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Elites Party in the Rec Room at The Bimini
Category: Local Flavour Local Flavour [Edit]
2010 W 4th AveVancouver, BC V6J 1M7
Neighbourhood: Kitsilano
- Good for Kids:
- No
38 reviews for Elites Party in the Rec Room at The Bimini
38 reviews in English
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Review from Shannon B.
Coquitlam, BC
2/16/2012 1 Check-in Here
Best Elite Event to date, hands down. I mean, they're all great but I had such a great time here and enjoyed The Bimini so much that this is probably one of the few YEE locations that I would come back to on my own time.
First of all: sliders. Burgers are my one of my true loves (after Brian B. and bacon of course) and there were SO MANY. Plates upon plates of tiny little delicious meaty treats circulated the event and I literally stuffed myself until I felt uncomfortable because I couldn't stand the sight of so many of them being sent back to the kitchen, uneaten and unwanted. ALL the food was great, but the sliders were fantastic.
I loved the friendly bartenders and the drink menu was great. The venue itself is wonderful and I LOVED not only the amazing "rec room" decorations (NINTENDO FTW) but the layout of the restaurant was nice too. Loved it! -
Review from Malloreigh M.
Vancouver, BC
2/13/2012 1 Check-in Here
I arrived to the Rec Room party way too late... what a shame! Most of the snacks were eaten up by the time I got there, but that just means they were tasty, right? I ended up finding some (cold by then) veggie chili and chips, though - I'm glad they thought to provide that for us Big Vs.
Speaking of veganism, there was only one cocktail that didn't feature egg white. Fancy schmancy - but I'm glad we asked. The cocktail we did have was delicious, though for the life of me I can't remember what it was now.
There were loads of people at this event. It was fantastic. The room looked amazing, and I remember really liking the bathrooms. -
Review from Chelsea S.
West Vancouver, BC
2/5/2012
Whoooaaaaa was I ever late. After a 14 hour day at school, Class ended at 0720 @ SFU- so I ducked out early and raced back to West Van to pick up my +1 and add a little neon to my life.
We arrived halfway through, and it was pretty crowded, which overwhelmed me a bit.. I searched around for any familiar faces, and luckily, encountered Dru. What an awesome guy!! So friendly, and immediately made me feel a part of. Sort of sad I couldn't find anyone else I had spoken to on yelp, as I am super shy about approaching strangers when I'm tired.
Had a blast anyway, killed half of Canada's moose population in buckhunter, or whatever that game was... and look forward to seeing you all again on the 22nd!! -
Review from Larry L.
1/19/2012 1 Check-in Here
Good vibes already! That was my quick tip of the evening.
A great way to kick off the Yelp year. And a unique one at that too! Vincent N, non Elite writes the first review. Chalk one up to something that I think is going to be great things to come.
I haven't been to Bimini's in years and it was nice to see this place back up and in operation. Loved the Pod style bathrooms where I noticed some people could have fun with the dryer!
To keep it short,
Great great event,
The drinks were very accommodating. I was able to get one of the cocktail drinks without the simple syrup, which was a bonus for me.
Vincci L kept yapping about how great the Poutine was.
Got to meet some new Elites. Hope you guys like the flavour of these Elite events and keep Yelping for the community.
My plus one was so happy and delighted to see fellow Yelper Simon K. I think they had a few Bro moments there. Hopefully he'll get off his ass and write some more.
I like the stuff he writes.
And my lil sister was Dereks +1. How neat was that?
And then there were the mini Hot dogs. I love hot dogs.
And of course "We love you Robin!"
It was a lovely mature event.
Cheerios for everyone!Listed in: Elite Event Locations That…
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Review from Vincent N.
Vancouver, BC
1/19/2012 1 Check-in Here
I really like the fact that a non elite is the first to write a review to an Elite party. Got to love the irony. I haven't been to too many, but objectively this one was really good.
Food: They had more food than I think people could handle. Sliders, mini dogs, chilli (vegetarian and meat) going around. And on top of that some good hard lemonade, orange crush drinks, and whisky floats.
Ambiance: It's friendly, video games going, and then you've got the whole bottom stairs that leads to pool, foosball and arcades. The music was a little louder than I would have liked, but that's when you know you're getting old.
Host: As usual Robin did a great job. Thank You Secretary of State Clinton. She was really friendly in greeting me and my plus one. And we chatted very briefly. Considering she had so many Yelpers to attend to, I consider myself lukcy. Also thanks for the Glow Stick, and the balloons tied to them was ...an....interesting...add on. One of the Elites kept punching them.
People: Somehow we ended up starting a +1 table where about 80% of us were guests of others. It was great to see some familiar faces from previous events, and on top of that to meet some new +1's. And introduce people to others. The beauty of it, I ended up meeting some people from Twitter. So score for the social media addicts.
I even ended up meeting an Elite that knew one of my interns, and pepole randomly coming up to me to chat. It was great!
Overall I had a blast! See some of you at the next UYE. -
Review from Theresa W.
Vancouver, BC
LOVE: the guy wearing a NKOTB jacket. I don't even. Didn't get a chance to say hi, but you're my hero.
Event was stellar, and I loved that I got to meet some fab new people. First time in a while I found myself chatting it up with Elites I'd never met and that's always awesome! Hello to Kwoky & Christian and Daniella!
