Herons West Coast Kitchen + Bar

I noticed Herons had a deal in the Entertainment Book, so I decided to try the restaurant, despite the fact that it was a «Hotel Lobby» type of feel.
We booked a reservation with another couple for Saturday evening, which also happened to be Earth Hour. Arriving around 9:30PM, the place seemed a bit quiet but it was romantic as the entire downstairs was lit with candle-​light only. I hadn’t seen Herons before the renovation, but inside it was quite beautiful. The only thing that was lacking, was the people.
Ordering drinks, it’s just another expensive Vancouver restaurant — beer is $ 9 – 12 and cocktails and wine are over $ 15. The Moscow Muel was a pretty well-​done cocktail, but definitely not worth $ 15 given it’s not a hip, lively bar.
We tried the pulled-​beef burger sliders to start, which were just okay and for our entrees I had the crab carbonara and my boyfriend tried the hanger steak. At approximately $ 30 – 35 an entrée, I would say it didn’t impress me that much. I would have much rather been at a place like Chambar.
Our server was nice, attentive and friendly — but, unfortunately it seems like this is just a hotel restaurant without much of a personality.
Perhaps things will get busier in the summer.

When a good friend invited me out to dine on a TravelZoo voucher, I was pleased to be invited but somewhat suspect of the restaurant. I guess I have some preconceptions about hotel restaurants.
Herons really delivered well-​beyond my expectations for food and service. But there is an element missing that neither I nor my dining companion could quite put our fingers on. More on that later.
The voucher set-​up was quite good in that we were not restricted in choices of dishes. We could each choose any first course and any main course. I ordered the seared scallops and arctic char and we shared a bottle of Mission Hills Shiraz. The meal started out with some warm rolls and the meal was perfectly paced from there. The scallops came with a cauliflower risotto which is something that I’d love to replicate at home – instead of arborio rice, it was composed of cauliflower pieces but was still creamy. The arctic char was very nice, with perfectly crispy skin, a good portion of vegetables and mushrooms and the bonus! a small disc of puff pastry underneath. My friend enjoyed his beef tenderloin very much and I tasted a piece and I was somewhat envious of his choice. We capped off the night with a sticky toffee cake which was divided into two bowls for us… we substituted a second scoop of ice cream in place of the blue cheese/​mascarpone. Dinner had been rich enough with sauces and I’m not always a big fan of blue cheese.
Our server, Emilee was so excellent… she was professional but casually friendly, making spot-​on recommendations and checking in regularly. The other members of the service team were courteous and kind as well.
Even with exceptional service and really good food, there is a slightly impersonal, corporate atmosphere. The price point is not higher than other fine dining in Vancouver but there is a certain heart of small, local places that can’t be programmed. This was a Tuesday night so it was not busy and there wasn’t much of a buzz. I’m not sure I’m describing it well enough… I enjoyed my dinner very much but I probably would not return, instead favouring a local establishment instead. If this meal and service were at a small Vancouver restaurant, this would surely be a 4 or 5-​star review. I just can’t do it in this case though – I wouldn’t be able to recommend it without hesitation nor am I planning at this point to return, which are my criteria to give high ratings.

This restaurant and I got off to a rough start. It seemed to fancy schmancy to me. The tables are oddly big so it felt like my fiancé and I were sitting 5 feet across from each other… on Valentine’s Day, no less! BUT, then we got the food, and I felt all better. Actually, the mojito may have helped too.
–The bread is SUPER FRESH. So soft and delicious. The green sauce is amazing.
–The cucumber and pomegranate mojito is very refreshing.
–I’d highly recommend the arctic char. It was super moist and just so well-​cooked. I loved the sauteed mushrooms and greens with it, and the surprise puff pastry underneath it all. Oh, and the celery purée! Who thought I’d like that? I did.

Went for dinner with the family, restaurant was nearly empty.
Service was absolutely wonderful, our entrees were all very good. The appetizers weren’t as spectacular but still good. The ambiance was just ok.

One of the most delicious meals I have had. The scallops, arctic char and salmon were perfection! Service was excellent, and we enjoyed the view and location. Luckily, this meal was a gift, as it is somewhat expensive.

