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The Locus
Categories: Restaurants Canadian (New) Nightlife Bars Lounges Canadian (New), Lounges [Edit]
4121 Main StVancouver, BC V5V 3P6
Neighbourhood: Riley Park
(604) 708-4121
- Hours:
Mon-Wed 10 am - 12 am
Thu-Fri 10 am - 1 am
Sat 9 am - 1 am
Sun 9 am - 12 am
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner, Breakfast, Brunch
- Music:
- Background
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- No
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
62 reviews for The Locus
Review Highlights
"The cinnamon butter for the bread is awesome."
(in 3 reviews)
"The brie and apple benny, if they still have it, used to be..."
(in 15 reviews)
"Washed it all down the the Blackberry Lemonade."
(in 3 reviews)
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62 reviews in English
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Review from Tai V.
Vancouver, BC
10/31/2011
Such a fan!
Get the same thing every time cause 'I just can't get enough' of the veggie burger and those sexy little potatoes, but my boyfriend gets something different every time and it always looks great.
Owner runs the place (I think that's you I've talked to) in the daytime and makes it an easy place to be at. Plus! shows local art on the wall, so time and time again it's entertaining.
A few BIG booths so good for big brunch or lunch with pals, maybe not good for kiddos that are picky...
I'm sad that I moved over to Cambie so I don't get there often enough.
Go Go Go! -
Review from Dave P.
Vancouver, BC
12/29/2011
****************************************
* COFFEE REFILLS ARE $1.25. *
***************************************
Horseshit. I honestly wish the food wasn't quite as good as it was because I'd like more bad things to say. Service was friendly and brunch was quite tasty but nothing chaps my Ass like a breakfast joint that charges for refills on coffee.
It's because they only have an espresso machine. So all four of us who ordered coffee got americanos. The cup was our first clue. Cute, dainty little bugger with a crema on top. That's not what I ordered. I ask for a coffee. In a city like Vancouver, even the hobos know the difference.
Locus... Be up front about your coffee and warn someone before they order that its gonna be fancy and that refills are exhorbantly priced. Better yet, if you're going to serve breakfast, GET AN EFFING COFFEE MAKER!! -
Review from Erin J.
North Vancouver, BC
12/28/2011
I came here with a large group of friends to celebrate the holiday season. It was my first time so I was looking forward to trying Locus. I ordered the beef carpaccio to start and it was really good. I was pleasantly surprised with my appetizer. Then, unfortunately, my main course came. I ordered a Seafood Capellini pasta dish and it was a huge disappointment. The noodles were overcooked (definitely not al dente), and they put way too much in the dish (ie. scallops, prawns, clams, chorizo, etc). Sometimes less is more. The sauce was really disappointing as well.
So based on my experience, it looks like some dishes are good, while some are not. Unfortunately my bad pasta experience left me with an overall "MEH" feeling about Locus. Pros are that they do care about your food allergy and ensure that any modifications are made. Another con is that their computer operates on some system from 1994 and they can't split up your bill when you are dining as a large group. -
Review from Marlena M.
Vancouver, BC
11/29/2011
This place wins big on ambiance. The décor is really warm and cozy. We were sat by a little electric (not tacky! I swear!) fireplace all night and it was just the ticket for a cold wintry night.
The menu is definitely interesting and has some nice options for those avoiding gluten. I had the pulled wild boar. It was pretty tasty, the meat itself was really nice, but the gravy with it was a little on the gloopy side, and most of the flavor was from the cheese. The side salad had a really nice dressing. The potatoes would have been better suited with brunch, and I'm guessing as they do brunch here, they just don't bother doing other types of potatoes here? Was kinda weird, maybe a little lazy.
The crispy tofu on rice thing that my companion ordered was a bit of a strike out. It may have been crispy at some point but what I tasted was just dried out tofu in a blandish sauce with rice. It was the type of food insists that you should go on a diet. It was Gillian McKeith on a plate. It made me sad. Our server insisted that the other male server ate this every night for dinner. This statement now really worries me.
Very comfortable, but nothing earth shattering on the plate. -
Review from Andrea P.
Vancouver, BC
1/7/2012
Thank you, Locus, for being one of a very few restaurant/lounges that could accommodate my party of 17 on a Friday night. I had been here twice before and thought the food was just okay, but that was a few years ago. On my most recent visit however, I thought everything was fantastic. I tried the Cioppino, Scallop Salad, and Wild Boar Poutine -- all were hits, my glass was never empty, and they brought complimentary birthday cake. I'll be back!
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Review from Herman E.
11/29/2011
Over all meh experience. 1.5 stars.
I've come here multiple times for after work drinks and snacks. Food is nothing special at all, plain, bland, and not memorable for the price paid. Interesting workers and interesting environment. Not too sure what to make of it and I definitely didn't fit in.
Nothing really wrong with it, it's not the place for me. -
Review from DeathandFood b.