The drinks were fantastic! Love the burdock float - I spotted so many people with this drink before I gave it a try, so I was late to the game, but it was amazing. The spiked lemonade was great as well - boozy without the boozy taste (just the way I like em!)
The food - I honestly thought there wasn't enough food, but I think it was our proximity to the kitchen that made the difference. Once we relocated to be closer to the bar, we saw a lot more delicious goodies come our way. The winners of the night were the sliders and the poutine (oh that poutine *drool*). I suppose since we spent the first bit of the event eating chips and edamame, my +1 was a little on the loud and hand-wavy side. S'alright, he was more calm by the end of the night.
Bimini is a great location - there's tons of room in the place for people to move about freely without the need to put your elbows out. The booths are so comfy, I wish I had lounged in them all night long. Service is great, the staff were super friendly, but drinks to our far booth took a while to get to us (and the food never made it that far). The bathrooms were nice, but that blowdryer in the one-room bathroom rattled my brain every time I had to use it. It was crazy loud and echoed, and I could literally see all the dust fluff swirling about in a tornado-like fashion while I dried my hands.
Robin did an amazing job with the event and looked fab as always. The space was a bit larger than what we needed, since there were certainly sections that didn't get filled - but it was so good to see everyone at the start of the new year. My resolution - to hit the 300 review mark on Yelp! You heard it hear first people!Listed in: Yelp Elite Love!
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Review from Fritz S.
1/19/2012
MAANNN FUCK the icy roads!! Ain't nothin gonna stop me from hittin up this 90's retro event!!
ol' school video games? Junk food? mutha effen pin bawl!!??! booze? the only thing missing was my "Cross Colors" gear and my MC hammer baggy pants!! (you know what im talking about!!)
ROBIN!! GGUUURRRLLLL!! you did it again! you brought back my childhood and put it on BLAST!!! you are clearly the best! (REAL TALK) The food was great! ESPECIALLY the short rib poutine! I couldn't get enough of it!! The Venue was stellar, the staff was the freakin bomb!! so nice and very attentative, OH and the individual washrooms? nice touch Bimini!! nice touch! (now i can m*sterb*te in peace ;)) j/k... -__- .
Everything about this party screamed out nostalgia and fun for me! Another successful soiree by our wonderful C.M., amazing friends, great conversations, crazy drinks (root beer cocktails whhhaat!!!!!!!!) I had a great time!! Thank you again Robin! this is definitely goin in my "AWW YYEEAHH" books, son! ;)
am i making any sense? meh don't care! :P
Untill next time, Yelp! HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!! -
Review from Johnson C.
Vancouver, BC
1/24/2012 1 Check-in Here
In East Vancouver, born and raised
On the playground is where I spent most of my days
Chillin' out, maxin', relaxin' all cool
And all shootin' some b-ball outside of the school
... and luckily I still had some vintage (*not* throwback - they are 90s *vintage*) Hornets gear. I'm too old to be still wearing basketball jerseys in public - but this was the perfect excuse. And I little surprised only a few people came in theme - it's 90s party, it can't get easier! You are telling me there no old clothes kicking around in your closet? Come on - you must have some old Bugle Boy and a Vuarnet/Club Monaco sweater or a Mossimo t-shirt. Robin should have mandated everyone that didn't dress up *at least* tight-roll their jeans. Ideally, I would rolled in on a 5.0 Mustang (... ahem... "with my ragtop down so my hair can blow") -- rocking a thin gold chain, a loud, vintage Gucci crewneck and a Zack Morris cell-phone and two pagers. Drug dealers of today can learn from d-boys from the 90s - they had style, not Affliction and Ed Hardy.
So I got decked out in my teal gear
The fly-est fashion from a distant year
I whistled for a cab and when it came near
The license plate said 'Fresh' and it had dice in the mirror
If anything I could say that this cab was rare
But I thought "Nah forget it". "Yo homes, to Bimini!"
... Bimini isn't a bad place at all. To be honest, I was half-hoping it would be open-bar again like the last Elite party that the Donnelly Group hosted... but I guess they learned their lesson. None of the food really stood out to me and and the cocktails weren't to my liking - it was either too sweet or too weak for me. However, the Granville Island beer options and Spicebox whiskey on the rocks kept me happy. Before the 'secret' got out - the upstairs bar was limited VIP before the word got out. But by the end of the night, I had drinks akimbo... (See? Doesn't that sound classier than 'double-fisting'?)
But as always - good people and good times at a Yelp Elite party. Thanks to Bimini for hosting and to Robin:
Hard swagging like a pimp or boss,
Dressed as Aunt Viv, brushing her shoulder pads off
She looked at her queendom and in quick maneuver,
To sit on her throne as the CM of Yelp Vancouver.Listed in: Yelp Events
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Review from Brittany W.
North Vancouver, BC
1/19/2012
Leave it to one Awesome! Community Manager and the Donnelly Group to set up the scene for one fantastic bar night! Robin, Pete and the team, thanks for all your incredible work putting together the first Elite event of 2012!
What made this party for me was the bang-on ambience! What a perfect meld between Donnelly and Yelp. Great, friendly staff and perfectly set music to create that gregarious environment (signature, Donnelly) tied to one awesome stylin' theme (signature, Yelp), 90s arcade night! Also, the bottomless GI on tap, whisky punch bowl, specialty cocktails, the endless roaming grub (sliders, pizza, poutine, and mini dogs) put the cherry on top for us eatin' and drinkin' Elitests! Great catching up with Robin, Mark H, , Dru C, Rick C, Larry and Mike too!
