- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Coffee & Tea |
- All
Cactus Club Cafe
Categories: Restaurants Canadian (New) Restaurants Burgers Canadian (New), Burgers [Edit]
588 Burrard StVancouver, BC V7X 1M9
Neighbourhood: Downtown
(604) 682-0933
- Hours:
Mon-Thu, Sun 11 am - 12 am
Fri-Sat 11 am - 1 am
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Drive-Thru:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Very Loud
- Ambience:
- Trendy
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
77 reviews for Cactus Club Cafe
Review Highlights
"...friend had the butternut squash ravioli trio with prawns."
(in 5 reviews)
"The BBQ Duck Clubhouse is another excellent RF menu item."
(in 6 reviews)
"The tuna tataki was amazing."
(in 4 reviews)
Loading...
77 reviews in English
-
Review from Edward L.
Normally I'm not a fan of Cactus Club in general because of their extremely pricey dishes. However, I must say that I do take some of those words back.
Parking is available if you feel like getting ripped off in the underground lot, or on the streets.
There is a patio outside, that the owners (wisely) insulated with sheets of clear vinyl. Now you won't get soaked if it pours. Whoever designed the outdoor glass roof dropped the ball.
The inside is trendy as expected, with lots of wood, metal, and glass. There is an upper area with a few tables as well. The tables and booths aren't too large though, so if your group is larger than 6-7, you'll have to split up into 2 or more tables.
If you plan on eating lunch here on a weekday, prepare to come here early. This place is a total war zone, as everyone and his dog wants to do their business lunch here. Okay, there's also a Joey across the street.
The staff are professional, but are missing a little *something* in finesse. I couldn't put my finger on it. But it's not to say their service was bad in any way. Not at all. They were very helpful.
There are different beers on special on some days:
Monday - Udder Ale
Tuesday - Ugly Ale
Wednesday - Longboard Lager
Saturday - Cactus Blond Ale
As today was Wednesday, I had the Longboard. It tasted almost like a pilsner in terms of the corn taste. Just a heads up.
I had the short rib sandwich. This was a bit pricey ($16 sandwich *sigh*) and a bit small, but very tasty. I was expecting some solid pieces of meat, but it was actually pulled pork. The sandwich was served au jus. Oh yes. The fries were decent but nothing special.
This can be a place to impress someone, but the pricing is pretty steep. Some of my colleagues spent over $30 for lunch here after 2 drinks. Yikes. -
Review from Gary M.
1/29/2012
Where to take out of town visitors from Tokyo who are here for less than 24 hours???
Note the visitors are clients who just flew in from Chicago via Seattle and are male, really male...
lol If you have read my reviews of CC you know my feelings are mixed at best. But I decided to try the flagship location.
A few of the things I noticed upon my arrival: friendly vibe, flashy room, action filled dynamic, smiles and frivolity. My guests had already been seated and the server seemed to know they were waiting for me and ushered me to the table.
After some heartfelt greetings we got down to business. One of my guests had already been to CC b4 so he and I created an impromptu tapas dining experience. Udder Ales all around, korean lettuce wraps, mini burger and yam fries, beef carpaccio and calamari were on the menu. All came hot, fresh and crisp.
"Mr president" the cool 60 something leader of the group nodded in approval after the first sips and bites and said "Taylor (my nickname from my days living in Tokyo) Jyozu da na" / "Oishi" / and looking at the girls (servers and patrons) "bijin".
translation. "good job (on choosing this place) / this food and beer is amazing / the girls in Vancouver are very cute. He went on to tell me how much more he enjoyed his experience at CC over any of the restaurants he went to in the states.
We had great servers who really took the time to make the guests feel welcome in Vancouver. It was really a great break before shopping for maple syrup and ice wine lol. -
Review from Ryan E.
1/26/2012
Very good spot... Have "The Burger". One word: Wow.
Not for the faint of heart, thick, juicy, FULL of mushrooms, and oh? made my an award winning chef (Iron Chef).
Very good. -
Review from Femiluv B.
Victoria, BC
2/12/2012
Had dinner there last night, and I loved everything about it. Great service, great food, great atmosphere. Make sure to try the chocolate lava ice cream cake, you'll be glad!
-
Review from J N.
Vancouver, BC
1/25/2012 1 Check-in Here
I am not a big fan of chains when going to a restaurant in a pair or small group, unless I am just not in the mood for decision-making.
BUT hear me out on this remarkable observation...
On a Saturday night, they took resos and catered to my rowdy GROUP. No complaints. Awesome service.
It was the first time I had tried short ribs here, and they were really great.
Also, had the pork lettuce wraps. Pretty good. The tortellini was rich but amazing.
Next time, I'll have the infamous burgers. Basically, you couldn't go wrong with a single dish here.
