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    AMA ATMOSPHERE

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    Recommended Reviews - Ama

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    minamigawa spritz, tangerine dream, s&b sour, watermelon martini
    Isabel C.

    AMA Raw Bar is a Japanese-inspired speakeasy cocktail bar located on Fraser and E King Ed. They boast a variety of creative cocktails and fine-dining Japanese dishes in a mysterious and dark lounge-type ambiance. My friend had been eyeing this place so we made a reservation for a girl's night. I liked the vibes of the restaurant but unfortunately, many elements of the night fell short of my high expectations. To start, the drinks are fantastic - no complaints there. The menu has a chart that indicates the different profiles of all the cocktails such as boozy, sweet, citrus, sour etc. Everyone was able to select a cocktail that matched to their tastes. I love sweet and citrus-y cocktails so I selected the Tangerine Dream and it was delicious! Based on their Instagram posts, I can see that the drinks are carefully curated with multiple elements to create the perfect cocktail and I appreciate that. Now here is where things start to fall short. It was hard to get the server's attention throughout the night. We had already eaten dinner but decided to order a few things to try. The smoked fish dip felt like tuna lunchables with taro chips on the side and the chutoro roll seemed to be amiss with the rice temperature slightly off on the warm side. I admit I may be biased as I just came back from Japan... but the roll really didn't taste like the $26-7 dollars it costed and more like from my local sushi joint. 1.5 hours into our dining time, the server comes and tells us they have a 2 hour dining limit. I told her we had arrived at 9pm and it was only 10:30pm so we should be entitled to 30 more minutes. She responded that maybe someone had arrived early and that was what the table system had registered. I told her that was not the case and she said she was only going off of what she saw and walked off. Girl, just apologize and make an effort to let us enjoy the rest of our dining time....I understand 1) the restaurant wants to boot us out because we're not ordering $$$ and/or 2) the restaurant made an error on the reservation system (which I find unlikely but I will give the benefit of the doubt) but you have to make ammends where possible and show your sincerity to customers. This is basic business etiquette. Initially, I was thinking I would return solely for the great drinks and ambiance but if the service is as belittling and cold as this, then I'd rather go elsewhere.

    Aperol Spritz, Evergreen Elixir
    Nina T.

    We went into this Japanese-inspired cocktail and raw bar just a week into its launch - I'm not sure if their menu has changed but we enjoyed the drinks we got and loved the ambiance of the place. We asked our server about the name of the restaurant. She said the restaurant draws its inspiration from "Ama" which are Japanese divers, renowned for collecting pearls. Highly recommend this place for post-dinner drinks, and they've got tasty small bites too.

    Saehyun O.

    Good ambience Nice jazz live music Only one restroom available-and also it's terribly dirty. Everything is overpriced. See this sashimi I ordered, they charged $95 for this small one. The cocktail was not bad.

    Cocktails pretty mild. Almost taste like cocktails.

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    10 months ago

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    1 year ago

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    2 years ago

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    2 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    2 years ago

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    2 years ago

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    2 years ago

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    2 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Good food but definitely pricey. Also very dark inside which is not my preference. Very cool atmosphere though!

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    2 years ago

    Great cocktails and food is fantastic. The ambience is just about perfect to spend a couple of hours with friends!

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    2 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Foood was so mediocre and overpriced. Our server forgot half of our order, never apologized and still charged us for it. Interior is nice

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    2 years ago

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    Good Thief

    Good Thief

    4.5
    (31 reviews)
    1.0 km

    This restaurant was one of the stops on our Michelin Mile food tour thru Get Your Guide (get Brian…read moreas your guide, if you can). The foods here were unique with keeping the Vietnamese tradition in a way. They were a fun spin to try and all the options for cocktails were great!

    Chic, mysterious, and just a little mischievous, The Good Thief is the kind of spot that feels like…read morea secret you are almost reluctant to share. The entrance is completely unmarked, with darkened windows and no signage; you literally have to decide whether to push or pull your way into the gloom, which fits the "thief" theme perfectly once you step inside. Inside, the space leans into a **chic** speakeasy ambience, only slightly undercut by 90s chillout tunes that are a touch loud but still on-brand for a laid-back late-night hideout. The food is where things really land. Frog legs arrive as the star curiosity and end up tasting strikingly familiar--so much so they echo the famed chicken wings from Anh and Chi in both comfort and flavour. The beef tartare is properly seasoned and genuinely delicious, rich but balanced enough that it never feels heavy. Ox tail is a unique inclusion on the menu and it follows through, offering deep, slow-cooked flavour that stands out even among the stronger dishes. Duck breast is cooked to a textbook pink, tender and juicy, an easy "order again" plate. Dessert keeps the momentum going. An oolong peach creation acts as the perfect finishing touch: fragrant, slightly floral, and just sweet enough to close the meal without tipping into cloying territory. Service and atmosphere reinforce the sense of a discreet drinking den--this is the place you duck into for a properly made drink and a series of small plates, not a high-traffic scene bar. With nothing to complain about--from food to vibe--The Good Thief feels like a well-executed concept: a hidden, unmarked bolthole where you slip in from the dark, linger over excellent plates, and slip back out just as quietly.

