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Calabash Bistro
Category: Restaurants Caribbean Caribbean [Edit]
428 Carrall StreetVancouver, BC V6B 2J7
Neighbourhood: Downtown Eastside
(604) 568-5882
- Hours:
Mon-Thu, Sun 5 pm - 1 am
Fri-Sat 5 pm - 2 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:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
Malloreigh M. said: "The Reef! This place is cute and funky. The drinks are relatively cheap and the menu is promising for a little ol' vegan (or vegetarian) - many options, with V options clearly pointed out on the menu. It's Caribbean-style food, which…" read more »
54 reviews for Calabash Bistro
Review Highlights
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"...we had some 'dark and stormy' cocktails which involved rum..." In 6 reviews -
"Definitely try the Ginger Beer and the jerk chicken." In 7 reviews -
"My dad reports that the goat curry was excellent as well." In 5 reviews
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54 reviews in English
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Review from Vici W.
Burnaby, BC
5/20/2012
We had a staff party there so it was pretty busy. The food was good. Or at least the chicken skewer I managed to get my hands on. I don't know if it was our sponsor that didn't order very much food or if it was the resturant deciding we had had enough but the catering was pretty lacking on the quantity not the quality.
The staff was very friendly and nice. I really thought the upstairs bartender was awesome, there was one guy downstairs that was a little cranky but oh well.
The decor is really cool as well. Very abstract and interesting. they even have art for sale on the walls!
Definately recommend it but if you do go make sure you're in a group or at least with a strong man because its in a pretty sketchy area of town and even junkie in the world will harrass you for change and cigarettes while you are in the neighborhood. -
Review from David B.
Burnaby, BC
4/23/2012
I had the fried jerk chicken and I wasn't very impressed. I should have got the regular jerk chicken.
My wife had oxtail stew which was pretty good.
I'll come back and try something else. -
Review from Deniz T.
4/9/2012
Good music, good service, good food in a Carribean theme. Jerk poutine was mind boggling, so was jerk chicken. I stalked the server and the chef for the recipe, no luck, so far.
Sipping on Cohiba Rakstone makes you feel like a king, best rum I have ever had.
Awesome job guys! -
Review from Dayna S.
Vancouver, BC
1/3/2012
I was not here for dinner - but instead a live music night. What a great place!
The crowd was not expected and pretty diverse. So many places end up so homogenous in Vancouver. The musicians were top-notch. It made for a brilliant Thursday night out with many hours of dancing and community that can be hard to find.
Cannot wait to head back for more. -
Review from Bronwen M.
Kensington-Cedar Cottage, Vancouver, BC
2/1/2012
I love this restaurant. If I have guests from out of town and I want to impress them, this is where we go.
The vegetarian options are many and delicious -- just make sure to specify that you are vegetarian if that's a concern. I've had one incident there of not realising that a sauce had chicken in it until well into the meal, though I think they've clarified on the menu since then. I strongly recommend the mango salad.
If you like rum, they've got a great rum list. If you like cocktails, they do those well too. I'm not usually all that fond of cocktails, but their version of a Dark & Stormy is incredibly complex and marvellous.
Check out their specials, too -- they've always got a few, and I've yet to be disappointed. -
Review from Nicole F.
11/23/2011 1 Check-in Here
Jessica O introduced our group to the Calabash Bistro last night, and it was a delight!
We were seated downstairs in a quieter area. I ordered the Ten Toe Turbo which was deliciously lemony and frothy because of the egg whites. So perfect!
To go with it I got the jerk poutine with vegetarian sauce. It comes with brie and its SO GOOD. It didn't really need all the green onion slices piled on top, but they were easy enough to push to the side. More brie, or perhaps a second kind of cheese as well would have been fantastic, as most of it got lost drowning in the pool of delicious jerk sauce that was leftover after I gobbled the fries down.
I also tried the johnny cakes with the mango butter. OH MY GAWD. What the fuck? How do they make this butter? This is the best god damn butter in the world.
Go to Calabash. Eat some butter. -
Review from Siri W.
10/16/2011
So...this place was pretty rad. Had dinner here with some girlfriends over the weekend after walking by it a couple times and hearing some wicked reggae drifting out into the Gastown night through the open door.
We didn't have a reservation, but they gave us a table provided we gave it back by eight (pay attention to that, haha, it'll come in handy later.) I am prompt, sadly my girlfriends are not so half an hour later, we're finally ready to roll.
