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Water St Cafe
Category: Restaurants Canadian (New) Canadian (New) [Edit]
300 Water StVancouver, BC V6B 1B6
Neighbourhoods: Downtown, Gastown
(604) 689-2832
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
51 reviews for Water St Cafe
Review Highlights
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"...right across from the famous steam clock, the place had a..." In 9 reviews -
"We had the beef carpaccio for an appetizer." In 4 reviews -
"For an appetizer, the Fanny Bay Oysters are a definite must..." In 2 reviews
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51 reviews in English
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Review from Christian M.
North Vancouver, BC
4/9/2012
On this bright and sunny Easter Monday, my friend and I were walking around Gastown looking for a place to grab lunch and discuss business. Because of the quasi-holiday status of Easter Monday, many restaurants were closed.
We eventually came across the Water St. Cafe and ventured in. The staff were friendly and welcoming. The lunch menu had so many great options. I found it difficult to choose.
My friend and I both had the open-face grilled Mediterranean chicken sandwiches. I was immensely impressed. The chicken was cooked very well and the accompanying salad and frittes nicely completed the meal. I left satisfied and content with the great meal I had just eaten.
I highly recommend the Water St. Cafe to anyone. -
Review from Ji Y.
5/23/2012 1 Check-in Here
Came here fro a Mother's Day dinner and they had a great deal for lobster. First, I was hesitating to eat here as they had only 1 high chair and another party was using that one high chair. My one year old son had to sit on a booster seat! That was a challenge in itself. The waiter was good but when I first walked in, it's like the hostess or one of the workers just told us to find a seat to sit. It took us some time to find a seat as most of the tables said it was reserved. Terrible management of this place.
The Lobster came with a pasta and it was okay. My lobster was quite chewy! My son had a butternut carrot soup and I had a taste and it was pretty tasty. At least we got to sit at the patio area watching the whistling street clock while enjoying a bottle of wine. Would I return to eat here again? Probably not. -
Review from Picky E.
Vancouver, BC
5/6/2012
Holy shit judging from all the bad reviews on this place it really needs new management + staff + chefs... maybe just a new restaurant to replace this place in general.
After hearing many great praises about this restaurant from my friends, le boyfriend and I finally had the chance to go on this glorious sunday. Let's just say this has been one of the worst "atmospheric" experiences i've experienced at a classy restaurant. I'll start off with the crappy food first. We came in for an early dinner, there was maybe ten people max in the restaurant at that time. Got the calamari and fanny bay oysters for appetizers, then the lobster and spaghetti special along with the potato gnocchi for entrees. The appetizers came in lightning speed... and trust me I know those are the tell tale signs of pre-made food. The calamari was luke warm and under-seasoned and tasted frozen. It really makes me wonder how can a deep fried dish come out luke warm? What's up with restaurants not even being able to produce a hot deep fried dish? The oysters were slathered in sauce and fishy, probably frozen as well and of course they were luke warm to accomodate the luke warm calamari ;)
So after the appetizers, I waited 45 minutes for the entrees to come (THERE WERE 10 PEOPLE IN THE RESTAURANT). But whatever I didn`t complain I was not in a hurry and obviously didn`t want to risk pissing off the rude and obnoxious older lady who was serving us. Entrees finally came. Spaghetti and lobster was under-seasoned and plain tasting, like someone spat their leftover tomato sauce on the spaghetti (well at least it was el dente). Potato gnocchi was luke warm again and just meh tasting.
****MUST READ*****
So anyways enough about the food. Let me enlighten you yelpers on the oh-so-wonderful service at this restaurant. There was a couple sitting next to me. They waited very very very long for their food approximately 55 minutes if I heard correctly. They had the same older lady serving them. The girl patron asked the waitress why their food was taking so long, and basically the waitress told her that they were plating the food and that it was made to order and that`s just the way the kitchen works. So super snotty. The girl patron responded to her and said `I know how a restaurant works I just don`t understand why its taking so long there`s no one here`. The old lady waitress murmurs an annoyed apology of some sort, and get this she walks away and passes one of her male coworkers and calls the customer a bitch! And to top it off obviously the girl had heard her so her and her boyfriend made a huge scene in the restaurant and left.
