Check out those high ceiling ... At Hydra Estiatorio Tomato salad Saganaki Lamb Keftedes Kalamari Service is good. Good Greek place. Nice nice place to wow your guests. read more

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1st review for 2022 and also first outing with the bestie s - unplanned yet planned at the same time. she was so nice to think of my wallet after my dior purchase (lol?). don't be alarmed that it's empty when you walk into hydra - the restaurant has closed the street level part due to COVID. ofc the usual vaccine card check as you walk-in and we were then ushered upstairs. as you get closer to the main restaurant, you'll hear more of the tables so that's always a good sign. props to our server because we took A WHILE with the drinks and food. s had the sour that had the cutest bee on top of the drink. i had the arborist (come on - you should know by now that i'm a g&t girl) - light, refreshing and clean on the palette. my other bestie p actually came here before and rec'd the lamb meatballs - we didn't order this time ard because i'm not a big fan of lamb. we did, however, order the tomato salad and the ceviche. the tomato salad was fresh and the tomatoes were on point. i LOVED the feta that was part of the salad. the ceviche was delicate and clean; the container that it was plated in tho needs to be changed. we then ordered the chicken souvlaki - chicken was juicy, tender and perfectly seasoned. the tzatziki was tart but def added another flavour to the already delish souvlaki. s did order an affogato and i stole a bite - the ice cream was creamy and the espresso was strong! i need to come back with a bigger crowd so that we can try the family plates! read more

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First time trying out this restaurant. Location is very elegant. As if you are on holiday. The food is very delicious. We were satisfied by our service, throughout the dine-in. I would definitely recommend their oysters here, as well as their chocolate ganache dessert. read more

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I came here for the buck an oyster experience and enjoyed it! Had a Cyprus sour with tzatizki and pita on the side while waiting for the oysters. Our server was very attentive and he got us amazing drinks with very good conversation. We didn't have much throughout the night, as this was just a small snack with a drink past 8pm. Though, I have to say we really enjoyed the night and would love to come back here with more people to introduce them to the place! read more

Hydra Estiatorio - Mediterranean Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Had a wonderful experience for happy hour with Hailey as our server. Great oysters good food and wine! Recommend if you are looking for a cool spot. read more

Hydra Estiatorio - Hydra - Mediterranean Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

We made a reservation and went during their Happy Hour (3 PM - 6 PM). The server was very friendly and we did not have to wait long for the food to arrive. There weren't many people when we went (around 3-4 other groups dining), so if that's something you prefer, plan to arrive closer to the beginning of the Happy Hour. The Buck A Shuck oyster deal was the main reason why we came, so we didn't order a lot of the other items on the menu. I would definitely recommend this place if you are looking for an affordable price for raw oysters. Other than that, the food was alright. I do have to say that the furnishing and decorations in the restaurant was well done, it really adds to the experience. Oysters: 4/5 This was my first time having oysters and I thought they were pretty good! I tried it plain by itself, as well as with the mignonette sauce that the oysters came with. Both ways were good, but I liked it with the sauce a little more. There was also a bit of a crunch (either sand or shell), so that was unexpected. Hydra Spreads: 3.5/5 I am not a big fan of buying bread at restaurants, so I am biased. However, this was a pretty good item to share with friends. The served two pitas cut into eight pieces with three different spreads (I think they were melitzana, tzatziki, and hummus). Depending on preference, you might like one more than the other. My friends and I really liked the melitzana, and we came to the conclusion that the taste reminded us of Lay's BBQ Chips. Lamb Keftedes: 4/5 This was the second best item we ordered (after the oysters). It was unique and the sauce that it was served in really complemented it. I wish they gave a bigger serving since there were only three meatballs, meaning each meatball was over $3. We found out from the server that keftedes is pronounced like "kef-ti-dees" :) Kalamari: 3/5 Before coming to the restaurant we had read some bad reviews about the calamari. We ended up getting the item anyways, and they were as expected. The portion was small, and the calamari was not crispy--taste was alright though. It was definitely not the best calamari that we've had, but it was not terrible read more

