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My review may not be part of the popular vote, but I think Popina has one of the best burgers in Vancouver! I love their location on Granville Island so that is a plus. I've been here twice, and both times got the double cheeseburger, just dripping with gooey cheese, sauteed onions and their house sauce. Thank you Popina for taking the time to toast your buns! Their burger hits the spot every time and I highly recommend as it's hard to find a good burger in Vancouver. I agree with the hectic comments as there are several ways to order and it's almost like a free-for-all but hey, I prefer it to the much more hectic Public Market and its survival of the fittest. It's almost a sin I have yet to try their puff cream.
I've reviewed this place many times positively, but like many of my older reviews, they seem to have disappeared. I am not sure what Yelp is doing here. So I had their double cheeseburger and local sparkling wine. With a modest tip, it came to about $42. Seriously?!? I've now been here about 5 or 6 times, and twice the burgers been outstanding, and I gave enthusiastic reviews. The other times, it has been "ok" to mediocre. This time, I'd say it's in the middle. Decent flavour, but the bun was a few hours shy of being stale, the middle of the burger was almost raw/dark pink (hopefully it's in-house ground beef, not supermarket ground beef), and the cheese was a cold slab - since it's the type of cheese that melts at low temp, I can only presume the cook forgot about it until building the burger. Alas, at the time, there were no other patrons they were cooking for. So it's not like they were slammed and busy. Nope. So I must presume that they couldn't be bothered. I know times are tough for everyone, especially restaurants. But when you're not busy, and the best you can do is put out perfunctory food, can you blame people for not wanting to put their limited funds to restaurants who seem to have given up? However, the one thing they have going for them in spades is a quiet (ish) oasis away from the madness of the food court inside Granville Island, and they have a covered, heated sitting area. That's worth at least $10 of the price for me.
NOT IN THE FOOD MALL!! IT'S LOCATED OUTSIDE!!!!! It's a pink store, which makes it easy to find. Order outside at their register. They have "indoor seating" with heaters and such, so if you come on a cold day, don't worry. Also can take the food to eat inside the food mall. Arrived on a Monday afternoon, and they were not busy. I was recommended one item, the Fried Chicken Sandwich (not their desserts, which I found surprising). FRIED CHICKEN SANDWICH It was gigantic!!!!! They really give you plenty of chicken...like the entire thigh. Although it was like $17, it felt worth because the chicken is so much larger than the bun. They have slaw in it, plenty of sauce, which doesn't make it feel too dry. Breading sticks well to the chicken, super crispy, and stays crispy as you eat it. Definitely can share between 2 people! I was actually getting a little sick of all the chicken at the end...because they give so much!
Located right next to Granville Public Market. Known for their cream puff soft serve. They take only card. No cash. They also have a dining option for other food items. I came here after watching a bunch of videos recommending this place for the puff cream. Many options for the ice cream and prices varies. We ordered a Violet B (freeze dried blueberries with cornflake crunch) around $7-8 usd. The ice cream was very soft. The toppings were very crispy and not too sweet. Cream puff was very crispy. Not really on the soft side. Tasty treat though.
Popina is a Must try eatery when visiting Granville Island. The fried chicken sandwich is a must try it's juicy, crispy, and packed with flavour. I tried: Crispy Free Run Chicken Sandwich $17 Shiestring Fries $5.5 Barista Puffcream $9 They have their own seating area but they were quite busy when we went so we sat on the public benches.
My daughter and I met up with some family for lunch on Granville Island at @popinacanteen . She and I shared an order of Fish and Chips together. We were too full to order the puffcream dessert that @popinacanteen is well known for, but her two cousins managed to make room for it. One of them had a Malteser puffcream and the other had a Nutzo puffcream. They looked really good so I will have to bring my girl back so we can try it ourselves sometime! The fish and chips were good though. Fries were crispy and there wasn't too much batter on the fish. Those puffcreams get so much attention but the rest of their menu gets barely any attention. Type in "Popina Canteen" on Google, and lots of puffcream pictures pop up, but very few pictures of their other food appear. Popina Canteen is worth checking out for more than just their puffcreams. Aside from the fish and chips that my daughter and I shared they also have a Vegan salad, burgers, and sandwiches which include two different types of chicken sandwich, a lobster roll, a crispy cod sandwich, and a house made falafel sandwich for Vegetarians. Service: Good Parking: Not free, but there's plenty of it. Granville Island does tend to be a busy place though, so despite the parking being plentiful you may have to circle around a bit before you find a spot. Just be patient! Location: It's on Granville Island so there's plenty to do there. There are shops to see, food to buy and eat, street performers to watch, ferry boats to ride...plenty of fun to be had at Granville Island!
