Review The Reef Restaurant - Vancouver

Had a nice lunch time here! Foods were great, but a bit salty for me when it came to the chicken jerky. However, the pork ribs we ordered was fabulous, very tasty and authentic tomato sauce. Service was more than excellent! The server was so nice and friendly, she made sure we were feeling good with everything, and we actually did! Will come back someday.

We stumbled on this restaurant because we were hungry on our stroll. The restaurant was pretty nice, I liked the vibe. I ordered the jerk wings and yam fries, I thought it was good but I have tasted better jerk. I would go back for the meals though. I really loved the free corn dough it was tasty and reminded me of Nigerian buns. Our server was welcoming too. The prices are good

Cozy is the word that best describes this place. Even on the patio outside thr heaters keep iT really warm. Old style things always work better. Little dark inside but making your way through the restaurant to your seat isn’t hard. There is actual fireplace heater inside but the whole place is warm enough. Ok enough talk about warmth. Food- menu is simple with easy to choose options. Apparently i took my time to read all the ingredients under the dishes and my server helped me understand the cooking process. ( i missed taKing pictures of the menu) I was gonna try a unique carribian dish so i took my time. Honestly the spices are more or less like indian food but the taste is different. I loved my dish of cod fish n rice with a twist of local fruit n spicess. (Obviously fruit must be frozen ) Introductory fried bread dumpling was amazing. Tofu was marinated in the spices and fried so it gave a very stronng taste of cloves. U must try their cocktails as there are number of interesting ones. Infact there is a tiny open bar. Overall a good experiment.

My vegan girlfriend and I were really happy to find a Reef location in Mt Pleasant on Main Street. We were used to the location on the Drive which seems to have been turned into an Indian restaurant. If you're vegan and trying out this restaurant, I recommend the jerk tofu dish with cabbage salad and streamed veggies. Delicious Caribbean good.

We got 2 Jamaican patties and a side of jerk wings!!. Savory and yummy. Thank goodness for water. Oh wee!! And thanks for doing contact tracing!

Went here with friends for some jerked chicken with plantain chips and it was delicious. Also tried a cocktail similar to Moscow mule but with rum - yummy! Really nice staff, good ambiance and awesome beats in the background. We also got some desert and it didn’t disappoint. Highly recommended!

A properly authentic experience. I saw Tiger Malt on the menu and ordered it. Totally tasted like the fizzy version of the malt extract, this thick gooey product you could buy in a tin when I was a kid. My wife does not like it, but wow, totally took me back. The service is not fast here, don't be in a rush when you come here.

WORST SERVICE EVER. Waited over 50 MINUTES for 1 plate of West Indian Curry (Chicken and Potato) and Fried Chicken burger with banana chips. It wasn't even busy. Also, where is this complimentary "bread" everyone is talking about? We didn't receive any. When we were finally served the West Indian Curry, the rice was UNDERCOOKED. There were bits of HARD GRAIN in my rice. How did my food take 50 minutes with the rice undercooked? We told the server and she managed to get another plate out with rice and beans instead and within 3 MINUTES. I appreciate the fast turnaround, but how is that possible if we had been waiting over 50 minutes for my first plate? The food was also mediocre and the waiter didn't even bother apologizing for the long wait, and she instead told us other tables were here before us. We were waiting long enough we were unoccupied, and started noticing tables around us getting their food before us. In terms of the food, I understand the quality is not in control of the servers but the chefs. However, was there any sort of awareness when the servers passed by our table multiple times for 50 minutes without food? Where was the communication between the server and the cooks? This was our experience on Saturday Feb 8th, 2020 at around 6-7:30PM. Shameful and very embarrassing. There could be more customer service training involved; instances like these should be discussed with staff to avoid the continuation of poor customer service that will disappoint customers, affecting future business.

Funny thing was that I wanted to try the tofu. I am not a vegetarian, but I was trying to figure out the math for a $11 meal. A bit of rice, a bit of coleslaw, and 3 triangular pieces of pressed fried tofu in sauce. A bowl of rice is $1 or $1.25 at another place I eat at, and I can have fried tofu (small) for like $5 which is equal to a tofu square. Nothing to really write to home about. There are other establishments with faster and friendlier service. The Main Street culture is not me I guess.

My favourite place for brunch - nothing beats a couple of johnny cakes and a jerk salmon eggs benny!

Great food, friendly staff and awesome music. One of my favorite restaurants.

