Bought a 4.5 lb organic chicken to roast here today. It was delicious. And service was helpful and super friendly. Highly recommend this place read more

I literally just spent an hour in line waiting to get a Christmas roast. This is entirely worth it. read more

Through desperation to achieve buying bones to cook soup we ended up here due to time constraints, and the normal place we usually go to already sold out of their supply for the day. Using my trusty Yelp application on my phone, this one was a 5 alarm red, and instead of just blindly going there first, we actually called on the phone first, and they picked up, it was loud as you can hear the hustle nad bustle while the woman who picked up was talking with us. This place is really a meat market, small shop, with a bunch of people working there helping out everyone who comes in, and they understand meat. My dear was asking the lady that got our meats some questions and she gave some tips and some other meat ideas. This place really is your neighborhood butcher, while being in this shop I noticed people coming in, and the staff referring to them by name, pretty cool. Wanting to try their cured sausages while I was here, thanks to Herman's review, will have to come back, but if you are looking for good quality meats, you won't go wrong here. read more

Rio Friendly Meats - a man looking at a meat display - Meat Shops Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

You won't get wagyu here, and not a man bun in sight. This is an authentic old school neighborhood butcher, and I've been a loyal customer since the 80s. Ed and his crew are simply awesome, embodying the "friendly" in the business name. Actually you could probably get wagyu if you asked. Give Ed a sly wink and say "Rob sent me...". read more

Really friendly service. We had boneless lamb for Easter dinner just the right size for two and just enough for sandwiches tomorrow. Supplied a small bone for the dog. read more

If you come here, you definitely have to get the cured chorizo sausages, not the uncooked variety. They use smoked paprika. This is all that I get from here, and it's a drive across town for me. I can make a pretty mean jambalya or paella with it. The chorizo is my reason for five stars read more

I was a fan of this place but the order of a roast I placed for Christmas was a real disappointment. More grizzle than any decent 5lb. roast should have. It was embarrassing serving it at the Christmas dinner.... it doesn't even cut it for a stew....:( read more

We ordered rib steak and a T-bone to share, brought it home and BBQ'ed it; this was last night's feast. Gosh darn it, sister and hubby are such good cooks! The meal was delicious!! But we also picked up a variety of pepperettes, which we shared today. This market makes gluten free. It's fresh and its fabulous! I have to say the honey garlic was my favourite. What we bought may have been a bit on the high (pricy) side but well worth it. I will definitely go back! Hopefully we can do so before returning home. read more

Heading to a friendly BBQ with vegetarians and omnivores, I knew i'd have to bring meat to satisfy myself and my ostracized meatatarian kin. I wandered into the shop with too-much-sun-and-OMG-hungry dumbs. I have no idea what they pump into the air there, but every person who works there really is lovely. The employee checked ingredients for all sausages so I could zero in on the wheat/corn free ones (sausages made in-house for extra awesome), and gave me recommendations based on my preferences. The bison sausage and garlic beef sausage were an amazing value. They even gave me a handy reusable bag. On the way out the door I noticed advertising boards high above the sales floor. They're very old (but current) signs advertising large amounts of various meats for large families - think different types of steaks, ground, chops, etc in combination packs, for excellent prices. I haven't seen variety packs offered since I was a small child. BTW, in the end the meatatarians at the BBQ rejoiced. I received numerous complements about the off the hook deliciousness of the sausages. Love the fact that this little place isn't afraid to kick it ol skool with vintage feel, excellent pricing, commitment to quality, and classic customer service. read more

I like my meat and so naturally, I have a thing for butchers. Well, meat stores perhaps, more so than the butchers themselves (although, I have definitely been wooed by the men in charge of the meat). But I digress... When I pass a display case with all the meats laid out, I get glassy eyed and nostalgic for Saturday morning grocery shopping w/ my mama.Turns out, I'm kind of alone in this, as many a travel companion has pointed out, as I get all excited and wander off in the direction of fresh kill. Usually I buy all my meat on Granville Island from Armandos or Tenderland Meats, but feeling lazy and trying to avoid the JOB, I decided to venture closer to home. Last time I ventured out for dinner I discovered Cioffi's, this time I decided to head out into the urban wilds (otherwise known as Hastings) on the hunt for goat *meh*. Alas, Billy was out grazing, fattening up for my next meal. So, instead, I settled on lamb *baa*, for my most amazing spicy Mongolian tomato stew. Rio Friendly Meats is a small, old-school butchers with friendly service, house made sausages and reasonable prices. If you're in that neck of the woods, or feel like checking out new territory, it's definitely worth the stop. read more

