A lot of people are highlighting mice the big issue but the sanitation you should actually be worried about is cross contamination in the kitchen and staff not washing their hands properly.
Absolutely. I love when they bring you the grossest plate of potato nachos you've ever seen and the owner comes out 5 minutes later to brag about how everything is made in house with love. I'm pretty sure it's not love it was cooked with, it's week old canola oil and a prayer
Yes! I walk by that place all the time, I was so surpassed when I was walking by Saturday night and there were aoooo many people in there! I was like, how?
Pretty sure Guy Fieri did an episode of DDD there on one of his trips through Vancouver so I’m surprised you would think it would qualify for kitchen nightmares
I worked at Marcello’s when he was going through his big divorce settlement and getting shit faced at work. He was constantly burning documents in the pizza oven and more than once customers complained about metal staples in their pizza.
Curious how we should read this. I looked up a few places I like and they have infractions ranging from 0 to 4. Most place I've looked at have at least one or two. What is considered bad? What is considered average, even? At what point would *you* stop going to a place?
Haven’t been there for a long while so I can’t say for recently. However Bao down, they did great as a grab and go place in gastown, but I think they bit off more than they could chew trying to run a sit down place. Sucks they’ve gone down hill, missed orders, disaster of a kitchen, list goes on
Interesting. I remember when they first opened and I enjoyed it. It didn't seem disgusting and the food was decent from my recollection. The missed orders and poor kitchen staff is probably the side effect of the great resignation. Restaurants are in serious trouble.
I think Gordon would see how the place is fucking packed and is making money and no one's dissatisfied so he'd say maybe it's not his kind of place, and not how he'd do things, but they're doing pretty good considering the longevity and whatnot. Would be a pretty boring episode.
As someone who was ripped off by him for almost 60k. I assure you it’s worst scenario most of the time with this guy and while he’s the problem, I have debt collectors calling me weekly trying to find him
Some friends and I were talking about it and some of us were surprised a location was still open. We went and got exactly what we expected. Didn't disappoint or thrill. Over all a positive nostalgic experience.
How the fuck has nobody mentioned two parrots?!? It's prank yourself bad food, and even though it's a bar they insist on pushing the food menu, and the kitchen is literally open until last call.
I've always thought of it as a pseudo-dive bar and kinda liked the weird atmosphere. As far as the food goes, I used to go for wing night once in a while and found them passable, but everything else that I ever had there was in fact terrible. It's hard to understand how places can make nachos so terribly when they're so simple
I hadn't been there in forever, and went a couple weeks ago after seeing a movie. Buddy ordered a poutine and I ordered chicken wings...both came out stone cold. I sent them back and then she brought fresh ones with the wrong sauce. Told them I didn't want them, and they tried to charge me for them still.
Lucys Eastside Diner. I watched a waitress try and catch a bug with a glass and you can see they don’t have a night time dishwasher when you look in the kitchen. I love that place though fire milk shakes definitely a van classic and I’ll fight the health inspector for it.
Oh man, Subeez before it shut down would have been perfect. Rats everywhere with no attempt to control them or protect food, disgusting fridge and freezer with unknown, ancient food. Cooks that wouldn't wash their hands even after using the bathroom. Constantly coked out and hungover staff with a revolving door of managers who have no real power because the owner was absolutely fucking delusional, just the textbook Kitchen Nightmares whacked out, out of touch, brain dead owner.
Don’t hate me but Boston Pizza. I know it’s franchised but the Canadian ones are truly awful with overcooked pasta, overpriced cardboard pizza and slow af service.
I had a friend who was an assistant manager at one about a decade ago. At the time, their deluxe meat lovers pizza (xtra large or w/e) was about $30-35 on the menu. My friend told me they had all the costs itemized. For that pizza to be made, it cost them just under $2 on average, and that was itemized from the ingredients to the energy using the oven and paying a staff member to put it together. Imagine going to Boston Pricey (that’s what my friends and I call it now) to get $2 pizza for $35!
