There were number of dishes I wanted to try but couldn't resist ordering their oxtail dish. The oxtail was very tender and full of flavour, although on the salty side, so eat it with the rice it comes with. The coconut dumpling (similar to hush puppy) was light and delicious. I also tried a bite of the jerk oxtail burger. The patty was tasty and flavourful. I'll come back and try the other dishes I didn't end up ordering. read more

Calabash Bistro - Oxtail dinner with rice, coleslaw, plantain and coconut dumpling. Very tender oxtail - Caribbean Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

I went for dinner with four friends. Our server was very patient with us as we decided what to order! We shared appies and entrees. My favourite was the coconut dumplings with mango butter The roti stack was also delicious! My only complaint: Parking was difficult to find near the restaurant. read more

Absolutely delicious food with a few extremely well-done vegan options. My wife & I stopped in for dinner on a Friday at 6pm, and we were the only diners, surprisingly. (I suppose they get later visits, as they're open till 2am.) Anyway, my wife ordered the Vegetarian Platter ($23; vegan by default), and I got the Roti Stack ($26; made vegan by omitting the goat cheese). The food came out in about 10 minutes. The portions were extremely generous, definitely matching the rather high prices for a casual spot. The curry on the Vegetarian Platter was phenomenal -- we had never had a curry quite like this. And the fried plantains that come with the dish go very well. I adored my Roti Stack, which was served sort of like a quesadilla in that too pieces of roti held together (very loosely) the fillings (spinach, plantains, and spicy veg), and the whole thing is drizzled with some sort of coconut sauce -- absolutely delicious and unique. Each dish came with a side of their homemade coleslaw, which I loved -- crunchy cabbage, some bits of fruit, etc. Lovely stuff. Staff were extremely friendly and eager to please. Can't say enough good things about our experience. Highly recommended. read more

Calabash Bistro - Roti Stack (made vegan by omitting the goat cheese) - Caribbean Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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Downtown Vancouver seems to be lacking in unique, cultural dining experiences these days, but we found this little gem based on online recommendations. We were not disappointed. I brought my wife and daughter with special needs here, and while it is on East Hastings, having lived in Vancouver I didn't feel particularly concerned about the locals. The service was fantastic. I wish I'd caught the name of our server, but she was incredibly nice, attentive and informative. The food was spectacular. We had the coconut fritters (which were to die for) and jerk guacamole to start with. Both were delicious. My wife had the Roti Stack and I had the Chicken Currie Roti. Both were absolutely delicious and portion sizes were large enough that all 3 of us ate well. We finished with the Mago Banoffee Pie, which is lighter than it sounds. We would gladly come back anytime. If you can get over the street life, it's well worth a visit. Cocktails were really good too! read more

Calabash Bistro - Chicken Currie roti - Caribbean Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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Came here for the first time last night and loved it! Great cocktail menu and lots of amazing food. We tried the Jamaican Patties, Coconut Dumplings, Vegetarian Platter and Roti Stack. I was a bit concerned the food might be too spicy for me, but it was perfect. This is coming from someone who usually orders mild or no spice at all. The service was great as well, and I loved the cozy atmosphere. I'll definitely be back! read more

GET BACK TO YOUR ROOTS YA'LL! Calabash is goin off - again. This time the three lions (Sam, Chef Culin & Roger) have truly outdone themselves. The food is incredible as usual, the beats are always right on point and the vibe is as thick as ever. I fell in love with my wife here 12 years ago - tonight we celebrate Vancouver's Premiere Caribbean Cuisine! By the the way, the recent renovations are so gorgeous, romantic and beautiful to look at. Spectacular visual additions and a few surprises for old fans from back in the day. Nice work on the head to toe fresh paint job place looks spotless & tight. Expect only the best time ever & shout outs to the whole crew including Kat, Bryce, Aaron, Josh, Jonathan, Colleen & Matt! Two for the bar! Xo Dman & Cene read more

Calabash Bistro - Cute artistic flair all over! - Caribbean Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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Interesting place. Only issue is that this restaurant is located a block from a street that should not be named. Police in sight doesn't mean the area is ok. Food was good but not wow. I came here with my colleague. I had no idea what kind of food this place serves until I arrived. My colleague said this place has some pretty good whisky. Well.... He likes whiskies. I ordered the ox tail poutine and we both shared the porkbelly. My colleague ordered curry. The porkbelly was delicious. Porkbelly was definitely a 5 stars dish. The poutine was not. They used Brie for the poutine but then it made the fries mushy. The restaurant wasn't busy when we came. During the whole night they only had 2 patrons (this included us). My colleague said he will return to try the other whiskies. read more

