I think even people with healthy bank accounts are watching their buck post pandemic. So, here's the deal with this cafe. If I were to go to a grocery store and buy all the ingredients for the salmon salad that I had....it would've cost me less than $10. I paid nearly 20 bucks for this poached salmon salad. Here's why I will not order this again: First of, half the salmon was missing and what was there was cold and unseasoned. So, there goes the lead in this salmon salad production. Instead of giving you the appropriate amount of protein which you handsomely paid for....they didn't and instead bombarded the dish with cherry tomatoes (see pic). The beets, cheddar cubes, bacon and army of tomatoes were fine. It was the bland, cold and anorexic tiny salmon medallions that were not only disappointing but slightly a rip off. The service was good. They seem like a nice group but the place was disorganized . I think the point to take away from this feedback is that...give the people what they pay for. Don't try to overcompensate for protein with excessive vegetables. People in Vancouver, for the most part, are intelligent and they will notice if they didn't get what they paid for.....whence Railtown's current ratings. I haven't tried their other items, but I wouldn't get the Salmon chopped salad if I were you. read more

See all

I still love the salads here, but quality and portion size is inconsistent. The spiced yam was soft and sweet yesterday, but it's under roasted and hard with no flavour today. Today's salad is about 70% of yesterday's salad. Ingredients are always fresh so I'll order again. Just wish they would do better quality control with the ingredients. Should not be giving customers undercooked yams. read more

Railtown Cafe - Spiced yam today was under roasted and hard with no flavour - Cafes Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

See all

My go-to lunch place. The staff at the Howe location is simply amazing and they are the best. They always have my order made just right and ready to go! read more

I've been enjoying Railtown cafe for the fresh salads during my lunch break. You can add quality proteins like salmon, brisket or pulled pork. They are delicious and so are the lattes and treats. read more

Railtown Cafe - Tex Mex Salad. I also highly recommend the Baby Kale salad. - Cafes Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Nothing beats a hot cup of coffee on a cold, rainy day in Vancouver! I got caught in the rain while running errands and decided to seek shelter here and grab a coffee while I waited for the rain to subside. I ordered a 16 oz latte - nothing special, but it got the job done. They also had a big menu with plenty of options so I'll have to come back and try out their food. read more

Railtown Cafe - Latte - Cafes Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

See all

Depends what you get. For breakfast had their healthy yogurt nuts fruit cups. Not bad. For lunch had a seared tuna wrap (half) and roast beef sandwich (half) with a salad. The ahi tuna wrap was delicious. Ate it super fast and that's how good it was. The roast beef sandwich was blah, it had too much mustard which made it super spicy and awkward tasting. Overall I liked the seared tuna wrap and wished I took the whole wrap and not half. read more

Railtown Cafe - Cafes Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Great food and drinks! But I wouldn't say the same about the staff. A homeless man asked if I could get him a coffee and some food and I said yes of course. While inside, every member (except for the guy who took my order) was very clearly giving judgmental looks. A security guard was brought it, and I was then told I can't do that again and that they have to kick the man out. This man was very kind and didn't bother anyone the entire time. He did not cause any chaos nor was he loud and obnoxious, quite the opposite actually. He thanked me several times and quietly ate his food, never once bothering anyone. All I have to say is that I was disappointed in how people treat others. There is no reason he shouldn't get the same treatment as any other human. read more

How can you not love Railtown? It's no secret that Vancouver has it's fair share of healthy food spots, but Railtown holds a special place in my heart. Their 3 locations are all conveniently located (Howe, Railway, and the newly opened Main St.), so if you're craving a healthy meal this is one of the best places to grab a bite. They have plenty of salad and sandwich options as well as a build your own salad/sandwich option (my personal fave). How can you not love a place when you can put all your favourite salad fixtures into one bowl. For salads you're able to choose your greens, 5 toppings, a cheese (if you want), a protein, and dressing. Topping wise, they have everything you could think of, so really, the salad possibilities are endless. They also have a few rotating local beers on tap. Which, I mean, who wouldn't want to enjoy a beer and a salad? It gets pretty busy during the work lunch rush, but you're able to call in advance and take out your meal. Also, if you're looking for a catering company, Railtown is the way to go! I have also never once left here hungry, which says a lot about how tasty and filling their food is. 6/5 would recommend. read more

