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The Eatery
Categories: Restaurants Japanese Restaurants Sushi Bars Restaurants Asian Fusion Japanese, Sushi Bars, Asian Fusion [Edit]
3431 W BroadwayVancouver, BC V6R 2B4
Neighbourhood: Kitsilano
(604) 738-5298
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 4:30 pm - 11:30 pm
Fri 3:30 pm - 12 am
Sat 12:30 pm - 12 am
Sun 12:30 pm - 11 pm
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Very Loud
- Ambience:
- Trendy
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
147 reviews for The Eatery
Review Highlights
"And for dessert, definitely try the deep fried Mars bar."
(in 11 reviews)
"Instead, let Astro Boy guide you toward fun sushi silliness."
(in 11 reviews)
"My favourite is Captain crunch."
(in 13 reviews)
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147 reviews in English
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Review from Tiffany K.
12/30/2011
As if yet another Yelp review needs to be written for this spot, but hey, here are my two cents. I was skeptical at first upon reading the recent reviews -- and honestly with a name like "The Eatery" how could one acquire decent sushi here?
If you are looking for a quiet, tatami mat-lined dining room for a demure dining experience, do not come here. Imagine if the hanging exhibits from your local aquarium, a disco dance floor and Atom Boy had a love child: Voila the ambiance for The Eatery. Not only that, but when I went they were playing 80s New Wave music. Sad to say, not only did I know all the bands, the lyrics and the names of the albums, I practically owned them all too.
Arriving at 6:00ish, there was no wait for a table on a Wednesday evening. The specials that night included $4.75 pints or "sleeves" featuring local brews. I'm not a huge fan of Canadian micro brews, but beer goes well with sushi.
It is rare to find scallops on a nigiri menu, but there they were at $1.55 apiece. So we ordered a few of those. They came not whole, but sliced up. I have had better, however it was a treat to find these! The Volcano roll (about $7) came with a huge mound of crabmeat on top. Contents-wise, I couldn't detect much flavor, you had to eat both together, if that makes sense.
Husband got the salmon and tuna platter. Really good fish. It could have been the lighting, but I could have sworn that salmon was wild and not farmed. Lots of flavor!
They also feature $.35 chicken wings on Wednesday nights. What a bargain!
I would have been tempted to buy a T-shirt from this place for fun, but didn't think it would set a good example for my daughter to see me wearing a T-shirt declaring "Miso Horny" with an image of Hello Kitty in KISS makeup. -
Review from Victoria J.
Vancouver, BC
1/13/2012
I went here for a birthday dinner with my family. We had never been here before, we had just stumbled upon it when we googled Japanese restaurants in Vancouver.
The place is definitely for young people. While the place looks really cool with the pop art on the walls and things hanging from the ceiling, it was ridiculously loud.You won't be able to have a conversation here unless you want to scream over the loud music the whole time you're there.
The food at The Eatery was okay. There's a long list of very funky, out-of-the-box sushi rolls on the menu that won't be found anywhere else, but I just kept it simple. The rice was bland in my sushi roles, but otherwise everything else I ordered was fine. My other family members weren't happy with their food, though. They thought that their orders had no taste.
I wasn't too fond of the service. We were served by young waitresses that took forever to take our orders or took long to bring us something else if we asked for it.
I don't think I'll be back. -
Review from Joshua N.
12/16/2011
Overrated. You're going to wait a very long time for a table, you're going to wait a very long time for your food, the food isn't going to be that good, and it's going to be 20% more expensive than better sushi at just about any other place in town.
I mean, really. A novelty sushi restaurant in Vancouver. Yeah, some of the art hanging from the ceiling is pretty cool, but the retro-hipster motif gets old. A lot of people really like it here, and it gets pretty packed most nights. I'll admit that I met the owner and a lot of the staff at their New Year's party last year and they were very nice people. But that doesn't make up for a mediocre product at inflated prices. -
Review from Jenna B.
Coquitlam, BC
2/8/2012
Average sushi, average food. This place honestly could be the coolest restaurant in town if the quality of the food matched its decor. The eatery has a HUGE selection of rolls,drinks and dishes. However more doesn't mean better. Walking in the eatery is cool its filled with artwork, sculptures, toys and lit by candles. The decor has a great mood to it. Too bad the food, and service is the issue. The menu is so huge I feel like the restaurant is unable to concentrate on making the dishes good. There is no quality control with such a huge menu. The cooks need to know how to make many things but not neccesarily make them well. The restaurant being so popular due to its decor has very very very slow service even during non rush hours. If you are hungry coming here might not be your best bet. The service here is non existant. Want water? Be prepared to wait 20 minutes. To be honest I feel this place is expensive. I never leave feeling full and my wallet feels unhappy. I've come here many times with friends and my experience is always mediocre at best. I've received curry that was tasteless. It had no flavour even though I asked for some spice. Once again no quality control. I'm not going to say don't come here. I think this is a place to experienced atleast once for the decor with some friends. Not someplace I return by choice unless its a friends birthday party or get together. Lots of potential at the eatery too bad the food leaves no impression.