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First review in a long time - hope everyone is doing well. I came here with a couple of friends because Yelp recently posted a list of Black-owned restaurants to support and I'm so glad we chose to come here. The bistro is cozily tucked right in between Gastown and Chinatown, 2 of my favourite neighbourhoods. I was pleasantly surprised to find a live DJ once we got seated in the basement. During normal times I could see this place turned into a dance floor, with a bar by the stairs. In the future I would love to have a private event here if that is an option. Along the walls there are beautiful paintings of Black women by Patricia Sparks(@patriciasparksart on IG), and while they are for sale the prices are fairly reasonable. We had the luck and privilege of being served by the owner Roger who took care of us, and it wasn't until the end when we found out who he actually was through his staff. The chef also came out briefly when our mains came out. Service was excellent and with a personalized touch and our water was always refilled. They didn't even want us to take photos of our food with empty glasses on the side! The food was amazing. Their coconut dumpling with honey guava butter appetizer is a must try. The dumplings resemble more like falafel and are so unique I've never had them anywhere else before. For the 6 of us we each ordered a main and shared 2 appetizers. The other popular dish is the oxtail poutine which sold out but I was able to try it in my other friend's main dish served with rice. The oxtail melted in my mouth..... yum. The spices can be strong in each dish (jerky chicken, curry chicken roti which I had) but the flavours are very well balanced and defined. My roti was not too thick, translucent enough to see its fillings. The portions are extremely generous and well-priced, I have enough for a second meal tomorrow. I liked everything down to the dressing and oil that accompanied the greens. Overall I was very happy with the food and service and hope to be back in the future! read more

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I booked my birthday with a group of 15 people. From the start of booking the confirmation which is done on Tock costs $2/person which doesn't go to the service or food once you show up. I emailed them regarding some changes of the size of the party and the spicy level of the food and to my surprise, they needed to get 50% deposit for the event before my booking could be confirmed. Well, I thought I had already paid for the confirmation on Tock, so why would I need to confirm again? :( I told them to call me to get my cc details and no one called to get it but I went Saturday anyway hoping that the table I reserved on Tock would be there waiting for my group and it was. The servers were clueless on what to do since my party was bigger than 15 people while there were some available empty tables and chairs. The servers even had an attitude towards a guest who did not have their drink ready and took a little of bit of time to order. And the food was ok but not the best Jamaican I have had. The only reason I had booked dinner here was because we would go down and dance reggae, but there was no reggae on Saturday (it was techno) and no one mentioned to me & on the website it clearly states reggae night on Saturday & on top of it all, they wanted to charge us cover! I had to show proof that the cover was part of us having dinner there. It is a shame this experience was not what I was hoping for. read more

Came back after many years as originally ate downstairs when they had live music several years back with some coworkers. This review is based on the more recent experience from abt 2 months ago. We walked in and at that time, we didn't have a reservation but I was able to make one on Open Table on the spot, it was for an early dinner. Had the famous dark & stormy cocktail they're known for with their chicken Jamaican patty w/ aioli sauce (which was good) to start. Then shared the chicken curry Roti as it was a substantial portion and it was also good but the ratio of potatoes to chicken was off as ate more potatoes than chicken, and had the mango hot sauce but was not as spicy as I was hoping. That area is a bit unnerving, would be a bit reluctant to go back unless the city can do more. read more

Ethan always craves for Jamaican food because Toronto, his hometown, has some authentic taste. Yet, you can barely find any in Vancouver. He did some research and found Calabash Bistro. It has a high rating, and it offers Caribbean Food, which is a similar style to Jamaican. So we decided to give it a try. It is my first time trying Caribbean food, so I am excited to explore new flavors! The restaurant can get quite busy throughout the night, so reserve a table ahead of time. The restaurant is spacious, with dimmed light. So we chose the table closest to the window, so we can take some nice photos. We ordered 2 dishes to share, Oxtail Stew and Jerk Chicken. Oxtail Stew ($26) is the highlight of the night. Slow-braised oxtail is tender and flavourful. The sauce is absorbed fully into the oxtail. On the side, it comes with rice & peas, ripe plantain, seasonal veggies, and coconut dumpling. The coconut dumpling is like a baked shredded coconut ball, with a crispy shell. I wish there are more on the plate! Ethan is excited for the Jerk Chicken ($19) because he has been craving it for a while. Jerk Chicken is a classic Jamaican dish, which showcases an authentic cooking style in Jamaica. The Jerk Chicken is marinated in house, but Ethan said it should be spicier and more flavourful. Though the chicken is tender and juicy, the jerk sauce is not fully absorbed to the meat. *** Overall Impression *** My first experience of Caribbean/Jamaican food at Calabash Bistro is amazing, and I really enjoy the Oxtail Stew. Ethan did mention that Toronto has better Jamaican restaurants, but right now, this can satisfy sudden crave. I have never tried other similar dishes, so I can't tell how authentic they are. Overall, I really enjoy the food, service, and vibe here. So if you pass by Chinatown, give them a try! It is always fun to be adventurous and try out new cuisine! Taste : 4.5/5 * Service: 4/5 * Ambiance: 4.5/5 * Quality-Price: 4.5/5 read more