Located by the water on Granville Island, outside the Public Market entrance, Popina's is located as a separate structure with a dine in section and a takeout window for those who want to eat outside on the public seats overlooking the water. I've seen their soft serve puffs on social media and wanted to try but we were too hungry to settle for just soft serve. So we got food instead and will have to try their soft serves another time. Hammer's Hot Chicken Sandwich ($13 - weekends only) is a pretty good deal considering the size (the crispy chicken piece was huge!). However the spiciness level is just too hot for either my hubby nor I to enjoy. All you can taste is the spicy sauce. Super messy to eat too so get a lot of napkins! Fish Crispy Sandwich ($14) is good with 1pc fried cod in the burger. A bit overpriced but we are paying tourist prices at these locations. Its also very saucy and juicy which is what makes it good, but also get extra napkins for this too!
We ordered the chicken sandwiches. They were $18 each and didn't come with fries, which we felt was over-priced. I ordered the spicy chicken sandwich, which in all fairness, the girl at the till did warn me was really spicy. I like spicy but this was too spicy to eat. Also, it was super messy. Just dripping sauce and so spicy that I had to bail halfway through. Not worth the money.
Just here for the delicious soft-served icecream. How can you hate it? 5/5 No cash! Credit only.
Solid 3.75/5 Stars (one of these days YELP, you'll let us assign .25 stars and I'll be the one laughing!) The place is a bit hectic and I think it's because you can order food in three different ways. There is a service window outside, two kiosks next to that window and a counter inside their covered patio. High anxiety trying to figure out if the way I ordered was the most efficient, I chose the counter inside because my wonderful wife wanted a beer and we wanted a place to sit with our toddler that didn't directly involve battling an coordinated army of birds for our food. Food is a pricey but it's a tourist area so understandable. Waited maybe 15 minutes for our order, which was actually less than we thought based on how busy it was and said apprehension about which avenue to order food. I feel like you always need to try the Fish (Cod) and Chips when you're at a seaside shack. They did not disappoint with the large portions of batter heavy Cod but were surprisingly light on the amount of Fries in the serving. The Tartar sauce has dill and I believe Tarragon, just delightful, as was the coleslaw. Our daughter also loved this platter of food, which always makes it extra room in my heart. The other item we tried was the Hammer Nashville Hot Chicken sandwich. The previous warnings about how spicy this MFer is...are 100% real. I fancy myself a bit of spicehead and can handle my shit on the regular, I went with the standard Hot and not the Extreme and was thankful I showed restraint this once in my life. There is something that happens when the vinegar in the sauce meets the fried chicken oil that amplifies the heat by like eleven. Literally was tearing up and coughing like a novice while totally enjoying the massive piece that was served. Order extra pickles, grab 40 napkins and don't eat this handheld over your clothes cause it be sloppy delicious. You've been warned. The covered patio could have been looked after for cleanliness a bit better but the non-kitchen staffing level wasn't great.
They are a nice covered heated patio for diners to enjoy their food if you get there early enough. We wanted to try the DOV menu but the pos system that you order from didn't have that choice which is a bit of a bummer. I also am allergic to onions and wanted no onions on my sandwich but anytime I tried to hit the no onion option on the pos, it would give me an error. A little frustrating. Once you make an order via the pos or on your phone, you have to wait for your number to be called. And let me tell you that the numbers are not in order and they don't yell it out so instead they just run around asking what number your order is. I think they really need to figure out a better system. Maybe one of those old style deli counter take a ticket dispensers would even work better. Onto the food- I had the fried chicken sandwich and I thought it was only ok. I love sauce but the sandwich was drenched so it was really really messy and my fried chicken wasn't crunchy. The fries are over priced and wasn't even warm when we got them. It didn't even fill the small paper bag it came in and looked really sad. All in all, I'd probably not come back. There's better fried chicken places and many more better tasting food on Granville island
One-word review: Solid. We went here on the recommendation of a reliable friend, who highly recommended the chicken sandwich. We thought about indulging in a puffcream as well but thought better of it as we had already purchased donuts at a well-known spot nearby. The free run chicken sandwich was a winner. We spiced ours up with some hot sauce we had brought, but it already tasted good. The only complaint was that the bun did not stand up to the sauce/wetter ingredients, and it was noticeably soggy very quickly. But the portion and quality were good. We parked for free on the street a couple of blocks from Granville Island and walked around on a cool but sunny day. Very pleasant. Bottom line: I would eat this again and wouldn't mind trying some of their other offerings.
