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Summer Night Market
Categories: Food Specialty Food Ethnic Food Arts & Entertainment Arcades Food Grocery Ethnic Food, Arcades, Grocery [Edit]
12631 Vulcan WayRichmond, BC V6V 1J7
(604) 278-8000
- Hours:
Fri-Sat 7 pm - 12 am
Sun 7 pm - 11 pm
- Price Range:
-
$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Parking:
- Street, Private Lot
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
114 reviews for Summer Night Market
Review Highlights
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"...though I've never been to Hong Kong, my friends from there..." In 11 reviews -
"...I ever tried was Hurricane Potato, whoever created this is..." In 6 reviews -
"Another reason to move to Vancouver." In 30 reviews
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114 reviews in English
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Review from Wendy Y.
5/25/2012
The Richmond Night Market has been a lot of fun this year. When I say fun I mean the food, and no so much the non-edibles though some did raise an eye brow or two.
The most 'interesting' 3 vendors I've seen this year in third place goes to a Korean vendor who sells skin care products. As we walk by my partner and I can hear the Korean ladies solicit in their broken English "your skin, better, this [bottle]". I am sorry, if you are not a licensed esthetician, no thank. The last time I checked I don't see your esthetician license/certificate bobby pinned to your booth.
Second place goes to a perfume vendor who claims he has the 'recipe" to brand name perfumes and of course he is selling at a fraction of the "real thing". He said the perfumes are real, specifically, the recipes are real and identical. The copy right only covers the brand and not the recipe. Um...really? So this Indian guy manages to first "get the recipes" and second "make" the perfume in his factory. I question the sanitation and safety of his "factory".
The first place goes the pupil-dilating contact lenses that make your eyes unnaturally big and freaky looking. I don't know how health inspectors would allow it. I'd like to trust they've done their due diligence or else they wouldn't be allowed to operate at the Night Market. It's not so much the selling of these contact lenses that concerns me; rather, the buyers. I don't know what makes you think contact lenses sold at the Night Market is any credible or safe.
Now comes the food. Due to popular demand there are now 4 vendors selling twirling potatoes. A couple of vendors are selling corn on the cob. Asian food like dim sum and skewers are always popular. Indian, Vietnamese, and Thai cuisine are new this year. My favorite food vendor of 2012 at this particular Night Market is The Little Thai Kitchen. Their Thai sausages and sticky rice is marriage made in heaven. My partner and I went down to Portland a few months prior to have the "real authentic" Thai sausages and the ones from Night Market are pretty darn good and similar. If you like tea of coffee, try their Iced Tea and Iced Coffee. The flavorful is intense and very aromatic. I highly recommend giving this booth a try.Listed in: Entertainment
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Review from S R.
5/25/2012 13 photos
there are 2 night markets in richmond, which is very confusing. according to a vancouverite yelper, the owner of the original market lost his lease, restarted it at the new site (next to casino), and another one popped up at the old site. the owners have the same name, but they are not related. the farther market provides frequent free shuttle service from the station until 1130pm or so, which was a big plus since parking looked terrible at the market. as a side note, i think the address on the website (and on yelp) is wrong. the market is located on river rd between number 5 rd and knights rd.
the market is medium size in my opinion. i would describe the atmosphere as similar to viet new year in orange county or hmong new year in the central valley. customers are 98% asian with lots of high school kids. the market is roughly divided in half. one side is non-food goods and various knick knacks like clothes, socks, massage chairs, japanese cartoon trinkets and stuffed toys, jewelry, etc. i didnt see any fake goods that other people have mentioned. the other half is food. there is also a stage with various performances.
the non-food stuff is not interesting to me at all. i just dont need any more stuffed hello kitty dolls. i was surprised by the food - it wasnt that good. i dont know, maybe i had unrealistically high expectations or just got unlucky. we tried 5 stands or so. this is what i remember. takoyaki were small and had no octopus. chicken skewer was dry. dim sum-style shrimp dumplings were mediocre. spring rolls were ok. watermelon slush was refreshing. the only thing that i really liked was the korean style corn dog, which was new to me. korean hot dog coated in your choice of potato, deep fried, and your choice of flavoring. it was definitely better than its american cousin.
bottom line for me: the atmosphere is pretty exciting and you definitely won't find this much food variety in one spot anywhere else, but the food was disappointing overall. -
Review from June P.
3/21/2012
Open only at night Friday, Saturday, Sunday only!
Total bummer, I was so excited visiting from Los Angeles and haven't been to a night market since Taiwan that the minute I found out there was a night market in Vancouver I had to go...except it was Wednesday..... and my husband and I were leaving Thursday from Seattle.... I was soooo sad I didn't plan out trip for the weekend...
Lucky we had a blast visiting Vancouver/Seattle that we will be back Canada! -
Review from Vivian H.
1/5/2012
I was so excited to visit the night market because I had never traveled to Asia and experience the real thing.