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Review from Sam A.
Vancouver, BC
1/17/2012
Hands down my favourite restaurant in Vancouver. The vibe is amazing, the staff have awesome attitudes, the sushi is delicious, the DJs are great and the prices are absolutely reasonable. I've taken numerous friends for their first times and have yet to encounter someone not love it and want to go back asap.
Yup, it's noisy, but you can hear the noise from outside so you forfeit all right to complain about not hearing your dinner date the second you walk through the door. It's kind of a love-it-or-hate it place, and if you're not OK with loud music, non-traditional sushi or bumping elbows with the person at the table next to you, this isn't the place for you.
As for anyone complaining about the long wait time, MAKE RESERVATIONS! It's not that difficult!
For the newcomer, try the Volcano, Fat Elvis, any of the saketinis, and of course a Mars Attacks for dessert! -
Review from Roni L.
Vancouver, BC
12/5/2011 1 Check-in Here
The Eatery had a long time reputation for food experiemental Japanese food. I've been there a few times in the past and went again with a group on Tuesday. The group was adventurous and we tried A LOT of rolls, I'm talking about three party trays worth.
In the end? Meh, not one single item tasted extraordinary, despite the attempts to make it sound good in the menu.
This could be because 1) there are too many better sushi restaurants in the city and I'm spoiled or 2) they rushed the rolls as it was a busy evening.
You can definitely taste that the rolls weren't make with care and it just wasn't very tasty at all.
The room is nice to look at though. -
Review from Guy W.
Vancouver, BC
9/27/2011
OK so I went here last night, last time was over a year ago, maybe 3-4 times in my life.
I have to comment because this is getting ridiculous.
I went alone, was promptly seated and watered.
Water had no ice, was served in a plastic cup, and had something floating in it.
I didn`t touch it, eventually wax dripped into it from the candle.
Music was WAY too loud.
Nothing on the TV`s.
WAY too dark. This was probably to hide the disgusting messes on the floor beside the kitchen counter, and the number of fruit flies in the men`s washroom was at least 15. I was afraid to touch anything. And luckily the slow trickle of water was hot because if I could not properly wash my hands I would`ve been out of there.
The server took a bit long to come to me as there was a large group. In this time, I saw another girl take a gross dirty mop and clean a broken glass she spilled. This should not be done during eating hours, TOTAL GROSS OUT. Just sweep it up and mop up the wet with a damp cloth and clean the floor later. I don`t want the same mop bucket you use to clean the washrooms splashing up on me as you bump by me (oh yeah, so dark in there that another server bumped into a woman`s baby carrier (if you can call such hipster douchebags who lean on the people`s tables, and take your order with a hand on their hip, and all wear hippy large toques to cover the flies in their nappy hair after not washing for a week, servers)).
I had the bob marley roll which was alright, had some mango in it. I am just glad it was so dark I would not have seen a hair in it.
My main meal was the mabu tofu. I thought, interesting take on this staple my mom makes (she is caucasian), in that they use a mix of meats, chicken, beef, pork, prawns and tofu....oh wait no prawns and the tofu was cold to lukewarm. Also they put veggies in it. Red peppers and green, a few button mushrooms, onions, cut into large squares? Wait a minute this is not Japanese style (julienned anyone?) but chinese mall food...the sauce did not taste like I know it should and even the rice, THE POOR RICE, was recycled and clumpy.
I was served a salad before that rigmaroll, but the creamy dressing was not Japanese and never was, and the iceberg lettuce was lukewarm and limp. I sent it back, the server was kind enough not to charge me, I ordered a goma ae instead. Again, steamed spinach on limp warm ICEBERG lettuce (why!) with the most disgusting peanutty paste, not drizzled, but dollopped on top. No sesame seeds to be found. I forced myself to have 1-2 bites.
I feel sorry for the UBC students who may be forced to eat here, it is not even that good of a deal. I paid $29 including a 15% tip. Obscene. I think I got about $3 worth of food and $2 pint. 600% markup. Absolutely diabolical.
The beer was probably the only thing worthy on the menu.
