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Chambar
Category: Restaurants Belgian Belgian [Edit]
562 Beatty StVancouver, BC V6B 2L3
Neighbourhood: Downtown
(604) 879-7119
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 5:30 pm - 12 am
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Dressy
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Classy, Trendy, Intimate
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
140 reviews for Chambar
Review Highlights
"The moules frites do not disappoint."
(in 12 reviews)
"I enjoyed the Blue Fig martini."
(in 8 reviews)
"Mussels cooked with a tomato coconut cream, smoked chili..."
(in 4 reviews)
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140 reviews in English
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Review from Charly S.
Vancouver, BC
2/7/2012
Wow. Seriously, one of the best high calibre restaurants in Vancouver. The ambiance is as others have described, unique, upscale yet comfortable. The location is interesting, even if a little sketchy at times, but that's part of the charm.
This was the only restaurant that actually impressed us, during Dine Out - good for them, we'll be back. The food was fantastic, everything was flavoured very well - but not over flavoured, a fine line. The portions were small, and I would even say that had we not ordered bread ($3) we would have left a tad hungry. Perhaps the regular menu items are slightly larger?
Great specialty beer and cocktail selections.
On busy nights they open their Cafe Medina next door (same menu, same kitchen), if they're full online call, they can probably get you in. It's the same type of ambiance just quieter. Our waiter also brought us the menus for the cafe, as they serve breakfast and lunch there and have apparently won awards for their breakfasts (waffles) - so we gave added that to our to try list as well.
We're looking forward to trying Chambar again, and kudos to them for creating a memorable dine out menu. -
Review from Brendan M.
North Vancouver, BC
2/1/2012
I was presented with a pair of great seats to see the Canucks last month. Super excited to make a great night out of this event, I made the decision to have dinner before the game at Chambar and just walk over to GM Place. Logistically, the plan worked out pretty well, but I wish I had chosen another place to eat.
I need to qualify this review with the fact that I used to frequent Chambar as one of my "go-to" standards for a cozy dinner out with friends and clients. The ambience they have created is really spot-on and the tunes are great, but in my opinion, these are the only positive things that remain.
I understand that this is a Belgian restaurant, but the food choices are not particularly Belgian. Yet, for someone that enjoys a nice cold beer before diving into main courses, they apply a brutally rigid "Belgian Only" philosophy with their beer offering. (Thier cocktails are way overpriced and are a waste of time).
Like many, my preferred style of beer is a lager or a pilsner. I like a crisp, light in color, full flavored, German style beer such as DAB, Grolsch, Pilsner Urquel or even a Heinekin. I also happen to really like Stella Artois, the best selling Belgian beer in the world, which is a light, crisp, German style lager and is from Belgium, but they don't stock it at Chambar. In fact, the only kind of beer that IS available at Chambar are those dark, hoppy, sweet, malty, perfumy beers which I HATE. They are disgusting. They also used to offer one other awesome, crisp, Belgian beer called PALM, the only one I actually liked on their list, but they decided to remove this and not offer it anymore. Awesome. Thanks guys. Their bar manager should be fired on the sole grounds of being completely clued out to most people's tastes.
The menu is shrinking at Chambar. They offer a grand total of 5 items as main courses and four of which are meat dishes. There's a morrocan style lamb shank with figs which used to be awesome and is now way too dominated by spice, a flank steak, a venison and one Fish entre. So, if you are into eating vegetarian, or you are not a total carnivor, your options here will be extremely limited.
The appetizer list is more comprehensive, but the portions are tiny and the average price point is high. Your looking at between 14 and 20 bucks for a taste of whatever it is they describe. The wine list is average and they mark them up nice and high to ensure you're paying a solid 100% mark up on any bottle or glass. Our bill was something like $220 and I felt kind of hungry walking to the game.
Our server appeared every 15 minutes or so with this lazy, lackluster attitude like he just couldn't be bothered and was too cool to serve us. That was just annoying.
In genreal I can't emphasize enough how disappointed and let down I felt at this place that I once recommended to everyone I know. The only reason I gave it two stars is due to the kind of restaurant it once was and the hope that it might one day regain a little of its former glory. With so many cool new places to try that get it right, I'll never be going back to this one that gets so many things wrong. -
Review from Matthew P.
Vancouver, BC
1/31/2012
I guess it's just me with the 3 star review, but here's why. We started off with the beats (Betterave & fenouil) and scallops (Les coquilles st. jacques) as an app. Scallops were not seasoned well and the beats (i didn't order it) was just OK. I'll add that I don't normally enjoy beats because I feel they taste like dirt or very earthy, but when I paired it with fennel, pomegranate, whipped sheeps feta the earthy flavor was muted.
For our main we tried two different types of muscles, Coquotte and Congolaise. The Coquotte sounded great on paper, but their execution of it was so far off. First, the white wine didn't reduce nearly enough, I think I got a slight buzz from this dish... and to top it off the muscles were seasoned with fresh cilantro which over powered the entire dish. I should add, cilantro is not suppose to be in the Coquotte. The Congolaise muscles were much better; however, when I think back anything would have been better then the failed Coquotte, so I don't really know how to judge the plate. I like tomatoes, lime and cilantro together so how can you go wrong. The best part of the meal for me was the Yam fries that came with the muscles... I could've eaten another basket they were that good!
