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Griffins Restaurant
Categories: Restaurants Canadian (New) Restaurants Steakhouses Canadian (New), Steakhouses [Edit]
900 Georgia St WVancouver, BC V6C 2W6
Neighbourhood: Downtown
(604) 662-1900
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 6:30 am - 9 pm
Fri 6:30 am - 10 pm
Sat 7 am - 10 pm
Sun 7 am - 9 pm
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street, Valet
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
47 reviews for Griffins Restaurant
Review Highlights
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"Oh, and the dessert buffet is fantastic too." In 22 reviews -
"...the Queen Charlotte Halibut with lobster & lemon risotto." In 2 reviews -
"...menu the prime rib and Yorkshire pudding is always good." In 5 reviews
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47 reviews in English
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Review from Vannessa S.
Burnaby, BC
5/24/2012
Got a 2 for 1 entree deal here and I truly think it was worth it. The hostess was sweet and chatty. Our server was French, polite and efficient, maybe too efficient as he asked us if we were ready to order about 3 times before we were. I ordered a coffee and he spilled over the side with every refill(I don't think he noticed). Overall, I was pretty happy with the service.
We decided to get the best value for our meal so I ordered the salmon and he ordered the halibut. Our meals came very quickly, we had yummy bread with red pepper oil to munch on in the mean time, the portions were pretty darn tiny but I guess you can complain about free bread. Maybe I just wanted more because it was so fluffy and flavourful. Anyways, my salmon was perfect, flavourful and delicious, the skin could have been crispier, but oh well. It came with a butter sauce on the side, so rich, I wanted to add it to every bite so as not to waste it. The salmon was sitting on a bed of asparagus, perfectly cooked, it tasted like asparagus and salt, I would have preferred something different for my greens, it really seemed like an after thought in the dish. The potatoes were cut to a perfect size and seasoned beautifully, they were oily in a good way. I had a bite of my partner's halibut, a good clean taste, I was less impressed with the rice and the cheese sauce on the side, he really liked it though.
So after this we were pretty much stuffed, we took a few minutes before heading to the dessert buffet, free with every meal. I grabbed a couple very slender slices of cake, some watermelon, a mini flan I nibbled at it for a while as we chatted. They we all rich and delicious, I would have stayed there with my coffee going for round after round if my partner didn't have some weird hang up about staying in restaurants too long. It probably doesn't help that a server kept eyeing us every 2 minutes to see if we were done and had stopped refilling my water glass and when I finally was done he pounced on my dishes like a wild animal and asked if we needed our bill. It ended up being a really good deal for the two meals and desserts. My coffee was 5 dollars for some inexplicable reason, but I'll justify that with the free refills. I would definitely go here again with the discount, but not full price. -
Review from Mark A.
Vancouver, BC
4/19/2012 1 Check-in Here
I have visited this place whenever I have an event to celebrate. Love the prime ribs!
Recently, price of buffet went up from $29 to $39. Not sure I will be visiting more often. That price will roughly cost you just above $100 for party of two after taxes and tips. -
Review from Herman E.
4/13/2012
2.5 stars.
I must be on a bit of a retro kick of recent, because this is another place that I have not visited in probably 10 years.
Came here today for a breakfast buffet. Food was good, not spectacular, but not worth the price. The buffet was $28, which included coffee and OJ.
When the bill came, I noticed that coffee and OJ, by themselves, were $5 and $6, respectively. That's pricey, considering that the OJ was Tropicana. Yes, I saw them pour it out from the jug to the pitcher.
Would I recommend it? Not really, but I really have nothing against this place. It's pricey food in a dated environment.
The decor in here has not changed in 15-20 years, possibly more. It is dated, it needs a reno. -
Review from Gary M.
2/4/2012
I have been to Griffins exactly four times since it has opened back in the mid nineties. Every time I have been there it seems like the time before. Mediocre food. Odd room. Not good.
My parents were staying at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver and were deciding where to go for my dad's birthday dinner. When I heard Griffins mentioned I was slightly unnerved, but I decided I would give it a shot with an open mind.
I knew things were not going to end pretty when the beer came stale and without a decent head. How can Vancouver restaurants get away with not keeping a track of when they open their kegs and serving stale draft beer.
It was dine out Vancouver and our table was large and indecisive. Our server was a sweet heart and took it all in stride. Once the orders were sorted out, part of our table hit the seafood buffet and some had soups and salads.
Key Point 1 - Appetizers: The soup was good, the salads wilted and so-so, Seafood buffet - a HIT!