Definitely your old-school butcher shop. The only thing missing is the saw dust on the floor. This is an east side business, which means, no frills. But Friendly owns the market in Hastings Sunrise because the price is right. (Mostly) -There are some things that raise an eyebrow but they know their customers well and they have what we need. Other nearby butcher shops are prettier, but that's a high maintenance deal. Enjoy your experience. THIS is East Van. read more

Before you enter, you'd better have a plan on what to buy, because their selection is so great that you might find yourself just browsing for a while (like I did). I can't say that I've ever really browsed a meat store for that long- they fit so much into that tiny space that it's almost overwhelming! But I mean that in the very best way. I've been searching for a shop that consistently stocks various cuts of lamb, so for me that is key. They also carry things like bison and veal, various marinated cuts, roasts, and prepared goodies like a variety of those little breaded cordon bleus (I will try the apple-brie this week). I honestly haven't ever found such a great selection of meat, not even in some of the larger/big name stores. Staff are certainly friendly, and numerous enough to guarantee quick service. The only less good part of my last trip was that I was not getting very detailed answers to questions I was asking (about prepping/cooking methods). He was younger, so maybe that was partly why. But all in all a good shopping experience. read more

Best butcher shop in Vancouver! Not only is the regular selections of beef, chicken and pork of great quality. The guys at Rio are always willing to custom cut just about anything you ask for. They make amazing sausages in house and have a variety of stuffed chicken breasts that are mouth watering. They have a variety of meat combo packs and are relatively well priced. I ordered my Christmas turkey from them and was extrememly happy with my free range organic turkey. read more

I went in yesterday because I have been trying to find a great butcher. The staff where super helpful and everything looked fresh. I bought 4 pork and apple sausages, 2 elk sausages and 2 new york steaks. I was a little worried as to what the price would be seeing as I was buying some things that are considered pricey - the total ended up being $17. AMAZING! Went home and tried one for the pork apple sausage, so delicious. The perfect blend of sweet and savory. Do yourself a favor next time you are in and just buy some. The elk sausage was also delicious, really well seasoned and flavored. The steaks are for dinner dinner tonight so I can't review them yet but they are beautifully marbled so lets just say that I'm excited for dinner. read more

I'm surprised at the good reviews of this place. Firstly, when you walk in it stinks like rotten meat. Most of the meat in the showcase are dried out and turning dark red. I live in Hastings-Sunrise so my choices for a free-range organic turkey were Rio's, Donald's Market, or the new Windsor Meat on Hastings. Rio's had the cheapest price. $4.29/lb compared with $4.50 for Donald's and Windsor. I figured since they were getting them directly from the farm I wouldn't have to worry about the cleanliness factor. I picked up the turkey today and the woman made a comment about the bird not being frozen, it was just sprayed with CO2 to develop a cold crust on it to keep it cold. What? I just put it in brine (we're having an early turkey dinner tomorrow) and the bird was frozen through. Also, it's not free-range, just not fed with antibiotics. Not impressed. read more

They are indeed "Rio Friendly"! When planning a roast for the holiday season or a special occasion, they are my neighbourhood butcher of choice. I've purchased free range turkey from Rio several years now and I always manage to find the smallest one even the day before the holiday event. Their supplier of free range turkey is from Abbotsford, and it's one check mark toward my self-fulfilling 100 Mile Eating philosophy. I like how they ask questions about preparation method before recommending a cut. And it is nice to patron an establishment where the staff seem genuinely happy to be working there. Another thing worth mentioning, I like how they are casual and friendly without greeting female patrons as "Honey" or "Beautiful". I think I'm getting old and crotchety... read more

One of the best experiences I have had at a butcher in a long time. I wanted some bone in rib steaks, and they pulled a prime rib out of the back and cut them up for me right there. Beautiful looking meat, and I am so looking forward to putting it on the grill tonight. Had a great chat with the staff (owners maybe?) about having just moved into the neighbourhood. I am looking forward to having such a great butcher so close to my house! And they sell sausage casings! Score! read more

