The Boxcar — Restaurant in Vancouver

This place has a really cool setting and decor, but unfortunately let down by the staff. Went here a couple of weeks ago and was greeted by a staff member at the door, who it turns out was also the bartender. It was somewhat busy for a weeknight, but two staff members on. One was in the middle of what looked like a big cocktail order for some existing customers. The one that greeted us then took 10 minutes to serve us. I put that down to things just being busy. Drink was fine. Went up for my second drink and this same bartender proceeded to ignore me for the next 10 minutes whilst I was the only person seemingly waiting. The bartender in question was instead chatting/flirting with another client (for literally 5 minutes), and despite several glances over in my direction and being aware of the fact I was waiting, continuted to ignore my presence. They THEN proceeded to serve someone else before me, and at this point it was clear there was an attitude problem. Due to the behavior of this individual, it did not seem like an inclusive or caring staff approach to customer service. And what could have been made up for by a simple acknowledgement of "I'll be with you in just a minute" turned into what felt like a much more deliberate slight. Not quite sure what the I or the group I was with did to upset this particular staff member, but their handling was extremely unprofessional and childish. After STILL waiting for 10 minutes, it was their colleague who ended up serving me. They were fine. But pretty poor effort overall. Cool setting though - If you go in expecting to get sassy treatment from some rude bar staff here, then you'll...

Fun neighbourhood drink. Order a pizza to go next door at Pizzeria Farina and eat it at the Boxcar with friends. They have a great selection of craft beer and a few cocktails. Their cocktails are good, but not great, the beer selection is what you're here for.

The room is long and narrow. If you're a large group, prepare to stand on a busy night. This is a lovely haunt to pull up at the bar with a friend and chat. One of my favourite memories here was a lovely night where the block was without power and the bar was pouring beers and cash only. It was a lovely, quiet drink with a friend, among the chatter of new friends and the patter of rain just outside.

The banter is great with fun barstaff, there is always friendly regulars kicking around, and the bathrooms have all sorts of colourful, side-splitting, and entertaining narratives to keep you occupied to the extent that your friends will wonder where you went, whilst having a pee.

The only knock against this place is that the default tip option is a laughable 30%. C'mon, folks, that's silly for a place that doesn't have a...

We stumbled upon The Boxcar on a weekday afternoon and were pleasantly surprised by what we found inside. From the outside, it’s easy to miss, but step through the door and you’re welcomed into a charming vintage-style bar. Walk a bit further and you’ll find a amazing patio, perfect for soaking up the sun on a nice day.

The vibe was laid-back and welcoming, with a great selection of drinks on happy hour, Electric Bicycle Brewing beers included, which was a nice touch. They offer a good range of options for beer lovers, and the service was friendly and relaxed.

The only drawback is that the adjoining pizzeria recently closed, so there’s no in-house food for now. However, they do allow you to bring your own food, which is a plus.

Definitely worth checking out if you’re in the area and looking for a chill spot to grab a drink, especially on a...