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Society Dining Lounge
Categories: Restaurants Diners Restaurants Canadian (New) Diners, Canadian (New) [Edit]
1257 Hamilton StVancouver, BC V6B 6K3
Neighbourhoods: Downtown, Yaletown
(604) 629-8800
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 11:30 am - 1 am
Fri 11:30 am - 2 am
Sat 4:30 pm - 2 am
Sun 4:30 pm - 1 am
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Dressy
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Ambience:
- Trendy
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
56 reviews for Society Dining Lounge
Review Highlights
"The cotton candy drink is definitely a favorite amongst the..."
(in 19 reviews)
"...platter consisted of Kobe beef taquitos, mini Italian pizza..."
(in 3 reviews)
"Truffled mac 'n cheese."
(in 9 reviews)
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56 reviews in English
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Review from Andrea L.
Vancouver, BC
1/26/2012
Society was one of the few places I went for Dine Out Vancouver this year.
I loved the decor and the giant connected booth seating area.
The milkshake I had was delicious, but then, the unimaginable happened. I spotted 'mac and cheese balls'. Could not sound more deeeelish.
It seriously could have had 10 of those!
My only one complain was the dessert, was WAAAAAY too sweet. It was a chocolate smore flambe creme brulee. Sounds delicious, I know, but it was WAAAAAY too sweet. It would have been better if they used the 'Air Puffed vegan marshmallows', less sweet and a finer sugar. I bet they were going for the crunch factor for the top of it, but it was seriously WAYYY too sweet. My mouth dried out a bit from all the sugary bits.
All in all, I think I would be back for a dinner. For more mac & cheese balls for sure.
The maître d' or the manager..needs to smile and relax a bit more. He looked so tense that night. :S -
Review from Fritz S.
1/10/2012
This is the second time I've eaten here. First being a business lunch and it was dine out. (about a year ago), so i had the deep fried mac and cheese and their soup and sandwich special.. both very very tasty... i even burned my freakin tongue on the mac and cheese (don't u hate it when that happens) any way that's besides the point...
Fast forward to 2 weeks ago... i attended a going away party for my friend in the evening. Service was awsome as usual, drinks were off the chain! a lot of eye candy if you know what im sayin!! right fellas!!?!!?? as usual it takes me forever to choose from their menu... i kept asking the server to take my order last because i'm very indecisive when it comes to ordering my meal.. FINALLY after 20 mins i my server back and order their Kobe beef burger with a side of egg, bacon and cheese! it also came with hand cut fries... not that frozen bag shit!
presentation was pretty sexy! served on a wooden rectangular plank.. i couldn't wait to sink my fat-ass face into this.
Now for the taste.. well... to be honest, my burger was pretty bland im sorry to say.. the brioche bun was too crumbly when i ate it.. the kobe beef patty was pretty tasteless and... well.. lets just say that fries were the only thing finished on my diner.. *sigh* Other than that i had a great time catching up with old friends and toasting to new ones... :)
will i be back??? yes... but only for drinks ;) -
Review from Amy S.
Maple Ridge, BC
1/2/2012
I had a leftover Glowbal Group gift certificate from my birthday so when Burger Knight and I were in Yaletown this weekend we decided to stop by Society to use it up. Society's theme is comfort food with a twist and they have updated trendy versions of classic homey food like burgers, perogies, mac and cheese, and milkshakes. I've been to Society a couple of years ago and had one of their milkshakes which I enjoyed but I wasn't in the mood for a shake when I went this time.
I had a free appetizer coupon and the appetizer special of the night was kobe beef meatballs. For some reason I wasn't really looking forward to the meatballs but when I had a bite of them I was impressed. They were soft and not too dry and they had the distinct flavor of kobe beef. The sauce on top tasted fresh and was seasoned with herbs nicely.
For my entrée I was having a hard time deciding between a burger and the lobster shepherds pie ($19). Even though I was craving a greasy burger I decided to try something different and go with the lobster shepherds pie. I was glad that I made this decision because I enjoyed this dish. It tasted like a lobster bisque topped with creamy mashed potatoes and bread crumbs. There were some little bits of chopped up onions in the bottom and the pieces of lobster were quite large and buttery. The salad on the side tasted fresh but it wasn't memorable.
Overall I enjoyed the food at Society but I thought it was a tad expensive. The service was a bit hit and miss. Some people were very friendly to us but no one told us the daily specials and it took a while before they even came and asked us what we wanted to drink. I would come back here to try some of their appies and milkshakes or their dessert platter (which I wanted to try because it comes with cotton candy but I didn't have room for it).
http://thefoodqueen.co... -
Review from Megan S.
Vancouver, BC
12/4/2011
Oh man...where to begin? Came here last night for my husband's work xmas party - 26 people, reservation booked a month in advance. I'd been here twice about a year ago and had good experiences both times, although this is generally not my type of restaurant for many reasons.
26 people all requesting drinks and food at the same time, and we have....one server. I gotta give that girl props, she worked her butt off and remained friendly and professional throughout the night, but despite her best efforts, service was really really slow. We waited a super long time in between drink orders to the point that people were ordering their next drink as soon as the one they ordered last time arrived.
The appetizer platters went over well with the group, though I found most items under-seasoned (onion rings especially) and everything was varying degrees of lukewarm. Another long wait for our entrees, and an especially long wait for mine...as is just my luck, my plate was the last one out of the kitchen by a long shot - some people had already finished their dinners when my salisbury steak finally made its appearance. I almost wish it hadn't come out at all. The meat was like eating hockey pucks, extremely tough and hard and dry...come on people, this is essentially hamburger! Shouldn't be that difficult? My green beans were also stringy and tough, a sure sign that they weren't fresh.
