Calabash Bistro - Vancouver

My second time here and they have decent oxtail. Reservations are a must as it gets really busy. The staff are all kind and down to earth and the bottom floor of the restaurant turns into a dance floor at night on the weekends, and it's pretty fun and bumping. My boyfriend says the oxtail recipe has changed throughout the years (he has been a patron here since way back) and that it used to be much better with bigger portions of meat, but we still enjoyed the dish. The meat is tender and fatty although some of the pieces are very small. Tiny bones with small pieces of meat. There is just the right amount of spice. It comes on a plate with rice, salad, a doughnut ball, and two tiny pieces of fried plantain (would have liked more). The rice was disappointing because it was flavorless and so plain!! If you're going to make oxtail then you need authentic rice to go along with it. If I could rate just the oxtail it would be 3.5/5 The dark and stormy drink appears to be pretty popular here and it is very tasty with coconut shavings on top. We also shared a starter of the pork belly which was really good. I enjoyed the mango pieces it was paired with and it also came with two doughnut balls. The only downside is that the area that this restaurant is in has gone downhill, especially more so during the pandemic. Just steps outside of the restaurant you will witness some of the most impoverished and mentally ill people, which is heartbreaking to see. That being said, parking can be a headache in the area and it might be better to park a few blocks down where there is less foot traffic. Or better yet just take a cab and leave your car at home!

The food is great, Caribbean food mixed with a slight bit of Canadian. Definitely a different vibe! The location isn’t the best but if you’re looking for Caribbean food, this is the place to go! The old school reggae music playing in the background adds to the vibe. The employees don’t seem to be Caribbean people but they have a good knowledge of what’s going on and what they’re serving. I would 10/10 recommend.

A really nice night at Calabash. Pork belly appie so delicious. Fun, funky place. We dined but there is also live entertainment at this venue down stairs. I'm giving it a five star however it bordered on a 4.5 as service wasn't bad but pretty slow. Possibly a result of pandemic and staff shortages and frankly if you're not in any hurry the service will be quite fine but has a little room for improvement. Bevies were outstanding and food flavours were fantastic. Perhaps a few more items could be added to the menu. A great salad was enjoyed there.

Visited Calabash yesterday and had a mixed experience. The service was good, and it’s a nice space. The pork belly, coconut dumpling and meat pie appetizers were really good. I wasn’t a big fan of the wings, poutine or the curry chicken. I would recommend it, especially as there aren’t many Caribbean restaurants in the area.

I have a vegan soup and oxtail tonights it's cooked right on spot really opens up my stomach for oxtail. The portion is huge and looking really nice. My partner orders that poutine and something else. The servers are awesome. The clear communication for allergies and alternative when one option don't work through. I highly appreciated that. The music is just good to hear and not loud enough to annoying. it's pineapple everywhere so check out this tropical place in the Raincouver. The restaurant has a red wall with a huge art work which opens up imagination while waiting for food.