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Chewies Steam and Oyster Bar
Categories: Restaurants Southern Restaurants Seafood Southern, Seafood [Edit]
2201 W 1st AveVancouver, BC V6K 1E9
Neighbourhood: Kitsilano
(604) 558-4448
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 5 pm - 12 am
Sat-Sun 10 am - 3 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Ambience:
- Trendy, Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
46 reviews for Chewies Steam and Oyster Bar
46 reviews in English
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Review from Luisa D.
Finally made it here! Twice we'd tried but they weren't open. Turns out now they serve brunch on the weekends until 2pm but they stay open to serve oysters and drinks until 5pm when the full menu kicks in again - we were told the Fanny Bays are $1.50 between 3-5pm. Also found out from 5-7pm every day they do happy hour - oysters for $1.50 each and on Mondays their mussels are $6.
We'd heard so much about the chicken waffles so the hubby and I each had that with a Bloody Caesar. The drink was $6.50 and came with a large prawn garnish (this is a lot less $ than at Rodney's). The chicken waffles are a deal at $12. Two lovely fresh waffles with two pieces of fried chicken. Wow, so good and so filling. My daughter had the Breakfast Po'Boy. She couldn't finish it all but was Mmmm'ing throughout brunch.
The staff are all pretty easy going and relaxed but we were well taken care of. There are two patios if you can get a table but inside was comfortable. This is right around the corner from me so I plan to be back soon!Listed in: My Kitsilano
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Review from Andrea P.
Updated - 5/17/2012 1 Check-in Here
Yes, the food here is great (see my first review). The service I had on my last visit however was appalling, and that's why I will never be back.
Showed up at 7pm on a Tuesday night with a group of 6. No line, and quite a few empty tables - SCORE (or so we thought...). Started by ordering 15 oysters, waited half an hour for them and found that they only delivered 14, but I'll forgive them for that.
After the oysters we waited another half an hour for the mains. They screw up my friend's order and bring him jambalaya instead of gumbo. When my friend mentioned the mistake the waiter told him "no, you ordered the jambalaya", meanwhile 5 witnesses at the table watched him order gumbo (isn't the customer always right anyways?). They agree to fix it for him, but it takes them so long to get the order out (about 25 mins) that the rest of the table has finished eating before it even arrives.
Finally, the mains are done and the waiter makes a joke about the slow service and promises if we order dessert won't take nearly as long. So we order some chocolate cake and *surprise* it ends up taking 25 minutes to arrive. 25 minutes for a piece of cold cake - all they had to do was slice the thing and put it on the plate! By this time our parking was about to expire so we ended up having to ask to take it to go.
Now, here's the kicker - for all the trouble the waiter offers to take the screwed up order of gumbo off the bill. Nice gesture, however they still charged us for the jambalaya was never ordered in the first place and that the waiter had taken back!
With so many great restaurants in this city, Chewies is just not worth the hassle.Listed in: Best Hip Eats in Vancouver
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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12/20/2011
My new favorite spot in Vancouver for a tasty casual bite. Jambalaya, seafood panroast, cheese… Read more »
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Review from X B.
5/4/2012
good service, very efficient
we came here for the special oyster price between 5 to 7pm
the oysters were fresh, soft, good bite meat size but non-descript, the sauces will have to make it
crab cakes were ok-good, meaning it was fresh and had the right taste but it didn't make me want to order it again
beignets - a bit too much dough but they have some choc/coffee dip that is amazing, 5 stars
I would suggest ordering the fried chicken even though I didn't eat it, it looked real good. -
Review from Jamie K.
BURP!
Just got back from brunch at Chewie's. I need to do more eating here for, as Robin M says, more research.
We sat at the bar and saw each dish get made and go off to their soon to be devourers. The chicken and waffles looked awesome as did the super thick French toast and pretty much everything else that went by.
My brunch wasn't on the menu but one of the chefs promised me a pulled pork benny. So how could I refuse such an offer. If you are like Guy Fieri and have a temple built from pulled pork, check it out. It could be a bit spicier for my taste but I have a high tolerance for spice. Delicious with hollandaise.
The Caesar is fantastic. Jumbo prawn, horseradish, yum. Bottoms up! -
Review from Scott H.
4/23/2012
If you've read any of my reviews (and really, you should) you'd know I'm a big fan of Rodney's. But honestly that may be due to the time (and money) i spent there prior to moving away from Vancouver. Those were great days, and when Rodney's had outstanding staff (they still do, but the guys back then look like they had more fun). Chewies is owned by a few of those guys. And if you lack that capability of putting 2 and 2 together, that means it's fantastic.