Ugh yes. I've only been a few times but once I ordered a pasta dish and could hardly eat it - the texture was awful and the sauce was watery and not flavourful. How do they mess up pasta so badly???
And weirdest location, the way it's tucked in. Total relic of what Lonsdale used to be, just blocks of mostly run down old stores. Though the combination of Gen Sushi and Circuit Circus arcade back in the day was unbeatable.
i’m from langley and not well versed in vancouver restaurants, so i’m gonna have to nominate venetis or andrea’s out here. sad ass food and decor at both places, and it grosses me the fuck out seeing all the trash and workers smoking barely outside the kitchen door at andrea’s
Everytime I've gone somewhere in the burbs I understand their love for chain restaurants. Family run places are either pretty good or the absolute fucking worst place you've ever been
I would like to see Viva Mexico. I don't know why I went back, but the service is dreadfully slow and the food is just bland and unappetizing. Also the tacky misogynist shit all over the walls
I went there once years ago and was underwhelmed... The waiter spilled a glass of water on me and the table, and the food was pretty generic. I was kind of hoping it would take advantage of the lack of vision/light to make the food really stand out, but no dice. It wasn't bad, just kinda boring.
Woah, that place on broadway is still around? Got retched food poisoning there back in 2005, never stepped inside again since. The initial attraction? Cheap sushi! Why I'll never go back? Cheap sushi!
A20 pizza... It's been replaced by Brooklyn Pizza for a few years now, but that would have been the PERFECT place. Despite being the only thing open when the bars nearby closed, and being a PIZZA PLACE it was always dead. Why?
Bons off Broadway (ate rotten sunny side eggs, vomited in the bathroom) and the waiter yelled at us and ran us to the sidewalk yelling then chased us for payment on the rotten eggs yelling some more.
Not in Vancouver but in Ladner - Taverna Gorgona. Based on the owner alone. The owner is a verbally abusive alcoholic who sexually preys on his staff (even though his wife co-owns the restaurant with him) and understaffs the servers to the point where large parties often walk out before getting any service.
The diner on 10th - I was served frozen fish and after I told them about it, the lady stood there staring at me waiting for me to finish the remade piece
I walked by the other day and they still have all the dusty royal family memorabilia in the window. It looks like a horrible museum of colonial monarchy. I can't imagine how bad the food must have been but it looks like where you'd go if you were missing frozen Yorkshire puddings and canned peas.
The food actually improved since the pandemic. They somehow merged kitchens with Devils Elbow (someone bought someone? Not sure, but Devils Elbow items are on the Cambie menu) and prices went up, but so did food quality.
Bons, Wallys Burger, Fresgos, Uncle Wallys at Metro, Samarai Sushi on Fraser served me smelly warm tuna roll that was dripping and soggy (I'm not even picky about my sushi).
Stay the fuck away from Bon's. It's a delicate and unique ecosystem that exists in a time bubble. Its like an old growth rainforest that has been that way since time immemorial. Last thing it needs is outside interference.
I always walk by it and I got the feeling that it would be unhygienic af and it usually seems empty, not sure how they maintain business but they always film shows there tho
Pacifico Pizzeria on Smithe. Went there with some friends, saw a mouse, alerted the host. He just shrugged it off and said it happens. Never went back.
There are mice in literally every single restaurant here, you just don't always see them. I don't know what you expected the host to do anyway.. shut the place down immediately? Don a hunter's cap and brandish a shotgun and go looking for it?
I remember going to the Davies location when I was a kid and absolutely loved it. Went to the Surrey location a few years ago on a date and it was "an experience". No more nostalgia for me.
The Fringe Cafe/The New Brighton/The Yard (all the same owners/menus/drinks). While I used to LOVE the Fringe, the food was always bad, the beer always bad, the service was usually bad (they have had their fair of awesome servers over the years, but they never last), and the stories I've heard about the back have made me nervous to go in.
