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Cat's Socialhouse
Categories: Restaurants Nightlife Bars Lounges Restaurants, Lounges [Edit]
1540 Old Bridge StVancouver, BC V6H 3S6
Neighbourhood: Granville Island/False Creek
(604) 647-2287
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 11 am - 12 am
Sat-Sun 10 am - 12 am
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street, Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Music:
- Juke Box
- Best Nights:
- Mon, Tue, Fri
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- No
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
51 reviews for Cat's Socialhouse
Review Highlights
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"I had the spicy chicken burger, and it was delicious, my..." In 3 reviews -
"The patio is a nice spot too, with a nice Granville Island..." In 12 reviews -
"I had some excellent yam fries." In 4 reviews
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51 reviews in English
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Review from Allison P.
Vancouver, BC
3/8/2012
I love it! I don't live close by, but when I feel like good food and a great atmosphere, I catch the bus and head on down.
General Tao's chicken is delicious, definitely my favourite appetizer, and their salad with the grilled ahi tuna is amazing. Overall, the food I've had there has never been disappointing, and their house white and red wines (for $4) are really good.
I really like the decor, and the chairs are comfortable. Some of the tables near the back are a bit close together, but so far I haven't had a problem with it.
The service can be a little slow at times, but that was during a busier time of night and the bartender had to be our waiter - so having to deal with a bar and a table is a little forgivable. At any rate, when he did come over, he was really friendly and joked around a bit. I don't mind if waiters/waitresses leave you alone to eat - it's better than being asked every 5 minutes if our food is okay. They check with you once, and then you're on your own until a time where patrons are ready for either dessert or the check. If you need them before that, they're circulating the room checking on the tables, so they're easy to get hold of.
Sometimes the music is a little loud, but again, I found that it was when it was later at night.
Overall, I love going there, and it's probably better for my bank account that I don't live closer to it. -
Review from Ellen L.
5/6/2012 1 Check-in Here
I had the Almost Famous Blackened Fish Burger. Halibut was grilled; not exactly blackened though, but still pretty good. Fries could be crispier. Pricey for what it is at over $16. Overall, I thought the food was above-average for this type of Cactus Club/Earls-ish fare and the menu seemed more inspired. If this is your scene, Cat's wouldn't be a bad choice.
The patio also seemed like a nice place to loiter. -
Review from Ashley L.
4/18/2012
Dawn P. took me here a few weeks ago for a belated birthday lunch. It was Easter weekend, so there were a lot of families on Granville Island and in Cat's Socialhouse.
I can see why this is a good places for groups, probably later in the day than when we went.
For an appetizer, we split the General's Chicken and it had all the flavor and spice of hot and sour soup. I loved it. I wish there could've been an option to get that for an entree with a side of rice or something. It was really tasty.
I had a burger and a house soda. The burger was good, nothing crazy or exceptional to rave about. I substituted yam fries and those were pretty delicious. The house soda was good, I liked it a lot. I could easily drink a pitcher of it.
For dessert, Dawn P. and I split the chocolate cake. It was very, very chocolatey and dense but not as moist as I would've liked it to be.
All in all, I'll probably go back when I'm on Granville Island and just want drinks and a burger. And that chicken. -
Review from Ruth D.
Vancouver, BC
5/8/2012
The service on a monday night was great. By last call, our waitress was so friendly and approachable that all of us were making jokes with her. The patio is comfortable and the food is great. Their cowboy salad is one of the best I've had in a while. It's a delicious summer salad with cheese, cranberries, maple roasted walnuts! And if you pair it with (possibly the girliest drink in the world) a fuzzy peach bellini!! MHMMM!!! I will be there again soon!
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Review from Aaron H.
Vancouver, BC
5/3/2012 1 Check-in Here
Cheap social beer, but offset by more expensive food. Definitely try the soup and garlic toast, a great combo. Three stars because Cat's Socialhouse couldn't deal well with a large group of people, but we were a bit unannounced.
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Review from J N.
Vancouver, BC
Updated - 10/24/2011 1 Check-in Here
I returned with a big group since I thought that I'd give this place another chance. Service was okay, but we ordered our meals ahead of time, once again. The appetizers arrived almost as soon as we did, which was great since everyone was starving!