First the drinks. All my ladies opted for the Reggae on Broadway, which was a delish, thick (!) mango drink with chile tequila (!!). The sweetness of the mango crossed with the kick of the spicy tequila really made this one pop. I decided on a whim to try the Dark and Stormy which is a combination of ginger beer, rum and other gingery additions. Why I did this I don't know since I don't even like ginger, but luckily the drink was delicious. I could see it being veeeerrry refreshing on a hot day.
Then the food...oh the food. We decided to do sharesies and so got some Jerk Poutine (sooooo good. The sauce was incredible and the brie on top was amazing), some roti with spicy dipping sauce (both were meh. The roti was better when dipped in what was left of the Jerk Poutine sauce), some goat curry (was a little too spicy for most of my girlfriends, but I quite liked it), the vegetable platter (sooo good. All of it was delicious), and the coconut dumplings with mango butter. The dumplings are like the Johnny Cakes at the Reef only not free (sadface) and a little denser. However, with the mango butter they were pretty damn good.
For dessert we split the chocolate trifle (sooo good, but would have been better warm I feel), and the mango banana pie thing (can't remember the name, but my ladies enjoyed it so much i only got a teeny bite!)
The whole experience was great, our server was lovely and very knowledgeable about the food, and there's a very cool lounge downstairs we are dying to come back and try. Only issue was the "we-need-the-table-by-eight" girl. Now, we sat down and ate pretty damn fast, and while we were doing this she would catch my eye every once in a while to mouth to me how they needed the table by eight with huge eyes and an exasperated look on her face. This doesn't make for the most pleasant dining experience.
We were done by about 8:05, which I think was pretty damn good considering the place wasn't full anyway. While we were paying this woman was quite rude - when my friend's debit card started acting up instead of handing it back saying, "Oh I'm sorry it didn't go through, do you have anything else?" this chick just plunked it down in front of my friend with a sigh and yet another exasperated look. Then when we finally paid she gave us an insincere "I'm sorry to rush you" while shoving us out the door.
All this for five minutes. If it hadn't been for her this experience would have been pretty near perfect! I'm gonna give her the benefit of the doubt and guess that she was having a bad day, but hey customer service demands friendliness not pushiness.
Still worth a visit though and we'll be back to check out the downstairs for sure.Listed in: Post Five With Friends
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Review from Katie S.
Vancouver, BC
10/15/2011
What an awesome and funky spot in Gastown! I went there on a Friday night with three of my girlfriends and we had a great time!
The food is delicious- we had a goat curry, a vegetarian platter, coconut balls, roti and dip, and jerk poutine. The flavours were rich and mouth watering. The roti was quite disappointing, however, and we all found it quite bland. I personally found the goat curry too spicy, but it certainly all went! Everything else was simply delicious- especially the poutine. It was fries with BRIE CHEESE AND JERK SAUCE (instead of curds and gravy) and oh my it was soooooo good. The coconut balls with mango butter were also insanely good, and I find myself craving them as I speak.
We also had dessert, and it did not disappoint. We had a chocolate and rum trifle and a pie with banana, caramel, cream, ginger...Two of us loved the pie, my other friends preferred the trifle. It was happiness all around.
As for the drinks, they did not disappoint either. We tried the dark and stormy, which would be right up any rum and ginger lover's alley. The rest of us had a mango drink with spiced tequila, and had I the money, I would easily have consumed several of them.
Downstairs there is also a bar/lounge which looks like a really fun place to meet for drinks and appies. We are definitely planning on going there sometime soon.
The service was, for the most part, really good. The waitress was helpful and friendly. However, our group was running a little late (as girls are wont to do) and one staff member was very rude and irate with us. The table we had was reserved for 8 o'clock, so we had to be done by then. That was fine with us, however she was really quite aggressive. We ordered as fast as we could, and when 8 rolled around the next group had not yet arrived, and we left by 8:10, but she was as surly as could be when we paid our bill. (which, btw ended up being 30$ a head, which I thought was really reasonable for all the food and drinks we got)
Overall, great experience, great food, great times. We'll just get there a little earlier next time. -
Review from Mo F.
Vancouver, BC
3/7/2012
the food is great.... service was good!
music downstairs !! LOVE!
will return over and over -
Review from Jess L.
9/10/2011 2 photos
Lots of Rum!
