Establishment Lounge

Food is good but don’t wait too long to eat it. It’s a quieter place and easy to just lounge and chat, but cold food sucks.
The chef’s specialities are safe to order, especially the peanut soup.
Appetizers/​Tapas are pretty pricey for the portion you get, but the rest of the menu generally gets you good portions, and hence good value for money.

African Chicken Peanut Soup ⁴⁄₅ — We could smell the peanut when our server brought it out. It was hot and thick. We could definitely order a bowl of rice and fill us up. The soup was also bigger compared to the other dishes.
Indonesian Chicken Satay (fresh free range chicken infused with exotic indonesian spices & served with our signature peanut sauce) 3.5÷5 — I have this replaced for the lamb slider and I’m glad I did. I had a little bit of the burger and the lamb was strong. I heard the bison burger was good. Too bad they don’t have it anymore. I had ½ of the skewer first and it was tender and moist. It didn’t taste that good when I go back to it after. So I recommend people to eat it first. The peanut sauce tasted the same as the soup. I couldn’t tell any difference.
Shrimp & Lobster Cake (almond crusted shrimp & lobster cake accompanied with chipotle) ³⁄₅ — I could not tell the almond and there was too little shrimp and lobster. More on the shrimp than the lobster. The garlic tomato sauce was flavourful but there was too little of the balsamic glaze, the cake itself was too bland.
Black Truffle Saccottini Pasta toasted in a vanilla galliano cream sauce, served with sweet pea purée, garnished with merlot microgreens & fresh pancetta ³⁄₅ — creamiest of all. It was more like a piece of cheese ravioli to me. We would smell the truffle before they bring it out (but not too much on flaovor).
Wild Mushroom Risotto Balls (panko breaded & stuffed with canadian brie & truffle chese, served over a garlic tomato sauce & drizzled with a balsamic glaze) 3.5÷5 — The frying was better than the lobster cake. Too little mushroom.
Parmesan & truffle sweet potato fries 4.75÷5 — Best part of the night! One of us ordered this on the side. It came with aioli and in-​house smoked ketchup. It was nice, fresh and crispy with lots of cheese. More truffle oil than the pasta. Some of us said there was too much cheese but I can’t stop eating this. The menu didn’t say it was sweet potato fries so it was a bonus!
Dessert $ 10 — They have 4 items on their dessert menu (Fresh Fruit Tart /​Dulce De Leche Apple Cake /​Unbaked Mascarpone Cheesecake /​White Chocolate Frangelico Mousse). We really wanted to try the cheesecake but they only have the apple cake and the chocolate mousse that night =(.
There was a long wait between our soup and our main. There was only one server and 2 other tables. It was a good value applying the groupon but I don’t think I would pay $ 24 for this. The portion was small and I don’t think it would be enough for a guy. The soup just filled us up while waiting for the entrée. There was parking at the back but we didn’t know if it will be reimbursed.

I haven’t tried the food, so this review is for the bar only. And trust me, the bar is reason enough to visit Establishment. Bartender (and owner?) Sathi is an artist. I was lucky enough to visit Establishment with a bartender friend who’d heard about it; even though the place is only steps from the restaurant I work at, none of us had ever been. But my friend had to go back to have another of the best Old Fashioned she’d ever tasted, and I accompanied her.
Before I go on, let me warn you: the décor is kind of tacky, very Cactus Club meets Granville Street. The menu is pretentious. There’s a laser logo projected on the sidewalk outside. All signs point to this being yet another characterless spot on West Broadway. But it’s not!
The cocktails are all priced reasonably well for the amount of work that goes into him. Watching him work is a treat — so do yourself a favour and sit at the bar. Try any of the many signature drinks on the menu. All of them are made with his personal flair. The Perfect Gin and Tonic comes with thinly sliced cucumber wrapped around the glass and is a mix of find. The Old Fashioned has probably 10 – 13 ingredients in it, including three types of bitters. And when I went back with my rum-​loving girlfriend, he made a blended rum tiki drink with panache, off the cuff. Everything is boozy and sophisticated and delicious. A+ will visit again and again and again!

