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Vij's Restaurant
Category: Restaurants Indian Indian [Edit]
1480 W 11th AveVancouver, BC V6H 1L1
Neighbourhoods: Fairview Slopes, South Granville
(604) 736-6664
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 5:30 pm - 10:30 pm
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Romantic, Classy, Trendy, Intimate
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
312 reviews for Vij's Restaurant
Review Highlights
"Shortribs were great, lamb popsicles were amazing."
(in 104 reviews)
"Loved the lamb popsicles in Fenugreek cream curry."
(in 15 reviews)
"...is always a waiting list and they don't take reservations."
(in 22 reviews)
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312 reviews in English
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Review from Tanya J.
1/31/2012
It was 2003 when I came up to Vancouver with a bunch of friends to go to Vij's only to find a line stretching far beyond what we were expecting, so we sadly decided to skip it. We tried again in 2009 but for some odd reason it was closed so we were out of luck again. 2011 was supposed to be the year where I would finally get to taste what I heard was the "best Indian food in North America" and what do you know - it was a holiday weekend and closed that day too!
Mother... $#&@er!
Then finally, my birthday weekend 2012 arrived. In telling my best friend we would be hanging out in Canada that weekend, she so smartly mentioned us going to Vij's for dinner with them before we headed across the border. OH YEAH, baby... So FINALLY after 9 years of anticipation, I got to go to Vij's and try the extremely hyped up food to finally see how it measured up.
We got there around 4:45 and stood in line and to our delight; we were party #2 waiting to break through the doors at 5:30PM. I've never seen anything like this. I just couldn't wrap my head around the fact there was this line to get in to a restaurant and yet this was very normal.
We got seated in the dimly lit and beautiful ambiance surrounding us and were quickly served appetizers such as pakoras and chili fries as we perused the menu and ordered our drinks. I love places that keep you happy and serve you extra tasty nibbles like this, sharing with us their specialties!
For appy's we went with the portabella mushrooms in a creamy curry sauce (delish) and the chickpeas with potato cookies (super yummy). For dinner we had the eggplant and black chickpeas and the spinach and paneer. Both were exquisite. Our friends shared the lamb lollipops and also the paneer and spinach and were quite happy with theirs too.
All things, cooked to perfection with lots of great flavors.
Vij's is not just a restaurant; it's an experience start to finish. Not only is the food everything it was hyped up to be and more but the treatment you get is unrivaled. The ambiance, the service, of course the food - Vij's makes me happy. I can't wait to go back and relish more in its grandeur.Listed in: Vegelicious, All Time Favorites
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Review from Emilie C.
Vancouver, BC
1/30/2012
The lineup (no reservations), especially on weekends, starts before they open. Once the clock strikes 5:30, people are allowed inside. The lights are dim and the slight scent of spices and deliciousness linger about.
If you aren't seated right away, you are offered yummy snack food and are able to order drinks. Once seated, and you peruse the menu, there truly seems to be something for everyone. Obvi the lamb popsicles are legendary, but the creamy curried portobello mushrooms are an explosion of flavour! The non-traditional Indian dishes are great for sharing.
The atmosphere is certainly nice, but in this case, it's all about the food! -
Review from Robert B.
Vancouver, BC
1/28/2012
I only have two words to say about vij's; lamb. popsicles.
i had heard so many good things about these lamb popsicles that they were the first thing i ate there and they were "i thought i died and went to heaven" good. The next few times i went to vij's i wanted to try other things and since we often taste each other's food, i think i've tasted most of what's on the menu. everything is really, really good. like others have mentioned, this is not traditional, classical indian food. since i've never been to india, i don't know what they would serve in a gourmet restaurant there but that's what vij's seems to me to be. last time i went, i was wondering if i should try the lamb popsicles again worried that i would be disappointed since they might not be as good as i remembered. oh. my. god. they were as good as the first time and maybe even better than i remembered. they were otherworldly awesome.
we've always had great, attentive service. the ambiance is comfortable and casual. the only thing that is a problem is the wait if you go early. the place seems to open up a little later on so i'm thinking that next time i go i'll try and go late. and i'll probably have the lamb popsicles again. -
Review from Meana k.
1/24/2012
It's not the most authentic Indian food out there, but it's damn good. Service is great. Ambiance is nice. And just having a chance to dine in a place where people wait 2 hours for a table makes you feel like you're part of some exclusive club. Packed shoulder to shoulder, the waiting room is filled with people sampling on the free passed hors d'eourves and sipping on cocktails. The spices and sauces wafting a hunger-inducing scent through the air to tease your appetite. By the time you're seated, you're already full from all the snacks you've enjoyed but since you've waited so long, no way in hell will you give up your opportunity to order everything you've been salivating over on the menu by now.