I have been here a few times always getting their fried chicken sandwich and fries. Owned by well known chefs/restauranteurs in the city, I keep getting suckered in by iG posts/stories that make it look so appealing. I have never had their cream puff icecream dessert until today when I had the dine out menu: Fried chicken & fries (surprise, surprise) Cream puff malteser For $15 it was a steal! But I think I over hyped it in my head. The fried chicken sandwich is decent. I've gone a couple of times and I find that the sandwich isn't consistent. Their chicken sandwich appears to be generous in size (it looks big but it's essentially almost like flattened chicken schnitzels battered heavily). If you look on social media of different food influencers they most of them are more generous in portion size. My pet peeve was that the shredded lettuce and pickles made the sandwich too wet. I don't enjoy soggy lettuce (especially when it's shredded). It's also a bit difficult to eat with 2 hands when u make the sandwich with 2 pieces of chicken. I am pretty sure in the past I've had it in one piece. I also have an issue with their fries. I should enjoy them Cos I like shoestring fries; however this is the 3rd time where they weren't hot. They are warm but there is no reason why they shouldn't be out of the fryer hot. I came at a time where there was one couple eating their meal already so I would have expected the fries to be piping hot considering I was the only customer.... I had my popina buzzer on me so I could wander outside and I even came back to the cantina before it buzzed. I noticed they were under the heat lamp along with my sandwich. I almost suspect they made my fries first....This isn't just a one time thing either...forget the fries. Dessert. I enjoyed it. They make a good cream puff. Vanilla Soft serve icecream is added to it with toppings. I had grounded malteasers as a topping. I would not pay $8 for it (I only got it Cos it was part of dine out). Go to beta5 for your cream puff fix and get a McDonald's soft serve (both are better and cheaper combined!). Service here has never been amazing. I rarely get a cheery greeting and often have to patiently wait until I get anyone's attention (this happens when literally there are no customers). It seems like there is no insight from their staff to be more aware of their customers. It's a beautiful spot on Granville island but I think I'll save my calories elsewhere...
Cool creation for the sweet tooth. Delicious ice cream between a cream puff. Then, luck your toppings. This thing is sky high!!! Lots of yumminess. We had 4 people share this! It was perfect. The base (ice cream) is so creamy and good. Topping combinations are endless. We got The Hubby that had peanut butter sauce and pretzels. Delicious. Ordered on screen and then they call you. Sat on water and enjoyed! Great treat. read more
1 year ago
Amazing gem in Granville Island. The view is incredible and the staff excellent and welcoming. The lobster roll had me floating in ecstasy. I spent summers growing up in Halifax and I've missed real lobster rolls in BC. Apologies to family back East but this was the best lobster rolls I've ever had with the meat of a 1.5 lobster and their own tweaks that make eat bite a delight. My husband had the burger of organic beef from the valley. It was clearly hand formed & patted, perfectly flavoured, thick & juicy. He was really sorry he didn't have the double. Next time. Both buns were also fresh and wonderful. read more
1 year ago
My review may not be part of the popular vote, but I think Popina has one of the best burgers in Vancouver! I love their location on Granville Island so that is a plus. I've been here twice, and both times got the double cheeseburger, just dripping with gooey cheese, sauteed onions and their house sauce. Thank you Popina for taking the time to toast your buns! Their burger hits the spot every time and I highly recommend as it's hard to find a good burger in Vancouver. I agree with the hectic comments as there are several ways to order and it's almost like a free-for-all but hey, I prefer it to the much more hectic Public Market and its survival of the fittest. It's almost a sin I have yet to try their puff cream. read more
3 years ago
I've reviewed this place many times positively, but like many of my older reviews, they seem to have disappeared. I am not sure what Yelp is doing here. So I had their double cheeseburger and local sparkling wine. With a modest tip, it came to about $42. Seriously?!? I've now been here about 5 or 6 times, and twice the burgers been outstanding, and I gave enthusiastic reviews. The other times, it has been "ok" to mediocre. This time, I'd say it's in the middle. Decent flavour, but the bun was a few hours shy of being stale, the middle of the burger was almost raw/dark pink (hopefully it's in-house ground beef, not supermarket ground beef), and the cheese was a cold slab - since it's the type of cheese that melts at low temp, I can only presume the cook forgot about it until building the burger. Alas, at the time, there were no other patrons they were cooking for. So it's not like they were slammed and busy. Nope. So I must presume that they couldn't be bothered. I know times are tough for everyone, especially restaurants. But when you're not busy, and the best you can do is put out perfunctory food, can you blame people for not wanting to put their limited funds to restaurants who seem to have given up? However, the one thing they have going for them in spades is a quiet (ish) oasis away from the madness of the food court inside Granville Island, and they have a covered, heated sitting area. That's worth at least $10 of the price for me. read more
