The Park at English Bay

Came here for a Christmas lunch as it was one of the few downtown restaurants open on Christmas Day.
The food was quite a disaster. First of all, our dishes came out cold and missing key ingredients (notably, cranberry sauce). I hate sending food back. Usually I just let minor issues/​mistakes slide, but in this instance, the initial bites of cold food tasted really terrible — I simply couldn’t eat any more of it. I asked the server, were the turkey and mashed potatoes actually supposed to be cold? Our server was apologetic — he said no, definitely not! He promised to bring us new plates of hot food.
The plates that came back soon after were hot, but clearly not new — messy mashed potatoes (originally: in a scooped ball) & overcooked veggies (simply reheated, I guess). I felt so bad to bother our kind server again, but we definitely didn’t want to eat overcooked reheated food! At this point, our server was feeling very sorry for all the kitchen faux pas, so he actually waited there and made sure to grab 2 freshly prepared turkey dinner plates for us.
The food that arrived the 3^rd and final time was hot and palatable.
Taste-​wise, the turkey meat was rough and the veggies were bland. The mashed potatoes were decent though. The French Onion soup appetizer we had at the beginning was reasonably tasty.
I wanted to give this place a 1-​star, but the good service deserves an additional star. Won’t be back again though.

You get a 10can voucher if you go green at the best western
Tried the wild salmon, great ! I could have done without the flower butter though. Rice done just the way it should for a fish dish
Friendly and caring staff without invading

I’ve been trying to come here for 3 Sundays for the all you can eat ribs but kept missing the times it was available. (Sunday from 5 – 9 there is an all you can eat rib special.) When I finally came here, I was not disappointed. The ribs were juicy, moist and yummy! I couldn’t believe that it was all you could eat ribs! The first plate came with asparagus, carrots and mashed potatoes and the other ribs came a half slab at a time. And wow these ribs were so good. As I write this I’m drooling for them. Had their house lager which was a pretty smooth beer. Nothing beats all you can eat ribs and a nice lager. The décor and ambiance is that of an old time neighborhood sports bar, which this was and my server was prompt and friendly. This place is A-​OK!

The service here is a hit and miss. A typical neighbourhood bar. There are theme days like Saturday Soultrain. We usually go for the chicken wings and that is about it. Hoisin Siracha chicken wings. I recommend it highly and the dish is $ 10. On Wednesday after 5pm the wings are 39 cents each. There is a live band on Thursday and karaōke, but I seriously hit it up for these very yummy wings.

Very disappointed in the slow service. French onion soup was OK had calamari and it tasted terrible BF had fish tacos… were over fried, dry and shell was stale tacos had no flavour. Would not go back!

I was there for Dine Out Vancouver 2015 and I ordered the tuna tostados, stuffed chicken and crème brûlée. My favourite dish of the night was the tuna tostados that was drizzled with honey wasabi aioli which was a nice compliment to the flavours. The stuff chicken was a little dry but the filling was very flavourful. For dessert, the crème brûlée was a little bit burnt on the top which was quite unpleasant. The dish was served cold, but I was scraped the top off and ate the rest. I had high expectation for the crème brûlée. Overall I was 75% full from a $ 18 meal. I will come back for the tuna tostados though.

If u want enjoy a nice chill pub night without having to scream over the voice of ur neighbors, The Park is the place to go! I’ve been here both on weekday and weekend night and it was never crowded. I enjoy it’s restaurant pub style, spacey with a touch of elegance. Great wide range selection of drafts with exotic flavors such as grape fruit ale and chocolate porter… etc. Food and service meet expectation as well~ English bay is right in front of it, at your convenience to walk off the huge portion u just consumed =)

I goto Vancouver a lot for business and I must say I will def. be coming back The park at English bay we went here for a few drinks and a quick bite now I am from Maine so I love seafood and I must say the salmon burger is to die for and he staff was incredibly friendly

I really enjoy the last — Friday — of — the — month trivia night (starts around 9pm). Arrive by 7:15pm to get a table if you don’t have a reso. Ideally, make a reso.
Service is friendly but some of the servers are hit and miss. For example, 3 out of 4 times I’ve been there our server was fab and completely amazing (same lady each time — sandy blond with a black blazer). Most recent time though a different server mixed up food orders and types of beer on her tray (not the same server as before). The bar tender was cool about remedying the drinks immediately, but the server was less apologetic than ideal about it all.
When I was here on the last Friday of March the table all agreed that the beers all tasted a tad off. Still tasty but maybe the lines needed a quick cleaning. Regardless, so happy they had Farmhand Ale.
Noticed that in the past two months their food and food presentation has really stepped up. I really enjoyed my lamb burger, the house burger was very good, and the standout was the buttermilk fried chicken with grilled veggies & mashed potatoes.
Looking forward to next month’s trivia!

If you can’t avoid the restaurant entirely then be sure to avoid their homemade creations.
The slow service and odd flavour combinations managed to make What should have been simple brunch service into an unfortunate affair.
Dry hashbowns and stale, cold eggs Benedict we’re disappointing.