Or you can show up by 5pm and hope to be among the first diners at 5:30 when they open up. I'm telling you, show up at even 9pm and you'll wait 90 minutes minimum. Is it worth it? I suppose it depends on whether you're just there for the food. If you're there for the experience, then sure. It's worth it from time to time. It's just... more than just the food.
However, the food is quite inventive and flavorful. My favorite is the lamb in fenugreek cream curry with rice. So good. I've also enjoyed their goat curry, spinach, samosas, and jackfruit. Last, a lovely finishing touch is the mango pistachio kulfi. Perfect with some chai after what by now has been at least 3 hours in the restaurant. You leave there feeling so stuffed and yet so satisfied, knowing it might be some time before you're willing to go through the wait again but somehow confident that you will.
In reality, this is a fun place for a special dinner but really, incredibly expensive. At about $28 per entree, for two people plus drinks and appetizers and desserts, you're looking at a pretty hefty bill. But then again, who waits in line for two hours for cheap food, right? It's all about the experience. -
Review from Cyrus G.
Vancouver, BC
1/19/2012
Most definitely the best indian food in the city. I've never had a bad dish at the restaurant, so try anything on the menu and enjoy. It helps too that the decor and atmosphere stand up with the best of the city.
Of course, the waits are long but you're best to put your name down and take a nice walk on Granville street and have a coffee while you're waiting. Honestly, I'll take that over places like Kitsilano Daily Kitchen which are booked up weeks in advance. -
Review from Carol L.
1/5/2012 3 photos
Delicious Indian-American fusion in Vancouver with a pretty acclaimed chef. I recommend this place if you are in Vanouver. They do not take reservations, and expect a long wait. Luckily, they have a waiting room where they serve you appetizers!
Must get items are their braised short ribs and the lamb popsicles. Pro tip: if you get both, dip the braised short rib meat into the yogurt sauce of the lamb popsicles. This was AMAZING, and I wish they served that as a dish too!
The service was good, but sometimes rubbed us the wrong way. The waitresses were nice but not always attentive, and they sometimes gave us tight smiles for our requests that didn't seem overly genuine. Overall, though, the atmosphere is great, the staff polite at least, and the food tasty. This was in my top 3 for Vancouver dinner spots!Listed in: Vancouver Eats
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Review from Niko D.
Vancouver, BC
12/31/2011
I have heard heaps and heaps about this restaurant.. I have always wanted to go but not sure about shelling out the $$$ to go.. Now that I have experienced Vij's...I have to say..WOW!....WOW!!!!!!!!
The wait and constant busy restaurant are quite an indication of how incredibly good the food is...right?..RIGHT! Just be ware..this isn't authentic Indian food. It is fusion indian/french cuisine... Richness with more richness lol why not!!!
We got there around 8, ordered a bottle of house wine and enjoyed the ambiance and free appetizers.
Once seated..an hour later..ugh thank goodness there were appetizers....and wine!
For an appetizer we ordered the Garam Masala Portabelo Mushroom with Porcini Cream Curry.. Wow this dish was amazing, the texture of the mushroom was like a steak..so yummy. The curry sauce...wow...So tasty..You have to try it yourself to really appreciate it!
The wine marinated lamb popscicles..Were sooooooooooooo GOOD! The meat was tender, cooked to perfection! The sauce was just...gosh darnit..Amazingness in the mouth area! ha ha...Yeah that good.
I ended up buying a book as well....Its worth it, some of the recipes actually taste similar to what the chefs make in the kitchen.
Don't abstain from the pleasure known as Vijs..trust me on that! -
Review from Lynne P.
Vancouver, BC
12/22/2011
Vij's is a bit of a logistical headache, but well worth standing in line if you want to sample some of the best cuisine Vancouver--and frankly North America--has to offer. Our party showed up at 5pm to hold a place in line and was seated immediately at the 5:30pm opening. If you miss this seating you can expect to wait 60-90 minutes, and generally if you just show up there is at least an hour's wait for a table. Vij's doesn't take reservations--not even for Robert Redford, apparently--so getting there early is a necessity if you want to avoid a wait. That said, there is a lovely lounge where you can wait for your table and enjoy the free appies that are passed around, so all in all it's not a bad experience. Just think of dinner at Vij's as an 'evening' and not a 'dinner' and you'll be OK :)
The Food: You can sum up Vij's food in one word: Incredible. If you love Indian food you're in for a real treat. The menu consists of a selection of appetizers and mains, and we ordered three appetizers and five mains to share between five of us and had no room left for dessert. Any of the appies are great, but the roast squash on pickled kale stood out as particularly amazing.
For our mains we did two orders of the lamb popsicles in fenugreek creamy curry sauce (you must order this dish--not only is it one of Vij's signature dishes it is one of the best things I have ever eaten, period), lemon-ghee marinated chicken in tangy tomato curry, BC spot prawns in a creamy curry and saag paneer in a spinach curry sauce. All of these were divine, with the saag paneer as a particularly brilliant dish. It is the right mix of acid and creamy cheese and was wonderful dipped up on the ample naan that is served with your mains. Bowls of rice and plates of naan were kept in steady supply, and we probably would have licked our bowls clean if they hadn't kept us in bread.
