Argo Cafe — Restaurant in Vancouver

First day open since "renovation" The entrance is almost impossible to get in to, cramped, with coolers on both sides of entry door which is NOT wheelchair accessible and the "big renovation" did not de-design the layout of the space. Same centre obstruction, along useless cashier space that takes up 3/4 of the interior space, they needed a space planner and cramped, narrow sit down counter, same uncomfortable booths, minus the padding, walls were painted and I am thinking this was a hygiene issue since the place was always filthy on the inside. It was Saturday so they offered "Brunch" I was looking for pancakes but they came with "Duck Confit". Seriously ? Duck and pancakes ? The pancakes were out of a cheap mix, tasteless and dry. Two over easy eggs, edible. My daughter had eggs Benedict, two breakfasts for $50. Argo owner should check out OEB to learn what breakfast looks like. There was no fresh fruit, only a tiny little dish of cooked stewed strawberries. No fresh fruit ? Then they try to force the soup on you. Its obviously frozen for god knows how long and tasteless but you gotta have that soup with your pancakes. They sell containers of soup but REFUSE to label when it was made or what the expiry date is. If you ask its always "fresh" which is a joke. At $22 to $27 per meal for lunch and the $17 turkey sandwich, its not a bargain place to eat and the quality is average to poor. Waitresses...

We didn't have to stand in line at 10:30 on Sunday which was a plus for me as I am standing all day. It has a nice cozy old fashioned diner ambiance with a view to the kitchen from the pass. It is bright inside and clean inside. The server was quick to take our order and very nice. Very busy there after 30 minutes but the good service remained consistent throughout our whole meal. We all ordered something different and we're all satisfied. I had the condit duck and pancakes, something very unusual to have for brunch but it is great that they do so much in such a tiny place with an unassuming decor. I even got a whole duck leg as per tradition but the price was just $18! My pancake breakfast craving was 100 % satisified because they were fluffy and served with all the right condiments even the soft butter and compote! I like that everything on the brunch menu comes with alot of sides, including a soup! Yes I know you'd think it is more than what you need for breakfast but it is so good you will probably eat alot more than when the food quality is just okay. The duck leg I had was very tender and perfectly seasoned too. I have been to alot of brunch spots which left me disappointed but here I was very impressed. And even thought it's been around for many years the place is very well kept and everything was...

Argo seems to be uninspired in what they do. I ordered the basic breakfast during the week and basic is exactly what I got. There is an expectation that when you open a restaurant you are able provide a service beyond what people can get at their kitchen table at home. Even if you are a basic diner. And to be clear; no one is coming to a diner style restaurant with high expectations and that it totally fine. However, it is unreasonable for the food to be at or below the standard of what you can make at home.

What you can expect at Argo is unevenly looked potatoes, unseasoned eggs, and standard grocery store bought bacon/sausage/ham. Not particularly bad, but also not good. You are, however, disappointed that you spent $20 on something that seems thrown together without care, effort or any level of passion. There is nothing inspiring about the food, no creativity, no interesting flavours, no signature and no identity. It is just the bare minimum.

If you plan to open up a restaurant, even a diner, you should aspire to more than a participation award. I really hope they revist their menu and look to elevate their dishes with even some basic seasoning and experiment to give their diner their own style, instead of leaving their guests with an unsatisfying...