Wow I seriously cannot believe I had to witness that type of behaviour in such a `nice`restaurant. Anyways so the guy manager came to my table he apologized about a million times and offered to give us a reduction in our bill along with free drinks or desserts (no thanks, I don`t want to risk having evil old ladies spit in my food *shudder*). He then continued to elaborate on the fact that customer-service is their KEY point, and that they emphasize on doing things right to ensure customer satisfaction. Well if that was the case then maybe they should stop hiring people who bad-mouth customers in front of their faces. It`s one thing if it was a younger waitress who had said all those things, but this lady is OLD shes probably in her late 40`s so obviously shes been in the service industry for a very long time and knows the ins and out. That behaviour is just unacceptable. So disappointed and still in shock from this horrific incident. Customer service my ass -__-
Food is crap, service is the worst, and waiting times are just ridiculous. Oh glorious Water Shit Cafe -
Review from Earl R.
Vancouver, BC
4/29/2012
So you are charged with holding and organizing your friends surprise venue. You want to avoid doing the same old restaurant thing and you have a party of 10+.
Well do yourself a favor and don't go here. An hour and more and there's no food. we have a pregnant woman in our group! The humanity! And no apologies. Just a statement that it will be another 15 minutes. Unreal.
Then they charge us a 17% gratuity, when the menu states it's 18%, so obviously they think they are giving us a deal. But wait! The amount is calculated after taxes so we end up paying for more.
We left at 10pm, and upon our exit we can clearly see that others in the room still haven't been fed. I'm talking like half the restaurant!
Food wise, I would say it fine, but after waiting so long even a hot dog would be considered gourmet. -
Review from Vanessa C.
Vancouver, BC
2/27/2012
I came here for brunch, which is probably not what Water Street Cafe is known for, in its long-standing history in the Gastown core.
I had the frittata of the day which was prosciutto and peas. I didn't like it. Overcooked. Maybe I shouldn't be surprised, the service was so slow, someone probably left my frittata cooking in the skillet. The side salad was really plain. My fries, made the dish seem more like a lunch item, which is fine because they were the best part of my meal. The texture of reminded me of school cafeteria fries or fries from Wendy's, which I like, but wasn't expecting from a classy restaurant like Water Street Cafe.
Meanwhile, the breakfast sausage hash was sort of dinky - the way it was presented, and the portion size, made it seem like leftovers or a side dish, rather than the main part of my meal. In fact, the hash portion took up less space than the English muffins. The cheese wasn't quite melted on top either, and sausage was pooled in its own oil... :( -
Review from Mandy S.
1/18/2012 5 photos
I highly recommend this place for their brunch items rather than their pasta dishes. I got the salmon eggs benedict and it was so delicious! the eggs were made so the yolk was still a bit runny.
Service was great except I notice that Canadian servers are a bit less friendly than those in Washington..but unconciously. They're just more 'straight to the point' lol
they also serve good espresso drinks and have soft bread served with your meal. -
Review from Curtis H.
Vancouver, BC
2/14/2012
Was taken here for a dinner date on Sautrday night. Great Ambience, lively place, and beautiful views of the busy street outside.
I had chicken stirfry (which was good, but a little bland) It could have used more spice, or some soy sauce. The bread was delicious, and the Cabernet was perfect. My date had the Gnochi, and although it looked good, it was REALLY glutenous. Probably better as a side dish than as a main course.
4 stars instead of five, due to the server that kept coming over and asking us if we were finished... it happened 3 times. Felt kind of rushed.
All in all though, I would definately go back
Great place for a casually upscale kinda date -
Review from Ben S.
11/21/2011
This was the best dining experience I've had in Vancouver.
The appetizers were excellent - simple bruschetta on only slightly crispy bread with a bit of balsamic, carpaccio with an excellent mustard.
I had the gnocchi, which to be fair is hard to screw up, but the sauce had an understated tang and there was a perfect amount of proscuitto mixed in - enough to run into pieces, but not enough to get bored with it.
In fact, even the bread was perfect. Two kinds, warm, with butter at the right consistency.
The service was fantastic. The waitress was unhurried and experienced - she seemed like an owner, and made good conversation with us as we were getting seated. We never noticed staff hovering or watching, but we never waited to order or for any want, water and prosecco were always full, and empty plates never lingered.
I'm impressed, and I'll be back. -
Review from Edward L.
Came here for a friend's birthday party.
Parking isn't the best here, so I'd recommend coming in by SkyTrain. Don't let the hobo with the reflective jacket fool you into paying for street parking at the intersection.