We had a couple of bottles of wine with dinner, and what's nice is that Vij's offers a decent list of bottles at $39 each, making it easy to choose and not breaking the bank at $55-75/bottle like some Vancouver restaurants do.
The Service: Lovely, as always. Vikram Vij himself greeted and seated us, stopped by to check in and joke around some with our party a couple of times. He really is a lovely man and it's clear he loves what he does. We asked about his new location on Cambie and he let us know it would have about 20 more seats than the current location's 65, and that it should be open in the spring of 2012--which is great.
As there are no 'dedicated' servers by table or section you essentially have the entire staff looking after you. Water and wine glasses were kept topped up, bread arrived at an almost alarming rate (the naan is so good I could have kept noshing it forever), dishes were quickly cleared away and food was extremely quick. You just feel well cared for and welcome, something I always love about Vij's. There may be a wait sometimes, but the staff seems appreciative that you've made the effort and it shows.
All in all: The best. If you're a foodie of any stripe I highly recommend a pilgrimage to Vij's. Again, if you approach it as an experience you will enjoy it that much more. -
Review from Eric S.
1/18/2012
Whenever I'm in town, Vij's is where I go! Great service that is perfectly complemented by the excellent food. Here's what we got...curried chickpeas with sweet potato-ricotta cookies, yam paneer and cabbage in pureed lentil curry. Main courses were roasted mashed eggplant with butternut squash and the beef short ribs braised in yogurt. As with any restaurant that just does it all right, Vij's fills up fast, so get there early, or be prepared to wait.
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Review from Karina S.
Vancouver, BC
1/23/2012
This restaurant is very much worth the wait - make it part of the experience. The food is great and the service is as well. Unlike many "classic" Vancouver restaurants, this one continues to impress and outperform the new ones.
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Review from Cassie N.
Calgary, AB
12/5/2011
First thing I have to say is Vij's doesn't take reservations, so if you want in, line up at 5 and wait half an hour before the doors open. Thankfully for us the weather wasn't too cold and it wasn't raining. I see how this is good for the restaurant, but It certainly isn't beneficial to its paying customers. Secondly, if you're looking for Indian, this isn't the place to go, at all. We arrived early, so we had no problem getting seated and were escorted to a table. The restaurant is dark, like... nightclub dark. Ambient lighting was a bit too dim which made reading the menu a bit difficult. Throw in a super bad font into the mix and with limited spacing between menu items and you're wondering where one plate stops and the other starts. I'm not sure if this is their way of trying to be different, but If I can't read what I'm eating, it leads to confusion.
Shortly after we were seated we were handed some Chai Tea to warm us up, along with some samples of various dishes they serve (or don't serve since none of them were on the menu). The confusing part was we were never really 'greeted' at our table, waters were given to us and as we read through the menu no one came to take our drink order. When the lady who welcomed us into the restaurant passed by our table we informed her that we didn't know who our server was and wanted to order drinks. She said "everyone serves you, what can I get you" For first time visitors it makes us feed like we're being neglected as tables around us are being asked what to drink or what to order, so as we were being seated they could've asked if it was our first time there (which is was) and explain the operation of how to place an order if it isn't the typical "Waitress by section" scheme.
For starters we ordered:
Pork Belly (natural) with apple/mint chutney at $3.50 a spoon, It was quite good and fairly priced. The Pork was very rich so the chutney was great to cut it down a bit, I don't think I would want more than one spoonful.
The people I went with had never had Indian before, so to play it safe I ordered Samosas as a second starter at $13 for two. They were filled with lamb and beef sautéed in fennel, cloves leaves and sumac. I don't really know why I decided to get one for myself as its filled with lamb and beef, I can't say that the two complement one another well at all, and all I could taste was the gaminess of the lamb throughout it. I'm not sure why the mix of lamb was needed, but I guess that's the "Fusion" part of it. Fusion being the process or result of joining two or more things together to form a single entity that's great, but I think they missed the boat on keeping it tasty and not overpowering.
For mains we ordered Lemon-ghee marinated and grilled organic chicken breast and thigh in tangy tomato curry with roasted garlic and cashews at $28. I would say probably out of all the dishes that we ordered this was the best one. Again, had they not thrown in the curry mix and an overly generous amount of Cilantro I don't see it being an indian dish at all. The chicken was moist and the sauce was decent, not spicy and just a very mediocre dish.
Another Dish that we ordered was Rajasthani style goat meat with mildly spice vegetables at $27. This dish I couldn't eat at all. The entire top of the dish when we received it was covered in Cilantro. I'm not a fan of cilantro, but I can stomach it and not let its very strong taste ruin my dish. After one bite of the goat I was fighting the urge to spit it back out, due to it being completely overpowering. If I thought the Samosas were gamey, this dish took the cake. I'm glad that my friends were able to stomach it (although barely) because I wasn't touching it after that.