Our server apologized for the mistake with the Coquotte. He even made grossed out face when we told him the problem with the dish. When he returned with our check he also gave us some complimentary truffles, one white and and the other chocolate. All in all I think if the meal was perfect they would've only gotten 3.5 stars.
On a side note, service was awesome and decor reminded me of my friends restaurant in Pasadena, CA. I kept looking at all the woodwork around the doors and ceiling.
They get a +1 for having Chimey Blue on their drink menu and making a tasty Dirty Martini with good olives. -
Review from Katie F.
1/29/2012
Solid restaurant!
Decent service at the table (but had the hostesses/coat check definitely needs to be smoother during DOV or when it's busy) and great menu of cocktails (pretty and tasty!)/Belgian beers and food. The restaurant inside is a lot bigger than it looks since it's quite deep, and table spacing is nice - energetic but much better than the entrance.
This year's Dine Out menu was great with their famous mussels, but we decided to sample some of their other offerings. My celeriac and potato soup was lovely, and the caribou carpaccio was tasty - nice pairing with greens. For the mains, hubby had the shortribs... I totally should have gotten these. Melt in your mouth good! My arctic char was disappointing - not bad, but I had just eaten at Blue Water Cafe a couple of nights before and that version is much better. For dessert, both choices we had were excellent! Loved the salted caramel and chocolate bar and the pretzel ice cream was to die for! The cheese plate came with some fruity bread, a fruit compote (jam) and some sliced apples - nice option for a lighter ending to the meal.
Although this isn't a DOV feature, I have to put a plug in for Chambar's version of a poutine, which replaces the gravy with a wine and beef jus reduction and uses goat cheese and leeks instead as toppings... delicious!
Great place to eat and have a drink! -
Review from Marlena M.
Vancouver, BC
1/16/2012
What a great place! Had my birthday dinner here and it was pretty close to flawless. Our server was excellent, the frites are TO DIE FOR, and my dessert, the "Le Camping", is my new favorite thing. The mussels were very good, a little bit too much fennel for my taste, but that's just my taste buds.
Love it, will definitely be back. -
Review from Jason G.
1/22/2012
Jalapeno Spring Rolls...wow...
There is a restaurant or two like this in every major city, but that doesn't take away from it at all. Great ambiance inside, and a nice selection in the menu. I had duck and my lady had lamb. The lamb was sort of run of the mill, but good lamb. Nothing super special. It had some flavor. The duck was great!! Overall the textures in the meal were very good, everything was cooked as well as it could be cooked I think. If you end up sitting next to the door in the winter, it might end up being a bit chilly I would imagine. They had some cool booths you could sit at if you're with a larger group.
Only two complaints, and they are both smallish. First, I feel bad for Canada because your wines seemed to be heavily taxed. They are marked up quite a bit more than they are in America. That being said, the wine list still was a bit extreme, you either threw down 150 for a pretty good wine or 70 for a bad-ok wine. The second was that I felt overwhelmed by the attentions of multiple people that didn't introduce themselves. We must have had 5 different people asking us questions. If you introduce yourself, thats one thing but to just keep getting interrupted by people it felt hard to keep a conversation going at times. Also one of the guys had a rude attitude that I could have done without.
All of that being said, this was the best dinner I've had in Vancouver but not good enough to come back. -
Review from Teunis D.
Vancouver, BC
1/12/2012
The first time I came here was to meet a friend jumping off the skytrain for drinks. I only knew about it by walking by several times noticing the warm comforting glow. Made the mental note to come back....and I'm so happy I did!
Sitting at the very cozy bar awaiting my friend I was overjoyed to see a wide selection of the best Belgian beers, my personal favorites. I thought I'd grab a bite. Glanced at the menu and lo and behold. Mussels and Pom Frites!! I am now officially in heaven. I ordered the congalaise and was transported. The broth was so good. It actually made me recall a very early childhood memory sitting in a seaside restaurant with my family in Holland when I was barely 3 eating mussels from a giant black pot. Ahhh...
Of course, mussels and fries in Holland is considered low brow comfort food. So I was amused to pay so much for a little pot of mussels, but what the hell, they were so good!
I've been back several times since and the quality and service are always outstanding. Highly recommended! Make reservations though.... -
Review from Linda T.
12/13/2011 5 photos
this was my favorite restaurant in vancouver. Went while on vacation on the recommendation of one of my really good college friends who now lives in Seattle.
sat in lounge/bar area in front
blue fig--you gotta try this drink! Yes, it's a novelty.
they have lambics too
foie de canard"villa lorraine" spiced foie gras terrine, port reduction, kriek granita, & truffled brioche french toast
Coquotte moules frites--mussels cooked in a white wine cream, smoked bacon lardons, spring onions
fries really good, even my friend who doesn't really care for fries liked these
We originally didn't think we had room for dessert, but they brought us the dessert menu anyway, & we saw the black sesame dessert & decided that we had to have it.
dessert--du noire au blanc: black sesame seed & white chocolate panna cotta, fresh rhubarb puree & white chocolate tuiles
again, also very good, my friend who doesn't have much of a sweet tooth had her ahlf of dessert
service good
women's room: 2-3 stalls, industrial strength handdryer
on s side of beatty, between dunsmuir & pender -
Review from Mike S.