The restaurant is Italian-style, with a certain old-style (but ghetto) charm. The staff were very friendly, and service was excellent.
The seating area downstairs consists of 2 and 4-person tables. There is also a 2nd floor, but I didn't get a chance to check it out.
They have $5 beer pints there, which isn't too bad. I tried the amaro ($5.50 for a small glass) which was actually quite interesting. Tasted like a cross between Japanese plum wine and Jagermeister.
As for the pasta, I tried their penne with beef. The meat was cooked a bit too well, which made it dry. The pasta was served al dente though, just the way I like it. The staff came by with fresh parmesan, which is always a welcome change from those el-cheapo shakers.
As this was a birthday party, the restaurant threw in a birthday cake/tiramisu. Except it was literally a single portion. There was no way we could divvy up the dessert without looking ridiculous. So, we just watched the birthday girl eat it all up (and get slightly fatter).
There were 12 people in our group, which meant we were hit with a 17% tip.
Overall the food wasn't bad, but for some reason I found the overall experience a bit lacking. Will think twice before coming back. -
Review from Doug G.
7/12/2011 1 Check-in Here
Great cheesecake Batman!
Why is it I only go to Water Street Cafe when guests are in town? I really do enjoy the place.
Today I had a wonderful Fritata, the others in our party had a variety of other dishes, and all were delicious. The warm bread served with our meal was delicately herb flavoured and oh so good. And the Bananna Chocolate Cheesecake - did I mention that I'm a huge fan of desert? Lets just say the entire meal was wonderful. And our server was friendly, helpful and definitely a highlight of our visit. Check out Water Street Cafe, it's GREAT!
By the way, upstairs at Water Street Cafe they have a couple of larger group rooms, and my Toastmasters group regularly holds events there as well. Always a good time! -
Review from Michael P.
Burnaby, BC
8/29/2011
I love where Water St. Cafe is located - in the heart of historic Gastown across the street from the iconic steam clock. At nights, this neighbourhood is breathtaking; even more so during the winter holidays.
That being said, the restaurant has its improvements to make. I've been here on numerous occasions and the service here seems to fluctuate. As a small group, we'd have their undivided attention. However, in a larger party (and seated in the private room upstairs), service is almost no where to be found.
Maybe the server had a rough night but it took us nearly two hours to receive our meals (the kitchen must have been taking their time) and there was no one checking up on us or to apologize and find ways to compensate for the waste of time we spent waiting. I've never felt so ignored or forgotten in a restaurant before. Total dining time was from 7pm to 10:30pm - ridiculous.
Food here is also inconsistent, but I believe that is due to the wait. I'm sure my pasta was cooked well in advance of the other dishes my party ordered but since they weren't finished yet, it sat under the food warmer for who knows how long. Consequently, it turned out to be dry and tasteless. The same pasta I ordered in a smaller party and was excellent.
Dessert here will never disappoint. If you had a rough night or was in the neighbourhood for a snack or coffee, here's a nice place to relax. I recommend the crème brûlée.
Here's my bottom line: For parties of about 2-4, expect quality service and a dinner that'll have you coming back for seconds. If you're planning on utilizing their communal room upstairs with a party of 8 or more, don't expect the same quality of food or service. I don't think the kitchen staff can keep up with the orders and the ground floor patrons will have priority from the servers. -
Review from Vincci L.
Updated - 5/27/2011 2 photos
Crab cakes were highly disappointing. It was more like one thin piece of crab cake, in a filet shape. It was dry, not too much crab meat, and not good overall. There was none of that corn salsa that was on it when I came years ago.
Server was a bit pushy to get us to order drinks when we insisted that water was ok. Then service throughout the night was ok.
I guess this is another tourist trap where it's at a prime location but the food really isn't great. With so many great restaurants in Gastown, it's hard for me to come back here-unless I necessarily have to.Listed in: Gastown Goodness.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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11/12/2010
Right across the steam clock, this could be one of those touristy restaurants. A classic black and… Read more »
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Review from Tod M.
Vancouver, BC
Updated - 9/8/2011 4 Check-ins Here
Like the trending of the star-rating of this restaurant, my opinion of the Water St Café is falling.
Their menu hasn't changed in forever and the quality of the service seems to be dropping a bit. I go to a monthly meeting in the upstairs room and the server no longer seems to bring the bills to us. It's not a big deal -- I mean, I have to go downstairs to get out, after all, but it's kind of crappy to end the dinner by lining up in front of a busy bar and waiting for your turn to use the machine.