Oysters were great (but really, provided raw oysters don't end in bodily fluid eruptions, they're not hard to get right). The wife/sis (that's 2 separate people, I'm not creepy...well not that creepy), had the fried chicken, and they loved it. I had the Etouffe, it was good but my buddy had the Jambalaya and it was the table winner.
The food was all fine and dandy, but the reason to go to Chewies was the reason to hit Rodney's back in the day. It's a fun place to go, beer up and chow down with friends. Great great atmosphere, from fellas that know how to have a good time, and like to make sure everyone else does too. -
Review from Rick C.
I finally returned to Chewies to try their famous brunch menu after their splendid and overly induldgent grand opening. Is 10 o'clock too early for a breakfast Caesar? What a refreshing treat and hair of the dog to start off our Saturday and brunch right.
I, of course, had the southern fried chicken. It was delicious. I loved the crispy chicken. The two buttermilk waffles were a tad dry, but I didn't mind. The apple chutney topping and drizzling of Cajun honey butter complimented it well.
Devon had the breakfast po'boy with sliced smoked bacon, avocado, creole remoulade sauce, egg, and home fries.
Hitting up Kits bright and early right after opening was a great idea. We stuffed ourselves and took a quick stroll to the beach to let our meal digest in the cold, windy breeze.
We were definitely satisfied with our brunch. As always, the service staff was beyond nice and friendly, even playoff and chatty. I look forward to returning.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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12/23/2011
I was delighted to try out the brand new oyster bar in the heart of Kitsilano.
Needless to say, the… Read more »
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Review from Tanis S.
Vancouver, BC
5/15/2012
I love you Chewies ! First off i wanna say that I am a big fan of Rodneys oyster bar so when I found out that some of the guys from Rodneys where involved in this i was intrigued for sure The place looks great ! The food was amazing ( jambalaya and fresh oysters ) And just a taste of that ol Rodneys charm and charisma that I had come to love . I will be back and I will and have recommended this restaurant to everyone ! good job boys .
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Review from Angela B.
Surrey, BC
3/25/2012
Came to Chewie's because of the reviews on a Saturday night, aroud 8pm, only had to wait 10 minutes for a table even though the place was jammed. It's true, they got the all male waiters thing down like Rodney's Oyster Bar, which is all good, but their friendliness came off as kind of fake and they kept touching my back, or my boyfriend's back when we would order something and that was a little too friendly, but still cool. the women to men ratio there is around 7-2. So, there you go. Good place for girls night out.
The food was amaze-balls. Ordered oysters (fanny bay, and 2 others, not kushi) and they were so juicy and sea salty plump. Really good, and I'm an oyster junkie and I had just had a dozen the night before at Sandbar which is usually my go-to place, but I'm definitly converted. They were fantastic.
My boyfriend ordered the Seafood pot (like a stew?), and I got cheese grits & marinated prawns. We went on a full stomach, because we were only driving by but then decided to pop in for a drink, and then ended up ordering because it all looked so good.
IT WAS FABULOUS. I could not stop eating off my boyfriends plate. So creamy and the flavor was addicting. Prawns were good (a little too olive oily but very tasty) and the grits were great. It was my first time having grits so I finally know what they are, and they are actually really good!
And then Chewie the owner (I think? I was a little drunk at this point), but it was the owner that came by to make sure we enjoyed ourselves, and I noticed him doing that to all the patrons, so I thought that showed a really concerned and dedicated owner, someonw who prides himself on his restaurant, which only made me want to come back again.
My new fave restaurant.That is all! -
Review from Dee B.
3/26/2012 1 Check-in Here
I want to give Chewies 3.5 stars and I'm not rounding up to 4 because it's not 4 star worthy. So, rounding down to 3 it is.
Do you like Rodney's? If your answer is yes, you will likely enjoy Chewies: Mostly male wait staff with cocky attitudes, wine served in tumblers, oysters out for all to see with seating at the oyster bar, thick wooden tables, 2 levels, good food, loud and boisterous.
Here is where Rodney's and Chewies differ: The service. It was slow, inattentive (my wine glass sat empty for 20 minutes before I was asked if I'd like a refill), food took it's time appearing and our server kept touching my husband. We counted 5 times in total. I don't know if this is the new bro thing to do, but it was weird. The husband and I were both pretty uncomfortable with it. Additionally, the floors were really dirty - food crumbs. Gross.
Anyway, since it's close to home and the food is good, I'll probably go back. -
Review from Stephanie S.
Vancouver, BC
5/8/2012
This place has such an amazing atmosphere! The staff were laid back and incredibly friendly. I really enjoyed the fried chicken and enjoyed it even more when I had my left overs the next day. This place was an experience and I will be returning for sure.
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Review from Djleanne B.