This place is EXTREMELY crowded when you get here at opening. It's very easy to lose yourself and/or your friends. Most of the food are deep fried.
The best item I sampled here has got to be the hurricane potato. Many stands will have it and call it different things like twister potato, torpedo potato, etc. Whatever it's called, it's really good!
Parking can be a bit difficult, so it may be best to wait until the crowd dies down a little.
I'm definitely coming back next summer. -
Review from Jackie turner T.
12/7/2011
Good stuff, but wish they had more food vendors and extended the hours to handle the overcrowding.
Almost impossible to get through the mass of people between 7-9. -
Review from Joyce E.
2/10/2012
One night, while on vacation, my sisters and I had absolutely nothing to do. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe the malls in Vancouver close at 6 which is totally inconvenient. My mom's friend's daughter saw how bored we were and took us to Vancouver Night Market. It was about 10 minutes (driving) from our hotel. This place is packed and parking is difficult!
The Vancouver Night Market is basically set up like a fair; they had tents and booths filled with cheap thrills and cheap food! Hello Kitty, cheap corny phone cases, Geo contact lenses from Asia, and food galore. My mom even got sucked into buying these water retaining balls for her plants lol. I ended up buying a Hello Kitty blanket and a few Hello Kitty things such as an air freshener, contact lense case, and two phone cases. You can haggle with the vendors which is also cool. Sometimes they won't budge, but be persistent and you'll get a very good discount. Looking back, I probably could've gone to Chinatown here in SF and could've gotten the same thing for a cheaper price. Whatevs!
My favorite part was definitely the food. I sort of giggled a little bit when my mom's friend asked me if I knew what boba was.. lol. Anyways, I tried all sorts of boba drinks: strawberry from supposedly one of the most popular booths (forgot the name) cantaloupe slush, match green tea, and thai milk tea. The strawberry one from the "most popular booth" tasted like benadryl mixed with a lot of sugar. I believe my sister had a mango one and that also tasted like diabetes in a cup. My favorite was the cantaloupe slush from another boba booth (all the way at the end), it had real shavings of cantaloupe in it which was nice. The boba drinks ranged from $2.00-$3.00 Canadian Dollars. They also have yummy takoyaki and all sorts of Asian street food. My favorite was the Hurricane Potato, which was priced at $2.50 Canadian Dollars and the roasted corn, which was around the same price. Both were from separate booths and let you add different seasonings to it.
If ever I'm in the area again, I will for sure be back. 4 stars for working with people who weren't familiar with Canadian money! -
Review from Smitcha B.
8/3/2011 3 photos
Did I just get off the boat and land myself in Hong Kong or China somewhere? If you're shopping here, then you're most likely buying something fake or counterfeit. Didn't see anything worth while.
The food is probably the only good part of this place. There's plenty of it! Mostly Asian food of course. However, there's about a million people swarming the food booths so it kills your motivation to get in line and actually order something.
What's with that Chinese band with the chick lead singer this past weekend? Are they some indie, no namers trying to make it big? I was glad that I wasn't the only Asian to say, "Man, that's an embarrassment to all of us Asians." I actually heard that from another crew walking besides us. WORD! That band could've at least sang something in EngRish. (-__-)
This swap meet, flea market, food fest, whatever you want to call it seems like it's one of the "happening" things to do in these neck of the woods. In my honest opinion, I think I rather stay home, drink some beers and pass out while watching World Wrestling Entertainment, the WWE.
Expect lots and lots of people. -
Review from Suie C.
8/20/2011
I was fairly disappointed when I came here as I had been looking forward to a night market experience outside of the ones in Taiwan.
It was a lot smaller than I expected and the food stands are basically 2 rows in the back corner.
Maybe I didn't go to the good food stands, but the food was really just mediocre, "fair food," and no where close to what they have in Taiwan.
Had shuai mai that was gummy and flavorless, the potato swirl was decent, but you can't really go wrong with fried potato. Also tried the stinky tofu which wasn't so stinky, but probably one of the better dishes of the night.
Price wise, some stands were way over priced. $8 for grilled squid? The flavor def did not match up to the price.
On the upside, they had these super spicy fish balls that were actually spicy and super tasty. My fav of the night.
However, the overall appeal of the night market disappeared after visiting. Once was enough. -
Review from Larry L.
8/21/2011 1 Check-in Here
Richmond night market for food is a 5 star win.
My favourite places are the Halal BBQ. A Chinese Muslim style food and it is terrific! If I can get there early, I always want to get an assortment of skewers from there. You can smell their spices grilling on the BBQ'd meats and squid from all the way down the end of the busy corridor.
Came here with the kids and they certainly enjoy coming here.
Especially for the bubble tea.
Along the way we got some trinkets of sorts to complete our little escapade.
So, why am I writing 5 stars for that night when I normally would write a 4?
It was the Hala BBQ and the Szechuan boiling fish and the corn and the Dimsum on a stick and the whole atmosphere during the early hours of the Night Market's opening.