    Photos
    Good Thief
    Chinook Salmon
    Chinook Salmon
    Good Thief

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    The Shameful Tiki Room

    The Shameful Tiki Room

    4.3
    (453 reviews)
    0.9 km
    $$

    This was such a wild experience! They had great reviews so I figured I would try it out while in…read moreVancouver. From the outside, it was a little daunting because you couldn't see in. When you enter, you realize why, the entire place is extremely dark with very limited lighting. At first, it was hard to see, but after my eyes adjusted, it was a wildly decorated tiki bar. They even had frequent "thunderstorms." I sat at the bar because the tables were very limited. The bar staff seemed like they have been there a long time and were extremely helpful when navigating the large menu. The drinks were amazing and well crafted! The nachos were a huge portion, even for being the smaller choice. Everything was excellent, and it was a great experience!

    The best tiki bar in town, hands down. I've been here many times, and it's always packed on summer…read moreevenings, so I'd definitely recommend making a reservation. The cocktails are generally on the sweeter side, but they're also surprisingly strong. We ordered the Zombie (3 oz), and there's a reason it's limited to two per guest. It tasted sweet and tropical, but it definitely sneaks up on you and can get you tipsy pretty quickly. The drink prices are quite reasonable, especially compared to the food. While the food is decent, I'd say the cocktails are the real highlight here. The atmosphere is fun, lively, and full of tropical vibes, come for the drinks and the atmosphere rather than the food.

    Photos
    Ambience
    Ambience
    Interior
    Interior
    Cherry Lime Rickey, Mai Tai

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    Cherry Lime Rickey, Mai Tai
    Mnimes Restaurant & Bar

    Mnimes Restaurant & Bar

    4.4
    (37 reviews)
    3.1 km

    We started with the Manos Signature Dip. The creamy, slightly spicy Tirokafteri served with warm…read moregrilled pita. Then came the Watermelon Salad. It was fresh and juicy Would've been even better if the watermelon came in bite-sized cubes instead of slices For mains, we had Roasted Lamb Shoulder which is very Tender and flavourful And the star of the table...Mousaka! Rich, comforting and beautifully layered

    I have seen a lot of good reviews about this place and convinced our party of 8 to come try it…read moresince it's in our neighborhood and we have been looking for a new local Greek restaurant since Panos on Marine Drive closed down. Sadly, we were sooooo disappointed! We came on a Saturday evening at peak time, around 6:30pm, so granted, we expected it to be busy. We were sat nearly right away in comfortable booths with tables. The waitress brought us menus and water. So far so good! We ordered our food, nothing crazy, several got the special of the night, lamb souvlaki with potatoes rice and pita. A couple ordered the seafood pasta, one asked for red sauce instead of cream sauce and two asked for veggie lasagna's but they only had one order available. When we asked about the beers on menu, we were told each one was unavailable except for Heineken and the seasonal beer. When we asked what it was, she didn't know. She then brought the can of beer over and said she wasn't sure what type it was. Fair enough! She was young, seemed new and not quite trained with alcohol so no big deal. It gave us a giggle. It was a Granville Island radler btw. I ordered a Heineken and my friend ordered the yummy sounding spicy passionfruit margarita. My beer came fairly quick but no margarita. Then the young waitress came out to say that our food would take a bit longer to come out since they were a bit slammed with orders and asked if we wanted any appetizers. We decided we'd be ok, and decided to wait. One hour later!!!!! I'm not joking, one hour later, the margarita drink came out. Again, we noticed very young and probably newly hired staff attempting to make drinks. When this $19 drink came out, it looked like the rim of salt was touched with fingers and a lot of it was missing. However, my friend desperate for a drink or morsel of anything, decided to just have it as it came. She said it was delicious and the best thing she had. One hour and a half later!!! Our food came out. My medium rare lamb was cooked through and the pasta with red sauce came out with a cream sauce, but there was NO way we were going to send anything back as we were pretty hangry at this point. The potatoes were delicious, the rice extremely plain. All 8 of us agreed that for the price, service and quality of food, we would not be returning, although my friend said if the passionfruit drink was on the happy hour menu, she would consider it. All in all, very disappointed.

