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White Spot
Categories: Restaurants Diners Restaurants Breakfast & Brunch Restaurants Canadian (Traditional) Diners, Breakfast & Brunch, Canadian (Traditional) [Edit]
2850 Cambie StreetVancouver, BC V5Z 2V5
Neighbourhood: Fairview Slopes
(604) 873-1252
- Hours:
Mon-Thu, Sun 6:30 am - 10 pm
Fri-Sat 6:30 am - 11 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street, Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner, Breakfast, Brunch
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
18 reviews for White Spot
18 reviews in English
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Review from Kenneth E.
Vancouver, BC
4/8/2012 2 Check-ins Here
One of the better ones, if not the best in Vancouver--where else can you get free, sheltered parking when it's raining?
Quite easy too if you enter from Cambie Street, just park on the 2nd or 3rd level side close to the stairs, and walk by the theatres, if they're still around. Apparently this side is being moved over for Crate & Barrel, due to open late fall.
This White Spot is great too b/c of its raised, 'balcony' seating in the back, that's my fav. spot, b/c it's a great view to see who's coming in and out :) it's for nosey ppl like myself.
Oh, the food: well, it's above average but what stands out to me are their milkshakes. -
Review from Edward L.
Came here as part of my Brunch spree. I'm sure many people from City Hall across the street hang out here too.
Parking is plentiful in the lot surrounding the building, as well as on Cambie during select times.
The establishment is split into 2 halves: the restaurant section, and the bar/lounge section. It's nice to be able to pick where you want to hang out, though this place probably wouldn't come to mind when you're looking to go drinking at night. With that said, I wouldn't recommend groups larger than 5. The booths simply can't hold any more.
The staff were professional, and the food came very quickly.
I tried some of the strawberry milkshake. This is one of the better tasting ones, and it only comes with a bit of whipped cream, not an entire layer. Helps with one's diet. *cough*
The Chuck Currie's Favourite (burger) is one giant gooey mess. It was filled with sliced up Portobello mushrooms, and bluebrie cheese. This filling kept squishing out between my fingers while I was eating it. Well, at least they didn't skimp.
The onion rings were a bit disappointing. I guess I should give them credit for using real onions, but the onions themselves were quite soggy. When I bit into them, I ended up pulling the entire onion strip out of the ring.
The place filled almost to capacity while we were here, so it wasn't the quietest. But at least you know exactly what kind of food to expect when you come here. -
Review from Marjorie D.
Vancouver, BC
8/28/2011
I wish I were 10 again so I could order a pirate pak, matey. Then again, I guess I could always order one to go and no one would ever know.
Ate lunch here yesterday and I was lucky enough to snag the last parking spot in their parking lot. There were some spaces on the street in front of White Spot itself but I'm not fond of parallel parking under pressure.
Had the Spot Salad with chicken. The serving was quite big, the greens were fresh, the vinaigrette was just right, and the chicken was a tad on the dry side. I also had a red clam chowder and it was pretty good. My friends had the Dippin' Chicken and the quesadilla. I've had those before and they're pretty good. They were reminiscing about the homemade BBQ sauce which apparently is not as good as it used to be. I'm not sure because I never really ordered it.
Service was pretty good. Our server was friendly and attentive. I still prefer going to the White Spot at Oakridge just because I can park wherever I want and then shop afterwards. This location isn't so bad either but maybe better for those who live or work nearby. -
Review from Vincci L.
12/22/2010
Agree regarding the staff.
We came here for lunch and we received very good service. The lady was super nice to us during our meal. Even though they seemed to be short staffed, she went over and beyond what I expected from a White Spot.
Noticed they had a couple of new items on their menu. I got a Currie's Favourite Burger, which was a burger with brie as well as portobello mushrooms. The side Caesar I got with it was very fresh, in fact one of the better ones I've had at a White Spot in a while. The burger was decent, mushrooms were a little overcooked, but the brie made the burger better.
There's a free parking lot in the back as well as on the side. Lots of free parking on the street as well.
Again, great service made my day that much better. -
Review from Namit M.
3/8/2011 1 Check-in Here
Good food decent service.
I got the Double double and as stated it was legendary. The GF got the turkey plate and it was good. This is an old fall back for comfort food cravings - but the service has been sketchy the last few visits. -
Review from Rebecca S.
I watched a lot of the Canadian channel growing up. I always saw ads for White Spot, but living in Washington, I never got to try it and it always seemed like a magical mystery restaurant that I always wanted to try.
I've been a few times before, and had decent experiences. It's nothing fantastic, but I never had a horrible meal there until I went to this one.
I ordered the blackened Cajun chicken which came with asparagus and mashed potatoes. The chicken was awful - so, so fatty and all the blackened flavor just slipped right off when I cut into it. The mashed potatoes were also powder potato buds, which I found out by their poor mixing. The asparagus was ok though, not too stringy. It cost about $16 though, which is crazy for a crappy meal at a crappy diner.
The two guys I went with both ordered burgers, and neither of them liked their meals either. The waitress asked if they wanted cheese or yam fries and didn't mention that both options cost extra, which I thought was rude.