Please I beg you don`t ever go there. It is a travesty to call this place a sushi bar. -
Review from Monique B.
Port Moody, BC
11/9/2011 1 Check-in Here
Wanna eat some whacky sushi while staring at myriad strange collectibles and listening to live DJs? The Eatery is the place for that! Need somewhere funky to take out of town guests or a fun place to go with a few friends before a night out? The Eatery can help you out there too. Looking for a new and totally different cocktail? Guess what - The Eatery is your go-to spot.
I can't think of anything I don't like on the menu here, but I especially love the curried veggie crockets and you can't go wrong with the Miss Piggy Roll - it's got bacon & is my BFs favourite. He would probably also recommend that you order the deep fried Mars bar.
Just go - you won't regret it! -
Review from Carmen C.
Vancouver, BC
12/12/2011
Let's say someone who's never been to Vancouver, comes to visit you. They're hungry and they want to go somewhere that's very local and 'Truly Vancouver'. Where do you take them?
The Eatery.
It's fun, loud, eccentric, and deeeelicious! It's not the cheapest sushi you'll find in the city, but it's one of the best.The atmosphere is fun, hip and cheeky. Great tunes, weird-in-the-dark creatures hanging from the ceiling, and 'naughty' pictures by the loo. There are tons of amazing and creative sushi rolls to enjoy (the Captain Crunch roll, Miss Piggy roll and Bob Marley roll are just a few favourites!).
Make sure you save room for dessert. I have 4 words for you: Deep Fried Mars Bar.
Divine!!!
Also, when you're heading out the door, make sure you have some change that you can put in the jar on the hostess' stand so you can take home a few 'miso horny' OR astro boy magnets or buttons.
Overall, an awesome place ;D -
Review from Daisy C.
Vancouver, BC
10/31/2011
The thing is, it's not a legitimate Japanese sushi restaurant... and if it is, then they did a terrible job of making good Japanese food or even showing what Japanese culture is all about. I believe they were trying to go for more laughs and a type of environment for people who just wanted a night out to party with their friends. The room is loud, stuffy, and dark-- not exactly ideal for people who just want to sit down and talk over dinner though if you think you're up for screaming over melted candles stuck in beer bottles, this is the place for you.
I ordered the chicken katsu curry-- spice level 8/10 but it still had pretty much no spice to it at all (typical of westernized "Asian" restaurants). The strawberry sake margarita wasn't anything special either, though it was on the specials menu for $6.50 which was the only reason I even ordered it.
Sorry. This place didn't exactly make miso horny. -
Review from Miss T.
Surrey, BC
12/23/2011 1 Check-in Here
Spicy tuna roll was most memorable. Agedeshi tofu and yam roll was good. Love the atmosphere! service was excellent. A bit pricey and a bit too dark to read the menu.
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Review from Mike G.
Vancouver, BC
11/26/2011 1 Check-in Here
Pretty good interesting Sushi at the place. Quite pricey! but I did greatly enjoy my deep fried california roll.
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Review from Niko D.
Vancouver, BC
Updated - 10/6/2011
I can't but write About this lovely establishment again!
The service,ambiance, food and value is all there.
You MUST order the katsu curry. Amaaaaaaaaaaazzzziiinnnnnng! The crunch and saucy exterior is just so good! Combined with the juicy interior and robust flavors...man I love this dish!
Agedashi tofu is always a good choice. Just the right size and texture, sauce is superb!
Rolls...where do I begin. All good!
Make sure you order some Sake to go with the meal.
For 2 people your looking at 50 with a bottle of sake. Good value all round,
Make sure you check it out late night fri and sat for the live DJ and Japanese anime.
Wicked eats!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/8/2011
If you want some really funky, unique and cool sushi with some appies...HERE is your place.
There… Read more »
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Review from Susan L.
7/29/2011 4 photos
I'm a fan! Best thing about this place - atmosphere. No wait, the service. I like the funky sushi too. Okay now I can't decide. But this place is for sure a solid 4 stars. Here's why.
I came here for a birthday dinner a couple days ago. Weekday evening and it was really crowded, which is rare in Vancouver I should think. We were stuck in traffic and arrived half an hour later than our reservation, but they still kindly held our table. Yay! Got seated in a nice circular booth, and servers were really friendly. I began perusing the menu - sooooo many options.
I eventually settled on the Volcano and the Captain Crunch (both of which are rolls). Yeah this place isn't really your authentic Japanese cuisine or anything; ordering is quite an amusing experience. They have sushi that contains bacon... The Volcano was this salmon and avocado combination, with this bed of spicy crab meat overwhelming the plate of sushi. Captain Crunch was this deep fried California roll. Yes I know, it sounds, looks (refer to photos) and is very delicious. Sizable portions too - I was extremely stuffed.