Vancouver, BC
11/28/2011 Seated via OpenTable
I was torn between a 4 or 5 star but went with a 5 for the following reasons. It's a great restaurant! Done... OK, so the 4 part - Ate with a friend and there was a table nearby celebrating something which evidently required a lot of booze and a lot of loud, loud chatter. The noise level got me thinking about the overall acoustics of the restaurant, thus needing a 4.5 rating. Yet, the service, food and atmosphere (excluding loud, obnoxious, drunken table) is so on point, and unique in the sense of having some undefinable quality that it warrants a 5 star.
Truly technically creative dishes, that are just well done. My best all around YVR dining experience. Go! -
Review from Sarah Y.
Vancouver, BC
1/7/2012 1 Check-in Here
Great place for mussels and frites, to see and be seen. Everything's pretty reasonable for a downtown location...just make sure the hosts don't cram you into the back if you want to be people-watch and be watched by people.
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Review from Christine D.
9/25/2011
What a nice place. Very nice atmosphere, perfect for a dinner out with friends.
They have a few staples on the menu and the rest of it is changed as the seasons change and therefore, there are always plenty of fresh offerings.
I, having overindulged during a lunch time snack, elected to have the heirloom tomato salad which isn't very big but it was quite fine considering I wasn't hungry at all when we got to the restaurant. Very nice seasonal dish. It's quite small so if you are hungry be sure to order an entree as well. I didn't and it was fine. Mixed with peaches very tasty.
My friends had the mussels and the lamb which they all enjoyed. They have a great selection of beers and wine and some specialty cocktails.
The service was great and we did not want for anything. I enjoyed it, maybe next time I'll be a bit hungrier.
They request you call ahead for parties larger than eight people. And they tack on a gratuity fee of 18 percent.Listed in: Vancity
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Review from Mike K.
10/16/2011
Definitely a good place for a special night out. We met my sister and brother-in-law there while we were in town visiting, and this place did not disappoint in any way.
Our server was extremely helpful to us without being all over the top "in your face". The selection of Belgian beer was by far the best I'd ever seen. And then there was the food. They rotate the menu (except for a few signature items) to get local ingredients while they're fresh. One of the signature items is the moules frites (mussels and fries), which I ordered. We traded bites around the table and all the food was top-notch.
The atmosphere is classy, but again, without being over the top. The prices are high, but this is the kind of place you go when you want to spend some money on a fine meal. Excellent all around. -
Review from Eva G.
11/1/2011
-Foie gras de canard: as good as Paris (but be prepared to share it).
-The pot of mussels cooked in tomato cream, chili, lime, and cilantro: a safe pick. Get some frites to go with it; they come with garlic aioli.
-There was a tuna tartare with avocado that I especially found delicious.
-The braised lamb shank, however, is not as tender, juicy, and flavorful as we expected. Get the bison instead.
Though pricey, it's a splurge for a special night out. The dining area is relatively dark, gleaming with intonations of red light. I guess that's the closest that decor can get to making you think you're about to indulge in sin-worthy Belgian fare. Civilized debauchery indeed. -
Review from Nick C.
12/6/2011
Get ready for a culinary journey at Chambar. Your palate will be in for a real treat with exploding flavors. Beer pairing with appropriate glass every time is a must. Love the beer made from Monks. Very rarely do I find a beer that I haven't tried, but there were a couple here. A massive wine menu and a great list of cocktails. Can't go wrong with any choice there either. Service was as good as it gets. The bison was to die for and I can't wait to come back. I'm going with the four stars as I was sitting at the high tops that are essentially in the kitchen and server station so the noise and commotion is out of control. Definitely wait for another spot, as these really shouldn't be seats.
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Review from Melanie J.
10/22/2011
Holy cow! The mussels here were absolutely amazing!
Moules Frites "Congolaise"
Mussels cooked with a tomato coconut cream, smoked chili & lime, fresh cilantro.
I will crave this until my next trip (fingers crossed) to Vancouver! My bf and I came here on a recommendation by a friend and it was absolutely wonderful. I would see these big bowls being served and when I saw what the dish was and the ingredients.....(my mouth is watering now).
We made reservations and it's a good thing we did as the place surely was packed.
If you are a seafood junkie (like yours truly) the mussels is definitely worth the trip.
It does come with a side order of pomme frites and with the belgium beer, you've got yourself a winning meal!!!! -
Review from Brad W.
Vancouver, BC
11/12/2011
Flatiron steak, Lamb shank. Halibut, All those good ol Chamabr classics.
Always a wonderful place to go on a date with your love, great for birthdays too. cocktails are original and tasty, wine is diverse, and environment is sexy. -
Review from Jaye L.
Vancouver, BC
I've been hearing so much about Chambar, a Belgian restaurant that's like on top of the best in -ahem, Urbanspoon & Yelp. Moreover, being a "Vancouverite" for 3+ years, it will be sacrilegious for me not to try! :-)
So, I made reservations through http://Opentable.com last Friday night. It looked like a small restaurant from the outside but I was surprised how spacious it was when they seated us. The servers were attentive and friendly (from the bartenders to the waitstaff) but for the prices, they really should be!
For the starters, we had 2 orders of the spiced foie gras terrine, port reduction, kriek granita & truffled brioche french toast (based from a friend's recommendation), and the seared scallop appetizer. Truly amazing flavours and tastes. Even my 3 year old loved the foie gras terrine and was licking it off her tiny spoon like it was butter which gave my bros a good laugh.