3 years ago
NOT IN THE FOOD MALL!! IT'S LOCATED OUTSIDE!!!!! It's a pink store, which makes it easy to find. Order outside at their register. They have "indoor seating" with heaters and such, so if you come on a cold day, don't worry. Also can take the food to eat inside the food mall. Arrived on a Monday afternoon, and they were not busy. I was recommended one item, the Fried Chicken Sandwich (not their desserts, which I found surprising). FRIED CHICKEN SANDWICH It was gigantic!!!!! They really give you plenty of chicken...like the entire thigh. Although it was like $17, it felt worth because the chicken is so much larger than the bun. They have slaw in it, plenty of sauce, which doesn't make it feel too dry. Breading sticks well to the chicken, super crispy, and stays crispy as you eat it. Definitely can share between 2 people! I was actually getting a little sick of all the chicken at the end...because they give so much! read more
Located right next to Granville Public Market. Known for their cream puff soft serve. They take only card. No cash. They also have a dining option for other food items. I came here after watching a bunch of videos recommending this place for the puff cream. Many options for the ice cream and prices varies. We ordered a Violet B (freeze dried blueberries with cornflake crunch) around $7-8 usd. The ice cream was very soft. The toppings were very crispy and not too sweet. Cream puff was very crispy. Not really on the soft side. Tasty treat though. read more
Popina is a Must try eatery when visiting Granville Island. The fried chicken sandwich is a must try it's juicy, crispy, and packed with flavour. I tried: Crispy Free Run Chicken Sandwich $17 Shiestring Fries $5.5 Barista Puffcream $9 They have their own seating area but they were quite busy when we went so we sat on the public benches. read more
4 years ago
My daughter and I met up with some family for lunch on Granville Island at @popinacanteen . She and I shared an order of Fish and Chips together. We were too full to order the puffcream dessert that @popinacanteen is well known for, but her two cousins managed to make room for it. One of them had a Malteser puffcream and the other had a Nutzo puffcream. They looked really good so I will have to bring my girl back so we can try it ourselves sometime! The fish and chips were good though. Fries were crispy and there wasn't too much batter on the fish. Those puffcreams get so much attention but the rest of their menu gets barely any attention. Type in "Popina Canteen" on Google, and lots of puffcream pictures pop up, but very few pictures of their other food appear. Popina Canteen is worth checking out for more than just their puffcreams. Aside from the fish and chips that my daughter and I shared they also have a Vegan salad, burgers, and sandwiches which include two different types of chicken sandwich, a lobster roll, a crispy cod sandwich, and a house made falafel sandwich for Vegetarians. Service: Good Parking: Not free, but there's plenty of it. Granville Island does tend to be a busy place though, so despite the parking being plentiful you may have to circle around a bit before you find a spot. Just be patient! Location: It's on Granville Island so there's plenty to do there. There are shops to see, food to buy and eat, street performers to watch, ferry boats to ride...plenty of fun to be had at Granville Island! read more
2 years ago
Located by the water on Granville Island, outside the Public Market entrance, Popina's is located as a separate structure with a dine in section and a takeout window for those who want to eat outside on the public seats overlooking the water. I've seen their soft serve puffs on social media and wanted to try but we were too hungry to settle for just soft serve. So we got food instead and will have to try their soft serves another time. Hammer's Hot Chicken Sandwich ($13 - weekends only) is a pretty good deal considering the size (the crispy chicken piece was huge!). However the spiciness level is just too hot for either my hubby nor I to enjoy. All you can taste is the spicy sauce. Super messy to eat too so get a lot of napkins! Fish Crispy Sandwich ($14) is good with 1pc fried cod in the burger. A bit overpriced but we are paying tourist prices at these locations. Its also very saucy and juicy which is what makes it good, but also get extra napkins for this too! read more
2 years ago
We ordered the chicken sandwiches. They were $18 each and didn't come with fries, which we felt was over-priced. I ordered the spicy chicken sandwich, which in all fairness, the girl at the till did warn me was really spicy. I like spicy but this was too spicy to eat. Also, it was super messy. Just dripping sauce and so spicy that I had to bail halfway through. Not worth the money. read more
3 years ago
Just here for the delicious soft-served icecream. How can you hate it? 5/5 No cash! Credit only. read more