I've never had a bad product from here and the people behind the counter are great. I usually pick up a good new york strip or beef fillet and it's tender and tasty. The pot pies are to die for too. read more

My family buys the meat pack pack ever other week! The owners are friendly guys! They threw in a extra piece of ribeye once!! I also got a bone marrow bone for my dog Dallas and he LOVED it. I also end up leaving this place with all of their pepperoni sticks.... Its SO good. Great place. Great quality. Friendly people. read more

This meat shop is amazing.. Been going here since i was a lil kid with my folks... Great staff great quality.. Great prices.. Friendly faces... Always an amazing experience.... My mom brought me there as a kid now i bring my kids... Wonderful place... read more

Great butcher shop! I eat a lot of chicken! Usually around 6-lbs a week. Not only do these guys have quality meats, but great customer service as well - something you don't find too often in Vancouver. Without the slightest hesitation, they de-skinned and butterflied 10 breasts for me. Also, try the house made sausages- delish! Will continue to shop at Rio and highly recommend them to anyone that asks. read more

Great little spot with tons of selections with great freshness. It's good to have one of those in your neighborhood. It's local in the vibrant in Vancouver. I was passing there picking up some food to do a BBQ at his place. I think if I was a local I'd be there all the time. The prices are fair and the quality really good! read more

Been here twice now, first time for back ribs and this time for bavarian smokies. Both times the meat was fantastic. Ribs cooked up and tasted great. The Bavarian smokies are the best ever. Great people behind the counter, definitely will be back. Really great selection of fresh meat and poultry. Terry E. read more

You can expect great service, and good prices here. They truly live up to their name "friendly" and is an establishment in the neighbourhood. As more people turn to Costco and other big-box warehouses, people here continue to experience a sense of community and honest to goodness service and quality that will be hard to replace once they're gone. Go check them out! read more

These guys really are shockingly friendly. I have been shopping there for the last five years or so and anyone who works there full time knows the names (and shopping preferences) of any frequent customers. They have great bacon at great prices. They sell ground lamb for $4.99 a lb They sell organic and free range meet They have a volume discount if you buy 3 lbs of hamburger meat All their prices are extremely reasonable. And if they don't have something you want, they will get it for you. They have a bunch of package deals that are a flashback to the 1960's. In fact, the whole operation is like a flashback to when when businesses knew their customers.. I went there years ago because a friend recommended their turkey sausages. They have turkey sausage, lamb sausage, buffalo sausage... and of course, beef sausage. They are a bunch of hard working, working class folks passing on a really good value to their customers. They don't sell Chateaubriand, but they will sell you the cut so you can make it yourself. And they sell baby back ribs for 3.99 a lb. freaky cheap!! You won't go there to buy a bearnaise sauce or salmon marinated in tarragon reduction or anything terribly fancy but if you want good quality food at reasonable prices, you will love this place. read more

This neighborhood butcher shop is a total gem. Often when we go we want to make something that we haven't made before. The folks there are great at helping you figure out which cut of meat you need. Like when we made schnitzel for the first time: I think some places would have up-sold us to the most expensive hand massaged pork or whatever, but at Rio they suggested the tenderloin--cheaper and leaner; if we wanted more fat for flavor then we could go with loin chop. They know their stuff and they are super nice. We have gone there enough that they recognize us. It is a comfortable neighborhood atmosphere--it is not uncommon that they'll be talking about so and so had their baby it is so cute or someone's super tough looking dog with a non-matching baby type name. As previously stated, if you're not sure what to get or you're with a meatatarian, be prepared to browse a bit and buy more than you came for! read more

I rarely eat meat, but when I do, I prefer to cook it myself. I normally order from a farmer that comes into town once a month. During certain periods of the year, I host more than usual and run out of meat so I have to buy some extra. There are very few places in town I trust to have good quality meat and RIO is definitely my go to place when I am on the East side. Because their meats, really are that friendly. read more

These guys are amazing. Some of the most friendly people on the block, always stoked to see your face even when they are slammed (Which it is a lot of the time). They are always happy to recommend things if you're uncertain on what to cook based on what has just arrived and are always happy to cut things in smaller portions and give you a bit deal when buying a pile of meat Prices are decent as some of the meat isn't as organic as some people may like but a lot of it's local and that's tight. Definitely eat the EXTRA spicy Italian sausage they make. Best I have ever had. Keep it up, you guys are nailing it. read more