Next for the main course, I had the Moules Frites - Coquette (mussels cooked in white wine cream) whereas my sis-in-law had the Congolaise (mussels in a tomato cocunut cream). These orders came with their famous frites which my daughter easily devoured (hey, no carbs for me anyways!).. My bros being the carnivores they are -ordered the rib-eye steak & peppercorn crusted bison. Also ordered the Bouillabaisse A Ma Facon that consisted of tapas-sized saffron, albacore tuna, scallop, crab & ricotta raviolli.
Overall the experience was fantastic. Food presentation & waitstaff were an A++.
We also had this awesome birthday chocolate hazelnut cake from True Confections which they graciously put in their kitchen ref prior to the dinner... and also served adding candles. Don't expect them to sing though. Well, none of us wanted them to anyway. Hahaha!
Pricewise, this place is not cheap costing about $260++ including one watered down long island iced tea (hence the deduction of one star). They have a vast selection of Belgian beers though (too bad, none of us are beer drinkers except my bro -hahaha!).
Will definitely be back! -
Review from isle-de-M t.
8/31/2011
I'm so glad to have experienced dining at Chambar! There sure are countless restaurants in Vancouver, but Vancouver needs more quality restaurants like this just to vary things up. The atmosphere at Chambar is non-cheesy-ly romantic while being classy-ly laid-back. Many of the waiters in the restaurant aren't native speakers - which is AWESOME because you know you're in for a more authentic treat!
Yes, the food - the food served here is definitely quality stuff! I had the duck breast, which was so tender and extremely well seasoned. The goat cheese and cheese balls around it took me by surprise. They totally elevated the breast. It was awesome. We also had the lamb, mussels, and 2 other fish dishes. The lamb was probably the best lamb dish I had ever tasted. It was sophisticated. Yes, the lamb was sophisticated. The mussels were pure heaven.
The drinks were made with great sincerity. They've got something for everyone. The drink selection is actually bigger than what's on the menu.
It is kindda situated near a fishy area. But once you're in the restaurant, you'd forget about what's outside. Also, if you've been to some of the cities down in the States, this area is nowhere near ghetto :) -
Review from Jonathan P.
Vancouver, BC
1/18/2012
Overpriced for what it was. Good service, pleasant and all but disappointing food and steep price.
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Review from Henry B.
Vancouver, BC
Vancouver is very lucky to have a chef like Nico Schuermans, a great Belgium trained chef whom has created one of the most consistant and highly acclaimed restaurants in our neck of the woods. Chambar is a beacon of light tucked in a dreary block on Beatty St. Chef Nico reinvents classic Belgium dishes with flavours from North Africa and beyond.
Chambar has a great selection of Belgium beers ranging from light pale ales and lagers to the full-bodied and rich dark ales. My favourite is the Augustijn Blonde with a light fruit aroma and a hint of citrus and vanilla.
We usually skip the appetizers and go straight to their famous Belgium mussels. They have three choices: Coquotte, Vin blanc , or Congolaise. Our favourite is the Congolaise, which is mussels cooked with a tomato coconut cream, smoked chili & lime, and fresh cilantro. The portions were generous and the sauce is simply divine with a touch of spicy and tangy flavour. The mussels went perfectly with a side of pommes frites, although I did find the frites to be a bit too seasoned. For the entree, I had the Canard et chevre; roasted duck breast, goat cheese & tarragon gnocchi, sauteed scallions, in hazelnut gastrique. The duck was excellent, succulent and tender. The chewy gnocchi was a great compliment to the dish. The portions were just enough to make you feel full but not overbearing. Enough for us to skip the desserts this time around.
The service is usually good despite attracting a lot of the trendy and pretentious crowd. The ambiance is quite dark and intimate. It's a bit cramped as you are literally side by side to your fellow neighbours and it takes no effort to listen to their banters.
Overall, Chambar always provide consistant quality food. A great place for special occasions, group gatherings or just to impress your date. -
Review from Jesus V.
12/7/2011
The experience here was one I will remember for the rest of my life. Partly because of some locals I met at the bar here that showed me a great night out but also because of the great service at the bar, the incredible food and the fantastic drink and beer selection. If you go to Vancouver this is a must! I don't give out reviews like this easily but this place made an huge impression on me and I dream of the day I can go back to it. If you go, make reservations and talk to them about what kind of drinks you like before just ordering something. And if you are there alone, sit at the bar and see what kind of night you end up having. I spent a good amount of money here but I also spent a good amount of time ordering different exciting drinks and beers.
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Review from Dana C.
Vancouver, BC
9/20/2011
This restaurant is so yummy that it made my shell fish hater husband change his mind.
It's a bit expensive, better for a special occasion. -
Review from Angelo B.
11/2/2011
Lots of reviews for this one, so I'm going to keep it brief.
Order the mussels & a side of bread. Enjoy!
Great atmosphere
Largish range of Belgium Beers
Wife ordered duck breast. I ordered the bison. Both were cooked perfectly -
Review from Yunn A.
7/6/2011
Beautiful space, and great speed of service. The service we received was efficient, though the waiter not as genuinely friendly and warm as I would have liked. Our waiter was a tad standoffish, but at least he waited well.
