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The Reef
Categories: Event Planning & Services Caterers Restaurants Caribbean Restaurants Breakfast & Brunch Caterers, Caribbean, Breakfast & Brunch [Edit]
4172 Main StVancouver, BC V5V 3P7
Neighbourhood: Riley Park
(604) 874-5375
- Hours:
Mon-Wed 11 am - 12 am
Thu-Fri 11 am - 1 am
Sat 10 pm - 1 am
Sun 10 pm - 11:30 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
62 reviews for The Reef
Review Highlights
"The food is amazing (I would kill for the Johnny Cakes."
(in 22 reviews)
"The jerk chicken roti was great."
(in 4 reviews)
"I love the plantain chips, salty and include mayo."
(in 19 reviews)
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62 reviews in English
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Review from Beck C.
Vancouver, BC
2/5/2012 5 photos
Dine Out Vancouver 2012. $18 menu. First timer's impression. Let's go!
Johnny cakes (complimentary):
flavour of Chinese doughnuts + cakey texture of plain doughnuts = east-meets-west Caribbean lovebabies that have forever corrupted me. I'm jonesing for these BIG time.
Appies:
Curry lime wings w/ chayote apple slaw - juicy wings, good kick, dowdy but tasty slaw.
Plaintain chips w/ jerk mayo - addictive chips, mayo's spicing perplexed us in the best way possible.
Entrees:
Jerk chicken - tender meat, jerk sauce made my tongue sweat without killing it.
Escovitched snapper - expected whole fish, got fried filets. Still, it was flaky & punchy from the dressing of onion & hot pepper vinegar marinade (aka escovitch).
Desserts:
Fried banana w/ rum caramel sauce & mango ice cream - hilariously phallic presentation! Batterless banana tasted like the lightweight cousin of the Thai dessert. Mango ice cream was in fact, vanilla laced with mango. Delish!
Coconut lime tart w/ mango coulis - skip this, eat more bananas.
Service:
Mindful without hovering - props to the waitress for magically appearing with a fresh wine bottle of water to replace our near-empty one.
The Reef did Dine Out right. Absolute bargain for the portions & quality. I'll be back! -
Review from Emilie C.
Vancouver, BC
1/29/2012
We hit up The Reef in the midst of a day of shopping around Main Street. It was not during what would be peak hours, more around "Linner"-time (Lunch+Dinner=Linner)... First off I got great vibes from this place right off the bat. The decor had an authentic Caribbean feel and the choices on the menu reflected just that as well; Carib beer, a variety of types of mojitos, and Ginger Beer were some of what was offered. The reggae tunes were also a great accompaniment to the atmosphere of the restaurant.
I went ahead and ordered Crab Cakes, as the description of the sauce and the cakes themselves sounded pretty fantastic. Turns out they were delicious! Loved them; perfect lil' afternoon snack. The Crab Cakes tasted fresh, were perfectly warm and the sauce they were served upon rocked. The cakes weren't a lot of food, but crab is expensive so I understood why the cost was 9$.
The waiter informed us of an upcoming celebration for Bob Marley's birthday that the restaurant was holding this week, which was something fun to perhaps return for.
I would definitely come back and try a full meal, but their crab cakes were rad! I might just have to order those again... -
Review from Tai V.
Vancouver, BC
11/1/2011
Ya, Iv eaten here quite a few times. The food was never amazing to me but the portions were good.
Im a bit picky to eat with and there are a lot of flavours and squishy things that come with your meal.
I really like the plantain chips
I keep going back so something must be good! -
Review from Realtor Darius D.
Vancouver, BC
2/7/2012
I've been here several times in the past couple of years, usually for a beer with friends. The one on commercial has decent breakfast but I find that their food is expected to be loaded down with hot sauce and therefore not flavored the best out of the kitchen. The location on Main is a good spot to hang out on the patio on a sunny day and have a Red Stripe. They also have pretty good Jamaican cocktails, ginger beer and mojitos.
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Review from Marjorie D.
Vancouver, BC
10/24/2011
Johnny cakes: yum.
Plaintain chips: yummy yummy.
Vincy fish: nicely fried and yummy coconut rice but the tomatoes have a very strong, not so delicious taste I can't describe.
Almost a one hour wait for the entrees. Thumbs down. -
Review from Evilyn T.