Glad to have Bimini back again! With its brilliantly designed out, leadership and ambience, there's no doubt in my mind that Bimini won't stand the test of time. Can't wait to be back! -
Review from Amy T.
1/19/2012 4 photos
A 90's retro and video game theme party? Finally somewhere I can wear my Nintendo tee and fully embrace my geekness too!
I've actually never been to Bimimi's and this was a great opportunity to see the place. It was a huge space and never felt crowded. We could have had at least 30 more people in there. The single washrooms are a great idea and there were enough so it was never a long wait. The drinks were great, but I loved the lemonade. Refreshing, but not too sweet.
The staff did an amazing job and I don't think I was ever left without a drink. As usual, Yelp parties are full of people who are friendly and never pretentious.
Thanks for being your awesome selves, Robin for setting this up and the staff at Bimimi! -
Review from Yassir N.
1/20/2012 1 Check-in Here
(This review/self reflection is more useful for new/ antisocial/ shy yelps :P)
This was my first yelp event ever! And let me tell you, it was really awesome! I can't wait to see what Robin is hiding for us in the coming months! I'm so excited now :D
So as a generally antisocial person, who avoids big crowds (10+). I was hesitant to show up in the event, b/c it's always easier, for my kind, to hibernate and hide instead of apeare! So I was wishing for the anticipated snow storm to hit and coat our streets in white, but no, it's a clear miss that nights, so streets were nice and inviting ... so there was no choice but to hit the road!
The moment I arrived at Bimini I felt like, OKAYYYYY! it's happening now, no more avatars, it's real life now! I opened the door and I saw Robin M (our shining star) and some other familier faces :D so I felt more relaxed and surprisingly welcomed to come in! and to be honest the multi-layered venue made meeting the yelpers and the +1 less overlemming! where you meet new people in stages!
So I introduced my self to couple of elite/yelpers by the door and then I was ready to raise to the second level :D (drum rolls) where most of the crowd were handing out! (more drum rolls) and I did that move smoothly .. and suddenly the pressure started to escalate, esp. with all the eye contacts from the faces (faces that you know and you don't know :S) And for a second I was drowning in my emotions and I felt that I have to hold into someone/ something that I recognize in this big ocean of strangers/ expectations/WTFs and eye contacts! And suddenly, I found my +1 at one side of the room mingling as usual ... so I rushed to him and he took me by the hand and introduced me to couple of friends and the ball started rolling nicly after that !
I have to say, it was great to meet yelpers in person. Some great people, who are cool and come from diverse backgrounds .. so no matter what your interests are, you'll find someone, not far from what you're looking for, to chat with. I meet cooks, artists, PhD students and academics etc. And I met all sorts of peeps: outgoing, reserved and shy ones like my self ... but i felt that everyone was allowed to enjoy the party in his own preferred way.
As of the Bimini, the choice was beyond fit: good space to fit the nice crowd, great food, refreshing drinks, and good variety of entertainment (pool, foosball, video games etc). The staff were very nice and helpful, and the guys on the bar were superb, they made me some great mocktail that perfected my night ( I had a good number of round of drink, I lost count how many :P).
So all in all, this was a 5* night by all means! I met some great people that I love to meet again and again. Thanks Robin for arranging this great events! You're cool and I look forward to seeing the event pix! -
Review from Vincci L.
1/20/2012 1 Check-in Here
A great way to kick off the new year, by hanging out in the rec room with a bunch of Yelp Elites!!
This was my first time at the newly re-opened Bimini's, and it was a great opportunity to check the space out. There were cozy booths, a large main bar, and even additional floors to accommodate us. Yelpers were decked out in their 90s gear, the bright colors, the sports jerseys, plaids, shoulder pads (Robin!), and the side ponytails!
The drinks were oh so delicious- I especially loved the Burdock float. Of course, the lemonade and the orange ones were also quite tasty! I loved that they used the Fentiman's sodas to make the drinks. My favourite food was the short rib poutine-I also added a scoop of the chilli for extra goodness.
Friendly staff who kept up with us the whole night, as well as being very attentive. I definitely had quite the awesome night. Thank you Robin for another fun event!!Listed in: Yelp Elite Fun
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Review from Janice F.
1/19/2012
Those lemon soda and root beer cocktails were way too drinkable! Double-fisting has become a way of life at these Yelp events, but I'm not complaining!
Nice to see Bimini's up and running again, but I have to confess I've never been there before. Now that I know it's such a huge space, this would be a great spot to catch the game. Two levels, Tornado fooz, arcade games and plenty of TV's good from every seat.
I loved the short rib poutine! Truffled fries and parmesan, delish.
Glad I resisted the urge to curl up in bed on this -7 degree night to kick off 2012 with always awesome Yelpers - are shout outs keeping in theme with the 90's or is that still a term the cool kids use? :P Either way, much love to Robin & the amazing staff at Bimini's! -
Review from Michael P.
Burnaby, BC
1/20/2012
Where do I even begin with this review?! This was the first Elite party I attended and I'm glad The Bimini was chosen as the venue. Not only did I have a heck of a time, the Bimini exceeded my expectations!
