Review Arms Reach Bistro - North Vancouver

This is a wonderful little restaurant by the dock. We were seated with a wonderful view of the mountains and water. They offered friendly and efficient service, overall we had a very comfortable stay. We had the spicy spaghetti and burger. Both entrees went above and beyond my expectations. 10/10 would go again. The only red flag is that they didn’t mention that the fountain drinks were not refillable and we were charged $16 for iced tea. 🤪

Our server was very nice and the ambiance of the place is just amazing, overlooking the ocean and nature. My friends and I did think that the pasta were too dry but the serving was pretty big for $22. Our favorite was the R.B.C. it was the perfect mix of flavors. Definitely going back again in the summer.

Neat little restaurant in Deep Cove with a very nice patio with a view. Friendly service with some very prompt water refilling which was appreciated on a hot summer day. Their portions especially for the pasta was quite generous, we couldn't even finish it! The baked spaghetti was very homey and full of thick meat & sauce which I enjoyed whereas the burger was ok but could've been a bit juicier. It gets quite popular given there aren't that many restaurants around so make a reservation online if you can!

Food was great. Actually, the fries are soooo good. We did not expect their food are that great. Pasta was a little salty, but it depends on people. Steak was also amazing, but a bit over cooked, but we did not return them because it was full of people in the dining and it was super difficult to call servers. 🥲 Overall, great experience!

The best view with a meal in Deep Cove! The patio was splendid, and there were even blankets provided if the breeze felt chilly. We thoroughly enjoyed our food, and I actually really loved the fries & garlic aioli. By the way, it's more expensive than average, so keep that in mind; I thought of it as a special occasion to justify the cost.

Amazing location with stunning million dollar view. Food is only okay and a bit overpriced but the service is 5 star! Staff are super friendly and accommodating.

Nothing but compliments to the staff and the amazing service they provided. The customer interaction was very genuine and the food was delicious! Great selections and atmosphere! Thoroughly enjoyed the Baked Spaghetti & Creme Brulee

I went to Deep Cove to spend some time with my bf and we decided to have lunch at the bistro. I had the BC organic beef burger with a side of salad and garlic aioli and ketchup dressings. The burger was so good, I loved the beef patty because it was well made, not salty at all but well seasoned with cheese on top. My salad was not the best compared to others that I have tried at different places. The dressing was good because it had this lemon flavor and not salty but it can be improved with more seasons so it tastes different. My bf had the curry chicken which was surprisingly tasty, not salty, the sauce was fresh, the chicken was very soft, it had these cummin or oregano spices (I don't know which ones) but they gave the sauce one of the best flavors I have ever smelled and tried. The rice, once mixed with the sauce was done, the dish would still taste really savory and fresh. And it came with this naan garlic with butter and salt. All of his dish was amazing, tasty and delicious (next time I will have that one). And he also had the spicy margarita that he mentioned could be improved too. This place is not cheap but it has a pretty view towards the sea to enjoy while eating. So, this place is great to go with family, with your partner or just to hang out with your friends. I would say some flavors can be improved but I'm still giving it the 5-star review.

I love this place. It's in a beautiful area with lovely views and I very much enjoy that it feels removed from Vancouver. There's something about this place that makes me feel relaxed and that helps to enjoy the food! I've not been for awhile but I remember sitting on the patio one evening and it was chilly but there were blankets on every chair. It's been awhile since I've been out here so I don remember all to much about the service and the food except that they were both pleasant experiences and I left Arms Reach very satisfied. Would definitely recommend.

Was good without being great. The service was friendly and prompt. The food was good and it’s a nice relaxed atmosphere out on the deck overlooking the lake.

Although there seems to be a lot of coffee shops and cafes in the Deep Cove area, this is one of the few restaurants on the main street. I came here on an early Sunday afternoon and it was busy due to the popular brunch specials. We were seated relatively quickly and ordered one brunch item for $9 and a spicy spaghetti with prawns. Drinks including beers, caesars and mimosas were only $4-5 which was also great.<br/>Food came and the eggs benedict were tasty and cooked well. Unfortunately, the spaghetti was more than al-dente, it was only half cooked and dry.<br/>The biggest disappointment was the service. After taking our order, our waitress never returned to check on us or top up our drinks. We asked another server to pack up our food and get the bill which took forever to arrive. <br/><br/>This is a lovely restaurant with a nice view and the brunch is reasonable for the price range, but the lack of hospitalable service and the unpleasant pasta left us with a sour taste.