And for dessert:
The molten lava cake was nothing special, but still yummy enough to overindulge. The Key Lime Pie was not tart enough and had too much whip, but I had to cut them some slack; I've just returned from the Keys after all.
Everyone was happy.
The place was packed and probably the lowest part of the meal was that the brs. were not very clean. Note: be careful with those sticky br locks if you're a girl. Yep, I walked in on someone. But I didn't look, I swear!
So overall, 4.5. They are a Cactus Club, but after this event and after they catered to everyone without a single complaint, this restaurant is now the Queen of the Cacti, in my books. Apparently, I'm not the only one to feel this way, since the place was packed, indoor and out, just as it always is. Too bad about the automatic 18% surcharge; I did top it up to 20%, but next time, if they are taking the trouble to add 18% to the bill, then 18% is what I'll leave. -
Review from Hootie J.
Vancouver, BC
12/23/2011 1 Check-in Here
Another Vancouver "premium casual" diner. I remember when they were "far side" fun, now they are hoity toity.. except for the service, the same young "bouncy" scantilly clad waitresses.
Highlight.. Rob Feannie has brought "the Burger" out (it used to be $20 at "Feenies" but here it, As much as I don't like the Noisy atmosphere I would go back for the burger -
Review from Allen C.
Cactus Club Cafe downtown is a lot different than other Cactus Club restaurants. Here, they serve up all the finest dishes available where other Cactus Clubs do not offer.
I had one such meal that is available downtown and that was the BBQ duck confit sandwich. I am in love with this sandwich and I swear the only sandwich I want to eat at a restaurant is this one.
Such a succulent flavor of bbq duck, with pan seared chicken and crisp prosciutto on pecan fruit bread makes my mouth water even writing this. A little on the pricier side starting at 17$, but it was well worth it.
Come here during non-lunch hours because it can get a little crazy considering that it's in the financial district of downtown Vancouver. -
Review from Sara-Peri K.
Vancouver, BC
12/11/2011
I have never been a huge fan of this place, I am not anti chain though since I like earls and milestones.
A girlfriend of mine always suggests this place for dinner and its honestly not terrible food or anything its just not my type of menu.
If I want a salad or chicken tacos I want them to be a more healthy option, not full of cheese, candied nuts or slathered in oil. And subsequently if I want to be very bad and order ribs and fries or a burger and chicken fingers I want that with all the trimmings not butternut squash ravioli. For me its a little in between trying to seem healthy and trendy and exciting your taste buds but does neither to a reasonable measure. I am sure I will come here again because of my friend which I dont mind but its just not a favorite.
My main recent gripe was that we went in on a monday night in the summer and it was dead as a door knob but we waited almost an hour for two chicken fajitas. The hostess walked around a lot and could see the food had not arrived and we were seated right by her post anyways so I would think she might realize that and see whats taking the food or something but she never went to the kitchen from what I remember. No mention of the wait which was weird because they always have fast service. Earls on the other hand has forgotten or delayed my food twice but both times comped it and they were crazy busy these two times since it was the playoffs. If the food I mentioned sounds appealing try it, everyone has different tastes and the food isnt poor qaulity it just doesn't excite me and I get very passionate about food. I am sure the delay was a rare thing since the staff has always been professional other times. -
Review from Hanna S.
11/18/2011
Nice location and ambiance. The staff was very friendly. Our food took longer to come out and the manager came over and apologized and sent dessert over to our table which was quite amazing.
The celery soup was not that impressive. The flat bread and tuna Tataki was amazing as well as the salads, we got three different kinds, the ceasar and spinach, however the Bandara salad was the winner!!!
Will definitely go again!! Wish they had these restaurants in CA. -
Review from Daniel B.
Coquitlam, BC
1/2/2012 1 Check-in Here
Good food. I had chicken fajitas, which were very tasty and filling. The bathrooms are incredible.
-
Review from James I.
Abbotsford, BC
Arrived around 430 pm and the 2 female greeters did not acknowledge us. After a few seconds they noticed us and without any greeting one had us follow her to a booth. If you like being near the bar, kitchen & server station then the booth would be perfect for you.
Server arrived and dispassionately asked how our Christmas was. I'm not sure she let us answer before starting the balance of her script.
I'll skip over bringing the wrong drink episode. I ordered Chef Rob's Pineapple Braised Boneless Short Ribs. On the plus side the meal was hot. A tad too salty for my taste buds. Good size piece of meat that fell apart with very little effort. Wouldn't have it again. Eating partner had Rob's Hunter Chicken and would recommend it. Skipped dessert as nothing interested me.
Washrooms are clean & modern. They're on the 2nd floor but there is an elevator if you need it.
All in all I'd give it one more try. -
Review from Kevir K.
North Vancouver, BC
8/31/2011
I came here with a coworker recently as the proximity to the office was ideal. I arrived early as I usually see massive lunch line ups here and I was able to quickly secure a booth in the lounge shortly before the rush started.