Went here two weeks ago with a friend who had this restaurant on their wishlist of places to try before leaving Vancouver. Between the two of us, we shared the featured prawns for an appy and the Jerk Chicken and Goat Curry for our mains. Out of the three dishes - I'd say the favourite was the Jerk Chicken which had just the right amount of heat to it.
Even better were the drinks though - they've got a couple of pages on their drink list dedicated to rum and rum cocktails. I liked the Reggae on Broadway with chilli tequila, mango puree, and lime leaf (sounds like a weird mix but it was tasty!) and my friend enjoyed the Dark and Stormy with homemade ginger beer and ginger syrup. -
Review from Vincent N.
Vancouver, BC
9/28/2011 1 Check-in Here
I went during lunch time around 12:45 and we were able to get a seat, but the place is relatively small but they make things comfortable. They don't try to stuff people into uncomfortable zones and even though it was a lot of people I was able to hear my coworker quite clearly during our lunch.
The mood is relaxed, and our server announced the specials with gusto and professionalism, as if she was working at a five star restaurant. They came by and filled my water without me asking, every time, and I drank a lot since the food was spicy.
I thought the food was good. I ordered the Jerk Beef Special and it packed a lot of heat. I could feel my stomach slightly burning.
I don't get a chance to eat a lot of Caribbean food. And so being able to have another place to eat a different type of cuisine sure does rock. If you like spicy food that packs some punch then I would definitely recommend it. -
Review from Rebecca C.
Vancouver, BC
7/15/2011
For months on end, my coworkers and I would pass by Calabash and malign the fact that it wasn't open for lunch. So it was to our delight that they finally expanded their hours starting this week, allowing us to step away from the office and try their food.
Overall, our experience was nice, but not as amazing as I'd expected.
As other reviewers have said, the service was great. Our waitress was friendly, attentive, and gave us a feedback form to fill out along with the bill.
Our crab cakes were tasty -- crispy on the outside and soft inside -- but they were about 90% cake and only 10% crab.
The goat stew was full of little bone chips that we kept having to spit out, and it was almost impossible to find any actual meat. I'm sure that the bones add flavour, and maybe this is a traditional Caribbean serving method, but they really out to be removed beforehand. The curry itself was, as others have mentioned, nice but not very complex.
The coconut buns were (also as others have mentioned) tasty standard fare. They were incredibly filling.
The salad and papaya slaw were nice and fresh.
The house pepper sauce had enough bite that even I, a spicy food fanatic, was sweating a bit.
One point of debate between me and my coworker was over the fact that they burn incense near the entrance to the restaurant. This bothered her, as she thought it interfered with the smells and flavours of the food, but I actually thought it kind of complemented them.
Needless to say, due to the unexpected lack of protein and general heaviness in our meal, I nearly fell asleep when I got back to the office.
Overall, I had a perfectly nice lunch, but they will need to take it up a notch (and bring it back to its apparent former glory) before I go again. -
Review from Cristian W.
Vancouver, BC
7/8/2011
Something at Calabash Bistro has changed and it's not good news.
When Calabash Bistro first opened the food was authentic Caribbean with elements from several islands. The mustard based hot sauce took me back to my years in Barbados and the rotis were flavoured with authentic Caribbean curry. The chana in the vegetarian roti used to be incredible.
Sadly they must have lost their old cook. The food we had this week tasted bland and was not authentic.
We had several different rotis at our table. The fillings were flavourless and mushy - probably reheated. The roti dough was heavy and flavourless - also probably reheated. The curry in the roti was hardly noticeable.
The Jamaican patties were tiny and the pastry was soggy (most likely microwaved).
The hot sauce was a one dimensional habanero sauce that was hot but lacked the subtlety of true Caribbean sauce. Almost any bottled sauce would be better - which begs the question why go to dinner at Calabash Bistro?
On a positive note, I have read complaints about the service but I found the wait staff to be friendly and attentive. (Though the restaurant wasn't very busy when we attended.)
Maybe Calabash Bistro is focusing on the music side of the business and they have taken their emphasis away from the food.
If you want authentic Caribbean food, I strongly advise you to take a pass on Calabash. -
Review from Sarah O.
5/31/2011
I love Carribean food. Blame it on having dated someone from there for 5 years and having lived in a place where they have some bomb Carribean joints. But I'm not so much of a snob as to compare.. I understand everything is relative. And for the record, I like Calabash enough.