Vancouver, BC
5/8/2012 1 Check-in Here
The hottest new restaurant in Kits! The staff is extremely friendly (and impossibly good looking)... the mussels are to DIE for!!! Don't get me started on the pan-friend oysters. You *MUST* head there this summer...patio open soon! Great atmosphere...for date-night or an evening with friends.
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Review from Melissa E.
Vancouver, BC
3/23/2012
CHEWIES!!!! CHEWIES!!!!
just kinda like saying CHEWIES!!!
after so many rave reviews we knew we need to check it out while mama was in town. and uh, 5-7 oysters hello!
these oysters were AMAZING! i mean BC oysters are always awesome and fresh. in stark contrast to the oysters i had in Toronto last year purchased from a little portuguese fish place that had them in the back sitting on some ice (should have been the first hint not to buy) which upon slurping rendered my date in a gag state that was, well, pretty revolting. we had to wash away the taste with tequila. n.o.t. g.o.o.d.
anyhoo, back to CHEWIES!! i was in heaven slurping away my $1.25 treats. then we ordered main meals of jambalaya that had my sister doing a little dance, i had the gumbo which i was really excited about but...sigh. really not great. very little flavour. lacked seasoning too and the sausage was all wrong. Also the broth was too thick and only tasted like beef...there should be some major seafood flavours in there and i was searching searching.
so i would return in a new york minute for the oyster special...but probably stop there. -
Review from SipDrinkNosh O.
North Vancouver, BC
4/14/2012 6 photos
To be honest, I came to Chewie's for the fried okra and etouffee..and all things cajun, the oysters were an afterthought. I had been thinking of how my first real "date" in High school was a coin jar-bankrolled outing to Mulvaney's; what used to be a really swinging creole joint in Granville Island in the 90's that made you feel like you were in Orlean's. We hung out all night and danced and ate our fill of spicy crawdads and jambalaya before being picked up in a station wagon by his mom.
The memory had me suddenly craving cajun like nobody's business! I wanted to dig into a rich etouffee, some grits and okra, and perhaps a dessert worthy of the french quarter. Chewie's didn't disappoint. We had the panko-crusted oysters, the fried okra, the jambalaya, the shrimp and grits, the etouffee, and the pappardelle pasta with spicy prawns, and the beignets with coffee anglaise.
The fried okra and oysters were amazing and they almost didn't need the yummy dipping sauces they came with. The pappardelle was cooked perfectly al dente but was not very "creole" or spicy. The jambalaya and the etouffee were very nice renditions of the New Orlean's classics. However the star for me was the shrimp and grits. they were amazing and very different. The sauce was zingy and tangy and the grits were so tasty on their own...it almost bordered on creole-asian fusion in flavor. I will have to have another go at it when I go again, just to figure out what else other than ginger, celery and vinegar is in it, or else I will go mad with curiosity.
My only bone to pick was that in every plate, the prawns/shrimps were insanely over-cooked, until they were somewhat stringy, and there were hard shell bits in the sauce. To my hipster head-banded boys in the kitchen....please get rid of the tails and use them to make your sauces, then throw those prawns back in at the last minute...BC white and tiger prawns are so much more susceptible to becoming chewy little rubber balls at the slightest overcooking.........luckily the sauces were that damn good.
Oh, and the beignets were fantastic and caused many a scarface quote to leave the lips when we realized we all had powdered sugar dust down the front of our shirts..."is that coke in your bra or are you just happy to see me?" -
Review from Sarah O.
3/17/2012
I'm on a Southern/Creole kick lately and have been cooking a lot of it at home. Today I visited Chewies to wrap up my two-week long soul-food streak, and I am glad.
I love the layout of this restaurant. It has an earthy, simple, neutral oak tone that really appeals to me. Came by for brunch on a Saturday and it was nearly empty. Service was quick, attentive and engaging. The food was good: Fried chicken and waffles were nice, the portion of dark-meat had a maple-syrup coating on the batter which eliminated the need for the actual syrup to be poured over the dish. What a cool concept. The waffles were chewy, served with a side of apple chutney but I like my waffles more on the crispier side. Crab benny had a complex flavour with an avocado spread with little kick, but the biscuit was a little tough. Home Fries were perfectly crispy and light and delicious.
Now on to the oysters. 4 different kinds were offered on a bed of ice at the bar. We were informed that they only served it raw in the daytime, which was fine by us. Tried a few different ones and they were delicious. My table mate even went as far as describing them, "incredible". I have no complaints. Except the coffee. $2.75 for really terrible drip coffee that tasted like coal.
Overall, fantastic place. I'm coming back for some grits. -
Review from Christine C.