Some highlights, some misses for taste. The service here was fine, though sometimes confused (we were pretty much alone in the place, so it’s difficult to judge fairly). The space was alright, nothing spectacular. The Indonesian chicken satay was decent but not spectacular. The lamb sliders were alright, but the bun was dry. The tastiest plate was the Mussels, because of a great broth. Overall, the food was good but not worth the drive from downtown. If you live in the area, it might be worth a little more, but I still can’t rate this place higher than 3 stars, sorry guys.

This was a beautifully decorated space with comfy booth seating, black leather chairs, and hardwood tables; that matched the wall behind us. Each of the other walls were crafted from other natural materials. I enjoyed facing the lighter one that had dark wooden branches as accents, standing tall in front. There were heavy cast iron lamps for tea lights on each table. And a dark leather couch in the back, for those here to do some real lounging. There was plenty of room for our party of 9, we sat in a row, that was 4 tables pushed together.
The menu was a one pager of wonderful sounding dishes. The kind that are not common, and made unique with ethnic food twists and choice sauces. From dish to dish you can travel from Africa to Morocco, Thailand to Japan, or Sicily to the Caribbean. The prices were ones I considered decent, but pricy for student, at $ 14 – 18 for appetizers and $ 21 – 27 for entrees.
They are well known for their peanut soup, so that was a must try. «Chef Bongo’s Famous African Chicken Peanut Soup». Ingredients unlisted. It was a creamy and thick broth. The texture reminded me of a squash soup. The peanut taste was dulled by the other ingredients, that I could not identify. This made for a great hardy start to our exotic meal.
Would I come back? — Yes, we were able to our enjoy our meal, whilst laughing and talking in a friendly environment. The space provided was beautiful and the staff quiet and courteous. Nothing really stood out either good or bad. And we deemed the night a successful one.
Would I recommend it? — As a lounge, I am unsure. I was the driver of our carpool and went with a group that preferred not to drink; and therefore would not be able to describe any of their drinks or how it felt to be drinking here. But as a restaurant, I did enjoy their tapas style dishes and the array of flavours and places you could pull from. Each plate was beautiful from a photography prospective. And emptied with nothing to doggy bag from a foodie perspective. Don’t deny your cravings.

DISCLAIMER: This is a wedding reception review, not a normal dinner. But I had a wicked time so I highly recommend you also get married here. And invite me.
What great service!
I was here for a wedding reception on the 27^th and was impressed! The staff was really great and helped make the night at total success.
After scanning the menu I see that the vegan appies they were serving were a custom order for the wedding but damn were they delicious. I see another reviewer said that they are changing their menu? I am hoping some vegan stuff makes it onto the new one! Fingers crossed. Risotto balls, duck spring rolls, and bison sliders did make the crowd pretty happy.
Lots of beers on tap from what I could see. I feel like this would be a nice date spot… but that might just be all the love floating around in the air talking. There is also little patio for you to enjoy.

A couple of my colleagues had been to Establishment on different occasions and highly recommended Chef Victor Bongo’s amazing menu and the friendly ambiance of the restaurant.
I went for a dinner with a group and we were not disappointed. Quite the opposite, from the appetizer through sampling each course, we were astonished how perfectly cooked and seasoned and well-​thought out each taste and detail were. The sauces were delicious, and when one of us jokingly challenged Victor about how spicy he could go with his sauces, he brought out some of his «home-​made» variety that had a super KICK to it.
It is more than evident that Victor loves being a chef and a host. His personal touch and the more than exceptional service by our waiter Ben, made the evening super memorable. Victor also wetted our appetites further by telling us about the new menu that he will be introducing at the end of the month. We will definitely be back to try it too!