The service started quick and attentive. Our spicy chicken appetizer was tasty and easy to share. I ordered the fajitas and relented to the guacamole up-sell. The fillings are rather generous, though I would have preferred having more cheese. I ran out of tortillas and didn't ask for more as I expected to be raked over the coals monetarily for an already pricey endeavour. Taste-wise, the fajitas aren't all that great and adding guacamole, salsa, and sour cream into one makes for a rather mushy texture; since it's a meal with some assembly required, I'd probably enjoy home made ones far more.
Post-meal service was abhorrent. We had taken our time and the hit 'n' run lunch crowd had already left, but the server didn't overly care to deal with us. It took way too long for me to get a couple more drinks and then the bill. Thankfully, she was quick with the change once I was at that stage.
My biggest issue, however, was the last drink I had. I ordered a rye and Coke. While I received a rye and Coke, I saw on my bill (as I was extracting the change from the envelope), that I was charged for a Crown Royal and Coke rather than the implied bar brand I had ordered. I will most certainly be keeping an eye out for any further impropriety on the bill should I ever come back here. -
Review from Emily-Anne P.
Vancouver, BC
7/16/2011 1 Check-in Here
I almost did't check in, I didn't really intend on writing a review of Cactus Club, I hardly ever go here, I find the whole concept of these fusion/american restaurants to be obnoxious, over priced and generally unpleasant, but I did, and I'm glad so I can write this review.
We were a table of four, while it was clear by the amount of stuff we had and the four place settings, our server clearly couldn't tell us four, mid twenties women apart because she kept getting confused until we were all sitting at the table ready to order.
Most people at the table ordered something really simple, like chicken strips and fries with a bellini. I thought I'd go all out and order half a salad and a side of yam fries.
I knew the minute the words "half a salad" were out of my mouth I wasn't going to get what I ordered.
Well sure enough, the rest of the entries arrive and there's nothing for me. Fine. So I order again to the server who brought our food (not our actual server). Nothing. ..... then the fries arrive.
By this time our server has come back to around about four times and each time has avoided eye contact with our table.
Then, just as everyone else is finishing, and I'm no longer hungry, the manager arrives with a full of the salad I ordered. He apologized profusely but by that point I was totally disinterested in the experience.
All in all I was offended by the sheer ridiculousness of our server. Surprise! Nothing new here.
Don't go to this Cactus Club if you want a good dining experience. It's over priced, slow and generally really unpleasant. -
Review from Anna L.
9/18/2011 2 photos
After a late night of exploring downtown Vancouver, we walked into this lovely place and only a block from the Fairmont where we were staying! We stepped into the cafe and were able to choose between lounge or booth seating, and I loved the ambiance. It had been our third night in the city, and we weren't about to break the number of straight days that I've gone out to have drinks. ;D
We'd already had dinner, so it was more of a late night snack for us. We only ordered drinks and an appetizer. Both of us had ordered the Bellini which tasted like Trolli Gummy Peach Rings and absolutely LOVED it. It was the perfect girly drink, and I could barely taste the alcohol which is always a plus. The appetizer was "Rob's Goat Cheese Flatbread" It was a flat bread w/ vinaigrette, goat cheese, greens, and caramelized onions. I absolutely loved it and I personally think the caramelized onions are what made it such an awesome dish. -
Review from Katy B.
7/12/2011
This place reminds me of Earls. I was less than impressed with the food. The atmosphere was pretty cool and would probably be better as a happy hour / drinks only kind of trip. My boyfriend and I stopped here for lunch as soon as we arrive in Vancouver. It was walking distance from the hotel and we were starving.
Good spot to catch a game, the bar had several large TVs.
The BF got the burger and fries, ate most of it, acceptable. I ordered one of the "features" of the day, the pulled pork lettuce wraps. They were a good idea in concept, but the presentation was a little awkward with the pile of shredded pork in the middle of the platter. I hate a few of the wraps.
We got to talking to this awkward (possibly drunk?) patron at the bar and he insisted on ordering us a plate of the seared ahi tuna...despite our argument that my boyfriend rarely eats fish, let alone raw fish. I however, eagerly partook, and instantly regretted not ordering it for my entree. According to the creeper, the tuna is the best thing in the house, and I would have to agree.
Thank you creeper. -
Review from K T.
Vancouver, BC
9/8/2011 2 photos
Went here for lunch with a friend. We shared the Rocket Salad and the Korean Pulled Pork Lettuce Wrap. The Staff split our salad for us making it easier to share. The salad was amazing. Especially the chicken. Moist on the inside and crispy on the outside with a lemon citrus dressing that complemented it perfectly.
The wraps were equally as good and a perfect sharing dish. Lots of goodies to build your wrap with. The pork was very tender. Bold flavored ingredients individually but all work beautifully together.
