Vij greeted us at the door, we were put in a corner which suited us fine. It was my birthday but I didn't say anything. Food was excellent well spiced and we even had leftovers to take home. Service is en point, the server brought me one of Vij's books to review for a recipe thst we ordered but declined to buy it. Ambience is lovely, we got there at 5:30 pm opening and the place filled up quickly. All n all a very lovely evening! read more

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Amazing food and the staff was very welcoming, would highly recommend it. The upstairs outside patio had a nice atmosphere. read more

First off from the moment you step into the door you know why this restaurant made the list of Michelin Guide Canadian restaurants! No sooner than when you arrive to the table your server instantly pours everyone a nice cup of chai tea and puts down a complimentary sampler plate of pakoras and samosas. The great service doesn't end there as they tend to your needs but without that rushed feeling. We started off with the Vij's pork spoon with apple mint chutney (not always on the menu and just so happened to be the night we were there) and the marinated paneer along with a side of Aunty's freshly made naan. All were perfect starters to our dinner. For main course makes we ordered the spicy chicken curry and the grass fed beef kalongi cream curry. The sides are minimally priced so be sure to get some rice and more naan. I had a special sugar free cola drink called the Zevia that was good too! They've got a nice selection of drinks from the bar but I was the designated driver after our meal back to Seattle so the cola suited me fine. Lastly we rounded out our meal with the coconut rice pudding which is a must and has the perfect sweetness to it. The ambiance was lively with a semi-lit dining area but the surrounding windows opened up with natural lighting too. We even had owner/chef Vikram Vij cane out to visit all the tables and say hello and asked how our meals were. Awesome to say the least! read more

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Vij's gave my family and I a beautiful dining experience. We sat in the rooftop patio, which is full of charming little details, like the bracelets strung onto the tree branches, the rice bag pillowcases, and the bar where you can see your drinks being made. The staff team worked very efficiently to attend to every table. I didn't ever feel that we were left waiting for too long to place an order and our water glasses never ran empty. Everyone was really nice, and our main waiter was very knowledgeable about the whole menu and offered suggestions when we needed them. Vij himself was making the rounds and checked in with us a few times. I tend to ramble describing food in reviews, but nothing I say will really do justice to this. The food is served family-style, meant to be shared. The total before tip for the three of us was about $180. I think this was a competitive price for the experience we had. There were complimentary snacks delivered to our table shortly after we were seated: papri and pakoras. Our waiter mentioned that we could have the kitchen "order for us", which sounded like fun, but I had a few specific dishes I wanted to make sure to try, so we chose our own menu. For appetizers, we ordered the rockfish cakes on coconut curry and chickpeas in star anise date masala, and for mains, cauliflower black chickpea cakes in tomato fenugreek curry and lingcod in green onion coconut curry. The appetizers and mains both came with naan and the mains came with jeera rice. For dessert, we had the mango kulfi and coconut kneer. We all each had a cocktail too (the Vieux Delhi for me, and others had a G&T and a Cambie Sour). I can't pick a favourite dish (or drink) - even though there were dishes I was more drawn to based on my personal favourite flavours, everything was executed perfectly in its own way. The concept is unique from other upscale Indian restaurants - the food is essentially Indian but the experimentation with the flavours reflects the influence of Vancouver's culinary culture. The spice level varies with each dish but is generally pretty moderate; on average, things were between a "mild" and a "medium" level at most Indian restaurants in North America, so I can't see the spice level being too high for anyone unless you have a severe intolerance. For those who like spicier food, the lack of kick is compensated for by the richness of the other spices. I would highly encourage fans of Indian cuisine and/or fine dining to just go and give them a try if you're interested in a new experience for Indian food. I'm always inclined to try as many places as possible which means I don't often make return visits to places that are out of my way, but this is a place I would definitely visit again to try more of the menu. read more