The last and final dish that we ordered was Sooke Mountain trout with Pakora in coconut, curry leaf and kokum curry at $28. I don't have much to say about this dish, it was rather boring, loaded up with Cilantro, and the trout was dry. The curry was barely noticeable and the pakora was fine; hard to screw that up really.
For 2 Alcoholic beverages, 2 starters and three mains our final bill came out to $140 (est, before gratuity) I guess for 3 people that isn't too bad, but with a less than impressive meal like we had, It was super disappointing to part with that kind of money. I'm not out to bash companies either, I truly was looking forward to the experience and went in with a very open mind - hello? I love food! When they say "Indian fusion" though I often think that it should learn towards the side of Indian than to whatever side it was leaning on. Good experience overall, nice staff, clean establishment, just not what I had ever anticipated, but if you're looking for somewhere different Vij's is certainly the place to go. -
Review from Paul S.
11/19/2011
Vij's is a surreal experience...
One of the main reasons we vacationed in Vancouver was to experience the raved about cuisine alive in and around the city. One restaurant alone was a requirement if we were to travel anywhere near Vancouver.
Owner and Chef of both Rangoli next door and self titled Vij's greets you warmly outside both restaurants to assist in the beginning of your venture.
Sit outside and wait for as long as is quoted and maybe longer. Average wait time runs about 90 minutes. It's the best wait you'll ever have at a restaurant. Every 10-15 minutes complimentary appetizers are passed around like short coming attractions before the Feature Presentation. We grabbed an Indian Mojito and nibbled for an hour and a half.
For an appetizer we had the Garam Masala sauteed portobello mushrooms in porcini cream curry. Heavenly, and nothing short of amazing.
We shared the Saag-paneer with Punjabi daal and chapati along with the infamous lamb popsicles.
Everything about the Saag-paneer was perfect. I wasn't 100% sold on ordering it but fell in love after my first bite. The lamb wins the prize though. Biting into meat has never been such an enjoyable experience. I've never been so impressed with how tender someone could get lamb to be. The sauce, potatoes, turmeric, curry, and every little spice and grain of salt came together to accompany and complete a perfect dish.
The construction of the perfect staff along with a gorgeous restaurant as a backdrop to an outstanding menu of what's labeled as Curry Art created an evening for us that couldn't have been more perfect.
I look forward to another trip across the continent that lands my pallet in the hands of Vikram Vij.Listed in: Have ticket, will consume...., Pacific Northwest....
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Review from Erica L.
Vancouver, BC
2/1/2012
Delicious food, friendly service. I love Vij's! The only issue I have is that there is ALWAYS a wait to get in. However, on a pleasent day, it is really nice to wait outside. It is cute how they serve appies to the patrons waiting (nice touch). However, the food is so good, that it is worth it every time. I noticed a Vij's will be opening on Cambie, so hopefully this location will take reservations.
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Review from namit m.
12/6/2011 4 Check-ins Here
Love Vij's. Pretty much everything on the menu is executed with perfection. The dishes are not classic Indian, but more innovative. Its a great mix of Indian styles, and spices with fresh ingredients available and sourced locally.
Te only negative is the incredibly long wait to be seated. To ease the pain, grab a seat in the bar area, order a bottle of wine from the excellent wine list, and enjoy the delicious appys that come to you. If nothing else you will have a full on appetite when you are seated.
All in all one of the best dining experiences in Vancouver, and IMO the best Indian food in North America. -
Review from Novalina N.
11/17/2011
Arrive at the latest at 5p. You'll wait 1.5 hours otherwise (minimum!).
We arrived at 515p and got seated at 730p. The wait wasn't super horrible since we managed to get a seat in the back. They served us some drinks and plenty of appetizers.
Now, the problem of waiting that long for a dinner and ate a few bites is when our seat is ready, we were FULL! I was still enjoy the food tho, altho my bf almost couldn't eat at all.
Appetizer:
- Portobello mushroom: Great sauce with meaty flavor, the mushroom complements it perfectly. Definitely get this!
- Jackfruit: Way too sour and 1 dimensional. Yeah, not my favorite.
Entree:
- Lamp popsicle: Very very good. Perfectly cook lamb rack, the sauce is a bit spicy and very vibrant.
Naan, rice, and chai are included.
Note to Vij: please just accept reservation. Making people wait outside in the winter is cruel... -
Review from Cody S.
10/17/2011 1 Check-in Here
If you can get here early and get a seat, or you are willing to wait in line for a hour or two, get here now! I didn't even know I would ever get to eat here...you have to be a very dedicated person to eat here if you are a busy person! It is worth every minute you spend waiting. The service makes sure you are nibbling on something almost all of the time. You can sit outside, have a drink and socialize. Before you know it, your time has come! Its a little like going to Disneyland for the first time when you are a kid. Except, this time you are sitting down for one of the best meals you will ever have. And then someone drops off some chai to sip on before your first rollercoaster ride.