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So Im West Indian and was visiting Vancouver and my cousin brought me here and I couldn't have been more SATISFIED. A restaurant that serves food upstair and like a club downstairs? Only thing is...we had a group of like 8,9 and it took over an hourrrrr to get a table, maybe even longer than that. WE killed time by going downstairs and having a few drinks. I got the vegetarian roti which was teuly a blessing. Definitely one of the best rotis Ive had! I was soooooo happy. Afterwards, we went downstairss to party. What more could I ask for. Shots were a reasonable price, I don't remember how much-but if they were unreasonable WOULDNT HAVE BOUGHT EM! lol. I had a great experience here. I was starving and didnt want to leave, but that wait did really kill me. But the food made me happy. There was also a rally friendly host that night who kept giving us updates, she plays a strong role in why we stayed. I dont remember her name but I was here the night of March 16th into the morning of the 17th, so please thank her. I want to come back here next time Im in Vancouver and hopefully the wait is significantly less because next time I JUST CANT (but I still probably will)! thanks so much =) Music was solid, enough to vibe to and it was an overall great time. They need to play soca though... read more

Calabash Bistro - vegetarian roti - Caribbean Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

I can say that I have not been to many Caribbean food places in Vancouver, are there even much in terms of variety, so I am no pro on this matter, let us get this out of the way. Another thing I do not usually do is dine around this area, but I have heard of the place, so when my friend invited me I was eager to see what this place was about. I feel this place is more in the Chinatown realms than Gastown as I feel Hastings is that border that separates things. It is in an odd part of town, where our parents (if you grew up here) have told you of strange things and even on this night it was true before I reached the door. When I entered, I believe I was the last one to the party, I quickly found my seat near the window while everyone was getting to know each other. From what I saw, it was a cozy room, the nice use of wood colors from the tables and chairs, to the not so bright rooms helped give that feel, not the chic hipster bright joints that we have been accustomed to. When I sat down the drinks were already being dispersed, and a man working there named Terrell greeted me, and somehow in that instance we were talking about where he was from (Brooklyn) and those times back in NYC. I forgot the other man's name, but he was telling us what calabash stood for (which is gourd) and what it is used for. Onto the food, and we were served family style starting out with their roti and dip, they even brought out the hot sauce, and it did have a good kick, during the mains we had a vegetarian platter, jerk chicken, and ribs... now the last one I saw disappear very fast and I was lucky to get my hands on some bones with the succulent meat falling off of them. Each dish had it's unique flavor, and it was described to us, I actually was seeing myself go after the chick peas quite a bit. We eventually made it to dessert, and this food can really creep up on you, we were treated to their house made deep fried coconut balls, served with fresh cut up fruits and some creme and a caramel like sauce on the side. What we didn't know about the place is that it was bigger than what we see on the main floor. If you get a chance come to the downstairs, which is a full on bar, restaurant, stage for live music, wall for presenting local artist, and in some ways and old museum, as their is quite a bit of history in this building. Starting with this mammoth of an old carcass of an elevator. Yes, they actually made these things to move people back in the day, and this goes to show the respect to history Calabash has to the space they are in, and the next time you are walking outside, know those lights coming from the ground are coming from their underground! I did not get the chance to enjoy the downstairs, but I can see this place really happening at night, and you can be lost in the fun of this space.... I can say the people are passionate about what they do, and I learned a lot to say I would come back. read more

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Love everything about this joint - service is awesome and staff and super friendly! The food and drinks are tasty and the dance floor tucked away downstairs is my favourite aspect of this bar! It's so rare to find a good dance bar these days that's not filled with teens and super drunk people aka the Granville strip. This is a great mix of people, more mature crowd and awesome music! We went on 90s hip hop night. We started upstairs with cocktails and some bites. I had the sour which was awesome and the punch. Both super tasty, sour was my fave as well as the dark and stormy - tasted like Christmas and chai! We ordered fish tacos which came as a trio. Good size and awesome flavour. We also had the Doubles and they were super flavourful. Sorry didn't take photos of the food! After our bites and drinks we hit the dance floor which was already buzzing. Everyone was having s blast dancing and zero judgement. Love this kind of place! I will be back without a doubt! read more

Calabash Bistro - The Sour - Caribbean Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Tried this place for the second time last month and the food quality was still as good as I remember! We ordered the oxtail and jerk chicken and they were both so good and filling! The meats are so flavourful, not dry and I love the rice and coleslaw it comes with. Last time I got the roti and loved that as well, I'd recommend all those dishes! The only thing is their wine list ahha. I don't love cocktails and they don't have any decent wines on their menu. I ended up getting a dark and stormy which was good and a rum flight which was more for fun, but I just don't like mixed drinks or rum in general. Can't wait to go back! read more