Shortly after I got my crappy dinner, an important-looking dude with an earpiece came up to my husband's boss and told him that our time was up; there's another party coming and we basically had to wrap it up and leave. At this point there were at least 10 people still eating their entrees, and we had already pre-ordered dessert platters.
This was so extraordinarily rude, I couldn't believe it - we would have loved to have our drinks and food brought to us in a timely manner and therefore reduced our time spent at the restaurant, but this didn't happen because of their shitty management decisions - period. If you tell people you're able to accommodate their group of 26, then you better damn well be prepared to accommodate 26 people and not attempt to kick them out while they're still eating because you SUCK at running a restaurant.
My husband and his boss had a word with ear-piece man and he eventually backed off, but by that time the mood had been killed. We proceeded to wait another 45 minutes for our dessert platters, by which point some members of our group gave up and began trickling out of the restaurant.
Considering the standards set by the rest of the Glowbal group restaurants, I'm astonished that Society is able to continue operating at this level. Clearly they're hoping that if they court a younger and less-experienced crowd, then they can get away with crappy food, slow service and pompous, rude and completely inept management. -
Review from Betty L.
12/2/2011
Society is definitely the weakest link in the Glowbal restaurant group. I had better dining experiences at the other restaurants. From other reviews I read and friends telling me about their experience I was really hesitant to go but my date insisted I try.
Our server was sweet and friendly. I asked for a Kir Royale and she said asked if I wanted it on the rocks. I was speechless. I had to explain to her what it was then she brought out the correct drink.
As for the food, it was quite disappointing. I ordered the French onion soup and it hardly any liquid in there!! It wasn't that flavourful. There was too much cheesy and crouton on top. I couldn't finish it. The chicken was ok but didn't blow me away.
I guess it's a good place for drinks but not for food. Good luck if you can find me there again. -
Review from Wendy Y.
11/7/2011
Society is a quaint modern lounge located in the heart of Yaletown.
My buddies and I stumbled upon this place by chance. We needed a place to drink/celebrate Halloween (Monday) and was surprised to find Section 3 closed at 10pm and Bar None closed on Mondays. We saw a dimly lit lounge and walked in. After seeing the contemporary interior, we asked for a table.
Our server, Mike, was attentive. We didn't have to wait long for our drinks and finger foods to arrive. We had tequila shots, cocktails, beers, and a plate of signature appetizer platter consisted of Kobe beef taquitos, mini Italian pizza, caprese salad, tomato puree with lightly-toasted garlic bread, onion rings, and buffalo prawns. We also ordered French fries, which were fresh and crispy.
While we were drinking we saw a group of 4 ladies sitting at the bar. I think they were bar hopping because they didn't stay for long and I over heard they were planning to go to another bar afterwards. The bartender was charming the ladies with freshly made pink cotton candies. Needless to say the ladies were well entertained and left with big smiles on their faces.
I would mostly definitely return whenever I am in the neighborhood.Listed in: Lounges
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Review from Janice F.
Updated - 10/25/2011
As far as Yaletown goes, this places makes the mark. Be prepared for douches & high-pitched girls on stagettes.
Their patio is sooooo warm with the heat lamps - which is good for the skimpily clad ladies out to party for the evening.
Our server was actually a real sweetheart, keeping the flow of cotton candy going for us all night!
As for the food, lobster shepherds pie is delicious - tomato creamy, real large chunks of lobster. The rest of the food sampled (perogies, salmon, tomato salad, pizza, mussels) is meh.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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12/3/2009
Newest hot-spot in Yaletown for lounging, upscale comfort food and fancy drinks. I'm a big fan of… Read more »
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Review from Snezhina L.
Vancouver, BC
2/3/2012
I enjoyed my dinner at Society lounge with my family. First of all it has the coolest decor, great humor with the bathrooms.. a very nice welcoming feeling to this place. Second of all the service was great, smiling and friendly stuff. At last food....yummmmmm, 3 coarse meal was delicious and in perfect size portions (not too small or big). Especially desert, oh my.. so far the best dessert that i had eaten at restaurants in my 30 years. Another words, for sure try this place and definiately i will be back!!!!
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Review from J N.
Vancouver, BC
10/26/2011
I am surprised this place is still around, except that it must have a following, and it's a nice alternative to the Es, Cs, and Ms of Yt.
The food is okay in a cheesy but fun, dimly-lit atmosphere. Mac and Cheese balls were a highlight, actually. Def. not a place to be watching the waistline, but a place to find good comfort food on a rainy day.
Better to go for the drinks and sit upstairs after dining at Rodney's down the street, but beware, if you are trying to sustain decent convos, t it's also really loud. -
Review from Kristina C.
Vancouver, BC
11/1/2011
Society has a cute concept: comfort foods served in a modern, hip atmosphere. It's too bad the concept doesn't quite live up to the hype.
The food is decent enough: Great sauce with the mussels, a pretty decadent lobster shepherds pie, and handmade gnocchi, all presented very nicely. Some dishes are pretty underwhelming though, such as the kobe beef meatballs and spaghetti (a tad dry), and the lobster ravioli was nothing special, according to my friend. But I will give Society props for trying to come up with new ideas for dining out (deep fried mac & cheese balls with spicy ketchup, cotton candy drinks etc.)
The service was super friendly, from the servers to the management, but this is not a place to hold a conversation, as the noise level ranged from loud to super loud. -
Review from Michael P.
Burnaby, BC
10/15/2011 1 Check-in Here
My first experience at Society Dining Lounge tonight was pleasant!
I've heard a lot of curious things about this place. The most prevalent of which is that it's frequented by the Canucks and other NHL'ers, but seeing how our team is currently on an eastern road trip, there's no chance for such sightings.
I digress.