A lot of people are highlighting mice the big issue but the sanitation you should actually be worried about is cross contamination in the kitchen and staff not washing their hands properly.
Yeah. Hepatitis, e.coli, salmonella, etc. are no joke!
I got food poisoning from the Naam a few years ago.. prompted me to check out their inspection reports. Horrifying lack of standards.
I briefly worked at the warehouse on Hastings.
Would love to see him go up with Solly’s owners.
I have to admit, this is who I was thinking of when I made the post.
Oh man, what have i missed regarding Solly's?
Are you binging on the episodes, too?
Underrated show
Amys Bakery
I'm usually not a reality TV guy but since they're all on YouTube and getting suggested, I'm all in.
Zawa
Oh shit, listen, I worked at Zawa for two years when I was 19 (so, over a damn decade ago) and I am shocked, SHOCKED, that place is still around.
And what is with the bartender on their website? What a weird way to advertise your restaurant
YES. That place has got to be a front for something, I swear.
Absolutely. I love when they bring you the grossest plate of potato nachos you've ever seen and the owner comes out 5 minutes later to brag about how everything is made in house with love. I'm pretty sure it's not love it was cooked with, it's week old canola oil and a prayer
Yes! I walk by that place all the time, I was so surpassed when I was walking by Saturday night and there were aoooo many people in there! I was like, how?
Yagger’s in Kits lol
Sat down next to a cockroach there recently.
I personally knew the chef ( I dunno if he is still there) and he is one of the dirtiest motherfuckers I have ever known.
Trivia is super fun tho! Good crowd.
Go for the booze and karaoke Saturdays, never order food.
Falconettis would have been a great one when that place was around.
I met my husband there:)
I always think of falc's as two restaurants,
I liked the live music but only ever went for beers. What was wrong with it?
Pretty sure Guy Fieri did an episode of DDD there on one of his trips through Vancouver so I’m surprised you would think it would qualify for kitchen nightmares
Marcellos or St Augustine’s. Both have terrible reputations for staff turn over.
St Aug is the same owners as parallel 49 right?
I worked at Marcello’s when he was going through his big divorce settlement and getting shit faced at work. He was constantly burning documents in the pizza oven and more than once customers complained about metal staples in their pizza.
Check this out here to view past health inspection reports before viewing and trying to new restaurants
Oh my, I just looked up Gold Train Express on here. Glad I stopped going. This is a very useful resource, thank you!
Thank you!
Curious how we should read this. I looked up a few places I like and they have infractions ranging from 0 to 4. Most place I've looked at have at least one or two. What is considered bad? What is considered average, even? At what point would *you* stop going to a place?
Life saver, literally hahaha
Noooooo. I order dash from there all the time!
Haven’t been there for a long while so I can’t say for recently. However Bao down, they did great as a grab and go place in gastown, but I think they bit off more than they could chew trying to run a sit down place. Sucks they’ve gone down hill, missed orders, disaster of a kitchen, list goes on
Thats interesting. Ive always had a great experience and absolutely love the food. Always saw it as underrated if anything.
Interesting. I remember when they first opened and I enjoyed it. It didn't seem disgusting and the food was decent from my recollection. The missed orders and poor kitchen staff is probably the side effect of the great resignation. Restaurants are in serious trouble.
Yolks, had a backed up toilet(for staff) within 12 feet of kitchen. Most disgusting place I ever worked, worst owner
It would break my heart to see them dragged through the dirt but obviously Bon's has to be on the list
I think Gordon would see how the place is fucking packed and is making money and no one's dissatisfied so he'd say maybe it's not his kind of place, and not how he'd do things, but they're doing pretty good considering the longevity and whatnot. Would be a pretty boring episode.
Yes last time I went in the 00s they served me rotten eggs and asked me to pay and tip for it. I still have a soft spot but won't go myself
When it was still open, Crab Park Chowdery.
Technically still open, they've just rebranded into Saltys Lobster Shack. The owner is still Ashton Philips.