Key Point 2 - Mains: All were uninspired, dry, overcooked or not quite right except the Prime rib, which was a HUGE hit.
Key Point 3 - Dessert bar: I have never been a fan of all you can eat dessert bars. This one is no exception. I prefer lovely crafted, delicate desserts. These, although better than Safeway cakes and tarts, kind of blend into that style of dessert group.
I'm not sure how Fairmont can keep this restaurant at such a sub par level charging the prices they do.Listed in: My PIA List
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Review from Sarah N.
Vancouver, BC
4/26/2012
I went in for the 2 for 1 lunch buffet and it was definitely not worth it. Everything in the buffet was either tasteless or very salty. I found myself leaving with an empty stomach because I couldn't eat anything.
In regards to service, upon entering the restaurant I was greeted by no one. There were two ladies standing at the hostess stand. One was on the phone and the other was wiping away at a menu. The one wiping the menu looked up at me with a glare and went back to wiping without saying a word.
I most probably won't be returning here. -
Review from rosquete b.
Updated - 2/1/2012 1 Check-in Here
Part of Dine Out Vancouver promotion
3 courses $28
1st: Cauliflower soup (okay) or tasty mixed green & julienned veg salad
2nd: Delish halibut/potato/shrimp dish or pasta w/short ribs (where's the beef?)
Prime rib was another option for $10 more
3rd: Dessert Bar - get crazy
Excellent food service by Serge
Beer on tap or bottle; liked the Phillips Cream Ale
House focaccia bread was okay1 Previous Review: Show all »
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2/15/2010
Fairmont Hotel
Expensive
Continental food
Very nice table bread basket [seeded, olive, cheese]
Friendly… Read more »
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Review from Odette C.
Vancouver, BC
Updated - 1/23/2012 3 Check-ins Here
2nd Restaurant on my Dineout Vancouver marathon
$28 per person
Add $10 for Appy buffet
Add $10 for Prime Rib
3 of us on a Sunday Night.
Appy:
Cauliflower soup. Soup is alright though it's a cup of soup, nothing fancy
Appy buffet $10+, worth it. As usual there is the good salmon gravalax, smoke salmon, crab legs (cold), prawns (with shell?!), Mussels & clams (warm) for seafood.
Salad with beets, cucumber and grape tomatoe salad, tomatoe with balsamic vinegar, boccacini, capers, olives etc for salad
Soup is a type of corn soup with assorted peppers (cream)
*My advice pay an extra $10 for the appy buffet
Entree:
2 of us opt for the boneless short rib with pasta. The short rib is very tender, more flavor would be good though, it tasted like salted short rib (kind of corn beef flavour short rib if you can imagine). Pasta is al dente and the cream sauce and spinach just coating the whole plate. I would have prefered a bit more sauce but that's just me. Sauce is really just enough to coat all the pasta.
One of us had the prime rib $10+, good as usual. Not as rare as we'd like but it's dineout time and we don't have much choice. Nice tender juicy meat with gravy, horse radish, yorkshire pudding etc.
Dessert buffet:
Fresh strawberries, pinapple, watermelon & grapes
Pastries are great. Creme caramel, rasberry mousse cake, cheese cake, chocolate cake, profiteros, rice pudding etc
*missing some good cheese!
Good value + easy to book on http://opentable.com1 Previous Review: Show all »
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8/19/2010
Normally I go to Griffins during dine out for their $35 3 course menue, prime rib is good but at… Read more »
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Review from Winnie M.
Renfrew-Collingwood, Vancouver, BC
12/19/2011
Had the appetizer buffet as dinner option and it also came with the dessert buffet. In my honest opinion the appetizer buffet was really sub par and completely not worth the price. They were only serving the thinnest part of the crab legs and the crab meat (if you could pick out any) was dry and salty. I can only imagine how their holiday buffet will be like with this kind of food served up at their regular dinner.
The desserts were decent, considering it is a buffet. However they are definitely not "amazing".
The cooks behind the buffet tables were lacking a lot of professionalism at work. I have heard them swearing and talking about inappropriate things almost every time I visited the buffet table.
I will not return. -
Review from Daisy C.
10/10/2011
The customer service here is great-- our server was quite accommodating towards the children in our party and my prime rib was served exactly the way I wanted.
I'm also a fan of their unlimited appetizer and dessert bar although it became a bit too much after a while.
Overall, I'm giving them three stars because it's a little too pricey for what you get. -
Review from Jasmine T.
Burnaby, BC
12/16/2010
One hundred reviews + anniversary dinner = this review.