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I've been wanting to try this place out for a while and finally had the chance. There's two levels with bars and on each floor and seating that are attached to the EXchange Hotel. I recommend if you want to come during the weekend, call in advance to book a table. If you get the choice, I would eat upstairs as it's a better vibe in my personal opinion. Let's start with the ambiance and visuals as they are very impressive. Once you walk in, you are welcomed but a beautiful grand circular staircase from the Mezze Bar that wraps around in a spiral with concealed LED lighting that illuminate to give you a elegant and sheek effect. You are then greeted by their "Gold Sea Star" sculpture above the Raw Bar and hanging above the banquette is a large swirling Greek sea painting by famed artist Antonis Titakis. I started off by ordering their old fashion which is my go to drink and it didn't disappoint. As it's family style, we ordered 4 dishes which I thought was a good amount for 2 people. The melitzana which is an eggplant based dip (highly recommend) with pita bread, organic heirloom beets, grilled octopus and the beef tenderloin. All were amazing. The only drawback which isn't their fault is the parking. Downtown won't get any better anytime soon so make sure you come early if you plan on driving. Overall, this place is good for all occasions. I would definitely come back again and make sure I try their fish as they are imported daily from Aegean & Salish Seas and they claim to be the freshest fish in Vancouver! read more

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The food is pretty good, but the service was way too slow It took forever to get the food read more

Hydra Estiatorio - Bread - Mediterranean Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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Drinks are pretty good here but the food was quite disappointing especially considering the price point. It lacked freshness and flavour and overall did not live up to the hype. There are much better restaurants in Vancouver with delicious Mediterranean food. The staff is great, very attentive and friendly, they definitely contributed to the experience in a positive way. read more

So yummy high quality, kind staff, delicious food Hydra reminds me of my favorite place in lplp read more

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I loved this restaurant. The food was fantastic and the staff was even better. Thank you for everything.

Ambiance is gorgeous, service was very good and even the oysters, calamari and appetizer spread on happy hour along with the wines they offer were good value but I guess we had reached our time limit at our table and without even asking, our spread was taken away and the bills were abruptly brought and split out incorrectly and we could not even flag our waitress to correct it so we paid and left and settled among ourselves after. Would recommend it for happy hour as the restaurant is so pretty, our waitress was really good as she knew we wanted to order more pita for our spread without us even having to ask, so it would have been a great experience. Also when I had booked the table, there was a bit of confusion and the restaurant was trying to move my reservation out by 30 mins so it is a very nice restaurant, and would have been 4 stars easily but at least let us know if they needed the table rather than make it uncomfortable for us as it tainted the experience. read more

We did a buyout and hosted a canape style dinner. Scott and his team looked after us so well, the food was amazing and the venue was beautiful. Would definitely do it again. read more

Came here for my husband's birthday dinner and when I tell you we were blown away. The food was incredible and so tasty, the salt baked fish was the star of the show. All the staff were super friendly and knowledgeable about the menu, we had an amazing experience and would definitely recommend this place for dinner. read more

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We had reservations and were seated downstairs -- twice after we complained about sitting right next to the door -- apparently the main restaurant is upstairs. Food-wise, the flatbread was soggy, olives good, shared chicken was tasty, lamb ribs cool and just ok. On the good side, service was absolutely excellent, thanks to our wonderful waiter. Given the promotion and pricing, our hopes were higher than the outcome. read more

First time at Hydra , made the reservation based on the reviews I had read and it DID NOT DISAPPOINT !!! The food was delicious , ambience wonderful and the wait staff were great , especially Libby !!! I would highly recommend this restaurant !!! Can't wait to come back ! read more

I genuinely enjoyed my time here! The ambiance was so beautiful. Our server was such a gentleman and a joy to talk with. Also very knowledgeable, gave great suggestions as it was our first time. I ordered the Moussaka and I was not disappoint! Will definitely be returning soon! read more

Hydra Estiatorio - Moussaka with side salad - Mediterranean Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

The food is really good but they have hired servers which are way too amateur and inexperienced. Ours kept forgetting multiple things and we had to repeat our ask. Why not write it down if you are going to possibly forget? That ruined our experience but the food made up for it, luckily. read more

Food was good .Service was disaster. Waiter was completely useless which mad the whole experience infuriating. Complete disappointment

This review is two-fold, one on the dinner experience and one for breakfast. The dinner experience was a zero, based completely on the service. The breakfast was a 3. Management was notified while I was there in-person, and they told me they would address the issues. I was a guest in the hotel. I went to Hydra to order dinner. The place had 1 hour left till closing. It was full of people. I stood at the entrance, waiting to be seated. Staff stared and/or walked by but no one acknowledged me for about five minutes. Then a gentleman walked up and asked how he could help me. I asked for a table. He said they were doing a private event so the restaurant was closed upstairs, but he would walk me to the first floor. I said great and asked why there wasn't a sign or anything indicating they were closed for a private event at the host stand. He didn't reply to my question and instead asked how my night was going. Once downstairs, we were approached by a gentleman working the first floor. The first employee told him I'd like to be seated. He pointed to the bar and told me to "go over there." For health reasons, I cannot sit on a high bar stool. I replied that I wanted a table. He pointed at a credenza pushed against the wall and said he could push a chair against it and I could sit there, in the corner. I raised my eyebrows and said, "WHAT. I want a real table, please." He replied, "Then I'll get a patio table and bring it in and put it over there," pointing again to the corner. It was pouring rain outside. "No," I told him, "I'm not sitting shoved in the corner. I want a real table here." He told me that it is a real table. I told them that I was a guest in the hotel and couldn't believe they were treating me like this, or anyone. Why couldn't I wait for a table? More staring. I then asked where the elevators were to go back to the hotel, and they directed me. Breakfast the next day was eggs benedict. Not very tasty; sad sauce, dried potatoes. Waiter disappeared in a heart beat and was really interested in talking with his co-worker so didn't have a chance to ask for hot sauce or something to make it taste better nor a refill. After the check came, he really tried to butter me up. Too late, dude. read more