And I seem to have found a new inspiriation. Come early, beat the lineups and get the food when it's hot and fresh! -
Review from Gregory C.
8/7/2011
A great idea in theory, but fails to live up to expectations.
No, I did not expect this night market to be anywhere close to Shih Lin Night Market in Taipei, but I did expect a little more given that it takes a bit of effort to get here without a car (Canada line, then bus, then a pilgrimage-like walk).
There were quite a few food stalls, which is the main reason for making the trek here, but the variety of selections and quality needs to step up to make this a truly cool experience.
As for the other non-food vendors. They all sell the same crap. How many Hello Kitty or silly Paul Frank monkey iPhone covers does one need? Not even one little cover with my likeness on it. Give me a break please.
Again, great concept for any city with a large Chinese population, but you have got to bring the quality to keep people coming. -
Review from Angela L.
6/18/2011
I had been waiting patiently to visit the Richmond Night Market for a few years. I was in no hurry, as crowds frighten me, but my curiosity and desire for good eats won out and I dropped in with a friend on a whim on a Friday night.
A couple of preliminary observations:
-Why would people bring babies and/or small dogs here?
-Is this a fashion show or a night market? Why are there so many people wearing fake eyelashes and leopard print platform heels? (As an aside, why do people ever wear fake eyelashes and leopard print platform heels?)
-How do people come to the decision that this is a good place to meet and mingle in large clusters?
Anyway, the rest of my experience here was pretty typical, i.e. haphazard and chaotic. I became more and more bewildered the later it got, as it kept filling up and I found myself shuffled along a human river with little say in the matter. I largely ignored the tents filled with cheap merchandise and focused on the food "aisle". I started with a Korean fish (shape, not flavour) waffle filled with red bean that brought on the warm fuzzies as childhood memories rushed back, followed by fish balls in "super spicy" sauce at Top Wok. My companion, a seasoned night market pro, had warned me that they didn't mess around with the spice - and she wasn't kidding. With steam coming out of my ears, I turned next towards a mango tapioca beverage to tame the fire, then grabbed a Chinese egg waffle thing for dessert.
Ultimately, my experiences with the food were generally positive (I admit, I was dazzled by the spiral potatoes) and would be willing to return to sample some more offerings. However, the layout is horrendous and not at all claustrophobe-friendly. In fact, while I entered the raffle to win a car and had a pretty good feeling about it, I left before they had the draw because I was so uncomfortable. So you're welcome to the person who won the BMW because I wasn't there to claim my prize. -
Review from Isabelle G.
Vancouver, BC
7/18/2011
This was my first time at the Richmond Night Market. I've been meaning to go for years, however, it was always out of the way and by the time I left work in the downtown core, it would be swarmed. I had a few hours to spare this weekend, therefore, checked it out.
It is very difficult to locate and GPS won't pick it up. It's very hidden and requires a not so obvious walk to the location.
Warning, it does get full pretty quickly and even though I lined up at 5:45 pm for a 6:30 pm doors open, the line up was really long. I still managed to get an hour out of it before the real rush came in. I think that my other saving grace was that there were light showers on and off which seems to detour most people.
As for the stalls, typical knock offs, cheap stuff, some cool stuff and of course booths filled with false eyelashes, playing on some of the Asian Girls insecurities as they love eyelashes. I am obsessed with false eyelashes, therefore, I was in heaven. I even found some knock off Mac cosmetics brand.
The food stalls looked great even though some things creeped me out a bit, I can understand why it would be appealing. It looked as though I was walking through the food aisles of the PNE with a little more cultural authenticity.
Sadly I made a few bad culinary choices. I went to Swarm Jam and picked up some coupons since I had no cash on me (it wasn't pay day) and I wanted to get twice as much for little so that I had left overs to share the next day. The first coupon was for the Georg's Filipino BBQ. The food was horrible. The chicken were low cut meats, mostly fat and their Chow Mein (they call it that even though it is not real Chow Mein) was gross. I got $15 worth of food for $7 and I had to throw 90% of it 'cause it was barely edible. Thankfully I was there early 'cause they didn't know how to handle the whole coupon thing and it took them 10 minutes per person just to find their coupon number in the binder full of confirmation numbers. The banana fritters were actually awesome and you get a decent size fritter for $1 each.
The second culinary mistake which seemed like a good idea at the time was Molly's mini donuts. I have a soft spot for donuts. They were 30 minutes late in their set up which annoyed me 'cause the quality of the donuts were compromised. The donuts were over fried resulting in almost hallow donuts. I had a Swarm Jam coupon for $10 worth of stuff for $5, however, it seemed a little bit of a scam 'cause each bag plain is $5 plus 50 cents per topping, therefore, you're only limited to two plain bags since some of the "gourmet" creations had 3 - 4 toppings each. It's a good hook to get you in through the door. I had the smores donuts which was nothing more than some marshmallows, cheap syrup and sprinkled with graham crackers.