But a few things were not all there. We ordered the jerk wings for starters and when we bit into it, it was raw inside. We sent it back and they simply re-fried it and when it came back out, it was completely burnt. We sent it back for the second time and just cancelled the order. Then the coconut dumplings came out and they taste exactly like they're suppose to taste. Finally the entree- Fry Fish, was too bland! Where is the jerk marinade? Salad and the hot sauce was good though.
The staff are pretty awesome. That makes up for it in some ways. They offered us a complementary dessert for messing up our appetizer which is a rare thing to find in Vancouer indeed. Strangely enough, I like the location and the awkward layout of the two-floors of the restaurant. They seem to have weekly events going on, when I was there it was Dominoes night.. Score!
I'd go back to try out other stuff on their menu but I think I'll take my time getting there. If anything, I'll be back for drinks and live music! -
Review from Vincci L.
After several missed opportunities, the opportunity to finally try to this place seems to have been presented to us at the perfect time
We didn't have reservations, but they were able to accommodate us at the bar, which was a treat since we got to watch all the kitchen and bar tending action take place.
A simple menu, and everything looked really good that we wanted to order it all! Their drinks list is so much fun, with many tropical inspired drinks. Rum, ginger beer, tequila, mango puree?!? Too many choices! I ended up getting the Coconut Jumby: rum shaken with fresh organic coconut water, agave syrup, muddled lemongrass, mint and lime zest. A great refreshing and lightly sweetened drink, I like it!
We got some coconut dumplings, jerk poutine, and their special dish, spot prawns with a mango curry sauce. The dishes did take a while to arrive, but we thoroughly enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere and the great vibe.
Coconut dumplings were nothing too special; they taste just like the Johnny cakes from the Reef. The jerk poutine was tasty, but it was nothing out of the ordinary. Then the fresh spot prawns. These were soo good! The sauce had lots of flavour , and it also came with rice, roti, and salad.
Great service, good food, relaxed atmosphere and awesome music! -
Review from N W.
Vancouver, BC
9/29/2011
Freshest dining experience in a long time. The saltfish salad was....I can't even describe it, beyond amazing. Just go check it out. I promise you won't be disappointed.
Atmosphere: 5/5
Service: 5/5
Taste: 6/5 -
Review from Mel C.
Vancouver, BC
1/10/2012
This place is genius! Love the concept, love the radio station booth, love the staff, love that they chose to open shop in the DTES, and, most importantly, love the food! In-house-made EVERYTHING, from the bread to the hot sauce. Fluffy coco buns for the win.
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Review from Realtor Darius D.
Vancouver, BC
1/11/2012
Great food, great people and great atmosphere. If you're trying to figure out plans for a night out on the town, put this place on the list. I've been here numerous times for food, meetings and dancing. This is the kind of place you bring friends from out of town to show them what Gastown is all about. I'd put this on the top of the Caribbean food list in Vancouver. Get yourself a couple of Dark & Stormy's (the rum drink they're known for) and you'll get the party started by yourself.
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Review from Melissa E.
Vancouver, BC
7/15/2011
I had been wanting to check out Calabash for ages based on my sister's reviews and just hoping to find a good Caribbean haunt near home. Ended up here for a bachelorette party and the service was fast and good. The dark and stomy's were amazing with fresh coconut and home made ginger beer. What's not to love?
I didn't eat much but the crab cakes were standard. Nothing to write home about.
We headed downstairs to dance, have more drinks and get our flirt on...only problem. No men!! We were kinda shocked to be honest. Music was fun, the space is great so lots of potential for hot sweaty bodies, but seriously, no men. We decided the leave and consensus was Blarney Stone which, well, also has no 'men' but there you go. I was kinda sad to leave but it just wasn't in the cards.
I was pretty impressed with their calendar of events including domino sundays! Will definitely head back. -
Review from Amber H.
Vancouver, BC
2/19/2011 4 Check-ins Here
Some friends of ours casually told us to go check out Calabash last night, when really they should have been saying "OMG! If you love caribbean food, you HAVE to go eat there!!". It's not often food wows me quite like it did last night.
I'm a fan of good caribbean food, but living in Vancouver the options are few and far between. I've had more than my fair share of disappointment eating at some of the supposed 'popular' caribbean options - I find more often than not the flavors are bland and the dishes a little crude. This is definitely not the case at Calabash! Everything was so well balanced - the subtlety of the marinades and sauces is something to be experienced.