10/29/2011
A good place to go if you just want to hang out with friends and aren't in a hurry. There food isn't exceptional but it's not bad at all and there no wait for a table. However if you are hungry or use to good service, this is not the place to get that. The wait staff was very relaxed to the point of not actually seeming to exist and the food which is pretty simple took a long time to get to us. Not to mention that we didn't get our food at the same time so I was left staring at the French Spouse food and plotting how to take it away from her without getting stabbed with a fork.
The food is nothing special and The French Spouse who use to eat here regularly when they lived in Vancouver said the food had gone downhill.
I don't think we will come back. -
Review from Martina M.
Vancouver, BC
8/14/2011 1 Check-in Here
I wanted to like this place, I really did.
As a group of 6 adults and one toddler, we thought ahead enough to reserve a table at 12pm on a Sunday. Our friends only had wonderful things to say about this place, so we were super excited.
We got to the restaurant right before 12pm, only to be told to wait in the small entrance while the previous group finished up. At any other restaurant you'd only have to wait maybe 5 minutes for your table to be ready. We had to wait 15 minutes. 15! Walk-ins waited less time than us. To top it off, the host didn't even walk us to our table, he just told us to "go to the empty table in the far back". He didn't even give us menu's until 5 minutes later. Thanks a lot.
We had to wait a long time for a waitress to take our order. She brought glasses of water and took our orders for both food and drinks. Then we waited, and waited, and waited. We finally got our drinks 15 minutes later, but the waitress forgot a small water for the toddler so we had to wait longer for that.
While we were waiting for our food, we could see all of the waitresses taking baskets of fresh bread and butter to other tables. You'd think that our waitress would have brought us bread too, but you'd be wrong. She took bread to at least 6 other tables before us. At least. I started giving the evil eye to the waitress because there was absolutely no reason for her to not bring us bread when clearly every other table had some. When we finally got bread (right before our food arrived), there was only plain white bread, none of the specialty breads mentioned in other reviews. I did enjoy the tomato based spread though.
My boyfriend and I shared the Omelette Special for $12, and I wasn't that thrilled. We only got 6 small potato wedges and the thinnest fruit slices I've ever gotten at a restaurant. The omelette itself was okay, but it was lukewarm at best.
We also found out after the fact that coffee refills were $1.25 each. Maybe that's because it's a specialty coffee? In any case, they kept asking us if we wanted refills, so it would have been nice if they mentioned that.
I doubt I'll ever go back. Worst brunch ever. -
Review from Megan H.
Vancouver, BC
11/26/2011
I ended up at The Locus on a bit of a "where should we eat tonight" stroll down Main St. We glanced at the menu, it looked OK so in we went.
The decor is lovely, and even though some of the tables are quite close, we didn't feel crowded or like we were invading anyone's space.
We started with the Wild Boar Poutine. This was first taste of poutine, and boar. The bad thing is now my standards for poutine are high! It was delicious.
For mains I had the Organic Beef Burger. It was a big serving but I devoured it. It was really tasty.
My friend order the Gnocchi. It was really tasty but the serving wasn't very big.
For drinks we had wine, The Blasted Church Pinot Gris. I'm usually a sauv blanc girl but this wine was delicious. Went down a little too easily but hey, I wasn't driving.
The service was great, although when we were done the server was a little slow in coming back to us after dropping the bill so we were left sitting a while until we flagged her down to bring us change. We made sure we were showing the cash in the bill fold too so she would see it was ready to be picked up.
All in all, it was a great night. I would definitely go back. -
Review from Katie S.
Vancouver, BC
6/13/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Today I discovered that there is such thing as a "first time" that doesn't disappoint. Oh no no. My first time with The Locus introduced me to an experience that met and exceeded my expectations in all important aspects; taste, service, size, time, atmosphere, variety and satisfaction.
Decided on trying out their Sunday brunch based on the reviews here on Yelp. When we entered, a man, who I presume to be the owner, welcomed us and encouraged us to sit wherever we desired.
We were served in a timely manner and all staff were friendly and efficient. I can't fault a thing. I wish I knew the name of "the man" so that I could refer to him as his name rather than "the man", because he was really something special. He really made us feel welcome and genuinely seemed to want us to enjoy our experience there. He knew it was our first time there, and asked how we found out about it. When I told him we heard about the place via Yelp, he was interested to know what their rating was. I'm sure this contributed to the service we received, but I also get the feeling that he sincerely wants patrons to have a positive dining experience.
We were pleasantly surprised to receive the complimentary basket of bread - sourdough and raisin, with sides of whipped cinnamon butter and whipped sundried tomato/red pepper butter (couldn't quite distinguish the flavour of this one, but it was delicious!). Seriously rockin ' bread! "The man" told us to order as much of it as we would like and that it was all on the house. Seriously? Livin' la vida Locus! Did I mention that "the man" is THE man?
I ordered the Tomato Basil Benny which. consisted of fresh tomato slices, basil, warm goats cheese (*wheee!!*) and poached eggs all atop toasty english muffins. The eggs were cooked to soft, runny, golden perfection, just as I had requested. I also requested the addition of ham, which may have been the best decision I made all week. Washed it all down the the Blackberry Lemonade. My heart sang. Louder than Pavarotti.