As someone who was ripped off by him for almost 60k. I assure you it’s worst scenario most of the time with this guy and while he’s the problem, I have debt collectors calling me weekly trying to find him
Oooh. I’ve heard stories.
Uncle Willy's
I'm still surprised that I made it to adulthood alive with the amount of times my parents took me there...
Some friends and I were talking about it and some of us were surprised a location was still open. We went and got exactly what we expected. Didn't disappoint or thrill. Over all a positive nostalgic experience.
The one at 49 & Clarendon?
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NOOOOO NOT PEPPER LUNCH FML
Oh dear…
That area is a hot spot for mice/rats. I live near by and see them all the time at night. I saw a huge rat at a pho place around the corner.
Solly's
Frenchies while it was opened. It's burned down now.
Frenchie was terrible
The Smile Diner on Pender. I have never seen anyone in there. Heck, I don't even know if I have ever seen it open
I liked that place before the pandy. Not great food but amusing old time diner experience
How the fuck has nobody mentioned two parrots?!? It's prank yourself bad food, and even though it's a bar they insist on pushing the food menu, and the kitchen is literally open until last call.
Is it bad that I really wanna go now? Just to see
I've always thought of it as a pseudo-dive bar and kinda liked the weird atmosphere. As far as the food goes, I used to go for wing night once in a while and found them passable, but everything else that I ever had there was in fact terrible. It's hard to understand how places can make nachos so terribly when they're so simple
I hadn't been there in forever, and went a couple weeks ago after seeing a movie. Buddy ordered a poutine and I ordered chicken wings...both came out stone cold. I sent them back and then she brought fresh ones with the wrong sauce. Told them I didn't want them, and they tried to charge me for them still.
Lucys Eastside Diner. I watched a waitress try and catch a bug with a glass and you can see they don’t have a night time dishwasher when you look in the kitchen. I love that place though fire milk shakes definitely a van classic and I’ll fight the health inspector for it.
That’s your story? She tried to catch a bug and they don’t have an overnight dishwasher?
Andreas, the health records on that place alone are 🤢
That's what happens when the kitchen staff are on meth
Oh man, Subeez before it shut down would have been perfect. Rats everywhere with no attempt to control them or protect food, disgusting fridge and freezer with unknown, ancient food. Cooks that wouldn't wash their hands even after using the bathroom. Constantly coked out and hungover staff with a revolving door of managers who have no real power because the owner was absolutely fucking delusional, just the textbook Kitchen Nightmares whacked out, out of touch, brain dead owner.
You must be an old school raver
Charcuterie grill. So awful I could hear Gordon Ramsay yelling in my head.
Don’t hate me but Boston Pizza. I know it’s franchised but the Canadian ones are truly awful with overcooked pasta, overpriced cardboard pizza and slow af service.
I had a friend who was an assistant manager at one about a decade ago. At the time, their deluxe meat lovers pizza (xtra large or w/e) was about $30-35 on the menu. My friend told me they had all the costs itemized. For that pizza to be made, it cost them just under $2 on average, and that was itemized from the ingredients to the energy using the oven and paying a staff member to put it together. Imagine going to Boston Pricey (that’s what my friends and I call it now) to get $2 pizza for $35!
Ugh yes. I've only been a few times but once I ordered a pasta dish and could hardly eat it - the texture was awful and the sauce was watery and not flavourful. How do they mess up pasta so badly???
The five point
Already gone
What was bad about the five point? I used to go there many years ago
It's gone from main and 14th! It's now an oyster bar
Corduroy ?
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Guy Fieri already did an episode on it:
I mean, you really can't get worse than Corduroy. Mediocre food with a side of nonsense faux-legal jargon, and highly elevated covid risk for dessert.
Eighties Restaurant in North Van. Blandest food I've had anywhere.
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And weirdest location, the way it's tucked in. Total relic of what Lonsdale used to be, just blocks of mostly run down old stores. Though the combination of Gen Sushi and Circuit Circus arcade back in the day was unbeatable.
