stopped in at city square shopping centre to meet up with a friend for dim sum near city hall, and…read morehonestly, it's such an underrated little spot. on the busy intersection of 12th and cambie, this place has a bit of everything, anchor stores like dollarama, daiso, and sungiven foods, plus a ton of smaller shops that give it a cozy, local vibe. the glass atrium makes it feel bright and airy even on gloomy vancouver days. there's a food court with solid options, kin's market, and a few wellness spots. there's also hot yoga, fitness world, dental, a florist, salon, and spa, seriously, it's like a mini community hub. parking was super easy, two free hours if you validate with a retailer (over $5), and it's super convenient being steps away from the cambie canada line station. not your huge flashy mall, but it's got charm, convenience, and a lot of what you may need in one spot.

This review is regarding the PARKADE only, not a reflection of the mall itself or the stores…read morewithin. You MUST validate your parking at Sungiven Foods for 2-hour free parking, all other stores only validate for 1.5 hours - and I learned this the hard way. It was my first time driving to City Square, and I saw the sign in the parkade that read "Enjoy 2 hours free parking with purchase". I went to Dollarama first, and had my ticket validated there. I shopped around, and Sungiven Foods was one of my last stops before returning to my car. As I was driving out of the parkade, I was surprised that there was an overdue balance of $4.25 at the gate, even though I was in City Square for less than 2 hours (I had a timer on my phone). I called parking assistance and they sent Chandani to deal with the issue. She did not want to listen to my situation and was very rude and unhelpful. She kept insisting I pay for the ticket or go back upstairs to revalidate, and then walked away. I understand she may not have any authority to authorize anything or override the ticket, but she did not bother to listen or try to get help. I checked my timer, and saw that I was cutting it very close to 2 hours, so if I had re-parked my car and went back upstairs to revalidate, I would definitely go over the 2-hour limit. I paid the ticket and checked the website when I got home, and I understand that the City Square regulations states: -90 minutes FREE parking with a minimum $5.00 purchase from City Square retailers. -One retailer stamp per parking ticket allowed. Please bring your parking ticket along with you to the retailer for validation. I am upset because there was no indication (either on the website on signage posted in the mall or parkade) that the retailer stamp HAD to be from Sungiven Foods specifically (and be validated there first) in order to qualify for 2-hour free parking (instead of 90 min). Chandani also gave me the wrong information, and I would not have been able to re-validate at Sungiven foods anyways if I went back upstairs, as only one retailer stamp per parking ticket is allowed (as per the website). I did email the admin at City Square as well with my concerns over the signage, and asked for a possible refund. Chasity from Reception & Administration directed me to Precise Parklink in regards to the ticket refund. I didn't bother contacting Precise Parklink because on paper, I did exceed the 1.5 hour parking limit, but the reason for this is because of the misleading and unclear signage in my opinion.

We went to many different souvenir shops around Vancouver and found this one to be the best in…read moreterms of selection, quality and value. You'll find a number of items, food and other items that are very Canada specific, such as Maple syrup, Maple tea, and other maple-related snacks. We also found it hard to find a shop where you can find clothing that lasts and is very comfortable. We picked up a couple fleece and shirts here and they survived the wash and are still comfortable weeks later, and they were such a good price, nearly half of what you'd expect. The deals on standard keychains and magnets were also very good so we bought dozens.

Lots of cheap selection for souvenirs, but didn't find anything that I liked in particular. The…read morepeople were nice. On Google, the hours say they close at 8, but I guess they close at 7 and they were nice enough to let us stay until 7:15 until they said something. It's all the things you'd find in a regular souvenir shop at a better price.

There are lots of stores here. It feels upscale and contemporary in design with 3 floors to explore.read more

This mall is conveniently located in downtown Vancouver and offers a wide variety of shops with…read moregoods at different price points. I visited during my trip and found plenty of options to suit almost any shopper or budget. That said, I was disappointed that none of the stores carried traditional relaxed or straight-fit jeans--every option seemed to be barrel or loose fit, which wasn't what I was looking for. As a result, I left without making a purchase, though I still enjoyed browsing the stores and checking out their merchandise.

i really thought i was being strategic. "half an hour is plenty," i told myself, confidently paying…read more$2.50 for parking. the plan was simple: go to guest services, check on the expiry of my gift cards, and leave. then i walked by the grand court and ooooh, look at how pretty and massive the lunar new year lantern is. the bold red lantern suspended under the glass ceiling, surrounded by oversized pink blooms, was stunning. they even included interesting facts from the chinatown storytelling centre, which made the display feel thoughtful and educational, not just decorative. it was beautiful and absolutely not something you rush past. i tried to stay focused, but this is metropolis at metrotown. as the largest mall in bc and one of the biggest in canada, it offers pretty much everything under one roof. fashion from zara, aritzia, arcteryx, uniqlo and sephora. staples like the apple store and h&m (with an escalator out of order during my visit). daiso. muji. winners and homesense. walmart, the real canadian superstore, t&t, shopper's drug mart, cineplex, banks, bubble tea shops, foreign exchange counters, restaurants and a food court. gone are anchors like hudson's bay and sears, but the variety today is still impressive. it really is a one stop hub. groceries, errands, shopping, entertainment, all convenient and connected directly to skytrain. but here's the thing: malls should not be charging for parking (unless it's downtown). we used to visit this mall a lot. it was an easy, go to destination. since parking fees were introduced, we honestly don't come nearly as often. when you're already planning to shop and spend money, paying just to park feels unnecessary. it changes the whole experience and makes even a quick visit feel calculated. the mall itself still has a great selection of stores and services. it delivers on convenience and variety. i just wish the parking situation didn't take away from that. next time, i'll likely skip the car and take skytrain instead.

