The service, ambience and view was great. I must say the food at lunch was just ok for my husband and I. The beef carpacio for appetizer has no taste nor flavour at all, a more tasty dressing of the greens would have made all the difference rather than just olive oil. My sirloin steak was grilled well and tasty but the meat was like rubber with lots of muscle. Dessert was our favourite as my husband felt his spinach salad was way too much and main course was more like a lamb stew. I am willing to give another try for dinner next time. read more

I went into the Blue Hat bakery to purchase a chocolate croissant to go. The display showed a wonderful fluffy pastry. What I got was a flat piece of cardboard like item with barely any chocolate in it. It should never have been served to a customer. Even though these are made by students there needs to be some quality standard especially at those prices. read more

We are from out of town and had previously (~15 years ago) enjoyed an excellent meal at the Culinary Institute. On the basis of the good reviews of the Friday buffet, we eagerly booked a table for the evening of 3-8-19. Unfortunately we were very disappointed with the whole experience. The food selection was limited and mediocre quality, mostly cold dishes. Nothing inspired a desire for a second helping. Although the desserts were good, the sushi offering was absolutely inedible as the rice they used was a glutinous overworked glob with fillings skimpy and flavorless. Service was non-existent. All in all a very big disappointment that did not live up to our expectations from our previous visit. We have now crossed Bistro 101 off our "places to go in Vancouver" list. read more

I have always wanted to dine at a culinary school, and was so excited to have stumbled upon Bistro 101 on the way to Granville Island. Three course lunch for $18?? Sold! My DH had kale soup, chicken saltimbocca, and lemon semifreddo as his three courses. I had a lamb chop with goat cheese, yam-crusted salmon, and triple chocolate cake for my dessert. The lamb was wonderful, and the other dishes were very solid. It was a great experience, and service was very friendly. I loved seeing the students work and really put a lot of effort into serving the guests well. Definitely try it, especially since it's for a good cause. read more

The Pacific Culinary Institutes Bistro 101 was a wonderful spot to visit. The Students work so hard, and really did a great job. Food was very nice, all three courses. Service may have been just a little slow but it wall all good. The only negative was the chicken in my entree was under cooked with blood next to the bone. read more

The buffet is a great deal--for $35, you get all-you-can eat fine dining and the dessert selection is soo wide, even a sweets lover like me can't try every one. Savoury selection is also great, as well as the service. I've been there twice so far and plan to go regularly. Menu changes each month (the buffet is only offered the first Friday of the month, as indicated on their website). read more

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Jan 21, 2013 I've been to PICA a handful of times. Bistro 101 is student-runned so don't expect to get a waiter who knows his stuff, or can read your mind. Saying that, it doesn't mean Bistro's service is bad, I'm just asking you to be more tolerant than usual. While eating, you can watch the students prep your food live. You can also see when your food is just sitting on the counter, waiting for the student/waiter to pick it up. I felt like I was in Hells Kitchen minus the Ramsay, the swearing, the sweaty chefs and the beef wellingtons/ risottos. The Boy and I chose different appies and entrees to experience the different dishes Bistro offers. The dishes are a hit or miss, but when the dishes are done well, they are done VERY well. For example, my Boy's Seafood Chowder was amazing. It had bacon, seafood, potato and a piece of fresh baked naan bread. It had the perfect consistency and taste. The Boy was very reluctant to share his soup with me. It was that good. My scallops appy was cold, the puree had an earthy note to it, but the kale salad was heavenly. I was super envious about The Boy's appy. As I said, Bistro is a hit or miss. The Boy had steelhead as his main and I chose the duck. The duck was cold (mainly because I saw it just sitting on the counter for 5 minutes waiting to be picked) and I once was super envious of The Boy's entree because the fish melt in you mouth, it was hot, it was seasoned well. Dessert was different in a bad way for me, but a good way for The Boy. I like my chocolate pure, not infused with a spice. The Boy and I decided the best thing we had was the bread basket which contained a variety of freshly baked buns and cheese sticks. Varieties of butter. It was just pure joy. read more

I had high expectations of this, that weren't quite realised. As it's a training school I wonder why we weren't given the opportunity to give feedback? I'm glad we tried it, but I'm not sure I'd eat here again. I found the room cold and I would have expected the food to be explained to us, as it would be in a decent restaurant. But overall good value and our waitress was very sweet. read more