Came for an early dinner tonight (Monday evening). It was quite early so there wasn’t many people in there. Service was friendly and prompt. I got the Reuben (delicious!) and my friend got the chicken Parmesan special (huge serve of tasty chicken and pasta). There were lots of screens around showing sports games which was a bit off putting. Overall, a great place!

The Park at English Bay as one of the best craft beer selections in Vancouver which makes it worthwhile to come visit regularly. You’re pretty much guaranteed to be able to try a new type of craft beer.
Combine that with a savory menu with lots of options as well as a great place to watch a Canucks game or a Saturday night UFC and you’ve got a pub worth going to again and again.

We came in for their $ 5.99 breakfast special, as advertised on their sandwich board. It is the traditional breakfast of eggs, toast, hash browns, and bacon. But today we were hungry and allowed our stomachs to order. We started with the breakfast special but added and subtracted as we pleased to get this plate. We choose over easy eggs, bacon, added two sausages, exchanged the toast for an English muffin, and said no to the hash browns. It did not come up to much more over $ 7. This is a pretty standard breakfast, truthfully one that you can get anywhere; and quite frankly can make yourself. Though first thing in the morning, do you really want to wake up early to cook? Or would you rather have it brought to you as you take a sip of coffee and rifle through the day’s paper?
Also wanting something sweet we ordered the «candied walnut French toast», a «Park» special. It is 3 slices of whole wheat bread, made into French toast, topped with maple butter, sprinkled with candied walnuts, and served with a jug of maple syrup. This was amazing and it hit all the right spots. You couldn’t tell that the toast was whole wheat. Each bite was light and fluffy, from middle to all four crusts. The maple butter had the luxurious texture of melted butter, with a wonderful whisper of maple. It gave the French toast a maple flavour, without any of its sweetness; so you can really taste the cooked egg over the bread. The candied walnuts were my favourite part, I could eat a whole bag of these for lunch. The nuts didn’t have that old, nutty, rancid taste that some do. These were pan fried and caramelized with simple syrup and honey. We didn’t finish the toast, but I made sure that the walnuts didn’t go to waste.
There were three waitresses to share between the 5 occupied tables. Our server was attentive, she scurried to us any time my hand went up past my shoulder. We left full and ready to start our day.
Would I come back? — Yes.
Would I recommend it? — Yes. Delicious, unpretentious, and uncomplicated food at a great price. Dishes that you have had and have liked. A guaranteed good eat with each choice.

I met the manager of this spot at Johnnie Foxes and he recommended that I pop down and give them a shot. I’m not one to turn down invitations from good looking men who are going to be putting food and drinks in front of me, so I headed down there today.
Firstly, I didn’t know this was going to be IN a hotel. It’s in the Best Western. It’s unfortunate, kind of, because the manager (Jamison) really wants this to be more than just a hotel restaurant. He’s obviously put a lot of time and work into that vision and yet it still very much is primarily gathering the older crowd and people coming and going. It shouldn’t be. This is an all-​the-​time, all types of people kind of place.
It’s been through a major overhaul since being Checkers so everything is now very modern and brand new. The bar is beautiful, and if you don’t want to be a part of the more formal sit-​down environment that they offer there is ample room to sit along the bar and be serviced by friendly staff. However if you DO want to be a part of the family restaurant area, you can do so without hearing the noise coming from the bar and the sports being featured on the TVs. Again; this is a place where anyone can feel comfortable.
I ordered a burger and a sampler of beers because I couldn’t make up my mind. They’ve got a nice number of beer on tap, most of which are local beers. Their selection can appeal to anyone as they offer up stout, porter, saison, pale ales, wheat, etc. No worries, you’re not stuck with Coors light here. You’re also not stuck with beer, but who in their right mind is going to pass on a chocolate porter? ;)
The burger was great. They offer yam fries or salad as a substitution at NO EXTRA CHARGE. This is legitimately the first time I’ve ever seen this on a menu, but it’s exactly what I go for every.single.time I eat at a restaurant. The meal is merely $ 12.50 and it’s a total steal. They don’t go for super thick patties that make it a challenge to eat, but the beef is quality, it’s cooked to my preference and they use very fresh vegetables to make it a full burger. I didn’t finish my entire meal so I certainly didn’t leave hungry.
My experience was pleasant all round. I’ll be back soon as a regular without a doubt, and I think you should too. Hey — You may receive a rose made out of a napkin like I did! If that’s not worth it, what is?

I personally like The Park wayyyy better than the old Checkers.
Pretty decent bar food, I had the Salmon burger which was not a bad burger. A good place to catch the UFC Fights, no cover when we went.