Herons had a set thanksigiving dinner this year that my darling mum and aunt wanted to take my dear husband and I to, as our first holiday dinner as a married couple. The girl who took our reservation told us that the earliest she could get us in was 8:15. I was exhausted but figured, hey, turkey dinner is worth waiting for so sure.
So Mom comes and picks us up and as we are driving to the restaurant, at about 8:05 p.m. we get a phonecall from the hostess, who informs us that they have run out of turkey and therefore can’t accomodate us for the turkey dinner. She offered us fish or rabbit instead, but unfortunately we were jonesin’ for that thanksgiving turkey dinner. We were disappointed and proceeded to turn around and try to figure out new dinner plans.
The manager of the restaurant called back and offered us to come in for breakfast. We unfortunately already had breakfast plans, and so she suggested lunch. My husband was working, and so it was just us three ladies for lunch… but it would have to do!
We went over the next day for lunch and were more than taken care of. We were given the royal treatment and i think it made up for our disappointment the night before.
I would give five stars, but unfortunately my new husband was still unable to join us, and the disruption to our dinner plans meant he was not included in what was supposed to be our first holiday dinner as a family. I would definitely reccomend Herons for their great customer service, and fantastic food, though. Just still slightly bummed that our plans got ruined on such an important holiday as a family.
C’est la vie.

You wouldn’t think it, but this has become a great place to find a burger in Vancouver.
A quiet place for a nice lunch with a great ambience and where one can engage in conversation. The burger was very fresh tasting and the kitchen can fix it the way you like it. I had it with salad instead of fries. Overall, a very good burger.

We stopped in for breakfast after looking at nicer options in the area. Surely wasn’t cheap, but the food was delectable and our server, Kathlene, was one of the best I’ve ever come across. Delightfully friendly and genuine! She was great!
Loved the view through the big glass windows, while enjoying a delicious breakfast. All kinds of ready made breakfast items and also plenty of things you could have made to order such as omelettes, etc.
Buffet was around $ 30-​$ 35 each after tip. Probably better options around, but this was a comfortable and classy early morning meal and who can complain about that?

i went here to try the dine out vancouver menu, and it was a pretty good meal for a very reasonable price.
for starters, i had the seafood chowder, which was thick and creamy and full of fresh seafood. it was probably one of the best soups i’ve had in a while.
the entrée was lamb sirloin, and it was soooooo tender (medium rare) — i loved it. it was paired with a side of apple and veggies.
the dessert was some sort of cake with banana and ice cream… i ate the ice cream, because i absolutely love ice cream and can never pass it up, but i was honestly so stuffed from the rest of the meal that i only took a few bites out of the banana/​cake and was done.
herons is located inside the fairmont and has more of a lounge feel than a nice fancy, fine-​dining, five-​star restaurant feel… but i liked it, it definitely would be great for intimate dinners and good conversation over dinner.
the service was awesome too (i mean i guess it kind of had to be, being the fairmont and all) — our waitress was very accommodating and nice, and had good recommendations when it came to wine and whatnot.
oh, and i loved the huge platter of bread they brought out to start — it came with butter and a fresh clove of garlic.

Very overpriced, had the salmon which I expected to come on a plate with vegetables but it came out in a bowl with greasy sauce and overcooked veggies floating around. Just awful! The salmon was hardly edible.
My friend had the crab cake with shrimp that would not even be considered an
appetizer, it was so small, Terrible food and pricey!!!
The martinis were so watered down we could hardly taste the vodka, so we ordered wine. Not one bottle under $ 55.00. Total cost of 2 entrees, 2 martinis and a bottle of wine for lunch, before tip
$ 160.00. Biggest rip off in town. Never again!!!