Solid 3.75/5 Stars (one of these days YELP, you'll let us assign .25 stars and I'll be the one laughing!) The place is a bit hectic and I think it's because you can order food in three different ways. There is a service window outside, two kiosks next to that window and a counter inside their covered patio. High anxiety trying to figure out if the way I ordered was the most efficient, I chose the counter inside because my wonderful wife wanted a beer and we wanted a place to sit with our toddler that didn't directly involve battling an coordinated army of birds for our food. Food is a pricey but it's a tourist area so understandable. Waited maybe 15 minutes for our order, which was actually less than we thought based on how busy it was and said apprehension about which avenue to order food. I feel like you always need to try the Fish (Cod) and Chips when you're at a seaside shack. They did not disappoint with the large portions of batter heavy Cod but were surprisingly light on the amount of Fries in the serving. The Tartar sauce has dill and I believe Tarragon, just delightful, as was the coleslaw. Our daughter also loved this platter of food, which always makes it extra room in my heart. The other item we tried was the Hammer Nashville Hot Chicken sandwich. The previous warnings about how spicy this MFer is...are 100% real. I fancy myself a bit of spicehead and can handle my shit on the regular, I went with the standard Hot and not the Extreme and was thankful I showed restraint this once in my life. There is something that happens when the vinegar in the sauce meets the fried chicken oil that amplifies the heat by like eleven. Literally was tearing up and coughing like a novice while totally enjoying the massive piece that was served. Order extra pickles, grab 40 napkins and don't eat this handheld over your clothes cause it be sloppy delicious. You've been warned. The covered patio could have been looked after for cleanliness a bit better but the non-kitchen staffing level wasn't great. read more
6 years ago
They are a nice covered heated patio for diners to enjoy their food if you get there early enough. We wanted to try the DOV menu but the pos system that you order from didn't have that choice which is a bit of a bummer. I also am allergic to onions and wanted no onions on my sandwich but anytime I tried to hit the no onion option on the pos, it would give me an error. A little frustrating. Once you make an order via the pos or on your phone, you have to wait for your number to be called. And let me tell you that the numbers are not in order and they don't yell it out so instead they just run around asking what number your order is. I think they really need to figure out a better system. Maybe one of those old style deli counter take a ticket dispensers would even work better. Onto the food- I had the fried chicken sandwich and I thought it was only ok. I love sauce but the sandwich was drenched so it was really really messy and my fried chicken wasn't crunchy. The fries are over priced and wasn't even warm when we got them. It didn't even fill the small paper bag it came in and looked really sad. All in all, I'd probably not come back. There's better fried chicken places and many more better tasting food on Granville island read more
One-word review: Solid. We went here on the recommendation of a reliable friend, who highly recommended the chicken sandwich. We thought about indulging in a puffcream as well but thought better of it as we had already purchased donuts at a well-known spot nearby. The free run chicken sandwich was a winner. We spiced ours up with some hot sauce we had brought, but it already tasted good. The only complaint was that the bun did not stand up to the sauce/wetter ingredients, and it was noticeably soggy very quickly. But the portion and quality were good. We parked for free on the street a couple of blocks from Granville Island and walked around on a cool but sunny day. Very pleasant. Bottom line: I would eat this again and wouldn't mind trying some of their other offerings. read more
7 years ago
I have been here a few times always getting their fried chicken sandwich and fries. Owned by well known chefs/restauranteurs in the city, I keep getting suckered in by iG posts/stories that make it look so appealing. I have never had their cream puff icecream dessert until today when I had the dine out menu: Fried chicken & fries (surprise, surprise) Cream puff malteser For $15 it was a steal! But I think I over hyped it in my head. The fried chicken sandwich is decent. I've gone a couple of times and I find that the sandwich isn't consistent. Their chicken sandwich appears to be generous in size (it looks big but it's essentially almost like flattened chicken schnitzels battered heavily). If you look on social media of different food influencers they most of them are more generous in portion size. My pet peeve was that the shredded lettuce and pickles made the sandwich too wet. I don't enjoy soggy lettuce (especially when it's shredded). It's also a bit difficult to eat with 2 hands when u make the sandwich with 2 pieces of chicken. I am pretty sure in the past I've had it in one piece. I also have an issue with their fries. I should enjoy them Cos I like shoestring fries; however this is the 3rd time where they weren't hot. They are warm but there is no reason why they shouldn't be out of the fryer hot. I came at a time where there was one couple eating their meal already so I would have expected the fries to be piping hot considering I was the only customer.... I had my popina buzzer on me so I could wander outside and I even came back to the cantina before it buzzed. I noticed they were under the heat lamp along with my sandwich. I almost suspect they made my fries first....This isn't just a one time thing either...forget the fries. Dessert. I enjoyed it. They make a good cream puff. Vanilla Soft serve icecream is added to it with toppings. I had grounded malteasers as a topping. I would not pay $8 for it (I only got it Cos it was part of dine out). Go to beta5 for your cream puff fix and get a McDonald's soft serve (both are better and cheaper combined!). Service here has never been amazing. I rarely get a cheery greeting and often have to patiently wait until I get anyone's attention (this happens when literally there are no customers). It seems like there is no insight from their staff to be more aware of their customers. It's a beautiful spot on Granville island but I think I'll save my calories elsewhere... read more