The menu options ranged from burgers to pastas, salads to shepherd's pie. As a food lover, menus such as these makes deciding difficult so I went by the waitress' recommendation on the butternut squash perogies.
I can't complain about the food. The proportions were standard, flavours were all there and nothing was over or under cooked. I also sampled the other dishes since I was with a party of seven and they were equally as delicious.
The staff at this restaurant are very friendly, approachable and courteous. Here's an example: My buddy had trouble biting into his ginormous Kobe beef burger so, he attempted to cut it in half. Struggling with the standard table knife, a server quickly offered a more suitable knife without us even having to ask. This courtesy lasted throughout the night. Top-notch.
The only bone I have to pick with Society is that the music is a tad too loud. It was difficult to socialize with friends sitting next to me.
I'd definitely return - hopefully when the Canucks are in town, eh? -
Review from Annie W.
9/9/2011
Society is the worst restaurant to come out of the Glowbal Group. Now before you label me a "Glowbal Hater," I'd like to make clear that I absolutely love two of their other venues - Glowbal Grill & Coast - and have frequented almost one or the other on a bi-weekly basis for years.
So what is it about Society that is so bad? It's not the food, which is fine. Sure some of it's a bit contrived and tries too hard, but most of it still tastes pretty decent so I threw in the extra star.
What Society lacks is a competent staff. Actually, it's more along the lines of a staff that actually gives a s#!t. From the hostess, to the bartender, and gum smacking waitress, the people working here all think they're "above" actually serving people. Has no one broken the news to them that they work in the service industry?
Don't bring me my plate of sub-par food as if you're doing me a favour. Unless you stuck a Kim Kardashian sized diamond in there, any gratitude you expect for your attitude is minimal at best.
I try to be fair and don't review a place this badly until I've had multiple bad experiences (four to be exact). What's that saying...three strikes you're out? Well I guess mine's...four and you'll be Yelped. =P -
Review from Niko D.
Vancouver, BC
10/3/2011
I have visited this place a couple times.
They have an excellent venue for drinking and listening to music. Their patio is awesome and Drink menu unique. The cotton candy drink is definitely a favorite amongst the girls. The mojitos are quite good as well.
Food.
I ordered the Kobe beef taquitos and butternut squash perogies.
The ingredients are fresh, organic and locally grown if available. The server was quite knowledgable about the product and menu.
The taquitos had a nice flavor, crispness and look. They were nice...not amazing but nice. Possibly a bit more cilantro or spice in the tacos. The watercress sour cream was a nice touch
The butternut squash perogy dish was pleasant. The flavors were spot on. The portion size was not. It was a tad small...
Overall a good restaurant. Needs a bit more r n d time in the kitchen to perfect some of the recipes but a nice venue for beverages for sure! -
Review from Brittany W.
North Vancouver, BC
7/22/2011 2 photos
Set with Hip Hop and R&B beats by night, this trendy Yaletown restaurant offers an interesting experience with its dazzling pink chandeliers, spiked milkshakes, cotton candy accented drinks and comfort food.
Coming for late night, we ordered a couple of their Signature Cotton Candy drinks (looked cool, but waaayy too sour) and their Dessert Assortment (again looked cool, but very average tasting). To boot, we were in a large group and service was just not up to par.
I give it to Glowbal Group for executing on a brilliantly-crafted, solid concept - engaging and a little out there. It reminds me of a small version of something being concepted in Vegas, however, it definitely is my least favourite of the Glowbal restaurants.
What`s more:
- Mixed crowd with many twenty- and thirty-something well-dressed browns and asians. Lol, not being racist, these terms are embraced in multicultural Van ;)
- Great R&B playlist from the 90s, but playlist plays too many of the same artists in a row -
Review from Meredith M.
Vancouver, BC
9/24/2011
I dined at Society for the first time last night, and I was very excited about it. I'm a big fan of Coast and Sanafir, and the menu looked really different. It was a last minute decision to go, so we didn't have reservations. We were sat right away, but were on the patio, so I didn't get a chance to check out the cool decor... bummer.
I server was really night and attentive at the beginning of the meal. It took quite awhile for our food to come out, but it was pretty busy, so it's understandable. We ordered the mac n' cheese balls, lobster ravioli, and lobster shepherds pie. Everything was delicious! I kept seeing everyone else's food go by, and wondered how good their food was.
Being a fan of other Glowbal restaurants I was disappointed with the portion sizes. My Lobster ravioli cost $19.95, and came with 4 raviolis! That's $5 per tiny ravioli! I understand it's lobster, but there was barely any lobster in the ravioli, and for $32 (per person) at Coast you can get 1/2 of a lobster to share, along with a complete platter of delicious seafood. I'm not opposed to spending money on good food, but in this case it felt like a rip off. I think next time I'll stick to one of the comfort foods that Society is known for instead. My partner was very happy with his shepherds pie though, and his had LOTS of lobster. ;)
The service throughout our meal and towards the end of the meal was terrible, and by then it was slowing down a lot, so I didn't understand. Our server was still gracious and friendly, but we'd wait 10 minutes after finishing drinks to be asked if we wanted more, and when we asked to see the dessert menu, he never came back. He then walked by after we ask for the bill and waved quickly saying he was leaving and someone else would help up with our bill... lame.
Anyway, I will go back, because I need to try the dessert platter, but I'll expect slow service and will stick to foods that everyone else on here has suggested. -
Review from Karla J.
Vancouver, BC
9/7/2011
The food at Society is always on point...a friend of mine would ask me to go for dinner and he would always say "Let's go to Society"...I asked him why he always wanted to go there...and the answer is simple...Consistently good food!
From the tomatoe soup with mini grilled cheese...to the Brussel Sprouts...and my fave...the Salsbury Steak...the food is always good...and the staff are always friendly and helpful!