The boy ordered the Huevos Rancheros and requested they cook his eggs omelette style. The waitress was confused and asked him to clarify if he wanted the beans and the rest of the fixings inside, to which he replied no, just because he didn't want to complicate things with a custom everything. Just eggs beaten and fried. But when his meal arrived, everything was inside a perfectly golden pocket. He died and went to heaven...and gave me a slice of that heaven. And then we went to heaven together. And it really was so damn amazing that I've already decided to order it the next time we go. Hint: next weekend.
I also tried the Strawberry Mojito and the Mocha w/ whipped cream. All were fantastic.
There is so much more I could mention, but the point is to check it out yourself. I honestly can't find a single thing to fault. The food, service and atmosphere all served for a truly unforgettable first time. With a fuzzy post-pleasure hug that left me excited for the next time. -
Review from Victoria R.
Vancouver, BC
6/16/2011 2 Check-ins Here
This is what a restaurant should be like. We arrived thanks to yelp, trying it out for brunch on a weekday.
The menu looked awesome online and when we got there we had trouble picking because there was so much yumminess!
The guy who served us, who was limping with his foot in a cast of sorts, showed up with a breadbasket with 2 breads - one sweet/cinammony and another savoury and buttery, along with two spreads - one was a cinamon-butter, the other a redpepper garlic spread. Both made in-house, and both unbelievably delish!
Our server took some time to explain the breads and spreads, and then took our orders. I was thrilled to see they had sub options for those of us who don't eat piggies. Turkey sausage, thanks very much! Food came out and was amazingly good. Our server came by twice to check on us, and that was an effort and a half for him given we were in the raised dining area and he only had one good leg.
He stayed to chat, asked how we heard of this place (yay yelp!) and then told us to come back on the weekend where brunch is in full swing.
A really pleasant dining experience and we were taken care of by someone who clearly cares about his customers.
WIN.Listed in: Brunch Love
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Review from Sheryl D.
8/22/2011 1 Check-in Here
I thought long and hard about this place and it's definitely one of the better brunches I've had in this town. The wild pulled boar benny I had was astutely gamey and flavourful; my soft poached eggs perfectly done, although the potatoes were nothing to write home about. The complimentary bread with the housemade spreads was delish! They certainly get plus points for creative bennies and a huge drink list; you could plan a whole brunch fiesta around that list!
One of the servers who I can only guess is the owner, was fantastic to be around and brought a happy glow to our table. Actually, I had packed fresh basil from my garden for friends and he mistook it for weed...(bwahahaha!). So maybe that was the start of the happy glow...
Like what everyone is saying, the ambience is a bit off for brunch but I can see how it would be nice if you went for dinner.
My only thing is, I see it more as brunch place and any breakkie place that's not doing refillable coffee loses major stars. Our table had a bunch of americanos...good ones, but it came in these teeny, tiny cups for hobbits..and that got a thumbs down, loud boo-ing from me. I wouldn't have minded paying another $1.25 for another coffee if they would actually serve it to me in a human-sized mug. (They don't do regular brews) Not to mention our server (who turned out to be fine) took forever to even start our drinks; and my ideal is essentially sitting down AND yelling out my coffee order at the same time. So 3.5 stars all in all. -
Review from Melissa K.
Coquitlam, BC
7/14/2011
I've been to Locus many-a-time for brunch, and I'm a big fan of the food. Delicious, local and fresh ingredients, good coffee, and a really cool atmosphere! The owner/manager is the nicest guy in the world. The rest of the service staff that I have encountered at Locus, though, have been quite aloof and inattentive. I've had to wait long periods of time for things like a fork or a coffee refill in the past. That being said, coffee refills are not free, which took me by surprise. But all things are made right as soon as you bite into your food. Like I said, delicious, fresh, and all local. It's what keeps me coming back again and again!
After you eat you can take a walk down main st. and peruse all the little shops. Skip the refill at Locus and stop for a coffee at one of the billion kitschy coffee shops in the near. -
Review from Emily-Anne P.
Vancouver, BC
6/21/2011 1 Check-in Here
Awww yeah. You want to know why The Locus knocked my socks off. The following reasons:
1. Waffles with lemon sauce, wafers and fresh whip cream for $12.
2. A pitcher of IPA for $11
3. Our server was super bubbly and friendly and knew everything we asked about beer and the menu.
4. Another staff, who I assume is the owner, despite wearing a cast on his food was super attentive. He complimented us all on what we were wearing and then came back multiple times to check in and chat about our beer and waffles.
All in all The Locus was a lovely rainy day stop in and I will be back.Listed in: Hot Eats
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Review from Stu C.
9/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
Since I'm giving such a low score, I'm writing a longer review to explain why.
I was initially excited since my friends gave nothing, but the highest praise for the Locus. My friends called an hour before to ensure the reservation was still good, which it was. When we arrived, we had to wait more than 15 minutes (not including the 5 minutes we were there early, which I won't count since we were early). Several people that were walk-ins, were seated before us. Now, we were a group of 5, but this shouldn't happen.