Arms Reach used to be one of our favorite spots but I'm convinced a major shift happened here after my last visit a few months ago. Either management changed or they're trying to save money by hiring very inexperienced kitchen staff or they have plainly decided they're "the only game in town" and why bother trying to provide good food and good service because they both cost money and eats away at the profit margin. Whatever the cause of our unpleasant brunch experience, we have unfortunately decided not to set foot here ever again.<br/>We were hoping to see a regular breakfast dish with eggs and bacon (or a vegetarian option instead of bacon or something like that as I don't eat meat). When we couldn't see such an item on the menu, and asked as to why, we were told "the kitchen used to get too busy and backlogged when they used to serve that kind of breakfast", which didn't make any sense at all. Anyway, we went ahead and picked the Smoked Trout Rillette Benny and Hippy Hash Bowl. Both dishes left a lot to be desired, both visually and taste-wise. <br/><br/>Benny: There was barely any trout on the muffins; and the cold and soggy hash browns (see pic) were haphazardly strewn on the plate, with a third of the plate empty in a way to almost suggest part of the dish was missing. In the picture the plate looks a bit fuller because of the ketchup and hot sauce I added! Also the fresh herbs mentioned in the menu weren't anywhere in sight. I only realized this last point as I was writing this review; otherwise I would have brought it to their attention. The presentation of the Benny lacked any care or love and the taste was as bland as it gets. <br/><br/>The Hippy Hash:  This was no better. It looked more like a soup than a hash, and tasted like slop, a mixture of mushy ingredients with any distinctive taste of their own cooked to death out of them.<br/>Truly, I've had better food served with more attention and care in coffee shops.

This place has one of the best eggs benedict I have ever had. It's in a rather unforgiving and inconvenient location, especially if you live in the GVRD area, but it's worth the trip. This is probably the most upscale brunch place that I have ever been to without having a dress code. Not to mention that the ambiance and service is really great but everything on the menu is fantastic.

Such a lovely restaurant. Had a great birthday dinner here with my girlfriend. The atmosphere, service, views all of that we're perfect. There is a great selection of dishes to choose from and the food was wonderful. It was busy on a non sunny weekday in deep cove.. It must be good

Back in late June, we decided to take a hike up to the very popular (read: busy) Quarry Rock in Deep Cove. We generally don’t visit Deep Cove much due to the difficulties finding parking in the area. After almost getting lost, we finally made our way to the top of Quarry Rock and then back down into Deep Cove and realized that we were starving for some good food. We headed over to the Arms Reach Bistro which is just a short jaunt away from the water.

Great drinks and appetizers. I had the pimms punch and it was great. We ordered the charcuterie board and the calamari and they were really good. Each of us ordered a pasta dish for dinner, and we all really enjoyed it. Great device and atmosphere.

First time here. Good service, but the food was overpriced and the dish I ordered was just mediocre. The curried chicken didn't taste homemade to me, and it would have been nice to have some naan bread or something to go with it.

Dinner with friends. We made reservations for a table of 4 for 8pm...the only time left...we were greeted nicely, with sincere warmth and smiles, while taken to a very nice corner, view window...my guest's had been there before and enjoyed the food and service...our server, was very professional, informative and friendly...very nice room, with simple elegant touches, nice lighting, good music...my wife and ordered the Calamari to share to start, excellent, cooked perfectly, nicely presented and a generous portion as well...so often many restaurants miss the mark entirely on Calamari...but this was excellent! We ordered a bottle of wine, and the year we wanted wasn't available, so they upgraded us to a better year for the same price...which was $33! Outstanding move, nice wine...my wife a Mussels, with a heaping portion of fires, also served by the house freshly cooked bread, not seen very much these days, which always helps for soaking up the leftover mussel sauce! My friends ordered the Tenderloin, cooked to perfection, and the Ling Cod, both dishes beautifully presented once again, Lind Cod was slightly sad...I have the Linguini Pestatore, mixed seafood, that was cooked a dente and very tasty! All in all, the front of the house was a fines toned machine, great evening, we will be back as Deep Cove is such a lovely location.

Commence the food coma.... Nothing over the top, but everything was executed very well. <br/><br/>Calamari was different than what I've become accustomed to as it was *very* lightly battered and served with a side of spicy marinara. I personally would've liked it with some fresh tzatziki instead of the marinara, but it was still on point. <br/><br/>Crab cakes were delicious. Perfect crisp all around the cake with a smooth center, nice and hot all the way through. Would definitely order these again. <br/><br/>Spicy spaghetti was om nom nom. Huge portion. Even my fat ass couldn't finish it, so I took it home for "tomorrow". It didn't make it past midnight. <br/><br/>Creme brulee was great. Nothing crazy, definitely on point and had excellent presentation with the elevated goose berry. <br/><br/>Our server was a great happy person that made the feast that much more enjoyable. <br/><br/>Would return again. Next time I'll wear my wife's jeggings so I can expand in comfort.