I love this restaurant and they were accommodating to my vegetarianism and my daughters veganism! Bravo great service & food!! 😎

Great food, nice service. We liked the 'ting' drink, Dominican beef and the jerk balls.

I have eaten at your restaurant for over 20 years. over the past year your service has rapidly declined:( A few weeks ago, I came in for an early dinner. I entered the restaurant and stood at the please wait to be seated sign being ignored by your female wait staff for far too long. i then went to the restroom and as I was leaving the restroom and heading to the bar, was thanked by the woman who previously ignored me for eating at the reef. i responded, that i was just arriving, not leaving. as my dining experience began at the bar, i chit chatted with the bar tender about eating an early dinner before driving to pick up my son, so i would only have one drink. as time progressed and the bartender left, i had to ask the waitress for water, and my johnny cake. normally these are provided and you don't have to ask. when my dinner arrived, there was a long black hair in my coconut prawns. i immediately informed the waitress, who instead of apologizing and owning the mistake and worked to make an effort to try and fix it, began arguing with me saying that, "prawns have hair." I calmly told her that," I'm not going to argue with you about this, if you want, you can eat it, but I won't" Instead of talking to me, she rudely grabbed the plate out of my hand and walked away. I continued to eat my salad. When the bar tender returned, I informed her of the incident. She offered me a free drink, to which i responded, "no thank you, as I'm driving". A conversation we already had. A few minutes later, the waitress returned thrusting the prawns back at me, without any dialogue. I honestly had been turned off, so wasn't expecting new prawns as she never spoke with me to arrange a solution. As i was really hungry I began to eat them but quickly wanted to leave as I was so off put by the constant scowling coming from your waitress. When the bill came, I was shocked to have been charged for the prawns. I told the bartender that I was horrified by my service and that their waitress had some serious problems and that until a proper apology happened, I would not be returning, which was a shame after 20 years of attending the reef for mother's day, dates and family and business events. I have called the reef to ask for a manager, or owner to call me, but 3 weeks later, I still have not had a returned phone call. Do you really hate your customers this much?

My wife and I visited Vancouver BC last summer and went to the Reef and everything was "OVER THE TOP"! We can't wait to come back. THANK TO EVERYONE WHO MADE OUR STAY IN VANCOUVER GREAT! Tom and Lynn Preece Gulf Breeze FL 32563 USA "Canadian people are the best! "

I’ve probably passed this place dozens of times but never thought to actually try it. It has this kind of mesmerizing aura that just draws you in…maybe it’s the music, maybe it’s the unique decor. In any case, it led to a great dining experience!. The first thing that you’ll notice inside is the neat signs, posters, art, and the likes scattered all about.

Tried their jerk chicken poutine from their food truck. <br/>Not what I was expecting of jerk slices blacken barbecued chicken pieces over fries with cheese curds & gravy.<br/><br/>Instead it was pulled chicken pieces over fries & cheese curds with a salty spicy gravy. A bit of a letdown!