The Lamb Popsicles are the greatest culinary treat in the entire world! I might have consumed more naan (which is good enough to eat all of the time by itself) than the average person just dipping it in the sauce. I fully believe that this would bring me out of any bad mood I could ever be in. I only wish I could take a little of this with me when I have stressful tasks to accomplish. The pork tenderloin is a very close honourable mention. The complexity of flavours you experience with this dish is unbelievable. Between that and my cocktail, my tastebuds were in heaven.The goat curry was amazing. Enough Said. On the dessert side, which you must partake in, the ice cream is incredible. I can't believe I can't remember the name of it!
The service here is fantastic. Every single person who works here cares about their customers. It is beautiful if you think about it.
Get here early and enjoy a 'Dark Army' cocktail while you wait....totally worth it.Listed in: Really nice spots in Vancouver
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Review from Rebecca S.
10/6/2011
I may be in the minority here, but I would choose Rangoli over the original Vij's anyday.
Things I like about Vij's:
-indian mojitos!
-the free appetizers you receive when sitting in the bar waiting
-delicious, amazing, flavorful food
-dungeness crab spoons = amazing, omg.
Things I dislike about Vij's:
-the long, long wait
-getting full before getting seated off of the constant, free appetizers
-high prices for small portions
-I never remember what I eat because after waiting so long, it's a blur
Why I choose Rangoli:
-absolutely no wait!
-$15/person instead of min. $30/person!
-memories of what I ate!Listed in: Vancouver, BC
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Review from Ed K.
Vancouver, BC
11/23/2011
Love. love , love this place.
Every time I come here I leave extremely happy.
I have a couple friends from Texas and when they visit ( often) Vij's is always top of the list.
For a table of four people make sure to double (or even triple up) on the Lamb Popsicles.
This isn't traditional Indian food but what you make with Indian flavours and the best local ingredients available.
Can't wait for my next visit. -
Review from Shawna L.
Burnaby, BC
11/19/2011
The food is good, service superb and atmosphere pleasant.
However, portions were small, prices were high and the wait extremely long.
This city is full of great restaurants so I don't think I will be returning. -
Review from Lindsay P.
Vancouver, BC
12/14/2011
Yes, it lives up to the hype.
Delicious. Absolutely delicious. We loved the mushroom appetizer and all the mains were yummy (although I wouldn't order the goat again but wanted to try it once!).
You do have to arrive early and wait and even so we didn't make the first seating so we had a 90 minute wait. But we walked around South Granville for a bit and then came back and really enjoyed the cocktails and passed appetizers.
It is expensive, but one of those places where you actually feel like it was worth it! -
Review from Rick A.
Ottawa, ON
11/20/2011
Good, but not quite so good as I was expecting. The two hour wait thing can be a bit long (we had flown in and were on eastern time), and there's a bitt too much "fried" here and a bit too little emphasis on those great Indian vegetable dishes. But I'll give it another try.
The no-reservations thing may be a great business model for the owners, but not great for customers.Listed in: Faves
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Review from Genre S.
Calgary, AB
11/27/2011
What I had was from a constrained menu, the Vij had put together a small concession as a part of the big street party in November. The Kalonji chicken with rice was consumed, and well consumed it was. If you are a neophile and had come across this dish, I am almost certain that you will search out the restaurant for the full experience. I will be, if not now then the next time I orbit through town.
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Review from K A.
8/29/2011
This place is totally overrated. Hearing all the hype about this place, we had to give it a try. Went on a weeknight as a party of three, were lucky to get in and get a table. First impressions - cramped seating, dark lighting, and very, very loud. I could hardly see the person I was talking to the lighting was so dim, and we had to yell to be heard.
We ordered dishes to share since we wanted to taste different things. We had the mutton kabobs and portobello mushrooms to start. Both were tasty. For mains we had lamb popsicles, beef shortribs, trout & lobster, saag paneer. It was all very tasty, although the paneer was a little disappointingly bland. The problem was between the six of us, we each literally only got one bite of each dish. I realize that these entrees may not necessarily be made for family style dining, but it would be nice if they had been just a little more substantial. The service was decent, our water was filled regularly and we did not feel rushed by the staff despite the line up of patrons waiting to get in.
I would say that this place is definitely "pretentious." The food is tasty, but the long waits and uncomfortable atmosphere really did nothing to make me want to return. -
Review from Eat F.
Vancouver, BC
11/22/2011
Personal Remarks: I was okay about waiting for a seat because of the no reservations thing, they had periodically come by with snacks so you don't starve for the hour that you're standing around.
