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Steamworks Brewing Company
Categories: Restaurants Canadian (New) Nightlife Bars Pubs Canadian (New), Pubs [Edit]
375 Water StVancouver, BC V6B 5C6
Neighbourhoods: Downtown, Gastown
(604) 689-2739
- Hours:
Mon-Thu, Sun 11:30 am - 12 am
Fri-Sat 11:30 am - 1 am
- Delivery:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street, Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Music:
- Background
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Thu, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- No
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
137 reviews for Steamworks Brewing Company
Review Highlights
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"...get to since it's a block away from the Waterfront station." In 7 reviews -
"...waitress recommended the Nirvana Nut Brown Ale for a medium..." In 3 reviews -
"...too, not off the charts good beer, but really good still." In 7 reviews
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136 reviews in English
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Review from Esther G.
Vancouver, BC
5/17/2012
This place attracts lots of tourists (take that as you will). It's big, has a bunch of TVs and an outdoor patio with a great view.
I've had the beer soup and the honey (ha, I just typed 'hockey') garlic chicken wings -- both of which I highly recommend.
We went on a Monday, where pitchers are $13 (or $14), and I was a fan of the Belgian wheat ale. What was slightly bizarre that night was that it was pretty much full, and all the people were elderly people. Not sure why.
Anyway, our waitress was super cool, even apologizing for our beer coming out slow, which we didn't even notice.
My friend and I noticed that all the bartenders/waiters/waitresses are really good looking. We weren't really looking, I'd say -- but it IS something we noticed!
They're also active on social media and have a lot of promotions if you follow them on Twitter and Foursquare. On Foursquare, it says if you check in for the first time and email them with your server's name, you get a coupon for a pint of beer. I'll update my review if/when that actually happens.
Also, their coasters are cool. -
Review from Glenn H.
Think BJ's Restaurant and Brewhouse (a US chain) but in much prettier Vancouver Canada and you will get the picture. 3.5 stars.
We had two very good brews (an Empress India Pale Ale and a Signature Pale Ale).
Shrimp and Mango salad (baby shrimp, chopped mango, jicama, mesclun greens, citrus vinaigrette) $14 CAD. (4/5)
Montreal Smoked Meat Sandwich (See pic: on marbled rye toast, dijon mustard, roasted garlic mayo, pickle, fries) $13 CAD (4/5). This is the one sandwich meat that I can only get in Canada and I look for it each time I'm there. Steamworks' did not disappoint. The uniquely smoked brisket meat was juicy without being too fatty and this was a really good sandwich.
Service was friendly, certainly not rushed, and everything was good. I'm not crazy about the bathrooms through, which looked significantly downscale, downstairs, than what the upstairs eating areas looked like.
Prices are higher than I think they should be for a salad (even a shrimp one) and a simple beef sandwich with fries, but this is Vancouver and you do pay for the atmosphere and location. -
Review from stephanie l.
4/21/2012
Went in for a giant beer and some pub food and ended up with
FOOD POISONING.
I already regretted not ordering the giant baskets of nachos when I saw everyone else around me with them. Then I regretted it even more when my fish and chips came up a few hours later with cramps and cold sweats. I tend to have a stomach of steel...my guess is the tartar sauce?
NEVER AGAIN. -
Review from Dung N.
5/24/2012 9 photos
My friend from Vancouver took us out here and it was just okay. Nice place to hang out and grab drinks and just eat apps. It's a big place! We sat outside and it was cold, but they have heat lamps above our heads,to keep you warm. You can go downstairs to check out the giant things where they brew their own beers. Since it was Saturday, they had a special on Sangria the size of a fishbowl! It was good, but not strong enough. ;) The nachos were huge and came with guacamole, salsa, and sour cream! We also shared chicken skewers and those were good. My friend and I shared the pistachio crusted halibut and that was really good. I tried my friend's wild red spring salmon and that was ok. The sauce made it better though. Another guy got the filet mignon and said he liked it a lot. My other friend ordered something vegetarian and finished his plate. It looks like a place where a lot of tourists go. Nice view of Canada place too. I don't think parking is free btw.
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Review from Danika L.