I had a ton of fun trying out their various entrees but I think the most interesting items here are their desserts. For the main course, we had options likeHerbed Prawns, Risotto,Seasoned Chicken, Tuna Ceviche Salad, and Sweet Potatoes. Generally an eclectic selection of western fare, this was great in presentation but in taste the ceviche tasted the freshest while the chicken was quite dry.  Moving onto desserts, there was quite the selection of cute little gems and larger cakes. My favourite was this Golden Cocoa Truffle which looked very luxurious with the golden glaze on top of the chocolate. Also very unique was thisVanilla Mousse served in a tall glass. This was a little too creamy for me but it looked very inviting. This combination of Layered Cake and Bacon Top Tart were also very good and I loved the savoury mix of the bacon with the salty caramel tart. If I had to choose a loser, it would be this Snowman Macaron. Essentially this is vanilla on the outside and chocolate on the inside. The design is cute but the flavour isn't as exotic as what you'd find in pretty much any bakery that makes macarons. Overall the food was okay. The presentation was great but maybe I'd do better with an actual menu rather than a buffet. A comparable restaurant would be Hidden Tasting Bar which is a little more expensive but the food is better (on most of the choices). read more

The food was certainly great but these kids need to understand that they aren't only learning to COOK. A good culinary experience is half food, half SERVICE, and these guys completely lacked service experience. I know that they are students and they're still learning so I want this review to be taken as constructive criticism. 1. If there are a LOT of empty seats, do not seat a couple near a large and LOUD party. 2. KNOW your menu. The girl who waited on our table had NO clue what was on the menu and when we asked about specific dishes, she couldn't even give a straight answer. 3. Please remember who ordered what. Our entrees were placed in front of the wrong person. 4. When the customer pays you in cash, PLEASE give them change that includes small change instead of big bills they can't break...you know, so they can TIP you. read more

The food was delicious - we had the student menu of the day- scallops, followed by Arctic char (I believe) and then a ricotta pastry with rose water and pistachio ice cream that melted my face off. Most of it was already meted off because of the buttery white fish that was. Pure. Butter. (Sooooo soft) The device was great! Also the mint bread rolls that are made in house?! YUM. And the ground salt sprinkled butter - a nice touch. We also had the Oops wine flight, it paired great with our food. I booked another reservation before I could finish eating- this is a rare treat and it's so good!!! Can't pass it up and need to bring more people! read more

Bistro 101, a culinary restaurant staffed with students in their final training for future careers where you get to taste the fruit of their labors. Very nice atmosphere, very good service, excellent quality food. Open Monday-Friday lunch 11:30am-2pm (CAD 18, Friday buffet CAD 20), dinner 6pm-9pm (CAD 20, Friday buffet CAD 30.) read more

Lunch was relaxing enjoying time with friends. The wait staff were attentive and pleasant. Food was served hot and beautifully appointed. Flavors were intense and delightful. I will go back. One complaint is it is very hard to get reservations so if you want a special meal and celebration book early. read more

I have been to Bistro 101 at least a dozen times and have never been disappointed. The quality of the food (flavor and texture) and presentation is at par with some of the high end restaurants in the city. I would have scored 5/5 if the servers were more knowledgeable about the ingredients used in the dishes listed on the menu. Although the anniversary special will be over by end of May, I will certainly be going back in the future. read more

Thoroughly enjoyable. Excellent value for 3 course meal. I try to go at least once a month :-)

Wonderful food superbly prepared & delightfully presented. Terrific value - our visit was during their 3 month $20 for 3 courses promotion. Service was attentive but no question that we were dining at a "chef" school not a "server" school. The marina view is great. read more

Very impressed with school and staff. Food was good, presentation was professional. Thank you again for accommodating my large party. We had a nice time. read more

I came here with my culinary meet up group the other day for a 3 course quality chef inspired 4 - 5 star meal for $26 plus tax and tip. This is student driven so patience is required as they are learning, however, all went smoothly. They were patient in addressing some of my dietary concerns, the food was plated awesome and the taste(s) were amazing. I had the salmon which was flavorful and tender. While eating you can watch the students prep your food. It is like watching a food network reality show without a lunatic yelling and screaming f-words at you. We ate at the Bistro 101. I will come back to try their bakery. read more

Stunning meal and service. Absolutely the best restaurant in Vancouver.

The restaurant is run by students that training to be chef in a very good way. The menu is innovative and the atmosphere is very nice.

