Pourhouse Restaurant — Restaurant in Vancouver

Pourhouse – A Gastown Gem with Incredible Steak Frites

Gastown’s Pourhouse effortlessly blends old-world charm with modern culinary flair. Visiting on a bustling Saturday night without a reservation, I was pleasantly surprised to secure a table, testament to their warm, accommodating service. From start to finish, the staff were attentive, friendly, and efficient, setting the tone for a delightful evening with a friend.

Starter: Beef Tartare (3.5/5) The Beef Tartare showcased eye of round with mustard seed, shallots, hazelnut oil, and a juniper sauce. While the flavor was pleasant and the juniper sauce added an intriguing depth, the accompanying chips felt like a missed opportunity. Generic and unremarkable, they didn’t do justice to the otherwise thoughtfully composed dish. Freshly baked bread or hand-cut chips from the kitchen would have elevated this starter considerably.

Main: Steak Frites (5/5) This dish was the undeniable highlight of the meal. The 10oz striploin was cooked to perfection. A flawless medium-rare with rich, beefy flavor and excellent marbling. The hand-cut fries were crisp and golden, perfectly complementing the tender steak. The peppercorn sauce was the cherry on top, with a creamy yet piquant balance that tied the dish together beautifully. At $56, it’s a premium dish, but one that delivers every cent’s worth in quality and execution.

Drink: Bourdain Old Fashioned (5/5) As a tribute to Anthony Bourdain, this cocktail was as bold and unforgettable as the man himself. A blend of Suntory Toki Japanese Whisky, Marquis de Villard Brandy, Pierre Ferrand Yuzu Curaçao, and Amaro Nardini, it struck a perfect balance between smoky, citrusy, and bitter notes. It’s a splurge, but one worth indulging in. Complex and thoughtfully crafted, it paired wonderfully with the meal.

Atmosphere: Cozy & Timeless Pourhouse’s vintage-inspired interior, with dark woods and a softly glowing ambiance, sets the scene for a laid-back yet upscale dining experience. Despite being busy, the atmosphere remained lively without feeling overwhelming.

Overall (4.5/5) Pourhouse earns its reputation with its impeccable steak and cocktails, backed by friendly service and an inviting atmosphere. While the Beef Tartare didn’t quite hit the mark, the standout main course and memorable drink easily made up for it. For a hearty, elevated meal in the heart of Gastown, Pourhouse is a fantastic choice.

Would I return? Yes, in...

I went here with some friends, one of who was visiting, since it was in the right direction for us and it had a happy hour on Monday. And, from the start, we felt like something was off when no one was in the place at this time.

The food and drinks were okay, but it was all overshadowed by our waiter. The frosted-tipped guy, my friends found really condescending to the point of rude. It wasn’t until I received my bill that I also was put off. One of the drinks I ordered turned out to be far more expensive than I first thought. I had ordered what I thought was the happy hour deal old fashioned: there was one for $28 and also a blanket $2-off a normal old fashioned on the menu (Principle Six) . I had confirmed I had wanted the regular happy hour one with my friends, which resulted in this overpriced drink which I questioned the waiter about, who told me that I had ordered the "elevated experience”. This was not clear to me at all at the time of ordering.

Sure, great, he upsold and didn’t tell me until after the fact. Times are tough, eh?

When I asked about this price difference on the bill from what I expected, he was not reassuring and didn’t try to correct the situation and was also just smug throughout the checkout process, goading me on and mumbling that “[I] got it” when tapping the POS.

Beforehand, he tried to convince us that the ‘Gastown Gimlet’ they have on menu was a normal gimlet (when I asked what the price would be for the original simple 3-part cocktail myself), which is simply not correct. So, the whole experience started to make more sense in that this waiter is not someone we could really trust with our orders or what’s on the menu.

Reading from the other reviews, it seems there is maybe a habit of the waitstaff to put orders through as the ‘premium cocktails’ and then refuse to dispute the issue once the bill arrives. Coming here, it felt like we were swindled. I definitely would not recommend since I feel you just can’t trust what they bring you on your bill will reflect what you ordered. There is nothing you can recommend of a place...

We are definitely not alone or CRAZY in our perceptions of this Gastown restaurant! I AM really sorry for this review, but the tastes are there with us- we will NEVER go back or recommend it. Our daughter ordered drinks, and items from the menu-some happy hour prices, and regular, to try. We left feeling VERY sorry she had paid SO much for so little- and awful! Results- 3 menu-stated, "known for their Caesar salads-" less than one cup of romaine, a few croutons, and grated cheese-NONE with "creamy anchovy dressing!" HOW could that be missed?? Ok, onward. In rereading to see what WAS "missing-" the dressing! She ordered 2 steaks-1 rib steak $58, 1 sirloin, a little cheaper-ALL that came on those 2 plates at that price-no sides-2 tiny slices of fried onion on each plate? My husband had a few pieces he couldn't even chew! 3 Scotch eggs to taste-NOT bad- CRAZY price of about $7.00 ea. happy hour price! 3 balls of sausage/ one egg in each! The fried chips came- 1/4 C of mayo/sour cream-SMALL bowl! When the waitress came to take the dishes away, THEN, she told us we could have had a REFILL! Fried chicken to share- SMALL bowl 5 tiny pieces- 3 pickle slices, 3 wisps of marinated cabbage-mustard was the dip😝!!? Smash Burger- Happy hour price about $7-MAYBE 3 inches around, SO DRY-even with cheese, thinner than a junior McD burger! 2 regular Caesar drinks came-full of ice with 1 olive. I joked to the waiter about the other not having any. He brought me 3 olives-first before he handed that to me-he asked if I "was allergic to nuts!?" Seriously🙄! Jokingly back I replied -"not unless they are walking around-" but HE WAS serious! Service was VERY slow- NOT even busy at 5:00PM. The waiters/ waitresses were pleasant-but that IS their job and-they were tipped well! ALL the food had come to our table- we just wanted to get out-it was AWFUL! Sad! It IS in a neat, popular, touristy part of town- but when you enter ANY restaurant-HOPE IS that the food IS good, as patrons ARE innocently there for the tastes and experiences! This was quite costly and a...