Updated - 8/29/2011 3 Check-ins Here
Honestly if they had a few more cooks in the kitchen and service wasn't so slow, this could easily be a five star review. But waiting on an empty stomach first thing in the morning leaves me a little disgruntled and cranky, which leads me to four stars.
Speaking of first thing in the morning, we showed up at 3:15pm, and brunch ends at 3pm. D'oh! Most "normal" people make it out of the house before such a crucial hour, but the lazy hungover jerks I run with made me wait for their sorry asses. I knew we would miss brunch in the end. I haven't really ordered much from their regular menu, so I was sort of stuck for veggie ideas, and I reluctantly ended up ordering the tofu burger (I'm not a big burger fan so I was sort of meh about the whole idea). I also got the bananas smoothie with rum, which was basically all the breakfast that I got, but soooooo worth it.
I gotta say though, the burger was delicious! I gobbled the whole thing down, whereas usually I pick at it after eating half and take out the good stuff and leave the rest. It came with a side of plantain chips, which for some reason I just assumed were a fancy name for french fries, so when I got my plate I was like wtf?? And of course the BF piped up about how much I hate banana chips, cuz that's kind of what they looked like, only not circular, they were long. But these weren't the stale crunchy banana chips you get in the bulk section at Safeway, these were savoury plantain chips that came with a spicy mayo dip.... which meant I pretty much ate all of them. I was mostly immobile after our "brunch" but definitely one of the few places where I would actually consider ordering a burger from again.Listed in: Vancouver Vege-me-tarian.
2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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7/19/2010
This weekend, we decided to head over to the Reef and keep the Saturday night party going through to… Read more »
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Review from Siri W.
8/8/2011
I'm so sad that I have to give this place two stars! As an island girl, the Reef in Victoria on Yates Street is to die for. The food is amazing (I would kill for the Johnny Cakes. That's no lie), the drinks are sooo good (and strong) and the atmosphere is really fun.
Here...not so much. Expecting the same, I invited my boyfriend, brother and his girlfriend to this place on Main, but it didn't leave much to get excited about. It was dark, the service wasn't great, the food was burnt...to the point that we had to send it back. It just wasn't good in any capacity.
I had hoped this place would live up to its island incarnation, since it's not far from my house, and the Reef in Victoria is one of my faves from home, but it just wasn't the case. I guess I'll have to get my Johnny Cake fix every time I head home instead. Shame.Listed in: Post Five With Friends
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Review from Erin U.
11/7/2011
yum yum yum yum yum. great mojitos and johny cakes!! who can resist the johny cakes, my friend brought like 20 over for thanksgiving potluck and im pretty sure i ate like 5 to myself hahaha service and music is good and overall i think its a great spot for anyone family, dates or friends. Decent priced and good carribean food, yum!
Listed in: Good for Groups
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Review from Sarah D.
8/20/2011
If you can't glean any other helpful information from my review, at least know this: those big bottles of sauce they put on each table are effin' HOT! Tasty, but Johnny Cash "I fell into a burning ring of fire" hot. I say this as a gal who can handle some heat, too.
Now:
I like coming to the Reef. The food is consistently good, and I can always get something that I would never have at home. Like plantain chips. Tasty, tasty plantain chips. Also, they have a pretty decent breakfast menu. Jerk salmon benny? Yes please. Although quesadillas typically aren't very exciting, their Kingston quesadilla is mighty tasty. I just had to put that out there.
Overall, the Reef is a pretty solid choice if you're in the mood for a little Caribbean flavah. Now if I could only get that song from Cool Runnings out of my head. (Remember that one? Yeah?) "Jamaica we have a bobsled team...."Listed in: The Main Attraction
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Review from Jason A.
Vancouver, BC
8/2/2011
They have loads of tasty breakfast options not super vegan friendly but definitely vegetarian friendly. They also have some pretty unique F@%& off hot hot sauce brought over from Jamaica with scotch bonnet peppers, which pretty much means it is capable of burning your face off if you don't relax about the portion.
Read more and see photos
http://www.allbreakfas... -
Review from Joanne M.
Vancouver, BC
7/18/2011
You are one of my favourite restaurants, yes you!
Everytime I've come here there has always been exceptional service and food. I was even walking by on car free day and picked up some vendor food in front of the restaurant and it was delicious! Vendor food! That's when you know you rock.
Johnny cakes, plantain chips, brunch, dinner...everything on your menu is great.