I wanted us to go someplace nice for our anniversary dinner. Hmm, where to go, where to go? I talked to my mom and she said, "Ay my gash Hasmine. You shud go to da Bancouber Hotel por da buffet." Okay, so she only sort of sounds like that... but duly noted mom. So we scanned the Entertainment Book and ripped it out.
So silly us, we went to the lounge first and waited amongst the chaos that was dinnertime. Then I thought about it and we found the right place. There is an easel outside the door showing the December Special: Appetizer Buffet, Main and Dessert Buffet for $49. Hmm, that sounded tempting, but I didn't know if I wanted to be uncomfortably full for the rest of the night.
When we got there at 6:45 with no reservations, we were told that the earliest we could be seated was between 7:30 and 8:00. Fair enough, so we went to go have a coffee. When we came back, there were many empty seats, but they were still so busy. The hostess flitted by and told us she would be back. Then while she was away, another guy came and asked if we had been helped. Instead of stepping in and seating us because he was able work the computer and find our name (could have been an ipod behind the podium, I don't know), he waited and stared at us awkwardly while waiting for the hostess to come back.
Okay, so finally we were able to be seated. We had to wait a loh-ha-hong time for our server to come by. When he did, he apologized for the wait... it was about 10 mins from the time I noticed it had been awhile. We ordered our drinks and mains at the same time. I opted to order from the a la carte menu instead of trying to hork down as much food as they offered. I ordered a coke and the 10 oz prime rib. My fiance ordered a coke and a pizza. The dessert buffet came with both our entrees.
Our bread plate was okay. We got two pieces of foccacia with a side of sundried tomatoes in oil. Yum.
The food came fast. My prime rib came with a plain baked potato, a yorkie, gravy and some veggies. The meat was so tender and cooked rare like I asked. So good. Glaahhhh... just enough fat mixed with the meat. The outside was overly seasoned to me. It was quite salty, but if you had a little bit of the crust with the inside, it worked out okay. Hmm, after a couple bites, the server came by to check on us... he started saying his thought out loud, but just walked away instead. He came back with a plate of horseradish (so necessary and welcome), bacon, green onions and sour cream. The yorkie was hard and crisp and tasted kind of burnt.
I tried the garlic on the pizza... one of the almost twenty cloves. Hmm, it seemed like a lot for a personal pizza. I ate a clove because I have been told that when one person has garlic, the other has to as well to cancel it out. I ate it and then my fiance tells me that he has been picking them off and putting them to the side. Oh.
After stuffing myself full of meat... wheeee... our plates are cleared and we go to the dessert buffet. I got a creme caramel, a slice of chocolate mousse cake, a slice of mango cheesecake, and some cream puffs. The creme caramel was quite gelatinous. The flavour was okay, but I didn't like the texture. The chocolate thing was so smooth and rich. The cream puffs were regular. The cheesecake was so good. I wish I got more, but I was too full and I also had to stick my fork in my fiance's plate. He got some weird strawberry thing that had a weird uncooked cream of wheat texture.
So I needed to go to the washroom, but there is no washroom in the restaurant. I went to ask the hostess that seated us, but she rushed past me as I started to ask her where it was. Luckily, there was someone else who directed me into the lobby. I guess after I leave the vicinity of the waiting area, I am now under the direction of my server.
Our server was really nice. He was super busy with the huge table beside us. He was very professional and despite being absent at first, was everything I expected from a waiter at a "fancy" restaurant. I always know that if the waiters are older, then the place must be expensive. If we didn't have our Entertainment Coupon, I would have been mad... $4 for a coke... it's like pennies a glass... I seen the commercials, I know what's what. -
Review from Christine R.
New Westminster, BC
10/11/2010 1 photo
I love family dinners, especially holiday ones. But with the family off in the Okanagan to admire the new grandson over this Thanksgiving weekend and me not being able to get away because of work etc., my husband and I decided to do something we'd always wanted to do: have our turkey at a fancy hotel restaurant.
We chose the $54 holiday meal special at Griffins because we both love the Hotel Vancouver. We love the hotel for its heritage, we love it for being part of an iconic chain of hotels (Banff Springs, Chateau Lake Louise, Chateau Frontenac) that we've visited while travelling across Canada, and we love it because we have the memory of spending part of our honeymoon here.
Unfortunately, our dinner at Griffins got off to a bit of rough start: the hosts could not find our reservation (made over the phone two days earlier) and though they found us seats, they were right next to the kitchen. I HATE being seated next to the kitchen. Then they moved my husbands chair around so he wouldn't bump chair backs with the seat behind him - but the move put him right in the line of traffic for people going to the appetizer buffet. This is not a cheap place and I was in no mind to spend money listening to clanking dishes and being jostled by other diners.