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We enjoyed our meal, though it wasn't perfect. The service was very pleasant. We enjoyed trying some of the cocktails, though were disappointed a couple we wanted to order were not available. The wine list has some interesting choices. The papadum were great, and we liked the chutney trio with them. We also enjoyed the pakora, which had great flavor and texture. Many of the dishes had nice blends of spice. Another highlight was the veg thali, though some of the items were overly salted. That was a common issue, too heavy on the salt. The Better Chicken was indeed "better" and maybe the best thing we ate was the sauce on the lamb lollipops. Too bad the chops themselves were way overcooked and hard to cut (also over salted). The Naan was fine, but the paratha was literally swimming in a pool of gee. Not at all appetizing, just greasy. We finished with the mango kulfi and loved it. The perfect end to the flavorful meal. I ate at Vij's many years ago when it was in a different location. Today it's not the leading edge restaurant it once was. But a solid Indian restaurant and worth a visit. read more

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I loved it here. We got a reservation for the rooftop and it was a beautiful evening. There was nice guitarist playing songs, Vij himself greeted us, and the waitstaff was welcoming and great. The food was fantastic. I've never had high end Indian before, so we just asked for their recommendations and they did not disappoint. The lamb was spectacular. My kid gave two thumbs up to the naan and the music. She was dancing and having a great time. Cool atmosphere and great food. Check it out for sure! read more

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Excellent! Service was great. All the servers were so nice. Vij came over once to welcome us to his restaurant and once to check on how we were enjoying our meal. We ordered two vegetarian entrees and the naan and rice. The food was the best Indian food I have ever tasted. I just kept saying "wow", throughout the meal. We are visiting from San Francisco but will definitely come back the next time we are in Vancouver. read more

What a beautiful patio at Vij's! Even on a misty evening, it was warm enough to remove my coat as the patio is heated. I do not like eating with my coat on. The protocols in place are implemented and I felt 100% comfortable dining out. I grew up and still live near Main & 49th and though some Indian restaurants are no longer there, I would say by far, the food at Vij's is really the best. The real treat of the evening Chef Vikram Vij was there going from table to table thanking us for supporting local. We were the first table Chef came by and I noticed him immediately. I helped my husband take a picture with Chef! We both ordered Thali which you choose 4 items (from appetizers and mains). So much to choose from! I choose: rainbow trout, tamarind and yogurt marinated and grilled chicken w/ salad, BC pork tenderloin and one more I can't remember (sorry!). Thali comes with rice and naan bread. The spices and flavour, oh my goodness, I can't describe it as it's so out of tis world! Though I don't like spicy food, some of the sauce as a bit too spicy however, I was able to power through. For dessert, we shared almond rice pudding and it was a nice end to our dinner at Vij's. We had an amazing time at Vij's. Support local as much as you can! read more

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Really was excited to try this place out but left extremely unimpressed. I honestly don't know what the hype is. To be fair, the food wasn't bad. It's just not worth the price or the hype. We ordered the lamb popsicles. 2 out of the 3 were good, but one of them was extremely chewy and difficult to eat. The butter chicken was bland. The sauce didn't have that richness to it that you'd like and the chicken could have been more tender. The palak paneer was the least enjoyable. Loaded with ginger (mine had big chunks that were bit into). Ruined the dish. Naan and rice were basic. Nothing special. And the gulab jamun had to be the most overpriced dish. $14 for two pieces that weren't even warmed up. That dish is a $5 dessert at most. read more

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Love Vij's. They are so nice, great food, great drinks, the staff was able to help me pick what to eat because I have food allergies. We sat on the rooftop and the ambience up there is great. I would eat all the food here! Loved the lamb pops and my friends really enjoyed the naan. Make a rezzy you will need it! read more

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Honestly, this is probably the worst Indian food I've had in Canada. Given that this restaurant is on the Michelin guide, everything in this restaurant lacks flavor and the curries almost have water like consistency. I would not believe the hype that has been built around for this place. There are better places around to try. Now we came here around 9:30 and had the worst experience ever. The funniest thing is that they won't even let us return a dish and just exchange it. The ambiance is good but it isn't good enough to distract you from the horrible food that is served. read more

We orders lots of food to share, probably the best way so that you could try a little bit of everything. The atmosphere feels like home and all their servers and Vij were so playful and friendly. We were started off with some complimentary house small bites and their chai. The chai was so good and perfect for the rainy cold weather. Loved all the dishes we ordered. Highlights were the pork spoon with apple chutney, portobello curry, lamb popsicles, Punjabi goat meat curry just to name a few! Would recommend stopping by if you have the chance! read more