Vancouver, BC
5/5/2012
We spent 6 hours here last night. Needless to say we more than enjoyed our first visit to this neighborhood gem. The vibe is certainly lively, music selection expectedly superb and th service impeccable. We found out after 5 hours that Chewie was our waiter. One word to describe him: amazeballs.
I grew up in the Southern US, with parents from the deep south and half the family in Baton Rouge soni like to think that I know my Southern food. So I had high hopes but the food fell a bit short only because I know they are trying to appeal to a larger Kits audience by making it a bit healthier than I'm used to. Nonetheless, our table almost tried everything on the menu and I wouldn't tell you to hold back on ordering anything!
Can't wait to get back on Monday for their mussels deal. Yum! -
Review from Vincci L.
Now Chewie's is definitely doing something right.
Been back numerous times and it's never once failed me. Sure, there can be waits during prime dinner hours, but the key is to go a bit early and no wait will be needed.
Buck a shuck (well, $1.50 each) for oysters from 5-7pm each day. I would have engorged on more than a dozen if I didn't need to save room for the fried chicken and the beignets.
And yes, if you were to get one thing from here, get the fried chicken.
20oz pints of beer for $6? Yes please!
What stands out at Chewies are the personable (and cute!) servers. Genuine, and friendly, it makes every experience at Chewies that much better.Listed in: Fried Chicken Fixes.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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12/20/2011
Vancouver is finally blessed with a restaurant that serves up New Orleans style food. Biscuits,… Read more »
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Review from Christine K.
Vancouver, BC
3/11/2012 3 photos
I love places that have all male waiters that flirt and schmooze with you! That with great food makes the night awesome! One star deduction for the weird way they serve wine, not having a Sazerac drink on the menu and that they don't take reservations. If you're going to make me think of New Orleans, let me have a Sazerac! What's up with filling the little tumbler wine glass to the brim and make you have to not spill it trying to get it to your mouth? I had to put my head down to the bar to get the first sip out each time.
We were seated at the bar which was fun to watch the chefs cook. Everything looked fantastic that came out of the kitchen. Our food was delicious. We shared crab cakes to start. Then my friend had the Seafood Pan Roast while I had the fried chicken. Wow, sooooo good. As our server said, "The chicken is EPIC". ;-) Bill with 5 drinks was $106. Very reasonable. Service with flirty smiles all around, including the owner who makes the rounds making sure everyone is happy...this was a GREAT evening...we'll be back! -
Review from Ralson C.
Vancouver, BC
5/14/2012
80's and 90's music. Nice except it is loud so you gotta yell when having a conversation. I went here with a friend, we got a nice comfy booth which was nice. The oysters are good, love the fanny bay ones. Nice mix of sauces and I like their horse radish it's not too wet. As for the food, my jambalayah portion was good, except it was a bit bland. Needed some hot sauce and overall it was a heavy meal exccept I think it needed a bit more seasoning as it was kind of bland. My friend had the gumbo but I think it needed a bit more sauce/gravy on it. Funny thing is she saw someone else have the same thing and it didn't look the same, unless she should've ordered more sauce or something. The chicken is really good, I should've got that instead. As for drinks, NO ICED TEA? NO LEMONADE? Southern cooking and no sweat tea or lemonade? I found it weird how soda was by the can and not fountain, considering the bar atmosphere. I'd have to give this place another shot, but the vibe seemed pretty nice, and overall I thought the food was just alright, nothing too mind blowing.
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Review from J N.
Vancouver, BC
2/17/2012 2 Check-ins Here
What do you get when you combine 4 star food with 5 star charm? A five star review, that's what! There's a reason that Robin and Crystal are the Queen/Duchess of Yelp. (Who's who? Does it really matter?) After all--they know what they are talking about!
The oyster bar layout is certainly welcoming which is a nice change; ditto for all of the dudes working there. They know how to work the room and make you feel special, no matter what your age--that's for certain.
I will be the first to admit that I'm not a #1 oyster fan, but these guys knew which ones I should sample. They were awesome! Had I not ordered other dishes, I might have considering a full-on oyster fest. I found myself wishing that I'd arrived during happy hour! Oh well. Next time! And they are healthy, too!
The beet salad was a typical beet salad which was both delicious and not overdressed. That was quite the blessing, considering I had ordered the fried chicken for my main. The crunchy goodness of green beans was a nicely added-Southern touch (at least that's what I imagine, being a self-professed Pacific Northwest/Northerner through and through.)
The fried chicken was extremely tasty and tender, even if my skin was slightly charred; no matter; it was extremely delicious and fun to share and I like things on the darker side, anyway. (Don't even go there.) The accompanied mash was heavenly. Green beans were served yet again, but these were fried in a butter (in a good way). It would have been more interesting had the chicken been served with a different vegetable, like brocollini, perhaps, but maybe green-bean's-the-theme?
