Beach Ave Bar and Grill — Restaurant in Vancouver

We were visiting downtown Vancouver before & after a road trip to Whistler and while walking, came across the Beach Ave Bar & Grill (BA).

We are always looking for a fun, lively bar scene when traveling and BA did not disappoint. The view across the harbor is amazing and if you notice in one of our pics, they have a mirror over the bar so even if you are facing away for the water, you can still see the action behind you.

We requested a seat at the bar, and they seated us with a gentleman named Igor. After a minute’s conversation with Igor and hearing some of the Staff interactions, we knew we had chosen well.

Tristan was working the bar, and we asked him for a few drink & food suggestions, and he did us right. A couple of local beers, tacos and a Cuban sandwich were our choices. Igor was a lot of fun and gave us a shot of tequila - our afternoon was off to a great start.

While waiting for our food, we started talking and listening to the Staff. There were some fireworks that night and they were closing early due to the sheer number of people expected downtown. Probably a wise move in a serious crowd situation.

As we talked, the Staff gave us so many great suggestions for sights and fun things to do. We were especially amazed by Rose (who must eat a Happy Meal every day - she was just that sweet) and the quick wit of a Poly Sci Major, sadly we did not catch her name. The whole Staff were hilarious while hustling the food and drinks.

The food came and was excellent. The Cuban sandwich was a little different from what we were used to (lived 34 years in Miami Beach) but it was excellent. The chicken tacos were fresh and delicious. Everything was great with the local beer.

After some more fun discussions, we left BA and promised to come back on our return trip. Sadly, when we returned the following weekend, the restaurant and bar were swamped with guests, and we had no place to sit. Oh well - next visit.

Many THANKS to the Staff and especially Igor, Rose, Tristan and Poly Sci Lady for treating a couple of travelers to a great...

I have visited this place more than many times, always leaving with a good experience.

But what happened today was shocking and worth mentioning.

We arrived and waited 15 minutes just to get water from the bartender—someone I had never seen before. I understand they were busy, but his indifference was so apparent that I honestly would have felt more comfortable being invisible, just to avoid the experience.

About 15 minutes later, he returned, even more indifferent—maybe even arrogant—to take our order. Not even a simple "Hello, are you ready to order?" Just a cold, dismissive attitude. (Okay, no big deal, they’re busy.)

We ordered our drinks and food, and after some time, we received one round of drinks. But then… nothing. No one checked on us for an entire hour... Wheres our food?

I tried to get the attention of the staff around us, but no one even bothered to see if everything was okay... —not even to check on our food.

One full hour.... Wheres our food?

During that time, we watched groups of people come in, eat, and leave. New tables were seated, placed their orders, got their food, and yet we sat there—wondering... Where this food could be?

Eventually, I gave up and asked for the check, canceling my food that never even existed in the first place.

The waitress simply said, "Don’t worry, the drinks are on the house."

But… why?

The bartender, who never sent our food order, never checked if we needed anything else—just nothing.

And the way the situation was handled? Completely unprofessional.

I really hope...

Decided to stop by and try this place for brunch. Let's start with the service. Right from the start the host greeted us with an amazingly welcoming energy and she happened to also serve our table, and did a brilliant job.

I love Egg Bennies for breakfast and naturally decided on the Lox and Cream Cheese Benny. I asked for it to be prepared a certain way and that's exactly how it came. What really impressed me was the lox was fresh....yes! fresh! Rarely have I seen fresh lox used in breakfast items, and it was amazing. Makes such a huge difference. The Hollandaise was made beautifully different than the traditional. It had a hint of dijon with a cream base and sprinkles of spring onion. Honestly, this might sound cheesy, but the benny was put together like someone was painting their own little canvas. Every single ingredient was very delicately and carefully calculated and integrated with the rest. It had all my favourites: lox, cream cheese, red onion and spring onion, as well as capers. It tasted absolutely amazing! Even the tater tots were fresh.

What else impressed me was the vibe, style and class of the place. It didn't feel like you were eating at a restaurant. It felt more like you were at someone's home who invited you to sit, enjoy their view while they make you something to eat. I loved that it was very non-commercial and very much personal. The extra effort, attention to detail and care you saw and felt constantly. Their coffee was also very good, served very tastefully.

Looking forward...