Drinks were unique too! Debated on trying something funky but we ended up getting a pitcher of the honey lager which was delicious on its own and went very well with the sushi. It was a pretty intense meal come to think of it. SO GO ONLY IF HUNGRY.
They also played upbeat, loud music, which I loved! Dinner was just a really fun, relaxing but lively experience. We also got fried Mars bars for the birthday girl for free thanks to our awesome waitress, along with a birthday present from the restaurant (a pair of underpants lol). So yes...interesting place. Definitely worth a try. -
Review from Veronica D.
Vancouver, BC
8/24/2011
Went here for a vegan meetup. We had a good chunk of the place but only 1 waitress for over 30 of us.
We were told they had vegan friendly sushi, but almost everything has mayo, cream cheese or tempura (with egg) in it. So my husband and I ordered about 5 large sushi rolls and they basically all came out the same.
The grossest one by fat was the yam rolls. Ok so they didn't tell us "better not get it, it needs tempura" so we got half raw PLAIN yam rolled up into a sushi roll. Come on. Who in their right mind thinks half cooked yam is good? I was really shocked.
We ordered a good 30 minutes before everyone else settled in and it still took forever. Some people had to wait over an hour for food. This was a week night so it was really surprising.
I have never been so unsatisfied and grossed out by veggie sushi. Normally we love it, but everything tasted the same, could only get cucumber, avocado, yam and pickled radish in the rolls. When you modify everything from vegetarian to vegan the taste is totally gone. They rely too much on mayo and cream cheese to be interesting.
If you're into fish and mayo sushi, you might really enjoy the place. But I'll stick to The Sushi Bar for my veggie sushi fix thanks. -
Review from Ben Y.
4/16/2011
Like eating "sushi" in a nasty dorm room. Absolutely filthy place! Plates were dirty, floor was like movie theater, and tables were sticky.
I've had sushi all over and this is the worst. Watery and flavorless. The rice wasn't cooked right, rolls weren't rolled tightly enough, ingredients weren't fresh, fish was mushy.
They seemed to taught the strange combinations...yea kinda strange but only if the combinations actually tasted good. Beer selection sucked. Candles are precariously placed in old beer bottles on the table so they frequently fall over... that mixed with the waitress spilling alcohol all over the table seemed like a dangerous combo. The patrons next to us knocked theirs over - almost burned the place down..hmm maybe not a bad thing. -
Review from Markus J.
Vancouver, BC
4/20/2011
OMG has this place ever degraded!
Just went back after not having gone in about a year. The portions are about half the size and the rolls are all falling apart -- they look like they've been put together by a blind 6-year old.
Get your act together or risk going out of business. Vancouver foodies are fickle as shit and unforgiving. I will never be back.
(1-star because the server was decent.) -
Review from Jeff F.
Vancouver, BC
9/14/2011
How is this place still in business, and why are you people still going here!!!!! Just down the street either direction are a few other sushi places that HAVE To be better than this place.
I've been 3 times.... and every time the service is rotten, and the food is average to below average. The last two times were because it was for someone's party, and I just didn't have the heart to tell them I couldn't go because the restaurant they picked was vile... *sigh*.
The second last time should have been the last time... big group... maybe about 12 or so people... took a while for things to get settled down, and get orders in... that seemed to go well, but when it came time to get the food out... it took a while (wasn't super busy in the place either), but the fiance's food didn't come out with the rest of it. We asked the server... she said she'd look into it... nothing.... nothing... soon, everyone was finished, and STILL nothing from the kitchen for her... finally after everything was cleared off, and away, her order came out. Wow.... why bother at that point... she'd snacked off of a few people's plates, and at that time was so thoroughly disgusted by the wait she didn't even want to eat it (she had a bit... and that was pretty disappointing too).
Please... please please stop going here people... then it will either have to get better, or close (either being a good option). -
Review from Masil M.