The worst part of the night was where we ordered that thing on a spoon. The spoon stuff was sour and there was another small side dish to complement the sour stuff. We noticed everyone eating it so we decided to try it too. Lucky us, we were the only ones that had egg shells in ours. Not only did I have egg shells in my mouth for the entire night. We told the waitress and one would expect the manager to come by to apologize, which would be nice. But no! When he came by to find out what was wrong he was very smug and said, "it's only egg shells". Of course it's not going to kill me but when you pay $6 for 2 spoons of something you'd expect some good a$$ food! The fact that it was not taken off our bill was another insulting thing. In order to taste what it should have tasted like I had to ask him for another spoon of that crap, when it came they ONLY gave me the spoon of that sour stuff without the side plate of the complement dish to counter act the sour stuff. He came by later to ask how things were, I said, "That was so sour, and he said yeah you're supposed to eat it with the side dish". I was steaming mad at this point and wanted to leave before my mains. I was very unhappy by this point. NEVER EVER going back! SERVICE SUCKED! Don't waste your money here, let them take money from other suckers.
Ambiance: Romantic but not intimate, casual dressy, keep your runners at home.
Seating/Wait time: No reservations allowed, LONG TIME!
Dress Code: Casual Dressy
Crowd: Upper Middle Class
Meal:
Spicy pork belly (natural) with apple/mint chutney $3.50/spoon
Beef Short ribs braised in yogurt, tomato, and cumin curry $27.00
Value: 0/5 -
Review from Michael W.
Vancouver, BC
1/23/2012
It is worth the wait
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Review from Linzi M.
8/19/2011
Far be it for me to detract from the pack here, but Vij left me feeling underwhelmed.
I had never even heard the buzz about this place before coming but have experienced similar ravings* about curry houses in London and know what to expect. That's right, I said it, curry house. Because that is what this is. It's not fine dining and it did not blow me away. But at $28 minimum for main courses, I was blown away by the prices. Bloody hell. It's curry! And mostly vegetarian.**
It was higher class curry than you get at most Indian restaurants but while my companions stuffed themselves, I was left feeling a bit meh***. And filled up on naan bread. The staff are charming and stylish and came round to give us lots of samples of the treats we missed when we didn't choose to wait an hour in the line up but nipped off for a cocktail. I was impressed by how they knew who we were, had been waiting and not given the table away and came right over to serve us. That is classy service.
I would go back but not if I had to wait two hours.
* Tayyaabs, I'm looking at you.
** This feels very Emperor's New Clothes to me, I suspect Vancouver has too much sushi and not enough Indian to make good competition.
*** I'd actually completely forgotten I'd eaten here. -
Review from Benson H.
Vancouver, BC
11/17/2011
Now this is truly an experience as every review has mentioned you will be here for a LONG time. But if there was any restaurant in Vancouver to wait 1+ hour for a table and still be in a great mood at seating, it's here. Especially if you're on a date, you'll get a chance to thoroughly break the ice before stuffing your face with food and talking about the food instead of yourselves. That's not to say you won't have your mouths full while waiting because they are constantly rolling out little bite sized appetizers while refilling your cup with delicious chai.
So by the time you are finally seated you may feel you don't have much room in your stomach. But I can guarantee you your stomach will make room for a full 3 course meal because every bite is that appetizing. And with each course they will serve you rice and naan bread to soak up all that yummy curry.
And I want to mention that while Vij's may seem on the pricier side, it really isn't because of all the food you get compared to other Indian restaurants. There's not really a "cheap" Indian restaurant whenever I think of going out for Indian cuisine unless it's an All-you-can-eat at lunch time. Furthermore I don't know how many Indian restaurants CHARGE for simple things like Chai and Naan bread which really adds to the bill. I would've racked up a $20 bill just on the Chai alone while waiting for a table.
Lastly and definitely not least - Vij is sometimes around to personally check on you. I haven't been for a while now, but at least twice I've met him and once he sent over some complimentary dessert.
All in all, a full on eating and lounging experience with the most delicious food that may not be affordable everyday, but it is still the best deal in town! -
Review from Rohan S.
New Westminster, BC
10/19/2011 1 Check-in Here
This is my hands down favourite restaurant in Vancouver. It lives up to it's hype and it's worth all the waiting you have to do for a table.
Be warned, if you're going to eat here, you need to make an evening of it.
When you show up, head to the back and get your name on the wait list. Chances are you'll be waiting at least 90min for a table. I'd suggest hanging out in the back, have a few drinks and sample all the free appies that roll out of the kitchen.
I've managed to work my way through most of the menu and you can't go wrong with anything on it. I'd suggest starting with the mutton kebab and the Punjabi Heart Attack (it's not on the menu anymore, but they still make it if you ask). For you main, have the Lamb Popsicle and for desert a hot cup of chai and gulab jamun.
In addition to the phenomenal food, the service is also top notch. The wait staff is friendly and they don't rush you, even if people are stacked up like chord wood in the back.