I think that overall, White Spot is having an identity crisis. It thinks it's fancy and it brags about their chef school, but really it's crappy food and high prices when it just feels a step up from Denny's.Listed in: No, no, no and no., Vancouver, BC
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Review from Mike P.
8/20/2010 11 Check-ins Here
The last two apartments I've lived in have had a White Spot within walking distance. The previous one at Georgia/Nicola I didn't really visit that often. Not exactly sure why, maybe just a few too many experiences with slow service? I dunno.
Anyways this locaiton is now my local White Spot and thank goodness because they have the best staff of any in the chain I've experienced. I find myself here once every two months I would say, usually for breakfast or dinner, but sometimes for lunch. It's a quick meal where I know what I'm getting (the safe option).
Like any such chain restaurant they struggle somewhat with the consistency of the service and food. You end up getting a wide variety of reviews from 1 star to 5 stars, however many of the staff here are experienced, give good service and probably stick around because of the good tips they get as a result of their good service (lucky us).
My favourites at White Spot:
- grill & greens - zoo sticks, fries, burger (ask them to add lettuce, tomato, onion for free), and caesar salad. Tons of food for a good price, get another small salad and could be shared between two people
- salad - i like their mediteranean and taco salads. Sometimes they can really dump on the dressing so might be a good idea to ask for the dressing on the side.
- zoo sticks - deep fried zuchini...i'm usually thinking of these when i'm wanting to come to white spot. Love the sticks an the ranch sauce they serve it with. -
Review from Luisa S.
Vancouver, BC
11/4/2008 2 photos
White Spot is a Vancouver mainstay. It has been around since 1928, so it was already an institution well before most of us were born. It started off as a drive-in and was considered to be a pretty innovative restaurant during this time. Combined with founder Nat Bailey's ambition and groundbreaking menu, White Spot became a success.
Since then, a number of years have passed and White Spot, sadly, has failed to stay current. Every visit here brings a flood of nostalgia. The menu and website espouse all these culinary values, promoting freshness and innovation, which is inconsistent to the reality of the restaurant. This restaurant is about tradition. The sameness (or consistency to some) that has helped maintain so much loyalty from some of its patrons is what has alienated potential new ones. There's nothing inspired about the food here, even when they're trying to introduce new fusion-inspired items.
Burgers comprise a large portion of the menu, most of which are topped with large dollops of their infamous "Triple 'O' Sauce". Over the years, they have introduced more pasta dishes as well as some others with a more international flair. You can see Japan's ghostly influence on the teriyaki chicken rice bowl and Indian's effect over the butter chicken. But even with that, the flavours remain bland.
The breakfast menu leaves much to be desired as well. Drowning in oil, it was far too greasy and the recipes generally rely far too heavily on salt as the main flavour. It lacks freshness and depth that would come from a simple sprinkling of basil or thyme.
Anyway, be that as it may, they are somewhat conscious of changing times and try and address the concerns and needs of their customers. There's a section on their menu dedicated to those who are more health conscious and there is now a decent amount of vegetarian food as well.
Despite all this, I do have a soft spot in my heart for White Spot. Remember Pirate Paks? And they really do make the best milkshakes in town... although my tastes veer more towards their full-stocked bar now. -
Review from Yoony P.
9/24/2009 1 photo
Great service, Good Food.
The service at this white spot has always been great--I usually receive better service here than I do at other restaurants which serve fancier pricier food.
On one occasion people in our party ordered pints of beer, but unfortunately all their pint glasses were dirty and waiting to be cleaned. Our server gave instead two sleeves and charged as a pint. They seem pretty accomodating in this manner about all their food service.
Their salads are very large and filling, I always make sure to ask for the dressing on the side as usually it can have a bit too much of it.
Their burgers hit the spot when that's what you're craving.
All in all a good fall-back joint. -
Review from Megan S.
12/13/2008
I'm not sure what White Spot is trying to be. But overall I'd say it's not working.
My immediate impressions:
-Kid friendly. Lots of kids in the waiting area, lots of highchairs around the restaurant.
-Strange lighting. The lighting is a little low- but not in a way that creates a mood. This is more like 'depressing office' lighting. It just comes off dim and unwelcoming.
-Booth seating reminds me of an IHOP.
-Wine glasses on the table? This doesn't fit with the rest of my impressions so far. Is this a fine restaurant? No. Is this a romantic restaurant? No. Does anyone actually get wine here? Not sure.
For the food. I tried the chicken finger appetizer as my meal. I like Burger King's chicken fingers better. They were pretty boring- and remind me of something you could get in the freezer section of your grocery store. My husband got a hamburger. It was "fine" but not exciting in any way.
Prices were decent, but not worth returning. -
Review from Crystal G.
West Vancouver, BC
6/5/2011
Have been to two White Spot restaurants recently -- Georgia near Rogers Arena (before Canucks Playoff finals) and West Vancouver at Park Royal South. No wait on Georgia Street, likely due to the timing (there was a wait when we left, because people wanted to be by the TV screen), but there was a wait at Park Royal. Service was much faster on Georgia Street.