Very impressed and will be back to have this again. -
Review from Dan C.
8/19/2011
I spent a few days in Canada unplugged from phone/internet/Yelp, so I only had tourist magazines and concierges to guide my eating. I read that Cactus Club had been voted BC's best casual chain since 2008, so I figured it was worth trying. It was.
Restaurant was packed for lunch on a Monday; wait staff was consistently young, female, skinny and attractive; and food was great. I had the raincoast greens salad at our server's suggestion. Portion was huge and had a generous amount of chicken and avocado. The two people with me had the salmon sandwich and the burger; both enjoyed. Price point is a little higher than I expected based on the written descriptions but completely worth it.
Would definitely come back here next time I am in BC. -
Review from R c c g.
7/31/2011
While in Vancouver for 10 days we tried this place and must say the place is hip, fun, and the food was tasty in deed! The chef Rob Feenie, who just happens to be Canada's only Iron Chef, creates menus that are committed to innovation and bold flavor combinations.
FOOD- We went there twice and loved the food. It was fresh and we had everything seafood!! One thing about Vancouver all most all the restaurants we went too, the seafood was good to excellent! With Cactus Club having the freshest Salmon and tastiest. All I can say about this place everything was fresh and delicious with the correct amount of sauce and dressing with ever dish we had.*****
Service- Now our server we started with was great and friendly and really gave us some great suggestions about the place and the food she likes to eat here. Did a great job in making sure our drinks kept coming and was vary social with her guest! We found that most restaurants in Vancouver was friendly, no really high noises but we found out most Canadians to be very polite to saying hi to you as you walk by them. Back to service, on our second visit the server was a little off, for service was fine, but we had to beg to get more drinks. So ****
Ambiance- The place looks fabulous and the bathroom was so nice I would have put my office there, it did not even look like a washroom, they don't say restroom in Canada, that makes since some how! Music was a little to loud even it does say Club, no one dancing at this place, they did have a DJ on the second floor, but no room to dance. So, if you say CLUB we think somewhere in this place you can dance if you want TOO!****
All we have to say this is one place you want to eat if you are in DT Vancouver and it is a chain of restaurants, but to us it was the best in DTV.
Note: If you go to Vancouver just eat seafood, its the best in the world and we been all over the world for eats. Seattle, Paris, Sisely you just got knocked down to 2,3, and 4th. -
Review from Yelper M.
Vancouver, BC
7/23/2011
I'll start by saying I generally enjoy Cactus Club restaurants. And this location is really nice. It's classy looking with high ceilings. And there's a lot of black and chrome/steel, which is a look I love.
But I think the service is rather lacking at this location. My servers on two different visits both seemed a little distracted and not too interested in serving us. Also, there was a sort of manager-type guy who had a bit of a stuck-up air to him (case in point: I put my credit card on the table when I was sitting in the lounge in a rather low table/seat. He came up to the table, didn't look at or say anything to me and processed the bill while absentmindedly looking away. I felt awkward)
Also, the place is SO loud! I was there on a week-day for lunch at 1:30 p.m., and it was SO loud. I think it has something to do with the high ceilings and the way it echoes and carries sound. But it was too loud; I couldn't hear my friend talk.
It is still one of the best Cactus locations in terms of ambiance, TVs, bar, and food, though! Just service brings it down, at least, for me. -
Review from Lisa R.
Burnaby, BC
8/10/2011
I have a child and a stroller and the booth in the far back is perfect! There is a lot of extra room to store the stroller near the table so it's easy to see and reach but not in the way. The booth fit 3 adults and a child comfortably and the other end of the table is perfect to put 2 children in high chairs.
The only negatives is that there were only 2 high chairs in the whole place (and that day there were 4 children in the restaurant!!!) And also the bathrooms are upstairs, and there are a lot of stairs and they are steep. Trucking the baby upstairs to change him was a feat. Nice bathrooms though! -
Review from Jennifer M.
6/29/2011
My favorite dining experiences tend to happen when I least expect them. Stuffy restaurants with fancy reputations are great, but when you're not really excited about a restaurant and it turns out better than you expected than it becomes a great find!
Rob Feenie, who just happens to be Canada's only Iron Chef, creates menus that are committed to innovation and bold flavor combinations. Every flavor is in balance and each item we tried was terrific. So terrific, that we stopped at the Robson location on our way to the airport on our last day. As expected this location was right on point and the food was just as good as the Bentall 5 location.
First things first, we perused the drink menu and it did not disappoint. The menu offers multiple "featured" drinks, and they'll also make your usual. I had the Bellini, a worthy variation of the classic distinguished by a blend of Peach schnapps, champagne, white rum & sangria. My other half went with his signature drink a lemon drop martini. Simple and straightforward, as ordered.