Anticipation. When oh when will you put Penne Gorgonzola back on the menu?

Baked Spaghetti. This is my go to dish at Arm's Reach. Not recommended by my cardiologist. .but what the hell...it's great!

Great Meal and service<br/>Needs better lighting

Arm's Reach Bistro. Our evening was very relaxing with good food, good wine and good service starting right at the door with a nice welcome. Everyone's food was nicely presented and delicious.

Great food, service and ambience. We had a lovely dinner. Very professional service. The wine selection is terrific and the menu offers a wide variety. Our table had a beautiful view of the water. One of North Vancouver's best restaurants.

Recommend highly. Location, food and service: excellent!

At the Arms Reach Bistro, you'd be well advised to keep the butter chicken at arms length.<br/><br/>The dish came highly recommended by our server as one of the best things on the menu. Unfortunately, it's a strong contender in the category of "worst culinary experience for fifteen dollars or more."<br/><br/>The dish had no spice at all, and instead was characterized by a sour flavor. Rather than butter chicken, I'd encourage Arms Length to rename the dish: bitter chicken. I'm not sure if this flavor was intentional, or if one of the ingredients had gone bad. Either way, it was one of the worst dining experiences I've had. Ever.<br/><br/>The restaurant in general had a nice atmosphere, and descent service, but menu options were quite limited. You're probably safe with a sandwich, but overall, I wouldn't recommend dining here.

Arms Reach Bistro. Everything was amazing. I took a visitor from England and the service was outstanding.

Didn't live up to the hype. I went to arms reach for lunch yesterday after looking at all the great reviews it had received. I ordered the hummus and pita plate and was very disappointed. The hummus was bland with no flavour whatsoever. The roasted garlic put on top didn't seem to help the taste. Service was average, nothing special.

Excellent. Food great, service friendly, wine tasty, best friends for company? What more could one ask?<br/> mcl

Amazing. Best steak I've ever had, fries too. 10/10

O, my .... The view is unbeatable and the atmosphere on the patio supremely pleasant, but the waiter got the orders mixed up, and the calamari was simply inedible (rubbery, undercooked, greasy). The hummus at $12 for a pretty smear on a plate had no taste at all, just like granny likes it no doubt. Garlic, you say? Well, not in Deep Cove, honey. The burgers were just right but not rave-about quality. We went on a gorgeous day, when the place was hopping for lunch, but don't trust the standing ovations here: they're ritual Vancouver ones, offered after almost anything. The food needs work and the waitstaff ought to be trained. Disappointing. Disappointing.

My favorite place on the north shore by far! Dinner, lunch or brunch.. This is the place.

Foods might be not bad but their service is the worst. The worst that i've ever experienced in my life.

Came here based on a recommendation.<br/>Room was nice. Service pleasant.<br/>The hallway to the restrooms was so coated on aged grease, I could slide across it like a curling rink. The carpaccio had a good texture but the dish was flavourless. The pastas were, salty, oily and the spicy spaghetti so over spiced it was inedible. <br/>The server replaced the dish with the explanation that the chef's don't taste the food, as a result, when they open a new package of chilli's they don't know how hot the dish will be. <br/>Personally based on this experience and seeing how many dishes went back to the kitchen from surrounding tables, I would not recommend or return.

Great Food. Great place to dine, the food was excellent.<br/><br/>Great staff.<br/><br/>Great view of Deep Cove from the patio.<br/><br/>We live five minures away, we will return!!!

Yup. Went here for our first honeymoon dinner, and it was excellent. If you can find a place to park, and eventually make your way into the restaurant, you will enjoy it. Had the seafood linguini because almost everyone in the restaurant had it in front of them when we walked in. It did not disappoint. But seriously...it took 15 minutes to find a parking spot on a Wednesday.

Disappointing. We had a very mediocre lunch at Arms reach but most upsetting was the general cleanliness of the restaurant. Won't go back

Wow. Soooo good. Great staff. Loved the scallops I had. So very very good.

Amazing friendly service, consistently delicious food and a warm, cozy atmosphere right near the water. I have been going there about once a month for the past 6 years and am never disappointed. My fav dishes are the beef tenderloin, Arms Reach spaghetti and coconut lime mussels.