I came here in a party of 5 and sat at a large round table which was fun and comfortable, and was perfect considering we all shared pretty much everything we ordered. Everything was plated beautifully.
We ordered two of each of the appetizers.
Appetizers:
Les coquilles st. jacques -Seared scallops, smoked kurobuta pork cheek, pickled green beans & horseradish vinaigrette.
- - Everyone LOVED this dish and we ate everything on the plate. The scallops were tender and hot, the pork cheeks crispy and succulent, and the pickled green beans were crunchy and led us to feel a bit better about our food choices now that we had eaten some greens ;)
Les Tapas - Charred octopus, avocado, aji vinaigrette. Pickled watermelon, serrano ham, arugula. Burrata, sun dried tomato & olive tapenade.
- - Octopus that isn't sickly chewy but delicious? You got it here! Great tapa dish, variety of flavors that contrasted one another in a harmonious way.
Carpaccio d'omble de l'artique - Sumac & fennel cured artctic char, jalapeno vinaigrette, pepperdew, capers, creme fraiche, sunchoke chips.
- - I usually enjoy any type of capaccio and this is no exception.
Mussels:
Coquotte - Mussels cooked in a white wine cream, smoked bacon lardons, spring onions.
- - Great fresh mussels and lots of "filling" in the pot. The sauce is fantastic enough that we ordered bread rolls to soak it all up after the mussels were long gone.
Mains:
Dégustation de flétan - Battered, roasted & poached halibut, asparagus, mint, tamarind, bacalao, ginger & mustard sauce.
- - I was a bit disappointed by this dish. The battered halibut was tasty, but such a small portion. The poached halibut was not overly flavorful, and I didn't feel this dish was very special nor worth the $32.
Canard et chevre - Roasted duck breast, goat cheese & tarragon gnocchi, sauteed scallions, hazelnut gastrique.
- - This was easily my favorite dish. The duck breast was succulent and cooked to medium rare perfection without being oily. The goat cheese and tarragon gnocchi was al dente and though I normally don't eat goat cheese, it was balanced so well with the other flavors that I happily hoovered it back. I highly recommend this dish if you like duck, and unlike our party, I'd recommend ordering your own dish and not sharing it just so you can eat more of it!
Overall, I would come again for a wonderful evening of great food. -
Review from Jeremy C.
8/20/2011
We had a Belgian friend in town for the night, and really wanted to try this place. We called for reservations and were told they didn't have any, on account of a special event they were throwing that night in celebration of a Belgian national holiday. Not to be deterred, we stopped by after eating at Medina next door (which is owned by the same people) and asked if there was any way they could accommodate us. Given the circumstances, they said they were happy to, and went out of their way to setup an extra table (out of their waiting area) for us. Later, it turns out the person we asked was chef Nico, who was very friendly.
The special event involved a seventeen course prix fixe menu (that's right, seventeen) - and was served sans silverware. Our Belgian friend complained that of the seventeen items, he probably would have only ordered six of them - and I had to agree. Despite that, we tried - and enjoyed! - everything. Some of the dishes (such as the pork, short rib and escargot) really stood out. At $75 per person, it was really an exceptional value and a memorable evening.
In addition, in celebration of the holiday, their staff dressed up in medieval costumes. Some of them really went all out. It was fun to see the staff having so much fun. Despite this, they still fulfilled their promise of "fine dining without pretension" (the staff were all friendly and approachable - even when we complained about being missed for a couple courses, a mistake they quickly remedied).
I'm certain this isn't a typical night at Chambar, and as a result this review might not be terribly relevant. That said, the prix fixe menu certainly gave a good sampling of their menu, as well as their quality, and I can safely say that everything is really quite tasty. Next time I'm in Vancouver I will certainly be sure to visit on a "normal" night. -
Review from Amy T.
5/26/2011
From huge parties to intimate gatherings, Chambar's service is always stellar.
I came for drinks last night before the concert at GM Place and they make one of the best dirty martinis. The drink is never too overly salty and the olive taste like it came from a new jar so it almost has a crunch to it.
Another one of my favorite martinis here is the Blue Fig. It is a Gin martini with fig and there is blue cheese on the side. I love the combination of eating sliver of cheese and then taking a sip of martini.
For food, I highly recommend the mussels. Any of the mussel dishes are excellent, but the one cooked in white wine, bacon and spring onions is my favorite.Listed in: My Faves, Best for Drinking
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Review from Robin M.
5/25/2011
When I'm in the mood for a little bit of make-believe, pretending that I actually do live the high-life, I head to Chambar for dinner. Dim lighting, high ceilings, AND exposed brick walls? This place oozes a sense of glamour and mystic.
Fast forward a couple of glasses of wine (which are brilliantly paired with the dinner of my choosing), and a massive bowl of vin blanc moules et frits, and I am there. If I'm feeling especially lush, I may even order my fine-feathered friend, the tasty, tasty duck, or his good buddy arctic char, and suddenly I'm the happiest girl in the whole wide world. -
Review from Danielle D.
9/3/2011
Awesome Belgian food and beer in Vancouver you say? I wouldn't have believed it either but this place more than exceeded my expectations.
A little loud at times but was able to overcome that with the excellent service (we had a super excited wait staff) and great food. When your server is as excited about the menu as you are - you know it will be a good thing.