Most of the servers were pleasant enough, and the food seems to have improved. The pad Thai and calamari were pretty good, but the burgers and fries looked even better! Way to go! It's always great to see a place improve. And here I thought that Browns (the chain) was going downhill. Maybe not?
My only complaint was that they seemed to disregard anyone's request for drinks if they were non-alcoholic beverages. Now, I get that most money is made from the alcohol, but we arrived early, left within an hour and a half, and had no problem paying the 18% tip in a lump sum rather than to ask for "separate bills".
In fact, we topped it up to 20%. Had there not been a confusion over drinks--or lack thereof--I would have had no problem leaving more.
Overall, I'd certainly recommend coming here in a large group. Get the area up top if you'd like something a bit more private.
If you give them enough notice, the managers are great and will ensure that things run as smoothly as possible. It's wise to order your food ahead of time if you can be that organized with your group, too.Listed in: Casual Places to Perk up the…, Where would Wimpy Go?, You Name the Chain, The Small Patio Gems of Van.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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5/27/2011
This place seemed to be a lot better when it first opened. I would give it an extra star for service… Read more »
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Review from Emily-Anne P.
Vancouver, BC
10/9/2011 1 Check-in Here
We met up here thinking it was still the Cat's Meow and were not super impressed. In fact I'd say I'm kinda sad it's not the Cat's Meow.
The menu was not as thrilling as I had hoped, ever for something that's run by Browns. The items just seemed... boring.
My friend and I had two of the salads, the Cowboy and the Cowgirl. Talk about dressing, both our salads were SOAKED in dressing. Mine was okay, supposed to have nuts and goats cheese etc, it did, but not very much and the whole thing was salty.
Another friend joined us and had a burger. Judging by how much was left on his plate he wasn't sold.
Our service was appalling. Now I do feel somewhat bad for saying this, but we we're dressed really casually, and I had been reading waiting for my friends and I think our waitress was less interested in serving us because of it. She would constantly walk right past when we'd be trying to get her attention, she forgot my order at first. It was all in all really not very pleasant.
Anyway, I might try it again, especially if I get stuck on Granville Island but.... I'm not sure. Wasn't too happy. -
Review from Katie S.
Vancouver, BC
10/3/2011
I went to Cats Socialhouse recently, the first time since it had been the Cat's Meow. I went for drinks with a friend before a Fringe Show and returned afterwards for some food. I can't say I noticed a huge change other than the more sophisticated decor, but that's not a bad thing.
It's a nice, fairly affordable spot on Granville Island that offers more atmosphere than the Keg. I found the service to be pretty good, although it was much better on our second, later visit. I have food allergies and the staff was very accommodating and fairly knowledgeable.
For appetizers we had the wings which were good and enjoyable. I had a burger with a side salad. The burger was decent, nothing exceptional, but the salad was absolutely delicious. It was their "Cowgirl Salad" and I wished I had ordered that, not the burger! My friend felt about the same about her burger.
Their drinks are also quite good and well priced, especially the Sangria pitchers (soooo delish!)
The patio is a nice spot too, with a nice Granville Island feel to it. Overall, I'd say it's a good spot to hang with friends for a simple meal and few drinks. -
Review from Alvin L.
Vancouver, BC
2/6/2012 2 photos
Having never been to Cat's before, I was unsure how large the entree portions were. To be safe, I ordered a crispy calamari appetizer along with my main dish. Having eaten calamari at dozens of restaurants over the years, I can pretty competently assert that the calamari at Cat's is pretty decent. The rings of squid were tender but properly cooked and the batter was light but well-seasoned. With a quick squeeze of lime, fresh ground pepper and a few forkfuls of the accompanying salsa-esque sauce, I was pretty happy with it. One of my companions did mention however that for almost $11, the portion of calamari was quite small. At most restaurants ie. Earls, White Spot etc., $11 can buy you an entire entree so the less than generous portion was a little surprising given the price.