This is somewhere you need to eat! -
Review from Paul E.
Vancouver, BC
10/14/2011
After enjoying Vij's Rangoli so much, we decided to head to Vij's for a special occasion meal, arriving about 6pm on a Thursday night. We were told to expect an hour's wait, but only actually ended up waiting thirty minutes or so in the pleasant (but slightly dingy and crowded) back bar. Whilst we waited there was a constant stream of snacks, most of which were very tasty.
Once seated we went for the following menu choices:
- Two spicy pulled pork spoons
- Chickpea koftas with cabbage curry
- Lamb popsicles in fenugreek curry with potatoes and spinch
- Pork tenderloin on pilaf with tomato and mustard seed curry
(The koftas came with naan, and both mains came with rice and naan).
The pork spoons were delicious, with the spicy and tender pork working surpisingly well covered in chutney. The koftas were much less exciting, and whilst tasty, they weren't at the level of quality I was expecting.
The same balance between excellent and adequate came with the mains: the lamb popsicles were expertly cooked, full of flavour and went perfectly with the creamy fenugreek curry... whilst the pork was just ok. Ok in the sense that it was enjoyable, well cooked and flavourful, but not anyway near the quality of the lamb, or what I would have expected from Vij's reputation (or price tag!).
Everything came to $120 (including two beers, a ginger and lemon drink and tip). If it all had been at the quality of the pulled pork and lamb, I would have been ok with paying this much, but the chickpea koftas and pork tenderloin just weren't good enough to justify the cost.
To echo the sentiments of the other reviewers, Vij's Rangoli is a much better value and more relaxed restaurant, and the food is pretty much as good as the main restaurant. -
Review from Craig R.
St John's, NL
12/7/2011
Unbelievable experience! No reservations and always a line but definitely worth the wait! They serve awesome appies while you wait. The lamb popsicles are to die for!
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Review from Julie F.
10/5/2011
Absolutely delicious! Not traditional Indian - but that's what makes this place amazing. The service was great and the ambiance perfect. Don't expect a quiet romatic dinner - the dining room is a vibrant as the flavors in the food. They are extremely busy, so if you dont get there right when it opens, you'll wait 2-3 hours for a table. The hostesses tell you the wait time as if they were saying "are you sure you want to wait 2 hours for a table"? Yes, I am sure... and waiting was definitely worth it - but you need to go into it knowing you're not going to be eat for awhile.
We wanted to try everything on the menu, but of course could not. We decided to take the servers advice as to not get similar dishes and it worked out magnificently! -
Review from Diane M.
10/23/2011
Maybe I'm a bit spoiled coming from San Francisco and having all of the options that we do here. I honestly thought the food was just OK but way overpriced. The food is a bit different (in a good way) but not different enough to warrant those prices. The plates were also super small. We ordered a chicken dish and it came with like 3 little strips of chicken. We ordered an app, 2 entrees and a dessert and we were still hungry.
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Review from Jeremy C.
8/20/2011
A few people recommended Vij's as their favorite restaurant in Vancouver. That's a lot of expectation. And finding a line outside fifteen minutes before opening, others seemed to agree.
The initial reception was memorable. As soon as the restaurant opened, they ensured that everyone was seated immediately, and started distributing complementary h'orderves and drinks. This was much appreciated, and made the fact that they were so busy unnoticeable.
We attended with an Indian, who was vegetarian. He was disappointed by the relatively few vegetarian dishes on the menu. I wouldn't say that the menu was particularly authentic, although I'm also not one to mistake authenticity with quality. I was pleased with all of the dishes.
The group I was with didn't seem to feel that the quality justified either the hype or the price. They're probably right, although this wasn't noticeable to me. I was pleased with Vij's and would definitely go there again, although I certainly wouldn't say it's the best restaurant in Vancouver, as I've heard mentioned.
Oh, and I was quite pleased with the cocktails there - which isn't normally something that stands out at Indian restaurants. -
Review from Mark J.
6/28/2011
Everything about this restaurant is ridiculous. The food was outstanding and inventive. This is not the kind of place that serves chicken tikka masala. In fact, the Lamb Popsicles, the goat (!) curry, and the amazing papri chaat crackers were out of this world. Also, the Gulab Jamun was by far the best I've ever had - fried to perfection with the perfect hint of sweetness.
However, the real stand-out for the restaurant is the service. The waitresses all work as a team instead of having a single server/busser for your table. The only other restaurant I've seen this work well in is Gary Danko - this atmosphere was much more homey. The girls told us that Vij's goal was to make his restaurant feel like you're walking into his home. He achieved that in spades.
Don't fear the waits, especially on a quieter night like a Monday. Our 45 minute wait went by quickly after a few beers and the four different kinds of past appetizers that were passed. -
Review from Feifei R.
Vancouver, BC
7/5/2011
Really tasty food and well presented! Modern chic Indian element in the design. Clean and simple!