12/23/2011
The Eatery is one of my favorite places in Vancouver. It is a Vancouver must for me. The menu is HUGE. Tons of sushi rolls for every level of sushi eating. I myself am a sushi neophyte and tend to go for the fancy or vegetable rolls and there are so many to choose from and there hasn't been one that I haven't liked. My sushi loving friends go for the nigiri and "real" sushi and they say those are quite good as well. I came with a coworker who lives in Colorado and he said that he wouldn't be able to enjoy his local sushi place after eating here because of how fresh and tasty his sushi was. The service has been good every time I've gone, and it was particularly good this last time. Our server gave us complimentary beers for taking too long and frankly, we hadn't noticed a delay especially considering that it was pretty busy. Score another one for The Eatery! I don't know how it compares to other places in Vancouver, but I think the prices for rolls here are so good, especially compared to comparable places in Seattle where they're twice as much. Three of us ate a LOT of rolls and several drinks and I thought the price was totally reasonable. As many people have mentioned, it is pretty loud in here so if you're looking for meditative silence, not really the place. But if you want a fun, cool, and tasty place to eat...this is a great choice.
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Review from Janaia R.
7/8/2011
LOVE this place! Now that I have moved to the US, I miss it even more.
Food: THIS is the place that made me fall in love with sushi! They have some pretty hilarious sushi names. Their philadelphia roll and roll du soleil roll are my favourites! I also liked the captn crunch roll and their teriyaki chicken with rice and steamed veggies. If you haven't ever had a deep fried mars bar, you must try it! It's very rich, so it's best to share it...I think 4 of us shared it!
Ambiance: It's unique, eclectic, and funky. Whatever goes in this restaurant whether it be candle sticks in rootbeer bottles for centerpieces, paper mache hanging from the ceiling or underwear pinned on the wall saying "miso horny". It's very casual, come as you are. Definitely a college crowd.
Price: I've heard their prices are slightly more expensive than other sushi places, but I've still found them to be very cheap. Perhaps you pay for the experience, it's well worth it.
TIP: If you're coming here for dinner, come around 5:00pm or be prepared to wait. Even on a Wednesday, this place has a line out the door! -
Review from Kane S.
Vancouver, BC
12/19/2011 2 Check-ins Here
always good service & great food, thanks! love the Miso Horny t-shirts!
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Review from Allan-ester D.
Vancouver, BC
12/19/2011
interesting decor...really good food...very good service...reasonable prices...it was a very good experience at The Eatery....i will definitely be going back
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Review from Natalie P.
12/28/2010
Love! Probably my favorite sushi joint because of the (nearly) countless vegetarian items! Been coming here for years, no longer will vegetarians be relegated to kappa maki and vegetable roll.
My favorites are the Buddha roll, mango paradise roll, fat Elvis, and of course the deep fried mars bar which is absolutely to die for, not to mention a fat kid's dream!
Service can be pretty hit or miss, but it's usually fairly good. It's definitely a trendy, kitschy place, so be prepared for a wait on weekends, as it's usually packed.
I would recommend going with a group of 4-6, order lots of different rolls, and share away! I believe they take reservations, though I'm not totally sure. -
Review from Yumi K.
Richmond, BC
5/11/2011 9 photos
Okay, I have to admit... their portion size are generous :-)
but... maybe its because one of my friends are keep saying how GOOOD and FAMOUS the rolls are.. at the Eatery, I actually expected better rolls from The Eatery.
Its loud, dark... hard to hear my friends!!
but overall, it was OK.... not as good as my friend (who recommended this place) said. -
Review from Dru C.
1/31/2011
Overpriced with half par creative sushi. Me and my group of friends have tried 3/4 of the list of the inventive sushi rolls on the list they have to offer. Most of them are California rolls (imitation crab meat drenched in Japanese Mayo) with different style toppings. I really had to ask for more wasbi and use a lot of soy sauce just to get a good flavour. I really didn't like most of their inventive rolls. It was very half par, and I could have gotten better results from going to another sushi bar that gave me junk food sushi.
Their cooked food was actually decent which is surprising, but still very over priced for food. I could get cheaper food for a better quality. Sigh.
The service here was really atrocious. I went on a late Sunday, and the waitress most of the ignored us, or was not anywhere to be seen (with that terrible lighting). The place was not that packed either, it really disappointed me.
Their drinks are very well done, which I can only give them points, and their atmosphere was amazing. I do enjoy the decorations and the Andy Warhole reference everywhere I see. I see a lot of vinyl toys displayed here as well. Pretty happy, but it is not always about their atmosphere in a restaurant, food is ever so important.
I might have had very high expectations for this place as I heard it was the best place to go to for UBC students for reading break. But for sure I will not go back. The food is really not up to par, and the creative rolls do not cover for their lack of quality. -
Review from Holly L.
Vancouver, BC
2/1/2011
The Eatery is a classic. It's where people who went to UBC go back to remember going to UBC. That said, there is far better sushi in Vancouver. There is also far better Japanese food in Vancouver.