Why can't they just give us the bills at the table like they used to?
And I no longer accept "Your credit card has a chip, so you have to come up to the front to pay," as an excuse. Because there are wireless machines for that. I know because Domino's Pizza has them at my door. And if Domino's has them, for god's sake, a "real" restaurant should as well.
P.S. One person in my group nearly vomited when he accidentally bit into a complete pepper hiding in his pasta. Is it just me or when you order something spicy, shouldn't they cut that pepper up?1 Previous Review: Show all »
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9/12/2010
I *want* to like Water St. Cafe. Really, I do. It's in a great location, the servers are usually… Read more »
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Review from Laura M.
Vancouver, BC
5/18/2011
Water St. Cafe made me feel rich without actually having to SPEND a lot of money. granted, my boyfriend paid for the meal... but thats not the point!
its a classy joint, and while our waitress wasn't the nicest human on the planet.. she took good care of us. Our water glasses were always full. thats important to me.
Food:
We had the beef carpaccio for an appetizer. It was nums and a good size to share.
I had a hankering for comfort food and went with the spaghetti bolognese. oh YUM. it was delicious.. that familiar, comforting, rich flavor..with some new flavors to make it their own. I approve.
We had the creme brulee for dessert..it was massive and blew my mind with its deliciousness. :D
While I wouldn't make this a regular stop for me.. it wouldnt break the bank if I wanted to, and i'll always consider it for a fancier night out :)
Side note: i dunno whats up w/their patio furniture.. but it looks like shit :p plastic green tables and yellow table cloths? O.o -
Review from Steve T.
11/7/2011
One of the reasons I created a yelp account was because of the retched experience I had here. The food was some of the worst I've ever had. The pasta was undercooked and filled with grease. My wife had a the salmon and it was overdone and inedible. Plus, the staff was rude to boot. Other than the location, this place has nothing going for it. Avoid at all costs.
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Review from Jason D.
Vancouver, BC
4/1/2011
Piss poor service, okay food and depressing atmosphere is a good way to sum up this place. At least this was our experience while dining on a Thursday night.
When we arrived the place was busy but not full at all. Once we were seated there wasn't allot of effort put into serving us. The server pouring water was as silent as you could ever be and did not say a thing to us. The waitress serving our food was just okay, she at least had the decency to ask us how everything was. We could tell that most of the workers obviously were unhappy with their jobs..
After ordering, the food took a very long time to be served. At least 30 minutes.. The food was good but I have tasted much better elsewhere.
Since this was a Thursday night, we used the deal from the entertainment book. The server instantly became snooty once she found out we were using the Entertainment card and even whispered it to her colleague. Frankly, the restaurant should not be participating in the program if they do not like the offers.
I have heard good things about this restaurant but from my experience it isn't what it's all hyped up to be. It is allot better suited towards tourists in my opinion. From my experience I probably would not visit again and I would not recommend the place to any friends. -
Review from Sarah A.
9/3/2011 1 Check-in Here
The water street cafe is in a great location. It is very tourist friendly as it is right across from the Gastown steam clock. I love their outdoor seating. The staff are friendly and the service is good. Their drink list isn't bad either. However, I feel like the quality of the food could be better for the price.
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Review from Steven V.
Surrey, BC
12/8/2010
I recently took my staff to this restaurant for our annual Christmas Dinner. I really enjoyed it, the food and the wine were excellent. However, the most memorable item was the desert (Crème Brulee), it was prepared perfectly prepared and was a generous serving.
The surrounding is also a lot of fun, downtown Gastown is a really neat place to have an excellent dinner with a fun crowd. -
Review from Stephanie M.
Vancouver, BC
9/16/2010
You can't help but be charmed by the classy and sophisticated yet intimate atmosphere here. I have been a couple times with friends but it really is a perfect spot for a romantic date.
My latest visit was on a Friday night, but after the dinner rush so the restaurant was not busy. We got great service that was attentive but not pushy.
My caprese salad was delicious. I usually expect it to be basically just cheese, tomato and basil served with olive oil but this came on a bed of greens. Not necessarily better or worse than a true caprese, but interesting and very tasty nonetheless.
Water Street Cafe is one of those places that is great for certain occasions - a romantic date or catching up with a good friend over a glass of wine - or three! It's not silent but quiet enough to actually have a conversation.Listed in: Best Happy Hour, Best New American
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Review from Russel M.