Eventually, we were told our table was ready. However, instead of walking us to the table, the front entrance host pointed to the back of the restaurant and said something along the lines of "it's the big empty table in the back corner." So we proceed to the table, and one of the servers is finishing wiping off the table. I thought "alright, they just wanted to sit us as quickly as they could. They screwed up a bit on the start time, but no big deal, it's Sunday". But then, we waited....and waited.
About 10 min later, the server placed all the cutlery at the end of the table and asked us to pass it out to each other. As this point, we ask for menus at the same time (which were promptly brought). We asked about the specials to which she replied "they're on the sheet". The sheet we were not given. So, she ran off to get the specials sheets and came back with a, how to put this, "must have been a place mat of someone that had horrible aim" specials sheets.
She asked again what we wanted to order. To avoid the long waits we were receiving, my friends ordered first as they knew the menu a bit, giving us new comers time to read the menu and come up with a decision quickly so we weren't left waiting again. Shortly, we were brought glasses of water, but one person was forgotten. We made note of this and the server said she would bring one with the coffees. Then again, we waited. Another, 15 minutes later, we had our coffees, juices and final water.
At this point, my mood was starting to become spoiled. I tried to make the most of it by just having some good conversation with my brunch friends. I noticed some of the other servers were providing baskets of bread to the other tables around us. However, we were receiving no bread. Eventually, I saw our server go over and start cutting some bread and became excited. It didn't take much to excite me at this point as we were now over 1.25 hours from our original reservation with many long wait times. As she started to head to our table, my brain then kicked in "she's not coming to our table with that". Sure enough, she gave it to another table: a table that had come in after us. Eventually, we were given bread less than a minute or two before our meals arrived. As some other yelpers have written, it was just white bread, not the specialty bread it appears some other yelpers have talked about.
The two meals I remember were mine and my best friends that were an Omelet and Eggs Benedict for about $12 and $15 respectively. Both only mildly warm. The portions themselves were small and the side of house potatoes consisted of 4-5 small wedges (at absolutely most the size of 3 fingerling potatoes). Needless to say I wasn't thrilled.
To top it all off, the coffee I had (which I will admit was very, very good) was $3 bucks to start and then $1.25 a refill. Looking back on it, this is the one thing they did actually keep asking when we did see the server "would you like refill on your coffee?" Now, it makes sense. I only had one refill, but still $4.25 for two regular sized cups of coffee is not something I anticipate or want for brunch. With all the waiting, meal time and paying the check, it was a total time of close to 2.5 hours for brunch.
Since we went, my friends went back another time (just the two of them) and received a similar experience. They apologized to me later and said it wasn't like this the first time they went. I don't blame my friends at all, since the first time they went they had nothing, but good things to say. However, based on my experiences and the experience they had after, I doubt I will ever go back unless I hear from someone else, things have changed. If I have anything to say for now, it's don't let my sacrifice be in vain! Vancouver has an excellent brunch scene/community, you shouldn't have to experience poor service and product, when you have so many options literally just a few feet away in every other direct -
Review from Anthony D.
Vancouver, BC
8/7/2011
Our Locus experience in a nutshell:
Server was friendly but forgot to get our order in. 45 minute wait for food even though the place was nearly empty. I got the gnocchi, wife got the pulled chicken. Food was well executed but nothing to write home about. Server ended up comping the whole meal for us, which was nice in the end, but probably the right call given the insane wait time.
OK, what is happening here with the decor? It looks like the theme here is "witch doctor meets haunted forest". Truly awful. Giant paper mache insects? Crazy glowing tribal masks? It actually was a little appetite killing, no joke.
2 stars for decent food. Minus 3 for service and decor. -
Review from Kat S.
2/2/2011
A long time favourite of mine. I hadn't been back for some time, but I am sure glad it is just as good as when I used to come regularly.
Actually, I think this place has improved over the years. The Locus used to be known for dreadfully slow service, but this hasn't been the case the last couple years. Despite the slow service 8 years ago I still always came back because the food was so good.
The decor has been lightened up recently, so now it is brighter with green walls instead of the darkness of the black and red. The trees and big bugs are still present, which is awesome. And the bathrooms resembling caves are cool, and have low flush toilets.
The food? Right... the food. So good. Inventive menu with delightful daily specials, and there is always something new to try. The brie and apple benny, if they still have it, used to be amazing. The heuvos rancheros is also killer, and so filling. I love that you get salad with your meal, and their dressing is pretty tasty. I have tried so many different items over the years, both brunch and dinner, and I have never been disappointed.
If you like tea, I suggest the Garden Party, which is delightful. In my coffee drinking days I used to love the coffee here. It still smells awesome, but I haven't had it in a long time.
The owner fellow is always present and is very friendly. He loves it when you finish off your plate, too.
And of course, the complimentary bread and butter. I would come here for this alone. Two types of each with the bread being soft and fresh and mouth watering. Love.
Plenty of options for vegetarians including veggie sausages. Yum!Listed in: Vegetarian Friendly Options, Main Street Favourites
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Review from Kemp E.
Vancouver, BC
3/17/2011
I frequent the locus for a variety of purposes:
It serves as a late-night work spot with good drink specials and free wifi.