The sunomono salad was stringy and bland. The tempura was clumpy and greasy. The sake was watered down. If you are bringing an out-of-town friend for a cool time in the big city, the decor of this place is fantastic. If you are bringing someone who has eaten good Japanese food, they will be disappointed. -
Review from Megan M.
Vancouver, BC
4/19/2011
Man, I love this place. I have drool-inducing dreams about the Viva Las Vegas roll drizzled in spicy mayo....whenever I come here with my friends, we always order 1 of these rolls for each of us so nobody has to fight over it.
Other delectable rolls (the usual of what I order):
-Captain Crunch (a deep fried california roll-lightly fried but not too greasy)
-Volcano roll - has a mound of crab meat mixed with mayo on top.
-Italian Stallion - eel inside, prosciutto on the outside. Not as rich as some of the other rolls on the menu. The combination doesn't seem like it should work, but it does.
They have a great selection of unique vegetarian rolls as well.
If you come here as a group, come here early as it gets packed fast and you will probably have to wait around half an hour. Also, don't come here for a romantic first date or to catch up with a friend you haven't seen in months-it's LOUD in here.
Also, I wouldn't recommend any food besides their specialty rolls. Any basic rolls, sashimi, or "traditional" Japanese dishes, you can get at a multitude of sushi joints around the city for cheaper and with larger amounts of meat. That's not what you come to the Eatery for. I have tried the curry and the okonomiyaki here, and they were terrible and very overpriced. But I still give this place 5 stars because, if you just focus on what they do good (unique sushi), they do it VERY good. The drink menu is also excellent with pages and pages of options-but they don't come cheap (much like everything else on the menu). -
Review from vanessa G.
Vancouver, BC
11/17/2010
Sake bomb! Hell yah! It's a sake shot held up by 2 chopsticks, and dropped by banging the table into the beer.
This is not why i like this place though. As a vegetarian sushi eater it was one of the first places to serve sushi with cream cheese (that i knew of), so i returned here with glee. Plus their veggie gyoza seemed better tasting then everyone else's too.
I like their tofu don bowls too but i usually stick to the rolls.
There newer menu (last 2 years) has way more exciting rolls too. I love John Lennon the musician and the roll.
I have been plagued by waiting once 45 minutes for my food.. but it hasn't stopped me from coming back. Friday night's catch my friends djing some good tunes.Listed in: Best Veggie Eats!, A vegetarian's guide to eating…
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Review from Emma L.
Vancouver, BC
2/9/2011
Eatery, i'm always craving it! The atmosphere is sweet and anyone who knows me knows that I need atmosphere in a place or I refuse to go. So let's get analytical...
Pro's
Delicious Dynamite rolls. Really, really good
Such a fun place to go with a group of people. Especially in the crazy little booths
Amazing decor
They've had a deejay when I was in once, very glamorous
Best mojito I've ever had
Groovy menu's
The kind of place that inspires me to take out the stilettos and ridiculous accessories. Hence, a place to go to get dressed up and be seen. I like.
Con's
Start saving up your paycheck NOW. It's very expensive.
They mix the mayo in with the crab meat (i'm allergic to mayo yick) but i've been told that this usually means the crab is not of the highest quality
Service is hot and cold. I once went with a birthday and we were there for an hour without being served.
They have an ATM but they don't accept cash or credit
DO NOT go here if you want a quiet, romantic evening. You won't be able to hear each other....very romantic
All in all, Please go but bring a wallet filled with cash and don't expect to pay less than 50 dollars. Dress up and come around eight!Listed in: Night Prowling
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Review from Johnson C.
Vancouver, BC
1/20/2011
Hmmm - I knew not to expect quality sushi - especially considering the angle this place is shooting for and the funky Astro Boy inspired decored and lame 'Miso Horny' jokes. But still...
We got the Captain Crunch (tempura California roll with unagi mayo) and Ichi Roll (tempura-style salmon, avocado & cream cheese), which were $5 - $6 each. However, unlike most sushi, I didn't feel like ordering anymore. The Ichi Roll wasn't bad, but the Captain Crunch was pretty soggy. Where's the motherfucking 'Crunch'?!? It was pretty cheap and I wasn't full - I just didn't want anymore. This is coming from a man that would eat ANYTHING when he's drinking (and yes, we just did refer to Johnson in the third person).
Service was pretty damned slow as well - and $4.75 a sleeve isn't that great of a Monday night special. I dunno - not all that cheap, not all that good - just kinda bleh. Shame - I wanted to like this place.
UBC can keep The Eatery - SFU has Sushi Town. That's one plus point of going to a 'soft' university.Listed in: A Compendium of Fine…, Shots Fired
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Review from Joyce P.