On our server's suggestion, I ordered the Pesto Chicken Quesadilla to start. Pesto and sun-dried cranberries sounded like a hit or a miss. Once it arrived I was hooked, the mysterious honey lime concoction on the side brought the dish together and it was amazing. We also tried the wonton soup which was a nice compliment to the rainy weather outside and the mini burgers, both were a great addition to the meal. For the entrée we entertained a few options thanks to the availability of dishes composed in various sizes, the sampling and sharing of bold flavors in judicious amounts is the way to go, from yam fries with garlic aioli to pineapple ginger short ribs. We went for the Butternut Squash Ravioli and Prawn Trio Every element of this understated dish was meticulously cooked and precisely textured. -
Review from Nicole S.
10/10/2011 8 photos
We dined at the Cactus Club Cafe twice in the four days that we spent in Vancouver, it was that good! Yes, it's expensive and trendy but the staff was really, really friendly and the food was out of this world, insanely delicious! We had the flatbread appetizer which was just perfect and I had the Rocket Salad for my entree and was just giddy with the presentation, the taste, the freshness of the tomatoes, YUM! And then to top everything off, we had the most personable, friendly, waiter, he just blew us away with his high level of energy and attentiveness! I saved the receipt so I would remember his name - Maxe! I would definitely recommend this restaurant to anyone visiting Vancouver!
-
Review from Alex S.
11/29/2010
After a ridiculous cold night of walking around the city we stopped by Cactus Club Cafe to catch the Vancouver Canucks v Coyotes games before heading to the hotel. Walking in, its hard not to get overwhelmed by the amount of television glory on the walls, i stopped counting at 15 TVs showing hockey games. Back in the States, I'd be lucky to find one restaurant showing a hockey game on their smallest screen. Here hockey is king and i loved it.
We ordered drinks, they were stiff and did the job of warming us up for the short walk back to the hotel. The place is slick, warm and has that upscale feeling without the attitude. Everybody is fairly chillax, most people flying like a G6, i liked the vibe of the place. -
Review from Richard M.
3/22/2011
After the Clapton concert it was pretty cold, so we decided to duck into a place for a drink and a bite to eat. The Cactus Club looked good and it was hopping. So we sat down and ordered a drink and a few appetizers. The first few appetizers that came out were the calamari, yam fries, Korean kimchee lettuce wrap, spicy string beans. All tasted pretty good but we didn't try and entrees.
It was already late but the bar was really busy when the waitress comes over at around 11:45pm on a Friday and tells us it's last call, strange but were in Canada. So we finish the appetizers and decide to call it a night.
I'd definitely try the Cactus Club again for lunch or dinner.
. -
Review from Rick C.
11/26/2010 5 photos
Angela and I headed out for a classy lunch. We went to Cactus Club Cafe's flagship location downtown at Bentall.
The spot is a relatively isolated location considering its prime locale. I like the open feeling with big, bright windows and spacious areas all around.
I had a refreshing Ugly Ale which is a hefeweizen beer. It was quite tasty.
I ordered the BBQ Duck Clubhouse sandwich which I thought was very delicious. The sandwich has the titular barbeque duck, chicken breast, fancy, thin back bacon, all on fruit bread. It was damn good, but hard to eat as I got sauce all over my hands and somehow the bottom bread slice got eaten much faster than the top piece. Those toothpicks they use to hold the sandwiches together never work.
Angela had a hankering for the Jack Daniels' ribs. She made me eat a third of it and they were soft and good off the bone. The ribs were saucy and tasty. Too bad the mash potatoes were a little plain and unspectacular.
I thought it was a pretty good lunch meal in a somewhat upper class restaurant at their signature location. -
Review from Lucy M.
North Vancouver, BC
11/26/2010
I came here the other day for lunch.
We arrived just before 12 noon because waiting in a line up wasn't an option. I sit down and our server walks up just as my friends go to the bathroom... then things got a little weird. I understand the phycology of turning me into a 5 minute friend to get a bigger tip - but this was like an awkward game of 20 questions that lasted 4 minutes.
Friends return... we order... food was good - I had some sort of duck sandwich. But even friends recognized the server's strange advances...
The good thing about Cactus is you always know what your going to get, and it's decent. The reason for the 3 stars is that the whole experience isn't worth the price tag for a lunch time treat. -
Review from April N.
8/18/2010
If I was a guy (or a lesbian) and rating this place solely on the servers, it would receive ten stars. Maybe eleven. The waitresses. Were. GORGEOUS.
I was here for drinks only one Thursday night for a couple hours, so here is my limited first impression:
1. Cocktails and food are outrageously overpriced. As my hotel A/V guy said, "Welcome to the British Columbia."
2. Did I mention the girls were soooo adorable? Well that is until you ask them for something. These are the breed of beautiful women who get what they want, when they want, by doing absolutely nothing. Maybe they have to smile, a little bit. A fake smile.