We were greeted by a very friendly server who chatted us up throughout our meal - she made the whole experience even better! On her recommendation we had some 'dark and stormy' cocktails which involved rum, coconut and homemade ginger beer (made fresh on site every day). They were nothing short of phenomenal!
I had the habanero chicken breast and my husband had the coconut crusted red snapper - both come with seasonal vegetables and rice and peas. I can't possibly say enough how fantastic every bite was - if you love spicy flavorful food, get yourself down to Calabash... and make sure you try some of the chef's special hot sauce! ;)Listed in: East Side Awesome
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Review from Carolyn K.
Vancouver, BC
3/6/2011
Love that this place has taken the initiative to create an additional food venue in Gastown/China town.
Went here with another couple and enjoyed the menu. The downside was that there were too many awesome choices! Will most definitely go back!
Definitely try the Ginger Beer and the jerk chicken. I'm not always a fan of spicy so they will vary the heat level for you. My heat loving boyfriend gets what he wants and my milder preference was served as well.
the plantain chips were also a nice touch. -
Review from Luisa D.
11/14/2010
Nomnomnomnom. Calabash isn't expensive but expect to pay at least $50 a head because everything sounds so yummy that you want to try it all. Four of us went last night and it was delish.
We shared some jerk poutine - that's right! - and a spinach salad. Both were very tasty and the salad had gingered plantain in it - interesting flavours for a spinach salad that doesn't taste like every other one in the city. I had the seafood curry that came in a tiffin tin. Different presentation for sure! Each compartment had the various components for my tasty meal. I used some of their housemade hot sauce to kick up the rice. ZING!
I had a Mashy Sour cocktail to begin with - very tart and refreshing! The wine list is short and sweet with reasonable mark ups. We had a bottle of Pares Balta Cava - flavourful Spanish bubbles went well with the flavours of our dishes. I finished with a Calabash Coffee (rum, Grand Marnier and super yummy whipped cream). The desserts all sounded great but on a cold, rainy night a special coffee is where it's at.
We made a reservation and were seated downstairs which is nice and cozy and there was a DJ spinning (but not too loudly). The staff were all very welcoming and friendly. Our waiter was endearingly awkward in almost a gangly teenaged kind of way and he took very good care of us. Our friends got to the restaurant before us and said it was like he was excited to see them. He was chatting about all the special rums they had when we got there. When he described foods you could tell he loved to eat there. It was sweet and rather refreshing in this town.
We had a really nice time and will be back for sure! -
Review from Christine R.
New Westminster, BC
This ain't no roti hut, but a kickin' two-level good-time palace. I came here for the Vancouver BikeStyle party put on by Momentum Magazine and Calabash Bistro was an awesome host. You enter into the cozy restaurant upstairs, which has a small bar, banquettes, and big windows looking out on the street. And then there's this whole big area downstairs with a DJ and space to dance.
I didn't try any of the food that night, but the cocktails were both photogenic and tasty. The bartender who made me a Mai Tai, in particular, free-poured the alky (A+) and put so much care into making the drink that if it wasn't a little pricy ($11.25), I would have had a few more!
I'd love to come back and sample some of the dishes - Caribbean UYE, anyone?Listed in: Star for a day
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Review from Ted R.
Vancouver, BC
1/20/2011 1 Check-in Here
I didn't actually eat here, but I did drink after one of my gigs that I played. There was funky reggae, house, and all sorts of goodness going on downstairs, when the restaurant turned into a club!
Apparently, this is where you go to meet a beautiful ebony lady (or man?), as there weren't a shortage there this night. -
Review from Jordan v.
Port Moody, BC
2/17/2011
The ambience is great and the drinks are decent... but there's better food at any other Jamaican or Caribbean joint in town...
One word of advice... watch out for the automatic tip. It was added at interac time, but of course I'd already calculated and added my own 6 bucks and thus paved double before realizing too late. I had to hound the server to get a "new" tab that showed the $6.04 "autograt". Happened to 3 folks in our impromptu group. -
Review from Steven M.
Vancouver, BC
4/1/2011
Been to Calabash twice now and I'm really torn about the place.
On the one hand, the food is absolutely phenomenal. Their deserts are to die for. Their alcoholic drinks are strong. Even the coffee is good! Fantastic even.