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Vij's is one of the finest Indian restaurants I've been to, not just because of the exquisite food, but also because you're likely to find the owner Vikram Vij (who has quite the personality) wandering the dining room and sharing his passion for his food with guests! As soon as we sat down at our table, we were brought two complimentary small bites: a spicy pakora, and a crisp topped with sprouted mung beans and black chickpeas. The menu at this fine dining restaurant with a dimly-lit atmosphere was extremely diverse and showcased a broad range of ingredients, preparation styles, and flavors, so it was hard to know where to start! The appetizers came in surprisingly generous portions (some could've been entrees on their own), and we started with the Jackfruit in Black Cardamom & Cumin Curry, which was sweet, tangy, and spicy, topped with ginger matchsticks and whole red chilies; as well as the lean and meaty Beef & Lamb Kabobs served with a thick tamarind chutney and Indian masala "polenta." But my favorite appetizer was definitely the Garam Masala Portobello Mushrooms in Porcini Cream Curry, which came with generous slices of meaty portobello mushrooms in a light yet creamy curry made with lots of garlic. All of the appetizers (but especially the curries) went nicely with the freshly baked naan bread that came on the side, which was particularly doughy and chewy around the edges. And then came the mains. Vij's signature dish was the Wine Marinated "Lamb Popsicles" in Fenugreek Cream Curry. The lamb popsicles were individual grilled lamb chops, but the best part of the dish was the rich and flavorful cream curry containing spinach and potatoes, which both added a nice earthiness to the gravy. Finally, we had the Goat in Punjabi Style Curry, which came with chunks of boneless goat in a spicy curry with vegetables, served in a ceramic pot. This curry had a particularly spicy flavor, and every dish went perfectly with the naan and basmati rice that came on the side! Each of the dishes here was simply incredible in flavor, execution, and presentation--if I had to pick favorites, I wouldn't be able to choose between the portobello mushroom curry, the lamb popsicles, and the Punjabi goat curry, as each was so different and yet so delicious in its own way! read more

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This restaurant is a treasure I have been eating at for 25 years, and it always maintains its excellence. In the early days at its original location, I would wait in line with whoever I was bringing from Seattle and beyond to enjoy the greatest Indian food ever (and just great food regardless of cuisine type). VV would often be greeting guests in line and in the dining room. So many years later, through the change of venue and closing of other excellent affiliated places (RIP Rangoli, Shanik (Seattle's loss) and My Shanti), here I am at Vij's, once again enjoying the ling cod, samosas, black chick pea patties, chai and exchanging a greeting of namaste with VV himself. The food, the people and the space are beautiful. If you come to Vancouver only once Vij's is essential dining. read more

I've had the pleasure of coming here a handful of times over the last few years. Each time is a flawless experience of culinary excellence and a relaxing ambiance. read more

I almost never leave poor reviews but this place deserves negative stars for the service. I have never felt so unseen and hungry at a restaurant. I was so excited to try this place but the service was terrible. Specifically the man named Joe. He was extremely rude, unhelpful, and condescending. After the appetizers arrived (which were pretty delicious), we sat there waiting for the next course. But it never came. The first time we asked, he said it's coming, and refilled our waters. The table next to us proceeded to get their food and we literally watched them eat and finish the entire meal and our food still has yet to arrive. The table behind us were seated when we received our appetizers and they also received their main course (which looked like exactly what we ordered as well). When we asked Joe again he rolled his eyes and say it's coming don't worry. After watching 2 tables start their meal from appetizer to finish, we decided to cancel the rest of our order. I was not about to watch the entire restaurant eat their food while I starve. Instead of sympathizing or apologizing for the inconvenience, Joe proceeded to give a ted talk no one asked for on his experience and how restaurants are run. read more

Great service and great food on New Year's Eve. Really happy to recommend this place. Decently priced as well. read more

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We love vij's! I went 10+ years ago and came back recently with my husband who has never been. It holds up to the memories and then some! The hospitality, the ambience, THE FOOD. We were lucky enough to get a spot in the outdoor patio which was perfect on a warm summer night. Meal start with complimentary chai and a small appetizer! We ordered everything our waitress recommended which was absolutely delicious and the service was so quick but didn't feel rushed at all. The goat in Punjabi style curry and the house made paneer were out of this world! Definitely stand outs for me but everything we ate was amazing. Cannot wait to come back again! A meal to remember read more