3. My first martini was terrible. I have not determined exactly why I am occasionally served a disgusting dirty martini, and I am NOT the type of person to send a drink, or anything for that matter, back, but this was a ten dollar martini. MAKE IT RIGHT. She was not happy although I apologized for being a pain and tried to explain; snottily nodded and said "What do you want?" Bitch. Whatever. Second go-round, much better.
4. There was a stunning (of course) Asian girl upstairs DJing some seriously badass music. She had a knack for gaging the mood of the bar area and adjusting the tempo and songs accordingly - the music could not have been better.
Great atmosphere; I definitely recommend and would go again, preferably on someone else's tab and with a martini-sized chip on my shoulder. -
Review from Yunn A.
11/18/2010
This is the THIRD Cactus Club Cafe review for me this week...my co-workers really like it here or something.
Food was standard Cactus Club fare: Raincoast Salad. Service was okay, nothing spectacular. The server kept interupting while we were in conversation rather than waiting for a pause or anything (we can see you there, just let us finish our sentence!). So just a little polish there could possibly bring the whole experience closer to a four star.
We were seated in the booths upstairs at lunch hour as the restaurant was packed, which is fine, but what irked me was that the bathroom upstairs smelled HEAVILY of mildew; a sign of improper cleaning, and the floor was soaking wet in the stall I tried to use. Ew. I'm going to chalk this one up this one time to heavy rain, heavy traffic, and that it's not NORMALLY like this. I hope.
Otherwise, the rest of the lunch was fine and I'd consider coming to this location again. I like that the patio is heated and covered so it extends extra seating and if you just FEEL like being outside, you can, even if it's pouring rain. -
Review from Jason C.
Vancouver, BC
8/17/2011
Beautiful looking place. I've been here a couple of times, once for lunch and another for after-work drinks. Service was great and ambiance was fantastic! Perfect for get-togethers!
-
Review from yekta a.
12/20/2010
Absolutely!!!!!!
Came in today and had the most enjoyable lunch! From the moment we were greeted until the time our waitress came over and we left, we were very happy with the service and food!
Our waitress was Lauren C. and she was SO sweet and so attentive to us! She got to know what we liked and didn't and the moment my cousin said she doesn't eat gluten, she offered us a gluten-free menu and whenever she came around to our table (which was every 30 seconds---great service isn't it when your waitress checks on you often to see how your doing?!) she would bring hot water for our teas!
I had the chicken nuggets and although they are fried it was yummy! My cousin ordered the gluten-free chicken taco salad and she loved it! It was very flavorful and big--enough for one person!
The atmosphere is friendly, the staff is very nice and the food was delicious---a must try! -
Review from Allison F.
12/7/2010
I'm typically not a raging fan of Cactus Clubs, mainly because I haven't found my consistently delicious dish to order, staffing is iffy, and I'm not particularly impressed by RF. But, I do highly enjoy this location for its amazing patio. Covered, heated, spaced out, and a welcome escape from the noisy inside seating.
Came here after the Santa Claus parade on Sunday. Expected it to be overflowing with people, but one side of the patio was empty and it was available for us to avoid the 30 minute wait for something inside. Blankets are provided if you get chilly, but the heater does a fabulous job to keep you warm in December weather.
As per my Dad's suggestion, I had 'The Burger', ordered minus bacon. I was warned by him that it's super messy, but worth the extra napkins. The wait wasn't too long, but when our burgers were brought out, both were packed with bacon. Waitress lose. No apology was offered and the server explained that maybe she grabbed the wrong burger. 10 minutes and a dining companion that had finished a considerable portion of his meal later, mine arrived. I have to say that it is quite delicious, though a little drippy. The relish is sweet and tangy and I would highly recommend cutting this beast in half so it's a little more manageable. $14 wasn't too bad considering all of the toppings that are provided and that you're eating at this style of restaurant.
The washrooms are definitely something to check out before you leave. Hidden upstairs and at the far end, you will find stalls with individual televisions mounted in the doors. There's nothing I like more than watching 'Ace of Cakes'... If you're on a dull date or need a little conversation break, take a trip up here! Just watch the stairs as they go up the centre of the restaurant for all to see.
This location always seems to be busy but if you're able to, try sitting out on the patio for a slightly more relaxing atmosphere. -
Review from C A.
Vancouver, BC
5/31/2011
The type of place you go to when convenience is the most important decision factor. Decor is great, the food is below average for Vancouver, drinks not bad, service...not so great. Often given attitude by the servers, which makes no sense given that you are supposed to tip them!
-
Review from Nicholas K.
4/29/2011 1 Check-in Here
Delicious meal, soured by subpar service & strong-armed manager...
Extensive menu f/ some very creative entries. Prices seem a tad high, but Food quality & rich flavors make it worth the investment. Our waitress was sweet, and engaging initially, but seemed strangely distracted after getting our first drinks.