I am biased as I love Belgian beer - and their selection was top notch. We were satisfied with both of the recommendations our waiter made.
Food - I had the mussels and I have to say they might have been the most well cooked mussels I have ever had. Not chewy but delicate and the broth (I had the thai spicier one) was also well put together. They didn't skimp on the mussels either so I was definitely full when I left.
I probably could have stayed longer to sample more of their beer selection but they would have had to roll me out of there.
The location - near the stadium is a bit off the beaten track when there are no events going on in that area - so don't expect a hopping nightlife next door. But we didn't mind that at all.
If you are in the area and want a nice dinner - definitely check this place out. -
Review from Benson H.
Vancouver, BC
11/24/2011
We went for Dine Out Vancouver last year and I had lowered my expectations for several reasons
1) It's Dine-Out Vancouver when popular restaurants are doing a set menu and will often just churn out these dishes, and the service will suffer because of the crowds and their need to turn over the tables for the next Dine-Out reservation. Also the servers must figure they won't earn as much in tips with the lower bill totals.
2) I've heard too much about Chambar and usually it doesn't live up to the hype.
3) I've had mussels at enough restaurants that I thought I knew what I was getting into.
But the night went as perfectly as it could as we looked like VIPs when were just punctual for our reservation just after a Canucks game. There was a slight wait but it was nothing compared to the post-hockey crowd. The server was as expected crazy busy with the Dine-out reservations but she definitely was able to cope with it. I thought I would skip the mussels since I've had enough mussels everywhere else that I wanted to try something else. But this was the one mistake she made that she deserved a bonus tip for: she gave me the mussels anyways (it wasn't her fault really since I deliberated too long on whether to get the mussels)! When I pointed that out to her, she apologized and brought my originally ordered dish anyways even though the mussels had blown me away and I insisted I was more than happy with the mix-up.
And somehow I made more room (as I usually do when it is worthwhile to do so and this was one of those cases) for the braised brisket. I remembered that I already eat too much brisket in my Chinese diet so perhaps I shouldn't have ordered the brisket. But then again - this was an unexpected delicious and still succulent braised brisket.
Without getting into more detail as there are many more reviews to get into the food - there is an endless list of Belgium Beers that cannot disappoint, the appetizers were not bad, and the entrees just exponentially skyrocketed the dining experience, and the dessert was not gratuitous in the very least.
My five star rating is appropriate for our experience and the best $38/person we've ever spent. -
Review from Joanne W.
7/12/2011 4 photos
Eclectic with an artsy vibe. I guess that would be how I would describe it.
I went with my brother, sister-in-law and my naugthy nephew to the restaurant. I made a reservation the evening before. They provided us with a booster seat, but he was too big for it. Thank goodness, they provided us witha larger one, and he fit perfectly in it.
We noticed that a LOT of people were ordering the mussels. My sister-in-law and I ordered the congolaise moules frites. I liked it -- however, not a big fan of coriander - and there were a LOT of mussels. The scallops (les coquilles st. jacques) were delicious! The pickled taste to it worked very well with the scallops. My sister-in-law ordered the bouillabaisse à ma facon and my brother had ordered the entrecote de boeuf. I loved the steak that they cooked here. Absolutely perfect. We also shared a poutine à la belge - which contained blue cheese, peppercorn and gravy. However, I wasn't a big fan of that (I guess I'm more of a purist).
All in all, a great experience at Chambar. The waitress was friendly and everybody was very talkative to us too (I guess it's because I have the cutest nephew ever).
Loved it :) -
Review from Christine K.
Vancouver, BC
4/22/2011 4 photos
3.5 stars. I decided to take my son here for his 21st birthday dinner. I put a note on Open Table about his 21st and also told the server when I used the washroom. She knew, and even knew his name which I had written when I made the reservation. She asked if I knew which dessert he would order and I told her I didn't know at this point but she said, not to worry, it would be looked after.
I enjoyed the Blue Fig martini. It was definitely a highlight that evening. For appys I ordered the Coquotte: Mussels cooked in a white wine cream, smoked bacon lardons, spring onions. My son ordered the Poutine à la belge. He didn't like this because of the little red peppercorns throughout and the cheese was similar to blue cheese. We didn't ask what it was. I traded my frites with him though I didn't care for the poutine either. The mussels were good, but not "wow" or anything. I liked the lardons best...I couldn't finish because I got full. Too much for an appetizer for one person!
We were seated by the windows in the back and the restaurant was LOUD! I never really notice things like this, but it really bothered me this evening. It really hampered my dining experience.
For main courses, my son ordered the Le fletan et queue de beouf which was sesame crusted halibut, crispy oxtail rice cake, mustard ginger & yuzu glaze, micro shiso. I ordered the Lamb Tagine: Braised lamb shank with honey, figs, cinnamon & cilantro, served with cous cous and zalouk.
We were both really full so only had a couple of bites before packing it in. When our server came by, I told her we were too full to eat from the appys and she picked up our plates and walked away. I had to holler out to get her back and told her I'd like to take them. She said, "Oh really?" I looked at her a little confused and said yes. She said, "'Kay, I'll pack it up then". She was more pleasant when she returned the food. I just found it strange that she wouldn't think to ask if the plates were full - if you wanted it to go.