Amuse Bouche 4/5 - A slice of cucumber with tuna on top. Nothing to complain about. Very nice of them! Complimentary bread - There were a few variety for us to choose from. Many tables took the bread with them. I was just wondering if they were leftovers from the bakery (that was why there were so many types) White Onion Velouté, Crisp Cauliflower, Lime Yogurt 3.5/5 - not a big fan of cream of onion. The onions were quite strong too. I couldn't really taste the cauliflower and yogurt. Dungeness Crab Salad, Shaved Fennel, Lemon Foam 3/5 - it was a little boring for me. I couldn't find any fennel. I remembered seeing them from other people's photos. It was also smaller than the pictures too (but still reasonable). Pan Seared Scallops 4.5/5 - this was on their daily special menu. I was really happy that they were making an effort of offering on top of Dine Out. OMG 3 pieces of scallops!! Many restaurants give you 4 pieces of scallops and they call it an entree. It happened to me before and I was still hungry when I left. They were cooked perfectly with red and yellow pepper sauce on the side. Roasted Halibut, Spinach Risotto, Lemongrass Emulsion 3.5/5 - the halibut was overcooked and the risotto was a little too cold. We were wondering if it was waiting for the lamb because it was super hot. I couldn't stop eating the risotto and I was stuffed after. We got a cucumber wrapped with pumpkin. That was good! 3 pieces of oranges made it very refreshing. Lamb Navarin, Grilled Polenta, Braised Shallots and Dates - I tried the sauce and just tasted like a stew. The polenta was a little too cold and hard. Pear, and Chocolate Pave, Tahitian Vanilla 3.5/5 - a little too sweet for me. I was expecting a scoop of vanilla ice-cream. Cheesecake Mousse, Pineapple Sorbet 4/5 - The cheesecake was simple and plain with a very refreshing sorbet. I wish there were more. I liked the nuts on the side the best. Hazelnut Tart, Blood Orange 3/5 - the tart was too sweet. We thought there might be pieces of nuts in it. The raspberry sorbet was good. I was a little worried about service but everything was fine. Food came out quickly and many of them asked how were our food. This is the best $18 Dine Out Vancouver menu for sure. Everybody was envy that I could get a reservation at this place. They have done a really good job on the sorbet (not sure if they were in-house). Sitting in front of the kitchen and watching the food being prepared was the fun part. There was also a TV if you were not lucky enough. I just found out they are offering the same Dine Out menu for lunch at $18. I wish I could make it. read more

Took my mom there for her birthday lunch after reading good reviews and hearing recommendations from friends, and it did not disappoint. Actually it surpassed our expectations! The staff was fantastic - friendly and attentive. The food was delicious and well presented. Our 6- and 3- year olds both got a plate of pasta and a good portion of dessert for a nominal price. Even at $20/person for lunch, it's superb value. Would definitely visit again! read more

Excellent across the board. The food and presentation was beyond expectation. This is a school, so you expect some miss-steps, but there were very few and at that they were very minor, and not related to the food. It doesn't get better than this, especially considering the price. Kudos to the school staff! read more

We made reservations for Monday 11/19, and we were anxious to try the delicious menu. Our reservations were for 7:30pm. The 3 course menu was very mixed. Our appetizer scallops were incredible! The fish entree was tasteless and risotto was undercooked. The duck course was much better. Dessert was weird... not impressed! Our service was horrible. Didn't receive a 2nd glass of wine or water during the entire meal. read more

If you go here on a Wednesday this is probably one of the best places in the city. You need to know that this place is a cooking school. So the waiters are students and you need to manage your expectations. But if you can past that the food is outstanding. Ever wednesday the bottles of wine are 50% off. So its about the same price as the liquor store. Last time i went i got a little tipsy, c'est la vie. Secondly you get an amazing 3 course meal for $24. Our table sat if front of the open glasses dessert kitchen. There was literally 10 students making our desserts. All the food is checked by the head instructor so the quality is excellent. Every detail on every course for our table 8 was perfect. We couldn't believe how good the food was and how inexpensive the total came too. I will definitely be a repeat customer. read more

We went for the three course $30 menu on a rainy Monday night. It's a nice location with a view of Granville Island. Service is very friendly and helpful if a bit slow at times. But that was fine, they are all students working hard to provide a wonderful dining experience. They have a couple of different wine taster selections, which we ordered. For appetizers we had the beet and orange salad, and the Celeriac & Pear soup. Both were excellent. For entrees, we had Rosemary Turkey Breast and Red Wine Lamb Shank. Both were also excellent although the turkey was a little bit overcooked but still tasty. For dessert we both had the special for the night, a selection of three items - German cheesecake, a waffle and raspberry sorbet. All were very good. Portions were generous, and they also included an large basket with a nice selection of bread. They started us with an amuse bouche and finished with a small plate of sweets, including excellent truffles. Overall it was an wonderful and very fun dinning experience. The value is tremendous and the quality is excellent. We intend to return. read more