The staff were overly friendly, helpful and polite, the food was delicious and the drinks.. well, let's just say, they kept coming and I had absolutely no complaints about it. This was certainly the first of many I plan to attend and I would not hesitate to return to the Bimini.
There are no other places (that I'm aware of) which combines the aspects of a social house and a gamer lounge. We were playing Mario Kart and Tetris for goodness sake.. while drinking! The coziness of the venue and the people I met last night left both positive and lasting impressions.
Again, had a great time (as did my +1) and I'm looking forward to the next event.
Special thanks to Robin M. (you're awesome!) and the staff at the Bimini. -
Review from David W.
1/20/2012 1 Check-in Here
I finally made it out to one! I owe Robin a huge amount of credit for getting me to come out. It only took her a few months of pestering... I mean persuading me to make it happen. I was on a double production deadline with an early meeting the next morning, and when I got home I had this very definitive moment where I thought to myself... Robin will never let me live this down if I RSVP and don't show.
I'm glad I went because it was quite the experience. There were way more people at the event than I had anticipated. I was aware there were a considerable number of elites out there, especially ones that aren't on the talk pages, but I had no idea how many there were until I walked in the door.
I tried thinking of things I wore in the 90s to wear at least something with the hint of the era. I quickly realized I was 6 years old and I didn't have a very memorable wardrobe. Where's an ugly wool sweater when you need one?
If you know me well, you know I avoid clubs like the plague. Not the, 'hey David made an exaggerated simile', more the you avoid approaching bear cubs in the wild common knowledge. They're obnoxious, loud, you pay to get in... WTF, and drinks are like buying accessories at the Apple Store -- nothing under $10. The music was a little too loud and it was hard to ear people unless you became a little more than friends. Eating meant stalking the waitresses. I felt like a paparazzo trying to get the first photo of Brangelina's new ethnic baby for a mini burger. The saving grace, the sponsor liquor menu! Now I know to take a taxi next time. The coat room was ready to explode! I almost wish someone stuck a camera in there with a live feed to the main room. The battle of getting your coat back onto the rack was a workout.
Like with most things, its the people that make or break about anything in life. I had a hard time figuring out who was who from their photos but I did manage to approach a few people I distinctly recognized. I definitely had a few moments where I made eye contact with someone and we would nervously share a moment of 'I think I know you', and then return to our respective conversations. If you were one of those people, and we didn't meet, I apologize and hopefully we do better next time. David "this is awkward" W. earning his title like its 1999. Being checked out at a Yelp party is extremely amusing. It's probably the only place in the world where a person checks you out because they're interested to know 'who's this new elite' than who's this new piece of ass (I wonder if I can say that on Yelp).
I had the chance to meet with Larry L, David L, Dan J., Dru C., Kari C. and a few others. I have this experience all the time, especially in my business where you get to know people via email for months and months and then you finally meet then at Opening or where ever on a project. Not oddly, but this felt exactly like that. Through all the compliments, talk, becoming familiar with each other's reviews, etc. it was refreshing to finally meet the people. Meeting Dru C. was a total highlight -- I hope he reads this. My girlfriend and I thought he was hilarious. I didn't meet as many people as I should have. I'm fairly anti-social and not exactly the type that's always willing to dive into a bunch of strangers. After reading Yassir's review, and of the people I did meet, I look forward to meeting even more the next time.
Word on the street is the next Yelp elite event will be the biggest in Yelp Vancouver history. I'll do my best to try and make it out. -
Review from Sarah O.
1/20/2012
Short rib poutine was the bomb. Free jukebox was the ish. Manager and staff were all very professional and accommodating.
Really enjoyed the space here and having the room to breathe. Pool table, Foosball, pinball machine, Wii? My friend's basement was never this cool. Never a bad time seeing awesome yelper friends and meeting new ones.
Remember kids: Robin's voice is small but her heart (and shoulder pad) is big. Well done.
90's forever. -
Review from Dru C.
1/23/2012 1 Check-in Here
Playing games, pool and hanging around with whiskey and cocktails, is the best way to start the 2012 year!! Best opening party ever for the year of 2012!!
The Bimini bar is HUGE. I find it more of a lounge than a bar though because there are so many seats and the smaller bars really add to the convience when you are sitting far away from one of them. I love the large glass doors as you enter the bar, it is amazing. Makes me feel like I was in Las Vegas again in those few seconds.
Anways, onto the food shall we? The sliders were epic. 100% beef, it was so juicy I couldn't contain it... *drools* and the big bowl chilis. OMG. As usual, we couldn't finish it, there wasn't enough Chip to chili ratio.. :( NEEDED MORE CHIPS!! We had tons of drinks that night, and I stayed fabulous, as usual. The hot dogs were delicious! I loved the relish they used on the hot dogs, it tasted great. I can't believe I am complimenting Hot Dogs... LOL. The Pizza wasn't that good, but it was edge Pizza which was amazing. Less sauce and more ingredients. But the bread was pretty greasy to the touch. Didn't like that for sure...
The drinks were amazing. Three cocktails, the Orange Crush, nostalgia to the old style orange cream popsicle. It was very delicious, but it was dangerous as you can't taste the alcohol, when I know there is some in there... OH GOD. The rootbeer float was amazing. But I couldn't call it a float because there was no ice cream T_T and I thought there would be, but I was disappointed. It was delicious though. The Lemon cocktail was my favourite of the night. *DROOL* had tons of these, but I couldn't feel the alcohol though. Surprising, and it was delicious. I love the sour and the sweet inside it and the acidity really flowed.