Hydra Estiatorio - Eggs Benedict - Mediterranean Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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Hello, We went there for Christmas Day dinner at 5p. Everything was fantastic. Server (older male) was terrific. Made us feel comfortable and at ease immediately. Very attentive and and very personable. Food was delicious from the pita bread and hummus to the warm olives to the main courses of leg of lamb and NY steak. Dessert was outstanding as well. Will definitely be back upon our return next summer and will be sure to tell all our friends about this memorable experience. read more

Found this place by accident and was surprised on the how good it was, I had lamb meatballs and they were fantastic, the halibut was nice flaky and delicious, I will go back read more

Once again, a group dinner did not disappoint at Hydra Estiatorio. Work colleagues accompanied us on a Monday night. Despite being slammed, the service was professional and they kept us informed. I was very pleased with my main course salmon selection. read more

Hydra Estiatorio - Salmon main course - Mediterranean Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

We had a great time at Hydra in Vancouver. We were greeted by our server Paula who was friendly and very helpful with our dish choices. We came for happy hour and buck a shuck oysters. Everything was delicious and I especially enjoyed the oysters and lamb meatballs. The calamari could have been crispier as it came out a bit soggy. The space is elegant casual and beautiful. read more

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Salt baked fish serving a group of 5 was delectable and moist. It came with grilled veggies and young garlic potatoes cooked to perfection. The heirloom beet salad was fantastic; Brussel sprouts were unremarkable. A nice full bodied Cab. Our server was pleasant and accommodating. The restaurant is stylishly decorated and has a warm ambiance. read more

To preface this scathing review, I am a huge foodie from Toronto who had recently visited Vancouver last month and had an absolutely amazing trip. I loved the city and the views, but most importantly, I loved the food. I planned my whole itinerary around my meals and the ONLY restaurant that I did NOT plan for was Hydra and it was a complete and utter disgrace of a dining establishment. There's nothing I hate more than dishonest marketing and restaurants that lack moral integrity and Hydra was exactly that. My friends and I came here on the promise of buck a shuck oysters from a sign we saw outside their door and we all left shocked and frankly, angry. MULTIPLE alarming red flags about this restaurant: 1) For a restaurant that loudly advertises their oysters, they only carried one variety of oyster and didn't even have cocktail sauce.. We were already seated so we ordered 25 oysters. 2) The restaurant was practically empty when we went during happy hour. Seeing as it's located downtown, it's clearly empty for a reason.. 3) With covid still at large, we watched the employee who was shucking our oysters pull his face mask down and DIP HIS NOSE into EACH AND EVERY single oyster for a sniff.. absolutely disgusting. I swear I saw his nose touch each oyster... 4) Of course this insinuated that the oysters were clearly NOT fresh if he had to sniff every single one. They didn't care - they served it to us anyway. 5) We gave them the benefit of the doubt at first and tried to eat a few but as predicted, not many were edible and most had definitely already gone bad. It wasn't worth the risk so we left the rest untouched, which was eventually cleared from the table when we asked for our bill. NOT A SINGLE EMPLOYEE, not our waitress nor the manager (who wore a suit for fck's sake) who walked past our table multiple times EVER ASKED us how the oysters were or how we were doing. Talk about basic restaurant etiquette? How do they dress the way they dress and pretend that they work in a respectable and proper establishment when they're outright negligent to the service and food that they provide? It was obvious they knew what the problem was and they blatantly ignored it. Management should be ashamed of themselves for stooping so low as to sell a product that they clearly know is not suitable, or frankly safe, for serving. To use such conniving and dishonest tactics... they've made an enemy out of me. I will now always remember this as the only negative dining experience of my entire trip to Vancouver. read more