8/2/2010
While waiting for a table outside we were offered the wine list and ordered a nice Cab. Nothing beats drinking wine while waiting.
The Mgr Georgio was very accomodating.
We ordered the Carpaccio , Baked Oysters, Crab Cake, Spinach and Ricotta Ravioli. Everything was decent and it's fun people watching. -
Review from Tee D.
8/2/2009
Another hot day, another quest for a cool space to eat in.
Immediately after we sat down, they poured us ice cold glasses of water. Seriously, either it was the heat outside or that was the best tasting water in Vancouver.
Anyway, they also brought us bread; I'm not sure what kind of bread it was, but it was definitely not your normal Italian bread. It was much denser and richer, almost cake-like, which in my opinion, made it extra delicious.
For entrees, I had the roasted chicken salad, which came with roasted chicken (obviously), papaya, strawberries, and a mix of greens. I thought the papaya was really fresh and sweet, but I thought the chicken was dry and bland.
The guy had the cheese ravioli, which he said was pretty good (which in his talk means, it was OK). I didn't taste it, so you'll have to take his word for it.
I thought Water St. Cafe was a cute place with some decent food, but I don't think I'd make a special trip to come back out to this place. If you happen to be in Gastown, and happen to be in the mood for Italian, then this may be the place for you. -
Review from Gabby S.
Vancouver, BC
5/7/2010
Please don't participate in Dine Out if you're going to cheap out.
My friend had the oyster appetizer and was told that it would have at least 3-4 pieces. He got 2 pieces drowned in a plate of sauce.
My crab cakes were mediocre.
Other restaurants (i.e. - Mistral Bistro) offer the FULL portions instead of mini versions. It makes sense to do that if you want returning customers.
I keep thinking back to Maloney and Porcelli in NYC where they offered a $35 dine out menu with the full portions. Their filet mignon alone is $35. And yes, the filet mignon, in all its full glory, was in the dine out menu too. I returned multiple times on my own and with those who visited me. -
Review from Lauren N.
12/4/2008
Summer is the best time to take in lunch or dinner at the Water St Cafe, because you can sit outside and enjoy the sunshine while watching all the people go by down Water Street.
It's a quaint and classy place, with two floors and a small bar on the main level. The large glass windows let in the sunlight all year long, and you can see the Gastown Steam Clock right outside.
I always go for the pasta here. I had the ravioli with bruschetta and artichokes, which was amazing. Everything was fresh and tender, and the bruschetta was just the right amount of salty. I've also had their linguine with penne, but that wasn't as great; rather bland and dry, I would say.
This is a great place if you're visiting Vancouver or if you need a place for a corporate meal or party. A classy restaurant in the heart of the city's historical district, with great food to boot! -
Review from Sheila W.
BC
12/1/2008
This is a pretty little spot to keep in mind for a special occasion, date or class catch-up session with friends. The white tablecloths, gourmet nibbles and a great view of the cobbled streets of Gastown make window seats here prime real estate.
I split a bottle of wine and a couple small plates (beef carpaccio so delicate and yummy) with a friend and we both walked out $40 poorer. It's a place you go when you want quality over quantity. -
Review from Johnson C.
Vancouver, BC
3/15/2010
Came here for a fancy-pants birthday dinner (whatever happened to Chuck E. Cheese pizza parties and waterslide park birthdays?), so we occupied the private party room on the upper floor overlooking Water & Abbott and the steam clock. Minimal, spacious and quiet room with a nice view that easily fit our 20-deep group and our dedicated waitress.
The lower floor ambiance is white linens and wine glasses - so it's quiet, intimate date spot, despite the 'cafe' misnomer. There are large windows looking out into Gastown and the dress code is pretty relaxed - a mixture of collared shirts and Canucks jerseys on game night.
Our group had the set menu for about $35 - had the clam chowder (instead of salad), the peppercorn NY steak (choice of chicken, salmon or spaghetti) and the tiramisu for dessert. Quite acceptable and modest portions - the steak was small but cooked rare to my specifications (I'm not happy unless I see some blood on the plate). However, some of the group did complain that the stuffed chicken was dry. The tiramisu was probably the star item - very light and not overly sweet to cap off the meal.
Although they only have two beers on draught (one being seasonal), they had R&B Red Devil Pale Ale on tap for $5.50 a sleeve - I didn't expect a 'wine' joint like this to carry some good beer on tap.