Loyal customer; breakfast, lunch, and dinner. -
Review from Cyndi H.
Vancouver, BC
12/31/2010 1 Check-in Here
Seeking an island getaway? Save some Lauriers and head over to The Reef. I went on a rainy night and let me say, I was in blissful denial of winter. Low lit with Jamaican beats and comfort food... how can you not have your spirits lifted? Between 6 of us we shared a bunch o' dishes such as the chicken wings, Johnny Cakes, yam fries, Dominica beef and another life altering item that I forget!
The ginger beer: Get it! It's made in house and delightfully good. Hot dang. -
Review from Melissa E.
Vancouver, BC
4/30/2011
It was sunny out, there was a patio and a dark and stormy was calling my name...what's not to like?
In all fairness, we only had one drink and an order of yam fries (although i was choked that I forgot they had plantains! gah!) but i have to say, it was all good.
First off, i love me some freebies. So even though the johnny cakes were a little doughy for me, how can you not at least nibble on some deep fried dough? It was actually pretty light and crisp. Also, the dark and stormy...oh, if i were to have an affair with a drink it would be the dark and stormy. I LOVED that the ginger beer was not overly carbonated (i.e., must be made homemade on site), yummy high quality rum (which also makes it a pricier bevie but oh so worth it) and just a slice of lime. I think they may have added bitters which i do not object. Yum.
Yam fries...large, long, not crispy but served with a yummy mayo based sauce (and i normally hate mayo so this was a feat).
The patio is a great option for the summer so enjoy! -
Review from Jeff F.
Vancouver, BC
We were headed to a different restaurant tonight, but they were full up without a reservation until well after 10pm (good sign I need to make a reservation tout de suite).
We were still hungry... I checked out a Groupon I had for a place close by, but it was reservation only for that.... so we headed to The Reef.
I had been meaning to try this place out for quite some time, I just never got to it (Nyala is right down the block, and I LOVE LOVE LOVE Ethiopian food... review pending)... but tonight... I did.
With a few of the fiance's friends in tow... we headed to the Carribean restaurant. Ever since university, I have loved every jerk experience I've had... the spiciness with undertones of sweet and ginger.... yumm yumm yumm!!!! So of course I went jerk for my meal.
It was quite good..... not a huge portion, but just enough that I left full, happy and quite satisfied... We got a pitcher of rum punch to go along with our meal, and that worked out well too (no rum at a Jamaican restaurant.... I think we would have been run out of the place without it).
I started my meal with plantain chips that came with a jerk mayo for dipping.... it was a nice change from my usual yam fries or poutine type starter (or soup for the occasional inclement day in Vancouver *snicker*)... plantains were crispy and tasty with just a nice amount of salt, and the jerk mayo had just a little touch of heat to it, but not much at all (it gave the fiance a taste of jerk to prepare her for a sample of my pork later.... she was thinking of getting a jerk dish too until I warned her).
The food came out in a great timely fashion, and was enjoyed by all... Junko (the fiance) had oxtail stew (bone on), Masayo (a friend) had a red snapper dish, Shinichi (another friend) had Domenica Beef, and I had jerk pork. We all sampled a bit from each others plates (except me and Masayo's dish... I don't do seafood), and everyone enjoyed what the others had ordered (Shinichi's beef was a big hit... the cumin seasoned beef tenderloin tips were just so tasty), and mine... well... very spicy was the general agreement. For me... I have a few levels of spice that I enjoy. If it hits hard and fast it can sometimes give me hiccups. If it is really spicy on the long haul, I may have a runny nose.... if it's REALLY spicy.... I may break sweat beads on the forehead... this did none of those things for me, but still had a nice level of heat (ok... I like spice a lot, and have NEVER had anything I couldn't eat because it was 'too spicy', so take my scale with a grain of... pepper? My causing sweat level would fry many a person's taste buds off... so be warned if I ever tell you a dish made me sweat). ;)
Service was prompt, and friendly from the hostess to the servers.... the main server we had was efficient (and quite busy)... it was kind of funny... any time she would check in with us and get an answer from us on how things were or anything like that... almost as soon as the words could travel to her ears... BAM... she was off like a shot to the next table or thing she had to do. She was a dynamo!
Very good experience here... will definitely come back... Nyala has a good run for it's money on the block with my food dollar now. -
Review from Nate R.