Hydra Estiatorio - Mostly unfresh oysters. Terrible experience. No customer service. - Mediterranean Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Our server Gavin was A+ and definitely made the night. The food and wine was on par as well. Fav item was the Octopus. The saganaki and green salad was also awesome read more

Hydra Estiatorio - Mediterranean Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

#dineoutvancouver 2020 stop 1 - the menu read better than it tasted. 6/10 overall. The lamb chops - the best and worst dish. The lamb chops were the best #lambchops I had EVER! But the sides were the worst I had EVER! Overall, the dinner didn't feel like #greekfood but only #greekinspired @ Hydra Vancouver read more

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The good was great and the restaurant although in the Exchange hotel was fantastic. If you are looking for med or Greek food this is the place read more

I don't know what to say. I was so looking forward to trying this place out for lunch since I had tried their pastries and it was amazingly good. The decor is really nice. But I am very disappointed.We ordered the burger and the frittata, the lunch special. Frittata has no taste and it was watery. The chicken burger was so dry that I could not finish 1/4 of it. I told one of the waiters that the chicken in the burger was dry and wasn't edible. And they can see that we left more than half of our food on the table. The waitress then asked if we want to pack it to take home. I said to her, i can't eat it, it's too dry, no point to bring it home. Our cheque came up to $39 for something that we can't even eat. The service is okay. This place is over priced, the food is not good at all. I was disappointed. read more

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Nice place for happy hour. Located on Pender in the hub of Downtown Vancouver. We and for happy hour on a Tuesday. They had a nice special on a lovely Cab Shiraz (red wine) for $5 for a nice pour (either 5 ounce or 6). They don't have any real vegan or GF options for snacks either but they do offer happy hour bites for $10. Service and atmosphere is really top notch. Defiantly a great place for after work drinks or to take a client. read more

Hydra Estiatorio & Bar, the newest Mediterranean restaurant, locates in the Exchange Hotel in the heart of downtown Vancouver. Few days ago, I was invited to its media preview, and I was surprised to find this quaint yet lively restaurant on a bustling street. The private dining rooms has a 20-seat long table and comfortable cabanas on the side. The Mediterranean decor makes me feel relaxed and calm. It is best to sit at the cabana and sip on a crafted cocktail, like the Mediterrani. Our meal starts with 6 spreads with house-made pita. Each spread is available as individual order. This sample size of the spread is for media purposes only. - Melitzana - grilled eggplant, with hints of garlic, olive oil, and lemon - Xtipiti - spicy feta cheese spread with hints of green chilli, chilli flakes, extra virgin oil, and lemon - Tarama - salted fish roe mixed with olive oil, lemon, and a smooth potato base - Fava - yellow split peas base blended with olive oil and charred onions. Topped with capers and sun-dried tomatoes - Tzatziki - Greek yogurt mixed with cucumber, garlic, salt, and olive oil - Menta - feta cheese blended with mint and lemon My favourite spread is the Tarama. The potato based spread with the salted fish roe tastes best with the pita, as the spread can be spread smoothly on the pita, and you can taste the hint of salt from the fish roe in every bite. I also enjoy the Melitzana, a traditional spread that uses grilled eggplant - simple but delicious dip for the bread. If you are looking for a refreshing one for the summer, go for the Menta spread. The minty flavor gives an interesting combo with the pita. Cheese Saganaki is a traditional appetizer, made with Greek cheese, Kefalograviera. The cheese is pan-seared on a cast iron, which makes a nice golden crust and almost-melted inside. The lemon juice can ease its heaviness. Greek-style Grilled Octopus is made with baby octopus, seasoned with oregano olive oil and lemon and paired with fava bean purée. It is charred outside and tender inside. The charred crust adds a hint of bitterness, but I would've preferred a stronger acidic taste from more lemon juice. Hydra Special is another of my favourite. Deep-fried paper thin zucchini and eggplant pairs with tzatziki. This is just like a dream of mine - eating deep-fried food "healthily". I would even add some paprika or spice to add heat to this appetizer, but I still highly recommend it. Hydra serves 3 salads, Tomato Salad, Green Salad, and Organic Heirloom Beets. Each has a different taste profile to satisfy customers' diverse taste buds. Tomato Salad is the most refreshing one, which makes it best for the summer. Green Salad is simple and subtle, as it is comprised of hearts of romaine, scallions, dill, and Hydra vinaigrette. I would prefer adding some lemon juice for a more popping flavor, but it is also best for people who prefer a light appetizer. Organic Heirloom Beets is a special one that you won't see often in restaurants. It is also my favourite of the three. The combination of squash and heirloom beets, with red wine vinegar and olive oil is surprisingly delicious. It is light with a touch of sweetness. Hydra is also know family style sharing plates, such as the Whole Fish in Sea Salt and Grilled Whole Fish. Guests can choose the fish displayed at the Raw Bar, with the choice of oven-baked or grilled. We tried the oven-baked sea bream. This fish is covered with sea salt and herbs, before putting in the oven. The flavor is seared with a touch of salt, and the fish is cooked perfectly. It is different than the Chinese-style steamed fish that I am used to, but it is an unique experience. Other platters include Whole Forno Roasted Chicken and Forno Roasted Whole Leg of Lamb. As always, I prefer the lamb over the chicken, because it is tender and cooked perfectly. The roasted chicken is slightly over cooked in some parts. The sauce and secret seasoning on the side definitely add much flavor to the meat. Each platter is served with Greek fried potatoes and sautéed greens. I am amazed by the Lobster Pasta, served with the whole lobster. The lobster claw is the size of my hand, The fresh pasta is mixed with tomato, lobster sauce, and ouzo. The portion is quite big, which I recommend to share with a group of 4. Our dinner ends with authentic Greek dessert, Bougatsa. In Greece, it is known as a breakfast pastry that consists of semolina custard and topped with caramel-chocolate ganache and cinnamon icing sugar. The phyllo is thin and crispy, and it is not overly sweet. It is a dessert/snack that one can easily get addicted to. Taste : 4/5 * Ambiance: 5/5 read more