Came here for an after hockey meal with a few friends (weeknight, ~9ish). When I walked in, it felt like I was transported into Yaletown and left the quaint, neighbourhoodness of Kits: The lights were pretty dark (dark to the point where I was actually having difficulty reading the menu by candlelight), there was some psychedelic screen saver action happening with the TV in the corner, and people were pretty dressed up above and beyond just casual. I was also told this was the old location of the New Bohemian.
That may explain the prices of the food and drink as they reflected both Yaletown and the premium on having a food/​drink operation in Kits.together. Me and my party of 5 shared various plates (pizza, sliders, etc) and a few drinks. It wasn’t hard to get the bill to climb north of $ 100. The portions were good for sharing and tasted perfectly fine but cost a little more than I was hoping to pay.
Maybe this was just a case of choosing the wrong place for after-​hockey food and drink. On the plus side, it is one of the few places open later in these parts.

They offer about a dozen delicious sounding but pricey tapas, several flatbreads, appys, and main entrees. To be honest, quite a lot of the options on the menu sounded really great like African chicken peanut soup, wild mushroom risotto balls, black truffle saccotini pasta… but I had none of those.
I ordered the Al Funghi flatbread, and had half of a bison slider. First thoughts — looked and smelled amazing. Second thoughts — tasted far richer than expected.
The flatbread was well sized, and I suppose I didn’t feel ripped off at $ 14. Although, I couldn’t finish it and had to give ¹⁄₃ of it away because it was just so rich and sweet. The caramelized onions and the maple truffle vinaigrette gave the pizza a very sweet flavor overpowering the goat cheese, mozzarella, and wild mushroom flavors that I was hoping to savor. Unfortunately, I couldn’t add salt and hot pepper to the pizza since there was none on the table and our server never came back to check on us until we were all pretty much done.
The bison slider was good, but also had sweetness from the cranberry onion relish and the fresh beet aioli. It was super juicy, and my only wish would have been for a thicker/​firmer texture of the burger patty. Biting into it, it all sort of collapses like mush which isn’t really expected when you have a burger. Bummer. I’ve had bison meat before and don’t recall the same texture.
They do have Deschutes beer, including the Black Butte Porter which I love. It was served in a properly frosted pint glass which I thought was a great touch.
It’s an interesting spot, and I’m not reluctant to come back but it won’t be on my high list of places to go despite the tasty sounding menu. Service was okay, although our server was busy cleaning up and doing end-​of-​night closeout stuff instead of checking on us during our meal and/​or bringing us our bill when we let him know we were done. There was also a gap in time between the drinks coming out — seemed he didn’t have any support from the bar. Strange for a Friday night. Not his fault, but management should consider not overtasking servers so they can properly tend to customers.
Food was only okay. Atmosphere — kind of weird. The place is very nicely decorated inside except for this weird Winamp/​Screensaver display by the bar that’s super tacky and distracting. It didn’t even correspond with the music, it wasn’t attractive or aligned with the décor. It is completely unnecessary. Get rid of it and let the lighting, music, and lounge atmosphere shine. Then kick up your menu offerings and ensure service is attentive and good. Ultimately, I spent too much money on a mediocre experience.

We made a reservation during Dine Out and thought all would be OK. When we arrived the hostess gave us an option to either sit at the bar or on a couch with a low coffee table rather than in the dining area. I reminded her that we had a reservation. She said they had some difficulties with their bookings that night and as soon as a table came available that we could have it. Honestly at that point I almost walked right out the door.
However, I am glad that we stayed. Not long after we were seated at the bar the manager came over and apologized for the mix up and offered us a free drink on the house. We of course accepted and ordered from the very friendly and talented bar keep. For an appetizer we had African peanut soup. Soon after it arrived the chef came out and asked us how we liked it. Where does that ever happen? Each course was better than the next culminating with a terrific dessert.
I highly recommend going to Establishment and enjoying an amazing meal.

This place is one of worth mentioning (reviewing) restaurant. Lobster Bisque here is divine and if you are a seafood lover, do not hesitate to order; the best. I tried sampler 3 kinds soup and sampler 3 kinds other stuff. Other soups were very good, too. Other food was just ok. Atmosphere is nice in dim light. I will swing by sometime to take out Lobster bisque, yum.

the african chicken peanut soup is awesome. so flavorful and just the right kick. the ‘black truffle saccottini pasta’ is light with the pea purée and fresh pancetta.
the server was polite and made sure we were comfortable. It is a lounge so it did get a little loud as its a small place. Location used to be ‘New Bohemian’ so if you’ve been to that place before, its the same layout.
I will try some other items to see how it is.