Vancouver, BC
11/3/2010 3 Check-ins Here
As the neighbourhood has come into its own here on Main Street, so has the Reef. If the Locus is the daddy of modern Main Street dining, the Reef must be its drunk sun-dog uncle who retired early to enjoy a life of heat and colorful drinks punctuated by paper cocktail umbrellas and plates of salt fish. Serving as good a brunch as it does dinner, it's gotten regularly busy pretty much any day of the week thanks as much to a good set menu that emphasizes the Caribbean flavour hinted at in the name, as to the patio, which is still the best one on Main Street, when the evening sun finds a path for its light down 26th Ave, and the rum and beer start flowing.
In the summer, be prepared to share one of the two large tables out front with some other patrons, empty those pitchers of Mojito and pass around the bottle of Matouk's hot sauce (to be used sparingly) when the food arrives.
The decor and ambience has not changed much in the past ten or 11 years since the Reef opened up, but it has earned a worn look which gives the exposed brick and chicken-wire walls, chipped bright paint and steel drums full legitimacy... at least so much as is possible on the fringe of the rainforest. It's about as Caribbean as you are going to get in this former British colony.
My favourites have to be the Jerk pork and the Trini Roti spiked with their scotch bonnet pepper hot sauce. I find the Reef's own house brand sauce a little sweet and lacking in real heat, but that's a matter of taste. A good value item is the Quesadilla, and you could do far worse than either the Island Thyme Chicken or the Bajan Fried Chicken.
For brunch choices order the Jamaica Me Crabby, since you are unlikely to be able to whip perfect crab cakes and hollandaise up at home.
On the downside, the service experience can be a little hit and miss. There are true exceptions to this of course. Unfortunately, the same can't be said about the coffee. I sometimes worry about which Island of the Lesser or Greater Antilles the coffee is supposed to represent, as their drip is consistently terrible and has been for years. I imagine that Utah is to Reggae what the Reef is to coffee. But what can you do, the food is so damn good?
Order a Caeser or a pint, or a double Dark and Stormy if you know what's good for you.
If you're there on the shoulder menu (in between brunch/lunch and dinner) be prepared for more basic food options.
One of the best things about the Reef is its habit of presenting you with a complimentary little cute bucket of devilish fried dough known as Johnny Cakes. For dinner they come plain, to be stabbed in half and topped with butter. For brunches, they become a donut-by-any-other-name, and are packed with tart jam. Beats bread sticks any day of the week!
Something that bears mention is that often you can find a place for your dog on the patio. It's probably an unofficial policy, and one with suspect status in the view of health officials, but it has been a really great place for folks with low-fuss little mutts who stay below radar and just want to enjoy the sun with their little friend. -
Review from Liza B.
Vancouver, BC
4/20/2011
Fun, funky, decor. Totally comes off as a Carribean restaurant. It's a chill, relaxed atmosphere, friendly service and packed!! That has to be a good sign....
I ordered the plantain chips which were pretty good, although a touch salty. Having said that, I"m not sure they'd have been much good without the salt, so that's ok.
The jerk chicken roti was great. The roti was not as I expected but by no means disappointing! I somehow had it in my head it would be more East Indian-ish. No idea why I would even think that....Portion was large, heat level was perfect. Again, a touch salty, but I'm sure it would not have been as good otherwise!
I'll be back to try the Mahi Mahi. Nom Nom Nom. -
Review from Lex B.
8/23/2010
One of my favorite spots for a laid back delicious brunch!
I am often rallying for The Reef late on a weekend morning when I roll out of bed and start texting friends with my incessant "brunch?" "WHO WANTS BRUNCH?" texts. It is a fun, laid back and comfortable spot to meet friends for some great food with just enough variety that there's something for everyone.
That being said, at brunch I always order the same thing, and when I don't I wish I had. It's no fault of the alternatives I've tried, which are also mouth watering - it's just that the jerk salmon eggs benny is the best breakfast I have EVER had anywhere. The salmon is rich in spice and flavor, the citrus holandaise sauce is completely perfect, and the eggs are always poached just right. The large chunky hashbrowns are crispy and seasoned on the outside, soft on the inside, and there is even a bit of sliced fruit garnishing the plate. I don't think I could ask for more.
Oh, but there IS more. Several different kinds of hot sauce to choose from. (The yellow is my favorite.)
The Johnny Cake balls, stuffed with raspberry jam are so decadent despite how incredibly filling they are it's hard to stop eating them.