However, the service is painfully slow. If you're going to go to Calabash, be sure to make a night out of it and don't expect anything to be quick. The first time I went I got the bill, and then waited 35 minutes for the server to come back to take my credit card.
And that's the thing. I really want to give this place a higher review because the food and ambience really is phenomenal, but I just can't given how understaffed / slow it is.
And that leaves me sad. -
Review from Fonny C.
Vancouver, BC
3/18/2011
Me and my sheltered girlfriend gets off the bus outside Orange No.5 and walk down the block to Calabash. My girlfriends asks me: "Where IS this place?"
Me: "Just down a few more stores"
GF: "You mean past all THOSE people"
Me; "Yes, just past it"
GF is now getting antsy and sketched out. LOL, I love doing that to my friends, but really the street locals are harmless.
I love the ambiance of the place, all the staff are SUPER friendly and helpful when it came to the menu.
I wanted to try everything and ordered a bunch of appies. I had a veggie pattie, roti and dip and doubles. My GF ordered the seafood steamer
The veggie pattie was delicious, I only got one piece and at $3/ea I thought it would be at least the size of roll, but it was no bigger than a dimsum spring roll. Albeit, yummy and the pastry was light and flakey. The roti and dip is supposed to be a curry dip...blech. The doubles were interesting, basically a fried flour/bread folded into a taco stuffed with whole chickpeas with seasoning. Its ok, but I was expecting like a stuffed bun and the chickpeas to be more mashed up. My GF's seafood steamer looked really good and said it was really tasty.
The $1.00 mini beers are now $1.50. They do have a wonderful list of rum and microbrew beers, but not cheap at all.
All in all, I would go again just because it was such a great experience and also a great place for live music "yah mon" style. Schedule it for when you get paid. -
Review from Angel C.
Vancouver, BC
11/21/2010
A little piece of the Caribbean, Calabash Bistro is a little delicious piece of the islands.
On a Thursday night, the place is hopping, as we discovered, and had to belly up to the bar. But I am totally a roll with it kind of girl and actually enjoy the atmosphere sitting at the bar.
Starving after a workout, I had food on the brain. Asking for advice, my friend suggested the oxtail stew hands down. Now, I am skeptical of oxtail stews, as I was spoiled by a friend who used to live in the Barbados who makes one mean oxtail stew. But, I am curious, so I go for it....
I am temporarily distracted by my Hurricane- a deliciously dangerous cocktail with a lot of rum in it. I am magically transported to the islands and mesmerized by the really cool looking frozen hibiscus flowers that garnishes my drink...
Then the food arrives. stacked in 3 levels of a tiffen, there lies the oxtail stew, rice and beans, a coconut dumpling, and salad. I have to say- the oxtail stew is definitely the real deal. These guys are definitely from the islands. With just the perfect balance of spice, the slow cooked oxtail, potatoes and carrots are fantastic, and beans and rice where the beans are not mush. perfect.
Service-wise, I didn't really have high expectations here, so long as my drinks and food came in a reasonable amount of time. the only wrinkle in the experience was the bartender pouring me the completely wrong drink in the first place, in a bad glass, then putting me at the back of the order queue to make what I ordered as a replacement- making the wait time for my drink about 15 minutes. Oh well, just as well I suppose I do need to slow down my drinking anyhow...
We did go downstairs afterwards to check out all the revelers grooving to the DJ, but as I started to slip into a food coma, I decided to remove myself at that point, so that I could save myself for a repeat trip to Calabash Bistro. Now to decide what to try next... -
Review from Dayna P.
Vancouver, BC
10/1/2011
Reading all the reviews here, I really don't see what the big deal with this place is. My boyfriend took me here for my birthday, and I was really disappointed.
We ordered a roti for an appy, and that was probably the best thing I ate all night.
He ordered the lamb curry, and I got the jerked chicken. I wasn't feeling too adventurous as it was my first time having Jamaican food anyways, and I've always heard wonderful things about jerked chicken, so hey, why not right?
When our food arrived, it was warm, and getting on to the cold side. I think what happened was that they made our food, and just left it aside until we finished our roti to bring it out. My plate itself was only mildly warm and I wasn't too happy. The chicken didn't have the punch of flavour that I was expecting, after hearing that its so flavourful. The rice was bland, but the veggies were good!!!! though a bit on the cold side.
My boyfriend's curry came in a three tier tin..er... lunchbox? I'm not sure what those things were called, but again, i found his curry to be on the cold side too. Though it packed a lot of flavour, it was way too spicy and he also found it too spicy (and he's brown!).