All the other staff were great. The food servers, the host who came by to ask how we were doing at the beginning, etc. The lamb was so good too. Loved the flavours in this dish and was looking forward to finishing it! My son ate 1/2 the halibut and none of his oxtail rice cake. Said it was "ok" but if he came back, he'd try something else. It sure looked good. (Picture posted).
After that, she brought the dessert menus. Neither of us could manage another bite so we declined and ordered Americanos. This is what disappointed me the most. Because we didn't order dessert, no Happy Birthday sentiments were wished or acknowledged. The bill came after that and she didn't even say happy birthday to him. I just thought for a $180 bill, they could have made a little more of an effort to acknowledge his birthday. A dessert amuse or something!
Because of the loudness, the price and the birthday treatment, I won't be returning soon. I'm sorry it turned out disappointing. When we got home, only my dinner was packed. My son's 3/4 not eaten plate was not present. -
Review from Jeremy R.
7/13/2011
I ate here in 2007.
I love the concept.
I love the menu.
I love the decor.
I love the service.
Food had the right ingredients and sounded yummy, but the execution just wasn't there.
Our dessert was wonderful and refreshing. It was a dessert centered around stawberry sorbet. Its been 4 years so I can't remember it beyond that.
The beer and cocktails are awesome. Better than most of the drinks you find at cocktail bars in Yaletown. -
Review from Jay M.
Vancouver, BC
3/30/2011
mussels, mussels, mussels, mussels!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am a Realtor who focuses in Crosstown Vancouver. I have taken clients to Chambar a number of times for a congratulatory dinner for their purchases or sales. This is the perfect place to take well deserving clients as a thank you and a wonderful local treat!
Taking clients here I get to show them (now that they are Crosstown Locals) that there is some very high end establishments in the up & coming neighbourhood, & this one is #1!!
The service is perfect, the atmosphere is very nice and the crowd is always great. The menu gives a great variety, but again..... I always recommend the Mussels.... dipping the fresh bread in the broth is the best!
The establishment really helps me put a solid & sophisticated name to the growing community around it. I have nothing bad to say & highly recommend it!
I have also taken my better half here a number of times.... There is no better place to impress the one you love! cheesy I know... but true!
ENJOY!! -
Review from Derek A.
4/4/2011
As everyone else has mentioned about Chambar, they have mussels, and quite good mussels at that. However, it doesn't end just there - there is a wide away of French, Belgian and North African/Middle Eastern influenced food.
But let's start with the mussels - they are excellent. Since they are one of the marquee items for the restaurant, of course they need to be perfectly cooked, which they are. With a large group of diners, I was able to try two versions, the Coquotte and Vin Blanc. The latter was a perfectly executed version of the most common preparation of mussels, whereas Coquette added in some wonderfully smokey bacon lardons which brought another dimension to the tender shallots.
For my main course, I had "Tajine d'aziz à l'agneau" - a braised lamb shank with honey, figs, cinnamon & cilantro, served with cous cous and zalouk. When the waiter removed the tagine top, the aroma of the cinnamon and cilantro quickly wafted up. This is a very unique, exciting dish with a falling-off-the-bone lamb shank surrounded by a richly seasons broth, topped with a large piece of bok choy.
Again, thanks to the large dining party I was with, we got two of the chef's tasting dessert plates. Everything was excellent, but the Pot de Crème au Chocolat was by far my favorite.
I can't finish this review without mentioning the fabulous beer menu. Mostly Belgian and Belgium-style beers, nicely categorized. It has been a while since I looked at a beer menu and saw that I haven't had most of the beers. Just as important when dealing with a large, unique beer menu is an informed staff, and Chambar delivers on that front.
Chambar is a unique, exciting and luxurious dining experience without being too pretentious. The place is lively and fun, but the food is fabulous. -
Review from Angie L.
Burnaby, BC
11/1/2011
Been here twice, one for a girls night out with Dine Out Vancouver, one for a first date. Both experiences were very good.
For the dine out, although the server was well aware that we are here for the dine out deal, he provided excellent service nonetheless. I had received below-par service and attitude from establishments before when my friends and I did the dine out a year ago....but not at Chambar. Food was excellent, very nice beers, atmosphere was good. We left satisfied.
Second time, I was eager to come back to try their regular menu after my ex suggested this place. It was one of his favorites and I can certainly see why. It was a while ago so I don't remember exactly which dishes we ordered, believe we ordered mussels (amazing!)...and the wine. Our server was knowledgeable about the wine list, and he suggested few good ones that would compliment our dishes. We picked a white since we ordered mainly seafood dishes. It was...gooodddd.
Overall, I will recommend this restaurant for almost any special occasion, maybe not a loud birthday party, but intimate dinners among friends or significant other, this is the place to be. -
Review from Sam L.
2/19/2011
I've been here several times over the years and enjoyed every visit, the most recent time being valentines day with my girlfriend.
I've been hunched over my keyboard for the past half an hour trying to think of something clever and funny to write about this restaurant but nothing is coming to mind so I'm going to go with my gut reaction.
So...
Chambar GOOd! Pork tasTe yummy!!! muSsels oCean happY!
mmmm BEER!
Girlfriend no dUmp sam!
(soon anyway) -
Review from Stephen Y.
Richmond, BC
1/20/2011 ROTD 4/22/2011
I've come here several times now for special occasions and this place never disappoints.