I’m a huge fan of Caribbean food and I really love knowing where to get the good stuff. Reef Restaurant Main Street The is one of the most solid places in Vancouver to keep in mind when you’re craving those unique and spicy flavours. They have two locations in the city; one on Main and one on Commercial (and a food truck too!). You might have seen them on You Gotta Eat Here! and Westender named them as #1 Best Caribbean 2017. <br/><br/>We decided to visit their Main Street location on a Saturday evening and were immediately welcomed by the warm atmosphere. Even though the weather was cool, the patio out front was warm enough to sit and eat thanks to the heaters. We sat inside though, right next to their toasty wood-burning oven. The vibe is very laid back and the decor is lively and colourful. The space feels very much like a cross between a casual Canadian restaurant and a little joint that you might find in Jamaica. I enjoyed finding things around the room; such as the steel drum and the surfboard hanging above the bar. The server helping us was extremely friendly and accommodating.<br/><br/>I wanted a cocktail (and I wanted to feel like I was on a beach!). I really liked how each cocktail is accompanied by the name of the place that it’s from. I found myself in the “De Coconuts” section and assumed that getting a beverage served in a coconut was the way to go. I chose The Original “Get Juiced” Beach Punch (3oz J. Wray overproof, dark & white rum & tropical juices - $12.00) from Jamaica and was ready to get juiced. As promised, a cocktail in a coconut. It was boozy. But in a really great, not too alcohol-tasting way. Just what I was looking for! Refreshing and fruity, this is the perfect way to get juiced, even on a winter’s day in Canada.<br/><br/>I looked to the “Small Tings” section of the menu and happily found a Jamaican Patty (House made, lightly seasoned ground beef or tofu - $4.00), one of my favourite things. I ordered this with beef inside, of course. This version was nice and obviously made with care. I liked the flaky pastry and the beef inside was savoury and very good. I could have used a little bit more spice. Not the best patty of my life, but pretty good.<br/><br/>Next time I would probably favour an order of their incredible Plantain Chips (so thinly sliced and deliciously seasoned!) or the Cheesy Crab Dip... Actually, the Tasting Platter may be the true way to go.<br/><br/>For my main dish I ventured to the “Caribbean Special Tings” section and bee lined on over to the Ackee & Saltfish (Jamaica’s national fish of ackee fruit, salt cod, onion, tomato & peppers with rice ‘n peas & coleslaw - $19.00), my favourite Jamaican dish. This was a really excellent version of a dish that I enjoy a lot and have tasted in several different restaurants as well as in Jamaica. Sometimes when I order this I find that there isn’t very much fish and that the little fish bits are barely noticeable. Not so in this case, in fact this was probably the best example of beautiful large chunks of fish, bursting with salty flavour! I did not find myself searching for fish at all. It was there, in every bite. The ackee was tender and scrambled egg-like, which sounds weird but becomes an endearing part of the experience. All of the vegetables were bright and fresh. The entire mixture was deliciously oily and a perfect embodiment of this unique dish. The rice on the side was nice (but quite plain) and the coleslaw added a good crunch.<br/><br/>Next time I will absolutely be excited to try their Jamaican Jerk Chicken. It sounds like they have an expert recipe for it and I cannot wait to see how it is.<br/><br/>Another thing that I appreciated about The Reef are the clearly designated menu items for various dining preferences such as vegetarian or gluten free. They are also partnered with Ocean Wise. And they serve breakfast too! The quality of this Caribbean food is some of the best in town, treat yourself to a tropical vacay on over to this restaurant!

I remember the food being really good here so I took the bf for his first time. We came early, about 5pm on a Saturday night. Only a handful of tables were sat - which is why I lowered the rating as our service was terrible. The server never brought us the red stripe beer. We finished all our food and then the jerk wings finally came out.. server told us they waited to get 'fresh one's.. . Whatever that means. Food was great, roti in particular was our favorite. Maybe do take out here.. because the service needs work.

Not worth the money.....went here for dinner with some friends and the quality has gone down. The oxtail was WAY to salty and the jerk taco was soggy. Which is odd to us since jerk is a dry rub.<br/>Customer service was horrible, the waitress forgot alot of the items we had ordered. Would not recommend.

Back in my old stomping grounds stepped in for some brunch ordered the Sam Lords Breakfast with🤤bacon and a side of😋jerk chicken breast added some🔥hot sauce with the meal.The sauce started off sweet and "WHAM O" 😳!!! the🔥🔥heat OM Gosh!!!😝 it was soooo good. Overall it was the best breakfast i've had😃in a long time i would highly recommend this location👍🏻👍🏻

Damn! I really wanted to like this place more... service was excellent and place was fun and cozy - but the food just had minimal flavour... I got the goat roti.. I was disappointed. It really lacked the flavour I was expecting from such a standard dish. Maybe I ordered wrong? Others got various currys and Rotis, tried them all - they just don't compare to other places like Calabash in gastown. Extra .5 points for the johnny cakes and their dark and stormy. But if I was in the mood for this type of food - I'd look elsewhere.

We did have to wait quite a while for food, but the server was nice about it and even took our drinks off the tab, which was nice. The food itself was a cool, and different experience. I had the tofu jerk, which was spicier than I expected, but still really good. I like the spicy sauce they give on the side for you to pit on as well. Also, the bread with the mango butter was really delicious, though I kind of wish it came with more bread.