Vancouver, BC
11/30/2010
WTF? You call this food?
I was excited to come here for dinner because of their Fat Elvis. I love fried and I love avocados so avocado tempura would definitely be my thing. Nope, it was soggy...and that was the best dish we had that night.
The sashimi was not fresh at all and I don't know if it's because we came on a Sunday but something DID NOT taste right. Scallop sashimi, little bay scallops defrosted from a safeway bag??
The rolls were edible but rice was too mushy. They do get quite creative so there are plenty of choices.
We were still hungry after the first round of food came out but decided it was so bad we'd rather stay hungry.
The beer wasn't cold, another big nono. Don't serve beer in warm glasses! I'm not British I don't like room temperature beer.
Service however, was fantastic, the waitress busted her butt for our big group and was quick to clear the plates so we could play our drinking games.
Would I come back here again? Oh no! never ever! -
Review from Allison F.
Updated - 12/21/2010
Oh sad face. Decided to order takeout instead of going to the restaurant to eat, as we had some quality holiday baking to do. Placed an order with enough food for 6 (2 of us...) and were told it would be ready in 15 mins. Friend went to pick it up and it turned out to be 25 mins after arrival. Boo.
When we finally got to sit down and eat, my pepperjack gyozas were hard, the tempura shrimp in my rolls were soggy, and the rolls themselves had no flavour. Sure the flavours of the random items rolled inside were there, but otherwise, they were blah. Soya sauce didn't help and instead added to the dissatisfaction.
Noted that takeout is not the best idea here, even though it was on a regular weekday. Brave the bompin' techno and get it fresh.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/30/2010
I heart The Eatery. Everything about it. Its crazy decorations. Its tiny patio. Its insanely loud… Read more »
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Review from Nam N.
Vancouver, BC
11/29/2010
If you want sushi/Japanese tapas, I wouldn't come here. It wasn't very good. Specifically, the Gyoza tasted like the meat was frozen for too long so meat was too moist inside. The chicken Karaage was deep fried batter and skin on top of Caeser salad. Sashimi platter wasn't fresh at all. Some of the rolls were ok, but they do fusion so its a little too Western for me. Edadame was ok, course its the easiest to make, though the first time it came around it was cold. Deep fried avocado was decent but apparently not as good as before. Some dishes I ate but don't remember because they were just a little off, too salty or something other.
I was starving, but I actually lost my appetite after eating...did I get the wrong dishes? That shouldn't be an option.
PRICE: Too expensive for what you get, rather go to Tojo's or many other better Japanese places.
SERVICE: Service was excellent, but the chefs need to bring up their game, they are blowing chunks. I cook better.
SUGGEST: Want sushi? Go somewhere else. Sure there's funky rolls, but they need to taste good. I won't be coming back. -
Review from Andrea P.
Vancouver, BC
1/28/2011
The Eatery is one of my favorite restaurants in the city. However, a word of caution: do not come here looking for authentic Japanese fare - you will be disappointed. If you looking for creative Japanese fusion food in a fun and funky atmosphere, then you've come to the right place!
The tuna tempura is melts in your mouth - simply delicious! The marinated tuna sashimi is also quite good. Any sushi roll with cream cheese that is deep fried will likely be amazing. I personally love any roll with mango in it. So far I've only been disappointed once, when I ordered the jalapeno popper roll - I love spicy things but this was all spice and no flavor.
The menu has so many choices that there's always something new to try, but if you're overwhelmed by selection there's always the daily specials! -
Review from Vincci L.
Updated - 3/15/2011 2 photos
Come here for its novelty, and that's about it.
First time I was here I tried out their wings, nothing special, and small in size. Have since tried their Dragon Roll-eel wrapped over tempura prawns, avocado, cucumber; the Red Sanja roll-spicy tuna crunch with tempura salmon avocado; and a basic Dynamite Roll. Their sushi really isn't great-the rice is a bit soggy,and even the basic roll didn't taste right.
Got an order of their salmon sashimi, which wasn't too fresh at all, and still at a half frozen state. Chicken karagge was ok, but the batter was just a bit too thick and overall just too oily.
For the prices we were paying I could easily go elsewhere and get something better.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/5/2010
On a wings and sushi craving, The Eatery came into mind. How fitting is it that it's also wings… Read more »
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Review from Malloreigh M.
Vancouver, BC
12/21/2010 2 Check-ins Here
There are good things and bad things about The Eatery. I loved it when I first went there - funky decor, good music, hot-as-hell servers, and a tonne of vegan options on the menu. It was my first "funky Japanese place" experience. Also, about half the menu is drinks, which I have always found overwhelming but exciting.