I ordered a (regular) de-boned turkey @ $2.99/lb for Turducken. I got a mangled (free range) turkey, that you couldnt even classify as a utility turkey (a turkey damaged in proceessing, i/e. wing or leg missing or a tear in the skin) There was a huge tear in the skin across the right side of the breast. They cut of the legs halfway through the thighs, and only left me with the drumsticks included in the bones. IT HAD STUMPS w/ bones sticking out for legs. When I called to complain the butcher completely denied any wrongdoing, and said i didnt know what I was talking about. I was in tears, and when I asked why the 16lb turkey I bought cost $71.... he said "you wanted free range right?" NO!!!!!!! they charged me $3.99/lb for the most mangled, stumpy legged turkey I have ever seen. (I have worked with meat for 5 yrs, in several high end and specialty meat shops) read more

So we were just back at our now favorite butcher shop and we have now discovered that they also do FREE delivery with any combo purchase within 5-7 Km radius. Wow, is there anything higher than a five. read more

Very friendly and helpful staff and good selection of meats. I love that they have a lot of local products. I got an amazing leg of lamb here for Easter and it was nice to hear where it was from-their lamb comes from Abottsford and Chilliwack, not New Zealand! read more

I put on barbecues for a non-profit society and Rio has the best prices on Smokies and Hotdogs. It is the place to shop if your income is limited. You never know what they will have as they never know what specials they will get from their suppliers. Oh, one other thing the service is great and super friendly. If you have a chance check it out, it is worth the drive or walk over to Hastings/Sunrise. read more

well now i feel like an a**hole. two stars in a sea of fives...oof. but while i had high hopes, i just wasn't impressed. i took home a lb of bacon and a few hot italian sausages. made a nice red sauce for the sausage and they were... "ok". i mean, really, just "ok". the bacon was also...i dunno, just ok. not really smoky and to be honest, went bad after less than a week. now maybe, because it's fresh with fewer preservatives, i should have portioned it and kept it in the freezer. i get it. regardless i was a bit shocked when the aroma wafting off my iron pan wasn't smoky goodness but rather that slightly "off" aroma. i took a wiff of the last uncooked slice and it actually smelled ok...but once cooked it was definitely not right. i also have to say that the bacon wasn't packaged with much care...instead of a nice flat line of bacon slices, it was basically a ball of flesh. unfortunately when it comes to meat i have a hard time going back for more if I didn't have a good experience the first time...especially when there are so many other options around. oh well. read more

Great meat, good prices, old-school atmosphere and service. We've been shopping here for years.

Just an update: You are still awesome. Great prices, quality meat. Sweetest staff. You rule.

EXCELLENT! The people in there rock! My grandfather is a butcher and I learned a bit from him. The sausages are great, the cuts a very good size! We frequent often and NEVER buy elsewhere unless we want game meat. I think they should find a bigger locale and expand! read more

Best meat shop in Vancouver, in my opinion. Great service and reasonable prices. I'm almost afraid to write a review because I don't want to draw the attention of the masses to this place. It's one of the last gems in Vancouver where independent service quality is second bar none. Please never go away, Rio! read more

Rio Friendly Meats is a great little Butcher shop. It reminds me of the Village Butcher we used to shop at when we lived in England. And they sell bison, which has less fat than beef & way more protein. And it's from grass fed animals. Way healthier! Their sausages are great, and they offer combos for families on a budget: packs of assorted meat products from $50 & up. I've never purchased them but they look like good value. read more

I have been going to Rio Friendly Meats for over 20 years. It is without a doubt the best there is. Their basics (roasts, steaks, chicken) are great, and anything they make in house is delicious (sausages, marinated chicken, skewers). Do yourself a favour: don't buy meat pies anywhere other than here for the rest of your life. Service is always great. Thanks for everything guys!! read more

A small business which truly lives up to its name. The friendliest shop on Hastings Street - maybe in all of Vancouver. Quality products at fair prices. Excellent specialty items, some made in-house - sausages and stuffed chicken breasts in several varieties. The blood sausage is tops for taste and nutrition when available (why not more often?). Don't forget their deli counter. Especially fond of their delicious potato salad. They also provide frozen rabbit and chicken at very good prices for those who want to prepare raw pet food at home. Delivery service available. read more