She then started forgetting simple requests like refilling water & an extra napkin. After finishing both drinks & dessert, she vanished. We waited about 20 mins for our check & another server brought it out. We asked if our waitress was okay, or had left & were told she was on break. The kind server covering her tables said our satisfaction was paramount & offered to resolve issue w/ a simple comp. We ordered several drinks & I asked that one be removed from the bill, she agreed & sent manager over... This is when our experience went straight downhill. He tried to offer us free App cards (most apps run $11-15) until I informed him that we were not local & could not use it. I countered by asking for a single drink ($6) or dessert ($7) to be comped & he copped a major tough guy attitude. I informed him matter-of-factly that our table was Directly behind hostess stand & not in some back corner, where it could have been easily ignored. I also stated that at any time during the 20 minute wait, we could have walked out & left him w/ an $80 loss, instead of the $7 comp I was requesting. That is when he said quote, "that's a crime in Canada..." a thinly veiled shot at Americans & totally inappropriate. Finally the frustrated backup server returned w/ an adjusted bill & apologized profusely, but the damage was already done.
Still, as a classy American, well aware that dining & dashing is immoral, let alone
Illegal, in ANY country, I took the high road & left an 18% tip b/c one manager's ignorance should not ruin the hard work of all parties involved w/ what had been an enjoyable meal.
I feel sorry for any server stuck in that situation & by the time we left, my aggravation from the long wait, had been completely diminished by the manager's lack of customer service skills. -
Review from Jeffrey S.
4/24/2010
The is the first CCC I'd been to, and the only one I care to actually. I mean, think if you'd dated Angelina Joie, then some other actress asked you out on a date. Would it really be worth deflating Angie baby's ego in order to pursue one of her hot stage sisters? Yeah, I thought not. Such is the case with this particular CCC.
Food is good, drinks are good. Hostesses are absolutely stunning. Are you reading this blond petit Megan? Yeah, places like this make every man's dream come true.
Being served food and beverages by unrealistically, genetically perfected hostesses from the planet Yum. -Delicious on all fronts.
Barbarella eat your heart out. -
Review from Mercedes G.
Vancouver, BC
11/24/2008
Okay Cactus Club lovers, I am about to pull a major hate on for this ubiquitous, overzealous, sickeningly trendy establishment and I don't care to hear any retorts.
This has nothing to do with the menu here, the cuisine, while being slightly boring, is generally quite tasty and reliable. The drinks have booze in them and that's all I generally need to know because that is why most people patronize this joint. What could I possibly have to complain about then? The staff! Wait, to be fair, the attitude of SOME of the staff! We were treated with utter disdain by the very people who are PAID to act friendly. I have been a hostess in a chain restaurant before and the only thing you have to do is keep track of a seating chart (not rocket science people) look pretty, and smile. Oh and y'know, pay attention to people who are coming into the restaurant. Between three hostesses, my girl friend and I were ignored by all of them.
We left after one drink, some typical appetizers and a hefty bill and decided to go to the Reef on Main where the staff were overwhelmingly friendly and the drinks didn't break the bank. I wouldn't bother going back into this Cactus Club for fear of losing my grip and ripping out some useless hack's hair extensions and feeding them to her. Do. YOUR. JOB! -
Review from Jen H.
Came w/ 2 coworkers @ peak lunch time, so we could only get seats at the (already very crowded) bar, and oh my, what fabulous luck! A hot guy w/ a laptop generously scooted over so the 3 of us could fit in. "Canadians sure are nice!," I thought to myself. (More on that in a sec...) Looked underneath the bar for purse hooks, regretfully, there were none, so my Gucci finds a home on the bar floor. Sigh. Loved everything on the menu, riddled with comfort food. Ended up choosing the bandara salad (check out my pic), which was so fresh, unique and tasty. Goat cheese, spiced chicken & dates = a 3-way I'd do anytime!
We scratched our heads about the menu saying Rob Feenie was "Canada's only Iron Chef" and scooted-over-for-us-laptop-hottie w/ bum knee sitting next to me overheard us, explaining that the chef there actually won on the Iron Chef show! Anyway, turns out laptop hottie was the GM of the place. Oh my, wanna have, uh, a bandara salad together or what?! BTW, he promised that the next time I came in, they'd have purse hooks installed at the bar. Heart you. -
Review from Joe B.
9/1/2008
Models totally work here. Not models in the "I'm a freakin' model" Yelp America Princess kind of way, but actual models. Every one of them. I felt like I was in a Robert Palmer video and they were simply irresistible. (can it be permissible? oh yeah.) Very upscale feel amid a SF-Financial-District sort of atmosphere, and a sunny Labor Day in Vancouver made this a perfect day to sit out and relax with a late lunch.
I had been craving portobello mushrooms all weekend, since as a veggie they're one of the 2nd tier protein groups, and I'm no scrawny vegetarian. Got 'em here in the portobello mushroom fajita. Ask for the guac on the side, you won't be sorry. Wonderful meal there.