By the time I left it got really crowded. I don't understand why people brought their dogs and children in strollers. The night market isn't the PNE for fuck's sake. -
Review from Alison S.
Updated - 7/14/2011
So much takoyaki this year! Go for the original with the wooden sign and the big red banner. My boyfriend and I tried a different one and while the people were nice, the takoyaki were a little too moist and doughy on the insides. Also avoid seafood (it was more full of shrimp than anything else) motoyaki. That stuff is hard to get right in a restaurant, let alone a food stall.
If you're looking to really punish your arteries, find the deep fried cheesecake and mars bars. Hello diabetes!
The night we were there, there was a karaoke or singing competition where this little boy really showed off his pipes.
Also, and this hopefully goes without saying, but while night market is great for socks, knick-knacks, and food (remember that they do have to pass health inspections at some point), it may not be the best place to buy something you have to stick into your body (i.e. contact lenses, vitamin supplements....if it's something that people usually have to ask your doctor about, you should probably buy it from a professional).Listed in: Vancouver Spots
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Review from Joshua N.
8/8/2011
I like it, but there's room to improve. It's a big space (10 acres, according to the website), but the layout is kind of awkward, with all the activity pushed to one side, so that walking around gets to be kind of an ordeal (especially in the food zone). I recommend going on a Sunday, since Fridays and Saturdays can get real crowded. Also, they might want to think about putting a quota on the number of stalls selling cell phone covers. It seems like that took up at least 40% of the booths.
And how about more carnival games?
I can't praise the food stalls enough, though. Do you like dim sum? Do you like bubble tea? Do you like takoyaki? Do you like fried cheesecake? Do you like mini donuts? There is something for everyone here. If I had an infinitely deep wallet and an equally expansive stomach, I would just get one of everything.
The guy with the awe-inspiring collection of Chinese martial arts movies was back this year, as was the guy with the t-shirts that light up when music is playing. I love the carnival/county fair feeling of the night market. We need more fun outdoor summer activities like this.
But seriously, how about a public transit option? Driving and parking out here is horrendous. I bet they could easily arrange a bus from Bridgeport skytrain station. I'd be willing to pay $5 for something like that, rather than having to drive, and I'm sure I'm not the only one. -
Review from Jessa A.
8/26/2011
OMG! I LOVE SIU MAI!
It was so salty and tasty!
I did not like the fish balls. I don't like spicy balls in my mouth at all!
Also, there are too many tall people here. I'm short and can't find my husband when I get lost.
The bathrooms were okay.
Spiral potatoes on a stick = overrated!
Will come again next year and get fatter! -
Review from Amy T.
8/28/2011
Still a great place to experience an Asian night market style atmosphere.
My husband and I decided to come walk around and we ended up eating dinner here. The grand total came to $21. I did find that the prices are a little higher than last year's, but nevertheless it was still a great deal.
We had chicken, pork and beef skewers, pad thai, onion rings and a heaping bowl of mango, strawberries and ice cream on shaved ice. Yes, not the healthiest dinners, but you only live once.
As for shopping, there isn't much to buy. Little knick knacks.. I guess it depends what you're looking for. The little boy got the best of him because he did end up buying a remote control toy helicopter. -
Review from Daisy L.
2/12/2012
My husband fell in love with their Mango Shave Ice. It was really good and had a unique flavor. A must try if you love mango. I couldn't get enough of the korean waffle. It was crispy on the outside and had a nice warm filling in the inside. This place gets really crowded and the lines are long, so if you do you want to give it a try come early.
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Review from Letie W.
7/7/2011
There's knick-knack shopping galore and overpriced food. Don't that let stop you from at least stopping by once, though. It does remind me a bit of the night markets in Asia, the only thing being that once you go down the 2 rows of food stands, that's it. Not to say there aren't a lot, there are!! But if you're looking for an extensive blocks and blocks of food stands, you won't find that here. There is, however, enough food to fill your tummy and more.
When I first arrived it was a bit early (which I highly recommend b/c the lines get pretty long for food as time passes), so I had to wait at the gates for about 1/2 hour. From the outside I was trying to see the night market. Just to let you know, it's actually BEHIND the warehouse so you really can't see it from the street. Good thing admission is free & good luck finding free parking. I drove past the night market (street curves to the right) and parked somewhere down the block (again, get there early). As you make your way down this long corridor to the back of the warehouse is where all the fun begins.
Honestly, I stayed for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours as it was way packed and even a herd of cattle could move faster in a mob like this. Bring cash only. Don't bring your dog (I saw tons of people bring their dogs!! And they just got trampled on!!). Don't bring your baby and stroller (I felt sorry for the women trying to push it through the mobs, they didn't seem to get anywhere). And seriously ladies, this is NOT a trendy club, it's a night market. Why are you decked out in cute outfits & high heels/platforms?? Don't wear them to a parking lot filled w/ food stands spewing out smoke from the charcoal!! Your feet will ache and your clothes will stink when you leave. Just my 2 cents.