Worst customer service on Granville Island. Although tables, were free, we were told to go and reserve a table online ... once we did just that ...the software "open-tables" would tells us that there are none available for that particular day. Not to forget, that the gentleman at the entrance was extremely rude... never goin back there. They have to understand that with good food comes good hospitality and not they other way around. read more

Definitely a value for your money. Food has been greatly so far (3rd time trying) but patience might be required when visiting early each month as new menu item is introduced and they may go through some learning curves with a new menu. Overall a great place. read more

We have been here twice in one week. We started with a great dinner. The food was excellent, the service was great even though the students are learning and sometimes a bit nervous. They provided free sample appys as well as free sample deserts. Supper was only $30, a great value for the quality of food. We returned a few days later for lunch and basically got the same quality and quantity of food for $22. This will be on our list anytime we are in Vancouver. read more

5 of us from the Puget Sound Area waited for a year to get our reservations. The food & service were worth the wait! The students were attentive and informative when asked questions about their program. The luncheon choices were delicious and beautifully presented, the desserts were delectable and were delivered with pride and smiles. We'll be back. Mignonne & others read more

I have enjoyed Bistro 101 many many times, both for lunch and dinner. But I must say my BEST entre ever was the stuffed SQUID that was their special yesterday. And the lamb chop appetizer and sticky pudding were awesome. I am always amazed at the presentation, service, quality and creativity of the menu items and value for money. I will return again and again. read more

Everything was extremely well done, the food, the presentation and Stephani's service were incredible. Highly recommend and will return without hesistation. read more

We ordered the Ling cod, pork tenderloin and duck dishes. The skin of Ling cod was burned and salty. The fish meat was unflovered. The worse dish is pork. The meat is dry and hard, it tasted like turkey. I wouldn't go back again, wasting of my time and expectations. We're so disappointed! read more

I've eaten Bistro 101 twice for lunch, once for the West Coast Buffet lunch, once in the smaller adjacent cafe/bakery, and once for dinner. It's how I've celebrated my birthday these past five years and what a glorious way to grow older. I had 'lunch' there earlier today though the word 'lunch' does not do the experience justice. Our meal started with a flight of wine and a creative 'Amuse Bouche' (an amusement for the mouth; a kind of a pre-appetizer) followed by photo-worthy appetizers, savory main courses, and delectable desserts. My party enjoyed a leisurely meal made all the more pleasurable by an attentive and sweet wait person. I attended culinary school in Seattle so I know what hard work these students put into every dish and every meal. Do yourself a favor and make a reservation for the next time you're in Vancouver... if you happen to live there, then go weekly! read more

We eat here several times every year & each visit is a treat. SSSsssssshhhhhhh----This is the best kept secret in town. The food, selection & service are superb. read more

Great location, good food, good services and reasonable price!!! Servers are helpful.. Only hard to book but worth to wait!!! read more

Definitely try it. 3 course gourmet prix fixe lunch for $18. It's hit or miss, but when it's good, it's awesome. At the other extreme, it's still memorable and they make right whatever was off. Some future culinary stars may start here. Give the younguns a break and go. Friendly and unpretentious. read more

Couldn't be better. Great service, interesting selection of dishes and a very reasonable wine list. No rushing, more like a southern French restaurant in style, sort of wanna be Michelin two star without the extra polish. read more

Good value for the meal, and fun to watch the action in the kitchen!

Since March 2017, we have discover the Bistro 101and we love it so much that we have been going there once and sometimes twice a month. The food is very fine. You can identify many flavours in each plate. The ingredients are very delicate such as scallops, Albacore Tuna and Duck Breast. The presentation is very well designed and a pleasure to the eyes. Food wise the standard is very high and it is impossible to guess the chefs are actually students. The service can be sometimes a bit clumsy but always friendly.We think that one has to keep in mind that the servers are in training. The last time we went on June 23, 2017 the girl who serves us was a natural and it was only her second day. As a customer we think that one has to be mindful that these individuals are learning and provide constructive feedback versus criticisms. Most of us have to start somewhere. We definitely recommend Bistro 101 and also the bakery next to it that has fantastic bread, especially look for the Challah bread. read more