The reef has been a successful business for years. When you enter the decor is very cozy and laid back. They have a huge screen in the back to watch sports. Service is adequate and very friendly. My girlfriend and I came here on a Friday night after walking our husky pup. We started with the epenadas. It was good, the sauce is sweet and savory too. She ordered the June feature which is the gumbo. Wow its very comforting and hearty. It was hugging the wild rice nicely. I ordered the Jamaican national dish, the saltfish and ho ho ho Oh my it hit the spot... Now if you like spice like I do, they give a jar of in-house spice sauce. Slap that onto the saltfish and man, it's a party. Great complement together. Overall, can't go wrong with this place. Oh I forgot to mention they give you complementary dough ball to start. And at the end of your meal you get a free post card, pretty cool.<br/><br/>I'll come back for happy hour, sounds like a good deal!<br/>

One of the few Jamaican restaurants in Vancouver, so we had to check it out. First off, the complimentary Johnny cakes are delicious, make sure to eat them with the butter and hot sauce! We ordered plantain chips, the Jamaican jerk with chicken breast, and also a chicken quesadilla. We loved the plantain chips, although the jerk mayo that comes with it is nothing to get excited about. Both the main courses were wonderful, the jerk chicken was tender and very saucy and went well with the rice n peas. We aren't big coleslaw fans so cannot say much about the coleslaw. The quesadilla was great as well, but would probably order something different next time. For hot sauce lovers, The Reef has this Carribbean hot sauce called Matouk's, it truly is the best!<br/><br/>Service was good and prices are very fair considering portion sizes, we would recommend!

Another Groupon deal brought us here to the Reef on Main St/26th Ave for the first time.  We never tried Caribbean style food before so we were looking forward to try this place out. Things didn’t start out too well unfortunately.  We got there quite early, 5pm since we figured we’d have a better chance getting a table  with no reservations on a Saturday.  The inside of the restaurant was practically empty, maybe 1 or 2 tables were occupied and we saw the rest of the tables had a “reserved sign’ on it.

I do enjoy the ambiance (I almost feel like I'm actually on vacation), but not so much the service. The first time I visited The Reef, I had a great experience. The second time, not so much. It took our server almost 20 minutes to take our order and then another 15 to get the bill. I enjoyed the fish tacos the first time around, but there was something different about it eh second time I tried it. I loved it so much I came back for it, but was utterly disappointed. But my favourite dish of all time will have to be their yam fries (you have to try to understand).

Just popped in to try! Try the award winning wings. POW it's so much yum in your mouth. It's the punch in your face you love to get! Cheers. Can't wait to be back!

The service is always great here, and I love the vibe but their food is just ok. Some stuff they do right - awesome plantain chips and traditional dishes, but some things are just kind of meh. My pork wasn't cooked through... Not a good sign. <br/><br/>

There aren't too many places that offer real Jamaican food in Vancouver, so the Reef is going to be your go-to place for that kind of cuisine. The jerk chicken (and other jerk meats) are really where it's at here, but you'll want to be mindful of your heat tolerance. Service is good, but it can get hectic during busy times.

Good drinks, bad food. The cocktails were good, but the food was bad. It was so bland, and came out cold. The plantain chips were disappointing, service was real slow and staff wasn't very friendly

Service was great, food was bland and unexciting. I had the tacos and they really didn't have anything going for them except that the ingredients were very fresh. Portions are decent, if you're starved this place will satisfy but if you're looking for more of a dining experience or are really into food, this isn't your place.

Two words: Johnny Cakes!. I've liked everything I've eaten at The Reef, but I'm a sucker for their Johnny Cakes. The thick Yardie Yam fries are also delicious and I love the jerk chicken. They also make a mean Mo-Gingerjito!

Love, love, love, love!!!! Great music, great vibe, great service, amazing food!!!!!! So happy to find this place.

Goat Roti, yum. Popped in for a late bite (around kitchen closing time, so maybe 10:30ish?) with some friends a couple weeks back. I liked the comfortable feel and casual decor. More fun than all those busy, nondescript noodle houses I've been at lately. Ordered the goat roti. Arrived on the most boring white plate I've ever seen. But it was very tasty. Don't see goat meat in this town too often, so I was concerned, but quality wasn't bad (tender, not fatty or gristly). Will come back again. (Too bad that Jamaican place on 108th ave/City Parkway in Surrey closed down. They had *the* #1 roti in Vancouver imho). Don't recall what my friends ate, but I think they enjoyed their food as well. One of them drank a Dark'n'Stormy (rum and ginger beer?). Will have to try that next time.

Overly seasoned/salt. Had their poutine and chicken wings.. the poutine was ok at first bite but as i continued to eat it i noticed it being Superly salty.. and the wings were overly season and salted.. didn't finish my food.. i did enjoy the drinks tho.. might have to come back to try something else but the appies were bad..

The service was great and the ambiance but not the food. I ordered the tacos and somehow there was a raw egg in there. GROSS! Never going back again.