My wine tumbler was never empty, even if these tumblers make drinking the wine just a tad less enjoyable. (See Meana's review.)
For dessert, we had the tasty beignets with a heavenly, creamy, coffee dippping sauce. They were pretty standard and seem to be the hot thing everywhere I eat right now. By that time, I'd had enough food, but they were still a nice way to end the meal.
So, all in all, while not quite a five, when in the mood for Southern cooking, this place comes recommended by me! -
Review from courtney j.
Vancouver, BC
3/9/2012
I'm lucky enough to live up the street & Chewie's is my new favourite place to hang out. The boy-tenders are soooo lovely and let's admit it ladies, flirty handsome men who treat you like gold is a nice change from some of the other joints on Yew (cough cough Local/Joey's cough cough)
I love the Jambalaya, the mussels in white wine, the oysters, the creamy pasta dish, all so yummy and fresh. Seriously those oysters are divine, mussels are fresh and perfect and the glasses of wine always filled to the brim.
Love the concept, love the boys, great place to go. -
Review from B C.
Vancouver, BC
3/6/2012
My gf and I went here for brunch last Saturday and had an amazing experience. She had eggs benny (forget which one?) and I had the chicken and waffles.
The food was awesome, and the servers were amazing.
I highly recommend this place. All in all a great experience, and we will for sure be returning. -
Review from Lilia C.
3/5/2012
This review is only for their oyster happy hour:
Came to Chewie's looking for a good place to eat some oysters and found Chewie's on yelp. Arrived a little after 5, parked 1 block away (meter parking). The staff was very nice and seated us immediately. My bf got a bottle of Marston's Oyster Stout (9.50) and I went with the Bloody Caesar (9.50) which was garnished with lemon and a huge prawn, but it definitely lacked the spiciness and flavor I was hoping for.
We went with 2 dozen of the $1.50 oysters (fanny bay), it took about 10 minutes or so to receive them. They were served with a heaping pile of shaved horseradish, a whole lemon, and a tray of condiments: hot sauce, shallot vinaigrette, habanero sauce, and cocktail sauce.
I'd love to return to try the fried chicken but we had a great time. Service was extremely good and the ambiance was fun. -
Review from David F.
Vancouver, BC
2/3/2012
Chewie's is located in the location that ate restaurants. This particular room seems to eat restaurants, but I have a feeling that Chewie's is going to be hanging around a good long time.
The room is buzzing and fun. Big open kitchen, long bar, really cool little two person booths. Just a great atmosphere. Menu looks great and the food does not disappoint. Wonderful beet and candied walnut salad. Really nice portion too. Got the Cajun mussels. Tons of Andulli sausage and a lovely, spicy tomato broth. We shared those two and then finally shared the shrimp with grits. All excellent.
So we shared three dishes and we were stuffed, but had to try a dessert. We plumped for the bread pudding. Maple and Bourbon infused. Fabulous.
Such a great dinner and excellent service as well. Only minor gripe might be the 80's rock play list. "The boys are back in town..." etc. I was hoping for a little Buckwheat Zydeco or Allain Toussant to go with those grits. Well, maybe they'll change it up. Still, a great place!
I'm going back for breakfast! -
Review from Mike P.
Chewies is the first place that ever made me wish yelp had 6 stars. Should I go back and bump all my 5's down to 4's? I guess not...I'll state it here though, THIS PLACE IS 6 STARS!!!
Anyways on a recommendation from a friend we decided to spend our date night away from the little one at Chewies. We arrived at 7pm on a Friday expecting the worst, perhaps a 1 to 1.5 hour wait. We were lucky in that we only had to wait 30 minutes (Chewie later explained to us that they tried out reservations when they first opened and it was a nightmare) so it's first come first serve and definitely worth the wait.
Everything is perfect at Chewies, the service is superb, each of the staff there treats you like they're the owners and they really care that you have a great experience. Everyone seemed to be a regular here; the staff seemed to know most of the diners. I think it's just because this place is so wonderful that people must visit again and again (even though they've only been open for a month).
We started with 12 oysters, they were perfectly fresh and came with an assortment of sauces, most of which seemed to be homemade (the "hot sauce" was my favourite but even the cocktail one was much better than the usual bottled cocktail sauce). They ranged between $2.50-$3 per oyster, so not super cheap, but we didn't mind at all! My wife had a glass of wine, they pour the wine by the glass so that it's filled to the brim with a few drops spilling over, a nice touch to make you feel like you're getting your money's worth.