So we asked to move tables and they were very accommodating, setting us up with a nicer corner table. We ordered our turkey dinners (with a glass of red wine, natch) and it was off to the appetizer buffet - dinner included both appetizer and dessert buffets, as well as the plated main course. The appetizers included soups, salad bar, cold seafood (I was surprised to see shellfish still being offered, with the current red tide warnings on the coast), bread, and pasta and bean salads. They also had smoked salmon, which was OK, but made me a little sad that I wasn't having my Dad's famous homemade smoked salmon as an appetizer as we would at home with the fam.
After the appetizer plates had been promptly cleared away, the turkey arrived. (You could also choose prime rib or salmon, but this is Thanksgiving, Jack.) Turkey with all the trimmings nestled into the bowl: slices of dark and white meat, apple stuffing, sweet potato, broccolini, mashed potato, and gravy and cranberry sauce. It was like homemade, just a little different in the flavours. The cranberry sauce fresh and sweet, the gravy rich and savoury, the turkey perfectly done. I couldn't even finish it all.
But I had to soldier on: dessert buffet! While the husband devoured a small rich bowl of mousse, I enjoyed a mini cream puff and fresh-baked bird's nest cookie, and of course, pumpkin pie. The pie was the best part - sweet and spicy, with a perfect thin, flaky crust.
Although initially disappointed with the restaurant, and also perhaps expecting a more posh restaurant (i.e., like the neighbouring lounge bar), in the end, Griffins won me over with the service. The hostesses were very helpful, and our waiter was both professional and a hoot. Griffins may somewhat resemble a diner, but underneath beats the heart of old-school hotel service.Listed in: Bad tables in nice restaurants
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Review from Ernesto G.
3/17/2011 3 photos
Great Prime Rib!
Came here for Sunday Nite Family Dinner. They have booths and tables for 4, and they can even re-arrange tables to fit any number of patrons (we had 13 people all together = awesome).
Excellent service from the hostess to our two servers to the people working at the dessert buffet. Everyone is very accommodating. Like it!
I asked for medium rare, and sure enough my prime rib was exactly that. We also ordered a nice big Cab to accompany our dinner and it was great (and may I add, well priced for a restaurant). Griffins may not have a huge selection for wine by the bottle, but everything they have is not unreasonably expensive.
Will definitely come back. -
Review from Vincci L.
Updated - 10/4/2010 6 photos
They currently have a promo where they take 50% off your meal (excluding taxes, alcohol...) everyday from, 4:30-6pm.
I have taken advantage of this and visited several times.
Their appetizer buffet is what I'm here for. Fresh greens with homemade dressings, prawns, crab legs, tomatoes & boccocini, mussels and clams, soup, assorted bread, roasted garlic!, smoked salmon...everything is fresh and tasty. You can add this to your entree for $18 more, or have it alone with the dessert buffet for $32.
For the mains, I've had the prime rib (with Yorkshire pudding), seafood linguine, and chicken linguine. The seafood linguine is my favourite, but if it wasn't for the 50% deal, the original cost of $29 is not really worth.
All the entrees also include their dessert buffet. Profiteroles and creme caramel are so good. They also have fresh fruit, as well as other cakes and mousses.
Service is usually good, as it is the Fairmont and that's what I expect.
I come out of the restaurant very full each time, and have a food coma afterwards.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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2/11/2010
Dessert buffet excites me like nothing else.
A brasserie style place. I love the high ceiling and the… Read more »
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Review from Amy T.
11/19/2010 1 photo
We went in a group of girls to try Griffins since there was a dessert buffet. =) If you order an entree, you get to gorge yourself in the dessert buffet. It was mmmm...mmm good.
I had the Queen Charlotte Halibut with lobster & lemon risotto. It was so good, I demolished my whole plate. I should have ordered a salad because I ended up stuffing myself at the dessert buffet. It was good times... -
Review from Stephen Y.
Richmond, BC
3/15/2011 1 Check-in Here
Came here hungry and left stuffed...felt like my stomach was filled with expanding foam. Alright, it was the 10oz prime rib!!
My meal consisted of the AYCE seafood and dessert bar, along with the main dish being the aforementioned prime rib, with mashed potatoes and Yorkshire pudding. The prime rib, rare of course, was quite tender and juicy...which is the exact opposite of the Yorkshire pudding. That had the outershell like a turtle and to quote the great Charles Barkley, "was turrible, just turrble!" The seafood bar was surprisingly good and was stocked with mussels, clams, prawns and crab legs. There was also smoked salmon with capers and some other anti-pasta offerings.
