Elisa — Restaurant in Vancouver

Earlier in the year, I started to notice a bunch of posts for a new steakhouse in Yaletown called Elisa. Brought to you by Toptable Group (the same company responsible for Blue Water, Araxi, and West), I made sure to bookmark it for a future visit.

Since it’s run by the same company as Blue Water Cafe (one of our favs) and it’s located just a block away, we shouldn’t have been surprised that Elisa reminded us so much of Blue… right down to the blue napkins.

We started out our meal with a couple of non-alcoholic beverages… the Yuzu Charlatan ($8) with earl grey, lavender, and sparkling water, and the Shirley Yobs ($9). They also brought us out these complimentary amuse bouche (honestly can’t remember what they were).

The complimentary bread and butter also helped to tide us over until our food arrived. The bread was quite crusty but it was a bit too dense/chewy for my liking.

We decided to order the Seafood Plateau ($59) comprised of kusshi + irish point oysters, shrimp cocktail, tuna tartare, cured hamachi, and cured golden eagle coho salmon.

The shrimp were quite large and plump and I was quite pleased at how the cured hamachi, salmon, and tuna turned out.

For our mains, we went with the Wagyu Hanging Tender ($34 6oz) from Brant Lake and the Jacob’s Ladder ($38) with red wine braised certified angus reserve short rib. We completed our mains with a side of Brussels Sprouts ($10) fried with brown butter and topped with parmesan.

The Brussels Sprouts were good but quite oily while the short rib was super tender and meaty.

The Wagyu hanging tender (note that this shouldn’t be confused with Kobe beef) was quite tender but I was a bit distracted by the steak knives that they use here. They’re quite slender and remind me of throwing knives. Unfortunately, they don’t make for good steak knives as I had a lot of trouble cutting through the steak (which is odd given how tender it was). Perhaps the one I had wasn’t sharpened properly but I did see another patron having the same difficulty with his knife as well.

After our meal, they brought us out some complimentary petit fours but we still wound up also ordering the Sorbet Trio ($12) which consisted of banana-passion fruit, cassis, and rhubarb sorbet. Out of the three, I was surprised that I really enjoyed the rhubarb the most… it had a very light flavour and not as tart as the other two.

Overall, a pretty good meal here and there were definitely some high points.

UPDATE - Mar 2025: It's been 5 years since we last visited Elisa and wonder what took us so long to come back. Came to celebrate an anniversary and received some complimentary prosecco bubbly.

They do prime rib Fri/Sat/Sun so couldn't pass that up. They use slow-roasted alberta AAA black angus prime rib (16 oz) and pair it with yorkshire pudding, beef tallow cooked carrots, red wine sauce ($82) Supremely tender and the yokkie is light and airy.

Cured Hamachi ($22) with preserved lemon, coriander and soba, celery leaves and micro cilantro, thyme and olive oil. This was a very light and tasty dish.

Brussels ($14) are fried withbrown butter, parmesan.

Sablefish ($52) sake marinated and roasted, bok choy and daikon, wood grilled green onions – sesame, soy and horseradish. The fish was meaty but tender with a refreshingly tart vinaigrette.

For drinks we got the Pomegranate punch ($13) seedlip, passionfruit, pomegranate, grapefruit, and soda. As well as the South Beach Mule ($13) seedlip, orange, lime, mint, ginger beer.

Creme brulee ($15) for dessert had a thickish dulcey crust (difficult to break apart) topped with a light creme of vanilla, salted caramel, apple, and...

Elisa Steakhouse in Vancouver is not just the best steakhouse in the city—it’s a culinary experience that leaves a lasting impression. Located in the heart of Yaletown, this restaurant redefines the steakhouse concept with a modern and sophisticated approach, combining top-quality meat, an elegant atmosphere, and impeccable service.

Exceptional Steaks At the heart of Elisa’s menu are its expertly prepared steaks, cooked to perfection on a custom wood-fired Grillworks Infierno grill. The restaurant sources premium cuts from renowned producers such as Alberta Black Angus, Snake River Farms Wagyu, and Japanese Wagyu. Each cut, from the Porterhouse to the bone-in ribeye, is crafted with care to highlight the rich flavors and tender texture of the meat. The quality of the ingredients and attention to detail make every bite unforgettable.