Our main courses were delicious! I had the southern fried chicken, it was unlike any fried chicken I've ever had, just amazing. The batter was perfect, the chicken was fall off the bone moist. I was stuffed once I finished but I wanted more it tasted so good. My wife had the bbq shrimp & grits. This as well was amazing, the sauce was unlike anything I'd tasted, so delicious. We were told by the lady sitting next to us, who was a regular that she thought these were the best two dishes on the menu.
So if this is what southern food is all about I definitely need to plan a trip down south, delicious! Chewie came by numerous times during the dinner and chatted with us. It's very seldom in Vancouver that you can go out and have such a nice experience, for what is actually a very reasonable price (the whole bill came to under $100 with a couple of drinks each).
One final thing, was the music, everyone in the restaurant seemed to be grooving to a very good selection of music. It was just at the right level where you could hear it but it did not overpower the ambiance.
My only negative is that I'm worried that once the word gets out about Chewies it'll be packed with long lineups every night. So quick, go there, before the word gets out!! -
Review from Joe W.
Kitsilano, Vancouver, BC
4/26/2012
Great place, good food.
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Review from Cam W.
Vancouver, BC
3/2/2012
Wow, there are some very long reviews of this place, so I'll keep it simple.
Great food, friendly upbeat atmosphere, reasonably priced - I'll be back for sure! -
Review from Meana k.
1/11/2012
As I'm drafting my review, Chewie's has a 5 star rating. I'm tempted not to submit my review for fear I might tarnish its perfect score. Here's the thing...I'm probably a little biased because I'm from the south. I've got certain standards when I see a restaurant offering as "southern" food.
Let's start with the good stuff. I'd really like to come back here. Again and and again. Service was great. And, like other reviewers have already stated, the place is full of eye candy. The men who work here are really attractive. Super friendly, flirty, casual, etc. That's a plus. Their menu has quite a few selections I'd like to still try.
The oysters were great. They had some of my favorite varieties available and I ordered a few of each. Prices are decent -- about 2.25-2.75/each. I read they have a happy hour where all oysters are $1.50/each from 5-7 but I'm not sure if that's daily or not.
The fried chicken -- it's pretty good. The two day marinade they do makes the chicken super moist and tender. The skin is fried up nicely and has a honey drizzle over it. Pretty good. Again, I'm from the south so I'm not going to say it's the best fried chicken I've ever had, but I'd say it's the best I've had in Vancouver so far. The chicken came with green beans and mashed potatoes. The beans were good, and the mashed potatoes were nice in texture but needed a bit more seasoning. I still devoured my plate.
Speaking of seasoning, let's talk about the sauces that came out with the oysters. Louisiana's best Crystal hot sauce in a bottle, always a staple in my fridge at home so much appreciated. Then there was the typical vinegar/shallots mix. Then there was the house cocktail sauce which had the consistency of tomato paste. I'm not sure what I thought of this one despite trying it a few times. My favorite was the habanero sauce. That was nice.
Also had the shrimp and grits. The tastes were pretty decent but the textures were all wrong. Again, I'm from the south and grits are a frequent part of my diet. I often cook them up at home, and I know how difficult it can be to get that texture just right, especially when mixing in cheese as they did at Chewies. Sadly, this dish wasn't a hit for me. The fried chicken was much better.
Unfortunately, they were all out of fried okra so I will have to try those next time I come in here. I love me some okra! Lastly, I have to tell you about the biscuits. They're tasty! They're just not biscuits like back home - soft, flaky, delicious. These biscuits are crisp, flat, and drizzled with honey (nice touch, actually). They're just.... different. If you're American, adjust your expectations when you order the biscuits but rest assured you'll enjoy them.
I don't love that they serve wine in the little tumblers. I thought it was cute and quirky at first, and the guy filled my glass all the way to the rim. I get that they're trying to be different, but there's a distinct difference in the smell and taste of wine after it's been sitting in a tumbler for 5 minutes versus a proper wine glass. Try it sometime. Pour a little wine into each type of glass, let it sit, and then smell and taste the wine. In my opinion, there's just something lost when you serve wine in a tumbler.
Okay, I feel really awful as though I'm tearing this place apart. I really DO like them and I do plan to come back to eat and try more things. The jambalaya and etoufee are calling my name as it's been a few years since I've been to the Big Easy and I sure do miss it.
Warning: They don't take debit. What's up with that? They do, however, have an ATM on-site so you can use your debit to get cash and pay. -
Review from Chris C.
1/11/2012
Went on a Sunday night just after 7PM so we missed out on the 5-7PM Oyster special. We still shared a variety of raw oysters which were excellent.
I had the white wine and garlic mussels which were very good (Chambar still beats this one, but otherwise this was the second best I've had in Vancouver). Had the beignets for dessert which were well done and a perfect New Orleans style dessert.