Despite the size of our group - service was prompt and attentive from the lone waitress, the only delay coming when we were given our bills and about 20 credit cards were thrown at her from all directions.
My original fear was that this spot was a tourist trap (being directly across from the steam clock) - but acceptable food in a understated classy joint. -
Review from Claire S.
10/16/2009
I can see why this location draws a lot of business but can't understand why the food would ever draw repeat customers.
We were a little nervous about service because we sat for about 10 minutes before our first visit from our waitress, but once she got through her large party she was very attentive and came around regularly.
My companion liked his special turkey Dijon soup, but the entrees were decidedly uninteresting. The smoked salmon penne tasted fakely smoky and had barely any salmon at all in it. My crabcakes were hard and dry, with what was supposedly a mixture of crab and shrimp that was actually a dense mat of undistinguishable shredded generic fooditem. I couldn't even tell whether or not it had ever been seafood. It had this silly cream sauce squirted on it and a rather tired corn salsa. The three vegetables that accompanied it were very tasty and properly cooked.
The wine was decent and it was nice that they offered both full and half litre servings. -
Review from Megan S.
11/19/2008
Big windows open out to the brightly lit night streets of Gastown. Water St. Cafe is located at Cambie & Water, right across from the famous steam clock. Gastown is a charming part of town and Water St. Cafe is no exception. The ambiance is classy yet simple. Small oil candles are at each table, creating a pleasant glow around the room. Crisp white linens cover each table, and wine and water glasses are out and ready to be filled. This is a great place to go for a quiet meal. Most people here were couples, but there were a few groups of 3-6.
The service was superb. Our waitress was very knowledgeable and helpful with the menu and daily specials. Our drinks were prompt and the water glasses were frequently refilled. In addition, at the end of the night our food was boxed for us. I felt that the entire staff was helpful (verses the "not my section" mentality of lesser places).
The meal begins with bread (complimentary with the order of an entree). It was a multi-grain bread, served with butter and olives. Nothing amazing here- but I always think favorably of bread. At our table we tried the rigatoni with italian sausage, the new york strip, and the tortellini. All were delicious. The dishes each had a nice presentation, and we were offered freshly grated parmesan and fresh pepper. Despite needing to box the remains of my entree, I indulged with dessert. I had the tiramisu- an average size portion. The flavors were mild and smooth and the strawberry garnish complimented the flavor. We also tried the creme brulee, and it too was delicious. This is truly a fine restaurant. Not too fancy, but a place to go for a special occasion. -
Review from Christine R.
New Westminster, BC
12/4/2008
I hadn't been to the Water Street Cafe in ages and ages, but discovered again what a nice place it is for a party. Our group occupied the second-floor private room, which is plainer than the downstairs dining area, decor-wise, but looks out over Cambie and Water Streets and is kept toasty-warm by a mighty radiator.
We had a dedicated server who was great at keeping both water and wineglasses filled, as well as serving a delicious menu - an edited selection of dishes from the regular menu. My beef carpaccio appetizer was paper-thin slices of beef topped with capers - yum! We also had a choice of focaccia and whole wheat artisan breads, but they came with a classic side of my restaurant pet peeve - hard butter! The main course was a big portion of cheese-filled tortellini in cream sauce with proscuitto and peas. It was a little heavy, but the flavour was excellent.
I was a little shocked when I did get my bill and discovered that two glasses of wine were $21, plus tax. Call me crazy, but I don't think that a couple glasses of house wine should exceed $8 or $9 (each). If that much, especially when a wine list isn't offered and you're ordering blind.
Overall, I really enjoyed the Water Street Cafe, and despite the location near the Steam Clock, there's nothing tourist-trappy about it. Good food in generous portions, a pleasant atmosphere, and good service. Maybe bring someone else to pay... -
Review from Awesta M.
4/20/2011
We went here recently for the lobster special that they run through April where they do a lobster with pasta for approx $20. Not a bad place to celebrate a friend's birthday.
We were seated immediately and ordered a round of dirty martini's. Those martini's were damn near perfect. Not so dirty that you couldn't taste the alcohol but not so alcohol-y that you couldn't tell it wasn't dirty. I'd go back for those alone. (Mouth watering as I write this.) We ordered a solid bottle of wine for a reasonable price (hard to find in this city at times).