The drink menu is full of interesting and quirky Jamaican style beverages, some of which can leave your head fabulously light.Listed in: Brunch with all my hungover…
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Review from Katie F.
11/28/2010
2.5 stars - it's kind of meh for brunch.
Prices are reasonable and there's a huge selection of items with a Jamaican twist, although you can have a pretty standard brunch if you'd like. I had the fried plantains which were quite tasty, but my benny and hash browns were so-so... not the right crispiness for either the english muffin or the hash browns.
Service was only OK and the server was a bit slow for drink refills.
I suppose the food might be better if I ordered something more Carribean, but it's definitely skippable for brunch food IMHO. -
Review from Calvin M.
2/22/2011
My friend raves about this place. So we came here for lunch today. I wasn't all that impressed. It was kind of expensive. Lunch for two came out to be $40 before tips.
A plate of curry goat cost $16. And they didn't give all that much. It came with some rice and coleslaw. I think I can make better curry then them.
The chicken wrap was actually very good and the portions were decent. It also came with some deep fried plantain; which I really liked.
We also ordered two cups of coffee with Baileys. It was a great drink. The waitress gave me a refill of the coffee without the Baileys, and that's when it went downhill. The coffee tasted like Folgers.
Overall, the food was good, but can be expensive depending on what you order. They have lunch specials for $8.
I would eat there again if my friend wants to go. Otherwise, I'm not a big fan of this place. -
Review from Kyrsten J.
New Westminster, BC
4/4/2011
I thought that having brunch at 12:30 would keep me safe from service that is beyond ridiculous. Thankfully, my group is a bunch of knitters, so having to wait an hour for food, we kept our hands occupied, but I find it amazing that we waited 1/2 hr for water, that when we asked for ginger beer she brought out 2 but not the three we had requested, that the server promised johnny cakes (which never arrived...), that it took 2 hrs for brunch.... The worst was when my friend said she had a dairy allergy, that the server suggested the benny, and when we asked specifically - wait, doesn't hollandaise have butter in it, she had to *go check*...and 15 min later, after she had put in everyone else's order, finally came back - my friend ended up ordering a scramble...only to find that the tofu scramble had cheese in it! (note that this is after the waitress went through the menu with my friend - she was patient...but apparently had the short-term memory of a gnat). sadly, my friend is *actually* allergic - she wasn't joking or being 'picky'.
Service aside, the food is decent. The ginger beer is *amazing* though it's almost painful to pay $3.50 for it (though, it is so good...). The Trini Roti with jerk chicken is good, but the roti itself was a bit stale and well, the jerk could've been spicier...but it was decent. The plantain chips are good and a decent price.
I'm just not thoroughly impressed. I probably won't veto this place if someone else suggests it, but I certainly won't be the person 'piping about about how we should go there. -
Review from Sarah A.
8/1/2011 1 Check-in Here
The plantain chips are addictive. The jerk chicken tacos are my favourite. Excellent staff and great patio. Tons of fun rum drinks to choose from as well.
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Review from Rose N.
Vancouver, BC
3/16/2010
Loud music, mediocre food & service...
A date took me here and I wasn't impressed because I nearly lost my voice and had to scream over the music when talking. I've been to the Caribbean and they don't play their music that loud, so this place is just trying to hard.
The food, it was so mediocre, not even a 'hey, what interesting flavour'. I am all about flavours especially when it comes to ethnic food.
Service, not the best but it seems that the attitudes of the waiters are typical of what you will find on Main st. It isn't any better or worse, but neither the service, or the food will make me want to return.
They do have a great patio for summer, so it is a nice place to grab a drink in the summer. I just wish I would one day find a pub with all the ingredients.....this one has a long way to go. Change chef & menu, and retrain waitresses. -
Review from Maha E.
5/25/2009 ROTD 3/12/2010
JERKs! ...hardly.
The Reef embodies the bohemian edge that is Main Street and has the greatest patio on the block to boot!
If you're looking for an out-of-Vancouver eating experience, then as Captain Jack Sparrow once said, 'Welcome to the Caribbean, love.'
'...But why is the rum gone?!' Much to my pleasant surprise, The Reef is one of the very few establishments that will mock-up any alcoholic beverage sans the rum- almost their entire drink menu can be made a-la virgin islands and served avec le colourful toothpick umbrella.