Amazing time with the Yelp community as always, and meeting many new Yelp Elites!! Finally met David W, Yassir N, and seeing Miachel P again!! :D Yes me and Michael P go way back.. LOL. But he is still older than me.. LOL.
Fabulous night went well I can say!! See everyone at the next one!! :DListed in: Yelp Events!!
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Review from Kwoky L.
1/22/2012
What a better way to usher in the new year than rocking a party with my Yelp family? My partner and I are new in town and we were regulars at Yelp events in Chicago. So being at the first 2012 Elite party at The Bimini makes us feel right at home.
Many thanks to the ever so wonderful Robin M for making us feel so welcomed! We also met Theresa W at the bar. She's been an awesome company as well.
The Bimini is newly renovated with tons of space to hang out. They've got pool tables and pinball machines at the ground floor and a beautiful bar area with ample seats upstairs.
The drinks offered were amazing! There were Granville beer and lagers, red and white wines, and of course, their specialty spiced whiskey cocktails. The star of the night was the burdock float which I can't get enough of. I also tried the spiced lemonade and it was quite good as well. The bartender was super friendly and made sure we are adequately hydrated with liquor.
The food was quite good; sliders were juicy, chips and dip were delicious (but they were out of them) but the pizza was just OK. My only complain is that the food didn't get past the kitchen door very far. We were sitting away from the kitchen at the end of the bar and we thought we'd never get fed. Fortunately a server, whose name I regrettably forgot, fend of the crowd, came to our rescue and brought us something. Well, not quite dramatic as that but it seems like it. =)
I really enjoyed myself at the Bimini. Thanks again to Robin M for organizing such a fantastic event! With such a great location at 4th Ave in Kits, I will find myself coming back for more burdock float. -
Review from Derek W.
1/20/2012
The 90's were a dark era for me. This event brought some healin'. Thanks Robin, and thanks to the elite crew for making it awesome.
Great staff, and that poutine hit the spot. Yay Bimini's! -
Review from Cody S.
1/28/2012
How am I supposed to rate a Yelp Elite Event....I still don't know. What I do know is Robin has done it again. You make everything you touch ROCK! I'm mostly happy to see all my Yelp friends. You all are awesome in my book.
The Bimini was pretty damn cool...I really am a man of west fourth, so its cool to have a new incarnation of a great bar to go to. The atmosphere was beyond cool...the drinks (orange crush, lemonade, and the whatever float) were not the best, but, whatever.. It has to be expensive to deal with us as a group!
I will be back here with friends soon! Thanks Robin! -
Review from Awesta M.
1/31/2012 1 Check-in Here
So when I first applied to be an Elite, I had no idea about these side benefits. I wanted to be an Elite because I really loved Yelp and writing reviews and wanted to be part of that community.
Then Yelp surprised me and invited me to a couple of Elite parties and all of a sudden I was not only part of an online community but part of a real world one too. The parties are amazing and I can't wait til the next one. -
Review from Karen R.
Yep I don't know what YOU were doing but my friend Serena and I found how cool it was, while also hot, hanging out at last nights' "rec room party". Bimini's rocked it with a jukebox controlled sound system, standard Burdock Float cocktails, wine, beer and a select special set of non-menu cocktails (lemonade & orange crush). With 3 different areas to be enjoyed, certainly anyone could find their niche. Full rec room immersion upon arrival with arcade games, fozball and billards, followed by booth and table seating at the impressive bar and cherry-on top upper floor area. Over looking the main bar while also sporting a bar-a-thopia and further intimate seating.
And then there's the food...
Nintendo wii game unit with two remotes and massive game directory -
Review from Michael C.
Vancouver, BC
1/28/2012 1 Check-in Here
Another great party in the books and thank you Bimini for hosting.
This place was a blast from the past. Having chips and dip, playing Mario Bros, and playing pool in your best friend's apartment rec room. But we didn't have whiskey back then, but however I'm not complaining! My fave cocktail of the night was the Lemonade! That was tasty and I am not a fan of whiskey, but Spicebox you have made me a fan..... of the lemonade!!
The staff of Bimini were totally cool and very friendly! I would totally come back here and actually pay for drink for once! haha You greats are great!
As always wonderful seeing everyone and meeting a few new faces! Thank you Bimini and of course our lovely Community Manager, Robin!Listed in: Ain't No Party Like A Yelper…
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Review from Rick C.
1/24/2012 1 Check-in Here
I renewed my Yelp Elite status and geared up to kick off the festivities in style with another sweet community party.
The drinks were flowing over at the new incarnation of The Bimini pub now under Donnelly Group management after it burned down. We sipped on burdock floats (like spiked root beer floats), orange crush martinis, and sour lemonades.
The theme was a 1990s style rec room or basement festivities full of games and laid back, casual, flannel fun.
They broke out the Wii for some healthy competition and activities in between drinks and appetizers. I chomped down on sliders, mini hot dogs, and to die for truffle poutine. Yum.
It was as usual more fun times at this Elite event with the usual atmosphere and feel. The new members injected some needed fresh blood. -
Review from Tamara H.
1/20/2012
My first Yelp Elite event and I will definitely be attending the next one!