Sensational. Absolutely amazing food and experience. Nestled in Deep Cove, it has great ambiance, and some of the best food I have had - from appys to dessert - in a long time. Highly, highly recommend it!!! Great job, guys!

Great food!!. Ate on the patio - loved that they provide blankets for when it is chilly out. The food was fantastic and so was the service. Great pear salad. I had the curried butter chicken - delicous. Definately recommended

Love the baked spaghetti, but sad they got rid of the baked Brie appy :( love the location and everything this place has to offer.

This place is reliably amazing.

Always good. Great appetizers and dinners for all 6 of us. With the exception of the chowder which was too salty but quickly whisked away by a most accommodating server, and replaced with a perfect salad. The salmon was excellent!!<br/>Hubby knocked over a full wine glass during an animated story (woops) and the whole thing was cleaned up, and a new glass of the lovely nectar appeared out of nowhere. A favorite for sure.

Delicious lunch. Tender calamari, not too spicy butter chicken, and light and fresh chicken penne. Great service; beautiful location. Top marks.

Nice view, great wines. Arms Reach has a great setting, with a nice view over Deep Cove. We were lucky to dine there in the depth of winter, because I can see how it would be jammed in better seasons. Service was good, but my wife and I were practically the only ones there for a 3 p.m. lunch, so there was no excuse not to be attentive.<br/><br/>My mussels in green curry sauce were decent. HUGE shellfish, adequate but not overwhelming portion size, and the sauce had a bit of a burn-bite compared to other versions of mussels/curry I've had elsewhere. I liked that. It's rare to see duck prosciutto on a menu -- we still flash back to a great iteration on this we had at our favourite restaurant outside Venice, Italy -- so my wife ordered it. This had a good smokey flavour, no inedible bits of fat, and nice maroon colour. It was kinda pricey at $12 with a salad, but it's not cheap to cure duck.<br/><br/>What impressed me most about Arms Reach was the wine list. For a smallish place, it has some big-name bottles from all over the world. I saw drops from high-class vineyards that I know from Australia, France, Italy and California. I'm lusting for one of their 2004 Tiganellos (a "super-Tuscan") by Antinori. I missed Arms Reach's 50% off offer that ended in December, though, so I'll have to wait for the next time it comes around before I plump for this $191 bottle.

Don't ever fire your Chef. I went there with my 92-year old grandmother, who has seen many things in her life and by now can distinguish crab from crap. We had read the good reviews and decided to try the restaurant. As soon as we walked in I could see that she was not impressed by the noisy and humid guest room. We decided to stay anyway, only to have grandma point out the less than perfect performance of the waiting staff. The food arrived, and of course grandma didn't like the bread that came with it. However as soon as she tried the food, the clouds cleared. I've had Calamari better than in any Greek or Italian restaurant in years and grandma's Beef Carpaccio was scraped off the plate until the last morsel. Grandma wants to go back. Thank you, Chef !!!!

The food is very good. Me, my Uncle, and my Mom all enjoyed our meals. Service was nothing extrordinary but it was fine. A bit too loud.

Plain. Very disapointed with the food. It tastes plane, no flavor at all. The bread is served cold. I would not go back again.

Always good for lunch or dinner. Nice patio, great view

Very poor customer service. My folks were over from overseas and we took a bus from Park Royal to Deep Cove and were there early evening, I needed to feed my baby and it was cold outside, we ordered a drink and suddenly the tables became reserved and I had to feed my baby outside he said, I quickly pointed out that I am not happy to feed an infant outside in the cold, and that I wish to do so in there for at least 10 mins and as there are empty tables I could just sit at one perhaps to do so, except clearly this is a discriminating manager at this restaurant as he was not having it and said the only place I can do that is in his office! Then he was sarcastic and rude to me the whole time while he walked me to his office to the point I told him I no longer wanted a drink there, and so he cancelled our whole order, and told my Dad that I was rude so we weren't getting our drinks.<br/>I do not recommend this place to anyone, and I remember last year having a drink in there and getting unfriendly vibes as I did not order a meal. <br/>My advice is go elsewhere, there are far friendlier and more polite, and baby friendlier restaurants to eat at than this one!

Homemade Hollandaise?. Very freindly staff and appealing menu, I was impressed that the Chef managed to duplicate the look, flavor and taste of Vanderpols tetra pack Hollandaise for otherwise was a very well made bennie.