Calabash Bistro - Caribbean Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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Calabash Bistro's slogan is, "Not just the place to eat, but the place to be", and I couldn't have said it better myself. Calabash ticks all the boxes to a spectacular dining experience: the food delivers on bold flavours and stuns in presentation; the staff are exceptionally warm, attentive, and genuine; and the ambiance transports you with its vibrant live music and art displays. My friends and I made reservations for 8pm on a Friday, and were quickly seated downstairs in the live music venue. We decided to share two appetizers and order our own mains. We chose the Jerk Pork Belly and the Coconut Dumplings. Upon Roger's (the owner) recommendation, I settled on the Roti Stack for myself. JERK PORK BELLY ($14): Dumplings and pork belly is a winning combination. Fried coconut dumplings and crispy pork belly with jerk sauce? Now that's something else! To give you an idea, the coconut dumplings are like a fritter-falafel hybrid--a crunchy exterior, with a denser, doughy interior. Swirl a dumpling in the flavourful jerk sauce, stab some pork belly and caramelized pineapples, and you've got a flavour bomb to sink your teeth into. COCONUT DUMPLINGS ($6): If you have a larger party, then this is a must to ensure that everyone gets a taste of these fried bundles of joy. I slathered my dumpling with the intoxicating mango/guava butter (sweet, creamy, and velvety!), as well as the remaining jerk sauce from the Jerk Pork Belly. ROTI STACK ($19): Aside from the small bites of Jerk Chicken and Braised Oxtail that I had from my friends' dishes, I did not have any meat whatsoever in my main. Did I miss it? Not at all. The Roti Stack is an abundance of flavour: there's the spicy veggie filling, the juicy ripe plantains, the creamy goat cheese and sauce, and of course, the buttery pieces of roti to envelop everything in. Along with the tangy coleslaw, this may not be the cleanest dish to eat, but it is certainly one that I am excited to demolish later today as leftovers. While the food was outstanding on its own, the service from Roger and the Calabash team was above and beyond. Quite honestly, it was some of the best service I have ever received in my life. Roger took the time to answer our questions about the menu and the artwork, gave us several recommendations, and checked on our satisfaction with our meals. He thanked us at the end and further expressed his gratitude for groups like ours dining in during these trying times. Two members of his team, in particular, stood out to me for their equally exemplary service. Our server cracked jokes throughout the night and even apologized for not being able to pack our food himself due to COVID precautions. At no point in the night was my glass of water ever empty either. A female server upstairs even offered to go downstairs to take our group picture (because of the livelier atmosphere) despite us already leaving the restaurant. I was blown away and left beaming by how genuinely courteous the team is at Calabash. To Calabash Bistro, thank you for an absolutely fantastic meal and dining experience. To Yelp Vancouver, thank you for compiling a collection of local Black-owned businesses to support. I am ecstatic to not only dine at Calabash again, but to continue expanding my palate at other Black-owned restaurants. read more

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I enjoy Jamaican cuisine, but this place made that certain!!! Food was absolutely fabulous. The environment is kind of loud though so didn't enjoy that part too much, but the restaurant is super chill and the service was great. My friends and I got the Roti and Dip, Jerk Fish Duo, and the Oxtail. My friend enjoyed her Jerk Dish and my other friend and I split the Oxtail. It was sooooo goood!!!! The one Oxtail dish was the perfect amount of food for the both of us. All of us weren't too fond about the Roti though. I'm used to Rotis being super thin and fluffy and with plenty of dipping sauce. This one was like a tortilla, so was thick, and they barely gave us any dipping sauce so we only could eat half the Roti.. so ehhhh. read more

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I love Calabash! Every time I go the food tastes great, and this time was no exception. We grabbed a bunch of appetizers to share - delicious ginger plantains that are ripe and fried with ginger and sugar, a poutine with crispy fries and jerk chicken, which goes really well with the rest, and the crunchy, sweet fried coconut dumplings, which I get every time I go. We also got the ackee and saltfish, which was an interesting surprise - I had no idea what ackee was, but I liked it! The texture is a bit eggy and soft, and the flavour is very neutral, so it blends in well with the rest. The rice was really nicely seasoned too, and the fish was good - a nice entree all around. The cocktails were also great, the staff was friendly, and the food arrived quickly. It's a great place to grab interesting food downtown, probably my favourite Caribbean place in town. I picked it as the place to go for my birthday this year, so that about says it all I think. Can't wait to go again! read more

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The food was delicious and surpassed my expectation. Thankfully I walked here and back so I could burn off the calories. I had the Dark and Stormy to drink. If you like ginger beer you will love. It comes topped with fresh coconut shavings and a dash of cinnamon. I ordered the Jerk Pork belly on top of coconut fried dumplings. This was amazing. The sauce wasn't spicy and had sweet pineapple in it. But the real winner was the coconut fried dumplings. Lastly I had he stuffed plantain which was on the special menu. It was stuffed with jerk veggies and cake with rice and peas and calabash cole slaw. Again you cannot go wrong with plantain. I would always come back here when in town. I need to taste more of the menu! read more