Shortly after we polished off our respective appetizers, the main dishes arrived! Keeping with the nautical theme, I had ordered 1 piece of Pacific halibut deep fried in Sapporo beer batter with HCDC fries and an in-house coleslaw. Right from the first bite of fish, I knew I was going to have mixed feelings about the whole dish. At $14.95 for one piece of halibut, Cat's has already priced the dish at a premium. Many restaurants in the city and even in Granville Island itself offer at least 2 pieces for much less. The HCDC fries were also not very good as they were quite dry and poorly seasoned. I actually didn't even bother to finish them as they were less than stellar. Those two disappointing aspects aside, the coleslaw was fantastic. Fresh and mixed with the perfect amount of sauce, I wish I had ordered a plate of that instead of the mediocre french fries. All in all for almost $15, the dish was somewhat lacking as it futilely attempted to live up to the premium price.
To wrap up, my first experience at Cat's Socialhouse was not bad but nothing to rave about. The food is decent but for the price, I definitely have come to expect more. After the 12% tax and gratuity, my meal came to almost $35 and I didn't even order a drink! I am sure for many if not most of my readers, $33-$34 for a small plate of calamari and a mediocre fish and chips is not at all good value.
Truthfully, the food was not terrible but for the price, there are many other restaurants to go in Vancouver that serve the exact same type of food at a higher quality for less money. If not for the $25 voucher, I am pretty sure I would have left wondering just what I paid for. A good experience but I doubt I will be back, especially with so many better eateries literally just down the street. ~alvin -
Review from Helmut h.
New Westminster, BC
5/23/2011
Just plain not impressed. Got the 'Phatty Burger' and it's basically just a burger with heaps extra bread but no extra flavour. The beef patty is mediocre and not packed with much character and was mroe dry than anything. I had the edamame side; they were mushy and bland. I expect more from a $16 meal.
My friend had the Social burger. Again, there is nothing that makes this special enough to warrant the price. The fries are OK, and the burger was ok.
My other friend got the Biltmore pizza. Nothing special at all. Basically it's naan with touch of pesto and some prawns.
I had a caesar, it had no character.
The service was nothing special if not a bit slow.
The highlight was the heated patio, killer location.
This place isn't awful, but for the price you can go to a LOT of other places that'll make you salivate with memory. I have no interest in going back. -
Review from Vivian Y.
7/18/2011
The food is just ok. Don't get me wrong, 2 stars isn't bad - I just wouldn't return next time.
The good news is, for brunch on the weekends, it's surprisingly very kid friendly. there were lots of families in there with young children and it wasn't loud.
My blackened fish sandwich wasn't great and my husbands burger was just "fine" - "as a burger should taste," he says.
so, good ambiance but don't expect to be wowed by the food. -
Review from Bronwyn G.
North Vancouver, BC
6/10/2011 1 Check-in Here
The patio at Cat's Socialhouse is their main attraction for me. It's not a waterfront patio, but you're in a convenient-but-not-too-busy area of Granville Island. It's perfect for a drink and some appy's.
I'm not sure if it's worth making this a supper destination however. I went with a group of eight and while none of us were unhappy with our meals, none of us would go back for the same thing either.
So, go for the patio. It's a really great place to cap off a long day.Listed in: Great Patios
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Review from Kyla K.
Vancouver, BC
Updated - 3/26/2012
Eek! After previously writing a glowing review of this place, I feel obliged to update/amend my last review after a pretty horrible experience yesterday. We took out of town guests here, telling them how much we loved it. From the second we walked in, the service was horrific. The hostess acted as if we were a bother, despite the place only being half full. When we asked if there were seats available on the back patio, she acted annoyed and told us if we wanted to sit out there, we'd have to go to the bar for service as there was no service out back. We said that was fine and she just stared at us, then told us we should go check to see if there were free tables out there. There were. When we said we were going to head out there, she again seemed annoyed and kept sighing and huffing and puffing at getting us an extra chair and when we asked for a cloth to wipe the table off (tables out there weren't being cleared for some reason). We went to the bar inside for drinks and food and paid there - no problem, except there was rarely someone at the bar to order from.
When we left, the same hostess was in an argument with someone else at the front who wanted to wait for a table outside and we ended up leaving with another couple who were absolutely furious about the service that they'd received from their server and the hostess.
Long story short? Service is now terrible, the food is still good. I leave it to you.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/9/2011
I and my boyfriend recently went to Cat's Social House (entrance to Granville Island) with my boss… Read more »
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Review from Phil S.
