Gary's

French restaurant · Fairview ·

Gary's

French restaurant · Fairview ·

Shareable French-inspired dishes, seasonal menus, fine wines

Information

1485 W 12th Ave, Vancouver, BC V6H 3J3, Canada Get directions

@infatuation

132,814 Postcards · 3,234 Cities

Gary's - Review - Fairview - Vancouver - The Infatuation

"It’s a cliché that some restaurants feel like a dinner party at a friend’s house, but Gary’s actually did start as a dinner party for friends. The South Granville space is somewhere in between—the service is warm and homey, but the blank white walls feel more like an art gallery, and the vaguely French food is way beyond what you could do in an apartment kitchen. First-timers, solo diners, and the indecisive, should go with the “for the table” option ($72 per person). Dishes come and go with the seasons, but a couple highlights—but lingcod, sometimes served over flageolet beans and smokey honey mussels in vadouvan butter sauce, plus a bergamot-infused chocolate mousse with salty toasted almonds—have justifiably earned the right to hang around for a while." - Thalia Stopa

https://www.theinfatuation.com/vancouver/reviews/gary-s

photo credit: Gary's

Gary's

@michelinguide

48,380 Postcards · 8,030 Cities

Bib Spotlight: Vancouver's Gary’s

"Gary's started as a friends-only supper club and evolved into a restaurant in South Granville. It focuses on honest, high-quality food at approachable prices, using ingredients from local farms. The menu features simple plates with no surprises, and offers a 'Menu for the Table' for shared dining experiences, including chicken liver and foie gras pâté and chocolate mousse. Prices range from $69 for the multicourse menu, with snacks between $4-$6, small plates $16-$23, large plates $30-$41, and desserts $12-$14. Gary's is open Tuesday to Saturday from 5PM onwards, with 36 seats, encouraging bookings." - Kevin Chau

https://guide.michelin.com/en/article/dining-out/michelin-guide-bib-gourmand-garys-vancouver-canada

Gary's

@michelinguide

48,380 Postcards · 8,030 Cities

"It's easy to be won over by this convivial neighborhood spot, which owes its easygoing charms to the combined efforts of partners Bailey Hayward and Mathew Bishop (who oversee the service and the kitchen, respectively). To match the relaxed, friendly vibe, the cuisine is rustic and approachable, offering hearty dishes that draw inspiration from French country cooking, as in asparagus with saffron rouille, or pork collar with parsley sauce—and don't miss out on the fluffy, freshly baked rye rolls, served with green garlic butter. For a final slather of indulgence, do order dessert, like a rum baba soaked with chamomile-scented syrup and capped with a ribbon of decadent pistachio custard and a cloud of chantilly." - Michelin Inspector

https://guide.michelin.com/en/british-columbia/ca-vancouver/restaurant/gary-s

Gary's

Pilar C

Google

This was my second time dining at Gary’s, and once again I chose the table menu at $73 per person—the same menu I had back in July. Both visits did not disappoint. The food is truly what keeps bringing me back. The vegetables are incredibly fresh and locally sourced from Steveston, which really shows in both flavor and quality. I appreciate the variety of dishes, and everything felt thoughtfully prepared. This time, we were seated at the bar. While the food was excellent, the service was not as memorable. Throughout the meal, we were never asked how our food was, which is why I rated the service three stars. A bit more attentiveness would have made the experience feel more complete. The atmosphere is dark with dim lighting, making it a great spot for a date or an intimate dinner. However, the wooden chairs were quite uncomfortable, especially for a meal that lasted close to two hours. Overall, the food is a solid five stars and very reasonably priced for the quality. With improved service and more comfortable seating, this place would be close to perfect.

C L

Google

This is a small (in size) but mighty (in taste) restaurant. I had visited before but wanted to share the experience with my friends and they were not disappointed. We enjoyed the Chef's Table Selection - which is tremendous value for the quality and amount of food, compared to other restaurants of this calibre. If you're willing to pay $45 at Earls for a steak, you're much better off coming here. The ambiance is cozy; the servers are personable; each dish is thoughtful and scrumptious. Enhance your meal with their carefully curated wines and spirits. The Fino Martini is a personal favourite. You need to book in advance due to the limited tables but if you are solo dining, a spot at the bar is usually possible on a weeknight.

Kaman K.

Google

We visit the restaurant with excitement due to the high reviews however the dinning experience tonight is very disappointing. 1. It is a small restaurant that trying to fit a lot of tables. Chairs are hard wood chairs. Very uncomfortable. 2. We did not order the price fixed menu and was told each person is suggested to order at least 3 dishes. We asked if we can switch the ala carte to set menu if we need more food. The answer is no. No flexibility is offered. 3. Tea serves in an open glass pot which can get cold easily. Also we were not advised that the tea can be refilled until quite late of dinner. 4. Out of the 7 dishes we feel only the trout and chicken livers paste are okay. The rest are quite heavy handed in salt despite they said they will not add additional salt. 5. The steak is done reverse seared and we were never asked about how do we like our steak. It came recut into 7 pieces - the three pieces at the ends of both sides are awfully overcooked like medium well. We reflected this feedback and the server did not apologize immediately but to argue with us. Despite they offered to redo the dish, we lost our appetite given the poor service. And they still charge the full price of the steak - no discount even 3/7 are chewy. 6. We did not order dessert but I guess that’s how they want to make up. Ironically the dark chocolate mousse is the best dish for the night. 7. Open kitchen - it’s one thing for open kitchen to connect with customers, without good ventilation is a big no no. I feel all my clothes and hairs are so smelly that I need to take a second shower to wash my hair to get rid of the stuffy eyes odour. Don’t wear clothes you can’t wash to this restaurant. Overall - food is quite salty and it’s a one size fits all menu. Definitely a far from happy dining experience and definitely will not visit again.