We ordered risotto balls, goat cheese soufflé, and salmon/​shrimp cakes. We were told that the tapas would come out one at a time so we would have time to enjoy them. 20 minutes later, they all came out at once. Luckily we had sat at a large table because otherwise there would not have been room for everything. The food had obviously been sitting for a whole because it was luke warm at best. The soufflé was described as ‘bursting’ with goat cheese but there was hardly any to be found. Everything was quite bland and very mushy. Given the price, the food should have been much better. We could have made it better at home for much less. Also, why are there no drink specials on the weekend?
The staff was nice, but not very helpful. Our server told us she would ask the manager something, but promptly forgot to do it. The two servers seemed to be struggling with just a few tables.
There is a parking spot labeled ‘Establishment Lounge’, but after we had sat down, none of the staff knew if we were allowed to park there or not.
The lounge itself is quite nice but everything else is severely lacking. We will probably not return.

I LOVE the food so much!!! Anything with peanuts is awesome. They have the best soup sampler with lobster bisque, peanut soup and the spicy avocado and cucumber soup. I loved that the chefs came and talked to us and everyone was so nice. The chicken satay was great.
The dessert was really good. It was so great. They ‘re so nice and so great. I would really recommend going there if you want a great delicious meal.

This place is terrible. There’s a reason it is always empty when you walk by. Bad service, and a pretentious owner equals… Well I’m sure you can do the math

From the lows I was feeling from my last Dine Out experience at a different restaurant, I am feeling a lot better about my restaurant choice tonight.
What a treat this was. Apart from a small hiccup at the start of the evening whereby our reservation wasn’t enough to provide us with a table, but only a seat at the bar, everything was perfect. Someone came over to recitify the situation by taking care of a round of drinks on the house. The bartender was extremely cordial and knowledgable about his drinks and the menu.
Chef Bongo certainly knows what he’s doing. The food is outstanding, well-​plated, and efficiently served. It’s been a while since I cherished every. single. bite. from my plate. The African peanut soup is rich, smooth, spicy and something I’d go out of my way for to try have again. It’s obvious that many others have too. I’ve had similar versions elsewhere before, but never this good. Next was the (copied directly from the menu) prosciutto wrapped stuffed chicken breast, filled with cranberries, brie, and spinach, served with a wild mushroom and truffle risotto and fresh seasonal vegetables, drizzled with a Gewürztraminer thyme cream sauce. Oh come on now! Surely they’re just showing off at this point! It arrived. This dish was eye candy at its finest. I just wanted to stare at it a little first. Perfectly sliced slabs of chicken breast, wrapped in a tornado of crispy prosciutto, with a roasted wing towering above the creamy sauce covering it all. All of this disguises the lovely green beans, baby carrots, and at the bottom of it all — the truffle risotto, which is a star in itself. On the first bite I was already overly-​satisfied, and grinning sheepishly. Establishment did not let me down. Nothing more was needed at this point to convince me otherwise. Of course, it didn’t hurt that I finished the meal with one of the best the New York cheesecakes I’ve had in a while.
I left with no room in my stomach, but room in my memory to try more of this menu next time and see if my assumptions are right.
Bravo Bongo!

