Moose's Down Under Bar and Grill - Vancouver — Restaurant in Vancouver

If there is one person in Vancouver who knows exactly what great service means, it's Corina of Moose's Down Under. A group of us have been going to their weekly trivia night for many months now, and I continue to be amazed at the level of service that is so consistently provided at this large and lovely pub.

The first time we went there, I was a little surprised that they asked for my name when I was ordering. However, this seemingly small gesture is what the beginning of amazing service looks like. All drinks and meals were associated with my name, and I was called by name throughout the night. It made me feel like a person, not just a table number. As I and my friends continued to dine here, the servers (and especially Corina herself) memorized our usual drinks as well as what we like to eat, and our food sensitivities. Now, when I walk in, I'm greeted with a "Hi, how's it going, would you like a cider?" before I even sit down. It's like walking into a group of friends, rather than a restaurant.

In addition, their menu is quite large, and provides a variety of excellent meals to choose from, especially for a pub. Though there is no specifc gluten-free menu, I have not had any trouble finding things to eat there. The servers and kitchen are all familiar with celiac and gluten-sensitivity, and I can always get an answer about whether something is "safe" for me or not. If not, there are absolutely no problems with modifying something to make it celiac-friendly. Corina and her staff go above and beyond to accommodate my dietary restrictions. They also go above and beyond for one of my friends who is a bit of a picky eater, heavily modifying menu items to suit her taste. And they don't do it grudgingly. They do it in the spirit of providing an excellent dining experience, and with a smile. Moreover, they do it at a price that's affordable.

The drink menu is also agreeably varied, though I know my boyfriend and one of my friends wish that the beer list was a bit larger. I'm a cider drinker myself, and have a few options to choose from, though I usually end up drinking Foundry. The man behind the bar also has a wicked shot list in his head and sometimes comes up with some awesome creations.

The location can be a bit tricky to find the first time, because the pub is below ground. As a result, it tends to be a little less busy on sunny days, and a little bit dark inside. However, I don't regret the lack of a patio or large windows one bit. The pub is large and comfortable, and well suited to big groups, as well as just a couple of friends.

You definitely don't get a generic cookie-cutter restaurant experience at Moose's. What you do get is personalized, world-class service, good drinks, delicious food and a fantastic experience. You make friends, you have an excellent time, you feel comfortable and you keep coming back. All the proprietors of the so-called high-end "chain" establishments need to go have a drink and a meal at Moose's and take notes. This is what service should look like. This is the experience that people are willing to pay for. Unfortunately for the dining public, places like Moose's are a rarity and often lost in a sea of restaurants offering overpriced meals and supercilious service. Corina and her staff have made a life-long customer of me and my friends, and with excellent reason. Keep up...

TOURISTS BEWARE: Visiting downtown Vancouver for the first time and looking for some unique dining establishments. Read some reviews and should have taken one to heart. It started "Service was dreadful..." I think the service for everyone around us was fine, but our waiter acted like we almost didn't exist. Took orders for people who were seated well after us, before he took ours. I got his attention and told him we were ready to order. He said okay and walked away. Had to track him down over 10 minutes later. Another couple ordered after us, but received and finished their meal before ours came out if the kitchen. Our waiter blamed it on the Parmie my wife ordered taking longer to prepare. Interesting, that the gal next to us ordered the same Parmie and it arrived in less than half the time. My wife ordered a cocktail, but I just had water as I do not drink. We were there 90 minutes and the waiter never filled my water glass. He filled glasses at other tables, but not ours. When I finally got his attention and asked for water more, he said okay but ever came back. Finally overly frustrated, I went to the bar where another waiter asked me if there was a problem. When I attempted to explain the situation, he interrupted me and blamed it on the large crowd that came in well after us. I called B.S. With proper service, we probaly would have been nearly through with our meal before the crowd arrived. Did he offer to have a different waiter finish out our service...Nope! Had to wait and wait and ask for our bill and wait some more. Maybe they treat their "regular" customers well and hope us tourists don't come back. Well, you will get your...

I went there with my friends to watch a world cup match Friday at 8 in the morning. There were only 1 waiter and 1 waitress for more than 40 people (in the area we were sitting). I understand that it was a lot busier than a normal Friday morning, but they should’ve known people will come for the world cup and have more staff there. 15 minutes after I arrived, the waiter took my order for a coffee, and told the others who were ready to order breakfast that he will not be taking the order yet. Within 30 minutes we still didn’t get our coffee, and the waitress came this time to tale orders (again). I ordered coffee (again) which she brought 15 minutes after (how long should it take for coffee?!). By now it’s 9 and we’re all starving, so we order breakfast now that we have the waitress (God knows she’ll disappear again). The breakfast arrives in 45 minutes or so, and the quality is just horrible. I got the Greek omelette, and honestly I never thought there will be a way to mess up an omelette! Most of the people left the food unfinished due to the bad quality. Altogether the service and food were not good, and when I paid my bill, I wanted to tell the waitress about how unhappy I was, but not to my surprise, she disappeared right after my payment went through... will not be going back. There are lots of other places to watch...