The Bottom Line
Indian-fusion cuisine at its finest, Vij's is a world-class restaurant and beloved Vancouver institution.
Because it doesn't take reservations, get there early (before 5:30pm) for a guaranteed table. It's a small restaurant with a huge following: The later you arrive, the longer your wait. Waits of over an hour are not uncommon.
Vij's
1480 W 11th Avenue
Vancouver, BC
604-736-6664
Pros
- Fantastic Indian-fusion in an intimate atmosphere
- One of the best-known and most highly-acclaimed restaurants in Vancouver
- Vegetarian options
Cons
- The lines! The wait! No reservations mean long wait times at peak hours
- Street parking may be difficult to find
Description
- Open daily for dinner only, from 5:30pm
- Parties of more than 6 people are discouraged
- Most entrées $25 - $28
- More adult oriented
Guide Review - Vij's Restaurant
Vij's deserves its reputation as one of Vancouver's finest restaurants, serving world-class Indian-fusion fare par excellence.
The menu varies seasonally, but the flavours are always unique, perfectly balanced, and surprisingly nuanced. One favourite that can be found most of the time is the exquisite wine-marinated Lamb Popsicles in fenugreek cream curry. Another treat, when they have it, is the pork medallions, served with a garlic yogurt curry.
The owner, Vikram Vij, universally known as "Vik," is almost always on hand to converse with patrons and to treat everyone like an honoured guest. He brings a lovely personality to the place that does a lot to make up for the wait times.
The wait times! The one great negative to Vij's is the combination of extreme popularity, a rather small restaurant and the refusal to take reservations--all of which add up to long wait times, often of over an hour. Diners line up as early as 5pm to wait for the restaurant to open at 5:30pm, just to get a guaranteed seat. (It's first come, first serve.)
Vij's tries to make the wait as pleasant as possible: You can order drinks from the (small) bar and there are free appetizers carried around, cocktail-party style. But the wait is off-putting. For many people, a $150 - $200 meal (about average for dinner for two) is a special occasion--and having to wait too long can make it feel a lot less special.