Unfortunately, due to their rad menu, they tend to run-out of a few of their infamous dishes rather early in the day, so my suggestion is to dive-in for lunch, rather than dinner.
They have quite a few tasty veggie options as well as a number of crazy concoctions with adventurous names that will dare you to order outside of y'comfort zone.
Recommended dish: Mo-Ca Burger, Yardie Yam-fries or Plantain Chips to share- avec Jerk sauce.
Recommended drink: Gingerbeer, Pina Colada- anyt'ing and everyt'ing.
Be sure to checkout: the artwork on the wall- it's truly exquisite.
Score: oh-lawdy, it's yum. -
Review from Emma L.
6/3/2010
Ohhhh, I want it to be warm again so I can sit on their patio and drink pitchers of mojito like I did last summer.
I've been here for both dinner and brunch and both were great. I really like the Kingston quesadilla with jerk chicken -- be sure to get the plantain chips as an appetizer! They're amazing!
For brunch I go for the Jamaica Me Crabby -- curried crab cakes on English muffin with poached eggs and a citrus hollandaise. Mmmmm... -
Review from Dani B.
7/15/2009 ROTD 7/24/2009
Whatever is in those starchy balls, I don't care, give me more!
I love everything the reef has to offer and they have great variety. Whether you like sweet or spicey, hot or mild, the Reef has it covered.
Did I mention the drink menu? It's amazing, you can order any cocktail as a pitcher and pretty much all of them are delish. If you are a fan of true ginger beers this is also the place for you.
The Reef has some great "tings" so give it a try and if it's the summer make it happen on the patio, its awesome. -
Review from Mark H.
7/23/2010 1 Check-in Here
Fried bread balls and plantain chips: The Reef's signature alternatives to regular fries and table bread and butter.
At first I thought the balls were doughnuts, but when I saw the butter I was intrigued. A slight hint of sweetness to the dough combined with the goodness of frying, these were pretty damn good.
I ordered up the Moca Burger, though not sure why I did that. Who goes a Jamaican/Caribbean restaurant and orders a burger? Maybe it was the words 'grilled pineapple' and my memory of Cafe deux Soleil's amazing veggie burger with grilled pineapple. Anyhow, the burger was OK, but far from special.
Next time I gotta stick to their classics and go Jerk. Jerk chicken that is. -
Review from Joanne L.
Vancouver, BC
7/28/2011
One of my favorite restaurants ever! The food is amazing. For a while, I had my birthday party there like 3 or 4 years in a row and all my friends always enjoyed the food.
Super chill and laid back vibe. Highly recommended! -
Review from lisa c.
8/7/2008
I cannot believe that I'm the first to review this killer little spot. If it weren't for the first, I wouldn't do it because the The Reef is not a big joint and really, the more people who know about it the more crowded it gets and the longer the brunch line is.
Dude - seriously. A hungover, rainy day brunch on the heated patio is something that is so perfectly Vancouver that I can't even describe it to you. Plus their Caesars are cheep on the weekends, and the spicy Caribbean food (Jerk Tofu? Yes please!) will sweat the toxins right out. Don't worry about offending the folks sitting around you - they're all in the same boat.
Their cocktail menu rules, too. I dig sidling up to the bar to flirt with the cute barkeep on a Saturday afternoon, grabbing a small plate and a few Mojitas and hanging with friends. It's the perfect place to relax after you've battled the crowds of tourists from the 'burbs who've driven in to experience Main Street. Kinda like a wild animal park safari, except instead of lions and tigers you have guys in skinny jeans and girls in ironically captioned t-shirts.Listed in: The Vancouver Edition
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Review from Dee B.
9/19/2010
The cinnamon and brown sugar Johnny Cakes (complimentary at brunch, I might add) and the Jamaica Me Crabby eggs benny (english muffin, crab cake, poached egg with hollandaise and house made salsa) really made my morning.
Service was fabulous and quick. I will be going back. -
Review from Emily S.
Vancouver, BC
10/13/2009 ROTD 10/18/2009
Stick-to-your-ribs food... I obviously couldn't get enough of the Commercial Street location, so I came here to check it out.. some people had informed me it was "better", whatever that means in a chain restaurant of 2.
All I can say is that one Mojito pitcher and one roti later, I was happy :) -
Review from Luisa D.