I've been here alone, or with boyfriend, family, friends for dozens times . So I almost tried everything on the menu, and was never disappointed. Reasonable portion and I love the fact they also sell the spice and sauce that you can cook at home.
Sometimes, they would have line up, but worth waiting! -
Review from Ashley B.
Vancouver, BC
10/16/2011
Never thought I'd say waiting for 2 hours to eat was worth it, but it totally was. While waiting we were served several different appetizers free of charge and continuously checked up on by staff. Vij's had the best costumer service I probably have ever experienced. To top it all off, the food was amazing.
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Review from Joshua C.
7/28/2011 1 Check-in Here
Best Indian Food Ever.
We went on a Monday. We checked in with the host, went for a 30 minute walk around the neighborhood, came back and were seated right away. SWEET!
The jack fruit dish was something I've never had and I crave it to this day. I've only had jack fruit in desserts, but never in a savory dish. The texture of jack fruit reminded me of chicken or pork. When pulled apart, it was stringy and felt very meaty. Hold on, let me wipe the drool off my keyboard. The BC Spot Prawns were also delicious!
When we asked about dessert, the waiter described some kind of fried dough, similar to donuts, and I was sold. No need to explain further. What we got were two little fried dough balls in a cardamom syrup and pistachios. YUM! So rich and sweet.
Even my cocktail was awesome. The Indian Mojito was refreshing on a rare warm summer evening in Vancouver.
All the things I've read about the long wait didn't apply to us, so maybe we lucked out. One thing I regret is sticking around for the wait to get some of those yummy free appetizers.
As far as price goes, it is very possible to eat here without breaking your piggy bank. The prices are reasonable and the portions are enough to share. You get great quality food for the price, which makes Vij's so worth the wait. I will be back every single time I'm in Vancouver. No doubt about it. -
Review from Robyn B.
Calgary, AB
8/3/2011 1 Check-in Here
When discussing the very best restaurants in Vancouver, or Canada for that matter, Vij's has to be part of the discussion.
Their take on Indian-fusion, or moder Indian food is unique, and the quality of every dish from appetizer to main is oustanding. Every dish I have tried so far has been exceptional.
Since they don't take reservations, your options are to: a) show up 1/2 hour before opening; b) check in, walk around, and come back when your table is ready, or c) wait, often 1-2 hours. I recommend option a). Go early, and go hungry.
They have a first-class wine selection as well, and if you are treating yourself to this restaurant, you'll want include wine with your meal too. -
Review from Sarah A.
6/19/2011 1 Check-in Here
Totally lives up to the hype and worth the hour and a half wait. Don't make plans to do anything else that night. Be prepared to spend more than you have ever spent on Indian food. Put your name on the list and then pop around the corner to the Marquis for some drinks or do some window shopping. Trust me it will all be worth it.
The food and the service at Vij's are phenomenal. We ordered the Punjabi Heart Attack, Lamp Popsicles, and the Dark Army cocktail (a very strong rum drink). For dessert we had chai tea and galub jaman which was also very good. All of it was scrumptious.
You will leave full and happy! -
Review from Stephen V.
8/17/2011
Really terrific Indian food, fun atmosphere and very good service.
We went on a Saturday night in August. We showed up around 5:15pm; there were about 50 people in line waiting for the 5:30pm open. At open the tables filled about 10 people in front of us, we were very politely told that we would have to put our name down and wait. They have a new electronic seating system (iPad) and it seemed to work very well. We waited/sat outside on the deck in the beautiful summer weather, were served drinks and appetizers regularly and had a great time meeting folks. The owner himself came by regularly and checked on us to make sure we were getting appetizers and drinks. We ended up getting seated at about 7pm or so. The wait was about as good as I've ever experienced -- it'd be great if there wasn't a wait, but given the fact that there was, this was just fine with us.
The server was friendly, polite, well versed in what was on the menu and eager to help us pick. We deferred to him on the appetizers and the drinks and he was great at choosing both. The owner came by the table frequently. The service was prompt, friendly and, in short, great.
This is not a ritzy gourmet experience -- do not expect spectacular presentations or super fancy place settings. The seating is a bit cramped, and some of the tables aren't located in the greatest spots (we were behind a cabinet in front of the front door). A casual place.
The food was excellent -- the best Indian I've ever had. I really enjoyed the Lamb Lollipops, and all of the other dishes that were served. If I were to be really picky, I'd say the naan was pretty good, but not great. (Side note: I've eaten at some highly Yelp'd Indian food restaurants (like Amber India in Mountain View), and have been eating Indian regularly for a couple of decades. But I'm not a connoisseur.)
The only regret I have is that I should have teamed up with another couple we met so we could have ordered more dishes at a table for 4 instead of a table for 2. The variety of the food was a key attraction and I would have liked to have tasted more dishes.
Great food, great place, tolerable wait.
