The Old Spaghetti Factory — Restaurant in Vancouver

To me, the Old Spaghetti Factory is about on par with Earl's as the Starbucks of restaurants. What I mean by that is, the experience is very consistent, and for the most part consistently good. It's hard to find this much food of this quality for the money anywhere else. And some of their dishes are genuine knockouts that keep me and my husband going back on special occasions, as well as when we want a casual dinner out. We usually have the mushroom and ricotta ravioli, which hits all the notes. There are little salty bits of bacon in the alfredo sauce, and the sauce is creamy and cheesy, and there are little button mushrooms in the sauce as well as mushroom with the ricotta inside the ravioli, and there's lots of chicken mixed in, and all together it is a very delicious dish. I used to always have the seafood linguine alfredo, and that is really good too. The entree comes with tea or coffee, as many loaves of warm bread as you want, soup or salad, and ice cream afterwards, all included in the price. For the dish I just described, it was $21.95 before tax and tip. And usually I take half of it home with me for the next day, because it's a lot of food. This particular outlet is one I haven't gone to in a VERY long time (like, decades), and there were some odd things about the service. For instance, there were two dirty utensils on the floor under our table, which was peculiar, and when I pointed out a fork on the floor by the table next to us, my waiter made no move to pick it up, even though it was in a place where the people at the next table were very likely to step on it. I actually had to suggest to him that he pick it up. (I had picked up the other ones, but this one was too close to other people for me to feel comfortable reaching down and doing that.) It was quite strange. And then when we asked for cream and sugar, not very much of either one came, so I asked for more cream and he brought exactly one more cream for each of us, which was also kind of odd. Plus, we ordered decaf coffee and there was a slight delay while, apparently, he made a new pot, but he only gave the new coffee to my husband, while I had completely undrinkable decaf that had clearly sat in the pot since that morning and was incredibly bitter. So that was yet a third thing that was somewhat peculiar about this experience. But overall, I have only good things to say about the Old Spaghetti Factory, and it's not their fault that not all their hires are natural waiters. I recommend it, and the interior of this one is particularly beautiful. That part of Water Street in Gastown is a great place to walk around, too, so overall it's a really...

Cozy Ambience, Mixed Culinary Experience:

Last winter, I had the opportunity to dine at The Old Spaghetti Factory, and overall, it was a pleasant experience. The restaurant had a warm and inviting ambiance, making it a great place to enjoy a meal with friends and family.

Let's start with the positives: The restaurant's atmosphere was cozy and charming, contributing to a comfortable dining experience. I particularly enjoyed the rustic decor and the friendly staff, which added to the overall welcoming vibe.

Now, onto the food. The garlic cheese toast, while okay, left a distinctive smell due to the type of cheese used. Some might find it intriguing, but others, like myself, might not be as fond of the scent. The dish was decent, but it didn't leave a lasting impression.

The Pesto Linguine, unfortunately, fell short of expectations. It was bland and lacked the flavors I was hoping for in a pasta dish. As someone who appreciates bold and spicy flavors, I found it a bit underwhelming. However, taste preferences can vary, and for those who prefer milder options, this might suit them well.

The highlight of the meal was undeniably the Spumoni dessert. It was simply divine, with a burst of delightful flavors. It served as a perfect ending to an otherwise mediocre culinary journey.

One aspect I truly appreciated was the freshly baked bread served with butter. It was absolutely delicious and, in my opinion, even outshined some of the main dishes. The fact that it was complimentary made it all the more delightful, as it offered a delightful contrast to the rather ordinary main courses.

To sum it up, The Old Spaghetti Factory is a great choice for those who enjoy a relaxed and laid-back dining experience. If you're not a fan of bold flavors and prefer milder, simpler dishes, this might be the perfect place for you. However, for individuals who, like myself, love spicy and richly seasoned food, this restaurant might not be the best match.

My friends enjoyed their visit to The Old Spaghetti Factory and continue to return, but personally, I left a bit disappointed due to my preference for more flavorful fare. Nevertheless, the fantastic Spumoni dessert and the delightful bread with butter will remain in my memory as the highlights...

We have enjoyed many lovely meals at the old spaghetti factory, especially this location in Gas Town Vancouver. Our friends bought us gift cards over Christmas so we could enjoy a lovely meal in the new year.

We can always rely on the old spaghetti factory for many reasons... the food leaves us delightfully full, the servers and staff have ALWAYS been incredibly kind and professional not forgetting we genuinely feel it's all round great value for money.

Today our main Server was Ryan, almost certain he's served us before we're quite positive... his humor and charm as well as his attention to detail is just top notch! (British way of saying the best) He was training this day and his shadow Oskar was equally kind and helpful.

Everything was as it always is at The old spaghetti factory... just perfect! From the warm bread bought to the table before our salad that then followed by our mains (gosh I do love the chicken Parmigiana) My wife and I also think the fries here are the best fries in town and we love that our plate is never shy of them.

Honestly I don't know why it's taken us so long to write a review... I'm a keen Google guide but this time I'll be writing two reviews. That impressed.

We have eaten at different restaurants (not spaghetti factory) where we have used a gift card only to have the server treat us less kindly... however our two lovely servers never made us feel bad and treated us with care and smiles.

Ivan the Manger kindly gave us his time so we could thank him for this wonderful visit and it truly meant the world to him. He was so touched when we spoke of our previous visits and mentioning various staff... Carlos, Loreal etc Today Ryan and Oskar.

Ivan's team at the old spaghetti factory is like a family, and when we visit we're made to feel at home every time.

We hope this shines a little light onto this wonderful team... for we generally only review on Google... but we don't want to miss a chance to say THANKYOU from Lorelai...