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Hydra was recommended to us from friends also visiting Vancouver. Everything from the atmosphere, food and service was amazing! Our server, Darian was great. Very friendly, personable and one of the best servers we've had in a very long time which definitely added to having an amazing dinner! Our food was outstanding and delicious! If ever back in Vancouver would definitely eat there again and will definitely recommend to anyone visiting Vancouver!"Copy review read more

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We were in Vancouver for a couple of days and ate their because we were staying in hotel ! Food was average and wine list awful ! ! But ....the service was good ! read more

Hydra is connected the The Exchange Hotel. From the outside it sounds like there is a huge party going on inside. It is a beautiful space but very loud. We were able to be seated at 8:30 on a Monday without a reservation, but it seemed like they were always busy during our stay at the hotel, so reservations are probably a good idea. We started out with cocktails - an Old Fashioned and a Mediterrini. The old fashioned was a bit on the sweet side, and the tini tasted too strong of cucumber for my taste. It was nice that we had the option of still water or with bubbles. We shared the ceviche, the moussaka, and grilled veggies. The ceviche was delicious and almost had a creamy taste to it. The chips served with it were quite thick and pretty greasy. The moussaka was full of flavor and cane with a refreshing tomato and cucumber salad. The grilled veggies were also very good and served in a balsamic reduction. The price of $119 plus tip was a bit high but much less than if we had ordered some of the other dinners. Overall, this was a good meal and good service. read more

Hydra Estiatorio - Moussaka - Mediterranean Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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Good food. Portions are decent. A bit pricy. The ambiance is nice. Quite loud because of the high ceilings. The servers were friendly. Service is quite fast. Overall, we had a good dinner. 4 star is because it is relatively expensive for the quality. I would still prefer Apollonia (same quality food but cheaper). read more

Hi, recommend this restaurant Everything was great service and food had the combo platter, fish chicken beef

Marvelous service and great food. Can't ask for better than that. We were not aware that either the hotel nor the restaurant were there but a very good reference said we wouldn't be disappointed and they were right. read more

We found the food here to be good to very good. The host was not as polished in service, welcome and seating as I'd expected from this caliber of restaurant. The service was amateur but friendly and was able to answer a few of our questions. The decor was upscale, modern with clean lines and Mediterranean colours. The saganaki (fried green cheese) was a hit with my dining partners, large portion and authentic. This is a stick to your ribs dish, lots of oil and cheese. The spanakopita was nice; buttery and rich, well flavoured. The eggplant dip (can't remember the name) was outstanding and a hit with carnivores and plant lovers. Our table ordered the fresh sea bream with lemon and garlic. It was tasty, a little boney and quite charred but still enjoyable - at $80 I don't think it was a good value for 4 hungry people but we had ordered enough appetizers so it was sufficient for us. We also swapped the fried potatoes out for the lemon fingerling potatoes - the potatoes were disappointing. Likewise with the "seasonal" vegetables - imported broccoli and limp romaine... disappointing. The cocktails are over priced and took way too long to arrive at our table (after the appetizer) but they were well flavoured and balanced. Extensive wine list. I enjoyed our meal here but I'm not drawn to rush back. read more

Had dinner and multiple breakfasts here. Very good! Solid meals. My favorite were the shrimp platter and the breakfast sandwiches.