Vancouver, BC
4/19/2012
Came here for a friend's birthday dinner. Place was busy, but not packed. A friend and I split a mushroom burger and a Steamworks deluxe burger. The mushroom burger was tasty and moist - it was good just the way it was. The Steamworks deluxe burger, however, was dry and seemed like it was missing something. I usually don't need to put extra condiments on my burgers, but this one I had to add ketchup because it was so dry.
We were seated on the bottom level, in the corner by all of the tanks. Service was good, with the waitress coming by to check on us/fill water glasses often. However, from where we were seated we could hear random swearing from the kitchen. It kinda impacted the otherwise nice ambiance. So 1/2 star off for the dry burger, and 1/2 star off for the swearing. -
Review from John R.
Winnipeg, MB
Updated - 5/1/2012
What can I say beer oh so good, food not so. I went here for a beer and they did a good job of that, however the one dish (by no means a reasonable sample) convinced me again I should not really eat here. Next time I will just stop at their liquor store and take away some beer.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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11/28/2010
I give them a five for the beer alone, however the are a full restaurant the food is fairly average… Read more »
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Review from Deanna S.
3/28/2012 1 Check-in Here
Steamworks is great! It's a huge restaurant, and I've never had to wait for a seat. The beer is tasty and they always have great recommendations for a beer that will go well with your meal.
The last time I was there was on St. Patrick's day. I was hoping to get some green beer, as I've never had it before. Steamworks usually has a seasonal beer to go along with holidays... but they did not have green. Instead they were recommending a stout similar to Guiness for St. Paddys. I was a bit dissappointed in that, but looking back on it, it's probably because they are above using dyes. Sometimes I find it hard to tell the difference between different kinds of beers... I don't have the palate for it!
The food is good. I love the beer-soup. It has a great atmosphere and I'd recommend it if you want just a relaxed place to have a pint.Listed in: Eats
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Review from Sara D.
Vancouver, BC
3/1/2012
I'm surprised at all the negative reviews of this place. I will say, it does get super packed on Friday nights, and I watched playoff Canuck hockey here and it was jammed, and sometimes the staff isn't the most attentive, but still....
I came here for lunch last week (on an interview, eep!) and got seated in the basement. Waiter was cool, we bonded because we were both inadvertently head-bopping to the R Kelly tunes. Then once you realize it's R Kelly, you're like, eww.
I had the Stilton Steak salad, mmmm good! Steak was rarey and covered in cheese 5/5 for meatiness, and 3/5 for saladyness (just typical lettuce and stuff, would have higher for spinachy goodness), and it was a big portion. I was fuuulll. And I even managed to enjoy it through the soul crushing stress of an interview. That's definitely sayin something. -
Review from Mark F.
Metrotown, Vancouver, BC
3/28/2012 1 Check-in Here
Overall, a great experience. The server, Carver, was awesome. I'll come back just for the level of service he provided, let alone the rest.
The food was nicely done. I had the three-cheese tortellini which had just the right amount on the plate for me. The flight of steamwork's beers I drank (as well as the other pints) were excellent as well.
My only complaint would be the small bathroom, at least in the downstairs area. -
Review from Susan L.
Vancouver, BC
5/4/2012
Haven't been here for years - I mean, years. Went for lunch this week. It's very busy. Efficiently run - you can get in and out in an hour if need be. Food was ok - nothing spectacular. I had the Wild Salmon Salad. As it was lunch, no beer or wine.
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Review from Jonas J.
Vancouver, BC
3/7/2012
I use to drop out of class at SFU in the 90s for a few pints of their awesome oat beer so when I had a chance to come back after several years, I didn't hesitate. My mistake.
It was so freaking loud that I had to yell at my friend who was sitting beside me. The only bathroom upstars (mixed use) was occupied by a woman who was purging herself. The only other bathroom was a 5 minute hike downstairs which had a huge line.
Inadequate bathrooms? No excuse. Customer's don't need to be in danger of peeing themselves because this place went cheap on the restrooms.
My ears hurt for two days after only an hour in this place. I don't know what it's become, but it's not the cool place that I remember. -
Review from Daren D.
1/14/2012
Food: Chicken quesadilla & chorizo with subbed yam fries over regular.
Drinks: The Nothing Rhymes with Orange and a W&G.
Service: Good enough and somewhat indifferent at the bar.