Everyone who’s read my reviews (very few people) knows that I’m not exactly a connoisseur of fine dining. I tend to spend my time in cheap Asian eateries around South Burnaby. So what would have brought me to a place so foreign and out of my comfort zone? A 2 for 1 deal with my tourism pass and my first anniversary.
Now, first of all the whole thing was a little intimidating, I had spend the first half of the day in Stanley park so I was wearing comfortable, beat-​up shoes and some faded dress pants, the rest of my outfit, however, was pretty classy if I do say so myself. When we walked in I nervously mentioned the pass and she was happy to stamp it… not realizing we wanted to get in on the dinner deal, too. Although when she did she was very sweet and welcoming, apologizing as she showed us to our seats.
Before we knew it they brought us a beautiful starter of a variety of delicious breads and oh my god, roasted garlic! They took the time to explain each of the breads and then left us to devour it. Somewhere in there they took our orders as well. Really, I could have sat there with the breads and roasted garlic all day.
The meal came right when we were done nibbling on the platter. Perfect timing. Damn, was it good. Perfectly cooked salmon on top of greens and potatoes in that fancy round presentation typical of high class restaurants. It was surrounded with bits of honeyed bacon and topped with crispy salmon skin. The skin was gorgeous, I could eat that skin like potato chips. I’m serious, bag bits of salmon skin like that and sell it to the masses! The salmon itself was rich and hearty and delicious. The potatoes melted in my mouth. Even the greens were awesome. The honeyed bacon sealed the deal though, absolutely orgasmic. I had a bite of my lover’s steak as well, mmmmmm, that’s a damn good steak. I’m sure everything else on the menu is just as divine.

I just had the chance to eat lunch here on a break from work, in the wide, high space at the bottom of the Fairmont right at the epicentre of the downtown waterfront. I like the light that comes in through those big windows! In any case, it’s a calm and refined vibe — not casual, but not stuffy either.
This being the Fairmont, the service was absolutely on the mark. Promptness and politeness all around. No rush but totally on top of things. After you’ve been seated and had some tasty bread, you can choose between a la carte and buffet lunch options — the buffet runs at twenty-​something dollars per person and I wasn’t feeling terribly hungry, so I went with the regular menu.
From that menu, which featured some pretty time-​tested Western Hemisphere lunch staples like Cobb salad and a burger, and some interesting ocean-​wise fish items, I picked the steak sandwich with «tobacco» onions (I had never heard this term before. They’re done crispy fried and a bit spicy!) It came open faced, cooked to order at medium-​rare (I don’t know how they cook it but they manage to keep the meat very evenly done, which is a plus) with a sauce that had a peppery and subtle blue cheese flavour. Lots of garlic-​packed gravy between the steak and the bread. As an example of what the kitchen at the Fairmont can do, I’m impressed.
Note: this being the Fairmont… it was expensive. Hovering near or slightly above twenty dollars for sandwich and side salad. Enough food to satisfy (Cobb salad as ordered by my lunch companion was also sizeable and well made) but still, a little on the pricey side. Worth it for the quiet, the quality and the great service, but maybe only once in a while for the wallet’s sake.

Had an Entertainment book for our trip to Vancouver, so I was bound and determined to use it on SOMETHING while we were in town. So, we walked from our hotel down and around Canada Place and happened upon Heron’s in the Fairmont, which just HAPPENED to be in the Entertainment book… yay!
The starter bread with a whole roasted head of garlic, my strip steak with baked mac & cheese w/​dungeness crab was awesome, while hubby halibut was masterfully prepared. A great meal!

This review is for the Heron’s Lounge.
It’s a nice and cozy atmosphere… in a business kind of way.
I’m rating this 4-​stars until I have the opportunity to check it out again, at night, when they have live piano music (which could make all the difference).
The good:
— Service was great. Everyone was cheerful and offered up good suggestions on cocktails and wine.
— Every Fairmont Hotel has their «signature» cocktail… this one is the «Rooftop Honey and Basil Collins» made from the honey and basil from their rooftop garden. Coming in at $ 14… I highly recommend it!
— Great cocktail menu and overall premium spirit selection.
— You never feel rushed… even when it gets busy.
— Stella on tap!
The bad:
— Paid WiFi. Ridiculous… even the hostess was surprised that they still required payment. It’s like the stone-​age.
— If you come in casual wear… you may feel a bit out of place. The dress code is at minimum, business casual.
Overall, if you like premium cocktails (I also recommend their classic «Sidecar» made with Remy Martin VSOP) and a good meeting place I really can’t think of a better place in the downtown area.
Try to make it out on the weekends when they have live piano music!

Herons is a beautiful restaurant located in the Fairmont Waterfront Hotel in Downtown Vancouver. It was Monday night but the place was about half full. We came here for a birthday dinner and we each had an appetizer and an entrée. Mussels and duck breasts made a wonderful start to the meal, each mussel was large, fresh and delicious, perfectly made; the duck breast was cooked just right with a crisp salad on the side. The portion size was large and great for sharing. Entrees were sablefish and lamb shank, both just as good as the first dishes. Fish was seared and smoked with oyster mushrooms and vegetables. Lamb shank was tender and juicy adorned with a slice of unique spicy sausage. Service was superb! Will come again for sure.

