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Master Chef Café
Categories: Restaurants Canadian (Traditional) Restaurants Diners Canadian (Traditional), Diners [Edit]
2481 Hastings St EVancouver, BC V5K 1Y8
Neighbourhood: Hastings-Sunrise
(604) 254-6352
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 7:30 am - 5 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Breakfast
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
9 reviews for Master Chef Café
9 reviews in English
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Review from Paul R.
Vancouver, BC
5/8/2012
Quick lunch here and it really was satisfying:
Clubhouse (real turkey) and fries = $5. Most expensive sandwich on the menu!
Old school, old people, nice chill vibe. The room is a relic. Just go! -
Review from Kova P.
Coquitlam, BC
5/2/2012 1 Check-in Here
This place is only open during the day time, I believe M-F, maybe Sundays as well? Anyways, I had the rare Monday off work and was dragged here by my boyfriend who insisted that I must try this diner. My BF had visit here a few months ago and had raved about the atmosphere, the greasy food, and how cheap everything was, so I kind of knew what to expect before I came.
When you step into this diner, it is like going back in time to diners in Hong Kong. There are a few tables and booths with lots of elderly customers hanging out, chit-chatting, and reading their newspaper. Don't expect nice decor, everything is really old in here. The cafe is run by an elderly Chinese couple, Tony and May. Tony is the server (complete with a Chinese restaurant server uniform) and May is the cook.
I tried Tony's Work Famous Coffee, and I must admit, it was pretty good. I also ordered the eggs with ham breakfast (with toast and hash browns) and my BF had the mushroom burger with fries. When the food came, everything was really greasy. I had a bite of the mushroom burger, and you can tell that the patty and everything else is homemade. Our entire bill, after tax, came to $10.50... you really can't beat that price.
I can see why this place gets high reviews, as it is very unique... but for someone a little more high maintenance (like myself), I don't think I will be coming back again anytime soon. -
Review from Louise G.
Fine dining a la greasy spoon cafe.
When I think of this place, my mind starts singing Maclean and Maclean songs, which is probably completely inappropriate to any decent Yelp review, but there you go. That's what this place makes me think of.
Decent coffee and diner type fare. An interesting assortment of clientelle and overheard conversations. -
Review from Johnson C.
Vancouver, BC
6/24/2011
There are so much endearing reviews on Master Chef Cafe - I'm just going to add a few more random observations:
- it's a run-down cafe, but the old Italian patrons and Tony are impeccably dressed. One of the few places I feel the need to remove my hat out of respect. Despite the differences in language and age, all the booths were full of people hanging out and talking shit.
- their house coffee is pretty good - listed as 'Tony's World Famous Coffee'... and the menu has 'East Side Finest' emblazoned on it. This nearly brought a tear to my eye.
- the chilled water is served out of peeled cranberry juice jugs - it's that thrifty old-fashioned Chinese know-how.
If you don't love this place, you need to seriously re-examine your life.Listed in: East Van Eateries, "You're the best! Around!"
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Review from Michael C.
Vancouver, BC
Tony & May what a cute couple. Tony, the charming gentleman that works the front of the house and May, the Master Chef of course, holds it down in the back.
This is for sure a local's joint. Older Italians here shooting the shits with Tony. I've been living in this area since they opened back in 1993, but only first visited Master Chef Cafe last week. Boy was I blown away by this place.
Ok, get this.... I paid 7.50 for the bill.... for 2 people! Menu items are dirt cheap! I felt bad if i left only 15% like I'm robbing the place, so I paid more lol.
The Food:
$4 for a Cheeseburger w/ Fries. It was greasy, but it what you expect from a greasy spoon like this. Homemade patty and fries, cheese, and cooked romaine inside. The patty may not have been the juiciest I've tried in my life, but it ranks pretty high for the most flavour. And yes, I said cooked romaine. It was hard to make out what it was at first, but I am certain it is braised shredded romaine on the bottom of the patty. Strange, but not bad. Seriously, I'm already hooked on this place.
Breakfast are like under 4-5 bucks, sandwiches w/ fries (grilled cheese, cheese with ham, etc) under 5, entrees (steak, chicken breast, liver & onions) under 10. Tax included in the menu
They have milkshakes, but I don't think you'll want to order it...... the milkshake machines looks like they haven't been used in a loooooooonnnnnnnnggggg time.
The Service:
Well, it's just Tony. I think Tony has picked up some Italian and Spanish. Or maybe just the typical dirty bad words we all learn for any langauge lol. Sometimes he sings or hums, he walks a little bit slow, but very entertaining and friendly.
The Layout:
Diner style, that needs a little organizing and fixing up. I guess that's why it's so cheap there lol. It kind of looks like their own Chinese office space. (Old newspaper, magazine, paperwork, paper work for your kids to translate, 100s of vitamin pills... yeah, looks like my mom's personal space)
Btw, there is a payphone there and don't be alarmed cause it does ring from time to time haha. Who was on the other line? A prank? No, it was a one of the local's wife calling haha.Listed in: Hastings Chow Down, VanBurger
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Review from Daniel L.