I have been less in love with it in years since. It's a little less kitschy than it used to be, but that happens as places get more and more popular, and for all I know it was far more kitschy in the twenty years it was open before I started going there. They've expanded their roll selection, certainly, with quite a few more veg rolls, but fewer are vegan now than before.
The food quality here is patchy - sometimes it's great and other times it's not. The amounts of food you receive with any particular order will also vary depending on the day. Also, the service can vary wildly depending on which server you get and whether you're dining with someone they know. Also, other than the owner, I have never once seen a server at The Eatery who wasn't a scantily clad petite beautiful girl - obviously there's a type. I understand that it is part of the draw.
Foods worth trying: the Mango Paradise roll, the Popeye roll, the curry udon, tofu donburi, goma ae, curry soup.
Watch out: the salad comes with a cream dressing and they no longer carry a vinaigrette, but last time I was there the server recommended gyoza sauce for my salad which was passably okay.
I will continue to go back to this place because of the drink selection and because it's a fun & funky place to meet friends at. I've eaten everything on the menu so I'm no longer super excited about the food but people who have never been there before usually will be, so it's a good place to bring a visiting tourist.Listed in: Just One Drink
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Review from Earl W.
2/18/2011
I took my date Janet for Valentines Day. The atmosphere was funky, but the food was not up to par. We started with two disappointing cocktails. The wasabi martini sounded original, but it was bland and didn't even taste like wasabi. The crisp apple pie was way too sweet and totally mediocre.
Our wakame salad was not the best we've had, but it was more expensive than most, and for a small serving. We also had the spicy tofu salad, which was nothing more than a block of tofu diced up, thrown on top of lettuce, and served with a side of spicy mayo. I could have easily made it at home.
Our rolls were okay but not spectacular. They didn't stand out and there's definitely better sushi in Vancouver.
Service was slow.
We will not be going back to this place.
Sincerely, Earl and Janet
PS- They don't take debit. -
Review from Kyrsten J.
New Westminster, BC
10/27/2010
Ah, the Eatery. Purveyor of tuna, tuna and more tuna, with a decent offering of other Japanese dishes as well.
It's a strange thing that I used to live 3 blocks from this place for a whole summer but never stepped in...until I moved over 45 min away. But I'll still do the drive for my Eatery fix!
Tuna is their real specialty here - if you want yummy goodness that you never thought you'd like, have the Tuna Tempura!
I love coming here for my Oyako Donburi - they pair it with a veggie sunomono salad and miso soup, making a great filling meal - and this is one of the only places in town that does Oyako Donburi right (a lot of places don't trim the chicken properly - I know it's dark meat, but really, you can trim the bones out of it...I'm looking at you, other sushi joints!).
They have a wide array of veggie sushi for the vegetarians in every group, and a staggering array of stunning odd (but delicious - yay Miss Piggy roll!) combinations.
The only complaints I've ever had? their mojitos are pretty bad (we decided to go just for drinks one night...bad idea - ick), but they make up for it in sake cocktails. The servers are ALL TINY GIRLS in TINY SHORTS/LEGGINGS. Great if you are a guy, but quite frankly, I don't want to see that when I'm eating. The owner obviously either has a "type", or he's well aware that the mainstay of his market are guys from UBC. Actually pretty smart when you think about it.
I love shocking out of towners by bringing them here. -
Review from Susanne J.
Hope, BC
7/29/2010
The service was so inexcusably slow I don't think I could ever return. Our waitress blamed the kitchen but the drinks, my one mojito actually, took 25 mins on its own. Took her 15mins to ask in the first place, so that was 40mins before anything even arrived at the table. Rolls were 30-40min a piece.
If you must try this place I'd suggest ordering all at once. Not once did the server come by to apologize even or let us know we could anticipate some delay, that would have definitely softened the blow. Twice I thought she'd totally forgot about our orders. Friends were quick to point out the place was busy, but I'm sure it's the same every night.
If you're looking for some place chill (music wise) this isn't it either, they'll blast anything from crappy rock to bad euro dance tracks from the 80s. I tried to avoid it by sitting on the patio but everything just grated on me after awhile. I prob coulda hit up the sushi joint across the street in one-third the time and half-the price.Listed in: Places That Annoy Me
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Review from Yuya T.
Vancouver, BC
12/1/2011
The food is just a "JP-style" food which exists everywhere. Also the service was not good enough, because when we got into the restauran, we had waited more that 3 minutes without being talked to anything. Only the thing I like about the restaurant was the interior.