Everything was pretty good, except for the yam fries - those were dark and obviously overcooked. I brought it up to the bartender. I forgot what he said but he did end up comp'ing my whiskey ginger. That was cool and made up for it, I felt. He didn't take it back, though, so I just picked at it, looking for survivors. -
Review from Chris B.
I have a general rule I always try to follow. If I get within a couple miles of a brewery I've never been to, I'm obligated to try it. When it was time to visit Steamworks, it couldn't have come soon enough. I found the beer scene in Vancouver to be somewhat lacking. I may be biased though, being from Portland and being SPOILED with excellent beer on every corner. Breweries are like Starbucks in Portland.
With respect to Steamworks, I had their beer sampler. It was ample for the price, with 8 tasters including their seasonals. I found the stouts and the IPA to be the most pleasing. My wife ordered their Bloody Mary, which was absolutely horrible. Among the worst I've ever had. The venue is OK. Large. Not really a great view. The staff was satisfactory, attentive, despite that they were dealing with a rowdy stag party in the bar. I will say the patrons in the bar were all super nice, among the nicest people we met in Vancouver. Some folks even invited us to join them at their table. We didn't eat any food, but from looking around it didn't appear to be anything special. Classic bar food for the most part. I'd likely go back there to the bar for quick pint if I was crawling, but probably nothing more. -
Review from Lisa C.
1/19/2012
The food is good, the drinks are good. A little over priced....but good nonetheless. Great location, very easy to get to and from.
I've had mixed moments with the staff though. I've gone before during the week and the staff, I've found, to be quite helpful and friendly. The waiter I had last time was very outgoing, helpful, and generally made the night more enjoyable!
I went again recently with some co-workers with a booked table. The staff were not friendly, not helpful in the least. They seemed to have an attitude about them. Now, given this was a busy night....it' was a Friday....Friday's get quite busy, so I'll give them that. But come on, if you don't like what you do, quit, find a new job, or don't do it. Simple simple. Don't go taking it out on your customers, thats how you lose your tip.
Anyways, all in all...mixed I'de say. I'de go back again simply because the location is so close. -
Review from Diana B.
Greater Vancouver Regional District, BC
4/27/2012
Everytime I'm downtown, this place crosses my mind. "Do I have time to stop in for a bite?" usually not. But when I do, it's a real treat. The menu is substantial with a wide variety of food and drink, and everything sounds delicious. I've only been here 3 times, I always get some kind of burger and it's always very good. Sure I've had better burgers, but I enjoy the ambience and location of Steamworks, and the drinks are amazing ;) the bellinis are awesome! The hostesses are super friendly, always offering a choice of downstairs, or wherever you'd like to sit. The only downside is the time it takes to get your bill. Twice I've had to wait about 20 mins between the plates being cleared and the waitress getting the bill to us. Once it was closer to half an hour, and it wasn't an exceptionally busy night. That being said, I still think this is a great place to chow down, and I will most definitely return.
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Review from geoff a.
12/8/2011
I've been to Steamworks many times over the years, but it just never seams to lure me.
I remember the food being kinda meh in the past. The best memories are the space, the views, and sharing beer on the patio.
Today I stopped by to get a growler of their Empress IPA. At $11 for 64oz
I think this'll become the way patronize them. It's been a while and the IPA wasn't to my taste, but I seem to remember liking their Porter and Stout.
I'll update after I retry their beers. -
Review from Melina C.
Sechelt, BC
2/28/2012
Came here with some friends on a Friday evening. I've been to Steamworks once before, and love the location and the general vibe of the place. They seem to have expanded downstairs, and its now a delightful underground labyrinth with lots of cosy corners to enjoy.
My overal experience of the place was good, but it was the service that we recieved that seemed lacking.
The waitress seemed almost too attentive- offering another pitcher of beer the moment she saw the current one was empty. I was drinking hi-balls and I felt like she was trying to push me to drink more. She put everyone on the same bill so we had to sit down and figure out the math of who owed what. We covered everything, and the waitress claimed we hadn't. She was pretty rude about it. If she could have shown us our individual amounts or receipts, it might have been better. We all dove into our pockets and grabbed out extra change and she still seemed annoyed. It was a disappointing way to end the evening.