Bland food. The coconut shrimp was horrible. It tasted like something you'd buy frozen from the supermarket that should have been served years ago.<br/><br/>Oxtail stew was mediocre, definitely not worth what they charge. The serving is generous, but the stew and rice are bland.<br/><br/>I was pretty disappointed, or maybe I'm still chocked the server forgot to serve us the johnnycakes.

I was disappointed with the food. The plantain chips were really bland. The coconut shrimp was over battered and greasy, you really couldn't taste the shrimp. I wouldn't recommend this restaurant to anyone.

Very pleasant experience. Food was excellent, service was laid back and friendly, and our kids loved it too :)

Food = meh. Didn't hate it, but didn't like it either. food was too salty for my liking. unfortunately won't return b/c of that. would've enjoyed it more if everything wasn't so heavily seasoned. portions were adequate if not too large. <br/>service was fine, atmosphere is nice... a lil dark inside but the vibe is casual.

Good service, okay food.. Came here with a group and made a reservation. The service was rather good, and our server was very good-humoured and enthused throughout the night.<br/>As for the food, it was good but not great. The snapper I had was nicely cooked, but was nothing special. Some friends had the oxtail, and they said that they liked it. All in all, it was a good experience, and for eighteen bucks from the Dine Out menu, there's a deal to be had. But I will remember it more for the good service than the food.

Quite good.. Good jerry cakes and plantain chips with dipping sauce. Nice atmosphere for a chill hang out with friends. <br/><br/>Mediocre quesadilla.

Do not do not do not. Eat here. their roti is a store-bought tortilla.

Great food, poor service. When you have your servers attention, use it! Ask for everything you'll require for the evening,....drink, appy, glass of water, entree, second drink, dessert, night cap, bill. If you don't do it, you may never see her again and you'll be trapped there!

Nice Jamaican Food. Had the Island Thyme Chicken and it was alright. I guess I should've got something with Jerk spices in it for the Jamaican feel.<br/><br/>Also had Kola Champagne which is Jamaican Cream Soda but it tastes like regular cream soda.

O.k. Not amazing. The place seemed a little dirty and the servers were a bit. . . over-worked maybe? The food was ok. Prices are very reasonable and the wait was not that long. I suppose this is a good place if your on a budget or short on time.

After hearing some good things about the reef I thought I'd try it. BIG disappointment! I have to agree with other posts, the food isn't up to par. It isn't that great, I would rate it below average and inconsistent. I wouldn't recommend this place to my friends!

Excellent Roti!. I love the chicken roti here. It is one of my favorite dishes on the menu. I also adore the jamaican fried dough pieces that are given with the dinner. The coconut butter is to die for! <br/><br/>The atmosphere is good for a chill weeknight or weekend dinner with your friends and/or boyfriend/girlfriend.

+ brunch - dinner. EVERY TIME I expect the food there to be amazing but as much as I love the concept and the environment, the food just doesn't cut it. It's good, just missing something...

Bad Service. I have been coming here for quite a few years and recently noticed a downturn in service. There is one waitress in particular who has been very rude on a number of occassions, most recently shouting at us to move because we were standing by the door while waiting to be seated for our reservation. First of all, where did she expect us to go, there's no space by the door! Also, we were waiting an unnecessarily long time for our reservation. So she could have easily fixed that without shouting at us!<br/>The food is not as good anymore either, I think they used to marinate their chicken put now just throw some sauce on it, and its unbearably dry and chewy without the marinade.<br/>I also find their choice in DJ's somewhat odd. I really see no reason to be playing any sort of electronic or dubstep in a restaurant where you can't dance!

Absolutely delicious and fresh every time I have visited. Nothing I ever ordered disappointed; i always leave with a sated stomach & a smile on my face. Their jerk seasoning is so good and spicy. I will def be back yet again.

Love this place. I'm so thankful that restaurants like this stick around. About the only place that i know of to get a delicious jerk roti, and a big one at that (please let me know of any others). Moving back from Toronto to Vancouver, I was in Carribean withdrawal. As a designer, its refreshing to dine at a restaurant these days that isn't too contrived. Just good food, good drinks, good hot sauce, and a chance to get your spice on. Oh yeah, and one of the few places in Vancouver with a patio :) That's almost a winner by default.

Loved it!. I like the service and the food. I ordered Chicken Roti. Loved it, and Plaintain Bananas for appetizer. Love the spicy mayo dip. I would definitely go there again. Good location.

3 words: OFF THE CHAIN!