Robin did a great job organizing the event and I was pleased to get to check out Bimini now that it's reopening. Great drinks (the Burdock float is on the regular Donnelly drink menu - but it's much nicer to test it out when it's free than gamble on a $9.50 drink), super staff members and a really fun event all around.
I will definitely keep Bimini in mind now that I live in the neighbourhood and I'm already marking my calendar for the next yelp elite event! -
Review from Dan J.
Vancouver, BC
1/22/2012 1 Check-in Here
A Rec room themed party? Are you suuuure you want to do this? I don't know about you but the rec room was where I got into the most mischief. It was where I raided my first liquor cabinet, flipped through my first nudie mag, smoked from my first bong and watched my first skin flick. C'mon now, be honest. Y'all weren't playing board games either.
The Rootbeer cocktail had Fernet Branca which is interesting but overall it was a bit too sweet for my liking. I'm not sure creamsicle flavoured cocktails are my cup of tea either. Tried the lemonaide as well. Fresh lemons might have made a difference. Don't mean to sound ungrateful. I can only imagine how difficult it would be to run an open bar with this many guests.
After the awesome and informative CMYE hosted by Donnelley's knowledgeable bar manager perhaps I had unreasonably high expectations. I appreciate the creativity and hard work of the bar staff.
I switched to beer and was quite content with that. The sliders were great and the poutine was particularly delicious. I saw chips and dip at the tables. A fun idea that fit the theme. Thank-you to the staff who worked hard bringing out food, taking drink orders and delivering cocktails all night long.
Bimini's is a nice space. Spacious and vibrant. Lost a game of pool, lost a game of foos ball and forgot all about the jukebox. The company made up for all that. Saw many new faces. As always I enjoy the time I spend with you all. Special thank-you to my sponsor Yassir and props to Kari for Erkling it up.
And of course thank-you Robin for hosting a party that was classy without being pretentious. It didn't come close to approaching the debauchery I normally associate with rec rooms. For that my liver, brain cells and I are grateful.Listed in: Yelp! Yelp! Yelp!
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Review from Sophia C.
Vancouver, BC
1/20/2012
I recently visited Bimini as a +1 for a Yelp Elite event. Robin did an excellent job of organizing and definitely chose a fun spot.
Bimini was a Kitsilano institution back in the day, before the spot got engulfed by flames. The new incarnation still has a hint of the old favourite. Casual bar/pub seating, booths, and the awesome 'games' rec room section. Who wants to fly foosball? How about pool? Or better yet, Mario Kart!
The atmosphere is hip and cool, but doesn't take itself too seriously. I thoroughly enjoyed the drinks, especially the Burdoch Float and orange spritz. The mini burgers and mini hot dogs were satisfactory and made my hungry tummy happy. I really liked their truffle fries.
I look forward to coming back and experiencing Bimini and ordering mains and desserts. Also, more drinks! Great job, Yelp! -
Review from Colene C.
1/20/2012 1 Check-in Here
Rootbeer floa--err Burdock Float please! Those cocktails were delish and really did bring me back to the days when drinking sweet boozy drinks was a thing I really did in the "Rec Room" (aka someone's basement).
I'm glad to see Bimini's back in action as it was a nice, casual place I used to frequent pre-fire. Love the big open space with lots of room to roam. I'm so nostalgic that I don't think I can bring myself to call it THE Bimini ;)
Besides the sweet drinks, I also liked the sliders and jars of candy around the bar. Put a Wii controller in my hand and set me in front of Super Mario Kart and I'm all set!
Thanks Robin! -
Review from Mark H.
2/1/2012 1 Check-in Here
Donelly surprises me again.
Spacious digs. Efficient, friendly, awesome staff. So they didn't do an full open bar like the crazy times at the New Oxford party, but the bar staff kept up with the barrage of Yelpers. The Murdoch Float was an interesting twist on a childhood classic.
Didn't get to try much of the food, except the sliders and some pizza. Both were alright.
For those less sober (or not), the arcade games, Wii, pool, and foosball were abundant. Lesson learned: Don't make bets at pool when you're drunk and suck at pool to start with. It'll cost you.
Robin - kudos as always. I'll be your speakerphone any party! -
Review from Mathieu Y.
Vancouver, BC
1/19/2012
Thanks to Robin M and the Donnelly Group for a great introduction to single occupancy washrooms! Yes, that's right, they had EIGHT of them, covered in mirrors and posters and with toilets that had both a laser sight and a button in case the laser didnt work. And soap, and a sink, and a lot of surfaces to insufflate various powders with your nose.
They started off pretty clean when I showed up, after my first order of a tasty yet tangy lemon whiskey hybrid thing in a martini glass. Something by Beck was playing and magic was in the air at the pool table when I first had to go. But WHICH ONE TO PICK. Wait, what? Thats usually only a question of TWO, like YES or NO, like AM I A BOY OR A GIRL.
But then I took a seat and started chatting with some people about where to stash a ridiculously salty hot dog, racing to the bottom of the punch bowl when BAM gotta go again. I chose the SAME WASHROOM as I did the first time, probably out of habit, and IT WAS GETTING MESSED UP. Like toilet paper on the floor weird puddle on the seat MESSED UP.
And then I had some familiar Granville Island brews and a super smooth root beer flavoured cocktail and checked out the bathroom AGAIN. Devastation. So I looked in all the bathrooms, taking this opportunity to really soak in the Bimini's ambience.