On the positive- The food was good- I had a salad and some garlic fries. The drinks were ok, nothing to rave about. I'm not a beer drinker, but I'm told the beer was great.
Update: I got a message from management on March 2nd apologizing for the service I received and explaining that this does not reflect their normal service or policies. I'm really impressed that they have taken the time to correspond with me, and this makes me more inclined towards a return visit.
Further Update: There had been confusion about the bill since everything was put onto one tab when really we would have liked separate bills, and confusion over the payment we made, and initially my review commented at more length on this. Management has been in touch with me to clear up this confusion, and I am glad that they did. They asked me to remove my review, however I have edited to remove the errors, leaving my review up. I appreciate that they want to keep their professional reputation top notch. My experience of the service remains one that could have been better. The environment, the food, all very good. The drinks, average. The service- as always, customer service just depends on who you get and their ability to engage with you. Larger groups are always a challenge for servers. And I get that everyone has a bad day. Still, for the price, reputation, and location of Steamworks, I simply would expect a touch more professionalism.
Despite Management offering to buy me a drink so I could be entertained with the "true Steamworks experience" I think I would rather my next visit be 'incognito'. I'm certainly willing to give it another go and see how the experience compares. -
Review from P M.
Vancouver, BC
Updated - 10/18/2011
The Steamworks Team contacted me through yelp in March after my bad experience at the Brewing Company. They twisted my arm (easily) into coming back for Round 2 with a gift card!
We both ended up ordering the brew house burger -- added bacon, side caesar and fries.
The brew house burger sounded SO good on the menu that I couldn't pass it up -- and it definitely lived up to my expectations! The onions and cheese were a perfect addition to this burger. The meat was flavorful and juicy, the toppings were fresh and delicious. The price was spot on at $12.99!
The caesar salad was average, but the fries were GREAT! I don't know what they do to the fries, but they are addicting.
However, when it came time for the bill -- the gift card wouldn't work! I thought it was funny since the company had given it to me to use for a "better experience" and it said $0.00 balance!
After explaining the gift card story to the server, the manager came to our table to meet us and apologized for the gift card issue and quickly rectified the situation and took care of our bill.
All in all:
our server was great
the manager was very nice and funny -- and was quick to make the situation right
the place is clean, comfortable, and at a great location
the brew house burger is to die for (GET THE FRIES!)
I would definitely go back and also try some other options off their menu!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/3/2011
Went with 5 friends today for lunch around 12:45 p.m. and was not very satisfied!
At first they kept… Read more »
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Review from J N.
Vancouver, BC
10/14/2011 1 Check-in Here
This is actually a great place for a group party as you can book a room.
The wine is terrible (by the glass) so seriously, don't even bother, but in my case since I don't drink beer or hard alcohol any longer, I didn't have much of a choice.
The bartenders were nice women, and when they accidentally threw my glass of wine away, they apologized to me and poured me another. Why did I walk away from the wine? It turns out my "wine guard" cared about it as much as I enjoyed the taste.
The pizzas just aren't that great, (as per Rogue bar) but taste incrementally better the longer that you are there. :) Unlike Rogue, they don't offer the check-in discount, but since Rogue never follows through with that (at least not in my case) then I'd prefer to go here for group events. They have the same proprietor, in case you didn't know.
It lacks the lustre that it did 20 years ago, however, (has it really been there that long?) in which case I probably won't be going here again until the next big party. -
Review from Kara B.
1/3/2012
Why do I keep coming here? Sigh.
Steamworks was our fallback choice for drinks and food that's decent (borderline good) and reasonably priced, and they never chivvy you out the door. Plus it's very convenient for the seabus, canada line, and skytrain riders among us. Since a couple of incidents that involved separate occasions of getting hair on our nachos (that they had the good sense to comp), we've taken our business to glowbal, mahoney's, cactus, joey's, and the like.
Then came the day when we were sick of joey's, glowbal was closed, society was closed, and mahoney's doesn't offer a good selection of seafood... so fine, let's give Steamworks another chance. After all, they make a good white wine sangria by the pitcher for a good price.
Yam fries, solid still, good portion that comes with the burgers.
Nice and fruity bellinis.
Nachos, no hair! Redemption in 2012, maybe?
