can't wait to come again. -
Review from Pete S.
5/6/2010 ROTD 7/10/2010
We tried Baru for Dine-Out Vancouver this week. What a great meal! We arrived early and got a seat at the bar to have a cocktail. Three of us ordered mojito's and our other friend got a caipirinha. $9 for a drink is pretty pricy but they were phenominal, easily the best mojito i've had in vancouver so far.
We ordered ceviche and lamb chops to start, halibut and short ribs as our mains and the flan for desert. The food was fantastic. What I particularly liked about Baru's food was the contrast in texture that they present on the plate.
The service was friendly, efficent and courteous, especially as we lingered for a while after our meal to chat. When we asked for the bill it was there in 30 seconds. -
Review from Littlefish B.
Vancouver, BC
Updated - 10/7/2009
I would permanently blush if I were to admit how many times I have been here. Every last person I have taken has raved.
I usually order for the table, and my standard order includes:
The Viognier
Baru Ceviche
Beef Tiradito
Duck
The lava cake is admirably executed.
I should abstain until I own shares. But I'm willing to share, so go ahead & indulge.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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4/29/2009
Wow! What a treat! OK, so it's not a Jean-George but isn't meant to be, and it was a fabulous meal… Read more »
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Review from Jennifer F.
Vancouver, BC
10/4/2010
Outstanding in every way! I have been dining at Baru for 5 years now and it only gets better every time. Since the new owners have taken over the place has improved ten fold. Thank you so much for always treating me so great every time I come in!
I highly recommend the Fish Tacos, Beef Carpaccio, and the Empanadas.
If you're thirsty be sure to get a mojito - Fabulous!!!! -
Review from Chloë E.
Vancouver, BC
10/30/2008 1 photo
Hidden in a block with a B-line stop, a video rental store, and an insurance office, baru latino serves a fantastic South-American menu. It's perfect for any one with a taste for travel.
Inside, the dinner-only restaurant frequently hosts live musicians in the cozy and comfortable space. The menu is for the adventurous--just try to find a dish you've already tasted.
While my boyfriend still talks about the perfection of baru's coconut seared tuna, for me the delicious fried wedges of yucca brought back memories of the Bolivian jungle. Expect inventive cocktails and great service.
The only downside was the hair/fur-covered chairs: the white fibers made a mess of my black pants. -
Review from Nicole K.
11/24/2008 1 photo
Yummy. We ended up at Baru Latino by chance after getting off the B-Line and seeing it, but it was definitely an excellent spur-of-the-moment decision.
The menu offers a selection of Spanish and Latin American dishes with a good wine list, although we ended up with a jug of the white sangria which ended up being quite nice.
The atmosphere is nice with good music and lighting. Although they do have a flat screen tv, which I imagine makes it much less of an intimate and social venue when a canucks game is on.
Two people shared the Hondurian Coconut Ceviche, Platanitos and Chepen Duck which were all spectacular and heavenly and I imagine all their other dishes are as well.
Although I didn't think I'd go for desert, I ended up splitting the guava quesadilla as the description made me too curious. It was definitely worth ordering. If you don't think a quesadilla sounds good for desert, head to baru latino and your mind will be changed. -
Review from Zeta M.
Vancouver, BC
6/11/2011
At first I wasn't sure about the location... it is at a bus stop after all but as soon as I walked in the door I could not believe I had not taken the time to come to this restaurant before. The decor was comfortable and inviting and the service was down to earth and fun.
The drink list enticed me with mojito's and caiparina's...don't know if I spelt that right. Anyway I had both and can't decide which one I will choose next visit.
I had the beef Tiradito with Chimichurri sauce and my boyfriend and I just about went to heaven. We also shared the mussels and they were rich and creamy with little bites of chorizo in between the shellfish. The mussels were very fresh and were served with home made flat bread and it was perfect for scooping up all the yummy sauce.
I had the duck and my boyfriend had the steak. Both dishes were bight and full of flavour. The presentation wowed us and we are really looking forward to our next visit.
I highly recommend this restaurant. -
Review from Kriz L.
Vancouver, BC
6/1/2011
I came here with a group of girlfriends for a Dine Out meal on a Friday night. When I tried to make reservations, they were extremely booked up, so we couldn't get in until 9pm. Not a big deal, we made the plan to meet there and once we arrived, someone took our drink order and then left.
The drinks eventually arrived, and from that moment on the experience went downhill. I don't know if they need to rework their dine out menu, but it was absolutely sub-par. The fish in particular was almost inedible. I ordered a second drink, and after twenty minutes someone arrived with the wrong drink. Rather than leaving it on the table and going to get what I actually ordered, the guy took it back to the bar and took another twenty minutes to get the correct drink.
I will not be returning, for Dine Out or for any other occasion, for that matter. -
Review from Adam K.
Vancouver, BC
4/18/2009
this place really is fantastic although the quality has gone down somewhat.
I came here for the first time over a year ago and the food was fantastic, probably 5 stars. I had the duck and tried some of the steak and the tuna of the people eating around me and it was fantastic, all of it was tender and a lot of the latin food was really new to me but extremely tasty. Their coconut ceviches are all fantastic and even the deep fried root veg chips are a nice touch.
The second time, I had the lamb which was kind of on the tough side. It was served over a bed of vegetables which were nice. The slight disappointment in the main was more than compensated for by the ceviches (shrimp and halibut i think it was), fried shrimp and mussels.
Overall, a fantastic place. Its easily a five if they can prove that they are consistently good. The service was very professional throughout and the atmosphere was dark, but intimate with good music. -
Review from Dennis B.
2/17/2010
My niece lives around the corner and one of her school chums from Colombia told her about this place. We went on a Monday night after a day in Vancouver taking part in Olympic activities with a group of 6. Very relaxed atmosphere. Small, only a few tables and a good size bar. The menu has a large selection of interesting appetizers. Some of our group only ordered appetizers and salads and nobody left hungry. Salad...do order one. They were very tasty. The ceviche looked good. I can't describe all of the appetizers we had, but most were dishes that I hadn't heard of. Try to order a variety.
For the main course, I had duck and it was very nice. This had cilantro rice and a passion fruit sauce. The steak was I giant meal. Great presentation. The side was a potato, beet and jalapeno loaf. The pork chop looked the dullest. We heard the halibut was very good as well.
My wife had flan for desert, but the rest of us just looked on.
The wine list is supposed to be quite good. I didn't even look. We ordered a carafe of their red and were satisfied with that.
A little out of the way for most visitors, but a real gem once inside. -
Review from Jordan M.
Waterloo, ON
7/19/2010
Place is incredible! I eat here every time I come to Vancouver.
The decor and atmosphere is spot on the, staff is great, and the food is unlike anything in the city. Fresh and delicious latin-style. First time I ate there I had never tried anything like it, and instantly fell in love. I've since brought droves of my friends from Vancouver and from out of town, and it has always been met with incredible reviews.
Be sure to try the pesto-beef carpacio, and baru ceviche. YUM.
