Bagheera — Restaurant in Vancouver

I’ve had a love-hate relationship with Bagheera. I went when it first opened and I did not enjoy what I ordered to drink then. The food I ordered (veg pakoras and the butternut squash curry) was better than I expected but the pricing to portion ratio was ridiculous. Not sure whether that’s the same now.

I wanted to give it another shot and a few months later came with two friends on a Friday at 7pm (back when they didn’t do reservations). We put our names down and were told we’d be able to get a spot in an hour and they’d call us. We waited and waited and didn’t hear back at all. Thankfully Keefer was just around the corner.

I went again a month ago with the same friend, since she didn’t get a chance to go yet, and we got there on a weeknight right when it was supposed to open - 5pm. A line formed. We all waited around 40 minutes wondering what was going on. Then someone showed up to open the door and he asked us why we were there like it didn’t make any sense. Then he notified us that the bar was booked out for a private event so we couldn’t go in. I did check on their social media for this because I didn’t want to wait for nothing but there was no post or indication that they wouldn’t be open that night. It was incredibly frustrating.

Then, I begrudgingly took a friend of mine there last week as our last stop on a bar hop. My expectations were low due to past experiences. We managed to get in and we both had really lovely drinks. I got The Dove of Dacca. And I do hope to go again to try more of their current drink menu.

The ownership needs to do a better job of communicating with their customers because to come out all the way expecting it to be open and then it’s not is a huge let down. That being said, I prefer their current drink menu from what it was when they first opened. Have not had their food recently so I won’t factor that into my rating. I think the concept is wonderful and they’ve done a great job with the space. I hope they see this and will improve their...

I recently went here with a group of friends, and I can confirm, this place makes you feel like a dignified adult while drinking expensive cocktails that actually seem worth the price. The food is more sharable, inspired by Indian cuisine, with vegetarian options. The inside is decorated beautifully, and the staff uniform reminds one of a super chic blacksmith. While the drinks were unique (camel milk, anyone?) and the atmosphere was great, the thing that really sets the speak-easy a part from the others in downtown Vancouver is the staff.

I'm not one to spend a bunch of money on a cocktail I feel is gimmicky, and with the unique ingredients that Bagheera includes in their drinks, I was apprehensive. Vanessa, our lovely waitress, calmed these fears and steered my friend and I in the right direction. We all ordered different things, and Vanessa hit the spot with each of us, using our vague descriptions of what we might want to recommend the PERFECT drinks for us right off the dome. My friends and I had a cat, butterfly, and camel drink (can't remember the exact names off the top of my head) and while the cat wasn't to my exact taste, my friend LOVED it, and even I could recognize the artistry.

Additionally, Vanessa checked in on us throughout the night, perfectly balancing clearing plates/touching base with us in a way that didn't make us feel rushed or smothered, but actually added to our experience.

All in all, this place is worth the splurge, as it's service is top-notch, second only to...

Not sure what some of these negative reviews are on about. Been here twice now and I absolutely loved the spot and was impressed from start to finish - both times.

The first time I was blown away by how well-hidden the space is, and how they had perfected the interior, right to the monkeys in the washroom! The place gives a chic, upscale, and well-curated vibe. I went on a Tuesday the first time, and on Tuesdays they have a special martini menu, which includes the first-known written recipe for a martini. We were two people so we were seated at the bar, which we didn't mind. The cocktails were fantastic and the service was top-notch.

The second time was on a Friday with three people, and there was a short wait time. 10 minutes after we added our names to the waitlist, we received a message that we've been accepted, but we couldn't confirm the reservation due to some technical issue so we hurried right back to the place. This time we were given a couch, and were served some delicious cocktails! The music was also on point! We ordered some vegetarian pakoras (one of my friends was a vegetarian) as an appetizer. To me, although the pakoras were super tasty (and spicy!), they felt a bit dry and not crispy enough, hence the 4 stars for the food. All the servers were very attentive and we had a great experience.

I'm planning to go again this week just to check for consistency. So far I'm super impressed and would...