Waaay better now. Seriously, the change in chefs has made a huge difference! the freshness of ingredients, the flavours, and the presentation has all gotten better than a year ago. the new offerings are really good too. good job guys, a much needed change really worked out well for this vancouver taste of the tropics.

Super yummy, but chef was a tad happy with the oil bottle. Hubby and I went to the Main street location to us up our Groupon voucher.<br/><br/>For appies, we had the JAH dip. It was alright. Small portion (about 2-3 handfuls of tortilla chips & about half a cup worth of dip) but it was okay. It definitely didn't wow us and we wouldn't order it again.<br/><br/>For main courses, Hubby had the Kingston chicken quesadilla. The chicken was amazingly tender ad full of flavour. Definitely would order again. I had the Ackee with salty fish. Very yummy, and I just couldn't get enough of it. However, the salty fish seemed like it was swimming in oil. That made it impossible for me to finish, so i had to pack it up and finish the rest of it in almost two sittings without getting sick. :S Next time I think i'll have to ask them to go easy on the oil. It's so yummy though.

Nothing else quite like you. I adore the concept of this restaurant and the kind of food they offer! However, the prices you pay SHOULD definitely be getting you more food than you're given. Overall, it's not very expensive but I would still like to get the bang for my buck. Most of the items on the list are flavorful. Two things that I DO love regardless are the bread balls and the mango-coconut infused butter that everybody gets. They are small pieces of savoury heaven that melt right on to your tongue. <br/><br/>Only one disappointment so far, which was the Lamb Shank, which came out overooked and dried and the flavour was not all that impressive. Not everything is perfect, but hey, they've got the basic down pretty good!

Lower Your Expectations.... Have to agree with some of the posters here in terms of The Reef's rather prevalent status when it comes to inconsistency and perhaps mediocrity of their food offerings. The jerk chicken contained in one dish samples tasted rather blank and had no fiery bite to it whatsoever. The burger on the other hand seemed to contain too much of it, overriding the meaty goodness. Service was rather distant and not a lot of checking up on the meal, refilling of drinks. Seems waitresses are more energetic in serving the groups of guys who are guzzling back the beer and are apt to dump more tips on pretty girls. Ah well. As long as you come in without high expectations, you might be fine with an average meal here.

Slow service, good food.. I'm still cool with the reef. good food if you're not in a rush.

Was a really cool little place with a really distinct decor. I started with the jalapeño spinach artichoke dip which was very filling, but could have been a little spicier. The lamb shank I had for the entree was very tender and very delicious, my friend who ate the beef had equal things to say about his meal. This place is quintessentially main st. And I will go back again.

I am quite disappointed. Bad service, really bad. The waitress was unable to smile, she was pushy and unpleasant. The beer and food was ordinary. No caribean feeling at all. Suggestion: if you waitress should work for their tip, it could help. To include 15% automatically did not work for me. Don't forget your are in the service business, so have some service. Unhappy customer !!!

Be careful. I found the food rather boring and more bland than I imagined a Caribbean dish would be but they tried to rip us off by inserting false higher prices into our final bill. When we noticed and asked for the right bill they insisted their menu is wrong and dated. Of course, we won the argument but tip for them= $0

Good for a drink, uneven for food. I've had the WORST ribs there, and the soggiest yamfries. The food has never been better than so-so. But the kitchen is open later than most in not-Funcouver, so I keep going back. If drinks are what you're after it's great - nice people, nice atmosphere.

Average. I used to go here, but the lunch menu is average and the service is mediocre. I love the raspberry mojitos though.

Plagued with inconsistency. Somedays it's one of my favourites... Others I'm so mad!<br/>But if you are just looking for a few drinks while you're in the area, go for it!

My visit to the other Reef location went pretty well , but this one really hit the spot. The deep fried dough was soft and fluffy, the plantain chips were nice and crisp ( great with jerk mayo sauce), the chana salad wasn’t too dry, and the jerk wings were spicy and juicy. I wasn’t a big fan of the beef samosa because the beef wasn’t as flavourful as the chicken. I think some more jerk sauce on the beef would have been better. Everything came out at the right temperature and I simply love the jerk mayo sauce here.

These are tiny little balls of joy! They're crunchy on the outside, and super moist and soft on the inside. Subtly sweet, and really enjoyable! It also came with a side of sweet butter for dipping! The chips were really crunchy, modestly seasoned with salt and chilli, but the natural flavour of the plantain really shone through. It also came with a side of awesome jerk mayo! Jerk Chicken $15 3/5 stars   Their jerk sauce is one of their signature dishes! It was okay, the flavours were a bit on the weak side, exhibiting a slight tang, and spice. They also sell jars of their jerk sauce in store! The plate also came with a side of rice& beans, and some sour tasting coleslaw!