Port Coquitlam, BC
8/13/2011
Great atmosphere, four of us enjoyed a variety of dishes and drinks, the house white was very enjoyable and reasonable. Service was effective and pleasant. I had the spicy chicken burger, and it was delicious, my wife thoroughly enjoyed the halibut burger.
I would recommend this place as a great alternative to an earls, milestones, etc... -
Review from Gina I.
3/28/2011 1 Check-in Here
Pleasant dining experience if you're strolling around Granville Island and don't want to go into Sandbar, etc.
Decent portion sizes and decent prices on Brunch! The poached eggs on flatbread with a salad was healthy and good. The mimosa was nice and fresh. Could have been stronger, but hey that's just my preference..
Service was just OK. I think some of the servers seem frazzled or hungover.. it was Sunday afterall. No excuses though! -
Review from Sarah D.
10/16/2011
This is definitely one of the better places I have eaten in Vancouver. We stumbled in here for breakfast/lunch on a whim since it was close by and we were hungry. The prices were reasonable and the place had good service and nice chill decor. I don't recommend getting seated at one of the high tables - just makes you feel like a little kid with your legs dangling. That aside, the food was wonderful. The veggie burger was one of the best I have ever had and came with a delicious sweet soy sauce on a toasty brioche bun. I had both sweet potato and regular fries and both were cooked perfectly with no soggies (harder with sweet potato fries to get them right for sure). My friend had a breakfast burrito and was talking about how good it was all day. Great place for a nice, quick bite.
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Review from Trevor J.
Vancouver, BC
9/12/2010
Coasting in here after a Fringe Festival performance was an easy choice for our crew. The place was surprisingly empty for a Friday evening so we got our drinks and food tout de suite!
In general I found the food to be really rich. Even my Dynamite Roll appy was heavy tasting. When ordering sushi, I expect something lighter on the gut. The sauce on my BBQ Chicken Flatbread was also pretty thick tasting. Thankfully it wasn't too much for me but I think the chef could use a lighter hand with the seasonings.
Sitting there I felt like the place couldn't decide what it was aiming for - sports bar with plasma screens or an upscale restaurant with cookie cutter 'flare' from the Brown's Restaurant group.
Can it be both? Maybe I'll pop in next time I want to watch an MMA match while nibbling the Reddened Halibut and sipping an Italian Pinot Grigio. -
Review from Jasmine T.
Burnaby, BC
2/2/2011
So until March 31st, they have a deal: Beer and Burger for $13. You can choose any burger except for the Kobe Burger. What a deal!
Came here on a Tuesday Night and there was no parking in the mini area outside the restaurant. There was one space just outside the lot, but I swear I could just imagine the sound of metal scraping (my car against a post, my friend swore the spot was big enough), so I kept driving and parked outside the Keg. Free parking! Yippee... I hate paying for parking and have made it my mission to find places with free parking nearby.
They have a Happy Hour deal, but we were there way past 6pm, so Beer and Burgers it is. My fiance got the mushroom melt burger, I got the BBQ Burger without the BBQ sauce and D got the spicy chicken burger. I am the driver, so my lucky fiance got two beers... eventually he got D's as well... I got a coke. I know, on a weekday... I'm bad. It was worth it. It was a tall glass of wonderful fountain coke. I did get a refill, but it was for research purposes... I had to find out if refills were free... It was for science...
My burger was really good. I asked for no BBQ sauce because I can't stand it. It must be because my parents went nuts for the three-packs of Tony Roma sauces from Costco. Even though I asked for no sauce, my burger was still moist. My BBQ burger sans BBQ sauce had cheddar cheese and bacon on it and came nicely presented in a paper shell with franchise information of the outside... I thought that was funny. My burger came with a pickle, but the chicken one did not. The bun was really soft... it wasn't a regular hamburger bun though... it's really dark inside the restaurant (perfect for dates or when you're ashamed), so I think it might have been an egg bun or a challah, but I can't be sure... My fiance crushed his burger with his man-hands, so he gave up and just ate the rest of his burger with a fork.