As I slid into the front door like Krammer of this little known greasy spoon local favorite cafe.. It was full of Italian men an women chatting over coffee an playing cards, reading endless news papers.
Hmm so where is the Master Chef, ah there he is the only man behind he long diner style eating counter... I ordered the deluxe cheese burger only to be corrected by the Master Chef (Tony) as the "Cheesy Special" as he walked back to the kitchen yelling at me, "Ya Ya The Cheesy Special" lol
This Ma and Pa run cafe is super cool like it's name, Tony the master chef as he calls himself is very funny and friendly. Simple menu, breakfast, few lunch sandwiches, couple chinese items, and traditional old diner large specials.
Waiting to pay my bill at the til and iphone surfing I realized Tony was sleeping head down at a table.... so I walked over and had to wake him up to settle up, just how cool is that... Oh and my $3.75 Cheesy Special was deliso it came with home cut fries and the burger on a brioche style bun and cheesy gooey & juicy good!! -
Review from Megas A.
Vancouver, BC
4/27/2010
This joint deserves a 5 star for being a no-frills greasy spoon.
Time has stood still at this place. It reminds me of stories of early immigrants giving it their all back in the early days of Canada. I don't know why I get that feeling. Possibly, because I came from an immigrant family myself and know what these people give to make a living. I know the struggles. Of course, I am not saying that Tony is struggling. I believe his entire family including the grandchildren are highly educated.
I think Tony is here for the pleasure. For sport as they say. I have heard Tony lecture his grand kids on the importance of school. I think he loves education.
Tony, the old Chinese fellow runs a smooth ship in the front. May, his over enthusiastic wife, cooks the food and somehow always gets it right eventhough I don't think she speaks English. Here are two seniors who are still working and not allowing age to get in the way. Bravo!!!
When Tony orders the food to May in the kitchen, he does it in a way that one may think is staged - it almost sounds like he is in theatre. When Tony is not serving, he sings in Chinese to himself.
Most people would never give this place a chance because looking inside is very uninspiring. The majority of the time, the place is packed with European seniors and sometimes bankers. Odd mixture, but what the hell.
I once tried taking a girfriend to Tony's little hole in the wall, but she threatened me with no sex for a week. I chose sex. So, I begrudgingly went to Milestones that night eventhough my mind was on Tony's greasy Chinese food - mmmmmm. Don't worry Tony, I still come there on my own.
Now for the food:
I can't change my bad habits. I have to admit...I always eat one of three things there.
They have two Chinese dishes that always look slightly different every time I order, but always with that same diner taste and that extra kick of grease that takes an entire day to digest.
Also, their liver and onions - unreal! A funny Tony story: One day, May had run out of liver and so Tony went next door to buy a few huge pieces and cooked them fresh. If I knew they ran out I would have ordered something else. Thanks Tony and May. I asked him why he did that and he said "you a good customer" and to top it all off May was so thrilled that I liked the liver and onion, but I had no clue what she was saying and I kept on nodding in agreement.
If you want to go into a time warp, this is the place. Delicious! -
Review from Mathieu Y.
Vancouver, BC
1/27/2010
The master is here! A friend told me of the best greasy spoon food served by the weirdest man, and promised if I went Id be going back forever. As the greasy spoon aficionado, I trusted her and took a bus down one hungover Saturday, and walked in to a pretty normal looking place. Sort of.
An old Chinese man sat behind the counter wearing a purple blazer and gold vest. He immediately took a container full of water from the fridge, brought us four glasses, and insisted we hang our jackets on the racks placed beside the booth. We ordered coffees, which he insisted were fresh brewed by the master himself. He insisted to take our orders by memory, and prided himself in getting it all right. He leaned in really close whenever asked for anything, and sort of intimidated us a bit. But then again, he IS the master.
The food looked, smelled, and tasted delicious. Their Denver omelet is very well done, the cheeseburger platter has real cheese and real beef. The fries and hashbrowns are cut from potatoes,not bags, just as the menu insists. They have an actual milkshake machine, which Tony will use for any of your three flavors. Then he will watch you drink it if he has any doubt that you think its the best milkshake ever. Bonus, every item here is under $5.
The service was excellent an eccentric. The more you visit, the more weird stories about the place you have to share. One time he made up an accomplice of ours and gave him a nickname (Wheres skateboy today?), and another he told someone to go to McDonalds for a burger because they smelled like beer. No one under 30 seems to come in, ever. They dont play the radio, and theyre next door to some fancy looking cafe/diners, but dont let that deter you. Eat here once.Listed in: Dive Eats
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Review from Megan G.
Vancouver, BC
7/23/2010
Master Chef, where have you been all my life? Recently came by with a couple friends who have been going regularly. Tony, the owner, knew them by their orders, and was super sweet bringing us extra water and generally being his darling self.
The food is crazy cheap and the quality and laid back diner-feel really beats Bon's where people line up for slimy eggs that costs pretty much the same amount. Definitely worth popping by if you're broke and wanting a classic coffee shop type joint.