Check out my food pics.
http://what2eatz.blogs...Listed in: Vancouver Eats!, Things To…
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Review from Fritz S.
6/2/2011
*sigh* Good ol' RNM!, The outdoor, Asian food extravaganza! The place where u can get bootleg cd's and dvd's (so get your copy of "Fast 5" quick before the cops shut it down) *jokes* ;)
Anyhoo! i love coming here for the food and the food only.. aww snap! Dim Sum, roasted corn, Octoballs, funnel cake, those spiral potato things, oh hell Chinese, Japanese, Filipino, Vietnamese, you name it. its all under one roof...urrhm....sky! The only crappy part is that it gets overly crowded and its hard to freakin move around the food area! oh ya and the crowd NEVER dies down! so use your elbow skills and fight your way through! you've been warned!..
They also sell a bunch of cheap clothing, electronics, stuff for your car, swords?(really)... cheap-ass stuff that would probably break as soon as you bring it home haha but that's the fun of it!
This place is a great way to start your weekend :)
Oh i almost forgot!.. If you stay untill the end, many of the food vendors will sell their food for half off to get rid of it!!!!! *BOOM* HANGOVER FOOD FOR THE NEXT DAY!!! your welcome!!!! ;)Listed in: Fast Food Joints
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Review from Kas D.
Vancouver, BC
7/22/2011
Meh....
I haven't gone in a few years and went this summer. I can't say I was very impressed. The products on sale were pretty lame for the most part. And the food? Pretty disappointing. The line-ups were loooong, and I was very disappointed with some of the super-greasy grub we got from the vendors (ie:// already deep-fried food that was re-deep-fried to warm it up - ew).
I'd still recommend checking it out to those looking for something different to do on a summer evening, however, it's just not as good as I remember it.
I'd probably give it "2.5 stars" -
Review from Kay N.
9/6/2011
Get ready for a whole lot of people in every turn.
I was looking forward to going to the night market after hearing all about it online. It is quite smaller than I expected BUT.. the food was good and I believe it was reasonably priced..
Most of the item stands were just a bunch of Asian knick knacks such as contact lenses, sunglasses, stuff animals, clothes, etc. I was able to get a cute (I was surprised) purse for 10 dollars.
Parking is 5 bucks and come early, as car lines start forming at 6 (Sunday night in September)
I saw everyone with those hurricane potato twisters on a stick and I just had to have it. It was quite good! I got it in Parmesan and garlic powder with ketchup. DELISH! It was 3 dollars for one stick and 5 for two.
I don't know how the grilled squid tastes like, but the fried squid with 7 spices OMG. I still crave for it. SOO GOOD. It was 7 dollars.
I will return.. and I must try the fried ice cream...and dim sum. -
Review from Janet B.
Vancouver, BC
8/22/2011
I've visited the market twice with my husband, five year old and my in-laws.We all enjoyed ourselves both times, filled up on great food and perused the many brightly coloured booths of random merchandise. As vegetarians we managed to find a surprising number of edibles: the spicy fried tofu with cabbage salad is super flavourful and addictive. The mini doughnuts were pretty great (how can you go wrong with mini doughnuts), onion rings with a choose-your-own flavour mayo sauce were yummy and my favourite was the mango/sago/coconut milk dessert-worth the $5 for sure.
The place gets incredibly crowded but if you go in expecting this it just adds to the fun atmosphere.
Since I haven't done all that much traveling I really can't compare this market to others in the world but it suits me fine. -
Review from M S.
Richmond, BC
8/23/2011
I've never been to Asia, but after visiting the Summer Night Market in Richmond I have. No plane ticket or passport required.
The deep fried swirled potatoes on a stick are so good. Oyster balls are also a must. The food should be cheaper but I guess they don't care because of the large crowds that keep coming. 1-2 hrs before close, prices start to fall so that's a plus.
http://vimeo.com/28040107
Here's a great HD video showcasing the Summer Night Market in Richmond! -
Review from Julia K.
7/9/2011
I LOVED this place!
Though it really reminds you of the street markets in Taiwan, oh wait - isn't that the point??! I really enjoyed how many food vendors there were, however, definitely could always have some more crowd control. But, you can't really complain when this place is really supposed to remind you what it's like to be back in Asia.
Tried the:
*fresh coconut water
*eggettes
*nutella cakes
*mango sago in coconut milk with grapefruit
My friend brought me here around 10pm, so we only had the desserts because we were so full from dinner already! Anyway, all the sweets we had were all pretty good, save the mango sago - I was a little disappointed in that only because there was way more coconut milk than any of the other ingredients in the bowl. I probably would have to say that the eggettes was my favorite - wasn't overly sweet and was a nice balance between being crispy and fluffy.
The night market not only has a lot of food vendors, but also a lot of those Asian tents that sell cell phone covers, electronics, movies/dramas, etc. It was cool just to look through all the items and see the variety.
Although I do have to say, they need to play better background music..... -
Review from Philip L.