The Patio is also open year-round...come to think of it...I don't think I've ever sat inside...even in the winter!
Great spot...great food....great people! -
Review from May B.
Vancouver, BC
7/15/2011
Came here post-Stanley Cup Game 7 to hide away for a bit... our mission, in our sadness, was to eat and drink our sorrows away.
I was there more for the alcohol than the food, so I don't remember much about the dish I had, but their mango mojitos are wayyyy yummy. Mango puree tops mango syrup, obviously. And despite being a hubbub of activity, our server was super friendly and fun, taking the time to entertain a group of sad Canucks fans and invite us to her birthday bash at The Roxy the next night.
I do want to return if only for a better go at the food! -
Review from Some G.
Vancouver, BC
4/30/2011
Serious drama and attitude from one of the bar tenders - didn't ruin the night, but will not be returning to soci-+y.
Cotton candy is the only thing that earned the second star. -
Review from Cyndi H.
Vancouver, BC
1/18/2011 1 Check-in Here
Alright cowboys, my first time at Society turned out to be a bit of a gongshow. Our birthday party of 25, though a friend had pre-booked a week earlier and confirmed the day of, had nowhere to sit (we took turns sharing bench with another group). Not ideal, but whatever. We'd just been expecting more from our reservation... andmore of a restaurant feel. To be honest, it felt like utter chaos upstairs. The music was so loud, I could barely hear anyone (seemed louder than a club). I had to say 'pardon?' 6 times during an introduction. Bahhh.
Our crew was famished, but getting the attention of a server was difficult; the place was packed. Finally, a server took half the tables orders and then took off, we had to wave her back to get the rest. I'd hate to be in her shoes, it was so crazy up there, but it was frustrating to be in our shoes as well.
In two hours... no water with our food. I was one parched DD.
Ok, so with all the disses, why 3 stars?
Because I love the decor and the food. I love it SO MUCH. Coming on a Sat night= club, I've learned my lesson there, but on a regular night, this place could be fabulous. It's the only place where I've felt inspired to wear my hot pink stilletto's (yeah, I rocked 'em!). The tomato soup with mini cheese sandwiches was beyond wonderful so creamy and sweet. The mac n' cheese balls were a fun snack, and the thin crust pizza was absolutely incredible. They've nailed that crust.
I want to go back to try every flippin thing on that menu. Lobster gnocchi? HELLS YES!
Saturday night Hells No! -
Review from Amy T.
3/13/2011 1 photo
Pink chandeliers, lively atmosphere, trendy Yaletown restaurant... combination of a great place to hang out on a Saturday night.
Society has a main dining area on the main floor and an outdoor patio. The patio is heated in the winter time so I enjoyed getting a bit of fresh air while staying toasty warm eating my dinner. Upstairs they have a lounge area with red velvet couches. If you plan to drink and eat small appees, then upstairs would suffice, otherwise book a table on the main floor.
The food was simple but delicious. I tried the onion rings, kobe beef taquitos, buffalo prawns, mac and cheese balls, poutine, mini Italian pizza and the caprese salad. I loved everything except for the pizza. It was plain and the crust was too chewy. I also wish they had more seafood in the menu. More than 2 would be nice.
Our server was funny and kept our group of 12 girls entertained the whole night. There were a couple times where we had to wait a bit, but understandable since it was extremely busy.
I would definitely come back for food and drinks. This is my kind of scene.Listed in: Patios Around Town, Best for Drinking
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Review from Brittany G.
Vancouver, BC
1/26/2011 1 photo
We came here for Dine Out 2011. Dark, swanky atmosphere with impressive hot pink chandeliers. We didn't initially have dinner plans; and were just popping in and out of places to see what would be compelling. The pop music was what did it here. The whole atmosphere just worked.
We were seated in a spacious corner booth, which is a must for me. I like to observe the room and not be cramped in the middle.
As for the Dine Out menu: I started with the Split Pea Soup (hearty and delicious,) while my partner ordered the chopped salad which was sweet and creamy. We both chose the perogies for our main which were just okay. Missing the 'oomf' factor.
The dessert was perfect! A double choc cake topped with ice-cream and a pink poof of cotton candy. It totally reminded me of Willow Smith in the "I Whip My Hair" video. (I shared a pic to show the uncanny likeness!) This desert was totally right for a venue like this, and delicious. We opted for the wine pairings, which were also ok. I Most enjoyed the ice wine. I love ice wine. Ice wine is under-rated.
pop music, pink poof choc cake, and
hot pink chandeliers.... freaking awesome. -
Review from Emily C.
Richmond, BC
7/4/2011
I felt like I was being chased after the whole time even before the dinner started.
They needed a credit card number for reservation and an email for reminder. I was called twice before the reservation just to "confirm" on the same day and being sent emails to remind me of the dinner. It was a little overboard in my opinion. I made a reservation for 12 people as early as 6:30 on a Thursday night and the manager had told me on the phone previously I could stay until 9:00 for 2 and half hours so I thought that was sufficient. On the day of dinner, they said we had to go at 8:30, fine.
Our server wasn't very good either, she kept getting confused who had ordered what and missed some people. The food took a long while to come and that was only for the appys (We ordered the appy platter for 5 people) and by the time entree was served I think it must had been 7:50 already. I felt that our server was stressed out and wanted to clear the plates ASAP. I knew my friends brought a cake intended to be cut there too, but because we had to be done and over at 8:30, they didn't allow that and we had to take our cake away. Furthermore, there were empty tables around us so I didn't get the fuss. Gratuity was included - but the service was not worth that.
