Restaurants with Best Atmospheres

[kontemporary]

The thing, I believe, the seperates true restaurants and hole-in-the-walls is the atmosphere that the restaurant provides. Some people think it's service - but I've seen bad service from bottom to top, and good service top to bottom.

Well what makes an atmosphere anyways?

I usually consider many things to compose the atmosphere of a restaurant:

- the décor/lighting/architecture

- the background music

- the service (uniform, attitude)

- the crowd/location

But perhaps the idea of rating atmosphere is even more subjective than food itself, as tastes completely vary throughout people. There are different tastes - some like electic upbeat audiences, others like a casual business atmosphere.

Personally I find young, electic attitudeless atmospheres most pleasing to my tastes.

Some restaurants with good atmospheres that do it for me:

- Rugby Beach Club Grille

- LIFT

- Glowbal Grill Satay Bar

- Wild Rice

- Casual Chains: Cactus Club, Milestone's, etc.

Even a lot of the lounge/restaurants on Granville provide excellent places to enjoy a drink or light meal.

[Andrew Morrison]

Recent atmospheres that have turned my crank:

Chambar - The shishi-ness you might expect with all the press and accolades simply doesn't exist here making all the right ingredients (food|service|atmosphere) all the more...palatable. I'm very much looking forward to the big dinner.

Lucy Mae Brown - The people here are great. Everyone I've met and been served by at LMB have been frank, unassuming, and dedicated to their customers. Table service ranks high in terms of knowledge and zeal. Smart wine list, great design, and cool lighting all made better by the knowledge that the Opium Den is just downstairs.

Temple (Victoria) - If you make it over to the Island in the next 25 years (that's 500 in restaurant years), be sure to visit Temple. Inventive cocktails and kick ass food. The room is perhaps the most stylin' in town. Fireplace stunner. Click here for the visuals. I've heard some call it pretentious, but I think that might only be so when viewed through the prism of a Victorian (and I am one). You get dulled to that sort of thing pretty quick across the Straight.

[easy]

This is a great topic,

I'm partial to small, intimate and unassuming places.

Gyoza King on Robson and Fiction in Kits for eating and drinking.

Also, East is East on W Broadway for Wraps and Chai tea.

[butter]

Went to Zakkushi Izakaya on Denman, just off Robson, the other night. Perfect atmosphere for anyone who wants to be transported back to Japan for an izakaya experience. Service was kind and although it was busy, very efficient. Delicious too and I'm hard to please. I'm sure E-Gulleters would be welcome as loud drinking and picture taking is embraced. (I felt sorry for Tama, the server, of a large table who had to take group shots with about 10 cameras.)

Other atmospheres I like are Parkside, Pastis, and I want to say Hamburger Mary's around midnight, but I hate the techno music that is usually playing.

[jamiemaw]

rêvasser,

Ive often daydreamed about the same thing myself. If I was forced to use only one word to sum up the want to return to a certain restaurant, I would call it a sense of 'intimacy'--in all its meanings.

Here are some more detailed thoughts.

Edited April 11, 2005 by jamiemaw (log)

[*Deborah*]

I'm with Butter: Parkside and Pastis are favourites of mine. I don't feel as though I have to dress up; but if I want to, I don't feel like a dork. Actually, I'd probably eat at Parkside even if it had the atmosphere of an airplane hangar, if Andrey Durbach were cooking.

I also like Brix for atmosphere, sitting in the picture windows or in the quiet corner in the front being my favourite places. Somehow even when it's quite lively in the room, you notice it less there.

I like sitting at the bar at HSG, it's becoming like Cheers for a bunch of us there

[BCinBC]

When we'd just finished school, we spent the entire summer in the Fringe where we sat at the bar drinking Ugly Boy ale (and smoking these terrible bidi cigarettes that my friend brought back from India) till all hours. It developed quite a string of regulars, plus I was in love with the waitress, so most definitely there was a welcome feeling, knowing that you would have a good night once you stepped through the doors.

My regular place, when I walk through the doors, I instantly feel welcome. The room is warm with decor and with life, the staff flash smiles of recognition upon seeing you, there is a background buzz of conversation going on (but not enough to force you to speak above a normal tone in conversation)...

If we still lived in the neighborhood, we'd probably be regulars at Fiction (just down the block from the Fringe too, what a natural progression). If this place was in Coal Harbour or Yaletown, you know it would be filled to the brim with yuppies (or D.I.N.K.s), but in it's current state it has a very relaxing - and welcoming - vibe.

Peppyre (or others), are there any places like this on Main?

[jamiemaw]

I'm with Butter: Parkside and Pastis are favourites of mine. I don't feel as though I have to dress up; but if I want to, I don't feel like a dork. Actually, I'd probably eat at Parkside even if it had the atmosphere of an airplane hangar, if Andrey Durbach were cooking.

I also like Brix for atmosphere, sitting in the picture windows or in the quiet corner in the front being my favourite places. Somehow even when it's quite lively in the room, you notice it less there.

I like sitting at the bar at HSG, it's becoming like Cheers for a bunch of us there

←

Three intimate rectangles, each approximately 1.4 x 1 wide (length times width), the perfect human-scaled dimension for--intimacy and comfort. Their muted but warm decor helps.

And joy.

[Vancouver Lee]

Lucy Mae Brown    - The people here are great. Everyone I've met and been served by at LMB have been frank, unassuming, and dedicated to their customers. Table service ranks high in terms of knowledge and zeal. Smart wine list, great design, and cool lighting all made better by the knowledge that the Opium Den is just downstairs.

←

I agree with you 100% - great vibe at LMB that starts with the professional and approachable staff. They have a way of making you feel welcome there without being solicitous.

The Opium Den......is that the official name?

[mamacat]

Interesting column in today's Vancouver Sun by George Jonas about restaurant ambience. He talks about decor, service, clientele and concludes that for him, the best place is a roomy, bright place with great food and service where he feels as though he is going to his club. He makes the point that such a relationship with a restaurant takes time to build and that customers have as much of an obligation as the restaurant owner to build that relationship. I think he's right on the mark and would be interested to hear about fellow e-gulleters views on the restaurants where they feel they have been able to build this special kind of relationship. For me, of course, the HSG comes to mind.

[fud]

My coworker has a breakfast spot he goes to every weekend with his wife. By the time they leave the car and are heading into the place, their "table" is ready and a coffee with caraf plus a tea are waiting for them.

The type of place you walk into and the waitress greets you by name and uses the oh-so-wished-for "the usual?".

I need to find me a place like that.

[D90]

There are many restaurants that give off a nice chill vibe but one that I really enjoy and no one has mentioned yet is Joey Tomatoes, too bad they are only in Coq.

[fud]

Peppyre (or others), are there any places like this on Main?

←

The Five Point (main and 15th) is where I hang. It's pretty funky and sometimes has the most awesome and/or aweful live music. Always keeps things interesting. Another great spot is Locus on (Main and 25th)

D90 I like Joey Tomatoes too but I find myself feeling a little like a dirty old man as some of the waitresses and especially the hosts at the door are really really young

I actually liked the 'old' Joey's better. There was more of a neighbourhood feel to it.

[BCinBC]

^ Thanks for the suggestion fud, I've been to 5-Point (there's a post about it in here somewhere). Good place for a burger and a beer, but otherwise waaay too loud for normal non-drunken conversation. Or wait is that abnormal?