Evelyn W

Google

I’ve had this place on my list for so long! I was too busy before the New Year to check it out, but as soon as I returned to Vancouver, I made a reservation—and could only snag a counter seat. Seeing the clean, tidy open kitchen instantly put me at ease! Everything, down to the bread, is made in-house. The menu changes every few weeks, and the blackboard lists the daily specials. 🌟 Kanpachi Slices of amberjack served with hazelnuts and topped with diced apple. Instead of traditional olive oil, they use an Indo-French spiced oil. It’s a bold pairing with raw fish, though I didn’t really catch the distinct flavor of the oil—just found it fresh and delicious. 🌟 Beef Carpaccio So good! I can never resist the combination of thinly sliced beef and tuna tartare. They also added thin slices of celeriac for a nice crispy texture. 🌟 Yorkshire Pudding My UK student days came rushing back! Yorkshire pudding is a baked egg-and-dairy bread, and here it’s filled with creamy chanterelles. I thought it was delicious, but… $23 for such a small portion?! I can probably recreate this at home, haha. 🌟 Chicken Liver & Foie Gras Pate Came here especially for this. I love the sweet-savory combo of chicken liver and foie gras mousse topped with peach jam, served on toasted brioche. The first few bites were amazing, but by the end, it was seriously rich. 🌟 Steelhead Trout The texture of their steelhead trout was really unique—crispy skin with tender, almost steamed-like flesh underneath. Not fishy at all. The almond crisps on top were a great addition, and it was served over a light cauliflower-potato cream. 🍷 Great Wine Selection My friend ordered Cynar, and they actually had several varieties! Bitter yet refreshing—perfect to start the meal. ✍️ Many call it French cuisine, but it feels more like modern European fusion. The atmosphere is cozy, with white decor that’s perfect for a date night. I noticed they’re participating in Dine Out, but the menu didn’t appeal to me. They also offer a blind tasting menu for $73 per person. 📍 Gary’s 🅿️ Street parking

Joane T.

Google

service and the atmosphere is really good, but felt the food lacking and not particularly stand-out, especially given the price. we paid for the chef’s selection & got to taste almost all of the dishes, but none that really landed with us. the food combinations are interesting but not sure they go together personally. If you were going to get something, you could try the nectarine tomato salad (refreshing but a little too sour & the shiso felt out of place), tuna crudo (interesting but the crunch from the hazelnut takes away from sashimi texture) the and the flan for dessert.

Diego M.

Google

Truly exceptional. Gary's delivers perfectly executed dishes with balanced flavours in a relaxed atmosphere. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable. Great music at the perfect volume which creates a balanced vibe of atmosphere and the ability to have conversation. A must in Vancouver!

Amanda N.

Google

Gary's felt both cosy and vibrant, with clean and simple decor and kind staff. The food was tasty, not blow your mind amazing but held up to other places in terms of freshness and taste. It is a small menu, I would have liked to have more options but understand the menu changes often which keeps things interesting.

Natalia R.

Google

WOW — such an amazing experience here! The food was so generously crafted and delicious, plus the service was top notch. Everyone was so sweet and the arrival of each plate was perfectly timed. We started off with the rye rolls + cowboy butter as well as the little gem salad. Great way to start the meal — the butter that was paired with the rolls had such an incredible flavor, and on a similar note the little gem (which resembled a cob) packed a wonderful punch between the blue cheese and bacon inclusion. Had a cucumber + mussels in green juice which was so incredibly refreshing and was perfectly acidic — I do however almost wish that it had been served as the very first course. The jalapeño chicken sausage w/ grilled broccoli was easily the best dish of the night — I could drink that cheese sauce it was so insanely good. Although the demi glace + cherry tomato wasn’t my favorite pairing with the buvette, the steak itself was cooked to absolute perfection so I really cannot complain. The fries were definitely a specific style (very thin and somewhat soggy?) and definitely not everyone’s cup of tea, however I personally loved them and the dijonnaise was to die for. Lastly, we ended off with the chocolate mousse which was the absolute perfect way to end the meal. Quite rich in flavor however light on the stomach. Having it paired with the bergamot cream, almonds, and sea salt was such an insane move — truly a match made in heaven. I absolutely LOVE the entire concept of this place with the rotating seasonal + local menu. It is so incredibly worth it and I couldn’t recommend enough. The place itself is quite small (but charming!) so I would def recommend making a reservation. Do note that it is also only suitable for singles, couples, or small groups. I truly cannot wait to come back and try some of their other menus in the future!