The Granville Island Brewery house staple was the special today, so I ended up having two at a quite reasonable $3.50 a pop. Kept the bill down just a bit.
The bathrooms are . . . interesting. Men get to watch a tiny flat screen TV while they, umm, marinate the cakes, and the stalls have an interesting rotating cover on the seat that women apparently know how to use, but men don't. JP first notified me of this, and I went back between rounds to verify it. And some men apprently do NOT know how to push the little red button next to the seat. Please . . . don't ask me how I know.
Final note - the receipt says 855 Burrard but the website has 588 Burrard and the exact photo of the building it sits in. Please update the receipt!Listed in: Vancouver for Yankees, or…
-
Review from Jessica P.
9/1/2008
After a day in Gastown, we stopped for a lunch at the Cactus Club. Now, I know several of these chains abound, but the one we went to, we really lucked out.
Not only had the sun come out after weeks of rain we hear, but we managed to get outdoor seating, drink specials, and a damn tasty lunch.
It's moderately priced, and the blackberry cohiba I had was delicious. Ok, the several I had were great. Our server was attentive and friendly and even told us we "blended". If that's not a compliment to a stranger in a strange land, I don't know what is.
I had the halibut fish tacos. Perfect amount, just filling enough. The salsa and guac was spicy but not too harsh. It was a great way to spend the afternoon.
That, and the bathrooms upstairs are worth the hike. Where else can you get an exotic foot flush and tv while you sit on the crapper? Not many places, that I can tell you. And if you don't know what I'm talking about, go visit the place yourself.Listed in: If Vancouver can, so can vu!
-
Review from Andrea H.
6/13/2009
Martini lunch? Yes please! Apparently I wasn't the only one. This place is huge, modern and packed. We managed to just beat the rush, though, so we scored a table outside to enjoy the beautiful weather. Since they were having a martini special, I just couldn't resist. I've always wanted to be a lady who lunches.
It was a tough choice, but I decided to go with the duck club. I was skeptical at first because I was picturing a heaping mound of duck, chicken and prosciutto atop the dried fruit bread. Dried fruit bread? I'm kinda weird about mixing the salty and sweet, but our server assured me that it wasn't anything like the fruitcakes you see being passed around at Christmas.
I made a trip to the ladies' before my food came and was amazed at how nice it was. I especially loved watching some guy flip some fish on the Food Network while I was in there. Also loved that they had those awesome automated toilet seat covers (love those!).
My sandwich came and it was nothing like what I was envisioning. It was reasonable sized and crazy delicious. Just the right amount and combination of meats, and the dried fruit bread was actually a very nice compliment to the saltiness of the duck.
I like how this place offers a very good selection of wines by the glass. I also like that they will turn any wine they have into a wine by the glass if you buy at least two glasses. That's amazing! I had to treat myself to a glass of Caymus Conundrum to top off the meal. I would have had another martini, but it would've been nighty night time for me so wine it was.
This place is great, almost makes you forget you have to go back to work. I think it may be time for another martini lunch soon. Can't wait!Listed in: Surprises!, Escape from the Boat!
-
Review from Maha E.
11/9/2009
It is with great regret that I give but one gold star; ladies and gents, allow me to enlighten you with our first and last experience at the Bentall Centre's abode...
Seating: outside, which was fine because if we vouched for indoor seating we wouldn't be able to get a table for another half-an-hour. Blankets were complimentary and heating lamps were blaring. Thank you.
First wait: for our server to approach the table. About 10 minutes.
Second wait: for our server to serve us drinks. About 30 minutes. Apparently, they ran out of glasses- at this point, I'm still pretty understanding.
Third wait: for our dinner to be served. Another 20 minutes.
Fourth wait: my friend's caesar looked and tasted horrible. We alerted the server and she made amends by bringing him another. 5 more minutes.
Fifth wait: for our bill. Absolutely ridiculous! After many-an-attempt to wave down FIVE servers, I firmly rapped on the window and was able to get the attention of a manager. After calmly and politely telling him that we had been waiting for our bill for a half-an-hour, he promptly asked our server to print out the bill- sans apology.
Total dining time: 2 hours and 30 minutes.
Still waiting for: my dinner that I asked to be packed to-go. 3 days and counting. ...any minute now. *looks at watch*
How late we were for our movie because of said horrible service:10 minutes. No movie for us.
Did I mention: that the table next to us were seated, dined, and paid for before we had even gotten our meal? *raises eyebrow*
Recommended: that you find another Cactus Club establishment. I'm a fan of this brand chain and I have several friends who work for their organization, but the service that we experienced was absolutely terrible. JUST TERRIBLE! Urgh, never again.
Score: I won't say anything- I'll just purse my lips, and shake my head back and forth.