I come for brunch regularly and enjoy it every-time.
I come to work in the day with free wifi.
I come for dinner and have a great experience.
The food is delicious and adventurous.
The only downsides are:
at times it's too busy and/or the staff are overwhelmed
sometimes the food is too adventurous and/or challenges the kitchen staff
I would recommend the Locus to anyone. -
Review from Gail N.
Vancouver, BC
12/23/2010 2 photos
I was surprised the place was fairly empty when we came here for dinner despite it being the day before Christmas Eve but it filled up more later in the night. We were lured to come here because of the photos of every dish on their site - everything looks so good & we pretty much knew what we wanted to order because we even arrived. Plus, they are very veg-friendly. The restaurant decor is totally something you'd see in an art school sculpture department. Fantasticly eerie.
I had the risotto cakes entree and chocolate mint creme brulee for dessert. The risotto cakes were amazing. I'm a vegetarian and something about their seasoning seriously made me think I was eating bacon when I was eating the mushrooms. Could be a good or bad thing. I just thought it was crazy that they were able to do that. It was like an explosion of flavours. The dessert was pretty good but their use of sad little out-of-season strawberries & blueberries as garnish wasn't really a smart move, in my opinion. I'd rather them use in-season fruits and have them taste MUCH better.
My boyfriend had the potato gnocchi and a pie with a really long name. They were both really good although it was my first time trying gnocchi so I have nothing to compare it to.
Our waitress was nice and polite. The vibe was super laid back and almost slow. So a good place for quiet conversation and a long relaxing dinner. A++ for food. It was delicious!Listed in: Veg-Friendly
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Review from Stephanie M.
Vancouver, BC
Updated - 12/16/2010 2 Check-ins Here
Having finally sampled brunch here, I felt the need to update my review and award an additional star to Locus.
First, our server was very friendly and we were seated right away (it seems that Sunday brunch at many places requires a lengthy wait, so that was a nice surprise). Also, we didn't feel like we were being rushed to make room for new diners.
As for the food, I had the huevos rancheros, which was two poached eggs, salsa, cheese, spicy black beans and avocado served over a homemade corn tortilla with a green salad on the side. My eggs were perfectly done and everything was delicious. My cousin really enjoyed her classic breakfast, too.
I was torn between ordering the meal that I had and at least two others, so I'm already looking forward to returning for more brunch!Listed in: Best Happy Hour
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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9/19/2010
I didn't actually eat here, so I can't comment on the food, but I can comment on the annoying lack… Read more »
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Review from Rick S.
Bottom Line - The food is A-OK (3 star description). The bread served before the meal was pretty good.
Came with a friend on Sunday, 30 January 2011 for lunch. We originally wanted dim sum a block down, but the wait there was a bit too long.
The restaurant looks pretty modern; however, I noticed that the waiter computer is running on Windows95 (they had to reboot it). WHAT?!?!?! Do you have to dial in that shit? Anyways, it's a good thing that the food was more fresh than the operating system.
Service was friendly, though the food took forever to come out of the kitchen (so we asked for more bread in the meantime).
I had a seafood benedict for $14. It was good, but the hollandaise was a bit too tart. My friend had the Main Street Eggs and it looked pretty good. Along with a glass of juice for each of us (carrot for me and orange juice for him), our total came to $33.00 + 4.62 HST + 7.00 tip = $44.62 total for the two of us.
I'd come back... though hopefully next time we'll be able to wait it out for dim sum. -
Review from Tess M.
Vancouver, BC
4/5/2011 1 Check-in Here
I came on the recommendation of a friend, who claimed it had one of the best breakfasts in the city. I was certainly not disappointed. I got the eggs Benny. It was great. Eggs were cooked well and the sauce was delicious. I was extremely please. I will certainly be back.
Ambiance was great, funky and fun. My only compliant is that the music was way too loud for mid day. Other than that I loved it. -
Review from Jessica O.
Vancouver, BC
7/23/2010
I had been to Locus a few times over the years and found their food over-seasoned, overwrought and overpriced. But a few weeks ago my pals and I had brunch here before going to check out the Wu Tang art show at Little Mountain and I was blown away! Socks knocked off!
The brunch menu was filled with a ton of vegetarian and pescetarian friendly options! The BF and I ordered the same thing, as we were trying to be gluten-free: the Pesto Prawn omelette. It was delicious - packed with fillings and cooked slightly runny at my request.
The next time I visit, I will definitely be having the Seafood Benny (scallop & prawn cake, tomato, fresh dill, lemon zest, black pepper & hollandaise - OMFG) as it looked and smelled fabulous.
I also really appreciated the yam/potato hash (I love the mix!) and the fact that the juices were all freshly squeezed and under 4 dollars - great deal! Cocktails and coffee were also strong - the way I like them.
Overall this was a great brunch experience - a little pricier than my normal haunts, but worth it - and I will be back again!
(Note to self - do not write reviews while hungry - torturous!)Listed in: My Very Favourites, The Brunch Glutton Has Her Say
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Review from Suiki S.