Updated - 9/12/2010
I went back! It was a spontaneous decision for brunch today with a bunch of my awesome, super-fun friends. The service isn't speedy but it was definitely chill and welcoming today. We sat out on the nice toasty patio, watched the rain and had a good time.
I won't say the food is going to blow you away. I had the huevos rancheros ($10). It's standard but flavourful: a good dollop of sour cream just makes everything yummy. I added some of their housemade hot sauce for a bit of Sunday morning kick. Another kick came from the $5 Caesar. A couple of my friends had boozy smoothies with their meals which looked so m-m-mmmm.
If you're looking for a slow start to your Sundays that'll leave you with a full tummy and a smile, you'll probably find it at The Reef.2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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9/11/2010
So I would have downgraded them to 2 stars once I discovered that an auto-grat had been added to my… Read more »
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Review from Lara O.
3/18/2011
The reef has so many amazing dishes, I love coming here. They truly have the laid back island atmosphere. Hot Johnny cakes are incredible! Best Mojitos in the city I think. I have met a few celebrities at the reef.
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Review from Nina N.
8/18/2009
Came here with my Canadian family to get away from all the sushi and pho we'd been eating while visiting Vancouver. Hats off to Aaron for picking this place because it was awesome!
Oh, those delicious Johnny Cakes! I could eat 5 buckets and not get tired of them. They're crunchy on the outside and so soft and warm on the inside. Slather on the butter and you're ready to go. Don't forget the plaintain chips with the jerk mayo...yum!
I ordered the Baracoa Pork which came with a pineapple salsa and coconut rice which I really liked. The pork was tender and the salsa added a little kick. I really wish I could've tried that night's drink special of Rum Punch but, due to a medical condition, I'm not allowed to drink at this time. However, the family ordered a pitcher to share and enjoyed it so much that they ordered a second pitcher. Must've been nice.
There was one negative and that was the super loud music. The reggae music the dj was playing gave the place atmosphere but I had a really hard time hearing the person next to me speak. After awhile it got so annoying that we left soon after the bill came and didn't stick around to enjoy the rest of the evening.
All-in-all, The Reef was a great experience. Definitely a place to visit to get your Carribean on! -
Review from Jessica O.
Vancouver, BC
7/27/2010 2 Check-ins Here
I don't like reggae..... I love it.
There is nothing quite so amazing as sitting in the noon sun on the patio at the Reef, imbibing dangerously delicious cocktails by the pitcher as you devour an order of "Jamaica Me Crabby" (a bennie made with crab cakes instead of meat).
I'm always happy to eat brunch in a bright sunny space, and after having been to Jamaica a few years ago I love spicy jerk sauce! The fruity "Flambeau" sauce that they serve in lieu of regular ole hot sauce is also amazing - and will give you a good kick in the rear (which you may need after all of the MoGingaJitos...)
Their citrus hollandaise is amazing, and the cinnamon dusted, raspberry stuffed Johhny Cake balls they serve first are decadent and filling - be careful you only eat half of one before your food comes out!
In the past I was not a fan of their supper menu, but I went a few months ago for a pal's birthday and it was great. The BF and I shared an appie special, lovely chana curry served with puffed rotis, and I then had the "Maracas Ray Mahi" (with subbed mash instead of rice.)
It was extremely flavourful and I almost licked my plate! The BF had the tofu roti and was not quite as thrilled, but acknowledged that he should have ordered something more suited to his mood.
So get ready to listen to some Bob, drink some rum and eat some spicy food! Yum! -
Review from vanessa G.
Vancouver, BC
5/17/2010
You can have dis ting or dat ting.. but why not try it all? Be careful because most of the food is spicy.. and jerk doesn't mean your a jerk, it just means it's got a nice flavoring. Salmon jerk! Only in Vancouver.
Who doesn't like free deep fried dough balls? I usually stick to salad with salmon, knowing that i am going to eat a couple of those and be pretty stuffed after them.
Oh but yam fries and plantain chips.. leave room for those too!
Drinks are yummy, but once you have been down south travelling and had these drinks before for 1/10 the price and triple the alcohol.. i just feel like i am getting ripped off.. but this is Canada after all.
Last time we where there we actually had desert, and had the deep fried bananas with ice cream.. if you can leave room for that too.. because it is SO GOOD! -
Review from Katie E.