I had regular fries, but I stole some yam fries from my friend to try the chipotle sauce... They were good, but the chipotle sauce was too spicy for me. I got a double order of regular fries because my fiance didn't want his. I thought he should eat them to soak up the beer, but he is a warrior and didn't need them. They gave me one little container of ketchup. I needed more, so he brought me another little container... I always want more ketchup, but don't want to ask... I like it better when I can determine how much I need.
Our server was really nice, but we didn't really see him all that much. The restaurant was kind of busy that night with a couple big parties... really... Tuesday? -
Review from Jennifer M.
5/1/2011
Service was exceptional ... despite the fact that the hostess was a complete ditz & too busy flirting with some of the male patrons to remember me when I returned to retrieve my lost camera only 5 minutes after our departure :(
Our waitress, (and a couple of the other waitresses,) was lovely, attentive, and made suggestions. The food was decent - nothing "amazing." The portions were ok. The sangria was AWESOME!
It was such a lovely day, we sat outside! -
Review from Dru C.
8/26/2010 1 Check-in Here
A side branch from Brown's Socialhouse. Interesting, another head company trying to branch out with many other stores in Vancouver.
This place was special with their framed pictures. Their framed pictures were hilarious. Some of them were really public pictures too. Not original though. The ambiance was very typical to a normal lounge and bar in Vancouver.
I ordered a Blueberry Lemonade, and I enjoyed it A LOT. It was the special for the night and it was at a VERY cheap price too. I enjoyed it a lot and ordered it more than 2 times that night. It was amazing. There was such a strong taste of blueberry vodka, and then the lemonade really gave it a nice sweet kick at the end.
I ordered the Pad Thai, yes I know an Asian fusion dish?! LOLs. That is actually not me, but I totally wanted something light and not expensive. When the dish came, they handed my chop sticks. I looked at them, and put them down. I don't like using Asian utensils until I have to use them. I picked up the fork, mixed the dish to have all the sauce everywhere, and I took a bite. It was amazing. It was such a nice LIGHT dish, it was perfect. Tons of greens and some filler of rice noodles. It was the perfect dish for me. I loved large amount of bean sprouts on the dish. It was just perfect.
Sat around with friends and just drank pitchers of beer and had a lot of blueberry lemonade. Loved how there was barely anyone at the place on a Thursday night. Not a lot of commotion and just enjoyed the night view under a clear sky.Listed in: Dru's Night Life~
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Review from Kiwi W.
Vancouver, BC
2/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
Stumbled into this place while we were searching for the closest place to eat in the pouring rain today.
I was so cold because I got soaked from the rain so I asked for hot water. Our waitress went the extra mile and gave me lemons and honey with it.
I ordered the fettucini carbonara. Just the pasta itself was a very decent portion, and it also came with two pieces of bread and chicken. The food is pretty good but there was nothing special about it.
We went there during lunch time so we didn't feel like ordering drinks. The ambience was okay but the service was great so I will go back again to try their drinks. -
Review from Emma L.
8/15/2011 1 Check-in Here
It's nothing fancy, but the patio's swell and you can get a glass of totally drinkable wine for $4. I met up with some of my lady friends there for a drink and some dinner and was pleasantly surprised. I had a glass of the house red and their blackened chicken "healthy social bowl" low-carb style. I like that there's an option to get it with cabbage and goat cheese instead of carby rice! Too bad it costs a dollar extra to sub. This place definitely seems more like a snacks and drinks place than somewhere you'd want to get dinner.
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Review from Marc D.
Vancouver, BC
3/18/2009
"Meh" sums it up really well.
Had the hickory burger based on recommendations to try their burger, and my never ending quest for a good burger in Vancouver.
Sadly it disappointed:
- Patty was quite thin and overcooked for my taste.
- Tomato had lots of green parts, if you know what I mean.
- Lettuce was fine, except for a few brown spots.
- BBQ sauce was the overly sweet kind that tastes like a bottled one from Safeway.
- Canadian bacon was quite a bit saltier than I would have expected.
- Bun was commercial.
- Cheese was entirely melted and just blended with the sauce - hard to tell what quality it was. But I have my guesses.
- Fries tasted like the kind that come out of a freezer and then get deep fried quickly. Meh.