Vancouver, BC
3/26/2011 2 photos
Food - 3 1/2 stars
Ambiance - 3 1/2 stars
Décor - 3 1/2 stars
Service - 3 stars
Value - 3 stars
Brunching is a lovely way to jump start a wonderful and relaxing weekend. This week is no different - my boyfriend and I visited Locus on Main. Located on Main st and King Edward Ave, Locus serves a fusion of modern and classic brunch favorites. I adore the natural yet Gothic décor at this restaurant - it provides a very lay-back and relaxing casual dining atmosphere.
The service was a little slow and we waited over 10 minutes for the menu; however, we were pleasantly impressed upon the presentation of the bread baskets with slices of raisin and sour dough bread. The bread was delightful - warm and soft paired with 2 types of delicious whipped butter - sweet cinnamon sugar butter and savory sun-dried tomato butter. We ordered:
Traditional Benny $13 - Fraser Valley smoked ham, fresh tomatoes & hollandaise served with rosemary nugget potatoes and fresh fruit. The highlight of this dish is the ham - it had a nice sweet and hickory balance of smokiness and texture. The other ingredients were average.
Main St Eggs $13 - 2 eggs any style with edam cheese, baked beans, sour cream and chorizo links. The chorizo was simply awesome. The other ingredients were average.
Overall, I enjoyed my experience at Locus; however, the food was average and not mind blowing. If you are an early bird, arrive between 9am ~ 10am and enjoy their Early Bird Special for $8 - featuring two free range eggs, nugget potatoes and your choice of chorizo, Mennonite turkey sausage, spicy lamb sausage, veggie links, ham or bacon. -
Review from Kristina C.
Vancouver, BC
12/8/2010
I ate here on a miserable, rainy weekday for dinner, so the restaurant was pretty dead, with only a few tables occupied and we got to pick where we sat.
My dad ordered the prosciutto tomato soup to start, and the seafood linguini. I had the feature of the day, a certified angus tenderloin served with purple potato pave, broccolini, and sauteed onions and mushrooms. Our server gave us bread to start, and the butter it came with was so yummy! Perhaps a sundried tomato/garlic butter? I'm not sure, but it was delicious!
The soup was also very yummy. We had to wait quite a while for our main dishes, which didn't really make sense since the restaurant was not busy at all, but the wait was worth it. My steak was so tender and cooked just the way I had requested, the broccolini was tender and buttery, and the sauteed mushrooms were awesome. I believe they were sauteed with some sort of red wine sauce? I was a bit put off by the appearance of the potatoes, seeing as they were purple, but they tasted good! I actually had no idea what potato pave was; it turned out to be similar to scalloped potatoes. The linguine that my dad ordered was also good, although the portion wasn't very big.
All in all, an enjoyable meal! I would like to come back, especially for brunch, as it seems to be getting rave reviews!
Menu: Not the most substantial menu I`ve seen. A small selection of appetizers, salads, burgers and sandwiches, a few pasta dishes, and about 5 main courses.
Service: As it was a slow night, we had really good service. Our server was super friendly and our water glasses were kept refilled throughout the evening. Not sure how this would change had the restaurant been busier.
Price: Main courses ranged from $13 to 25, approximately.
Ambiance: The decor struck me as a bit gothic (if you couldn`t tell from the facade). Fake trees with creepy owls in the branches, various masks hanging on the walls with backlit with red lights. Eerie. I didn`t care for the art hanging on the wall or the music. -
Review from Karen M.
Burnaby, BC
3/16/2011
I was not overly impressed. The food was not bad, and the decor was interesting...but having my bill come to $17 (after tax and tips) for an average breakfast downgraded this place to 3 stars.
Perhaps it was what I ordered. I had a Seafood Benny and the "prawn cakes" tasted oddly similar to the Chinese fish paste that you find at T&T. It even has the orange peel flavour to it (fellow countrymen, you know what I mean).
My friend tried the pumpkim french toast and he said it didn't taste very pumpkin-y, AND he got charged for a coffee refill. Restaurants still do that??
Although the quantity was just right for my medium appetitie, I've grown to expect huge helpings after frequenting places like Twisted Fork or smaller helpings for meticulously designed meals.
I'll give one thing to The Locus: the flavoured whipped butter that came with the bread. That was indeed , as all the foodies call it, DELISH.
All in all? You've got to do something extra to distinguish yourself from all the middle-of-the-road, hipster brunch places popping up in Vancouver. -
Review from Reena M.
Updated - 5/31/2010 9 Check-ins Here
Brunch here is fantastic and creative!!! I had the Benny Special today with brie, fig jam, egg, and hollandaise. Potatoes were okay, but they're never my favorite. I also got a side of bacon to add some salty component to the meal. Good decision.
They charge $1 for coffee refills, but that's prob because it's an americano.Listed in: Get y'er drank on!, Best Desserts in Vancouver, The Morning After...brunchity…, Reena M's Guide to Main St., Daaaaaammmmmmnnn Cheeeeeep!
2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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11/20/2009
I officially LOVE this place! Well I can't give it more than 5 stars. I went there tonight after… Read more »
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Review from Vincci L.