Food was not too bad though. The appy platters were quite filling, the shrimp skewer burned our tongues, it was so spicy! But the tomato bisque was really creamy and yummy. Lots of lobster in the Shepard's Pie and many of my friends liked that dish. One extra star for pink chandeliers.
Good for a girls' night out maybe once in a while. Definitely not recommended for groups. The other Glowbal chain restaurants are so good that this one turned out to be a big disappointment. -
Review from Brittney C.
Vancouver, BC
4/10/2011
If this were based on appearances there would be a few more lil stars on this review, but it's not.
My food was just OK, nothing terrible, nothing fantastic.
I expected it to be pretty good because I really enjoy the other restaurants in the Glowbal chain. It seems like this is the place they send their leftover food. The 'fish sticks' had a funny taste, and I doubt the fish was very fresh. The coleslaw it came with was very bland.
Too bad :( -
Review from J H.
3/29/2011
Let start off with the good... Overall vibe is okay. Good area to be in.
Now the bad....we went to the lounge since a couple of ppl recommended it, but I don't see why. The area had horrible seating that was not conducive to convos or socializing of any sort. Service was poor with the worse attitude than what I've seen in LA and the drinks we ordered were watered down and small with waaaay too much ice. And who serves champagne luke warm!?!? Sheesh. The server came up and asked me why I didn't leave a tip too. Apparently some ppl forget that tips are a sign of GOOD in the service part. And last...why confuse ppl even further by place a ginormous pic of a woman and say it's for the mens bathroom and vice versa???? Good thing I didn't walk in on anyone! -
Review from Gail N.
Vancouver, BC
12/24/2010
The decor is gorgeous! Hot pink chandeliers, eccentric lamps, and seriously oversized menus. However, it's fairly cramped when it's busy (which it usually is) and our table was nearly touching the table next to ours. The tables had sheets of brown paper laid on top as the tablecloth which I found to be kind of hilarious and expected to see something like that at a typical dim sum restaurant to make clearing the table easier not at a trendy yaletown lounge.
The milkshakes (spiked and normal) are fun to try. I had the bourbon and my boyfriend had the mint chocolate. The mint chocolate milkshake was delicious but I wasn't a fan of mine. I had the pissaladiere pizza which was very tasty. It had a great sauce.
The service was good at the beginning but diminished as the night went on as the lounge filled up with the night crowd. Overall, I'd say the food is basically comfort food. You'll find classics like mac & cheese and calamari but nothing really out there. I would mostly just come here for the atmosphere and the experience. -
Review from Richard S.
Vancouver, BC
12/16/2010
Had a work party here the other evening. The place itself is alright. The interior had an interesting look, but the cloth seats were kind of stained, and I was surprised that a higher end restaurant would put brown paper over the table clothes. It was very Jack Astor's, only without the fun of crayons.
The food itself was kind of hit and miss. I heard the chicken was good, but my trout was so buttery that I couldn't finish it (it got to be a little much). Pumpkin soup was tasty, but the desert platter was kind of disappointing. Only one of the items on it was pretty good.
Not sure I could really recommend this place based just on the menu, which appears to be above average in price.
Our main server was nice, but I heard that another one yelled at one of our group when they accident bumped into each other while she had several plates in her arms. "You don't walk behind people in a restaurant!". Then she made him hold one of the plates. Last I checked you could walk where you wanted, and in a cramped space you move around as best you can, but accidents happen.
It looked like it had a decent patio though. -
Review from Christine S.
11/18/2010
I came here with friends this past weekend and I am in love with this place. Usually (as in every single time) this kid takes me to Moxie's, which is nice.... I suppose, but this place kicks their ass. No offence.
Walking up to it we walked through the outside portion (which even though it was probably all of 40 degrees out was quite warm) and my first thought was "Aww this place is going to be stuffy".
Then we got inside. PINK CHANDELIERS. Done and done. I'm sold.
Then we got the menus. I was visiting friends so it took about forever for us to look over the menus and decide but our waiter was really nice and patient.
I settled on the nutella shake (spiked!) and the breakfast pizza which had eggs, cheese, and bacon on it. The shake was delish and the pizza was pretty darn good too. I really want to go back and get the truffled mac and cheese!
Overall, SO GOOD. Go there tonight. -
Review from Crystal H.
Vancouver, BC
Lunchtime, Dine Out Vancouver Menu, company of a good girlfriend and a seat on the patio. From the outside everything looked wonderful however, i can't help but humming Kate Perry's, Hot 'n Cold http://www.youtube.com... as I write my tale:
Hot - purple seats and cushions, covered patio with proper seating
Cold - I yearned for a corner seat, but felt like asking might be an insult to our friendly server
Hot - The Tomato Soup - perfect!
(luke warm, not in temperature but in yumminess) the macaroni and cheese balls. I wouldn't order them again but liked the novelty and the ketchup
Cold - The salmon. If it was on the regular menu, and I was paying higher, I'd be a little upset. The fish was overcooked and the salad was overdressed
Hot - BLACK FOREST MILKSHAKE!!
Cold - Overly involved service
Hot - The service was definitely friendly
Cold - I think it was our server just wanted to be entertained. But all that lengthy chit chat made a leisurely lunch extremely long = parking tickets!
I'm sort of curious to see what Society's vibe is come nightfall, but I think I'd just go for drinks and funny desserts for a stagette or similar. -
Review from Alicyn C.
4/5/2011 1 Check-in Here
I have mixed feelings for this lounge. The servers are friendly and the food and drinks are pretty good. We shared a few menu items: The mac n' cheese balls, poutine, tomato soup and the society burger. All of which were good. Now I must admit I did enjoy the mac n' cheese balls the most. Mmmm mac n' cheese.
