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    AMA ATMOSPHERE

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    Recommended Reviews - Ama

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    minamigawa spritz, tangerine dream, s&b sour, watermelon martini
    Isabel C.

    AMA Raw Bar is a Japanese-inspired speakeasy cocktail bar located on Fraser and E King Ed. They boast a variety of creative cocktails and fine-dining Japanese dishes in a mysterious and dark lounge-type ambiance. My friend had been eyeing this place so we made a reservation for a girl's night. I liked the vibes of the restaurant but unfortunately, many elements of the night fell short of my high expectations. To start, the drinks are fantastic - no complaints there. The menu has a chart that indicates the different profiles of all the cocktails such as boozy, sweet, citrus, sour etc. Everyone was able to select a cocktail that matched to their tastes. I love sweet and citrus-y cocktails so I selected the Tangerine Dream and it was delicious! Based on their Instagram posts, I can see that the drinks are carefully curated with multiple elements to create the perfect cocktail and I appreciate that. Now here is where things start to fall short. It was hard to get the server's attention throughout the night. We had already eaten dinner but decided to order a few things to try. The smoked fish dip felt like tuna lunchables with taro chips on the side and the chutoro roll seemed to be amiss with the rice temperature slightly off on the warm side. I admit I may be biased as I just came back from Japan... but the roll really didn't taste like the $26-7 dollars it costed and more like from my local sushi joint. 1.5 hours into our dining time, the server comes and tells us they have a 2 hour dining limit. I told her we had arrived at 9pm and it was only 10:30pm so we should be entitled to 30 more minutes. She responded that maybe someone had arrived early and that was what the table system had registered. I told her that was not the case and she said she was only going off of what she saw and walked off. Girl, just apologize and make an effort to let us enjoy the rest of our dining time....I understand 1) the restaurant wants to boot us out because we're not ordering $$$ and/or 2) the restaurant made an error on the reservation system (which I find unlikely but I will give the benefit of the doubt) but you have to make ammends where possible and show your sincerity to customers. This is basic business etiquette. Initially, I was thinking I would return solely for the great drinks and ambiance but if the service is as belittling and cold as this, then I'd rather go elsewhere.

    Aperol Spritz, Evergreen Elixir
    Nina T.

    We went into this Japanese-inspired cocktail and raw bar just a week into its launch - I'm not sure if their menu has changed but we enjoyed the drinks we got and loved the ambiance of the place. We asked our server about the name of the restaurant. She said the restaurant draws its inspiration from "Ama" which are Japanese divers, renowned for collecting pearls. Highly recommend this place for post-dinner drinks, and they've got tasty small bites too.

    Saehyun O.

    Good ambience Nice jazz live music Only one restroom available-and also it's terribly dirty. Everything is overpriced. See this sashimi I ordered, they charged $95 for this small one. The cocktail was not bad.

    Cocktails pretty mild. Almost taste like cocktails.

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    11 months ago

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    2 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Good food but definitely pricey. Also very dark inside which is not my preference. Very cool atmosphere though!

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    2 years ago

    Great cocktails and food is fantastic. The ambience is just about perfect to spend a couple of hours with friends!

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    2 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Foood was so mediocre and overpriced. Our server forgot half of our order, never apologized and still charged us for it. Interior is nice

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    2 years ago

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    The Watson

    The Watson

    4.5(25 reviews)
    1.2 kmMount Pleasant

    I've been here at least twice in the past month. We like it because it has a good happy hour menu,…read moreit's laid-back, and has quality food and service. And this last visit didn't disappoint. The space has changed a few times over the past few year, previously being a bakery and a vegan restaurant. it's nice two high ceiling room that looks elegant and welcoming. We had reservations, which is recommended because it does get busy. We were seated immediately. We sampled the following: - Whipped Burrata & Prosciutto - Very good. Can't go wrong with burrata, but whipped burrata is even better for spreading on bread. Their focaccia is perfectly heated/grilled. Just the right amount of prosciutto. - Steamed Clams - Good. Small though. - Duck Wings - Good flavour. Small serving of four pieces. - Harissa Carrots - Very good. Looks a bit overcomplicated with all the ingredients, but it works well. - Braised Beef Cheek - Excellent. Beef cheeks is ultra tender. Delicious dish I will order again and again. Service was very good. Friendly and attentive, and know how to come in and out with interruption conversations. Overall, another great meal. Happy hour pricing makes it reasonably priced, matched with great service and a great atmosphere.