5/25/2010 4 photos
This seems to be a popular place for birthday dinners, and I can see why. They have a large drink menu, with many of their cocktails available as pitchers. A cool and interesting vibe, and great service.
We came here over the long weekend for a surprise birthday dinner. Our birthday boy was a bit late, but our waitress was very accomodating in that she brought us bread and made sure that we all had waters. There was no pressure for us to order drinks.
When the birthday boy did arrive, the waitress made sure that she knew which one it was. We all shared a pitcher of the Champagne and apricot nectar sangria, with Champagne, Bacardi white rum, Brandy, Peach Schnapps, and Red Passion Alize, and apricot nectar juice. This was yummy, but couldn't really taste the alcohol.
For food, I got the Miso Glazed Alaskan Black Cod, with chow mein noodles, roasted peppers, bok choy, green onion, ginger, shitake dashi. The cod itself was flavourful and soft, not overly cooked. The broth however, was a bit oily, which I didn't particularly enjoy. Also tried some Pulled Chicken Carbonara, and it was quite good as well. Creamy sauce, with wild mushrooms bits.
The waitress was very nice throughout, refilling our drinks and made sure everything was alright. In the end, she even brought the birthday boy a free slice of their chocolate cake!Listed in: Main Street Eats
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Review from Miranda L.
Vancouver, BC
8/1/2010 1 Check-in Here
The Locus is hands down one of the very best brunch places in Vancouver.
Two things:
1. Homemade breads and flavoured butters delivered to your table before your meal. Bread alone is a rarity in Vancouver (compared to cities like Montreal, where it's done at every restaurant), and bread of this caliber is simply unheard of.
2. I recently had what is probably the best quiche I've ever consumed. It was on the weekend brunch menu, and was (unfortunately) called the "protein quiche". Read past the name folks! Proscuitto, artichoke hearts and cheese combine for one of the most sinfully delightful breakfasts in town
Enjoy! -
Review from Emma L.
6/3/2010
I would come here just for their bread and butter alone. They have this amazing homemade cinnamon butter that is just to die for. I stuff my face with the bread before my meal even comes.
I've been here tons of times, and my meal is always excellent. Their bennys are fantastic for brunch and I usually go for their dinner specials, which have never disappointed me.
Bonus points for the super friendly proprietor.Listed in: I miss Main Street
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Review from Alvin S.
Vancouver, BC
3/15/2009
Seriously? What's not to like about this place. The atmosphere is amazing, with tree roots coming out everywhere and the room coloured in warm shades of wood and black.
The kitchen slams out amazing dishes like the Lamb and Stilton burger ($11), and the beer specials are killer ($12/pitcher!!!)
There's a regular DJ spinning some great beats and you can request whatever you want. The servers are super nice and super cute to boot! The combo of a great SOMA (south main) location, super good and super cheap food and drinks, great service, and one of the slickest rooms in Vancouver is just too good to miss.
A perfect place for a casual night of drinks, food, and friends. Come often, it'll make you happy! -
Review from vanessa G.
Vancouver, BC
6/12/2010
Ok i love this place. Any place that gives you complimentary homemade bread with delicious choices of toppings is going to get some good feed back. The coffee (they don't have drip!) is delicious and they do charge for a refill but it's so good you can't really drink more then 2 cups.
Brunch! I have had a hard time taking myself away from Goat Cheese Egg's Benny. It is one of those dishes that melt in your mouth with the perfect taste combination. The potatoes and yam the accompany the dish are awesome.. along with some fruit.. always awesome!
I have ventured into there veggie baked beans breakfast dish, and there beans were sweet and so satisfying. Also any place that offers veggie sausage will win bonus points for me.
This is a place you will leave and need a wheel barrow to get you out the door because you can't stop eating everything because it's so freaking good.
Service is amazing.. even though i have had friends complain in the past that it wasn't so.. but it has been for me. I like the decor and the location too. It's different and i like that.
I would love to have dinner there one of these days just to see what they have to offer. -
Review from Sean M.
Burnaby, BC
8/22/2010 1 Check-in Here
I've now been here fore brunch and dinner and here are my thoughts.
Brunch: Good sized portions and very tasty. The cinnamon butter for the bread is awesome.
Dinner: Fair prices for what you get. Slow service is probably the reason why I'm giving it 4/5.
Both times the waitress couldn't remeber parts of my orders. Asked for Iced Americano, got normal. Eggs cooked totally wrong for both of us out of the 4 eggs only 1 was correctly done. -
Review from Tim L.
Vancouver, BC
7/8/2009
I'm sold. Last time I went I had the Huevos Rancheros for breakfast and it was pretty amazing! Seriously quality ingredients in all their food and the price is pretty reasonable. What's not to like
Fully agree with the other reviewers with regards to the atmosphere. It's got a vibe all its own what with cave-like ambiance, primitive-drawings on the wall, odd shaped plants hither and thither. It's all pretty interesting without being pretentious and makes for good conversation starters. Nice to contrast to the bordering-on-sterile "modern" style establishments that seem to be dotting the Vancouver as of late.