I only had the creme caramel from the dessert bar along with some pineapple slices...I was done. The dessert I chose was quite nice and for a buffet, highly recommended.
The service was good and I left far too full...thankfully my wallet was lightened by a good ~$40 after taxes and tip. (no drinks that night, had to drive family). -
Review from Rose B.
12/27/2010
We went for breakfast. We went on boxing day around noon. We were seated right away without a reservation. We decided to not injure ourselves on the buffet.
My boyfriend ordered eggs benny and I had the Canadian, with scrambled eggs and turkey sausage and potatoes. Also, I had gluten free toast which is a plus when you are on a restriction like myself. However the bread was so so as gluten free bread goes. The eggs were very mediocre, my boyfriend makes better eggs with egg beaters in the microwave. The potatoes tasted like freezer fries to me but I don't eat them that often so maybe I'm not the best judge. On the upside they were not at all greasy if you care about calories. I did like the turkey sausage, in fact that was the best thing on the plate which may say something about the meal because it is typically my least favorite food out of all that I was served.
My boyfriend really liked the eggs benny and the Hollandaise (sp?). For those of you who are picky about your coffee, he reports it was a bold roast but found it very good if he tamed it with a little cream.
The waitress was very pleasant but did not ask me if I wanted water, when I requested it she brought a glass for me but not my boyfriend so we had to ask for glass for him then too. Turns out, the water was very "fishy" smelling. My boyfriend agreed. I have to take two stars off for that is completely unacceptable. I believe that means someone is not using clean utensils in the ice bin or something really gross. Also one off for $4 coffee, I don't care how good it is. I would almost give one back for the jam in the cute little jars but I just didn't leave feeling that great about the meal and don't think I would ever go back unless I had no other alternative. -
Review from Jaden N.
North Vancouver, BC
12/13/2010
High end Vancouver hotels normally boast a high end classy restaurant where you'll find hotel guests and locals fine dining and sampling some of the world's tastiest wines. I suppose Griffin's restaurant can be slotted under this category but it could have been better.
We headed downtown thinking we would try out Griffin's with no reservation made. It was a Saturday which is usually busy anywhere so we took our chances. We were greeted by the 2 hostesses who told us it would be about 45 min to an hour wait. It wasn't such a big deal so we left our name and number with the hostess and went down the street for a coffee. I figured I would get a phone call when a table opened up but no such luck. We headed back right at the 45 minute mark, noticed a few empty tables inside already.
We were seated shortly, although their was some confusion between a waiter and the hostess. I'm sure the waiter could have seated us...but he went and got the hostess who already told us she would be back shortly.
It took about 10 minutes before anyone came to our table to take our drink order...clock starts ticking as soon as we are seated. It's nice to get that extra greeting before your meal order in any restaurant...especially a classy one right?
The menu was pretty typical - old fashioned if you will. Great tip for dessert lovers is that if you order any main course you get the all you can eat dessert buffet included. Save room...the portions are kind of big.
I've normally found restaurants that offer "all you can eat" on their menu means the food won't be "all that great". To my surprise it was ok...
I skipped the alcoholic drink order - 9 dollars for a pint of beer? And local brewed beer at that. I'm sorry but I just can't justify paying that much when I paid half that the night before for the same beer. Coke was pricey too at $4 a glass.
I ordered a Pizza which was $20. A decent sized pizza with a massive amount of cheese, garlic, and tomato. The garlic came in full cloves which was a bit of an overload. So my plate was left with a big pile of garlic and a few crusts I couldn't finish. Had to save room for dessert.
Dessert was all you can eat! I grabbed a selection of items including a nice Chocolate mousse, 2 different pies, and a creme brule. The mouse was delicious, creme brule wasn't bad but could be better. The pies...i dunno what they were made of but they were really heavy and doughy. Not all that good unfortunately.
Restaurant ambiance was cool. Really old fashioned decor and the seats were really comfortable. Great for a relaxing evening.
In the end I don't think we would have come here if it weren't for the entertainment book coupon. Saved us $20 dollars off our bill. Was definitely worth a try to see what some of Vancouver's fine dining was really all about. -
Review from Shoppa H.
Vancouver, BC
12/3/2011
We had reservations for lunch. We opted for the buffet. It was great food. Of course I always start with dessert, so had no room left for all the hot food. :-)
The only part that was not so nice was the way the waiter handled our bill. Grrr -
Review from Steven M.