As for the drinks they are fun, good and yummy. My friends had the cotton collins and loved the cotton candy. For myself that bevy looked a tad bit too sweet so I opted for their feature drink the strawberry daiquiri which was scrumptious.
But here is what brings this lounge down a star. We went there on a Friday after work. My friends got a table before I arrived. We put in our food order at 5:50pm and a few moments later our server comes up to tell us that the table we are sitting at is reserved for a party at 6:30pm and that we will need to be finished by then. I personally don't know how we would get all the food we ordered completed an in our belly's so quickly after it arrives. We asked them if they had another spot we could move to. Unfortunately, the lounge upstairs was not set up yet so no one could be seated up there. The only solution was to sit outside. We eventually moved out there which isn't so bad except if you are sitting under one of the heat lamps they crank it so you are boiling. I was sitting on the edge of the booth and was getting the heat as well as the cold air from the entry way. Half my body was hot and the other cold. I just feel that if you know that you have reservations booked for all of your tables inside then don't sit people at those seats and then tell them later that they need to finish by a certain time. Say that first before you sit down patrons so they can then choose if they want to stay or go. Or better yet don't even offer a table inside just state that you are all booked up inside the lounge and offer an outside table right from the beginning.
Almost forgot to mention the brown paper over top of the white table clothes. So not impressed with brown paper unless of course I am eating at a family establishment where there are kids and it is a means to keep the kids entertained by drawing. I think Society needs to drop the brown paper and have a little more style rather than tackiness. Now I am game for recycling and all but firstly you are using brown paper over top of your white linens and then you don't want to waste that so you actually get 2 uses out of each piece of brown paper by just fliping it over for the next guest to use. My goodness is this not supposed to be a classier place than this.Listed in: Mac n' Cheese Quest
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Review from Eveline N.
Vancouver, BC
2/7/2011
If you have a decent to large appetite, this may not be the place for you. I have a large appetite. I weigh 110 pounds. I just got home and I'm eating a bowl of butter chicken and rice because the dine out 2011 meal I had, though absolutely comfortingly delicious, did not fill me up. Me simply wanting more food is the reason for only 3 stars (sorry Society!!!).
Service was great - servers basically came through at the right times, humoured us, and kept our water topped up. The manager made his rounds at the tables as well just checking up and conversating with everyone which was impressive.
Now on to the food :)
I had the chopped chicken salad and butternut squash perogies. The salad was a good sized portion for an appetizer and deliciously familiar - ie chicken, romaine lettuce, and dressing (it almost tasted like a combo of blue cheese and caesar) - simple but yummy.
Society, please start selling your butternut squash perogies to stores (or at least have it on the regular menu!!)...these are delicious and should be marketed to the general public. The perogies were melt in your mouth good topped with a dollop of sour cream and garnished with little cubes of carrots and butternut squash.
I also had a bite of the ahi tuna with mac and cheese and peas, the mac and cheese was very creamy and delicious and of course, you can never go wrong with ahi tuna (or mac n cheese for that matter!!). What a swanky combo.
I also had a bite of the steak with mashed potatoes...the steak was good and soo tender but reminded me a bit of a tender burger as opposed to tender steak so I was slightly confused.
The dessert was a typical brownie dessert topped with vanilla ice cream but I guess they wanted to throw in a punch with a piece of pink cotton candy. I don't care much for cotton candy so whatev it was more visually appealing than taste-enhancing and I guess it's the same colour scheme as the chandeliers so that's probably where they got the idea for that..
Overall, it was a really good dining experience and pretty but not pretentious/stuffy atmosphere. I also love dim restaurants, but this was a little too dim--ie club dim-- as I had to squint to read the menu and I had to do some analyzing before realizing exactly what I was eating at times. I would love to come back so hopefully I'll be more content with the portions second time around- I think this is a spendy place because the portions just don't fill me up. They really do live up to what they say on their webpage though "comfort food with a twist" "comfortable meets chic".
Oh, one more thing I noticed and appreciated is there were no garnishes ie parsley or a lemon slice that would go left uneaten (read-I literally cleaned the plate). -
Review from Elena P.
Port Coquitlam, BC
8/17/2010
Cotton candy, a breakfast inspired pizza and a hot pink chandelier? I'm not talking about that crazy dream you had after eating late night .99 pizza from some pizza joint off of Granville, I am talking about an awesome restaurant in Yaletown that caters to that "inner child"...I'm talking about Society!!!
Society has been around for a while now, and I recently had the pleasure of trying this restaurant out for the first time with a huge group of women (my bff's stagette night). When I made the reservation, the restaurant manager was very accommodating and took a reservation for a large party on a Saturday night. Many busy, high volume restaurants don't take reservations on Friday/Saturday nights anymore so I was pleasantly surprised when there was no hesitation when calling a week before the stagette to make the reso.
When we got there, the table was already ready, we were greeted by a very welcoming front desk host, and brought us to our table right away!! Our server was ready for us, and started getting our drinks going so we could get the party started!! The drinks were so, so good and the appies we started with were fan-freakin-tastic!!! The menu items are all samples of classic "kid style' comfort food, with a sophistafunk flare!! Everything on the menu sounded so delicious that I wanted to try it all.
All the women from the stagette were happy with this choice of restaurant and the experience we all had (Everyone knows how hard it is to please one woman, let alone 11 women!!!) The managers offered us free drinks, we had an amazing server, and we were never rushed to leave. Overall, the experience was great!!!
I have worked in the restaurant industry for 7+ years, and I know when a restaurant is good, and when it sucks so bad, you just want to walk out!!! I am the pickiest person when it comes to restaurants because I watch for everything: Service standards, atmosphere, attention to detail, cleanliness, attitude and quality of food!!! Society exceeded all these qualities I look for in a restaurant and this is definitely a place I recommend and will go back too!! Thank you Society for a great night!!!