The Reef was featured on You Gotta Eat Here, which is the Canadian equivalent to Diners, Drive-Ins, & Dives, so I wanted to give it a try. It was a Saturday so we called ahead and made reservations at the Main Street location. Half of our party was late because the parking situation along Main Street and King Edward is bad, even on the best of days. Our reserved table was available right away so we sat down and got settled in quickly. Our server came by and took our drink orders soon after we sat down. I ordered a virgin Pina Colada and J ordered a regular one. Both drinks were quite bland. My guess is that they used less than half the suggested serving amount for whatever Pina Colada flavour mix they used. For our dinners, we ordered a Mo-Ca Burger (jerk beef) with plantain chips, the Trini Roti wrap with chicken curry, and a Fish Dinner for H. The food took about 20 minutes to arrive, but while we waited we were served some complimentary fried bread with butter. This was probably the

...prawns were pleasantly plump and quite sweet, even more so after dipping it in the marmalade; jerk wings were quite unique, not spicy nor BBQ-ish, but just... different; salad was not bad, I like chick peas so this worked out; chips were on the soggy side

So I went back to The Reef to finally give the Mo-Ca Burger with Jerk Tofu a shot, and boy was it worth it. I was a little hesitant to try a tofu burger because although I'm a vegetarian, I have never tried a satisfying tofu dish. The Reef's Jerk Tofu Mo-Ca Burger was an exceptional burger and I can't believe it was made of tofu. <br/>

My first discovery of The Reef on Main was 1.5 years ago.  But tonight, a beautiful summer night, The Reef 's patio was very inviting and craving for an adventurous dinner took over. A virgin B'nanas Smoothie was ordered, only to realize that I have walked, not driven to the restaurant. The order changed from virgin to a double rum packed delicious drink with a kick. The food strategy was to try as much of new stuff as one can. Quick math on efficiency versus efficacy resulted in the following two choices. So the tasting platter for two, with Chana Salad and Roti, Plantain Chips, Coco Prawns and Jerk Wings was a perfect choice to try lots. The wings were really good and went well with the alcohol consumption. The Chana Salad was alright, but the roti that came with it made all the difference. But my favourite addictive item were those. Ackee & Salt Fish is, according to their menu, Jamaica's national dish and one was ordered to share. Different, tasty, but not really special. However,

We got complementary Johnny Cakes , which made of cornmeal and deep-fried. They were light, fluffy and buttery in flavour. I ordered the Jamaican Jerk Chicken Breast ($14), served with rice, peas and coleslaw. For those unfamiliar with jerk, the Reef describes their particular jerk as “a spicy North Coast Jamaican wet marinade of all spice, soy, tomato, garlic, ginger and scotch bonnet peppers.” After they marinade all their meats and such, they add additional seasonings and turn it into a

...sail into the sea of delicious Caribbean spices which propel these dishes beyond your standard breakfast offerings.

Most of us ordered the Ginger Beer ($3.50)  based on Nature Girl's request and boy were we glad we listened to her!! The Reef makes their ginger beer in house and it was the coolest, most refreshing, yet spicy drink I've had. EVER. The essence of real ginger kicks you (wonderfully) in the throat after ever sip. It was magical. Just like other restaurants that serve bread before the entrees arrive, they served us Johnny Cakes . These were deep fried balls of dough which went perfectly with butter and some hot sauce (ask them for it). Not the best for your waistline, but they sure were

Their menu runs along the lines of Caribbean pub food, but it's tasty and simple, there's something for everyone. They also have some decent drink specials and even a brunch on the weekends.

Nice complimentary starter of Hush Puppies..Yum. The Reef serves Carribean food. It's the first time we're eating Carribean food so we decided on the sharing platter where we got a sampling of a lot of their appetizers and a jerk poutine

What does it take to be a hipster? Must one deviate from the mainstream, listen to 100.5 The Peak, invest in a new piece of eyeglass regardless of its necessity, or throw on a flannel shirt? Apparently, where you choose to dine is also a crucial factor, which TamTam took into account on his eternal quest to achieve " hipsterdom ." Thus, TamTam, a friend and I made our way over to The Reef on Main Street to partake in some Carribean hipster delights. Yeah, man. Typical for a Carribean restaurant, the walls are painted with bright colours and adorned with pictures of palm trees and abstract artwork. The mood here is undoubtedly casual, so yes, you can wear your skinny black jeans to dinner here and Aldo shoes to dinner here. It is quite dim inside, which makes for some beautiful photography of the food - stunning, in fact. They started us off with a complimentary bucket of bread balls with mango butter to spread. Warm, sweet and fluffy, this deviation from the standard "hard bread and co

...the ambiance and food are both really good. The quesadillas are to die for, and I want to have them again!