My only minor complaint would be the service. They seem a little understaffed, but that's just a minor quibble compared to all their other qualities and there's a good chance I simply caught them on an off day. -
Review from Rachel P.
Vancouver, BC
6/21/2010
Any place that automatically feeds me within 10 minutes of sitting down makes my heart (and belly) happy. After spending time in Portugal and Spain I got so used to bread, olives or cheese magically arriving on my table moments after sitting down and I miss it so!
The Locus was off to a cracking start when they brought out their complimentary sourdough and raisin bread with a flavoured cinnamon/sugar butter and a roasted red bell pepper butter. And imagine my shock (and delight!) when they even refilled it (without asking) through out our meal.
But enough about the free carbs, this place had other definite pluses. The Host/Owner was lovely, very attentive, friendly and pretty chill. He made sure we scored a table near the window, checked that our drinks were OK and generally made sure our time there was a pleasurable one.
The brunch menu had some creative Benny's and I tried the Venison Benny. The eggs were perfectly poached and the roasted potatoes and yams served with it were delish! The venison was an interesting combination, not a total winner for me, but I applaud their creativity. Some caramelized onion or juniper/cranberry sauce I think would have elevated it to that next flavour level. There are certainly other Benny's that I would like to come back and try though, including the Seafood Benny and I am dying to try the prawn and cilantro pesto omelet.
My boy had the veggie scramble and it was super-tasty - great portion size with rice and roasted veg rounding out the meal. Our other brunch guest had the hash and I was surprised that such a classic dish turned out to be one of our tastiest.
I guess sometimes the simple things in life can really be the most satisfying. -
Review from Amber H.
Vancouver, BC
I LOVE eating at Locus - the food is simply delicious! Brunch, lunch or dinner... it's all good. ;)
You may find yourself waiting for brunch on the weekends, but rest assured it's well worth it! Dinner time is usually a lot easier to get in - we often get our pick of tables when we get a night time craving for Locus goodness. Either way, day or night, I've never had a meal at Locus I didn't love! -
Review from Evilyn T.
2/4/2010
We came here for a birthday party (I feel like 80% of my restaurant reviews start this way.) I think there was about 15 of us or so? We were seated at a big brown square table, which was kind of awkward because although all of us fit around the table it was too big to yell across the table at someone and too cozy to get up and move around and seat hop.
Our server was great, she was on me as soon as I came in, and made sure I got a drink promptly, which is always a good sign. I ordered a cesar, which was totally gross. I actually couldn't even finish it, it was that bad. Everyone else seemed to enjoy their drinks though, so it could have just been mine. For dinner I ordered the homemade canneloni, and when it arrived I kind of just looked at it like, "is that it?" Don't be fooled my friends, it was not only delicious, it was also piping hot and filling!
This is totally the kind of place where you want to chill with your friends, or go on a date to, It is dimly lit and has a cool artsy vibe to it, without being too fancy. I would probably go back to this place again for a special occasion, since the price point is a little higher than I like to spend, (my canneloni was $16, plus my undrinkable cesar $6) so I'll wait for another birthday until I revisit. -
Review from Kim C.
Victoria, BC
6/23/2011
Had the wild boar benny and it was amazing! The breads and flavored butter are to die for and the service was prompt and very friendly. Two thumbs up!
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Review from Bryn H.
Vancouver, BC
8/14/2010 5 Check-ins Here
The Locus is my favorite brunch spot. There's often a lineup on the weekends, but not too bad. Sometimes you have to wait for half an hour or so, and the waiting area kind of sucks but it's worth it.
Decor could use an update - it shows its age but that doesn't affect the food! However there's always fresh work from all kinds of local artists on the walls.
Brunch is always delicious, the service is good, terrific coffee and a constantly rotating menu of amazingness. I can honestly say I've never had a meal at The Locus that I didn't like. Oh yeah, fresh baked bread paired with flavoured butter - mmmmmmm....
Dinner is fantastic too - there's usually not too many people around in the evenings in this area, so you can usually get right in no problem. Cheap drinks after 10PM too!! -
Review from Bradley C.
Vancouver, BC
3/20/2010
After watching Canada play in the semi-finals of the Wheelchair Curling at the Paralympics (after which they conquered with a gold medal!), we went to Locus for brunch/lunch as a birthday celebration for the boyfriend. They were still cleaning tables, so we got seated at the bar, and were given prompt and friendly service. Although just after noon, we ordered 'Midnight' - spiked hot chocolate - yummy!!!
We were seated near the window within a few minutes, and got ready to order. I was sorely disappointed to learn that the brunch special (a vegetarian benny) was sold out, so I defaulted to the lunch special (sensing a theme?), the beer-battered cod with coleslaw (OMG - the best coleslaw I think I've ever had - maybe because of the onions?) and pan-fried potato wedges. BF had the Seafood Benny, also a hit (although apparently there was little to no seafood on one half?).
Overall, I was impressed - with the service, the speed, the volume of food (hours later I'm still not that hungry), and the fairly reasonable prices. Would love to go back! I can't do 5 stars because they didn't have what a REALLY wanted (and I'm pretty selfish with my 5 stars), but I'm certainly a fan!