Not quite.
#1, they no longer offer white wine sangria. Why the heck not?
#2, you can't buy sangria by the pitcher anymore, now it's a $14.99 fishbowl. Why do I have to drink out of the same glass as the others in my table? moreover, it's inconvenient when there's 4 of you squished in a 2 top table. that fishbowl ain't gonna fit next to the basket of chips.
#3, chicken burger, with a bonus of bone in there. thank goodness friend didn't choke on it.
#4, server knocks over glass of water that promptly shatters on the ground, missing me and other friend by a few inches.
Oh well. At the very least they comped the chicken burger and gave us 15% off our drinks for the near miss... they also didn't bug us for spending a good 4 hours there just shooting the shit well after the Canucks game and dinner was over.
P.S., why must they insist on keeping the bathrooms so dark? -
Review from Evilyn T.
8/15/2011 1 Check-in Here
A group of us came here for dinner after our friends eloped, so it was the closest thing to a wedding reception that they were gonna get. We had made a reservation for twenty, and asked to reserve the "Wine Room" (how appropriate.) Apparently they usually require a minimum on food or a deposit of some sort to reserve the room, but since they are slower on Sunday evenings it all worked out, and we didn't have to put down a deposit. They had arranged the tables for us in a circle, so we could all yell at eachother over the music (they even let us plug our ipod in so we didn't have to listen to the "Thunder-dome" happening in the rest of the restaurant.
Speaking of which, I had no idea how huge this place was until I stepped in! Holy Jeebus! If you haven't been in, it's quite a long restaurant with several seperate rooms (so it would be good for hosting private parties) and we were in the room downstairs, which was dimly lit and had no windows. Our server was great, we was very patient, focused and accomodating. I has asked for the gorgonzola pizza with no meat, as it has bacon and ham on it, but I just wanted the cheese, and he made it happen.
I also had a Steamworks cesar, which was a meal in itself, garnished with a huge celery stick, hot pepper, olive and green bean. Their cesar actually has a bit of lager in it, which is something I have never heard of before, but it tasted great. I ended up ordering a second one, but couldn't finish it because I ate too much. I had the Steamworks salad thinking it would fill me up, but because I had barely eaten that day I went for the pizza as well. Everything was really tasty, and the BF had a veggie tortellini, then helped me finish my pizza. We dropped about $90 altogether, after tax and tip, and I spent the rest of the night rubbing my food baby in my belly and groaning that I ate too much. If I was looking for a fancy night out, I'd totally consider this place, even though it's a bit touristy.Listed in: Best of the best
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Review from Mark F.
Late night food fix? The beer is better.
Just missed the regular menu so Late Night selections limited and mostly unhealthy: buffalo wings, chicken tenders, quesadilla but a few salads made the list. The nachos and chorizo quesadilla rose to the top accompanied by a pitcher of Pale Ale.
The nachos are tough to eat. It's layers of cheese and chip with tomatoes, olives and jalapinos covering the top. As the cheese cools, it's now a solid brick o chip. I'll pass. The quesadilla on the other hand was surprisingly good but thin. No splurging going in here.
The crowd was young, loud and packed in. TVs were on but no one was home. Everyone was having a good time with friends and pouring back brews.
Why do you come?
We come for the beer.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/3/2011
Beer review only
Lager, UPA, Pale, Nut Brown, either an Oatmeal Stout or Porter on NO2 and a… Read more »
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Review from Malloreigh M.
Vancouver, BC
10/21/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Steamworks has one of the best pumpkin beers in the city.
Full review: Food is okay, beer is good, ambience is meh, space is awesome. I don't mind this place but I don't visit it very often - less than once a year. I guess that says something! -
Review from Martina M.
Vancouver, BC
8/8/2011 3 Check-ins Here
Steamworks is a great brewpub located right next to the Waterfront Skytrain Station. I took my parents for lunch here because of the location and because I heard it was great. It was really nice outside and we managed to snag a table on the patio.
I really enjoyed the beer selection. The waitress recommended the Nirvana Nut Brown Ale for a medium beer, and it was fantastic. The nutty aftertaste is great. I also tried the Raspberry Frambozen seasonal beer which was excellent (and contained 9% alcohol).