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Came here on a date night on a Friday night. Was more underwhelming than I thought given how hyped this place is. Vibes and service were great 5/5 Drinks were delicious 5/5 Food was mediocre 3.5/5 We ordered the following: Cauliflower, spinach and potato pakora 3/5 -- felt really bland without the chutney Beef and lamb kabobs 3/5 -- over cooked and burnt Chicken in creamy Bengali style curry 3.5/5 -- good but not extremely memorable Rice pudding 5/5 -- we anticipated something firm like a jello but was surprised to find it a soup-like dessert. Nonetheless, well flavoured and great way to end the night read more

I have fond memories of enjoying the food at Vij's years ago, but my wife swore to me it was overrated. Well, we visited again for the first time in 6 years. The place is beautiful, the service is top-notch, and Vij was very nice in greeting us multiple times. And they have plenty of vegan options, which attracts us. But the food really is simply mediocre. I guess it might be impressive to the Western palate that finds Indian food too spicy and whatnot. But, if you've been to, say, Sula, or Delhi 6, or countless other authentic places in town, Vij's food just doesn't cut it, honestly. After splitting several appetizers -- from the solid veggie pakoras, to the too-acidic jackfruit curry -- I ordered the thali for my main, a mix of 5 dishes: eggplant, spinach & potato, cauliflower & potato, daal, and chickpea koftas. I wasn't a fan of any of the 5. The daal was under-seasoned and simply lacked flavour; the spinach was too salty; the cauliflower was simple and lacked any depth; the koftas were spongey and had nothing to really enjoy about them; the eggplant was maybe the best dish but still inferior to a proper baingan bharta in a proper Indian place. My wife's veggie jalfrezi was similarly underwhelming. This was just disappointment all-round. Based on this experience, I can't help but conclude their Michelin star means nothing and that people impressed with the food here don't know anything about what good Indian food. What a deeply disappointing experience, read more

Wow! Service and food was amazing!!! The GM came out several times to greet us, explain the menu, etc! Very unique food - but amazing!!! I would def recommend this place to anyone visiting Vancouver!! Again - I'll mention this again - the service was spectacular!!! They make you feel like you're at home!!!! Don't pass this place up!!!! read more

We were visiting Vancouver from the US and found Vij to be on the list for top fine Indian dining and thought to give it a try. Unfortunately, our experience was very underwhelming. The staff was very welcoming and warm and even Vij came and greeted us but the overall experience felt very contrived rather than authentic. The waiters said the exact same thing to everyone and robotically walked you through the menu rather than suggesting things based on your interests. The food was the most disappointing. We ordered the lamb popsicles, which are the most popular dish on the menu and found them to be overcooked and chewy. The vegetable coconut dish while flavorful was completely undercooked - how can you undercook basic vegetables and chickpeas? The samosas we ordered had no flavor. The drinks we ordered were also nothing special. The only dish that was memorable and delicious was the mushroom curry & we appreciated the pakoras, papdi and chai as a greeting upfront. As indians visiting Vancouver with a swath of Indian food options, this was an immense disappointment. We had incredible Indian food in Surrey and even whistler. With so many more amazing options, this would not be the place. We appreciate the effort in elevating indian food to this level of dining. But unfortunately in the process of being creative, Vij's falls flat in the basics of flavor and cooking that is expected to be a given. read more

So I am coming back to this place literally after 2013. Everything that made this place special was missing. We still had hopes and ordered the appetizers which were ok.. not worth the crazy price tag. They have to be worth it and justified. And the one thing I was craving and had a strong memory of 2013 was the lamb popsicles (c pic below from its glory days and paid $35 back in the day) now the same is served by One lamb popsicle for 13$ .. now that's ridiculous and it didn't have the same flavor and the magic. The ambience is regular, the serving presentation is also so mediocre just like a $ Indian restaurant. When your a $$$ restaurant ur game should b top notch. I used to love this chef Vikram Vij. I urge him to get back on to the menu and retain what this place used to be when it was smaller and had so much soul to it. The savior for the night was our waitress Natalie! Loved the gal for her attentive and caring service she deserved 10/10. I do appreciate the management as they listened to our feedback and as a courtesy they took the lamb popsicles off the bill. Totally respect it when a restaurant management displays such good ethic of customer service. This place needs to reinvent and visit its roots. The pics below are from 2013. Plz work on getting this place back to its glory. Presentation Price to match quantity Experience for a $$$ has to be top notch. U need to use real candles or lamps on the table not cheap plastic fake candles !!! It's a no no .. I got my wife here after she hearing stories of my 2013 experience she was just unimpressed:( read more