Vancouver, BC
8/19/2010
Went here for lunch today.
Absolutely delicious, right down to the coffee.
Had a prime rib burger with fries. $21 bucks. This may seem pricey, but it was one of the best burgers that I have ever had. As well, the fries came with a very tasty seasoning.
So is it 50% more expensive than your traditional $14 burger elsewhere? Yes.
Is it 50% better? I'd say so. -
Review from Billy L.
Port Coquitlam, BC
2/12/2011 1 Check-in Here
I had my doubt about Griffins but they were definitely answered. The menu isn't very large which makes you think that they should perfect their dishes.
I for one ordered the 10oz prime rib with garlic mash, veggies, and yorkshire pudding. It was very good, the meat was tender and very soft. Others ordered halibut and complained that it was too dry and not as great.
Most entrees come with the dessert buffet which made us choose this place. My girlfriend said that their cheesecake may have been the best she's ever had. I had probably 4 different desserts and they were all pretty good.
p.s. we had coupon book coupons that give 20$ back when 2 entrees are purchased. -
Review from Pia W.
1/24/2010 6 photos
So this young lady was taken to this restaurant by someone along with a small party. Knowing that this place is inside the Fairmont Hotel - Vancouver, this young lady decided that it might be appropriate (more of a convenient and favorable excuse) to dress up a bit. Tee hee hee!
There is a choice between a nice spread of buffet, and eating a la carte. Noticing that you can actually have the best of both worlds by eating a la carte which includes...a dessert buffet at the end, how could this young lady resist?
Service was wonderful, the staff was very friendly and helpful in making suggestions. Being crazy about risotto and perfectly cooked fish, this young lady chose the Queen Charlotte Halibut, which comes with a lobster and lemon risotto. The one half of her party chose various sizes of prime ribs, one chose the Portobello Mushroom Risotto, and another chose the Griffins Seafood Trio.
The food was amazing, and the fish was just seasoned and cooked perfectly -- it made this young lady eat in a not-so-ladylike way because she just couldn't stop eating until her dish was gone.
(Side note: Griffins' prime rib kicks The Keg's prime rib in the you-know-what)
I would have had photos of the dessert...but it simply was too delicious, that I didn't realize I hadn't taken any pictures of it until the dishes were cleared.
Just a wonderful night to end the day! -
Review from Lee N.
Vancouver, BC
6/27/2011
This is a very interesting room, I have had brunch several times and dinner a couple of times. The food is good, the service is beyond good, but the ambiance for me is lacquered tables no table clothes and $30-40 entrées. The price you pay is for place and means you are in the Hotel Vancouver, they redid the lounge it is now great, they need to work on this room. Oh, and the trek to the bathrooms always amazes me. Try the halibut and if they have it on the set price menu the prime rib and Yorkshire pudding is always good.
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Review from Chloë E.
Vancouver, BC
11/20/2008
The decor at Griffins really threw me off initially. I get a posh '80s vibe from it rather than the more timeless class I would expect from the Hotel Vancouver.
That being my only dissatisfaction, I'll plow on into the positives. The salad I had here -- baby leaf spinach -- needs a better name because with strawberries, grapefruit, juicy tiger prawns, and avacado, it's all my favorite foods in one healthy bowl.
The lunchtime buffet here is also pretty famous, but come with a big appetite to sample a little of everything.
Service here does have that old-world style of attentiveness to it. Our waiter was delightful: there when we needed him but disappeared graciously when we didn't. -
Review from Dani B.
5/26/2009
Buffet vs. a la carte is a tough decision, as Phil S. has already said. I totally agree with his review, but if you decide on the buffet make sure you are ravenous because I didn't have enough room for all the good foods they had to offer. Everything in the buffet (including the dessert buffet) looked amazing and all the things I had were super tasty too.
I must say I was initially put off by the vintage diner look, but the food is anything but diner food. It's class all the way, so if you want to go here dress to impress and be prepared to have your tastebuds bedazzled. -
Review from Trude H.
Vancouver, BC
6/18/2010
We did Griffins (or did Griffins do us?) last night and what a divine pleasure it was.
Located on the Hornby street side of the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver, this Euro-styled brasserie, with its chrome yellow walls and huge, colorful paintings, offers quiet, professional wait service with white tablecloth charm.
Now, the food! The Griffins Seafood Trio won the coin toss over the halibut - and a wonder-inducing choice it was. Halibut that melted in the mouth. Salmon, oh the salmon - flaky and perfect and nourishing to the psyche. This is the life giving food of the West Coast. Topped off with beautifully tender prawns - truly indigenous feast food. Eating local points!