(I ordered the mac n cheese balls, the bacon & Egg pizza, and the junk food platter. Healthy choices? Not really....Is it OK to eat something sinful every once in a while? Absolutely!!)
http://www.society-grg.ca/ -
Review from Tania Y.
Vancouver, BC
6/14/2010 3 photos
Delicious food. Great service. Good company. Up-scale setting. Pretty decor. Good looking people. Stylish attire.
I'm a huge fan of Society. I like everything about it. Our server was extremely charming (she was female!) and the buzz from the patio was awesome. Our truffle mac n cheese was creamy and delicious, and the BBQ rib was sooooo good - the meat just slides off the bone. No knife required!
But that wasn't even the best part.
Have you seen the dessert platter? We were contemplating whether or not we should order it since we were stuffed already. Secretly, I really, really wanted it but I was waiting for the BF to agree. No pressure. Finally, he succumbed.
It was one of the happiest moments of my life. YOU SHOULD HAVE SEEN MY FACE when the platter came out! I haven't giggled like a little girl for..... a few days? But nonetheless, it was awesome. Anything that makes me THAT happy, is pure awesomeness. -
Review from Allison F.
Updated - 4/29/2010
Came back to Society to take part in their Dine Out menu. They're participating in the $18 price point group, which is a giant discount considering regular prices.
We were able to make a reservation same day and when I arrived, was able to take my pick of tables on the patio. I heart the patio, except for their heaters that are always too hot. Our waitress, Kimberly, was fabulous and attentive and provided insight into their wine list. And upon request, they will turn down/off the heaters so you don't feel like you're getting a sunburn.
We tried the tomato soup to start and it was delicious (and normally $8 on the menu). Totally creamy and tasted very fresh. No additional seasoning was required, which is always a bonus for soups. The Dine Out menu on-line states that it comes with mini grilled cheese sandwiches, but ours did not. A slight disappointment there.
For mains, I had the blackened salmon again as I enjoyed it so much the first time I was there ($18 regularly). It again came with a nice tossed salad and it was perfect and light. My co-diner had the short ribs and I was instantly jealous. The meat portion was huge and super tender. It came with a little pot of super hot and fresh french fries and a side salad. Definitely a lot of fabulous food.
And for desert, an adaptation of the famous Junk Food platter! A pot of bread pudding, 2 rice crispy squares, 2 chocolate chip cookies, 2 doughnut holes, and 2 mini cupcakes. The perfect amount, though we weren't big fans of the bread pudding and so that remained untouched.
Overall, this is a fabulous deal for Dine Out! A meal that would normally cost ~ $35 for half price gets a yes please. I definitely recommend the patio, but don't dress warmly as it's already hot enough already.Listed in: Wine = Mine
2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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3/1/2010
Went for drinks on a Wednesday night in the lounge. Ordered the mango mojito after promises of the… Read more »
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Review from Raymond O.
Vancouver, BC
11/7/2009 4 photos
S O C I E T Y baby! This is where you can find "diner-style comfort food" with a twist - better quality and in a lounge type ambiance. We went for dinner on a Friday night and boy was it busy and loud. Not my kind of scene, but I'm in it for the food. I haven't been disappointed so far with any of the Glowbal restaurants I've been to and you can add this to the list as well down to the excellent service who kept on checking up on us to ensure we're still okay.
For Vancouver standards, I felt the pricing was reasonable in terms of portion, ingredients and location. Unlike other restaurants in the area that claim no pretentions in dining but go the length of providing pretentious dining down to the plating. With Society, it is what it is - simple food with better than average service.
I love the spiked Bourbon chocolate milkshake and the sweet whipped cream on top. We also tried the Margarita which was honestly a tad too salty.
For our appie, we got the "Flight of Hand Cut French Fries" which was served 3 ways (reminiscent of Sanafir) - plain, poutine and chili version. Although the sauces tasted great, I wanted them thinner and crispy outside which they were not in this case. Knowing this, it's best to have them cook it well done.
For our entree, the "Lobster Shepherd's Pie" came in a simple white ceramic dish, but the taste is all that matters and it was delicious and chunks of Lobsters were present at every bite. We also had the "Loaded Prime Rib Burger" with crispy bacon and caramelized onions. It actually comes served with a side of fries which I requested to exchange for onion rings which our server said the kitchen may arrange. When the bill arrived, they charged me full price for the onion rings while still managing to eliminate the included fries. Wow.
For the month of November, they are providing a "Junk Food Platter" for free when you order two entrees. It's good for two and really yummy. It was a platter alright - pink cotton candy (memories), caramel popcorn (so good), doughnut holes (the best! hot and freshly fried!), chocolate cupcake (moist), ice cream sandwich (ordinary), rice crispies (boring and not buttery), cookies (not much to like), and a small glass of oreo milkshake (not thick, but still tasty).
This place has potential to be better and earn four stars, but there were obvious problems with the way the kitchen is being run causing extremely slow service among tables that night that the server kept on going back to apologize. In fact both tables to our left and right were at a stand-still for a long time I didn't know why when in fact one was done and the other was waiting for their main entree.
For being part of the Glowbal group, I'm surprised of the shaky start that I only see from new restaurateurs. It shouldn't have happened here.
Nevertheless, our server and the other staff was very attentive to our table even for a busy Friday night which made our experience more enjoyable and forgiving for the kitchen missteps.
Will come back to try their pizza and pasta selections. I'm eyeing on their Maple Bourbon Bread Pudding as well as round 2 of their doughnut holes. Yaletown society? I guess this is a good place to start.Listed in: Yelping Yaletown
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Review from Marion P.
Vancouver, BC
Went to Society for lunch the other day. The 2 for 1 lunches special expires at the end of November, so RUN don't walk to take advantage of this great deal.