They only drawback to our experience was the overall "rowdiness" of the restaurant, even in the upper restaurant area. There were a lot of people there just to drink beer and after a while, they were throwing around food and coasters.
Overall this is a good osyster bar addition for Vancouver and I'll be back. -
Review from Justin G.
Burnaby, BC
3/5/2012
First off, I'm deathly allergic to seafood. But my friends made the choice and there are a couple of things on the menu that were safe to eat after all.
So do note that my review is skewed because of the fact that I really couldn't try too much of the menu.
It took an hour to get a table, kinda not cool but what can you do when they don't take reservations.
The food was alright, though my fried chicken was a bit on the dry side for my taste. The deep fried okra was probably the best thing I ate at Chewies.
Service was excellent though. No idea what the waiters name was but he was attentive enough without being around too much and funny enough to make it entertaining when he did stop by the table.
If my friend's reactions to the other dishes is any indication the rest of the menu is gangbusters. -
Review from Robin M.
12/27/2011 1 Check-in Here
Ask anyone who's ever shared a bottle of wine with me, and they'll let you know that I (almost always) will serve the wine in a whiskey tumbler. Something about the bottom weight of the glass, the casual nature of sipping from a cup -- it sets the tone for what I hope to be a relaxed and unforced evening with friends. So when my delicious bottle of Lake Breeze Pinos Gris came with two tiny tumblers (which were constantly filled to the brim, thanks to our ever-adorable server), I knew that I and my entirely lovely dining companion, Canada's Marketing queen, Crystal H, were in for -- if nothing else -- a *ridiculously* fun evening at Chewies.
Man, do they not disappoint.
Not only there for eye-candy, the staff are knowledgeable, funny and totally laid-back -- exactly what I want in a restaurant like this. And that whole food thing? OFF. THE. HOOK. For real. An oyster platter with 3 different sauces to suit my palate, pan-seared calamari done to perfection -- and those cute little pickled prawns? Perfect. And I don't even like prawns.
My only food regret? Not ordering the jambalaya.
...I guess that means I'll just have to go back, now won't I? You know, for research... *ahem*.
Totally lives up to the hype. Totally worth the wait. Totally go.
Like right now.Listed in: Kickin' It In Kits, Best Service Award Goes To..., Cute Boys!
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Review from Justine N.
Downtown, Vancouver, BC
3/4/2012
I'd been meaning to check out Chewies for a while, and finally made it in last Wednesday. All I can say is that I was more than impressed - this is a great addition to the Kitsilano area.
The food is amazing - we tried the calamari, which is un-battered and pan-fried. I had never had calamari prepared this way but it definitely takes the cake. We also tried to crab cakes which were delicious with a hint of spice and just the right amount of panko crust. Last, but not least, we tried the buttermilk fried chicken. If you are going to try anything here, that is it! Served with rich and creamy mashed potatoes and topped with a honey drizzle the fried chicken is definitely an artery clogger, just the way fried chicken should be. Delicious, couldn't stop eating!
In terms of atmosphere, the place was packed with a lineup out the door on a wednesday at about 6:30pm. We sat at the bar which is set up in front of the open kitchen so we had a great time chatting with the chefs and watching them work.
All in all a great seafood spot, I will definitely be back. Brunch menu looks awesome too! -
Review from Neil H.
Vancouver, BC
1/29/2012 1 Check-in Here
Chicken and Waffles Chicken and Waffles Chicken and Waffles Chicken and Waffles
We had mixed reviews at our table, but I really enjoyed my brunch (see above). I also had two Fanny Bay oysters (1.50$ each) with house accompaniments and imported Louisiana hot sauce which were lovely.
Our server and the space were great, I'll be back to try the dinner soon. -
Review from Crystal H.
Vancouver, BC
12/23/2011 1 Check-in Here
My first real raw oyster rodeo! Yes, I've had raw oysters before, but always just one or two, never a full plate, served on crushed ice with a generous half of a lemon and three different sauces. I did it. And I did it like an (almost) pro, save for the moment when I thought the horseradish was parmesan cheese. And you know, I rather enjoyed those little *shuckers,* especially with cocktail sauce and horseradish.
My dining companion, Vancouver's awesome CM, Robin M, and I feasted on 3 kinds of oysters, pan seared calamari and pickled prawns while we slurped a beautiful Pinot gris from Lake Breeze from tiny, fully poured water glasses. This might be considered tacky for wine lovers, but those little glasses fit the atmosphere.
On a Thursday night, they were buzzing. The bar was boisterous, the tables packed. But not packed enough for our rad server, Tyler, to sit with us for a spell. There are sometimes when service really makes the difference to the overall experience, and this was one of those times. The space, the laid back way the food is presented and prepared, the jovial nature of the servers all enhanced the flavour of the whole evening.