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After having mediocre Caribbean food at several places around town, I was actually a bit hesitant to try this place out. Fortunately, it delivers. Parking is pretty tight in the area. Try the side streets. The restaurant is split into 2 distinct levels - the main level which is mostly restaurant, and the basement, which is more of a cramped music lounge, complete with stage. This level can get pretty packed. Small groups are key here, as the place really isn't very big. Staff were friendly. Being a Caribbean themed place, there is quite a large selection of rum. This will set one back a few bucks though. The waitress recommended the free-range jerk chicken dish. Decent portion of chicken with parsley sprinkled on top, as well as a dome of rice pilaf, and vegetables. Unlike most other places, the chicken here wasn't dry at all. The sauce went well with the rice and vegetables, though the secret is to also add a scoop or two of their house hot sauce. This stuff has quite a kick to it. Special mention. Definitely one of the better jerk places in recent memory, and worth a try. read more

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I really wanted to love this place and the food, but unfortunately, wasn't super impressed with what we ordered. Maybe we ordered incorrectly, but nothing here really made me wanting more of it, and wanting to come back, except for the coconut dumplings, those were great. We came to celebrate my brother's birthday and the servers were all super nice and accommodating when we asked to put the cake in the refrigerator, let us blow out the candles and cut the cake there. I was a little disappointed with the food here though, maybe we ordered wrong but some things were hit or miss; the best thing were the coconut dumplings. Mango & Goat Cheese Salad ($14.50) - Organic mixed greens, cucumbers and tomato tossed in a tamarind dressing. Sprinkled with our Calabash jerk spice and herb coconut choka. We thought we would go the healthy route with a salad but none of us liked it. I don't know what was wrong with it - maybe the jerk spice, but it tasted like soap or potpourri to me. I couldn't eat this and most of this went uneaten. I wouldn't recommend this. Ripe Ginger Plantains ($12) - Fried ripe plantains finished with a ginger & honey glaze, topped with goat cheese & pecans. This was my second favorite thing that we ordered but you can't go wrong with fried plantains. The ginger and honey glaze was good. Roti & Dip ($6) - Served with a choice of jerk chicken, jerk veggie, curry chicken or curry veggie sauce - I was actually disappointed with the roti here because I'm used to flaky, more crispy roti, but this was kind of flat, more dense and didn't seem that fresh to me. The curry was okay slightly on the watery side. Fried Coconut Dumplings with mango honey or guava butter ($6) - This was definitely the best that we ordered for the table, but you can't go wrong with deep fried dough. This was unique and I had never had anything like this before - big fan of this with the guava butter! We had a nice family dinner, but unfortunately I don't think I'd come back here for dinner - maybe for drinks and a few appetizers, but I wasn't too impressed with the food. read more

Calabash Bistro - Plantains & Coconut Dumplings - Caribbean Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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A quaint restaurant with a basement that turns into a evening dance bar. Food is amazing! I had the seafood curry .. loads of flavour served with coconut flavoured rice with a garden salad. The service was spot on, with our water always topped up. Our server checked in several times and super nice. Not the first time I have been here . Always had a great time and everyone enjoyed their delicious meals. Can't wait to go back again. read more

Calabash Bistro - Caribbean Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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I got disappointed because it says Caribbean place, but musics weren't Caribbean st all. Just soul musics all the time , same bits I could be there for 45 minutes and I left. read more

I was pleasantly surprised by the food here! In my experience Caribbean food can be hit or miss, but everything I tried was great and everyone seemed to enjoy their dishes. I was debating between the mussels and poutine (which had brie), and my server was great and said she recommended the seafood steamer, but she could bring me some brie (she made it seem like it would be complimentary and did not clarify it would be $3 charge for the mini side of brie, so I found that out after I got my bill...) ... but I can't stop thinking about the seafood steamer dish - it was delish... Super flavorful, seafood was cooked just right, a medium sized portion (TBH, I could have eaten a bunch more tho ;p) and the coconut dumplings it came with were nothing like I thought they'd be.. They were better! Like a coconut donut - great for sopping up some leftover sauce! Cocktails were alright - a little watered down and on the spendy side for what you get, but decent. One downside I had here was that phone coverage in this area is not good, especially downstairs. There is a Calabash wifi network available, but no one would give me the password to it, so I had to wander around Hastings at night by myself in order to be able to text my ride.. Not safe and not cool. It would be great if they would allow customers to access their wifi for safety purposes. Besides that, had a great time with friends with good food here. read more

Calabash Bistro - Coconut dumplings - Caribbean Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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This ain't no roti hut, but a kickin' two-level good-time palace. I came here for the Vancouver BikeStyle party put on by Momentum Magazine and Calabash Bistro was an awesome host. You enter into the cozy restaurant upstairs, which has a small bar, banquettes, and big windows looking out on the street. And then there's this whole big area downstairs with a DJ and space to dance. I didn't try any of the food that night, but the cocktails were both photogenic and tasty. The bartender who made me a Mai Tai, in particular, free-poured the alky (A+) and put so much care into making the drink that if it wasn't a little pricy ($11.25), I would have had a few more! I'd love to come back and sample some of the dishes - Caribbean UYE, anyone? read more