Then tried a burger slider, which was pretty tasty, and the chili, which was spiced and salty but not hot, and checked out the jukebox, which had a pretty awesome cross reference of cool (including Miles Davis' Kind of Blue. wut?) I didnt get a chance to check on the bathrooms because we left right after, but I did notice people playing tetris on the entrance to them.
Also, hippy paintings, darkly lit, booths and wood tables, looks like a lot of Donnelly would. I wouldn't normally go here, but you might, so you should try it. -
Review from Emma L.
1/22/2012
Super fun time! I'd never been to the Bimini before, but I really like the space -- lots of levels and lots of seating areas. Bar staff were friendly and knowledgeable, but I wish they didn't skimp on the drinks. Each of the three cocktails on offer had half a shot of booze in them. I know they were free, but still! Don't agree to have a party with free booze unless you're actually going to give away proper drinks. Especially when you have drink sponsors!
Apart from that, it was a great time. That poutine was fantastic, and my boyfriend loved the sliders and hot dogs. We also got to play foosball near the entrance -- awesome! All in all, a great time with great friends who we hadn't seen in a while. Can't wait for the next one! -
Review from Martina M.
Vancouver, BC
1/24/2012 1 Check-in Here
I walked by the Bimini a few weeks ago, so it was really exciting to get to check it out at an Elite event. It doesn't look like it on the outside, but the Bimini is huge! The first floor has a few pinball machines, a pool table, a foosball table, and a decent amount of tables. The second and third floors had separate bars and tons of seating, including super comfy booths.
When my fiance and I got there, we were greeted by some delicious chips with a chipolte dip, candy on the bar, and a nice selection of whiskey cocktails. My favorite cocktail was the lemonade. It was super smooth and would be fantastic on a warm summer day. I decided to switch it up and try the orange creamsicle martini later in the evening. It was alright but not nearly as good as the lemonade. My fiance indulged in a few lemonade cocktails before switching to winter ale.
We sat down in a booth near the bar and were brought some edamame beans. The wait staff were absolutely fantastic at bringing us drinks when we were running low. However, after the edamame, food never quite made it to our booth. We ended up having to get up and walk around in order to try out the mini hot dogs, sliders, and pizza. The hot dogs were a bit salty, but the sliders were absolutely fantastic! Another one of the shining stars was the mini poutine. The biggest disappointment was the chili. Way too much chili, not nearly enough chips.
My favorite part of the evening was definitely the old school video games on the TV near the bar. My fiance and I got to challenge each other to a few competitive rounds of Super Mario Kart and Tetris Attacks. If you haven't played either, you're missing out!
I'm a bit late to the party in terms of reviewing this event, but it doesn't mean I didn't enjoy it! I look forward to meeting more of my fellow Elite's and attending more fantastic parties. Thank you Robin for another great Yelp Elite event! -
Review from Amanda L.
1/20/2012 1 Check-in Here
Love it, love it, love it!
The Bimini was huge and laid out really well, you could get around without feeling like you were inconveniencing everyone.
The orange crushes were really good, I didn't know what was going on in the root beer thing but I didn't like it (sorta tasted like they mixed a beer and a mojito, no good) the lemonade drink was fabulous, like a really tart whisky sour almost! Good think I ate before, hamburgers, hot dogs, no thanks, never saw the edamame and was surprised when I shoved chips and what I thought was salsa in my mouth to realize it was bland chili. Would have loved to hang around for some more yummy drinks but the scotch waged war on my head and I had to cut out early.
Super Mario Kart was fun to watch, wish I had a chance to play! Foosball totally took me back to my teenage community center days! Gah, so many fun things I wanted to do! -
Review from David L.
2/1/2012 3 photos
I walked right into the 90's. Robin did a terrific job for this one. The food was quite spot on for a rec room too. I enjoyed the sliders, pizza and the chips. The lemonade drink was light and refreshing. 90's Nintendo games, real arcade pinball machines, pool and table soccer really brought even more memories of the past. There was a lot of room to move around since there are three floors at The Bimini. I met Don B, David W, Vanessa G, Michael M, and Vincent N. There were a lot of people that I didn't have to chance to talk to because The Bimini is big! The staff were very friendly too.
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Review from Simon K.
1/19/2012 1 Check-in Here
Starting the 2012 year off right with that Yelp Elite party, here we go, on a very cold and crisp night on the west end of town. Many who braved the 'harsher' conditions for a good time on this Wednesday got it at the Bimini. I have never been here, and from the outside of this place didn't expect it to be so big in size, and the 90's theme for the night really threw a good curve ball on what to wear to make it feel 90's like.
The one color that was showing at this event was teal blue, was this a 90's color, I guess it was, as many were wearing this with other combinations. I came in an old Toronto Raptors sweatshirt, I saw Johnson C. in an old Charlotte Hornets L. Johnson jersey, and his brother in an old Canucks white jersey, and even Amy T. rocking it out in a red t-shirt with an old Nintendo controller. Plaid was also seen amongst the crowd, but wasn't this more an 80's thing? The theme's are one thing that definitely makes the party, I wonder what will be next (pimps and playas?). There was a good mix of beverages at this event, and even though I forgot most of the names that were provided, there was a burdock float (it tastes like a root beer float), orange crush (this taste like a orange cream soda) and some funky lemonade brew, which were all mixed with whisky. There were a number of beers that were also poured freely, with the nice straight up whisky that I had with Johnson and Derek and Vincci just to start off the night.