Overall for the $13 they charge they should put out a much better product, hence my "meh" rating.
Service was friendly - which is the only reason they got the 2nd star.Listed in: Vancouver Burgers
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Review from Anita T.
Toronto, ON
9/24/2009
So I feel like I'm the last person to know in Vancouver that the restaurant formerly known as CATS MEOW was bought out by Browns and is now called "Cats Social House".... sigh... I haven't felt this out of the loop in a while...
However, you should all note that the food was great! Just like Browns they have the best burgers in the world... and well, I went out on a limb last night and ordered "Mango Avocado Sushi" - and let's just say I was pleasantly surprised! Not only did it come with 3 additional pieces than a normal roll (that's 9 instead of the usual 6!), but it was finger lickin good with a vinaigrette on the side instead of the common soy sauce! Mmmmm... so yummy! (not too mention healthy as well! SCORE!) -
Review from Christine R.
New Westminster, BC
9/10/2008 1 photo
This restaurant is a pleasant spot to hang out, especially on a nice evening when you can hang out on their lovely patio and have a drink or two. There are tables for groups and for couples, and it's heated with propane lamps and given privacy and atmosphere by the mini hedges lit with little white Christmas lights.
You're not going to get spectacularly innovative food here, it's true, but what they do, they do well - burgers, kung pao chicken bowls, and shared appetizer plates. I ordered a Sicilian pizza, not expecting much, but it was great. Loaded with salami and capicolla and banana peppers, it came both hot-hot and spicy-hot. That's the way I like it!
We also let the servers know that we were catching a show and were just in for a quick snack, and they were very accommodating, a good thing with all the theatres in the area.
I should also mention that even the patio chairs and table were comfy and non-tippy. Nothing I hate more than flimsy tables, especially in restaurants. Well, I hate littering more, in a general sense, but flimsy tables that go from side to side, they're up there.
The Cat's Meow, or Cat's Social House, as they're calling themselves, is a solid little resto blessed by the location gods.Listed in: Date Night
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Review from Kreag S.
Vancouver, BC
12/26/2008
Once the Cat's Meow...Cat's Social House is the latest incarnation from the owners of Brown's Social House and Pinky's...
The menu is exactly the same as Brown's..as is the twist on a modern pubish interior....
I have to say I liked The Cat's Meow better..it was a little out dated but at least it had some character...the menu was little more exciting as well..they did a great Caesar salad...
The best things to order are a good old burger or the Cowboy Salad..so yummy with blackened chicken!!
I went recently and the waiter was super duper cute and attentive...he had a really great knowledge of the beers on tap and made some suggestion for the meal..... -
Review from Rachael T.
Toronto, ON
5/3/2010
I've always walked past here during my strolls around granville island.. and wanted to try the food here during the day.. like lunch / brunch.. but after the art exhibition at the Emily Carr grad, bf suggested to get a drink here so why not?
When I walked in - the place looked trendy with and interesting twist - there is a framed painting of some dude who gets pied in the face... pretty cool. It is a dining room / lounge / bar in one space. We got sat at a high top in the middle of it all - could see the TV's could see the bar, could see the front.. everything.. not the most ideal as I never like looking out the front door but that's how the space lends itself.
There is also an upstairs that looked pretty cool with a giant sign in pink lighting but I don't think it was opened.
So on Saturday nights, it's $5 off bottles of wine and $4.50 Mimosas... it just reminded me too much of a Sunday Brunch drink so I got a Caesars instead (not that it isn't a Sunday Brunch drink either). Specifically on the menu.. they said that it was special because they use horseradish. I asked for extra of that but the waitress said that it's already in the mix. She opted to give me extra tobasco in which I agreed. Bf got the mimosa.
The drinks came and from the picture on the menu - there were olives on the drink... mine didn't come with any. It was spicy, sure enough, but I didn't feel like the horse radish had any effect on the drink whatsoever. It seemed watered down, in my opinion and for $6.. it was just okay.
Are mimosas suppsed to be cold? or regular temperature? because it was clearly not cold... still good with freshly squeezed OJ but it seemed a little off perhaps? I'm not a drink specialist so someone will have to inform me on that.