Finally, an outstanding cocktail lounge in Kitsilano.
I first encountered Establishment through my work, and upon seeing their impressive bar selection, noted that it was potentially a promising cocktail venue.
I recently found the time to stop by for a few drinks, and my original impression proved to be correct. I tried two classic cocktails from the menu, as well as the Sangria Rojo. The Mint Julep was the best I have had to date (and I have tried many), and the Vesper, which is not an easy drink to find on a menu, was well crafted with the subtlety of flavour that makes this drink so tantalizing. The Sangria was also good, with fresh strawberry garnish to provide a wonderful aroma while sipping on this perfect summer refresher. I wanted to try one of the house specialty cocktails, created by the in-​house mixologist, but the ingredients were still on order. I hope to try it this weekend. The drink prices are steep, at $ 13 per cocktail, but that is the going rate for drinks of this caliber, and the price is justified.
I have not tried the food here, but already consider Establishment one of Vancouver’s best cocktail lounges, perhaps amongst the top three. They also have a very good liquor menu, with an extensive selection of premium liquors for those with discerning taste.
The service from the staff was exceptional, and I even received an e-​mail thanking me for my patronage. If my initial experience was an indication of what to expect in the future, I have no doubt that Establishment will thrive in Vancouver’s burgeoning cocktail culture.

A few of us trekked down into the heart of Kits for a tasting of the relatively young Establishment kitchen’s menu. It was a delicious fork and knife affair.
The Latin pan-​seared scallops were a tasty effort as was the black truffle saccottini pasta. Both were solid. The bison sliders proved to be a filling, toasted, miniature delight. The Okanagan goat cheese and fig soufflé was another fine treat.
My favourite, the delectable shrimp and lobster cakes, were cooked nicely and tasted great. I also dug the Morroccan lamb lollipops.
I’ll admit the Malaysian chicken satay was underwhelming and lacking. However, the Thai tiger prawns were quite scrumptious and grilled just right.
For myself, the lamb merguz frank crossants was a misfire, combining too many competing taste elements, especially the sprouts and yogurt.
Another trademark sampler included the vegetarian peanut soup, a tasty, interesting mishmash, and the chilled raspberry soup, a pungent, fruity punch.
All in all, I enjoyed the variety of Establishment’s dishes and interesting cuisines, combining different elements and cooking styles. It’s definitely worth a try.

Get there now before you have to wait in line!
Stopped in at this unassuming little spot for one specific reason — the African Chicken Peanut Soup! I met the manager earlier and he had raved about this soup. So, being the kind of guy who likes to check new places out I thought I’d give it a whirl.
The room is cozy and the décor is warm and sumptuous. There are tables to eat at, couches to lounge on, a patio under the shade of a tree, and a nice long bar with stools. I took a seat at the bar and ordered a pint of Red Truck. They could use a few more exotic beers on tap, but this would be my ONLY critisism.
Steve, the manager, was behind the bar and he recognized me instantly. He greeted me warmly — the staff here is all about making you feel like you’re the only one in the place. Everyone took the time to say hi to me — even the owner!
All I can say about the soup is «Oh Baby!!!» The bowl wasn’t big enough to contain all the flavours Chef Bongo has cleverly mixed into it and man is it filling! I was eyeing the Bison Sliders a couple at the end of the bar were sharing, but after I finished the soup, I opted for the Heirloom Tomato and Bocconcini salad instead. I paired it with a glass of Joie Risling — Delicious! My tummy was happy and so was I.
The menu is very imaginative and the wine list is also excellent with a good selection of wines by the glass at reasonable prices.
I can’t wait to go back and try out more of the tasty looking dishes. I like the tapas style food for sharing with a friend so next time I go I’ll make sure to bring one.

And to my surprise slam dunk !
I had never herd of Establishment untill a friend of mine who works across the street said that it was good. Hes in the industry and usually is right on point .
points I look for in a restaurant .
Atmosphere — the room is gorgeous with a stunning patio check
service — knowledgeable new the food and recommended a great wine to complement the food this is key when rating your server ! check
and finally the food — I cant remember the name of the pizza but lets just say the garlic pizza the smell of it made my mouth water and it when i finally tasted it it was delicious the general census with are table was the food was great. check
over all experience — While we where dining we met a gentleman he introduced himself as Steve he explained he had just started with establishment and some of the big things that where happening with the restaurant. This man was so passionate about the restaurant that it was just infectious. You could not help but love his attitude and moxie. check
establishment I will be back you have made a fan out of me