Earls Kitchen + Bar — Restaurant in Richmond

I planned my father's birthday and I requested on the online reservation to Earl's Richmond to provide a simple dessert for his special day. Once I arrived, I reminded the hostess and servers about this and they acknowledged that this will be covered. Long story short, nothing at the end of the night except the bill. Here's what unraveled...

My brother's starter soup, we asked for an extra bowl so he could share with his mother-in-law for a taste, the server only gave him a bowl but no spoons. I have to say that the busser was not our table server but her attitude showed that our table did not belong to her. That is not the customer's issue and her attitude was not necessary through their body language and facial expression. Earls' staff needs better teamwork and leave their table/role territories behind and not be short sighted of the bigger picture in the restaurant business. We had to wait again to get another server's attention.

The servers were kind but their skills were so-so and tried their best but definite signs that more training is needed. The bussers that brought out our food, one of them was shaking when trying to pass my dish to the table, I thought she was going to drop it on my lap. Needs more training and confidence.

My partner's $50+ steak filet was suppose to be medium rare and it came out well done, but that dish was corrected by Earls. As for my own sirloin and my father's sirloin and lobster, we just gave up, there was no one way we are throwing back 3 steak dishes total. Lobster was overly salty. Steak was dry and not cooked as requested medium rare. We got well done and medium. We just accepted as is. Chefs needs improvement in their food quality skills.

My mother's Bangkok salad rice bowl, dressing was mediocre and had to ask for more dressing as there was barely any to start. It even had a live ant running out from the lettuce! Freshness? sure, but having that live ant making an appearance stopped everyone from enjoying the rest of the night. Earl's did correct this issue and did not charge us for this dish. Chefs needs improvement in their food quality and kitchen management.

By this point, we were all deflated. I was very embarrassed because it was my idea to celebrate at Earls Richmond because I had a great experience during my work Christmas dinner plus other times I came during happy hour. I'm disappointed and not happy about what happened. What a flat note to celebrate my dad's birthday.

Earls Richmond has a lot of room for improvement in areas of server skills, teamwork, confidence, food quality, and...

Earls Richmond

Address: 5300 No. 3 Road, Unit 304, Richmond, BC

Food

Starter: Clam Chowder

A classic New England-style chowder featuring dry-cured bacon, rich cream, tomatoes, and fresh parsley. The texture was smooth and velvety, with a well-balanced flavor profile. The seasoning was on point, and the bacon added a nice depth of smokiness. A comforting and well-executed dish overall.

Rating: 9/10

Yuzu Calamari

Crispy squid served with jalapeños, fresh cucumber, and a tangy yuzu aioli. The calamari was perfectly fried, maintaining a light and crunchy texture without being greasy. The seasoning was well-balanced, and the yuzu aioli added a refreshing citrusy contrast. An excellent appetizer that delivered both flavor and texture.

Rating: 9/10

Main: Steak Frites

A 9 oz prime sirloin, chargrilled and served with French fries, horseradish cream, and garden greens. Ordered rare, and it was cooked correctly; however, it lacked seasoning, which diminished its overall impact. While the steak was juicy, a more generous seasoning could have elevated the dish. The fries were warm and crispy, but the salad was unremarkable.

Rating: 7/10

Sirloin 9 oz with Truffle Butter

Similar to the Steak Frites, this sirloin was cooked rare as requested but suffered from the same lack of seasoning. The truffle butter added a hint of richness, but it wasn’t enough to enhance the overall flavor significantly. While the steak itself was tender, a bolder seasoning would have improved the dish.

Rating: 7/10

Ambiance

The restaurant offers a cozy and comfortable atmosphere with a modern aesthetic. The space is well-maintained and clean, making for a pleasant dining environment. However, the music was noticeably loud, making it difficult to hold a conversation without raising one’s voice.

Rating: 7/10

Service

Service was friendly and attentive, with staff demonstrating professionalism and efficiency. The team was welcoming and accommodating, ensuring a smooth dining experience.

Rating: 8/10

Price

The pricing is reasonable for the portion sizes and quality of ingredients. While the steaks could use more seasoning, the overall value is fair.

Verdict

While I had higher expectations for the steak, the overall experience was positive. The clam chowder stood out as a highlight, offering rich and well-balanced flavors. I would return, hoping that future visits bring more seasoning to the steaks, as the restaurant has the potential to deliver an even better...

We had a a reservation for 6 pm for 5 people. We arrived around 6:05 - didn't realize it's in a mall. When we arrived and told the staff of our reservation we were asked to have a seat to wait for our table to be ready.

We waited a few minutes and we're taken to our table - which was already ready.

The staff member asked us if we were celebrating an occasion tonight. I said No. We were seated and given our menus. Within 10 seconds the server came over and introduced herself to us. She asked if we were celebrating an occasion. We told her No.She asked if we would like a drink to start - we hadn't had a chance to look at the drink menu so she offered water for the table, which we accepted. Then about 2 minutes later a different server came to our table, introduced herself, told us she would be helping our server and asked if we were celebrating an occasion. We told her No. Then she asked if we would like something to drink. We told her our server was supposed to be getting us water. We asked her if they have a children's menu for our little one, she said yes and that she would get it for us.

Then our first server came with our water. We asked her if we could get a children's menu. She said yes. But that she just knows the menu off heart so wouldn't get us a menu. She recited the children's menu for us and we ordered our meals.

Our food came quickly. One of us ordered the chicken parmesan and added the 2$ garlic bread. But the garlic bread wasn't served with the meal. We brought it to our servers attention immediately but had to wait for the bread. One of us ordered the tortellini. It was not seasoned - was so incredibly bland! Wow! I can't describe how pitiful this meal was, we each took a bite to try when she complained it was bad, and we all regretted it. Following the drop off of the late garlic bread, we weren't checked on until 3 out of 5 of us had finished our meal. So she would have had to sit there waiting to ask for some seasoning long after the dish had gone cold. With the price that you pay - this is unacceptable.

A server did eventually come over and asked how was everything. I said most of us have finished now, it's kinda late to check on us. She laughed. My child said she was full. The server just smiled at her and left without offering a box. Then we had to flag her over a while later after she wouldn't come and take our plates and offer us desert or see if we would...