I've got my eye on the southern fried chicken, the seafood pan roast and fried okra for my next visit! -
Review from Amelia Y.
Vancouver, BC
5/9/2012
After I wrote my review on Rodney's, this place got recommended to me so I made my way to Kits to try. We ordered fresh Fanny Bay oysters ($1.5 per oyster on happy hour), Jambalaya (house smoked chicken, andouille sausage, prawns, spicy cajun rice) and Seafood Pan Roast (lobster, scallops, prawns, crab). Oysters were fresh and a good deal. Service was much better than Rodney's. Ambience was a little loud for my taste (yes, I get the loud music makes the place a little more hip/trendy) which made talking a little difficult (my poor throat!) but I suppose a good place for after work drinks with a group of friends. The Seafood Pan Roast was nothing that I expected - it came out looking like butter chicken on rice except instead of chicken, it had seafood. I found the dish a little creamy and bland. No, it wasn't spicy like butter chicken but it wasn't flavourful either. Yes, I am a fan of seafood and enjoyed the 3 scallops and lobster but I feel there is definitely room for improvement for this dish. Jambalaya tasted more 'authentic' and had a kick to it which I like. Small portion but tasty. I think next time I want to try the mussels to see how they compare to Chambar....or the sinful Fried Chicken which looked faaantastic!
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Review from Brian F.
Vancouver, BC
12/17/2011 1 Check-in Here
Simply my new favourite place in the world.
Wow -
Review from Lloyd B.
Mount Pleasant, Vancouver, BC
4/1/2012
Love this place, great atmosphere, decent service, their okra dish is fun, if you are looking for a glass of wine this might not be your place though.
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Review from Robin W.
Vancouver, BC
2/25/2012
I've been to Chewies twice now, once for dinner and once for brunch, both times were excellent.
Absolutely no complaints about the food or service and I'm very critical when it comes to giving my money to any restaurant.
Give this spot a go and I don't think you'll be dissapointed. Hopefully the crew at Chewies has found the magic for this paticular location, others have tried and failed but I'm hoping Chewies will be there a long time. -
Review from Connie M.
Vancouver, BC
3/24/2012
I've had my eye on this place for awhile and wanted to wait until they were really settled in. This was an impromptu date night for us.... The website says no reservations, but we called in and they were good enough to put us down on the list. It was Friday night so the place was hopping.
I waited only 5 mins but other diners waited for over 1/2 hour.
For 2 of us, we ordered 6 of the fresh Kushi oysters...we like the small ones so these were perfect. Herb buttermilk biscuits, freshly baked...nice texture, but couldn't really taste the herbs.
Beet salad was refreshing with both yellow and red beets...walnuts were nicely toasted and just enough cheese for accents.
Panko breaded oysters...very good size and so tasty with their house made tarter sauce.
Shrimp with BBQ sauce was a tad spicy but the grits were excellent.
Overall i like this place and it's good to see a local biz thrive in Kits when all other restaurants were not as happening.
i would definitely come back again to try their jambalaya, fried chicken and be beniet donuts, next time.
BTW excellent, efficient service from everyone.
only CONS would be the music is very loud and hard to have a normal conversation without shouting and going deaf. Not a baby/child friendly place.
forgot to take pics since the food was so good.
love that the owner came by to quickly talk to us while giving us the bill. -
Review from Tod O.
New Westminster, BC
2/3/2012
Phenominal meal. Fiance and I went in for a meal in which we shared 4 courses.
1st Course: Medley of oysters: mignenette was awesome with fresh horseradish. AWESOME
2nd Course: Seafood Pan roast: unbelievable combination of flavours.
3rd Course: Fried Chicken: WOW. Been through a majority of the states and tried fried chicken in almost all of them. This is the best fried chicken I have ever had. BAR NONE.
4th Course: Dessert: Had to work hard to finish because we were so full, but a great end to a great meal.
I highly recommend this restaurant. One of the better meals I have had in a long time. -
Review from Samanthi G.
Vancouver, BC
2/11/2012
Maybe if I had tried the food I might have a different opinion, but I didn't get a chance. I understand that I went there on a friday night and that it was busy, but the maître d' tells you that if you are willing to sit at the bar she can sit you right away, you go sure, we just wanted food, not some romantic long meal. So we are seated at the bar to be told very rudely by the guest next to us that there are other memebers to their party and they need our seats. The maître d' should have been aware of the size of each party. They do not acept reservations, so if they can not keep ontop of the size of each party maybe they shouldn't seat people, especially at the bar area, if the whole party is not there. Not happy, and although the food is meant to be amazing, not sure I will bother, so many other places to try.