Vancouver, BC
7/1/2011
My friend and I were walking up Main Street, checking out various restaurants before deciding which one we wanted to eat at, and I'm glad we walked all the way up to the Reef! I've never tried Caribbean food before and I was definitely impressed! The vibe was super fun from the moment we walked in. It was quite busy for a Monday night and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. Our server was friendly and efficient, and she brought these deep fried bread balls with some hot sauce before bringing out entrees, which were super yummy. I got the Kingston Quesadilla which was super delicious, and my friend ordered the Island Thyme Chicken, which she was impressed with as well. The only complaints I have were that the drinks were a little on the pricey side (but super cute/creative, my friend had to order the one that came in the coconut shell, I also like that most of them can be ordered as a pitcher), and we wanted to try their mango crepe for dessert, but they were all out.
Overall we loveloved this place and I can't wait to go back! -
Review from Reena M.
3/28/2009 1 Check-in Here
I came here for dinner with a bunch of co-workers, one of whom was Caribbean and she said this place was quite good for Vancouver.
The ambience of this place was quite fun and social. It wasn't too upscale or anything, but it wasn't too kitschy. The food itself I found to be quite nice. We ordered plantain chips for the table which were quite tasty. I had the drink called Sorrel which is a carbonated hibiscus drink with spices in it. It was very nice! I also ordered the West Indian Goat Curry because of its traditional-ness. But instead of rice I ordered yamfries and they were the best yam fries I'd ever had. They were hand cut yams and they were nicely golden brown. I wasn't the biggest fan of the jerk wings. But maybe I just don't like jamaican jerk.
The outdoor seating seems great for a Summer Night's dinner. I shall be back, for at the very least, plantain chips! Oh and their drink list is quite large! Much bigger than their food menu.Listed in: Reena M's Guide to Main St., Tourism Vancouver
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Review from Jeff M.
Vancouver, BC
6/13/2011
They have Caribs there! (Caribs being a beach beer much like but imo better than Corona or even Sol) Small patio, but if you can get a spot do it. Very chill atmosphere. Ordered the jerk chicken. Great stuff. The hot sauce on their table is ... well it's hot. They also brought out what i can only describe as a large donut hole seasoned like the pne mini donuts, with peach bits inside. It was freshly fried, and was delicious. Would not hesitate to come back, especially if it's sunny out.
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Review from Nicole L.
Vancouver, BC
8/27/2008
Don't tell anyone, but I used to go to The Reef in Victoria to get served before I was, uh, of a certain age.
With that laid-back spirit in mind, I went to the Vancouver installation of The Reef on Main to drink some sweet, boozy drinks and relive my youth. We sat outside on the small patio (but unfortunately a group of smokers decided to loiter nearby, leaving my food tasting somewhat cigarette-ish.) The place was fairly busy and our waitress, although quite friendly, was very, very slow. We did not get our drinks until we were half-way through a plate of plantain chips - which were so salty you needed something to wash them down with! Forget about getting more jerk mayo to dip the chips in. Although it was worth the wait for the delicious Johhny Cakes that come with each meal. A giant, deep-friend Timbit with spicy-sweet butter on the side, it's worth going to The Reef just to get the Johhny Cakes. -
Review from Vincci L.
Another summertime favourite.
Cool Carribean vibe, vibrant hints of color, it's an escape from the city of Vancouver and take yourself to this tropical place.
They've opened up another location on Commercial, but I've only been to this one and I have a great experience everytime.
Awesome cocktail list, wtih drinks inspired by the different Caribbean islands. Almost all their drinks can be served pitcher sized, a great option for those hot summer days. I've gotten pitchers of the pina colada, mojito, and the sangria. All very very yummy, and makes me very happy.
Those Johnny cakes (balls of starch), have a hint of sweetness, and that coconuty butter that it comes with is to die for. Slightly heated, the butter melts, and the soft flaky texture melts in your mouth. I can't get enough of them!
Plantain chips-yummy, crispy, with a jerk mayo, with a hint of spiciness.
Island crab cakes- curry flavoured crab cakes. Good texture, good flavour.
Bajan Fried Chicken-chicken was cooked well, not dry
Seafood Tostadas. Two tostadas,
West Indian curry-I've only tried the chicken one. This is a little spicy for me, but I'm spicy-intolerant.
Island thyme chicken-coconut flavoured chicken? I'm all for it! A decent portion, served with mashed potatoes.
It's a busy place, so call ahead to make reservation. They also have live music Friday nights. Always a fun restaurant to go to!