6/7/2011
Shopping - Overcharged items. Mainly electronics and Iphone/Ipad accessories.
Food - Extensive range: from Korean twister potato thingy on a stick to Chinese Dragon's beard candy.
Accessibility - Reminded me of walking to a Rave(You know, that long walk to the front entrance).
Parking - $5 CAD to park at Home Depot lot.
Last 2 stars - I would not drive from Seattle to Vancouver, just to visit this out-door event. -
Review from Joseph H.
Richmond, BC
5/21/2011
The Richmond night market aka Summer night Market is back. Its better than last year imho. More stalls, more food, more people. Parking is horrendous as ever. They really need a proper parking structure near the night market or some kind of transit service.
Its kinda expensive, those $5 dishes add up pretty quick. But its fun to go mingle with crowds and crowds of people, smell the bbq, and look at little trinkets and stuff.
New this year, I think, is the deep fried cheesecake bus. Looks really good. They were a little bit slow in serving the line so I didn't bother.
The night market is becoming the go-to date place for asian couples.
Its amazing how people go nuts for that potato spiral thing. And also $3 for a roasted corn on the cob. I guess its a bargain compared to the PNE.
It felt nice and secure having a pair of RCMP officers specially detailed to monitor the night market.
I'm shocked that I haven't gotten sick from the food. The stalls were cooking stuff in a rice pot on the ground sometimes cuz there's not enough space anywhere. I guess that's how you get the real street food taste.
Eat your heart out, non city dwellers. -
Review from Joy H.
6/4/2011
I miss the good ol' Taiwanese night markets and this is the closest thing I can find outside of Taiwan. It's fairly decent sized and has lots of booths selling typical "Asian" fare - including a stuffed animal bouquet (super cute), tons of clothes and jewelry, cell phone accessories, and of course food! It usually will provide 1-2 hours of fun!
It's really nice to walk around, shop, and snack on a nice summer evening. Sometimes they even have shows on stage! There's a lot that you can park at for $5 or you can find street parking further away! -
Review from samuel a.
Vancouver, BC
11/11/2010 1 Check-in Here
I do love the Night Market - because of the variety of things - although some of it gets to be the same crap, different pile thing.
I love to eat and the main food row is pretty awesome. Lots of tasty things to be had on both sides - with my personal favourite - takoyaki. The one thing that really puts me off are all the bubble tea stands that cheap out with powder. Powder everywhere you go. Powder, Powder, Powder! Yuck. -
Review from Jennifer L.
Calgary, AB
8/16/2011
*sigh*
We visited from Calgary and went on a Saturday night after the Abbottsford airshow. It was around 9PM. We expected to pay $5 for parking, which we did...after it took about 15 minutes to get into the parking lot. We luckily found a good spot, not a far walk..nice and close. Of course it was crowded. Not surprised. We had to make a plan..where to start, where to end. *ELBOWS UP!!* In we headed....push push shove shove as we looked at the booths....junk junk junk. There really was all junk, a ton of cell phone accessories, clothes, purses, hair clips, knives, necklaces, braclets, etc...of course there was food! We squished through to get some bubbletea, which there were a ton of places for it. I also tried the 6 color drink from a booth, which was ehhh. I was pretty excited to try the drink but it wasn't as great as I expected it to be, I literally choked on a bean and threw the drink out. Waste of $5.
We wandered around for some yummy food and ended up going with some Dim sum which was ok. Spence had some chocolate dipped strawberries from a Taste of Italy. Which were quite good. And of course I had to try the hurricane potatoes. There was a HUGE line for it, and when I stood in line, ordered my 1 hurricane potatoe stick she gave me a number and told me to stand in ANOTHER line to pick up my order. -_- Spence was already frustrated with the smell of the people ahead of us and just people in general AND we had to wait.. He was pretty impatient because it was a change in pace from fast weaving through people to people weaving through us because we're just standing there. Anyways, I must say...the hurricane potatoes were pretty damn good! I got the salt and ketchup one...yummy in my tummy. And pretty much that was the end of that because we headed back to the car to our hotel.
From all the reviews, I really expected more at the night market. I left the market with less money (only bought food), and my ears ringing from the terrible karoke they had going on.
Will I visit again? Probably not. -
Review from Mr. Met s.
9/10/2010 2 photos
-Really just a 3 star review, but these large night markets are huge rarity in North America and certainly deserves that extra star for the experience.
-Why 3 star? Generally speaking the food is very very expensive and most are very mediocre. Some mediocre ones include Sumoburgers(just sticky rice with meat in it), most of the dim sum, and the meat on the sticks. Potatoes on the stick(few flavors)were a treat, but most of the drinks there were overpriced and not good.(Bubble tea, fruit drinks)
-PLEASE don't eat next to the stall. You are blocking the people from buying food.
-Many stalls have Order Here Line and a Pick Up Line, please take note.