Food was solid. The portions were on the smaller side and the hubby and I left feeling a little hungry. Not how you want to feel on a semi-expensive meal. Service was exactly what you'd expect...solid. Would I go back here if there was no special...probably not but I'm glad I did b/c I've always been curious about this place. Curiosity satisfied! -
Review from Daina B.
4/23/2011 1 photo
Ate here last summer. The food was delish. I had the crab cakes and my husband had the halibut in some amazing sauce (raspberry perhaps?) We killed two birds with one stone here, filled our bellys and got a front row seat to the rather amusing steam clock. What was so amusing about it was all the tourists hoarding around it taking video and pictures of it. Nice place to have lunch at while exploring Gastown.
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Review from Wendy K.
6/27/2011
Wow. After all the other reviews, I decided to take the family there for a birthday celebration. The food was OK, but the service was terrible. We
put in our food order at 7:00pm and our main course arrived at 8:45pm. Yes. That's an hour and forty five minutes later!
We missed the movie we wanted to go and see, the manager was unappologetic for the tardiness of the service and the surprise birthday plans were ruined.
Poor experience and they tacked on the 15% automatic gratuity to boot. No shame....
Others may have had a good experience, but not us. Last time we'll patronize such an unprofessional establishment. -
Review from stacie M.
6/18/2010
Small portions.
A bit over-priced.
We were put in a private room upstairs which would've been GREAT except that we were a tad forgotten.
Our server was friendly and fine - if a little forgetful.
The rest of our party noticed that she had extremely pungent and pervasive BODY ODOR (I did not notice this).
I got a mediocre tiramisu for dessert. The mocha I got was OK.
The place was cute enough and well-located, but I HAVE to believe there are MUCH better choices in the Gas Lamp district. -
Review from Sarah V.
5/13/2011
It's not often to come across this sort of place in the more touristy areas, and I consider it a real find! I went to Water St. Cafe with a friend on a recent Wednesday evening - great experience! The manager (owner?) sat us at a perfect corner table surrounded by windows, our server and busboy were spot-on - both came by when we needed them, had perfect timing, and great suggestions - they were also very smiley and nice. I sampled the beet salad, gnocci with sage/butternut squash sauce (awesome!) and the creme brulee for dessert - all were very good, but combined with the atmosphere and great service, this was definitely a fantastic experience and I'll be back on a future visit to Vancouver.
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Review from Rachael T.
Toronto, ON
6/27/2009
Surprised!??!?? yes, me too.... and I've been here before... and I love this place.... but after today.. sigh.
I specifically picked Water St Cafe for the Gastown Jazz Festival. Mine and my bf's previous experiences have always been great and have never been disappointed.
We were sat promptly and our water glasses were filled and bread was brought out... nice touch. We ordered the special - butternut squash to share as an appie and I orderd the linguini with scallops/asparagus special. He ordered the open faced chicken sandwich.
The soup came out quite quickly and it tasted just right.. not too strong.. although not very hot (I thought it was my personal preference for hot soup, so I didn't think too much about it).... then.. it was after an hour later and we still hadn't gotten our mains.... the waitress came by a little bit before and told us it shouldn't be much longer.. finally the plates came out.. and my first glance was linguini with shrimp and tomatoes - WRONG DISH. so I got it sent back. The owner I think it was saw that I got the wrong dish - he was right beside the table but didn't say anything. My bf told me to eat some fries with him.. and I took a bite and could tell they were luke warm at best but I didn't want to bring the mood down anymore.. until he told me the sauce on his chicken was cold and the piece of chicken was barely warm.
Another ten minutes or so, my pasta came out - hot, because I'm sure the order was not put in properly. IMO, the "aiolio" sauce was bland and watery. The scallops were small and not much asparagus.... I thought that at nice restaurants, you get the tips of asparagus, not the ends....
The waitress never came to ask us how our meal was due to the mix up, nor did she apologize for what happened. When the bill came, she pretended nothing happened and we asked to speak to the manager. A different gentleman (not the one who saw that my order was the wrong one) heard what we had to say and knew that my order had come out wrong......and offered to take one of the meals off (which I think is fair).
Funny thing is, I think we should've said something about where are mains were much earlier - the table next to us asked and this same manager had told them it would be about 5 more minutes.. the food came out and he checked up on them to make sure they had a good meal and no other problems occurred (they hadn't been waiting that long for their food anyway).
so the question of the day is - am I supposed to be upset prior to getting my food to make myself heard because I think restaurants need to man up to the service they give and don't give. The manager knew something went wrong with my meal but didn't feel the need to even talk to us. I don't know if age has anything to do with service.. but I just wanted to have a good time at the jazz festival..... if I knew I was going to get this... I would've gone to Chill Winston or something (which I know can be hit or miss).