For food, the Blackened Sockeye Salmon Caesar Salad was great. The salmon was cooked to perfection and the spices and salsa on top made the salad. As for the prices, they're pretty standard for pub food, especially at a more touristy place like Steamworks. I was really happy with the quality.
When we were paying our bill, the general manager came out to chat with us. He was such an awesome person. His friendliness and attitude ensured that I will definitely return. -
Review from Nicole F.
6/11/2011 3 Check-ins Here
Oh Steamworks. You're always there for me when I need you but you're never my first choice.
I seem to find myself here on average once every month or two. It's easy. It has a good location, and I can pick between 2 things on the menu that are not amazing, but still decent choices.
The quesadilla is pretty okay. It has artichokes, spinach, red pepper and obviously cheese. I would prefer it without the red pepper. My issue with Steamworks is that when I ask to get it without red pepper they inform me that the quesadillas are all made in the morning so they can't help me out. Uh huh. So, how come the fine folks at the Cactus Club (who are MUCH busier than you) always offer to pick them out for me?
Aaaaanyways, other than that I've tried the "classic" pizza which is pretty plain and that works for me. They seem to be able to take the olives off the pizza for me. So I end up ordering the pizza more than the quesadilla...
Oh right, one time I was really drunk and ordered mashed potatoes. They were pretty good as far as mashed potatoes go. So yeah.. -
Review from Realtor Darius D.
Vancouver, BC
2/7/2012 1 Check-in Here
This is not a bad place to hit up if there's a playoff game going. Decent craft beer and lots of TV's downstairs. They also have pool tables, which are a welcome site now and then in Vancouver. I can't comment on the food, what I've had here didn't leave a lasting memory in either direction.
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Review from Blano B.
2/17/2012
Food is average, beer is average, service is average, there are many many much better joints in the area to spend your money. It does have a killer view if you can get a seat at the windows facing the water.
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Review from Johnson C.
Vancouver, BC
5/23/2011 1 Check-in Here
Rule #76: "No excuses. Play like a champion!"
This review is a bit strange - this was my first time going to Steamworks and it was for a wedding. My initial reaction was 'Whaaa? You can have a wedding at Steamworks?'.
But surprisingly yes -- and even more surprisingly, it's actually a pretty good venue for a marriage ceremony and reception. No - you're not actually in the pub, there's the 'Uber Lounge' in the back which is for private parties. There's an intimate lounge for the reception and a large arched hallway for the ceremony - which converts nicely to a dancefloor. And remember Rule #6: "Do not sit in the corner and sulk. It draws attention in a negative way. Draw attention to yourself, but on your own terms."
Wedding buffet was solid and serving thin-crust pizza during the dance? That was money. And the bartenders were quick - there's no more beautiful words in the English language than "open bar"... unless you are dropping gems like, "You know how they say we only use 10% of our brains? ... I think we only use 10% of our hearts..." (pause for swoon).
PRO-TIP: If you're dealing with a cash bar, have some Purple Hearts at the ready.
I'm not a huge fan of the Steamworks brews - but you really can't criticize an open-bar with 8 microbrews on tap. The only major criticism is the lack of cocktail glasses, which had to be constantly cleaned. Drinking whiskey neat out of searingly hot tumbler glasses fresh out of the dishwasher was surprisingly painful. Bartenders did their best to ice down the glasses, but with the quick turnover - it was pretty futile.
Not the type of bar that I would hang out in, but surprisingly good for a wedding - whether you're the type of guy to dance with the flower girl to be sweet or entertain the kids with balloon animals and play the broken man with a haunted past. And remember Rule #1: "Never leave a fellow Crasher behind" and chatting up the father of the bride is always a good idea.Listed in: A Compendium of Fine…
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Review from Michael C.
Vancouver, BC
7/24/2011 1 Check-in Here
My review for Steamworks isn't for a sit-down/dine-in evening here, but for a reception event we planned here.
We were situated in the Uber Lounge, wow what a great room. We were closed off from the rest of the restaurant and had our own bar and washrooms. Very nice looking room!
The food was actually pretty good. They really surprised me. I've been disappointed many times with similar establishments serving typical reception food. Kind of wish we paid for more!