Okay, is it pronounced ka-rih-BEE-uhn or kuh-RIB-ee-uhn  I guess it doesn’t really matter as long as the food’s good.  If you’re looking for some great tasting Caribbean-inspired fare, you only have to drop by one of two Reef locations in Vancouver to satisfy your cravings.

The Reef has two locations, one on Commercial Drive and one on Main Street. I was meeting up with the Butter ladies (we all play on a co-ed soccer team called "Butter F.C.") There was a bit of confusion and I actually ended up visiting both locations in one night. I biked from work (Burrard and 7th) to their Commercial Drive location, grabbed a table, waited about 15 min, then finally texted the ladies and figured out they were all at the Main Street location (Main and 25th). Needless to say, I arrived sweaty and hungry and happy to see my friends.

Right after indulging at Sweet Revenge, it is now time to have dinner. Colleen has been here once before but it was only for drinks, while I've been coming to the reef for many years now. However, its been awhile since my last visit I'm now past due lol. Last time I was here they had a super yummy dish, it was the mussels in curry sauce. Oh so good! So I always look for it on the chalk board, unfortunately today it was not available. The Reef 4172 Main St, Vancouver BC Tel#: (604) 874-5375 We got lucky to miss out on the earlier crowd due to Colleen's quick thinking. Having dessert first does pay off but I did want to be able to eat more instead of being already full. As usual we got greeted and seated very quickly. Lucky again for us! As soon as we got seated a huge group appeared from behind us and they needed to move tables together for them. I already knew what I wanted to order but kept on muling over the jerk chicken or goat………….After we

I had dinner tonight at The Reef, a restaurant that serves Caribbean cuisine. It's funny that I've been to the Caribbean twice, but have never eaten at a Caribbean restaurant. Anyway after we ordered our food, the waitress gave us complimentary johnnycake

Great Caribbean and Jamaican food from one of my favorite Vancouver restaurants. We enjoyed the Johnny Cakes, Jerk Salmon, and Mo-Ka Burger with Plantain Chips.

I love the hot sauce at the reef. It is old skul scotch bonette pepper. They also have their own sauce which is cool with some pineapple.

I don't think I've ever had real Caribbean food, I think the closest I had anything Caribbean was Jamaican jerk chicken wings at regular pubs. So, when I finally got to visit The Reef , I was pretty excited. Dining

It’s not authentic Caribbean food, but it's good and the value is there. It's affordable, big portions, nothing gourmet and it was almost Caribbean/Jamaican pub food, but all homemade.

The Reef serves distinctive Carribean cuisine in a casual atmosphere.

This casual yet grungy haven of rum and Caribbean comfort food pleases the people who show up in track-pants and winter toques, or the local diners coming in for their date night, wearing something in between their best and their track-pants. Regardless o

It's been a while since I've been to The Reef - I think the last time was to the Commercial Drive location with the other M, and the time before that was with S before she moved to Montreal. That was a long time ago. Food was still great. As I was explain

Brunch at the Reef. Love it that there is NO line-up. Hated that about brunch in Toronto. Your regular brunch food with or without a caribbean twist such as jerk salmon eggs benny. You can also opt for straight up west indian food – the chicken curry was

In Vancouver, there are not a lot of Jamaican/West Indian spots to eat. I used to diss The Reef before because I never really thought the food was that good but this time it changed my mind. The atmosphere at The Reef is great. It works well with the Main

Today we went for brunch at The Reef on Main. It is a carribean restaurant situated on Main St and Commercial Dr. Inside had a funky vibe that I liked.. but we sat by the heater, so my friend`s back was really really hot as she ate. Glad it wasn`t me. hah

I have NO CLUE how I have managed NOT to write a restaurant review of The Reef (located on almost King Edward and Main Street). A Caribbean hangout, the food is really good (you can find anything with a Jamaican or Caribbean flavor) both for dinner and fo