We finished our drinks and I was ready to order another round. Our waitress (I counted) walked by four times, after helping other customers and I saw her look at our empty cups but kept walking off. By now my alcohol is slowly telling me that I should go home and eat instead of get another one (so she is losing my business). Luckily, the mimosa my boyfriend was praising about made me want one so I impatiently waited for her to come see how we were doing.
Wow what I thought was going to be an ok review turns out to be not so great afterall. The music was a cool jumble however, similar to a typical 90s party.
Their brunch menu does look delicious and I'm willing to try.... Cats is lucky they are on granville island... good tourist trap. -
Review from Jenn W.
5/18/2009
I keep getting tricked by this chain . "Oh that place has a nice looking patio", get seated, pick up the menu "hmm, this looks familiar, DAMN! it's Browns again."
As far as I can tell, Browns is the Cactus Club with a poorer wine selection. Same meat heavy salad burgers pizza menu. Same all female servers in black dresses.
A good patio is a good patio though, so long as you are only seeking drinks, which we were. The patio bumps up against the duck pond, which is a nice quiet green space featuring baby geese this time of year. The goslings were obviously the highlight. -
Review from Gersham M.
Vancouver, BC
6/28/2009
Agreed with others, nice patio but questionable menu. It's really a poorly done Cactus Club wannabe (and oh, what an aspiration!).
The food does really call in to question the taste of the owners/chefs. I read other reviews and see that it's the same people that do Pinky's and Browns, that does explain things. I've been insulted by their food on a number of occasions I'm of mind to go through and rate each restaurant poorly.
Stay away unless you just want a patio to have a beer, they can't screw that up, can they? Bring back the Cat's Meow... -
Review from Victoria R.
BC
12/27/2008
Back in my college days, we always met a the "Meow" and had drinks, hung-out with the boys before hitting the town for a girls' night out. The location on Granville Island is not ideal, but it was close enough that we could cab it over the bridge and be on the strip or saunter around, in all our mighty-ness. Now, it feels a bit more contrived here, and bit more chain-y, a little too many refills on and smiles on tap.
The menu is good, pub food at its best that can get creative with things tat fuse Asian-and-western styles. The staff is friendly and it's decent, but nothing to rave about. -
Review from Tim L.
8/14/2008
Nestled within Granville Island, the combination of the Granville Island culture, with the outdoor patio dining makes for an extremely wonderful dining experience. Especially during warm evenings.
Wait staff are great here with most being artists themselves. The food is definitely worth savoring as well as the decor.
This is a place that lends itself to being a great place to converse and enjoy company, food and atmosphere. -
Review from Suzanne P.
7/27/2009
We came across this place on the recommendation of our water taxi driver, and we were so glad that she mentioned this place!
Everyone who works there is incredibly friendly. I noticed that immediately. We were seated outside in the patio, which was really nice.
I ordered the sushi combo of a shrimp tempura roll and the cowboy salad. Honestly, the salad was one of the best I've ever had in a restaurant. It was so fantastic. The honey-lime dressing was dead on and all of the textures and tastes that made up the salad were just so great. The roll was fine (I've had better back in Chicago). My sister and mom tried their version of a Margerita pizza and it was delicious. My dad had a larger version of the cowboy salad with the ginger tofu (YUM).
I'd definitely come back here! -
Review from Nandan F.
Ottawa, ON
10/20/2010
I ended up in the area while exploring the city after work. I wanted a pub style atmosphere to keep an eye on the score while still being able to enjoy the restaurant and food. GI brewery recommended this place as it served their beer as well.
The place was packed at about 7pm on a weekday. There was a 10 minute wait so we were seated at the bar while we waited. I am glad we did as the wait was longer than 10 mins. The GI lager was on special for $4. Really good beer. I hear their ale is a good especially if you are looking for something darker.
Once we were seated at our table, the service continued to be attentive. When asked about their signature foods, I was told that they are known for their burgers. It sure is an upscale pub. I ordered the Crispy Spicy Chicken Burger with yam fries ($14). The burger arrived in a sleeve on a plate with the fries...pretty cool. The bun was different, good different and although the burger could have been better, I think it was good. I should have stuck with a beef pattie which may have been a better choice. Some others ordered the Mushroom Melt and hollywood burgers which looked good. The Chicken fettuccini was well liked although the portion wasn't that good. You have a choice of half or full and I don't know if you'll even taste the food in a half portion.