See all

2 stars max. The food looks good if you just want to look at it. Looking at it being prepared got me salivating, but eating the food left me disappointed. The salmon salad should be named "the olive salad" because the abundance of salty olive-y olive flavors simply overpowered every other element of the dish. Was the salmon in the salad good? I don't know. I just know that the salad tasted like OLIVES...And don't get me started on the reuben. Why did they used dry-dry-tough-tough-flavorless-flavorless-too-thick-cut-brisket on the sandwich and call it a reuben? Why not use tender corned beef or smoked meat or maybe just tender brisket? Why? Why even call it a reuben? If you were there or walked by and saw that guy with disappointment written all over his face, you would know that I was he (it was me). read more

See all

I decided to try this place because it's close to my office and I wanted something healthy. I ordered the sandwich and soup combo which came to about $16...a bit pricey but it looked delicious. I ate everything and it was all very tasty. However about 30 min afterward I had a very nasty bout of diarrhea...it lasted all afternoon. I knew right away it was due to the food. I can only conclude that something in the meal was either spoiled, filthy or unfresh. I really wanted to like this place but totally disappointed and will not be back. read more

For the most part, Railtown is decent. I find the people are nice and portions are good. Except for the salmon salad. This is the only dish I find overpriced for what you get. The salmon medallions are a joke. Make a circle with your finger and that is the size. $17 dollars for that?? I still come here for their other dishes. read more

My boy JN and I rolled up here with our pockets full of debit cards, and tummies that needed to be placated. I ordered the roast beef on rye, and a side caesar. Now, I'm not sure what was getting lost in translation here, but, I was asked thrice if it was to go, despite plainly stating that it was indeed to dine in. 'No pickles' was misinterpreted as meaning 'to go' for some reason. Who knows. Food arrived quickly enough, but, as this was my first time dining at this joint, I didn't know that I had to procure my own cutlery at the counter. JN's arrived, but was wrapped up to go. I don't think that they wanted us there. The 'rye' bread was bread with a bit of rye in it. There was a heck of a lot of mustard on my sammich. There wasn't enough roast beef to totally cover the bread in its entirety. It was good beef though! The caesar salad barely filled the bowl, replete with little brown bits on the end. The dressing was tasty and creamy. I'm on the fence about this one if I should return or not. Value isn't quite there. read more

Another rude hipster joint... Don't! Food was decent, even good, but the unhelpful, uninterested, just plain rude front end will solidify the decision not to return. Like that overrated coffee chain, they ask your name at the cash, only to ignore it. Why did you give my lunch to someone with a different name? Why did you turn your back and walk away when you were questioned? If you like to be treated like a POS, this is your place! If you appreciate a shred of respect try some other sandwich shop... read more

Great spot for lunch or a quick bite. Gets very busy during the lunch hour due to the work crowd, but the service is still friendly and efficient. I've come here a few times for lunch, whether it be eat in or take out, and always get their salads. It's huge and reasonably priced. I like to build my own salad, but the ones on the menu are quite good too. Lots of toppings to choose from. Can't comment on their their soups or sandwiches as I have not tried, but have heard good things from my coworkers who have. The atmosphere is also quite lively, which I love. I'm fast becoming a regular :). read more

The first time I had the smoked turkey sandwich. The second time I had their beef brisket Reuben. I've had their weekly soups at least 3-4 times (the meat soup like lamb barley or beef and lentils; but I haven't had their vegetarian soups). Their food is definitely high quality and reasonably priced for what you get, and very tasty. They're directly downstairs in my building on Howe Street where I work, so they're amazingly convenient to order online for pickup or order in person. My coworkers and I have gone at least 2-3 times a week since they opened. Everyone there is super-friendly (unfortunately, so far I only remember one person's name - Catrina (sp?) - and she's super nice like all the staff there), so I can see why the place always busy in the morning but especially at lunch time. read more

Railtown Cafe - Chicken faro soup for this week... To-go container... - Cafes Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

My son kept raving about this place so finally tried it. Have now been to both the Howe Street and Main Street locations - and that is in a four day period. LOVE it. You think salad - what can they do especially when you design your own but they are so good. For the create your owns, you pick your greens, your four toppings, your crunch (I recommend the squash chips), your cheese and your dressing You can add protein for an extra fee. Haven't tried the sandwiches yet but they also look amazing. This (and I mean any of the locations) definitely my new fvorite lunch spot. read more

Great atmosphere. Not cheap, but excellent food quality and flavourful food. I had the chicken club $11 and beer $6. Sandwich is huge. Be prepared to take half home, unless you are really hungry (like I was). Clean, nice decor, music was chill reggae. Friendly staff. read more

Railtown Cafe - Chicken Club $11.00 - huge portions, this is the second piece. - Cafes Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Arguable the best sandwich I have ever had. The salads look unreal too. Coffee is great as well read more