I love the intimate ambiance of Chambar. The brick wall, the great chandeliers that hang down and the view of the kitchen in the front of the dining hall. This is a great place to bring a date to or go with a small group of friends.
Some of the starters I've had here were the Foie de Canard (guilty pleasure), the seared scallops , pomme frites and the fennel soup.
I'll start with the Foie de Canard. Properly spiced and lightly drenched with the port reduction, it's served with French bread and it's pretty much heaven. Not the most healthy of starters, but hey, it's less fatty than Foie Gras from geese!
The seared scallops come with pork cheeks and horseradish sauce. The softness of the scallops contrast the slightly rougher meat of the pork, while the horseradish provides a nice kick and aftertaste.
Their pomme frites are awesome! My wife and our friends simply can't get enough of them. They taste great with and without their mayo-based dip.
The fennel soup is a perfect start to a meal on a cold night. Simple, creamy and a hint of butter...warms up my stomach just thinking about it.
The mains that I've had here are the smoked sable fish, the braised lamb shank and the roasted duck.
My favourite from the the three, if that's possible, is the lamb shank. I love lamb and this dish is pretty awesome. The combination of honey, figs and cinnamon lead to an impressive depth of flavour. Do try it with the harissa and raita, as the harissa adds some spice and kick to the dish. Lamb is done well, moist and literally falls of the bone.
A close second is the roasted duck breast. The duck is succulent and downright rich combined with the goat cheese. I would have preferred a less heavy starch, maybe forgoing the gnocchi for some seasonal vegetables, maybe parsnips? On the whole though, this is an enjoyable dish.
Ah the sablefish. It's not last because it's not good, rather the above dishes are just so great. The fish is moist and doesn't fall apart when you attack it with your fork. Light creme sauce surround the protein and broccolini provide the necessary greens here.
If there is one thing they could improve on here, is their plating/presentation. It's nice, but it's not quite there to push it to 5-stars for me.
Still, this is a fan-favourite and deservedly so. -
Review from Vincci L.
I could eat those mussels over and over again.
A heaping bowl of mussles, cooked cooked with a tomato coconut cream, smoked chili & lime, fresh cilantro. Heaven.
We got the Dine Out menu, so we also started off with a Smoked Sablefish, with a sweet pea puree, yam & ginger hay. An soft, melt in your mouth texture, with a slight smoky flavour.
And then for dessert, when I saw the passionfruit component in this, I was sold! A Coconut cassava flan, with guava gelee & passionfruit sorbet. This wasn't good as I had anticipated though. Because the cassava was a rather light flavour, you had to have it with the guava as well as the passionfruit, and then, when all the flavours intermingle in your mouth, then it's a good dessert.
Because we were dining at a later time of the evening, the place wasn't fully packed and we got pretty good service. They never rushed our meal, and allowed us to savour all the delicious food!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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5/21/2010
A wonderful late night dinner, accompanied by delicious food and great company.
We were seated near… Read more »
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Review from Dee B.
4/24/2011 1 Check-in Here
I always have the same thing and every time I forget just how good it is and end up wiggling with delight:
- Sparkling rose wine
- Vin blanc moules et frits.
This was the first time I dined at Chambar with my husband. He had the sesame crusted halibut.
As usual, Chambar didn't disappoint. Service was fantastic, my mussels were to die for and the little chocolate filled cookies that came complimentary with my Bailey's and coffee were an unexpected, most welcomed surprise. -
Review from Jessica O.
Vancouver, BC
2/12/2011 1 Check-in Here
Oh, set menus. You're always a little bit disappointing.
I visited Chambar for DOV and took part in their 38 dollar set menu. The atmosphere was great, the space GORGEOUS and the service divine. Just a few problems that made me drop a few stars off of my review. Here's a course by course rundown:
First
ME: Winter Salad with fennel and feta foam - boo.Pretty mediocre, and the feta foam was a bit sad, buried under the greens.
BOY: Smoked Sablefish with pea puree - YUM! I could eat this every day. Smoky, rich and perfectly paired with the peas. I am craving this right now.
Second
ME: Panfried Lingcod with 5 grain risotto
The fish was delicious, and I really appreciated the tangy harissa paired with the nearly SE Asia risotto. The only problem I had was that the risotto was a bit...gummy. Risotto is meant to be unctuous and spread on the plate - this was molded into a lukewarm mound. A bit weird.
BOY: White wine Mussels with frites
Since a devastating mussel incident 5 years ago I can no longer partake, but I did sample the frites and the broth - yum!!! The only problem with the broth was that it was strangely bland. Boyfriend loved the mussels themselves, saying that they were lovely and tender and tasty, but the broth needed hella salt.
Third
ME: Cheese Plate
Huge disappointment. My "cheese plate" was 2 pieces of mediocre cheese (a raw goat cheese and a blue) with some pear and fruit bread. I was a bit bummed out.
BOY: Chocolate Sampler
Really lovely! 3 different delicious Belgian chocolate desserts.
Overall, the food deserves four stars, but I decided to take one off when I realized that the 38 dollar DOV menu didn't actually save us any money! If the entree was 22, the salad 10 and the dessert 6 then its about even! Considering also that the cheese plate was clearly reduced in size for the promo. Sigh.
I will DEFINITELY be back, and I mean it this time: I'm through with set menus!