The server was attentive and monitored the level of beer in our glasses which is always appreciated. I'd give this place an extra 0.5 star just for that. They have a pretty good menu and it would be a nice place to get some drinks although big groups may be an issue with seating space. -
Review from Carla B.
6/17/2009
Another sadly disappointing meal, but what were we thinking, having breakfast at a chain restaurant on Granville island...
If what we were served had been half of the price, we would have probably been okay with it. But one egg, sandwiched between two slices of bread, with one piece of tomato, one very thin slice of avocado, and one piece of undercooked bacon, did not seem to be worth the tariff.
But that's what you get for dining at a tourist trap destination. -
Review from Mark H.
1/4/2010
It's been years, but when I went it was called Cat's Meow. Went for someone's bday party. What an awful experience. All the food was undercooked or overcooked (my fish was super watery inside i.e. freezer burnt fish), drinks were very weak.
Sadly, the service was worst than the food. One of the waitresses (they all had uniforms resembling a cat) bumped into one of my friends and spilled wine on here. Instead of sorry she blames my friend for being in the way. Everyone I mean everyone complained at the experience yet the manager would not offer any discount or compensation. We still had to pay 20% mandatory tip. What a joke.Listed in: 1 Star 'Gems'
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Review from Patrick N.
12/23/2008
It's a nice place, yo, but feels like what it is, a chain.
We went there on a cold December night, and stopped by here because it was closer than the Sandbar (something about -12 C weather does that to you).
The menu, for starters just isn't that exciting -- there's a ton of bar type food that looks greasy, and I recently had my gallbladder taken out, so greasy is a really bad idea -- so she ordered some pasta dish, and i had halibut. The chicken in the pasta was salty (and I've never had salty chicken, so WTF), and the halibut had a ton of sauce on it. Not a good thing.
The drinks were fair, but this seems like the kind of place you hang out with a bunch of friends cheaply, and drink and drink and drink during the summer nights. Nice enough place, just not a "I want to have a good meal" place. -
Review from Cameron M.
Toronto, ON
12/26/2008
I've been to this both as the cat's meow and it's new incarnation a few times with work. We basically plan this as the final meetup after events to have some drinks, wind down and debrief.
For that, it's fine. The food is pretty good, the place is clean and usually pretty quiet for Granville Island and it can house pretty big parties as long as we make a reservation.
I don't know why people moan so much about the re-do. To me little to nothing seems to have changed beyond the menu, and the food and drinks seem pretty much the same to me.
If there's one thing that earns the extra star it's the atmosphere. I love the funny art on the walls and the amount of seating in the place. There's something amusing to a place that seems classy but still has the goofy charm TGIFridays so longs for.
It's not the best restaurant around, but for Granville island it's an equal, if not better choice than many of the chains around there. -
Review from Amanda D.
Ottawa, ON
12/12/2008
Due to popularity and renovations, it took awhile to finally gain entrance and have a meal here during my visit to Vancouver. I wasn't disappointed as we were squished in against other hungry patrons on the patio. The food was delicious and our waitress was incredibly friendly. They have some of the usual pub food items, but many healthy and/or creative options too.
If I come to Granville Island again and I'm looking for a sit down restaurant, as opposed to something at the Public Market, I'd definitely come here. -
Review from Lee N.
Vancouver, BC
Updated - 5/2/2011
Still only 4 stars, lots of brunch on the menu but no TOAST????
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7/2/2009
The Browns people had to be careful with the name. Great brunch space as long as the Baby Buick… Read more »
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Review from Nicole K.
8/22/2008
I've been to The Cat's Meow now about 4 - 5 times and I've never had a fully satisfying experience there. The staff have always had an attitude and are always slow in serving. The menu is pricey and not that good, at least not for dinner. When I was there for brunch it was considerably better.
The patio is lovely and so is their local brew. However, they do not accept bank cards though and so you're forced to use the ATM with extra fees on the premise.
I like to say, "Cat's Meow always seems like a good idea at the time, but I always end up regretting it."