A bit dated shopping mall. I find it slightly awkward to walk around because there are different…read moresets of elevators that lead you to garage parking and not the point of destination where you want to go. Parking garage also dated. There is a Walmart, T&T inside.

Came to check out the food court. Most were fast food so did not consume. Lines and service were…read morequick, I observed before I decided not to line up. Loved the different varieties and selections of cuisines. Value was good. Not expensive. Especially loved the water fountain right outside the food court.

This area is just so fun and beautiful. Bring the kids, sit, watch the seaplanes land and take off…read more Beautiful. 1-star for the food court. Maybe even no stars. Good lord, if you care about your palate, your body, and future generations just do not go here. The future success of addressing global warming depends on you not supporting this subpar food.

How does one top Adam m.'s review of Kingsgate mall, they don't. It's the perfect description of…read morethis exceptional mall. I've been a frequent shopper at Kingsgate over the years and they really do have everything you need. It's like a sitcom mall, everything is nostalgic, down the people walking the mall. I love it. Never change Kingsgate never change.

This is an older mall that could have been used as the perfect filming location for an early 80's…read moretv show. There are clothings stores, a florist, a few stands that sell cellular accessories and a few other things. The mall is attached to a well stocked grocery store with a large parking lot (for an urban mall). The overall feeling is that a value is easily found. A discounted pair of Bermuda shorts, a discounted bamboo stalk, even a jeweler with reasonable prices, these items are stocked and supplied by helpful customer service and business owners alike. Stop by and don't let malls like this disappear.

Granville Island is an amalgamation of a public market, restaurants, a marina, a hotel, numerous…read moreartists' studios and workshops, and more located in one location. No wonder it's a popular tourist destination! You can watch artisans weaving at looms or creating brooms or blowing glass. Interestingly enough Ocean Concrete is also located here and you can gawk at their silos when walking around. If you're visiting during the weekends or holidays, parking can be a bit of a hassle. The sidewalks aren't clearly marked either, so pedestrians also spill over into the streets. It's better to take a ferry or water taxi to avoid the headaches.

Granville Island is touristy, sure, but not in a bad way. It's vibrant, full of energy, and still…read morefeels authentic. A mix of locals and tourists alike. The only downside is the prices, not horrible, but seem to be at a premium than right over the bridge. Traffic was also horrible trying to go and leave - sounds like others parked across the bridge and walked or took a ferry. We went on a Saturday mid afternoon and parking was ok because some people were leaving. A good selection of shops, including the public market and various shops. It was crowded, but service was good and friendly. We had a big meal beforehand, but it seems like a nice place to brunch by the waters and enjoy the views or have a snack - long line for the donut shop! There's a small playground for kids and toy stores. There's also a nice pond area to sit and enjoy a snack or just relax on a nice day.

Honestly, I've never really been a fan of this mall. Always felt a weird vibe whenever I was here…read more Not very many interesting stores to begin with and the food court isn't the greatest. I've always found the area to be a bit shady too. I mean the only reason being here would be maybe just be the movie theatre on the third floor but nothing really more than that.

Only reason to come here is probably the movie theater. Theres not much else to go here for…read more People who work in this area would come for the food court perhaps, or the handful of restaurants on the outside of the mall. The mall itself is also located right near the heart of the DTES with all the drug addicts, open use of hard drugs, homelessness, tents, etc. Lots of shady characters around this place who have trickled over from the DTES core. Of note, the parkade underground is open until late (2am or something, maybe later). You can park here (paid) to go to nearby things if you dont want to park on the street. The underground lot is more secure. At around 830pm the mall doors all lock. I believe by 10 or so the parking gates all lock as well. I went back here to get my car at around 1030pm. I had to call security (phone number on the mall website) and they instructed me to press the buzzer at the entrance by the Rexall. They buzzed me into the mall which got me access to the underground parkade. Then i drove my car to the locked gates, which I think are supposed to open on their own but did not. I called security again and they opened it so I could leave. So it does seem secure! This is why they get 2 stars instead of 1 - the secure parking lot. The mall itself is not worth mentioning.

This place is okay if you're just itching to get something quick. I only come here on rare…read moreoccasions if me and my family was on the way here. They have a Safeway, McDonald, Fresh Slice (Pizza), Sushi Restaurant, Chinese Restaurant, and a Bar Restaurant which by judging from the outer appearance of this place, I would assume it's similar to White Spot. They also have a few other services, like Dentist, Cleaners, BC Liquor store, local Video rental store with video games, Gas Station, etc. You'll likely find some basic things here like groceries and a bite to eat or to refill your car's gas tank, but this isn't exactly a good spot to visit if you want to do a bit more leisure window shopping.

Don't go here if you want to avoid unnecessary tickets. This lame shopping center has come reserved…read moreparking spots randomly in the center. In no way are they clearly marked and people park in them all the time who have no reservation. The only way to tell they are reserved is by the worn out paint on the spots. No indication that you will be ticketed if you park there. Spent two hours in a restaurant in the center and returned to a ticket on my car. Terrible customer service. Should be illegal.