I came during a holiday weekend and Popina (a pop up shop) didn't have much of a wait at all. My friends and I came here specifically for dessert and we got the soft serve ice cream in the cream puff shells. At $8 each, it was kinda pricey, but we shared it among the three of us. We ordered the Barista, and though it was fun to watch them make it, it was SO messy to eat!! I wasn't a huge fan of the soft serve though - it reminded me of a very thick whipped cream. I would've been happy with McDonald's soft serve honestly. It's right on the pier, with seating outside (and inside). Because it was a nice day, we sat outside people watching as we ate the ice cream. Though it was cool to try, I'd consider it a novelty, but I don't think I'll be back for it again. read more
4 years ago
We only tried the puffcream at this establishment and it was so creamy and delicious. The soft serve ice cream was so smooth and refreshing. They put plenty of toppings and covered the ice cream from the very bottom to top so each bite will have the topping. Genius! We ordered the Turkish Delight & Nutso. Turkish Delight had an addicting pistachio crumble... soo good. It was also supposed to have saffron but didn't see any at all. The Nutso was chocolate heaven and we watched them squirt Nutella at the center of the soft serve ice cream. I think they can improve on the texture of the pastry puff. It was so plain and no crunch to it, didn't taste like anything and it was kind of an afterthought when they place it on top. Other than that, I would definitely get this again and want to try their other flavors. read more
We weren't planning on stopping here. We weren't hungry or desiring another bite of anything after the morning at the market. In fact, we were on our way OFF the island when it happened. We stumbled upon Popina and the word cream puff first lured us in. Then, after watching an employee put the finishing touches on one of the ice cream cream puffs...we were sold. She looked up and smiled at us as if she knew what she was doing. It was cold outside but so warm inside, to order the ice cream you have to go in. It was a tough decision with all the amazing concoctions but the choice was made. The Nutzo was our choice and just plain vanilla for our daughter. The nutzo was covered in Oreo crumbs with a Nutella center. The ice cream was actually soft serve. It was stacked high and easily shared. It was amazing and perfect and I wanted another. After ordering our dessert I began to watch others who ordered food and suddenly regretted not ordering a meal as well. The food looked and smelled soo good. Next time I will be trying something more. read more
2 years ago
The server working was hard to understand at times she looked annoyed that we had to ask her for a 3rd time what she was talking about. I don't know we were all confused. This place is pretty average. We tried their 26 dollar lobster roll and burger. The lobster roll came out on a nice piece of bread it tasted alright it wasn't anything special... did I think it was worth 26 dollars... No not really. What I did not like is that they only sell bottled water they don't have any tap water. If I'm sitting at a restaurant on their patio like come on give me free water. I paid 3.00 for water. I needed to drink something and I didn't want pop or alcohol. I'm a thirsty person I drink a lot of water while I dine in a restaurant. Unfortunately I think this restaurant is a one time try for me. read more
4 years ago
@jasonsalwayshungry 3x a charm I really do enjoy this spot every time! Great staff some of the best views in the city the "mild" Hammer Nashville chicken was 8.5/10shout out to the @the.real.beef.buddies for coming thru with the contest win!! Stay hungry #vancouver #granvilleisland #britishcolumbia #canada #nashvillehot #alwayshungry #foodcritic #foodie #staycation read more
I'd really struggle whether to give this spot a 3 or 4 star. I have tried their puffcream and the spicy fried chicken sandwich which were all good but the service and 45 minute wait time brought their rating down. I don't think it is worth driving all the way for it but if you are on Granville Island and the line up isn't bad, then sure, and try them out! Food: Cream puffs - super Instagramable. The soft serve was not mind -blowing goos, like McDondalds (which is still yummy). The different flavours could be more prominent (ie. I only got one Turkish delish in my whole ice cream) Awkward to eat. You don't actually get as much ice cream as you think because it is hollow in the middle. Spicy fried chicken sandwich - super messy to eat, the sauce was dripping everywhere. You should eat right away or else it will get soggy. The size of the sandwich varies by day. My friend came and she showed me how huge her was and when I came mine was average and not big as hers. Medium spice level was Tabasco level so I could have gone up a level. Overall thoughts: Food is awkward to eat Service: They are overworked and understaff. The staff are trying their best but they cannot handle the demand. I wasn't the only one waiting for 45 minutes of their food. They were also handling dine in customers. I feel for Granville Island you kind of need to be ready for it but I get it is COVID times. Overall thoughts: Prepare to wait and the staff are not bad they are just overworked. read more