Not going to lie, this place is good and can be good.. but I'm not in a forgiving mood right now. -
Review from Raza M.
10/6/2010 1 Check-in Here
Let me break it down. Food, three; linguine with prawn and sun dried tomatoes had a decent portion but didn't blow over my expectation. Desert, a solid four; flour-less double chocolate espresso cake was awesome, I loved it. There were also some other interest desert on the menu. Atmosphere, a perfect five; located right across from the famous steam clock, the place had a touch of sophistication to it. You can see from their patio all sort of tourist flashing their camera, and hear every 15 mins the whistles on the clock go off. The area perfectly sums up Gastown; classy, vibrant and colourful. Go there right before the sunset and watch the whole area transform as the light turn on. For vibe, nice decoration, staff that checked regularly, I will give this place a thumps up.
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Review from Rhoda Y.
Vancouver, BC
2/8/2012
We went there for Dine out Vancouver 2012. The service started out fine when our orders were taken. But it went downhill, the food came warm, though the plates were hot. I bit on hard pieces of shell on my oyster appetizer, and fished out a few bigger ones. The New York style cheesecake was nothing like the ones we've ever had. It looked and tasted like a hard baked bread, with a layer of cream cheese on top. The crab cakes were the only dish we really enjoyed. After the meal the service we sat for a good 30 mins before someone came to pick up our bill, even though we saw a few waiters come by and stare at it, but no one picked it up. Once they did, they gave the wrong change to 2 of my friends, one of them was not charged so went to the waiter to hand her the Visa...waited for another 15 mins just to hear that they had not charged it yet. Today, another friend found out they billed her Visa twice. We spent 3 hrs with the slowest, most unorganized service ever, and the most disappointing dine out experience. .5 out of 5 stars.
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Review from K. N.
1/3/2011 2 photos
The perfect venue for a romantic night or for a decadent evening with a few friends. I went on New Years and was beyond impressed by the cute decor and the great location right in the heart of Gastown. For an appetizer, the Fanny Bay Oysters are a definite must, the chipotle sauce is a great compliment to the fresh and perfectly smoked and sizeable oysters. Having the option for smaller pasta dishes is also a great feature of this restaurant. The wine list is also quite good, with many local and reasonably priced bottles.
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Review from shain r.
Vancouver, BC
10/8/2008 1 photo
The menu changes only twice a year, although it's tweaked at intervals. Crab cakes and chowder are crowd-pleasers, so too are their Fanny Bay oysters with sun-dried tomato sauce, and, of course, the appetizers are often shared. With a generous selection of 12 pastas, the seafood agnolotti stands out. You'll find a diverse crowd here any time, from business types at lunch and in the evenings, to families and couples, with an age range from 20-60. The Café is open seven days a week for lunch and dinner and closes around 10pm weekdays, and 11pm on weekends.
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Review from Janet Y.
Vancouver, BC
6/5/2010
I love the pasta and the dessert here. Great service, must need reservation, otherwise you will be standing at the door for a while. Parking can be difficult, this area is not too sketchy to go at night. Try the Baked Apple and Rhubarb in Filo Pastry, very very yummy! Baked to order too! Just for desserts itself would get me to go back there again and again.
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Review from Emma K.
Vancouver, BC
3/24/2011
Let me be clear: I can't honestly judge the food here as the last legitimate time I was here was nine years ago. My thoughts on the drink menu are equally non existent. What I will tell you is that it's haunted. Very, very haunted- and not only because I was ten and reality-challenged. The downstairs section is nice and relaxed but walk up that creaky, early twentieth century staircase and you will enter a room stuck in the annals of time. A room riddled with ghosts and Victorian phantoms. Maybe the place has changed since then. Maybe they don't have an upstairs anymore. Was Ghostbusters ever called? I can't tell you. My only useful contribution here is to tell you to sneak up the stairs (preferably on your own) and bask in the eerie silence of the large, consuming room. Be still and open your ears. If you hear the whispers of nineteenth century servants and feel a sudden rush of cold, don't say Emma from yelp didn't warn you!
Listed in: Night Prowling