My partner ordered extra veg in place of the jasmine rice. A mound of perfectly crunchy broccoli, red pepper, zucchini and other colorful delights; and so seductive to the eye that we ate the veg first!
The dessert buffet is included with all items on the right hand page of the menu - so we indulged. The cakes and flans are gorgeous and tasty. Apple cake topped with fresh strawberry. Creme caramel, silky and smooth. Choco layer cake with buttercream icing. Fruit and nut crunchy bar - lip-smacking good!
A platter generously filled with fresh fruit, a pot of hot chocolate sauce, and tiny, perfect cookies tempt the most discerning dessert fiend!
Griffins is celebrating 18 years of deliciousness by offering 50% off the dinner menu between 4:30pm and 6:30pm daily - and every seat in the house was occupied last night! I reserved through Open Table. We will indulge again throughout the summer. -
Review from Luisa S.
Vancouver, BC
11/5/2008 1 photo
My mom's a big fan of the steak at Griffins so we come here every year for both her birthday and Mother's Day. I admit: in the early years of my vegetarianism, I was very tempted by their rib-eye steak. It always arrived at the table sizzling hot and bathed in a lovely peppercorn sauce. I'd always glance down forlornly at my own choice, often the quiche du jour, which never seemed to measure up. Especially the time I made the mistake of simply ordering the market salad (I think I might have been on some kind of lame diet at the time). This being said, the quiche was fine but Griffins really does specialize in steaks and seafood. Oh, and the dessert buffet is fantastic too.
But back to the vege mains. They don't really seem to know how to make things other than the meat- and fish-oriented dishes interesting. The salads are all drowning in dressing and salt is the only discernable seasoning in the vegetable panini.
They do, however, redeem themselves with an amazing array of desserts. Depending on when you go, a fresh cake is brought out every half-hour or so (this is contingent on how quickly they go). During the summer months, they do a lovely strawberry shortcake. Tiramisu is available year-round (hmm...). -
Review from Carmina B.
8/18/2011
Celebrated my birthday here with family while visiting town. Service was accommodating and friendly especially with two small children in our party. Everyone seemed content with their dinners and were all smitten with the dessert buffet selection. I had the halibut dinner with grilled asparagus, lobster risotto and roasted fennel. The dish was good but not the best I've ever had. Go between 4-6:30 Sunday - Wednesday as all dinner entrees are 1/2 off including their infamous dessert buffet.
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Review from Raymond O.
Vancouver, BC
8/2/2010 3 Check-ins Here
I like the ambiance that this brasserie provides. It's very old-school and it makes me forget I'm in Downtown Vancouver.
I do love the service. It's proper, but not formal. If only all restaurants can be the same way each and every time.
So why only two stars? The food. It's boring and normal. The menu sounds sophisticated, but the taste is bland. We had their Risotto as well as their Prime Rib entrees. Both lacked oomph. The taste is what I would expect from any run of the mill city restaurants, but not from Fairmont and especially not at this price. The steak was cooked medium rare (which is what I normally ask for and perfect if I didn't have a pregnant wife to share) despite requesting it medium. And they missed pouring dressing over the salad which when I called attention to it, the Maitre d'hotel apologised for the omission.
I thought the saving grace was the included dessert buffet which was tucked by the entrance and was very visually appetizing. Nothing to praise about. All I can taste from each offering was sugar. There was nothing unique like Lavender infused chocolate or even something basic like a sprinkling of Sea salt. This is the Fairmont Hotel after all.
Still I'm willing to give this another shot when I feel like having a sugar rush. -
Review from Erik E.
11/6/2011
Only the really nice waitress earned this "establishment" a star. Weak coffee, fried potatoes from the freezer, I wouldn't be surprised if the hash was from a can.
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Review from Tim L.
8/15/2008
Located inside the fabulous Hotel Vancouver is this wonderful restaurant that offers both a buffet style selection of food with it's salad bar as well as a menu chock full of variety.
The steak and seafood options are all perfectly prepared but the ultimate end all that I save room is the dessert buffet. There's typically a vast variety of cakes, fruit, pastries, flan and the like. -
Review from Emily C.
10/22/2009
Griffins is a yearly staple for my best friend and I. Go for the buffet, you won't be disappointed.