I saw their menu change a month ago and was wondering what happened… this is so sad. Been going here since I was a kid with my parents.
Take that back. You millenials ruin everything with your flavours and preference for booths that aren't stained with sweat.
It's been sold to new owners so... You win.
Agreed. How is it still open?
i’m from langley and not well versed in vancouver restaurants, so i’m gonna have to nominate venetis or andrea’s out here. sad ass food and decor at both places, and it grosses me the fuck out seeing all the trash and workers smoking barely outside the kitchen door at andrea’s
Everytime I've gone somewhere in the burbs I understand their love for chain restaurants. Family run places are either pretty good or the absolute fucking worst place you've ever been
I would like to see Viva Mexico. I don't know why I went back, but the service is dreadfully slow and the food is just bland and unappetizing. Also the tacky misogynist shit all over the walls
Naam
The Naam on 4th Ave? It has 4.3/5 on Google. There has to be more to this story.
Holy shit this would be perfect.
truly one of the worst places in town. The service is awful.
Rickshaw in Whalley.
Eww haven't eaten there since it was the old building... The dump that looked like an apocalypse had hit a ballroom
Oh gosh! Just drove past this place.
Dark Room. Terrible food.
That was a sponge you were eating
I went there once years ago and was underwhelmed... The waiter spilled a glass of water on me and the table, and the food was pretty generic. I was kind of hoping it would take advantage of the lack of vision/light to make the food really stand out, but no dice. It wasn't bad, just kinda boring.
Man i got a story about dark room. They fucked me so hard when I trusted them the most.
I got food poisoning from dark table a few years ago
I dunno I had steak their a few years ago and it was great.
The eatery. Why anyone likes that place is beyond me
Woah, that place on broadway is still around? Got retched food poisoning there back in 2005, never stepped inside again since. The initial attraction? Cheap sushi! Why I'll never go back? Cheap sushi!
I knew someone who used to work there and they said that they reuse the rice after its been served to customers
They have a 2nd location on Main St called General Public.
The old fortune happiness restaurant
He'd better watch his mouth or he'd get clipped
I had a rat run over my foot at kintaro a while back. It was MASSIVE
A20 pizza... It's been replaced by Brooklyn Pizza for a few years now, but that would have been the PERFECT place. Despite being the only thing open when the bars nearby closed, and being a PIZZA PLACE it was always dead. Why?
Bons off Broadway (ate rotten sunny side eggs, vomited in the bathroom) and the waiter yelled at us and ran us to the sidewalk yelling then chased us for payment on the rotten eggs yelling some more.
Pho Extreme Xe Lua on Cambie and Broadway
Not in Vancouver but in Ladner - Taverna Gorgona. Based on the owner alone. The owner is a verbally abusive alcoholic who sexually preys on his staff (even though his wife co-owns the restaurant with him) and understaffs the servers to the point where large parties often walk out before getting any service.
Damn. TIL. I live in South Delta. In the past, I saw that restaurant spamming the jobs section on craigslist. That explains it.
The diner on 10th - I was served frozen fish and after I told them about it, the lady stood there staring at me waiting for me to finish the remade piece
Buckstop on Denman.. that place constantly has health infractions. Most recent ones included rats, no washing station and unhealthy conditions...
But their food is great 😅
Chesire Cheese pub lol. My parents love it and I refuse to go. Absolute shiet
Don't come for my grandma and grandpa's favorite joint.
Agree lol
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They're South African, actually
I walked by the other day and they still have all the dusty royal family memorabilia in the window. It looks like a horrible museum of colonial monarchy. I can't imagine how bad the food must have been but it looks like where you'd go if you were missing frozen Yorkshire puddings and canned peas.
Anything by Glowbal
Wait, really? I had a company meetup at glowbal in 2019 and it looked decent.
Had a pizza from Baci and it was the worst ive had in years. Can't comment on the rest tho
I live by there and swear it’s a front.
Romer's Burgers?