-It is best to gather your food and eat at the sidelines(exception being the middle row of stalls that face each other). There are only limited amount of table seats. (like 50 max)
-There are about 20 tables(about 75 seats)in front of the main stage, but by 8pm good luck eating there. The main stage will start having shows, and people will use the tables/seats and stand on it to watch.
-The food section is packed when open 7pm to 10pm. By 8pm, it is nearly unmovable getting to the stalls.(especially where the middle row stalls face each other) You'll have some breathing room at the merchandise section and the fewer but isolated food stalls.
-Please don't come here expecting beautiful LV bags or merchandise. And then whine about it on Yelp.
-Bring cash(since no credit accepted), because there's only ONE ATM machine, and usually there's a line.....
-If you driving, good luck parking closest to the Night market.(entrance only at River Rd) Expect to wait for 30minutes during 7pm-9pm. Street free parking(closest being Vulcan Way) is very very limited and there's lots of traffic on Vulcan Way. You can not park on Sweden Way as it's more of a fast moving road. Several stores like Home Depot, Sears, etc. now loan their parking lots for the same price $5. For full list of parking lots, check my map on yelp(taken off website).
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-I'm posting some Public Transportation info because there's barely any on the web or here.
1)It is very safe(even at night time) to take public transportation to the Summer Night Market. Coming from the west, I took the bus(405?)at Bridgeport Skytrain. (check http://translink.ca) Remember the last bus leaving there is like 12:30am - DON'T STAY pass that. Have a Cab service phone number as Backup!
2)It's a LONNNNNG walk from the bus to the night market. About a 15 min to 20 minute walk. I have a map posted on this yelp that shows the east/west bound bus stops. But a decent amount of people do take the public transportation, so you won't be alone.
*When I took it toward the night market around 7 something at Bridgeport Skytrain(the bus was full, but not packed, I stood). When I returned around 10 something, just the same.
3)When heading north toward the night market on Sweden Way, stay on the RIGHT side of the road as it has a sidewalk as the left side has lots of moving traffic. When returning, make sure you walk back on the sidewalk again.
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Some other info:
Starting this year it's called Summer Night Market, as the previous 'owner' of Richmond Night market was not able to settle a deal. So for now, this night market is referred to as Summer Night Market
BATHROOMS are HORRENDOUS! For women it's those construction portable potties with NO LIGHT. So prepare to poop/pee in the dark. And for added humiliation - there are long long lines.
For men, they seemingly have it better, as they get to use a modified construction office booth. Could just be Urinals.......(I didn't use the bathroom, I saved it for the hotel)
SO TAKE CARE OF YOUR NEEDS BEFORE COMING! -
Review from jason g.
8/2/2010
This is how you run a Chinese night market. This is the closest thing to a Hong Kong/China night market.
Open for only a few months out of the year in the summer, there are full of people, full of food vendors, and people excited about going to a night market. Food, CD/VCD vendors/ game section, performing arts.........you name it, they kinda have it all.
I love the variety of foods that they have to offer. Onion blossom, which is a whole onion bulb, sliced, and the deep fried whole with 3 different sauces. It was just great to see different street vendors with more and more creative foods.
A must when in Vancouver. -
Review from Marti L.
7/7/2010 6 photos
One thing I really loved during my Asia trips was going to the night markets. When darkness sets in, everything comes to life. These markets always bustled with people and vendors. Loved them!
When my friend told me about the Richmond summer night market, of course I made it part of the itinerary! Parking was not bad. We parked in a nearby plaza for $4. But finding the market was tricky. You can't see it on Vulcan Way. We asked for directions and followed a crowd through a pitch dark path. Maybe about 5 minutes later, we saw the glowing lights of the market.
Oh what a well-organized place! Performance stage in front. Merchants on one side. Food vendors on the other. We headed straight for the food. So many booths! So many options! Luckily most items were snack size, so we did end up trying many things. But there were so many more we didn't! =(
After getting our tummies filled, we browsed through the merchant booths. Like others have said, many of the vendors sold random and cheap quality items. But still it was fun to see. You never know what you may find.
Obviously this market doesn't compare to those in Asia, but definitely still a spot to check out if you're ever in town during the summer. -
Review from Ed U.
7/13/2010 16 photos
I can't resist a good night market. I'm not that big a globetrotting trinket collector, but I have actually been to the classic ones in Thailand in Chiang Mai and Bangkok. Awesome places. I just never expected to find one on the same scale on this side of the ocean in Vancouver. Sure enough, there is one, and it's massive. Located in suburban Richmond behind a huge warehouse, it apparently attracts upwards of 30,000 people each night. Finding it is quite a GPS challenge, and once you do, parking (at least avoiding the pay lots) requires a brisk half-mile hike if you come later.
The exercise is good for you as you follow the rest of the lemmings into the market. Once there, you immediately move into sensory overload with people traversing in all directions between the various flea market-like kiosks. Cheap socks. Bras. Electronics. Bric-a-brac. You name it. It's here. Somewhere. It's a jumble, and I suppose if you are a regular, you can make sense of the layout. Cash only. Otherwise good luck. Luckily all the food is one section, or maybe unluckily since that's where all the madhouse congestion is with everyone queueing up for just about anything you could possibly want to eat at an Asian bazaar.