It's the decor that should really knock a star off this joint. But since I love the food sooooo much, I'll let it slide. You walk into the Fairmont, which is arguably the poshest hotel in the city .... and then you end up in a White Spot -like restaurant. But then the service and food is 5-star caliber, so I'm like, umm why don't you guys spend a few dollars on decorating? Seriously.
The dessert buffet has me salivating. I could fast for a whole month JUST to pig out on the dessert, no joke. This is why it's a yearly staple for us! -
Review from Simon K.
5/2/2010 3 photos
Having a very filling meal with Dineout Vancouver going on. The place looks like a classic cafeteria diner. The service is great, as it should be, seeing as though it is the Fairmont.
For this meal, we had both the appetizer buffet, and the dessert buffet. Believe me, we where really stuffed after the whole ordeal. The main course was excellent, as I had the salmon, and my partner, the sirloin. I must say I was satisfied. -
Review from Jonathan C.
Vancouver, BC
12/30/2010
The prime rib at Griffins is rightly famous in Vancouver - probably the best of its kind, notwithstanding Gotham (if you're a yuppie, which isn't a common situation in Vancity).
The environs are grill room-esque, complete with checkered tiles. Maybe to make people feel more at ease? But the service is friendly and impeccable. I have not come here for anything but dinner, and at dinner I have never had anything but the prime rib (although the rest of the menu is supposed to be pretty good). The dessert bar is unspectacular, but competently executed.
I might have mentioned this already, but if you go, order the prime rib. -
Review from Opal D.
10/25/2010
I only had breakfast here. They did not have fresh squeezed orange juice available, and the food selection (buffet style) was abundant in choices but looked unappetizing. I was surprised they had an entire section devoted to Japanese-breakfast. The ambiance is like the rest of the Fairmont Hotel, full of history and charm. Friendly staff, clean. I'll eat breakfast here again if I'm staying at the hotel!
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Review from Sarpreet G.
9/22/2008
I love the fact that this restaurant is inside Hotel Vancouver - so posh!
They have a few vegetarian options which is enough for me. Everything I have ever ordered here is super tasty, from appetizers to dinner entrees to dessert. Only mistake I always make is that I forget to save room for dessert - perhaps a blessing in disguise though, cuz who really need all you can eat dessert! -
Review from Liane B.
Thunder Bay, ON
1/26/2011
The buffet was just fine. Nothing wrong with it, just nothing that impressive. A good place to take someone who wants large portions of decent predictable food.
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Review from Jacob K.
1/13/2011
I find it a bit overpriced for the food, but overall, I do recommend it, especially for visitors who can afford to eat at the full buffet. A really good place for a casual date on a lazy Saturday or Sunday.
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Review from Alex R.
Vancouver, BC
11/21/2011
Restaurant is 100% empty in the afternoon but, 'sir, you must wait 1 hour for a seat'
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Review from food-voice l.
Vancouver, BC
2/5/2011
EXCELLENT FOOD AND SERVICE
Griffins Restaurant at Hotel Vancouver 2/4/2010
Normally you don't expect very good food and service but very expensive from any Hotel (like the Hyatt on Burrard). But during the DOV - Dine out Vancouver - the price is very reasonable, I want to take this opportunity to try some of the high end eating place. My first stop was Salmon House at West Vancouver which is exceeds my expectation. 3 days ago was Thai House on Robson which was very disappointed in food and service. Today is Griffins Restaurant in Hotel Vancouver. I haven't eaten at this place for long time, in the old day when I work down town; some of my customers take me out to the Timber Club for lunch and the Roof for dinner. But since the Hotel renovated few years ago, these two places are gone. They were served excellent food and service. It seems to be the tradition of Hotel Vancouver; Today at Griffins is no exception. They still serve very good food and excellent service.
Here's what we ordered:
2 CLASSIC PRAWN COCKTAILS
2 GRILLED WEST COAST SALMOND BLUE CRAB AND C ORN CROQUETTE, LEEK FONDUE
2 GRIFFINS DESSERT BUFFET
The food is excellently prepared with generous portion, the service is excellent. I particularly enjoy the dessert buffet bar. For $28. per person, it's fantastic value.
I will definitely come back on another occasion even on a regular price. We really enjoy it. Thanks for your hospitality from our waiter - Allan. -
Review from Melody M.
8/12/2010
For an upscale restaurant located in the Fairmont Hotel in Vancouver, I was a tiny bit disappointed with the food. I love the service and the old fashioned environment. The olive and vinegar dressing that came with the bread basket was unbelievably great. The drinks were a bit on the pricey side. The food was a hit or miss. The steak and the rack of lamb were to die for, but the crab cakes were salty and the halibut overcooked.