My friend and I both had the soup special, which was halibut and corn chowder. Yummy and comforting on a day when Vancouver was having one of its infamous downpours!
We shared 2 pizzas. The Italian pizza was SO good. Love the flavour of the banana peppers. I will order this one again for sure. We also had the Biano which is loaded with 4 different cheeses and pesto.
Emad and his team took great care of us. Our waitress was right on top of things, and our food arrived in good time.
The people sitting next to us got the junk food platter. If only we had the room. I LOVE cotton candy.
Society is going to have to do something about their awnings outside, though, so people can dine outside when it is raining. We would have dined outside, but too many of the seats were getting wet with the pelting rain.
And maybe I'm getting old, but please turn the music down a bit. We were there for lunch, not for clubbing. Thanks. -
Review from Anita T.
Toronto, ON
11/6/2009
I had high expectations of Society after fabulous experiences at Trattoria and Sanafir - alas, I was disappointed.
Sigh.
Six of us went from work for some lunch time garb - and well, when you add up the clueless waitress, the oil drenched food and the lack of heat lamps on the patio - it all sums up to a not-so-great experience.
Let's just say it took the waitress 3 tries before she got the bill right, getting change was the biggest hassle, and the food came out really staggered so half the peoples food was ice cold by the time everyone got their food...
Now I don't know if it's because it's opening week and everyone is still confused - but you would think that they would be on their A-Game for at least the first week.
Needless to say - I don't think I will be going back (did I mention that it was ridiculously over priced for what you get?). -
Review from Vincci L.
1/19/2010 3 photos
The Glowbal Group's newest addition, Society, promises that here, 'opposites come together to create all-new pleasures.' How could I not check this out.
Arriving late on a Friday night, my friend and I decided to get some dessert and drinks. Upon arrival we were told that there'd be a short wait and they took our jackets for us. A nice gesture. Within 5 minutes, we were seated. The restaurant isn't too big, with the lower dining room seating about 50 people.
White leather booths are in the middle of the room, with seating along the sides as well. Two large hot pink chandeliers adorn the room, which contrasts its dark walls. Very hip, modern, a very girly girl restaurant.
The menus were presented to us on a clipboard-with the drinks menu being several sheets of paper, which were wrinkled, and some even torn. Not too classy for a Glowbal restaurant. In fact, I felt a little old to be at the restaurant. Was I here at the wrong time? There was a large party of young teens, almost looked like they were some sports team celebrating something. Were they even old enough to drink?
Servers here are casual, with white tanks, jeans, and a hot pink scarf. It's interesting, but doesn't look too professional. I almost didn't know that our server was our server because of this.
For dessert, we decide on the junk food platter.
cotton candy, chocolate cupcakes,caramel corn, ice cream sandwich
oreo milkshake, doughnut holes, cookies, rice crispy squares
It was exactly what it was-I especially liked the doughnut holes, so if I do come back, I think I will get that on its own. Other than that, nothing too special that I can't get anywhere else.
Service is ok, given that they weren't too busy.
Loud music was pumping and it was really hard to hear what my friend was saying to me. Had to shout really loud in order for us to hear each other. A cool place to hang out, but I still think I'd still stick to the other Glowbal restaurants. -
Review from Tracy P.
Vancouver, BC
4/10/2010
The newest of the Glowbal Restaurant Group restaurants. We've been meaning to try it for awhile. I love trendy restaurants, but when all of Glowbal's restaurants generally look, feel, and taste the same, I start feeling like I'm at Yaletown's version of a TGI Friday's. That being said, they tend to be very good at what they do.
Society's schtick is comfort food chic. Sort of like Refuel? The service was great, I gotta say. I might be biased though, because the servers in our area were all extra handsome.
Oh, and our food came extremely promptly.
Did I mention the food was good, too? Because it was. Truffled mac 'n cheese? Lobster gnocchi? Yum. I hate gnocchi, but the lobster was tasty. Mind you, if a trendy, upscale place, like Society, messed up lobster, I'd be pretty aghast. Does that make me a pretentious foodie? :S
We also shared the 2-person dessert platter which was, literally, a miniature carnival of junk food on a plate. Cotton candy, caramel corn, handmade ding dongs, ice cream sandwiches, "doughnut holes" (which are actually one of their signature desserts at a couple of their other restaurants, under the name "zeppoles") and an oreo milkshake. It was a spectacle (pronounced "speck-tack") to behold.
Overall, it was a great, if not standard Glowbal experience. I'm not really inclined to say that stands out from the other Glowbal restaurants much, but as I said, Glowbal does a good job at what it does. -
Review from Luisa D.
Updated - 4/15/2011 3 Check-ins Here
If you're looking for a Friday lunch spot go here! Burger and beer Friday for $10. If you're lucky, Adam will be your server. All the staff are great though but you gotta love Adam. Their other $10 lunch options are also nicely prepared, well presented and tasty too. My companion had a smoked salmon and marscarpone cheese on brioche sandwich that she certainly seemed to enjoy. TGIF just got even better!
Listed in: FTR - First to Review, A fun way to 'long lunch' on a…
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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11/5/2009 First to Review
I have now eaten at every restaurant in the Glowbal Group and none of them disappoint. Society just… Read more »
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Review from Robyn G.
Vancouver, BC
2/15/2011
I have been there 3 times now and have been satisfied with the food. It is definetely filling and they have plenty on the menu to choose from.
The prices are decent for most of the dishes. Service was friendly and caring (able to give advice on their food as well as ensure that we were happy with our orders).
I will go there again.
I can't make any suggestions on how to improve their products or service as what they offer suits the neighbourhood they reside in as well as the customers they draw in.