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From the very first time my husband and I saw Chef Vikram on Dragons Den, we were impressed with his humility, kindness and caring nature. We've always wanted to try his restaurant so were so glad we did tonight! And he was there, said hi and asked how the food was; it was just incredible to meet this chef in person and to really see his amazing he is in person as he is on TV! It wasn't too full when we arrived about 7pm so we got a table by the kitchen window. We were served snacks and chai that were free, which was awesome! Since we love lamb, we ordered the mutton Kebab for Starter, which was served wIth two pieces of naan bread, Diced cucumbers and curry sauce. The kebabs were incredibly delicious - meaty, juicy and fresh. I've probably never had more fresher kebabs before. The naan was amazing - soft, crispy and buttery. The curry sauce was just delicious. By the time we got to the main dishes, we were probably 85% full because of their generous serving of starters and snacks. Both the curries were delicious but my favourite was the lamb - tangy and creamy. I also loved the rice which was flavoured with cumin and perhaps some butter. The goat was great too but a tad too spicy for me. The ambience was relaxing and the decor simple and elegant. The ceiling was gorgeous - if I saw correctly, I think they were decorated with upside down mini clay pots, just so clever is that! I loved the soft lightIng and the low Indian music playing in the background. Our plates and cutlery were changed after each course, which was not necessary but just nice. Their bathroom was very clean and I loved how they had fresh hand towels for every use! Totally unnecessary but I'd rather that than cutting countless number of trees each other. All in all, we love VIJS and we'd surely go back. The servers were great and we're neither too much nor too less for us. Each served us with a smile and had lovely conversations throughout our time there. read more

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Sorry to write this review, but it must be said: the quality at Vij's is seriously going downhill. We visited last weekend, got the curry vegetables, which tasted like last week's mushy leftovers. The lamb curry was hard as rock. The bread was burnt. The rice tasteless. Same story the last few visits. After many years, we won't be back. Just not worth it for the price these days...when there are other, better options out there. read more

We made a reservation and had to wait 30 mins to be seated. When time to order drinks, we wanted to taste 2 wines so we could pick a bottle to order, but was told that was not allowed. Both wines were served by the glass so we were shocked that they did not allow us to taste them. We had to trust the server's recommendation for our wine choice. The food took a long time to be served, but it was very tasty. We sat at the rooftop which was great and they had live music. It also took a while for us to get our check. Overall the food was good, but the service was not up to our expectations for this type of restaurant. None of the staff seemed to be apologetic or concerned about the long waits or lack of service. read more

When we first walked into the restaurant, we were really impressed by the ambiance. We were seated, and immediately greeted and presented with some small bites. The service here was excellent, though the food could have been better. We ordered the marinated paneer, roasted, eggplant vegetable main dish, and the spicy chicken curry. The portions were reasonable and shareable between two people. I do wish the flavors were bolder and had more depth and richness-it mainly felt just aromatic. I do appreciate how and where they source their food from, so I was happy paying the price we did knowing that. read more

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Had dinner at Vij's last night and it did not disappoint! Beautiful ambience, amazing service and the food was incredible. Love this place!!

the service is really great and so is the ambiance. but honestly the food is not good and the prices are so high. places in Surrey like Ustaad and Tasty are way better, more authentic and flavourful. the meal was underwhelming and seems like a Westernized version of Indian food. read more

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Holy cow! This place is the cat's meow!! We had an amazing evening on the rooftop. The pakoras were the best ever. Crispy, not oily with perfect internal texture. So many great dishes and the entire staff killed it. Our man behind the roof top bar slayed it on the cocktails! See you next time read more