All in all, not the gretest place that I've been to. I wouldn't go back. -
Review from Salim H.
7/31/2010
Im going back to this place for the people, and the relaxed friendly atmosphere, and beautiful music. This place has two levels, go downstairs, and enjoy some of the reggae music being played. The decor is fantastic, and yes the people are super friendly. Its not rough like the neighbourhood, just genuinely nice people.
Onto the food, it was fantastic, I had the seafood curry, my sister had the fish fry, and my gf had the prawn jerk curry. All excellent. To start we had the coconut dumplings, and jerk fries. Also very very good.
Im lucky to find this place, I love it, its going to be on my most visited places in Vancouver list. -
Review from Anthony F.
Vancouver, BC
10/29/2010
Background: One of my good friends who is perenially sick of the bad party scene here in Vancouver told me about Thursday nights here. We headed here together about 2 months ago to check out the vibe.
Food: Didn't try. Apparently it has Caribbean tapas-style stuff during the day.
Ambiance: The lounge downstairs is really sweet, intimate, and the mood is chill. On Thirsty Thursdays (apparently every 2nd Thursday?) there is live music here which best falls in the category of eclectic Afro-Caribbean.
Service: N/A
Pricepoint: N/A
Overall: This place is pretty sweet. I'm heading there tonight in fact. -
Review from Brian W.
Vancouver, BC
3/9/2011
I just ordered what the owner did (he was at my table), "A Fish Sandwich" with Jerk Fries. OMG... So damn good.
They had live music that night in the basement for $5.00, and it was great, but bring ear plugs. My ears were ringing for a long long time. One lady or two ladies, oops, were dancing up a storm...!
This is one of my favorite restaurants in Vancouver, and I look forward to enjoying it again. -
Review from Kerry K.
Vancouver, BC
2/8/2012
Oh my good lord, did I ever love it here. I have always found Vancouver lacking in the Caribbean food department, and waited far too long to try Calabash. Our server was amazing. As she knew it was our first visit, she spent some extra time with us, helping us choose drinks and entrees. We were tempted to go for the jerk poutine with brie, but went with one of the salads instead. It was so good. But I am still daydreaming about trying the poutine. We went for the jerk lamb, and the seafood curry, and bother were excellent. The roti was also a dream. Our cocktails also rocked.
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Review from Amy E.
BC
8/25/2010
I went there on "Thursty Thursday" to see Chin play and I was SO pleasantly surprised! I had the veggie curry which was served in this 3 tiered round metal thing. They brought it out, and opened it up. In each compartment was part of the dish, one with the curry, one with the rice and peas and another with the salad! I wasn't a huge fan of the salad dressing, it tasted a bit salty for my liking, but everything else was great!
The music was amazing and I wanted to just roll over and sleep once I was done eating. The atmosphere is just great here, the downstairs is so cool, and the stage is like a little cave. AMAZING. LOVE this place, and will be back -
Review from Malloreigh M.
Vancouver, BC
11/3/2010 2 Check-ins Here
I was really interested to go to Calabash and it is vegan-friendly, but the food was unfortunately bland and overpriced. We had the curry and the vege special. Both were less than stunning. The veggie burger, which our friends had, WAS delicious, but it was $14! For the amount of food we got and the assortment of vegetables in the curries, it was NOT worth the price.
However, the $1 mini-beers were great. Apparently ordering four of those is the same amount as a pint, but cheaper - a great idea, too. All of the drinks we had were delicious.
I understand Calabash has to pay that expensive Gastown rent somehow but if they're going to charge that much for a meal I expect tastier food and bigger portions. -
Review from kath r.
5/24/2010
Great Beats + Tasty Eats = Good times @ Calabash Restaurant
I'm so glad that my 2nd wind finally kicked in. It was the burst of energy I needed to get me to the front door of Calabash: Gastown's newest addition.Of course, once I got there, the beats kept me awake; with a super positive vibe and fun crowd, it was just what I needed to cap my May long Sunday Funday.. And that curry? Well, just ask the crew who dove back in for 2nds :)
More time @ the bar and more time @ the table needs to be spent before an all encompassing review can be written. But..based on tonight's experience, it's definitely worth supporting this new Caribbean themed neighbor.... -
Review from Daniel L.