Calabash Bistro - Mai Tai - Caribbean Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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Calabash is a Caribbean eatery and performance space. It has come a long way with the menu choices and portions. We had the appetizer delish slightly spicy crabcakes and oddly plain roti with jerk dipping sauce then a large and tasty jerk beef stew roti with side salad. They continue to treat people to, their often only, experience of West Indian cuisine. Curry dishes are served in the traditional 3-tiered metal serving container (can't recall name) but one friend was disappointed in his chicken curry re; small quantity more so than flavour. Come for the food but STAY for the shows like Black Dot Roots & Culture Collective.. Each month a a full roster of performers so check online and through FB for the happenin happenings. read more

Calabash Bistro - Featuring-Scruffmouth, Soul 2 Life, DJ Dreaded Monk, T Evanson, Siobhan B, Cerebral Core Text and Black Dot Culture Collective. - Caribbean Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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After several missed opportunities, the opportunity to finally try to this place seems to have been presented to us at the perfect time We didn't have reservations, but they were able to accommodate us at the bar, which was a treat since we got to watch all the kitchen and bar tending action take place. A simple menu, and everything looked really good that we wanted to order it all! Their drinks list is so much fun, with many tropical inspired drinks. Rum, ginger beer, tequila, mango puree?!? Too many choices! I ended up getting the Coconut Jumby: rum shaken with fresh organic coconut water, agave syrup, muddled lemongrass, mint and lime zest. A great refreshing and lightly sweetened drink, I like it! We got some coconut dumplings, jerk poutine, and their special dish, spot prawns with a mango curry sauce. The dishes did take a while to arrive, but we thoroughly enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere and the great vibe. Coconut dumplings were nothing too special; they taste just like the Johnny cakes from the Reef. The jerk poutine was tasty, but it was nothing out of the ordinary. Then the fresh spot prawns. These were soo good! The sauce had lots of flavour , and it also came with rice, roti, and salad. Great service, good food, relaxed atmosphere and awesome music! read more

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We randomly ended up at Calabash on a Sunday night, after wandering around the area and looking for any place that didn't look totally deserted. As I had never had Caribbean food before, I had no idea what to expect, but Calabash was such a pleasant surprise! They've got a really nice atmosphere, with cool music, and friendly staff. We had the breadfruit poutine with jerk chicken sauce and brie for an appetizer, and then the goat curry and jerk beef in roti for the mains. The poutine was really good, and the breadfruit fries lent an interesting (but good) texture. Putting brie on poutine is also an amazing idea... My curry was really flavorful, and while I had no idea what to expect from goat meat, it was really tender and hearty. I tried some of the jerk beef and that was also incredible, with a lot of flavor and nicely cooked meat. read more

Good food but pretty pricey... and the location is very scary!!! We didn't realize that it's pretty much in Hastings, we're so scared just walking around there. There's so many homeless people in the area that are either yelling or selling junk to you! We ordered a lot of food since there were 7 of us but we're not really impressed. Nothing stands out that would make us come back especially when it's really pricey. We spent $300 for 7 people! The service was pretty good though.. the waitress is friendly and attentive! read more

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Dined here on January 21 when the rest of the city was doing Dine Out Vancouver (but Calabash doesn't participate). This was my second time dining at Calabash and it has always lived up to my expectations. I dined with a friend who had never eaten at Calabash. Today, we started with a non-alcoholic drink of house-made ginger beer. It was topped off with a vast amount of cinnamon which was a perfect garnish and accompaniment. Initially I had asked for a rum punch as that is what I like to drink in the Caribbean but surprisingly Calabash doesn't serve rum punch. When I settled for a ginger beer (and I don't mean "settled" in a negative way as I was up in the air as to whether I was going have either/or) the bar tender said he would be happy to make me his own version of a rum punch and he described the ingredients. I decided to stick with the ginger beer and wasn't at all disappointed. The drink menu has a long list of Caribbean Islands and the drinks that are popular on those islands. We shared an appetizer of ginger plantains done in a ginger/honey glaze topped with goat cheese and pecans. OMG! So very delicious. The slightly sharp goat cheese was the perfect topping to contradict the sweetness of the plantains. My friend ordered the snapper and prawn fish duo and I ordered the jerk chicken. Both dishes came with rice and beans and seasonal vegetables of zucchini and carrots. Both dishes were beautifully presented on a bed of jerk sauce and garnished nicely. My friend raved on and on about how delicious the food was. The jerk was rather spicy for me (I do like mild jerk but this was over-the-top for me). I mentioned this to our waitress when she checked on us and she offered up a serving of what I believe was Dahi (kind of like a sour cream dip to cut the heat of the jerk). The Dahi was the perfect accompaniment. For dessert we ordered the bread pudding with house-made strawberry ice cream and banana pie. The bread pudding was good. I am not a fan of raisins and there may have been raisins in the pudding but it was still tasty especially with the caramel sauce. My friend thought the banana pie was a bit too much like a mousse, not as dense as expected Our server was perfect. Friendly, checked on us appropriately and she could easily describe the dishes and ingredients. There's a nice vibe to Calabash. Reggae music was playing at the perfect volume. The staff is all very friendly (waitress and bar tender). The grand total for two non-alcoholic drinks, one appetizer, two entrees and two desserts was $71. A good price for a delicious meal and a nice evening. read more

