Mink Chocolates Cafe — Restaurant in Vancouver

Mink Chocolate Café 📍 863 W Hastings Street, Vancouver, BC V6C 1C6

Introduction

While strolling through downtown Vancouver, I came across Mink Chocolate Café, a spot known for its chocolate-infused drinks and desserts. Intrigued by its reputation, I decided to stop in and see if it lived up to expectations.

Food & Drinks

Hot Chocolate

Given the café’s focus on chocolate, I had high hopes for their signature hot chocolate. Unfortunately, it was underwhelming. While the texture was smooth, the flavor lacked the depth and richness that a truly standout hot chocolate should have. Compared to other specialty cafés in the city, this version felt one-dimensional and forgettable.

Rating: 5/10

Frozen Mocha

The frozen mocha, however, was a pleasant contrast. The blend of chocolate and espresso was well-balanced, offering a smooth, refreshing drink with just the right amount of sweetness. The flavors were pronounced but not overpowering, making it an enjoyable and well-executed option for coffee and chocolate lovers alike.

Rating: 8/10

Belgian Waffle

The Belgian waffle was another highlight. Crisp on the outside, soft on the inside, and perfectly golden, it had an excellent texture and a delicate sweetness that made it a great pairing with the drinks. Well-executed and satisfying, it was one of the stronger offerings of the visit.

Rating: 8/10

Ambiance

The café is small but charming, with a clean and well-maintained interior. The cozy setting makes it an inviting place for a quick coffee break or a casual dessert stop, though limited seating may be a drawback during peak hours.

Rating: 7/10

Service

Service was prompt and friendly, with staff handling orders efficiently despite a steady flow of customers. The experience was smooth, and the staff’s welcoming attitude contributed to a positive visit.

Rating: 8/10

Price

Prices are reasonable, aligning well with the quality of ingredients and the overall experience.

Verdict

Mink Chocolate Café has its strengths, particularly in its frozen mocha and well-executed Belgian waffle. However, given its emphasis on chocolate, the hot chocolate was disappointing and failed to leave a lasting impression. While it may not be my first choice for a standout hot chocolate, I would return to explore more...

One of the most confusing experiences I’ve had at a cafe;

Got there, headed straight to the chocolate to pick some up for a family member. No one helped, or even came over to greet me. Turned around to a massive line up that trailed to the door. All good, I went to the back of the line. I asked for a specific drink but am lactose intolerant so asked for alternative milk, they couldn’t make the drink. When asked they just said they can’t and fell silent, looking at me to hurry up. Fine, I ordered something else. As my friend arrived, I spilled my glass of water. I approached the barista to let her know, thinking she’d give me a rag to clean it up. However, she looked up at me, didn’t say a single word and acted SO inconvenienced it was actually crazy. She went over without saying anything, wiped it up and said “there.” Okay, thanks lol. My friend ordered, and they forgot about her drink. They started yelling out a drink order, and then ran over to my friend with it, annoyed that she hadn’t picked it up at the front. It was the wrong drink. They need to start putting names on orders lol, pretty simple to do rather than yelling out drink types when people definitely order the same drinks. They quickly clarified her actual order, and then came back a few minutes later to ask again. Someone brought her her drink, and shortly afterwards another person brought over the same drink, very confused saying “oh.. someone else prepared one for you?” Great location, if only the crazies didn’t interact with the business, but thats not mink’s fault. It just comes with the location. Witnessed some pretty funny stuff whilst there, great entertainment thats for sure lol. Quality of food, chocolate and drinks were so mid, it hurt that my bill came to almost $40. Not sure why this place is so popular, especially with prude,...

This is a review based on my first experience at Mink Cafe and only on ordering the Hot Chocolate Fest. drinks, so it has nothing to do with the cafe as a whole. The reason why I gave it 2 stars instead of 1 because I thought the interior of the cafe and the outside patio is really nice. It feels like you walked into a high-end cafe with a really relaxed atmosphere. However, the hot chocolate I ordered was just plain ridiculous. As you can see the picture below, the hot chocolate was served in an injection needle toy. Not only was it unsanitary, but the hot chocolate itself was not even "hot". It was cold and mushy and it tasted too sweet. In the beginning I thought it was a joke and said to the barista, "am I supposed to put this in my mouth?" He replied, "that's the idea," and just shrugged me off nonchalantly. I have never been so embarrassed in my life, carrying that thing around and trying to find a seat outside away from people while I drink it. I also went around to see if others ordered the same thing and had the same treatment but I have seen none. If this was a joke, I think this went too far. I thought probably because I'm asian and I look like an international student to them and they thought it was funny to do a prank. If that is so, then the service and the employees here are problematic and should get re-trained or fired even. Also, if you were to do this kind of thing, at least warn the customer beforehand. Also, the other hot chocolate drink wasn't so great either, although better than what I had ordered. Both drinks were $8 each which I honestly think it's overpriced for the amount and quality that we got. Truly disappointing. All those awards that they displayed outside their shop meant nothing. I will not go there for Hot Chocolate...