My wife and I have lived in Canada for a few years now, but had yet to celebrate Canadian Thanksgiving. This year we decided to finally join the rest of the nation and get with the program. This was all prompted by the «free bottle of wine» coupon that we were given when we checked out from the Fairmont Waterfront the day before. With purchase of the Thanksgiving buffet, we’d get a free bottle of red or white Inniskillin wine. That seemed to be the little push that we needed because we went home and made reservations for the next day.
The buffet included pâté, salad, seafood, cheese, and dessert stations. We also had the choice of three main courses. My wife had the traditional turkey dinner. She loved everything except for the stuffing, which she said was too dry. I had the maple salmon and it was probably some of the best salmon I’d ever had. The other choice on the menu was prime rib. I was really impressed with how generous the portions were and it definitely did not feel like «buffet food». Even the buffet portion was top quality all the way through. The only sad part was that I was too full to be able to sample all of the desserts. There were many to choose from and everything I had was delicious.
Now this Thanksgiving meal was not cheap ($ 68 per person), but for the quality of the food and service, it was totally worth it. Plus, no hours of toiling away in the kitchen for hours or after dinner clean up. I think this has become a new holiday tradition!

One of my favourite restaurants to go to, for its calibre of service and food.
It’s a nice narrow room, with tables all along the floor to ceiling windows (which span the whole restaurant.) Simple floral arrangements line the room, with a beige and brown theme throughout. Views are spectacular, with the new Convention Center and mountains. It’s always an awesome environment, whether it be lunch or dinner. On Saturday nights they have live piano music, which only makes this restaurant better. (Can I make this review 6 stars?)
Fresh, west coast food. Tried many dishes on their menu and none of them has failed me. They have their own roof herb garden, which is beneficial because it adds that extra touch to the flavours of the dishes. Service is always top notch, with impeccable service. My water glasses has always been filled, and bread crumbs are always cleared off the table before the main entrée is served. Attention to details is a plus here.
Their menu hasn’t changed in years, which could also be a good thing. It assures me that I will be able to order my favourite dish each time I visit. It’s also quite extensive, as they have something for everyone, focusing mostly on seafood. Lots of fresh fishes-​Lingcod, snapper, salmon… They always cook their fish right, all the flavours are always sustained. Their main dishes are always accompanied with the right sides-​fresh vegetables, risotto, rice.
Favourites:
SALT SPRING ISLAND HONEY MUSSELS –chardonnay. tomato. shallots and fresh herbs. These fresh herbs that they’re using really gives this dish a kick. Mussels are plump and fresh, and slowly simmered.
TEMPURA PRAWNS –kabosu marinated ahi tuna. This came with several pieces of sushi. Not the best sushi ever, but decent enough. The prawns here are lightly battered, with a nice drizzle of mango vinagarette.
WATERFRONT FRESH SEAFOOD CHOWDER –mussels. clams. fresh seafood. chorizo-​Chorizo adds something different to the typical seafood chowder. This is almost like a bouillabaise. Highly recommended.
DUNGENESS CRAB BISQUE –tarragon cream. Something different than the typical lobster bisque.
SEARED WILD SALMON –wilted peppercress and arugula. tomato. roof top honey bacon, truffle vinaigrette. Can’t go wrong with this dish. They do their salmon just right.
ROOF TOP HONEY ROASTED FREE RANGE CHICKEN BREAST –this will most likely be the best chicken breast you’ve ever had. The flavour of the chicken is retained, and it’s juicy and tender. The light flavour of honey is infused within the meat.
JUMBO PRAWNS AND SEARED SCALLOPS –applewood smoked bacon risotto. braised cavalo nero. My all time favourite dish. Jumbo prawns, with fresh seared scallops? Best thing ever. The scallops are always cooked just right, never overcooked. Risotto has slight hint of the smoked bacon flavour, cooked to the perfect consistency. A good portion too.
Dessert: I once tried this chocolate mint dome. For all you chocolate mint lovers-​come here just to try this. You will not be disappointed. The perfect balance of chocolate and mint, all in one dome shaped treat.
They indicate which dishes are «Fairmont Lifestyle Cuisine», where they use nutritionally balanced ingredients. Also, they are part of the Ocean Wise program, which contributes to sustainable seafood.
We also come here for Easter brunch. It’s pricey but in my opinion worth every single penny. There’s nothing like spending the Easter Sunday with great company and great food. The food selection is always good, fresh salad, innovative On a sad not, they used to have crepes suzette station, made to order. They’re the best I’ve ever had. Carmalized sugar, fresh orange juice, Grand mariner… the sweet orange and warm crepes. with the liquid sugar oozing out… I’m salivating as I’m writing.
Food is always fresh. Wine list is extensive. Service is great. Prices are a little higher, but you’re getting your money’s worth. Always a treat.