I got to give the staff A+++++++++++++++++ x a million. They were all super friendly and nice to all of us in our drunken state. We even had a few people puking in the washroom and they handled it amazingly well. They seemed more concerned about their well being rather than trying to kick us out at the end of the night. Like I said, great staff! I would poach them if I had a restaurant! Mostly the reason I gave this place a 5 star!
Looking for plan future events? Great place to look into! -
Review from Amanda L.
5/31/2011
While I don't know a lot about the bar scene I was pretty impressed with Steamworks.
I showed up with some friends drunk and starving, we got served pretty quickly. Their nachos are HUGE and pretty good while drunk...good enough we ordered another serving of them later in the night!
They have a decent beer selection and pretty good prices. We ran into some people there and they were pretty nice about accommodating our seating in the downstairs lounge area.
They were a little finnecky about splitting up the bills so some of us ended up owing each other money...but this was the only downside. -
Review from Andre S.
Vancouver, BC
4/29/2011
They had space to watch a playoff game and I went in, but my experience last night matched my earlier ones and left me ambivalent.
On the plus side, beers are tasty, though overpriced. Food is on the better side of pub-grade. The pizzas are good, aswell as a couple of other dishes I've had. Finally, the outdoor patio is a great summertime meeting place.
On the negative side, the service is consistently indifferent, aside from one or two attentive waitresses. Last night was the last straw, when a 15-minute wait to get my order taken produced nothing (place was not busy). A few spots downstairs have atmosphere, but the rest not.
All in all, this is a decent second choice when your first choices are unavailable. -
Review from Brice B.
1/10/2011 1 Check-in Here
Bringing friends to Vancouver is like shooting fish in a barrel. I mean, c'mon... The buildings are tall, the skirts are short, and there are water taxis. Fucking WATER taxis! This is the kinda town that makes an amateur foreigner like me look like an expert tour guide. Thank god that Steamworks came through for me in the clutch at the end of our trip. I now enjoy seriously elevated status with my friends.
After a great day at Stanley Park, I took a chance on coming back to this waterfront institution for a beer with the Vancouver newbies. Thanks to Jesse (our server), Steamworks, the city of Vancouver, the province of British Columbia, and the whole of Canada will be well remembered. The man was quick with a joke, quicker with a beer sample, and made this group of ugly Americans feel right at home.
Don't expect the food or the beer to blow your mind, but I've been twice, and I'll definitely be back again. And if management is reading this, Jesse deserves either a pay raise or an ambassadorial posting... your call. -
Review from Melissa W.
Abbotsford, BC
1/7/2012
Good food, if you are looking for a place to eat in the Gastown area of Vancouver and don't want to walk far for something to grab. They give plenty of food, but its standard fare when wanting pub type food.
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Review from Jennifer H.
1/8/2012
Stopped for an afternoon beer and as we watched the great looking food go by we decided to return later for dinner. Definitely glad we did! The bacon, Gorgonzola pizza was amazing and the service was exceptional!
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Review from Kristin H.
Vancouver, BC
12/14/2010
Steamworks is the fallback option where you take a group of people you don't know very well (especially out of town people) if you aren't sure what kinds of foods they like, whether they prefer cheap food or higher end dining, and don't want to stray too far from their hotel rooms/conference venue/etc. You're not going to wow anyone in your group, but chances are that they'll be able to find something on the menu they can eat. That, and they are used to accommodating groups.
The beer is good, the service is usually indifferent, and the food is okay, but not great. Stick with the pizzas and burgers, and your meal should be fine. Any seafood I have had here has been tough and overcooked.
One thing that really irks me about Steamworks is the way the hostesses handle people coming through. I stopped in a couple of weeks ago, and went through the bar entrance. The hostess told my group that there was no seating in the bar area, so we all shuffled through the restaurant to the next hostess at the main entrance. No seating there either, so she told us to make our way downstairs and talk to the hostess down there there to see if there was any seating in the basement. We shouldn't be passed off to three different people and walk through three different sections of a restaurant to find out whether or not we can get a table. They need headsets or some other centralizing mechanism to communicate and coordinate seating.
That being said, I don't think I've ever had such miserly service or terrible food that I've said "I will never be back!", nor do I protest someone else suggests going there, but I don't recommend it as the best Gastown has to offer, that's for sure. -
Review from Meredith M.