Yakitori. Bubble tea. Curry fish balls. Grilled octopus. Crepes. Even someone who takes a package of instant ramen and cooks it for you. You name it. It's here. Of course, good luck finding a place to sit down and eat. But that's the beauty of a night market, isn't it? Mobile digestion. Well, you can park yourself in front of a music performer in the central area. This evening was a showcase of Peruvian zamponas. Talk about melting pot. So don't plan. Just come and allow yourself to get immersed for a couple of hours. It's a Lonely Planet journey without the exorbitant price of travel.Listed in: Vancouver, Victoria, Veni,…
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Review from Cindy D.
8/15/2011 2 photos
This place is a must GO to for the summer! They open during the weekends from 6 to midnight, i believe. I went there for the first time and I loved it!!! They see food at the stands. Prices are not bad, ranges from $3 to $6. The best thing I ever tried was Hurricane Potato, whoever created this is a genius. I tried other crazy things out there too, I will update more when I figured out the names. Wish I could go back there again...make sure to bring Canadian money!
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Review from Kymberli C.
Oh good lord. I was excited to come here after reading all the reviews and hearing it was wonderful but as soon as we stepped into the place, I was totally over it. I couldn't even walk because it was so crowded. The lines for food were crazy if you could even get through to the lines because people would just stop and eat their food in the middle of no where and you can not pass them. Parking is also bad, you choose a person/lot of a shopping center and pay them anywhere from 5-10 bucks, every lot is different. The traffic to get to the lots is also bad with crossing guards leading the way and herds of people trying to cross the street.
Listed in: Vancouver in 1.5 days...
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Review from Samnang B.
8/15/2011
I love it! This place was actually fun! Their potato on the stick was BOMB! If you decide to try some, go to the Hurricane Potato Booth! They have a variety of seasonings where you can choose at least two flavors to season your potato! I also love the shaved ice with real fruits. Very different and yummy! The tripes weren't that great. Most popular thing there, were the BBQ squids. That was also great! Their corn was awesome too! They have so many different seasonings, you can put. All in all, the place is awesome! If I could go back, I would! Next time, I'll just have to bring extra cash!
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Review from Shirley H.
4/5/2011
The first time i came here i absolutely loved this place! i couldn't wait to come back to Vancouver to visit the night markets! there were so many things and trinkets and so many food vendors! it was such a lively place to be and the crowd was so much fun.
The second time i came back which was about a year ago i wasn't as impressed. it seemed like the market was lacking in ambiance and the colorful vibe was no longer there. i mean they had a ton of great trinkets and stuff but i wasn't interested. the variety in food was cool, but the quality isn't all that great. However, if you like the squid, you gotta try it! it was the only thing that was yummy! Parking is horrible, i suggest parking elsewhere and walking to the night market. not worth $10-20 bucks for parking when you're probably gonna stay there for 2 hours tops! -
Review from Rebecca S.
6/27/2010 1 photo
This was everything about the county fair that I hate: fake designer crap for sale, free crappy stuff shoved in your face, cheesy performers, and crowds.
There was a lot of yummy looking street food though - lots and lots of dim sum! Unfortunately, the crowds kept me far away from it all. I don't even think it's fair to say they were crowds, I think it was more like a mob. ugh.Listed in: Vancouver, BC
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Review from Lee N.
Vancouver, BC
8/25/2011
It worth the trip out across the bridge to eat here, lots of choice. And get your iPhone hacked while you eat Korean BBQ squid legs, yum yum. I alway pay park away from the market parking lots so I can get out when I want to.
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Review from Renee C.
7/21/2009 ROTD 7/23/2009
Me likey. Me likey *every* time I go. That means it is a winner. Richmond Summer Night Market, you win.
Love it:
Rice rolls with an amalgamation of various sauces, the most important being a creamy peanut sauce. Actually, I think this dish may have played an important role in my dream last night.
Love it:
Mini Donuts. I don't care if they are as good as the "Those Little Mini Donuts". ALL mini donuts are good. Full stop.
Love it:
Osaka balls. Watch them make them... a lot of effort goes into making one of those little guys. And then eat them. Especially the corn ones.
Love it:
The general ambiance - it's just fun going here. I love that it is outdoors in the fresh night air. It actually does bring me back to night markets in Asia (a little bit).
Love it:
Those little bobble head figures people often put on their dashboard. They really do make you happy. Especially the heads that bob side-to-side rather than up and down. Yes, I really do notice these types of things.
Don't love it so much:
Parking. Ick.
Also not so much of the loving:
The chow mein noodles at almost any stall.
And finally, no likey:
Deep fried Oreo cookies. 'A' for originality but not worth the calories.
I am happy that there is this market to go to as an alternative for a Friday night.