Just recently made a return to Popina for their DOVF menu and I was just as happy as I was with their food the first time I visited and possibly more! This year their DOVF menu no longer have the shoe string fries included that crispy free run chicken burger and the Nutzo cream puff was all I needed! It's the best fried chicken burger out the! The chicken is extremely tender and juicy and the batter is just unlike any other! Their puff cream was a nice treat as well to end the meal! I really enjoy fill the cream puff they have with the ice cream. But the highlight is definitely the burger it is worth the visit! read more
4 years ago
saw the graphic of their puffcream pasted on the wall and it looked so interesting! i had pretty high expectations, but it was tasted subpar to me. - notes - both cash and card are accepted! - overall experience - located next to granville island public market, we stopped by the shop's walk-up window at around 12:15 pm on a wednesday afternoon. i asked the worker if she had any recommendations, and she told us that the nutzo was the most popular but she personally liked the turkish delight puffcream the most. after ordering and paying, we waited less than 10 minutes before our order number was called. there's plenty of benches near the shop where you can eat! 8/24/22 -nutzo puffcream: this puffcream has crushed oreo cookies on the outside and nutella in the center of the soft serve. the soft serve is also sandwiched between two halves of a cream puff. the soft serve here is supposedly supposed to be more naturally soft than your traditional ice cream tuck soft serve. i only noticed a subtle difference; while it did taste a bit more soft, it seemed less creamy? the consistency of the nutella was a bit too clumpy and messy to eat at times. i liked the crushed oreos since they added some texture in every bite, but it was just too sweet combined with the nutella. my biggest complaint was that the cream puff tasted pretty bland and stale. although $8 is pretty fair of a price given how big the portion is, i personally felt like the puffcream looked a lot more appetizing than it actually was. read more
2 years ago
Popina Canteen is located right outside the food court and by the water. Tried their lobster roll and it was delicious, juicy and fresh. I do think the price is pretty high but mostly because you're paying for the waterfront view. Still enjoyed the meal and had a great time. read more
6 years ago
Hello everyone it's been a while. I finally got a chance to try something new (and outside) on our very own Granville Island haha We went to Popina to try out their puff creams ($8) and boy, they were refreshing! We got the Violet B and the Malteser. One was fruitier with a tartness that came from blueberries whereas the malteser one had the richness of chocolate goodness. It definitely hit the spot on a hot Sunday :) Would definitely recommend giving it a try if you're there. Also, they've got some tantalizing looking fried chicken sandwiches - might give that a shot next time! read more
This was my second time - the first time I had the fried chicken sandwich and today I had the cheeseburger (with fries and a puff cream). The food itself is good (although I agree with other reviewers that nothing comes out hot and there are def other spots with better burgs and fried chicken). Not great value but ya know what you're getting into going into it. My rating is downgraded to two stars because the service is utter chaos: 40 min food wait on a Sat lunch (why so long for a burger and fries??), woefully understaffed, no staff cleaning the tables, wrong food orders and tables complaining all around us. In the winter it's also very cold inside as the cold air leaks through the make shift building. I usually can get over poor service but in this case the food is unfortunately not good enough to make me ignore it. read more
Stumbled upon Popina while visiting Granville Island and we had to try one of their puff creams. They have a variety of flavours and we chose the Barista (espresso, turbinado sugar crumb and ecuadorian cocoa). They partner with Birchwood Dairy and use Fraser Valley Milk and the result was a very creamy and thick soft serve! There is a cream puff at the base which was a bit crispy in texture. The toppings are crushed and smothered onto the soft serve so it can get a bit messy to eat since they fall off while you're eating. It reminded me a lot of Sweet Jesus! The crumb mixture was similar to Oreo but with a mild espresso flavour. Was it worth $8 though? Not too sure about that. read more
4 years ago
Recently a pop-up ad came up for Popina on one of my feeds, and omg it looked amazing, depicting a New England-esque clam/seafood bake platter, and a legit looking lobster roll. And I told my kid, we MUST visit this place! (I didn't exactly have to twist her arm....). So the other day, the weather was perfectly alma and summery, so we slathered on sunblock and walked 'round the seawall to Granville Island, specifically to visit Poplina. It is the cutest place, situated by the yellow Bridges restaurant on the northern tip of Granville, right on the pier. The cantina is comprised of shipping containers, with clearly designated counters where to order your food, and where to pick it up. There's a self-service ordering area with wall-mounted monitors (smart!), and if you don't want to eat outside on the many benches and sitting areas on the pier, there's an enclosed dining area, too (small, but cute. Helpful if the weather is inclement). We were so tempted to order the seafood bake platter (man, it