A COZY SPOT ON A RAINY DAY. It was one of those rainy, blustery Deep Cove days when my companion, Claudine, and I made our way into the snug warmth of the Arms Reach. That cool days are not unusual here was evident by the blankets laid out on the backs of many of the chairs. <br/>The staff we encountered were efficient and friendly. As it was early March and there was not much activity in the rest of the "Cove" we rather expected to more or less have the restaurant to ourselves so we were rather surprised to see a good number of diners already there when we entered and by the time we had been there about a half an hour there were only a couple of empty tables.<br/>We started out with a shared plate of warm Danish Brie with sun dried raisins which was excellent.<br/>Claudine chose the butter chicken, more commonly found on menus in Indian restaurants. While it was OK she found it a bit lacking in the spiciness she had expected.<br/>I opted for a penne chicken dish with goat cheese. The flavour was excellent. I did find it a bit too "a dente" for my taste but I guess that is in these days.<br/>I ordered a very dry Beefeater martini which was very well concocted as our server had promised.<br/>We enjoyed a pleasant Australian wine with our meal and overall were very pleased with our visit.

... soooo good; lots of cheese and butter, strong gorgonzola flavors w a good balance of the garlic, neither strong flavor outweighing the other; bread soft on the inside and slightly crisp on the edge; heaven!...

...perfectly cooked pappardelle, just wished there was slightly more sausage...

It is not worth the price you have to pay to try it. You don't go to Deep Cove for a three course meal; you come for ice creams and sweets by the water. Leave the fancy dinners for city.

We were so hungry when we reached Deep Cove so we decided to give Arms Reach Bistro a try. Anant ordered Parallel 49 Brewery's Gypsy Tears Ruby Ale, I got Deep Cove Draft and Jeannette got Crannog's Back Hand of God Stout Parallel 49 Brewery's Gypsy Tears Ruby Ale  Deep Cove Draft   Crannog's Back Hand of God Stout Seafood Linguine. Chopped prawns, Dungeness crab, olive oil, garlic, chilies, lemon zest, tomato and fresh tarragon   Fresh Saltspring Island mussels with white wine, bacon, leeks and fresh thyme. Served with hand-cut fries.  Oven-baked spaghetti with a rich tomato meat sauce and melted bocconcini.  Penne Chicken. Asparagus, sun-dried tomatoes, Caprine goat cheese, extra virgin olive oil, and basil chiffonade.  After a while chilling and

Arm’s Reach Bistro is definitely a secret gem in North Vancouver. Everything from their lovely view, warm interior, attentive service, and of course their memorable dishes, give me every reason to go back. The prices were also rather reasonable. I’ve only been twice, but I see myself eating here again very soon!

Located in Downtown Deep Cove, Arms Reach Bistro has been open since 2004. It’s a cozy restaurant with gorgeous views of the water. Owner and Head Chef Erick Kauko is a member of the Ocean Wise program, they specialize in West Coast cuisine with an Italia

Another North Vancouver venture? Sure why not? We had gotten tickets to Sherlock and Watson Save the Empire  at the Deep Cove Shaw Theatre so dinner in North Van seemed like a no-brainer. So the hunt was on, and we decided to check out Arms Reach Bistro, which is just a few steps away from the theatre.     Kicking off the night, we started off with a cocktail each. I went for the French 75 in the forefront. The drink is a simple blend of gin, lemon, prosecco and sugar. Simple but when made right, it packs a punch, must be the bubbles. The other beverage is Pisco Sour, topped with a good amount of foamy egg white, surprisingly tart.   The bread is warm! But be careful you don't fill up on this, it's very tempting. A child at the table next to us had about 3 pieces slathered with butter, prompting the parents to take it away. The child proceeded to eat the butter on its own. We decided to order two mains to share, worried that a heavy meal might put us to sleep during the play. We opted

Judging on the quality of food we had this evening, I would definitely come back and I think this will make a great brunch/lunch spot in the summer.

Just a short drive north along the beautiful evergreens, is the sleeply little enclave of “Deep Cove”. Overlooking a fiord bay filled with sailboats and sea kayakers is the Arms Reach Bistro. Well worth the drive for lunch. Ask for a table over looking th

Summer can't come soon enough. I drove up to Deep Cove on the easternmost tip of North Vancouver but, as you can see above, the weather wasn't very good. My first shot at kayaking will have to wait for a warmer, sunnier day. Thankfully, the short

Since I absolutely adore Arms Reach Bistro, I figured I had to bring my Mom here for dinner (besides, we were already in Deep Cove, so it made perfect sense). My Mom ordered Spicy Spaghetti with tiger prawns