A Menu for Every Taste Beyond its incredible steaks, Elisa offers a variety of dishes to satisfy all palates. Seafood lovers can enjoy options like branzino or a seafood platter featuring fresh oysters and cured hamachi. The sides, such as truffle mac & cheese or wild mushrooms, are equally well-prepared to perfectly complement the main courses. To end on a sweet note, desserts like crème brûlée with dulcey crust or baked Alaska are simply divine.

Refined Atmosphere and Outstanding Service Elisa’s ambiance is warm and sophisticated, with interiors featuring rich wood tones, soft lighting, and an open kitchen that showcases its wood-fired grill. It’s the perfect spot for both special celebrations and intimate dinners. A special thank you goes to Ken, my server during my visit—his professionalism, attention to detail, and excellent wine recommendations made the evening even more memorable. Ken also went above and beyond by allowing me to film how they prepare their signature Firenze steak on the wood-fired grill. Witnessing this process was an incredible experience that added a personal touch to my visit.

Awards and Accolades Since opening in 2018, Elisa has received numerous accolades. It holds a “Best of Award of Excellence” from Wine Spectator and earned recognition in the 2023 Michelin Guide. It has also been celebrated by Vancouver Magazine for its outstanding wine program and as one of the city’s best steakhouses.

Conclusion Elisa Steakhouse is more than just a restaurant—it’s a culinary celebration of steak preparation and gastronomic excellence. From perfectly cooked steaks to impeccable service and a welcoming atmosphere, Elisa sets the standard for fine dining in Vancouver. Whether you’re looking for an unforgettable evening or celebrating a special occasion, Elisa is a must-visit destination. A heartfelt thank you to Ken for making everything absolutely perfect and for allowing me to capture the artistry behind their Firenze steak...

We visited here for a birthday with a group of 8. I would highly recommend getting a reservation, especially for a party of that size. On a Sunday night, it was relatively busy, which was somewhat surprising.

Our host and server, was very knowledgeable, and clearly knew the food and drink menu inside and out. Our table relied on her to guide us on the selection of food and drink as most of us had not been there before. All of her recommendations were excellent, and we enjoyed her suggestions.

The food was mostly very nice. The sides, of which we ordered almost all, were all super tasty, and nothing was left behind. All of our friends were commenting on how good each of the sides were.

For the main, I am a huge fan of the picanha cut, and so when I saw a wagyu option for that cut, I immediately knew I was going for that. I have made picanha at home many times, and compared to what I make at home, it wasn't any better than what I buy at the local butcher or even Costco. Being a wagyu steak, I was expecting a really good marbling, it definitely wasn't. I suppose Brant Lake Farms might be to blame, and won't get you that true wagyu marbling and flavours. The 6.5oz's that they claimed the steak was, seemed very small compared to other steaks I've ordered elsewhere. However, the char, and internal cook was very well done at medium-rare as I had requested. Overall, it tasted great, and I enjoyed the steak, but I couldn't justify the cost on that one.

The rest of the table mostly ordered other cuts of steak, from the Japanese Wagyu, to some dry-aged options. Of course, the Japanese Wagyu was simply amazing. The Snake River Farms Wagyu, was what I felt was a good balance between price and flavour/marbling. Brant Lake Farms, I'd avoid next time, and just order a non-wagyu steak at that point, it won't be any different. One of the couples ordered the beef wellington, and enjoyed it more than what they've had at Gordan Ramsey's.

Our server, and the service was great in their knowledge, but there were very long waits between servings, or after we were done, etc. Our server was definitely busy, as the restaurant was nearly full, but we could see many other servers standing and waiting around. It might have been nice if they could have checked in with us. Our dinner for 8 took nearly 3.5 hours, so it was on the longer side from what I would have expected.

I would definitely come back here again, but I was struggling to justify the cost for the specific order I made. I'm sure that if I had raised an issue with my server, they would have done something to correct it, but I didn't want to delay our group even longer than it had been. There are other places in the lower mainland where you can get similarly priced steaks, and this is near the top, but not the best...