    Photos
    Nice atmosphere
    Nice atmosphere
    Greek salad
    Greek salad
    Wine sampling - courtesy of sommelier

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    Wine sampling - courtesy of sommelier
    Alchemy Bar and Kitchen

    Alchemy Bar and Kitchen

    4.2
    (30 reviews)
    3.7 km
    Happy hour specials
    Takes reservations

    Stumbled upon this place via Yelp (thanks fellow Yelpers) when we were in town for a cruise. So…read moreglad that we found it as the establishment was a gem. The owner and staff were so welcoming / made our dinner even more special. Restaurant has classy, modern, and hip decor. There's also a bar area for drinks. We had several of their pasta dishes and all were very good. Nice selection of wines, which we enjoyed with our meal. We had a large party (9 people) and they did a great job of serving us - meals came out quickly and efficiently. They really added to the specialness of our group vacation.

    We had a nice evening at Alchemist. We were there for happy hour, so we were able to order a…read morebottle of wine for to have with our dinner. They have an outdoor patio area but the seating is on couches you and would have to lean over to eat at a coffee table. We thought that it would be very awkward for eating. They had one high top table outside that we took. Sunday is pizza night and all the pizzas were $17.95. The FIFA game was on both inside and on the patio. For dinner we shared a diavola pizza and smoked salmon parpadelle. The pizza was good but the crust was soggy. The salmon parpadelle was good but I think it would have been better with another pasta - spaghetti, linguine or fettucine as the pasta could not be twirled with a fork and spoon and had to be cut up. The service was excellent. When our server Malaka heard that we were coming in from Abbotsford she said that she would give us the "best seat in the restaurant". When we opted to sit on the patio she gave us a complimentary tiramisu as a thank you. It was such a kind gesture. It was a nice relaxing evening and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.

    Photos
    Slow-braised Lamb Shank, served with your choice of creamy risotto or roasted marinated potatoes and seasonal vegetables.
    Slow-braised Lamb Shank, served with your choice of creamy risotto or roasted marinated potatoes and seasonal vegetables.
    Alchemist.
    Alchemist.
    Step into our beautifully covered patio and enjoy a cozy, stylish atmosphere.

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    Step into our beautifully covered patio and enjoy a cozy, stylish atmosphere.
    The Narrow Group

    The Narrow Group

    3.8
    (127 reviews)
    2.2 km
    $$

    Mixed feelings about this place . There are things I liked ( ambience , prices ,…read morebartender/mixologist currently working's personal flair ) when I visited , however I didn't have the best experience overall . Two stars ( instead of one ) for the bartender trying to make it right by offering me a free shot with my happy hour beverage but honestly I would have rather just been treated better (with a little more consideration) . In the states at "fancy" restaurants and or really popular places ( in general places that take reservations) , a single person would never really be allowed to sit at a larger table or booth, unless extreme circumstances warranted it like they were disabled / had a wheelchair ( which I am ) due to the fact that most likely a larger party who would obviously want to sit together, would need that limited space and it would be awkward to have someone move tables when they were already enjoying their drink or meal to accommodate a larger party. This rule, however doesn't really exist at places like dive bars . In general as most dive bars tended to be sparsely populated ...sitting wherever is not really an issues . In general first come first serve and every man for himself ...is usually the vibe . I arrived here, basically at opening and was there for about 40 minutes when a party of four arrived . All four of them kept looking at my table where I was sitting (the only booth in the small bar) as they were initially forced to sit together at one of the single tables with four chairs . Next thing, I know the bartender comes over to me and apologizes, saying he has to bug me and request that I move to a smaller table because they need the one booth . As I gathered my belongings to move, members of the larger party avoided making eye contact as they some thanked me for moving . Obvious that they were feeling guilt and yet it didn't stop them from claiming the booth I was using as a disabled person . Quite an unpleasant experience . To be fair I get the need to accommodate a larger party but honestly they could've literally just pushed three tables together and arranged the chairs to be three on each side. It would've been a little bit more work, but I think it would have been the fairest solution ..and would have been my solution as the employee working there or if I was a member of the party . It's the entitlement that really bothered me . I think I just come from a place where in certain instances people wouldn't even dare ask .

    I was expecting more...the music was punk rock and loud. Definitely not the music I was expecting…read moreat a "speakeasy" type of bar. Cocktails weren't all that amazing. I don't know. Nothing memorable about this place other than the 2 minutes of excitement trying to find it...

    Photos
    The Narrow Group
    The Narrow Group
    The Narrow Group

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    Ama - cocktailbars - Updated August 2026

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