10/13/2010 2 Check-ins Here
The calabash or bottle gourd or opo squash or long melon according to Wikipedia... We ate but didnt funk down.. the music was still about to swing, so we filled up on menu items.
The menu was a hit and miss;
The Hit = jerk fries, goat curry, the rum, jerk sauce, jerk skewers... The staff a hit yummm fun !!.. great space
The miss = coconut sandwich, peas and rice (so not real) diner salad, Jamaican patty (no meat)
This place has great value with the live music and as a snack bar, not the best for the full dinner ticket. -
Review from Sandra G.
Vancouver, BC
Updated - 7/8/2011
Have not been here for a year and what a difference a year makes! The to die for housemade hot sauce has been replaced by a tasteless searingly hot habererno sauce.
The veggie roti was lacking in flavour. The filling which used to be abundant, flavorful and full of chickpeas was boring and stingy on the chickpeas. The roti was salty. Gone were the authentic Carribean flavours that really made this place sing when it first opened.
I don't know if the chef has changed or the owners enthusiasm for this place has waned.
I really talked this place up and convinced my friends to go there with me last week for dinner. I was disappointed and embarrassed. The service was great but the food sucked.
I tried calling the restaurant several times during their business hours to discuss my experience and nobody ever picks up the phone. I also used the contact page on the website and asked for a call back and still no response. The night we went there for dinner we had made a reservation and when we arrived they told us the reservation system was down so they had no idea who had reservations. Luckily they weren't busy - I think I know why now - so we got seated.
It is sad to see a place that is obviously going downhill. The owners had such enthusiasm when this place opened. Now it is showing signs of neglect. I know this is a Carribean place and they tend to be laid back but what I witnessed far exceeds laid back. I got the sense that nobody really cares anymore. This is translating into ho hum food and frankly there are so many good places in the city to go that you don't want to waste a night out on mediocre food.
Maybe I just caught them on a really bad night but I am not in a hurry to return.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/8/2010
Had lunch today at Calabash. The food was excellent and very authentic.
Had the veg curry in a roti… Read more »
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Review from Leanne M.
Vancouver, BC
6/4/2010
Even though I'm not a fan of Jamaican food (too spicy for me), a bunch of us went to check this place out. Everyone who I was with loved the food and said that is was very spicy and flavourful. When I explained to the waiter that I didn't like hot and spicy food AND that I'm a veggie, he didn't blink twice. He arrived shortly with a variation on the dishes that my friends were having except for that it wasn't as spicy and it had no meat. Really great service....so accomodating! Not something I expected since I was being the silly one going to a Jamaican restaurant when I don't like spicy food!
The decor is great (especially the downstairs room which has a nice bar with mosaic tiles on it).
If I liked spicy food I would definitely go back. Since I don't like spicy stuff, I will just recommend the place to my friends.
Leanne -
Review from beki L.
Vancouver, BC
10/6/2010 2 photos
Tonite was the 2nd time I got to groove with the kool kats in this hip lounge...and I know it will not be the last!
I was first introduced here because my great friend Ken has a couple friends in a band (The Airtights) who were debuting their first performance there. I just love spending time with Ken and watching bands so I was game.
Bypass the sketchy 'hood and float downstairs into the Calabash Lounge area. Very intimate and small...extremely friendly staff, EXTREMELY FRIENDLY!! the jamaican rustafarian brother who greeted us was my first indication of that...and every person we met after delivered the same awesome coolness.
They play live performances on various nights I think...there was the band, guest vocal appearances, spoken word, true hiphop...the place was bumpin! Tonite it was a PACKED house!
We had a bunch of tapas:
Roti & dip: love it. soft, chewy, hot...the dipping sauce was delicious. i have no idea what was in it but i scooped every last drip of it out!
Deep fried dumplings: they look like timbits...but taste nothing like it. the dough inside had a subtle sweetness to it that i cant describe..you just have to try it.
Jamaican Patties: we had to order em all-beef, chicken & veggie! i only had the chicken and veggie. freshly made IN HOUSE...best patties i have ever had. delish!!!!
Jerk Fries: these are soo addictive! seasoned with jerk spices..you get a little kick in the mouth with each bite ;)
Both nights we had tapas but every dish that i saw being served from their regular menu looked and smelt so tantalizing, I think I will have to get a regular dish next time!
The Reef has left me extremely disapointed the last time I was there..now I have found my new fave Jamaican joint. =)Listed in: The Spice is Right!