Everything on the menu is divine. Service is impeccable and you can feel the pride coming from the kitchen. Popped into Vancouver for a day and asked a friend where to eat and he recommended Vij's. Best recommendation ever! Everything looked so amazing, we order 5 entrees for 2 ppl plus the saffron ice cream and ate it all. I want to come back to Vancouver just to come here again. Thank you for being so kind and cooking such delicious magic in your kitchen. read more

As someone who's in the industry i tend to not leave reviews. . Like, at all. But this restaurant is truly special and I feel as if it's worth sharing my experience. I went with a party of 3 showing up around 9:15 knowing the kitchen was going to close soon. Totally expecting to be rushed to order the food so we spent some time reading menus online and asking for recommendations from the host who promptly sat us with some awesome recommendations. We all got a cocktail. All of which were delicious. Some different Indian ingredients used to put a different spin on some of the classics. We got an old fashioned, sour, and martini. All with their own special twists. I regret not getting another! We got the pork belly and schnitzel to start. The pork belly was the only thing I could say was underwhelming. The schnitzel with butter chicken sauce poured over table side was so good. For the mains we got goat curry, chicken curry, and a few other sides including rice and naan. The basmati rice was cooked perfectly and had a very clean taste. Excellent food is hard to find. They have it here right beside the awesome atmosphere. The real question is what is it that really makes an experience as good as the one I had? The food, or the service? Without a doubt Vij's blew me away with their food... but the service is the reason why I will be back. Everyone who was working Friday 10-25 made this one of my best dining experiences. As someone who works food industry it means a lot to me to be able to go out and have a good meal with my people. Vij's made me feel welcomed into the family. Would give the service a higher rating if i could. read more

Ambiance is great. Service is good. Only 3 dishes of the many, many we ordered were good. The "saunth" or tamarind chutney, the naan/kulcha and the lamb-beef kababs. Everything else was a true let down. The paneer appetizer was in a watery gravy, the lentil and cauliflower vegetarian main was so hard, I could barely swallow it. It all felt over hyped and I'd been really looking forward to it too. I hope they truly improve the taste and quality of their food overall. read more

We tried the pakoras, the chapatti and the Vegetable Curry with rice and naan. Everything was very good and authentic in taste. Especially the naan was very soft. My personal highlight was the Gulab Jamun that was sweet, soft and (most importantly!) served hot. The drinks were good, too. All in all a great Dinner. I will say though that I've had similarly good Indian food for a fraction of the cost. Is the food good? Yes. Is it worth the money? Well that depends. I'm inclined to believe that you're also in part paying for the location. The restaurant is beautiful, almost swanky. I heard good things about the terrace, too. If you're looking for a nice dining experience, you've come to the right place. If you simply want good food, you'll get it but it'll cost you. read more

Service was exceptional. Fun and caring, super helpful when it came to ordering. Lamb popsicles - the sauce is divine. You could drink it. Will definitely be on our list next time we are in Vancouver. read more

I must be missing something or this place has gone down a lot from its' peak. The food was bland, meat was tough and bread was doughy but burnt out on outside. Lamb popsicles are not a "must get". They are a "dont get". Beef curry, the beef was slightly tender but curry was bland. The drinks were okay. This is not worth $30 CAD for an entree/main. P.S I am Indian and normal Indian places can get you better food. Come here if you want good pictures and a few drinks then go get some curry elsewhere read more

Vij's Restaurant - Beef curry - Indian Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Vij's is fusion food done right, this is the experience that's hard to replicate, they serve unique dishes that are not found elsewhere. In addition, they have created a unique ambiance that's one of the best for Indian restaurants. If you have not been there recently, know that they have not started taking reservations. Their covered patio upstairs is the perfect spot for Covid times. read more

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Simply the best Indian restaurant outside of India and I've gone to some great ones in London! I so wish something comparable existed in L.A. read more

Loved this place! First time here and was not disappointed. Staff is super friendly and I really loved the fact that Vij himself is always around checking in with all his customers. Not picture is a coconut curry chicken. Also you get a sample of their Chai tea which is AMAZING! Food was really good and you could tell it was fresh. Can't wait to come back and try some more dishes read more

Vij's Restaurant - Jackfruit, naan and samosas - Indian Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Vj's never disappoints, food always delicious and service is amazing. Porkas and samosas are out of this world