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The vibe of Calabash Bistro is worth the trip, but add in good food and I'm set for the night. Our group had reservations and sat downstairs. It was dark, but we were all jiving to the music. Since the restaurant is not a big space, it made sharing/passing food around the table a little challenging, but I love eating food 'family style'. The Jerk Beef Stew Roti had a lot of flavor and heat. Just enough spice for me to enjoy this dish without being overpowering. The Crab Cakes were a little on the dry side, but I'm not sure if this is how Caribbean style Crab Cakes are cooked. For me, I'm not a fan. The Seafood Steamer came with mussels, snapper, prawns and veggies steamed in a coconut white wine sauce with a side of fried coconut dumplings. Everything was good, but nothing really stood out. The fried coconut dumplings were too dry and hard for my liking as well. The Jerk Chicken was flavorful and juicy, served with rice and veggies. This was the best jerk chicken I've ever had and although I want to try other items on the menu, I'd likely order this again on my next visit. read more

We came on a Sunday night, with reservation for 7pm. I arrived and it was packed. Not in the nicest part of downtown but its part of the charm. As I waited for the rest of my party to come, I got a chance to look at the menu and around the restaurant. Good options for Caribbean food. Your typical roti, jerk chicken, currys and so much more. Several servers came by and asked if I wanted a drink. Lots of Rum in the menu. I ordered the goat curry and a side of coconut dumplings with mango honey butter. One of my friends tried to order chicken curry and they ran out!!! booooo!! When my food arrived we were given 4 coconut dumplings each but we had asked for side order, we didn't complain. My goat curry was good but had too much bones barely any meat but flavours was good. It came with rice with beans which I enjoyed and a side salad. Our coconut dumpling was good a slight sweetness to it, was both good dipped in the curry and the mango honey butter. Good portions. Decor is cool too, some cool looking art on the wall. Music was loud so maybe not the greatest place if you want a "quiet conversation". I found myself yelling at times. When we were paying we noticed we were charged a full order of coconut dumpling so my friend mentioned it to the server and the server says in a not so nice way "You eat it didn't you!?" My jaw dropped. In shock that she had said that, I think all of us in the table were. Needless to say I just paid for it, didn't want cause trouble. And I know I could always put it in my reviews (: Overall is was ok, I don't think I would go back. And yes it is also on the pricey side. read more

Calabash Bistro - Caribbean Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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I was referred here by several friends before even arriving to Vancouver, and it is well worth the hype. Parking is quite the challenge as there are only three nearby spots right across the street in what many would consider a semi-sketchy area. If you're from the U.S., be prepared to be confused by the small *hump* between bars that you'll have to maneuver a vehicle onto in order to be within the parking space. Nerve wracking. I fed the meter for two hours ($2CAD). This cozy little place has some fantastic, Caribbean fare and a killer ambiance. I immediately smelled ginger upon entering and being seated. It was suggested that I try the ginger beer cocktail, The Dark & Stormy. It's ginger beer infused with cinnamon, trimmed with coconut shavings and spiked with rum. IT. WAS. BOMB. So bomb that I helped myself to three of them. Never take that off of the menu. It's the first drink on the cocktail menu for good reason. $10CAD per drank. As someone who is not a fan of Jamaican patties, I took a chance on their chicken patties as an appetizer anyway. I'm so glad I did, they were delish! The dry-curry flavored chicken was just right inside of the flaky crust. This appetizer comes with two patties for $7.50CAD, I ate one and took one home, and had it for breakfast the next morning. Bomb.com a day later. The "jerkioli" dipping sauce is yum, too. Saved the best for last: the free range jerk chicken entree hit every taste bud, every mouth-watering spot. This jerk flavor hit spots I didn't even know I had. I asked for extra jerk sauce to go on top of my rice and peas and that sealed the deal. While I absolutely loved it, be forewarned that the jerk is not as spicy as some may be used to. That didn't bother me any; I cleaned the plate. So I am now sitting here at YVR airport contemplating life and the wonderful meal I had at Calabash yesterday. I wish I could have gone back once more before leaving, but they don't open until 5 on weekdays. The atmosphere was so great; I felt comfortable there solo, and immensely enjoyed the throwback jams. There were couples and families enjoying their meals as well. Despite the high price tag on my final bill, it was all well worth the $. read more

Calabash Bistro - Free range jerk chicken entree. I legit cleaned the plate. - Caribbean Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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Food: 4.5/5 Service: 5/5 Ambiance: 5/5 I ordered the jerk chicken with a side of the coconut dumplings. I loved the hot sauce that they put out on the table and ended up slathering my entire meal with it because it was that good. If you order the coconut dumplings as a side item it doesn't come with the flavoured butter that you get if you order the full version. Luckily, a friend had ordered the full version and was kind enough to share her guava butter with me ;) It's definitely not the same without it. Took off .5 on the food rating because I prefer jerk sauce with more tangy-ness to it and wished the side dumplings came with the butter too. Amazing cocktails. My favourite was the Bordertown Swizzle followed by the Rose Man See and Dark and Stormy. Service was amazing, everyone was super friendly. After 10pm the basement turns into a dance floor playing old school, hip hop and funk. We came for a late dinner and stayed to dance the night away. So perfect! read more