looked good!), but at $45, I just didn't think I was that hungry. Instead we opted for the lobster roll. It was pricey - $26, - and didn't come with fries or any sides or drinks. Yikes. But it claimed to be an authentic New England lobster rolls and, after living in Boston for many years in my 20's (and I still visit that city semi-frequently), I KNOW my MA lobster rolls and I LOVE them! So we chose to share one here. The good news? The lobster was super fresh and the portion of lobster meat was generous. And the bread roll was PERFECTLY grilled: chewy, warm, crisp on the outside and soft within, with a golden buttery surface. Absolutely delicious! My kid went crazy for this lobster roll. And I personally liked it. A lot. More than a lot, perhaps. But it wasn't a "real" New England lobster roll. They used some sort of slightly zingy condiment or spice or sauce in the roll and it added a taste that, while good, was not "real Massachusetts lobster roll". So if you're expecting a genuine Cape Cod or Boston lobsta roll, this ain't it. But if you're wanting a very fresh and tasty lobster roll in an incredible bread roll, this is it for sure. Just expect to pay a hefty price for it. My kid and I still had room for dessert so we decided to splurge (again) on their soft serve ice cream concoctions in cream puff shells. I've posted a photo of the menu of choices for these concoctions; suffice it to say, we could barely decide as they ALL looked and sounded amazing! Again, these are pricey ($8 each) but an order is large enough for 2-4 people, easy. We had the "Nutzo" order with the core of Nutella and cookie crumb coating and it was everything we hoped it would be. And more! (I liked how, despite being a hefty portion, it was light and easily digested. Unlike gelato which is so rich and heavy). We are already planning our return visit here. read more
5 years ago
Crushed Oreos with Nutella centre Had this awhile back and the ice cream was very milky. I'm lactose so I was afraid that my stomach would react badly but it didn't so yey me? I liked the milkyness of this tho. Also love the cream puff on top and on the bottom Been wanting to try Popina for a long time but just haven't had the chance to go to Granville Island. read more
8 years ago
Popina was on my radar for a while, I finally caught eye of it during dine out and decided to stop by for lunch. I was a bit disappointed they didn't have the sweet potato fries or the chicken sandwich left, but the server was so sweet and nice that I immediately dropped my disappointment. Overall I thought this place was A-okay, but the prices are a little steep for 'fast food' My impressions: -good atmosphere, there is plenty of room with tables inside the 'patio' or if it's a nice day you can take your food outside and wander around the dock -better than the white spot at a comparable price -great service -really solid dessert! I had the Maltesers cream puff (flavour of the day) and found that it was the perfect combo of sweet and crunchy -service was slow. I came a bit early to avoid the lunch time rush but still waited a bit. This place has a weekend brunch kind of pace to it Overall: prices are a bit steep for be food, good to try once for the experience. read more
8 years ago
8 years ago
* Sloppy second visit * I visited again, and this time tried the free range crispy chicken sandwich ($13). The chicken was definitely the highlight of this. It was freshly fried, with a perfectly rendered skin with juicy meat inside the two large pieces. The lettuce was simple iceberg, and there were some nice pickles that were a step above typical fast food pickles. The sauce was generously applied (too generously if you ask me as it was making the lettuce and bun a bit gloopy) and had a strong spice kick to it. The bun was light and fluffy, while being slightly toasted. But the sauce was really too much and just dripped all over the place unnecessarily. Overall the chicken was the highlight, and I would actually prefer to get that without the lettuce - perhaps in a chicken tender format with a dipping sauce you can apply more delicately with the pickles on the side. I would order it again, but likely will ask for the sauce on the side. read more
Very nice location, right on the water. View was amazing. Fried chicken sandwich was pretty good but as you can see from my pic, looked a _little_ overdone. If I go again and the fried chicken is in a better state I would up this to a 4 star rating. Drinks felt a _little_ expensive for what they were. Also, chilled red wine = The many not-so-good reviews had me skeptical going in, but I had a good time there and would go again. read more
Going to this place, I was already mentally prepared to pay higher prices than usual for this kind of set up. Their burger is priced competitively with the other burger stall in the market, but it was my birthday, so I splurged for the $26 lobster roll. I also ordered some yam fries ($6) with it. Their drinks were too expensive, so I ordered a fruit iced tea from the market. As to seating, it's a small area, but it was't full due to the higher prices. Service was slower than usual, as they only had one cashier open. It looks like they're experiencing staff shortages already. The lobster roll was good. There was a lot of lobster and only a little filler. I liked the buttery toasted bread it was served in. The yam fries were nice but I couldn't finish them. I would treat myself again with the lobster roll on my birthday. Otherwise, I will probably order the burger when I'm visiting the market. read more
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