    We came for happy hour and got the Watson cocktail ($11) which was not bad. Tasted similar to a…read moreNegroni. Margherita ($11) was the better of the two. The lamb tostadas ($8 each) were SO SALTY. Crispy taco shell on the bottom was nice and crispy but the lamb was just so salty. We couldn't finish one of them. They either need to add some kind of sweet chutney to balance it off or really reduce the salt content in it. There was a good amount of lamb flavour from the dish though The carrots were okay. Could have been a bit softer. I felt like the dish was missing to tie the hummus and the carrots together. It felt like a puzzle with a missing piece. Service was fine and the atmosphere was nice and laid back

    Photos
    The Watson
    The Watson - Outside

    Outside

    The Watson

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    The Shameful Tiki Room - A fluffy llama and a meerkat

    The Shameful Tiki Room

    4.3(455 reviews)
    0.9 kmRiley Park
    $$

    TIKI DAVE from TIKI DAVE'S TERRIFIC TRIPS absolutely loves this place!…read more After searching for the best Tiki Bar in Vancouver (what???), I absolutely had to leave the family at the airport hotel to check this place out. As Son of TIKI DAVE would say, I didn't need to go, but I wanted to go. Yes, yes, Alec, I wanted to go. And the reviews lived up to the hype. What a wonderful spot halfway between the airport and downtown. I left it up to the bartenders to choose my drinks... Against my better judgment, I went with the bartender's recommendation to try the Painkiller because they touted it better than the Soggy Dollar Bar in the BVI. Well, I've been to the BVI but never the Soggy Dollar Bar...yeah, I know. But this drink, that I would normally think too sweet for my taste, was amazing. Now, I have to go to the freakin' Soggy Dollar Bar to compare but I'd bet this one was better. For my second, I again, left it up to the knowledgeable bartender to guide me the way. And he served me up with this perfectly amazing and glowy amazingness that is the Rememberer? Which is off menu. It was amazing. And did I mention it glowed? Ambience and service is amazing. I showed up on a Saturday night at 10 and I was worried after reading about it that I'd have trouble getting in but it wasn't a problem at all. TIKI DAVE of TIKI DAVE TRAVEL / TIKI DAVE'S TERRIFIC TRIPS highly highly highly recommends The Shameful Tiki! I will be making a video of my experience so... Please subscribe! https://www.youtube.com/@TIKIDAVETRAVEL And follow! https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61565274777775&mibextid=ZbWKwL https://www.instagram.com/tikidavetravel/?__d=1%2F%3Fhidemenu%3Dtrue

    The best tiki bar in town, hands down. I've been here many times, and it's always packed on summer…read moreevenings, so I'd definitely recommend making a reservation. The cocktails are generally on the sweeter side, but they're also surprisingly strong. We ordered the Zombie (3 oz), and there's a reason it's limited to two per guest. It tasted sweet and tropical, but it definitely sneaks up on you and can get you tipsy pretty quickly. The drink prices are quite reasonable, especially compared to the food. While the food is decent, I'd say the cocktails are the real highlight here. The atmosphere is fun, lively, and full of tropical vibes, come for the drinks and the atmosphere rather than the food.

    Photos
    The Shameful Tiki Room - Ambience

    Ambience

    The Shameful Tiki Room - Interior

    Interior

    The Shameful Tiki Room - Cherry Lime Rickey, Mai Tai

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    Cherry Lime Rickey, Mai Tai

    Mnimes Restaurant & Bar - Lamb shoulder

    Mnimes Restaurant & Bar

    4.4(37 reviews)
    3.1 kmFraserview

    We started with the Manos Signature Dip. The creamy, slightly spicy Tirokafteri served with warm…read moregrilled pita. Then came the Watermelon Salad. It was fresh and juicy Would've been even better if the watermelon came in bite-sized cubes instead of slices For mains, we had Roasted Lamb Shoulder which is very Tender and flavourful And the star of the table...Mousaka! Rich, comforting and beautifully layered

    I have seen a lot of good reviews about this place and convinced our party of 8 to come try it…read moresince it's in our neighborhood and we have been looking for a new local Greek restaurant since Panos on Marine Drive closed down. Sadly, we were sooooo disappointed! We came on a Saturday evening at peak time, around 6:30pm, so granted, we expected it to be busy. We were sat nearly right away in comfortable booths with tables. The waitress brought us menus and water. So far so good! We ordered our food, nothing crazy, several got the special of the night, lamb souvlaki with potatoes rice and pita. A couple ordered the seafood pasta, one asked for red sauce instead of cream sauce and two asked for veggie lasagna's but they only had one order available. When we asked about the beers on menu, we were told each one was unavailable except for Heineken and the seasonal beer. When we asked what it was, she didn't know. She then brought the can of beer over and said she wasn't sure what type it was. Fair enough! She was young, seemed new and not quite trained with alcohol so no big deal. It gave us a giggle. It was a Granville Island radler btw. I ordered a Heineken and my friend ordered the yummy sounding spicy passionfruit margarita. My beer came fairly quick but no margarita. Then the young waitress came out to say that our food would take a bit longer to come out since they were a bit slammed with orders and asked if we wanted any appetizers. We decided we'd be ok, and decided to wait. One hour later!!!!! I'm not joking, one hour later, the margarita drink came out. Again, we noticed very young and probably newly hired staff attempting to make drinks. When this $19 drink came out, it looked like the rim of salt was touched with fingers and a lot of it was missing. However, my friend desperate for a drink or morsel of anything, decided to just have it as it came. She said it was delicious and the best thing she had. One hour and a half later!!! Our food came out. My medium rare lamb was cooked through and the pasta with red sauce came out with a cream sauce, but there was NO way we were going to send anything back as we were pretty hangry at this point. The potatoes were delicious, the rice extremely plain. All 8 of us agreed that for the price, service and quality of food, we would not be returning, although my friend said if the passionfruit drink was on the happy hour menu, she would consider it. All in all, very disappointed.