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We went to Calabash Bistro on a Friday night and the first thing I notice is the nice reggae music playing on the background. As other people have mentioned, the Coconut Dumpling ($5.5) is a must. It's more like a dessert than an appetizer but it was good either way. The Dark and Stormy drink ($10) was really balanced with just enough kick to make it interesting, I love it. We also ordered the Calabash Poutine ($10) to share. While it was good, I found that it was not that special. For the main, I ordered the Goat Curry ($16). It was not spicy, in my opinion, and quite delicious. Even though it looked small, it was definitely very filling. Overall, it was a really good place to relax on a Friday night. Note that on Saturday night there is a live music playing. I would definitely come back here again. read more

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Tonite was the 2nd time I got to groove with the kool kats in this hip lounge...and I know it will not be the last! I was first introduced here because my great friend Ken has a couple friends in a band (The Airtights) who were debuting their first performance there. I just love spending time with Ken and watching bands so I was game. Bypass the sketchy 'hood and float downstairs into the Calabash Lounge area. Very intimate and small...extremely friendly staff, EXTREMELY FRIENDLY!! the jamaican rustafarian brother who greeted us was my first indication of that...and every person we met after delivered the same awesome coolness. They play live performances on various nights I think...there was the band, guest vocal appearances, spoken word, true hiphop...the place was bumpin! Tonite it was a PACKED house! We had a bunch of tapas: Roti & dip: love it. soft, chewy, hot...the dipping sauce was delicious. i have no idea what was in it but i scooped every last drip of it out! Deep fried dumplings: they look like timbits...but taste nothing like it. the dough inside had a subtle sweetness to it that i cant describe..you just have to try it. Jamaican Patties: we had to order em all-beef, chicken & veggie! i only had the chicken and veggie. freshly made IN HOUSE...best patties i have ever had. delish!!!! Jerk Fries: these are soo addictive! seasoned with jerk spices..you get a little kick in the mouth with each bite ;) Both nights we had tapas but every dish that i saw being served from their regular menu looked and smelt so tantalizing, I think I will have to get a regular dish next time! The Reef has left me extremely disapointed the last time I was there..now I have found my new fave Jamaican joint. =) read more

Calabash Bistro - "The Airtights" perform live on every other Tues night! AWESOME! - Caribbean Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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Can't believe it took me this long to try out this place, really shouldn't let the eastside area bother that much but I digress... Ordered the brunch, french toast on their coconut bread, nicely done; fresh, crispy along the edges, with the maple syrup, it's a winner. nice job on the well-cut fruits. but the real winner is the jerk pork belly--juicy, good chew, cooked crispy just right. Real good service, even replaced my cold coffee once, and filled up throughout without asking. Attentive! plus they accept AMEX ;) read more

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Great environment, service and AMAZING food! Best meal I've had in Vancouver so far! (Little over a month, but I've been around some already) Just do yourself a favor, and taste the Oxtail goodness. read more

Calabash Bistro - Oxtail meal. Dark photo though - Caribbean Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Spicy deliciousness. The jerk chicken skewers had my tongue burning but I may be a lightweight in the spice department. My favourites of the meal were the Doubles - fried pastry with a bed of chick peas and the Roti and Dip. Roti was quite large and soft and flaky...getting hungry again thinking about it! Husband had a special of the day seafood chowder which looked plentiful in the seafood dept. The only cons for me would be that the area is a bit sketchy but we parked at Tinseltown lot and it was a short walk from there. Also, the extra attentive service of clearing plates bordered on making us feel rushed in our meal. Would love to go back later on in the night to hear the DJs in the basement. Old school hip hop on Fridays! read more

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Very fun brunch to try! We ended up here because of long waits at other places, but now I'm glad that happened. I got to try the crab cakes with coconut hollandaise, brunch bowl with goat curry, coconut dumplings, ginger soda, and ting grapefruit soda. My ginger soda was disappointing because I was expecting it to be the spicy kind of ginger soda that you get from Jamaican groceries stores. Ting was good - came in a bottle and tasted like Squirt. The coconut dumplings came recommended, but I found them to be really dry and unsatisfying, even with the fruit butter. I'm not sure how they were supposed to be, but it wasn't something I liked. My crab cakes were fine, a little dry, and the hollandaise was a bit sweet, which I guess was kind of expected. Definitely not a traditional type breakfast, but not bad. Came with a little salad that was too heavily dressed. The brunch bowl was really good, not too spicy, tender meat, and good flavor. This was probably one of the better things. Even though I don't think this was one of the better meals we had, it was super interesting and I would come back to try more things here, maybe outside of brunch. Some of the cocktails looked delicious! The service was excellent. Our server answered all our questions and was attentive and nice. The atmosphere was really chill and when we were there, it wasn't too busy yet. read more