Marcellos
And or 300 page menus
Bon’s? I love how shitty it is though hahaha
The food actually improved since the pandemic. They somehow merged kitchens with Devils Elbow (someone bought someone? Not sure, but Devils Elbow items are on the Cambie menu) and prices went up, but so did food quality.
Bons, Wallys Burger, Fresgos, Uncle Wallys at Metro, Samarai Sushi on Fraser served me smelly warm tuna roll that was dripping and soggy (I'm not even picky about my sushi).
Bons
I feel like a lot of people answering don't watch the show, a lot of mediocre places, but are generally busy.
That is true. A lot of the places suggested have a lot of high ratings which was surprising.
Uncle Willy's at Metrotown the owner is also very passove agressive and rude in general so it would be fun
Bon’s
Stay the fuck away from Bon's. It's a delicate and unique ecosystem that exists in a time bubble. Its like an old growth rainforest that has been that way since time immemorial. Last thing it needs is outside interference.
you can't fix Bon's without breaking it.
Bon's is minging
Bons is god damn amazing the way it is.
We're not trying to kill him!
I’ve never heard of Bon’s. What would make them qualify?
Have never ordered anything but the breakfast. What are some classics that I need to get into?
Nooooooo. Bons is just, special
Back the fuck up.
Chaise on main?
Most inconsistent kitchen ever. Never really bad , but always a little different
IIRC they used to have the classic huge eclectic menu that would give Gordon a stroke.
Royal Oak on Fraser Hwy in Surrey.
Literally every time I drive by that place I’m surprised it still exists. Same with The Pantry in Guildford Mall lol.
My family used to go there when I was a kid. I remember they had great pizza. Haven’t been there in probably 30 years though lol
On Lok
That place used to be tight. Now it’s just cold and weird.
Food has gone way down in quality. Makes me sad.
They served me bloody chicken wings and refused to re fry them
Laura’s coffee shop, all but bland food. That place has no right being as good as it is.
Saba foods on main street , its the only place i have see in these parts with authentic Yémen food
Best quality sweets on main St. Nastiest in town
Pho extreme xe lua. The food is fine but the service is absurdly bad
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I always walk by it and I got the feeling that it would be unhygienic af and it usually seems empty, not sure how they maintain business but they always film shows there tho
The White Spot on the corner of Drake and Granville
BONS 💯. Ramsey would literally run out of swears. Them rats would chew through his pants as he tried to put the pieces of that 2.99 breakfast together
Pier 7 Restaurant + Bar in North Vancouver.
Huh? I went there on Saturday and it was great. Prices are definitely upped for the location but I like it.
Pacifico Pizzeria on Smithe. Went there with some friends, saw a mouse, alerted the host. He just shrugged it off and said it happens. Never went back.
There are mice in literally every single restaurant here, you just don't always see them. I don't know what you expected the host to do anyway.. shut the place down immediately? Don a hunter's cap and brandish a shotgun and go looking for it?
Fresgos
That guy is a legend. Grew up eating there. And he’s still there.
Stuck in the 80s but that mushroom burger is 👍
Noooo is a legend. You go there because it is a dive
I remember going to the Davies location when I was a kid and absolutely loved it. Went to the Surrey location a few years ago on a date and it was "an experience". No more nostalgia for me.
Hard disagree
Fuck off. The beef sub is where it’s at
Bon's
Bons off Broadway
The Fringe Cafe/The New Brighton/The Yard (all the same owners/menus/drinks). While I used to LOVE the Fringe, the food was always bad, the beer always bad, the service was usually bad (they have had their fair of awesome servers over the years, but they never last), and the stories I've heard about the back have made me nervous to go in.
Bons off Broadway
Earls for suuuuure
Duffin's
The food is consistent and the line is out the door. I don't think this counts
Multisub question? Damn this dude a scout?
?
Any Denny's. 😂
Denny's is predictable with decent service. The food is worth what it's worth.
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Hater
Tap and Barrel
Locus on Main
Because?