    Photos
    Mnimes Restaurant & Bar - Nice atmosphere

    Nice atmosphere

    Mnimes Restaurant & Bar - Greek salad

    Greek salad

    Mnimes Restaurant & Bar - Wine sampling - courtesy of sommelier

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    Wine sampling - courtesy of sommelier

    The Narrow Group

    The Narrow Group

    3.8(127 reviews)
    2.2 kmMount Pleasant
    $$

    Mixed feelings about this place . There are things I liked ( ambience , prices ,…read morebartender/mixologist currently working's personal flair ) when I visited , however I didn't have the best experience overall . Two stars ( instead of one ) for the bartender trying to make it right by offering me a free shot with my happy hour beverage but honestly I would have rather just been treated better (with a little more consideration) . In the states at "fancy" restaurants and or really popular places ( in general places that take reservations) , a single person would never really be allowed to sit at a larger table or booth, unless extreme circumstances warranted it like they were disabled / had a wheelchair ( which I am ) due to the fact that most likely a larger party who would obviously want to sit together, would need that limited space and it would be awkward to have someone move tables when they were already enjoying their drink or meal to accommodate a larger party. This rule, however doesn't really exist at places like dive bars . In general as most dive bars tended to be sparsely populated ...sitting wherever is not really an issues . In general first come first serve and every man for himself ...is usually the vibe . I arrived here, basically at opening and was there for about 40 minutes when a party of four arrived . All four of them kept looking at my table where I was sitting (the only booth in the small bar) as they were initially forced to sit together at one of the single tables with four chairs . Next thing, I know the bartender comes over to me and apologizes, saying he has to bug me and request that I move to a smaller table because they need the one booth . As I gathered my belongings to move, members of the larger party avoided making eye contact as they some thanked me for moving . Obvious that they were feeling guilt and yet it didn't stop them from claiming the booth I was using as a disabled person . Quite an unpleasant experience . To be fair I get the need to accommodate a larger party but honestly they could've literally just pushed three tables together and arranged the chairs to be three on each side. It would've been a little bit more work, but I think it would have been the fairest solution ..and would have been my solution as the employee working there or if I was a member of the party . It's the entitlement that really bothered me . I think I just come from a place where in certain instances people wouldn't even dare ask .

    I was expecting more...the music was punk rock and loud. Definitely not the music I was expecting…read moreat a "speakeasy" type of bar. Cocktails weren't all that amazing. I don't know. Nothing memorable about this place other than the 2 minutes of excitement trying to find it...

    Photos
    The Narrow Group
    The Narrow Group
    The Narrow Group

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    Laowai - Inside - IG @bougiefoodieboi

    Laowai

    3.9(27 reviews)
    3.3 kmChinatown, Strathcona

    I'm writing a review of Laowei to talk about one cocktail I fell in love with: The Heinz Sight…read more This creation sits at the top of my Bloody Mary/Caesar-adjacent totem pole. It comes with fries and a custom-labeled ketchup bottle. Very fun. The drink itself encapsulates savoriness in a smooth drink in a tall glass. Getting in is half the fun: order a #7 at the bun entrance, then slip into a super dark, super cool speakeasy that immediately sets the mood. The staff were genuinely friendly and wonderful, and you can tell they actually enjoy working there. That kind of energy rubs off fast. Great drink, great vibe, great time.

    My husband and I have been enjoying speakeasies as they make date nights a bit more fun. We were…read morevisiting Vancouver from out of the country and were recommended Laowai by some friends, so we made a stop by to try it out. We arrived on a Friday night around 8pm. We only had to wait about 10 minutes or so before being called in! The speakeasy is very quaint and to theme. I loved the fun menu book which featured lovely art and was very informative in providing details on each cocktail. We ordered the chicken and chive dumplings along with our cocktails. The chicken and chive dumplings were pretty good! I would order them again. The drinks were creative and their flavor profiles were definitely unique. Overall I loved the atmosphere of Laowai, it's very laidback and inventive. The only issue I experienced was with service. It was a bit difficult to flag someone down for questions or to put in orders. So we spend a good few awkward moments just looking around hoping to make eye contact with somebody. Also, our server Leena came to clear our dumpling plate and spilled the sauce all over my husband's jacket. She did apologize and provided us with two shots on the house. However, this was extremely disappointing as we packed lightly for our trip and were visiting from out of the country. We had to ask for wet napkins to try to soak most of the sauce out of the jacket and try to save it. We did still stay since it was already a bit late and I wanted to try more of the menu items. I'd give it a 3.5 star experience.

    Photos
    Laowai - In Heinz Sight

    In Heinz Sight

    Laowai
    Laowai

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    Ama - cocktailbars - Updated August 2026

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