This was a pleasant surprise. After a long day at work we decided to eat there on our way back to Richmond.
We didn’t have a reservation but had no problem getting a table even though a big group just came in and took up all the seats. Service was very good and friendly. I liked it as soon as we arrived.
The menu has the health check logo’s on it and more. I like this.
The appy’s and main coursed not overly priced for this caliber of restaurant.
We had a prawn tempura and sushi dish which was quite good. The batter was crispy on the prawns and there was a (I think it was) mango purée to go with the tempura. Nice touch. Sushi — well, mediocre but a good attempt.
My main was the Sturgeon, nice grill marks and not too dry. Butter sauce underneath the white and green asparagus and the potato Couli was delicious.
I have to say, yes. I was impressed. I still am.
We used the Entertainment book which also saved a bit on the meal as well. Bonus!!!

Overworked + overtime + tired + sleepy + hungry + do not want to cook
= a well deserved treat at Herons.
I’ve wanted to come try their nicoise salad for lunch for a very long time, but I must say dinner was definitely delightful. In the beginning, I felt like our waitress was nice, but she was spending way more time with the older and more wealthier couple beside us who has not been there as long as we had…
but her quirkyness and patience definitely made up for it throughout the night. I had been craving scallops for a long time — especially when you watching cooking shows and chefs always searing scallops for show. I requested my jumbo shrimp and scallops to be scallops ONLY — which also came with artichoke, fennel ravioli and seasonal vegetables… the flavours were definitely complex, i must say — one bite was sweet, then salty, then bitter, then light… somehow it just all came together in a way that I have never tasted food before.
My boyfriend’s crab cakes had just amount of texture, although his chorizo sauce was too salty and overpowering for me and the chantrelle mushrooms were oh so lovely!
Of course, what’s a meal without having dessert — café latte ice cream, which was super sweet in an absolutely yummylicious kind of way, and in house lychee sorbet that tasted like eating a super super super sweet lychee and transforming into sorbet form in your mouth. just wow.
A lovely evening I must say and we got a great «COPS» show when four of them screeched to a halt right in front of the restaurant and hand cuffed a couple of fellas… not sure what happened, but the lights flickering reminded me of Christmas time.

Herons is a bright restaurant with lots of windows that look across that the Pan Pacific and convention centre, and the North Shore Mountains beyond. It’s just off the lobby of the Fairmont Waterfront hotel. They present themselves as serving seasonal and regional cuisine.
It’s an elegant place with white tablecloths, wine glasses and winning service. Our waiter was friendly, helpful and very patient with questions. The crowd looked like a mix of power-​lunchers and Mom-​and-​daughter dates. They offer a high-​class buffet for lunch, but we decided to order a la carte and remain in our seats.
The wine list had a nice selection by-​the-​glass, but the prices were steep: $ 11 to $ 15 for a glass of white. We went for it and really enjoyed a Tantalus Riesling ($ 13) and a Pinot Gris from Blasted Church ($ 12).
The Warm Ahi Tuna Nicoise Salad was amazing and there was a lot of tuna, which almost justified the $ 23 price tag. The Roasted Chicken Sandwich with bacon and avocado was nice, and the cranberry chutney was an interesting touch. It was actually too big to fit my mouth around and I had to take off one slice of bread and eat it open-​faced with a fork and knife. But a sandwich for $ 18 … if I not with my Mom, I would have been just as happy to pick up a turkey/​bacon/​guacamole sub at Quizno’s for a third of the price.
The dress code is smart casual and reservations are recommended. It’s closed between 2:30 and 5:30 in the afternoon.