Railtown Cafe - Cafes Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

See all

I usually love Railtown for a quick healthy lunch near my office with a wonderful Vegan club. However they get a low rating from me today as upon returning to my office to eat I discovered they put feta cheese on my vegan club. :( Super disappointed. Hopefully this doesn't become a continued thing read more

Way too expensive. Salad has barely anything in it unless you keep adding bunch of stuff to it then it becomes even more expensive. Not the greatest customer service not the worst either. The food is not bad just not worth the prices. read more

The food is decent, but nothing special. I only really tried their salads. The salads are quite bland - especially the ancient grain. All it consisted of is kale and little bits of cheese and quinoa on the bottom. It's not worth the price in my opinion. I recommend the kale salad since it has apples and delicious squash chips! Building your own salad is probably the best way to go. read more

I had the sandwiches before and they were good, but not good enough to justify the price. I decided to order a custom salad online and what a huge disappointment. First, the cheese that came at an extra cost was terrible - it literally looked like one slice of American cheese cut into 4 pieces. Second, the salad dressing was on the side - when you buy a $17 salad you pretty much expect that at least they can toss the salad for you? Third, the portion size was ridiculously small. What a waste of money and time. I'm definitely not going back. read more

I've only had latte here a couple of times and both times I was happy! The coffee that they use is not acidic and is very smooth! Good experience when it comes to having a soft drink here. Nice place for a morning coffee/Latte! read more

Awesome lunch food. The vegan club focaccia with beetroots is great. I tried salads and the portion sizes are enormous. Soups are hit or miss for me. I really liked cream of tomato but mushroom one wasn't that great in my opinion. It can get crowded during lunch hours but my impression was that the line for takeout progresses very fast. Pay attention to the daily specials, they vary a lot but so far I was happy with every choice. read more

My girlfriend is celiac and went to Railtown for lunch a little bit ago. She specifically asked for the gluten free soup because due to celiac, her side effects of accidentally ingesting gluten are extremely severe and debilitating. She was told it was gluten free when she double checked as she was picking it up (as she always does) come to find out after she had eaten part of it, that it wasn't gluten free. She has been hospitalized 3 times because of her side effects. The staff here should know what they are serving to customers and actually double check what they are serving because their slip up caused extreme pain and anxiety very unnecessarily and I don't want this to happen to somebody else. read more

Had the meat chilli for lunch - so salty and the meat was so dry it felt like boiled beef jerky. The minuscule amount of sour cream did not balance out the saltiness. Disappointed. read more

I really wanted to like this place because it's super close to where I work. The price point is a little high for takeout/counter service, but the food is of totally decent quality. My issue is that the staff here gives me a really weird vibe. I don't know how else to describe it. I just went in for coffee and a muffin and the girl who helped me handed me a coffee and then wandered away and it took me another 5 minutes to wave down one of the other three counter people to get my muffin, despite the place being empty. There are always at least 4 people working the front of house when I'm in there and at least two are doing nothing other than looking vacant or confused. The last time I ordered a take away salad there, it wasn't dressed, but I couldn't bring myself to go back for dressing because I just didn't want to deal with the employees. Which is ridiculous because I had just paid 20 dollars after protein and a tip to eat an undressed salad at my desk. Man, I'm a chump sometimes. read more

I am not happy with Railtown Cafe (Granville) recently. I work in the building attached and regularly come here for coffee, breakfast and lunch, often twice per day. Their lunch lately is horrible, always incorrect and the portions keep getting smaller and smaller. The last 3 times I've build my own salad they've gotten at least one ingredient incorrect or completely forgotten something not to mention the amount they are putting in means I have to go through the entire salad to find one small piece of zucchini or an onion. Today is offically the last time I go there as they completely forgot the cauliflower, gave me raw mushrooms (I asked for sauteed) and there was less than a tablespoon of each topping. I highly recommend going to Assembly or the International Food Court to build your own salad as Railtown's will cost you $17 for mostly lettuce. read more

Great variety of salads. Reuben is not great, thick cut dry meat makes for a tough sandwich to eat. Music is so loud that you have to yell to talk. read more

This place used to have the best salads downtown. However, they recently changed their menu to use lower-quality, cheaper ingredients, and now the salads are a tasteless shadow of their former selves. Not only did the ingredients change, but somehow they are now charging more for a much, much worse salad. Beware of any reviews made more than a few weeks ago, as they do not reflect the current quality and taste of the menu. Extra star for the friendly and efficient staff. read more