I appreciate how they mark the menu for items which can be made vegetarian. Fairly decent value for money but WATCH YOUR BILL. The second time we ate at the Georgia location, they added $3 as three of the four of us switched the regular burgers for veggie burgers (you can substitute a veggie burger for any of their burgers). They also charged us $1 each for fries -- the menu says fries are included! Again, this only happened for the veggie burgers -- the guy who ate the meat burger had everything included, with no extra charges. This did not happen the previous time we were there, or at the West Van. location. I didn't say anything, though, as they forgot to charge for my coffee so I figured it evened out.
I changed my regular fries for yam fries with an amazing chipotle sauce; these are not "endless" like the regular fries but certainly more than enough. This meal was so filling, it served as both lunch and dinner for us. In the past, my husband and I have ordered one veggie burger platter between us with extra coleslaw, plenty of food.
Overall good value for money and consistent quality of food, good service, but do check your bill for "extras"! -
Review from Tim L.
8/29/2008
Whitespot is a Vancouver staple and it's new menu with celebrity chef endorsements has certainly brought it new guests.
The food has improved vastly and for all of us that grew up with pirate packs (which still continue to this day) it's a great place to bring kids or to eat with the family.
Food is cheap and portions are large. The variety in the menu has everything for everyone including senior size portions. This particular location has a great consistent staff which I've seen here for the past few years. As a result the service is consistently good, in fact good enough I think that some other higher end restaurants could really learn from it.
The chicken strips & caesar salad are my fave! -
Review from Lindsey R.
9/14/2008
When my friends and I are all in town simultaneously...well that is a blessing, due to us all being split apart in different parts of the country for college! So, when that time comes, we pile into a car and head to Canada, because it's that close and we were legal to drink. ;)
To get to Vancouver is about the same distance it takes to get to Seattle from where we live, so on one of our excursions, quite a few summers ago, we just wanted a place to grab lunch after the crazy drive. We grabbed some beers and had a burger and it was just fabulous. The service was so friendly, and there's just something about Vancouver that makes me feel happy. Everyone's just very nice and it is so pretty.
This restaurant wasn't anything special, I mean it's called The White Spot for crying out loud, but it was great for us youngin's to feel cool with some beers in our hands. Haha -
Review from Todd W.
11/7/2011 1 photo
I was up in Vancouver for a meeting last week. We stopped by White Spot on Cambie for breakfast and I ordered a new item Steelhead Benedict. Two perfectly poached eggs over steelhead, avocado salsa and English muffins topped with Hollandaise sauce. I chose the smashed potatoes as the side. It was a very delicious new twist to eggs Benedict. I strongly recommend you try it out.
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Review from Beverley W.
Vancouver, BC
11/6/2008
I actually think it's best if White Spot keeps their menu limited to the traditional burgers, sandwiches, chicken strips and milk shakes we all know it for. That's what they do well and that's why people go. I have a soft spot for White Spot, so I only mean well when I say, if I want to eat Satay/Thai/ethnic/spicy anything, I'll go somewhere else. When I'm craving a blueberry milkshake and a greasy mushroom burger, I'll go see you. I actually cringe when I see White Spot advertising anything that veers from the formula. It's like catching your parents having sex or using slang -- just not right and kind of pathetic. Oh, and the famous triple-O sauce is just red relish and mayo mixed together.
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Review from Larry L.
4/15/2010 1 Check-in Here
I used to live in this area and would come to the Spot now and then with my wife. A few days ago, I came back, it brought back some pretty good memories of the two of us just sitting, eating, chatting and enjoying a meal together. Simple basic food. I love the salads here. So on my latest venture sans wife and with a crazy bunch of people (all great and awesome BTW ! :) ) I had the Roma burger and a Spot salad. Very good!!!! Again, loved the salad. This location seems to be very consistent over some of the other locations I've been to. The Spot has always been something we grew up with as kids. The Pirate packs for the kids are a real treat. Once you have one as a kid, you always want another. Growing up with something like that makes for solid memories dining with family. Something good, grounded in a solid foundation that leads to adult hood. Can White Spot really have that kind of affect? Well, it did for me.
We always loved going to the spot with Mum. And when we met our Step Dad for the first time, It was at the Spot. -
Review from Fossil H.
Vancouver, BC
2/1/2009
Great locations, good branding... shitty breakfasts. Why is it that given all the advantages of a good chain they can't pull out more than an average breakfast? They serve shredded potatoes with everything... soggy, mushy and horrid. Bleh, bleh, bleh. Step it up. You could be fantastic!
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Review from aiden b.
Vancouver, BC
9/22/2009
I like these burgers, what can I say throw tripple o sauce on anything and I'll eat it. I don't eat here very often any more but it's an oldie but a goodie. Don't you remember odering a pirate pack with the best grilled cheese and the gold coin, well my taste have changed a bit but I can't say no the monty burger , tons of mushrooms and cheese. Zoo sticks are breaded and fried zuchini stick with some kind of sour cream type sauce and just basic but good. Fish and chips are good. This is a place to stop in have a burger and go. Classic Van, way to go Nat. I can't get over the whole indian and thai influnced thing, what is that? I don't want to come here for curry for noodles, that what vij's is for. More burgers, and fried food.