Vancouver, BC
7/29/2011
Steamworks is another great tourist stop. I've been here on several occasions with visiting friends and family for the beer tasting flights. Out of all the breweries I've visited in Vancouver, Steamworks has the best variety and serves the most mini tasting beers. If everyone at your table orders the flights, they glasses take over the table! I'm not the biggest beer fan, but I really enjoyed tasting all the different flavours and it made beer drinking feel special. It white sangria is AMAZING too.
The food on the menu is also really great, and I've never had a bad experience with it. They do have butter chicken on the menu, but if you like Indian food, I'd suggest ordering it from an actual Indian restaurant.
The service has always been really great, and they are always accommodating. Last summer on the patio we had a mix up when we told our server that we were going to the washroom, but then another server cleared our table. They were great about it, and gave us a brand new plate of nachos, pitcher of beer and pitcher of sangria (what we were eating/drinking). -
Review from Dave M.
1/10/2011
I've had a love-meh relationship with Steamworks for years. I've been there at least 30 times.
My expectation for service is generally "passable" - I don't expect anyone to be overly friendly, prompt or attentive, but I don't usually expect them to fail too badly. That said, they have failed pretty badly at least a couple of times, but I also had one of the best instances of customer service I've had in Vancouver at Steamworks. The lack of consistency, other than consistently average, has tempered my expectation here.
The food is well over-priced for what you get. I think they take good advantage of their location when it comes to food prices. The last time I had the ravioli, it was soaked in a cream sauce and it may have been served as a soup! It's not fast food, but doesn't hit the quality (or quantity) level that you'd get even at Earl's or Cactus Club.
Full points on having wireless internet and letting campers hang out here & there.
The wines are a pretty good deal, I think, for the large glasses. The beers are okay - not the variety or quality you'd find at St. Augustine's in East Vancouver, but you're not throwing your money away despite the above-average prices.
All in all, a great location, not a terrible stop, but definitely not the best value you can hope to receive. Also, it's credit or cash - no debit! -
Review from Leslie D.
1/31/2011
There are certain items that one looks for in a vacation: a relaxing setting, water, convenient transportation, delightful food and, of course, local libationary holes. This place encapsulates all of these with ease.
It's on the water!
It is RIGHT NEXT to the water taxi/train station!
The food is fantastic ( the Shore Pizza)!
They brew really good beer, and are near the rest of the fabulous establishments and street-watching activities of Gastown!
Go there! -
Review from Peter S.
12/13/2010
3 stars for Steamworks:
1* You can always get in on a Friday night for one last pint before passing out
2* You can get a couple free samples of their draft before finally deciding on a pricey brewski
3* They fill Growlers for about $10 if you have your own (brilliant for parties, camping, or getting really pissed at home)
To achieve the last two stars...
Improve your service and food!Listed in: Beer Heaven
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Review from Allison F.
4/25/2011
Came here last night to catch a late lunch and prepare to watch an early playoff game. Thankfully we were able to grab a seat in the cafe-ish area, where we had our choice of 6 tv's above the bar to check out. Note, there are 9 tv's in the area in general, though beware, they crank the volume.
Drink wise, I just had a peach cider and J had a selection of the beers they offer. He praised each one and there wasn't a glass pushed aside that wasn't fully drained. While they have a full variety of beverages available, they are a little on the more-expensive side. I wouldn't come here for lots of drinks unless I was getting pitchers of beer.
Food wise, I had the mushroom burger with half salad/fries and J had the cheese tortellini. My burger was delicious! Thick and super juicy, without any added ingredients in the meat. The bun was a little thick for me but I really enjoyed it. The side salad comes with almonds, goat cheese, and dried cranberries, all with a balsamic vinaigrette. The tortellini comes with tons of creamy tomato sauce, with some spinach mixed in and parm cheese on top. Very rich but super delicious.
Staff were very friendly and super in to the game. Empty plates were never left on our table and our drinks were always promptly refilled when asked. We stayed here for about 4 hours and never felt pressured to leave. The upstairs washroom is a little sketchy as it's unisex and wasn't clean when I used it. Downstairs, you have to walk past the kitchen and dining area, but those were much cleaner.
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