Other than the bar, The Park is almost completely unrecognizable from its previous look, Checkers. It’s very dark in décor and because the lights are turned down way low, it feels moody. It was completely empty when we went on a weekend night, which is very surprising because all the other times I’ve been here, it’s been busy and full of life.
Karaōke is down to only two days a week. I can’t help but think they lost a lot of their identity of a divey hotel bar — and its regulars — with this drastic upgrade, which is why I knocked it down a star.
They have added a ton of new menu items. I had the pulled pork poutine and it was AMAZING, although the cheese on top are not curds, and the fries are shoestring. But the glaze is a Jack Daniels BBQ and, combined with the pulled pork, was really flavorful.

Lipstick on Pig! is really the only way to describe the conversion of the old Checker. All the Fieldstone walls and new dark décor does not equate to high end when you still have a Keno screen in your watering-​hole. Sure they offer some great beers, but they still attract the same crowd as they used to have, a mix of unsuspecting hotel guests, rabid drunks and the visiting weekend douches to the West End. I was so hoping for more. Still if you are having a bad day or week and need to feel better about yourself and do not want to catch Hep C at Funky Winkerbeans than give this place a shot and good luck with the Keno.

Delicious cocktail and super-​tasty salmon burger. Minus major points for their incredibly slow service. It was a rainy Saturday early-​evening and we unfortunately were there at the start of a UFC game (who watches that shit? for realsies), but they were badly understaffed; I think there were maybe 2 waitors for the whole place. I’d come back on a quieter night, because the food was really good. Maybe once they’ve been open for longer, they’ll get a better idea of how much traffic to expect and have more servers on hand.

This newly renovated restaurant is taking it up a notch. I really enjoy the new atmosphere… very diffferent from Checkers Bar. I recently got to sample some of the new menu items. The mac and cheese was good, not great. It needed a bit more bite. The sliders were awesome. I tried the calf liver and I think I’m just not a fan of liver in general. I could see how this menu item could be tantalizing to some though. Lots of beer choices and friendly staff. I’ll be back.

Goodbye Checkers, hello The Park.
Do I like the new name? Not so much. But it’s what inside that counts. However, I appreciate the title of «Park Ranger» on the manager’s name tag. Cute.
The new open seating plan is a refreshing change. It creates an atmosphere better suited to mingling and large groups. There are still cozy booths along the walls, but the old inner seating with the booths made for an awkward space that felt like parts of the pub weren’t connected. The atmosphere is dark and trendy, but I like it. It’s very different from the old look, so I see the regulars being somewhat upset about this. It has a very modern look now, and gone are the tacky booths and vinyl. The low seating and tables near the front windows have taken advantage of the natural light and work much better than the old seating here. So if you don’t like the darker back corners, check out this nice area by the windows.
The beer menu is quite impressive. I’m liking this trend toward craft brews that is finally happening in Vancouver. Most of the options are local/​BC beers, which is great. A few good Phillips options (raaaallg Chocolate Porter), Driftwood (swoon), Howe Sound, Russell (hello, Black Death!), Central City, etc. You have the option of a sleeve or proper pint, too. You’re going to be paying premium prices for craft brews in a 20 oz. glass, though. Be warned.
Food. I like food. These guys have some. Some is good, some is so-​so.
The good — Sliders. Get ‘em. I don’t eat a lot of beef, so when I do, it’s because it’s good. These are good. Nice and tender patties cooked right (medium rare, oh yeah) with a delightful horseradish mayo (I hate mayo, so this was done well), banana peppers and cheese. Nice combo of flavours. The bun could be of higher quality, but overall, these were the standout dish. Also good — Spinach and artichoke dip. Did not disappoint. Nice and creamy thick with good cheesy stringage action (yeah, you know what I’m talking about).
The decent — Bruschetta. This was okay. Didn’t have a lot of wow factor. But was tasty enough. I ate it without really thinking about it, so it was good, but not something I would go out of my way to order or remember.
The so-​so — Calf’s liver. If you don’t like liver, don’t order this. Liver fans may enjoy it. I’m on the fence with liver. I thought it was nice and tender, but the liver flavour is very strong with this appy. Tread lightly.
The mac and cheese. Bland. Sadly bland. Needs a sharper cheese to jazz it up. The little bacon bits were nice, but there needed to be more flavour overall. Fresh basil, perhaps?
I didn’t try the seafood options. The salmon wasn’t wild. The prawns were from Mexico. It’s Spot Prawn season. Get on the bus!
The menu overall needs some design work as my friends and I found it hard to read. The options were… typical. If this place wants to stand out they need to offer something more exciting. They have the interior going for them. Nice staff, as well. And some great beers. Now they need the food to step up. Perhaps they should try beer and food pairing options. Like some dishes specifically created to pair with particular beers, if they really want to highlight their craft brew selection. I think this would go over well.
So, in the end, I will be back for drinks. Perhaps some snacks, like the dip and the sliders. I like the new look, and the staff are as lovely as always.
PS — look for the photo on the wall of the 6-​way love hexagon. Try deciphering who is doing who. Hint — they are on a boat. Ah, the things that amuse us several beers in.