There was some good food to keep our mouths moving with all the liquids that were going down our throats as fast as we could pour them. Some pretty fair sized burger sliders, some half hot dogs rolling around, small samlpets of poutine (which I did not have..... shoot!), and some fresh potato chips at the tables with some creamy dip, also the Yelp swag was around the place, upstairs, downstairs, left and right to get our hands on. Also there was some good ol' classic Nintendo getting played on one of the screens when coming up the stairwell. I was watching some classic Super Mario Brothers being played by Portland Yelp Ambassador Don, who graced us on this day's festivities, and he was great to talk to as well, sitting with us and having a drink talking about the worldwide Yelp!
I was able to reacquaint myself with my Yelp friends, and nothing helps more than booze, I mean great surroundings! Seeing Larry bring his brother 'Jey' as how it was spelled on the name tag was cool, and them bringing another of their blood (sister) to the party was cool. Mark H. after not seeing him at the last one due to being out somewhere warm in Asia, Derek and Johnson in teal, Dru, Amy, and Vincci, and also this time, being able to get a drink for Hilda... as she asked last time... "where's my drink!".
A great way to ring in the New Year, getting greeted by Robin. Hats off to you, on another memorable planned Elite Event. As I said to you at the door leaving, see you soon, hopefully before the next Elite night, but your off to a fine start already!Listed in: My Yelp Event Attendee List!
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Review from Evilyn T.
1/19/2012 1 Check-in Here
We like, we like to party! The Yelp Elite bus is comin' and everybody's runnin', come and get martini's over at Bimini's.....
Okay 90's arcade party, sweet deal! I came down early to get a seat, not realizing how big the place was. Loved the multiple layers of seating, I love when bars do that to break up the room from just being a big fishbowl, it gives the room more character and atmosphere. I also really like the industrial look of the new renovations, the big railroad-esc beams hanging from the ceiling, the electric lights that looked like Thomas Edison himself has just installed, and the gigantic mirrors with frames that looked like the steel rails that hold down the train tracks. Overall, impressive.
I had both the rootbeer (burdock) float - which tasted a bit minty to me, but was going down reeeeeal smooth, and also the orange drink - not orange juice and not orange pop, orange drink haha! It was kind of creamsicley, so I liked that as well. I was also super impressed that they remembered us vegetarians! Horray! There were little baskets of chips and dip at the tables when we arrived, which were yummy - the dip had just the right amount of chipolte in it so it wasn't overly smokey and "meaty". They also brought out edamame, which was cooked and salted to perfection, and the BF pretty much demolished the bowl. They brought around hot dogs - which I thought was a little weird, cuz I don't think I have ever been in a pub and seen hot dogs being served. However, wih the rise of Japadog and Dougie Dog, it seems obvious that pubs would be serving hot dogs, I mean, they serve burgers right?
Then they brought out a gigantic bowl of veggie chili and meaty chili with chips. I thought the chili was kind of bland personally, I like my chili to make my nose run, afterall, its supposed to heat you up on a cold day right? The BF was busy working all day and didn't have time to eat beforehand (I disciplined him don't worry!) so he ended up just ordering from their regular menu! He ordered the mac and cheese, which was awesome. It was made with real cheese, and not just some runny liquid cheese or powdered processed garbage that you get at some places. I would go back for the mac and cheese alone! Also it didn't have breadcrumbs and shit all over it - I don't want my mac and cheese dry and crusty on top, I want it stringey and cheesey.
Once again, thanks Robin for putting on another fun event to mix up my week of monotany, and thanks to the staff at Bimini's for being so gracious.Listed in: Elitist Biatches
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Review from Steven S.
1/20/2012
This was only my second Yelp Elite Event and I loved it. First the venue, the new Bimini is nice, really nice actually and just may be my favourite bar in the Donnelly Groups basket. Why because it is spacious and open yet retains cosy corners. Now back the event review.
I met so many warm, friendly and fun Yelpers, the drinks were great, loved the float all 5 of them I had. And our host was wonderful as usual, I am impressed that Robin is not only a great host but seems to know everyone personally. It is part of why I enjoy these events. It is also great to talk food and drink with other like minded foodies and lushes. The only quibble was the punch, it sat on the bar inviting you to drink me. But a mix of whiskey and cherry coke proved to bring me back to childhood. Not that I was drinking as a 8 year old mind you. More to the point of cough medicine. Would have made a better shot than a drink. Any way it was a load of fun. Loved classic games on the Wii, the sliders were really, really good, and the slider dogs why yes perfect bar food. I am looking forward to what Robin and the YVR Yelp team have in store for us next. What I do know is each time I go, I make new friends. Thanks Yelp & Yelpers. -
Review from Christian H.
Vancouver, BC
2/16/2012
I had a great time at he Elite Party, my very first Elite Party in Vancouver. I went with my partner who is an Elite. I really found the bartenders to be very friendly. I orders a drink and he accidentally gave me the wrong drink. He instantly began preparing a new drink and gave me both drinks. I loved watching people play the old Nintendo games... Brought me back to when I was younger. The snacks were great... They waitresses were very friendly and thoughtful as well. When one of them noticed that the people in the back were not receiving snacks, they rushed some over to us. The Bimini was a great location and great setting. Can't wait until the next event...
