Haifa

I've now had brunch a few times here (excellent) and dinner here once (also excellent) --- the brunch i can't stress this enough is one of *THE best* in the city. It's unique but balanced with some terrific offerings. Both experiences at brunch previously were terrific. Dinner this evening was great, as well. Patio was nice for people-watching. My mom and i really enjoyed the pita bread, olives 🫒 seasonal hummus with Pistachio, and charred brussels (these were soooo insanely good. I could have ordered more bread and made a meal of this on its own). The fried chicken is tasty, with great breading that has such a wonderful and unique flavor profile. Ive had this fried chicken on their brunch items and it's delicious, so this was already something i was looking out for 😉 😜 Totally surprised buy the charred cabbage and the depth of flavor there, too. Some very tasty bites. Anyways, this place is awesome 💯

gorgeous space, and the food was so flavourful. i loved the seasonal hummus - i think it was the best i’ve ever had!! great value tasting menu as well. great for a bigger group.

The highlight of our dinner was the hummus! it was unique and absolutely delicious. We had two main courses: the fish dish was so fresh and offered a new combination of flavors, while the chicken shawarma plate was more average. For dessert, we tried the kunafe, which was interesting with its ricotta cheese and lemon custard, though it was just okay. Overall, I’d rate the experience 4.5 stars.

Cool and contemporary atmosphere, very attentive and friendly staff, creative cocktails, excellent food and service! We chose the chef's choice $75/person for a birthday celebration. My favourite was the pita and roasted cabbage that came with our main course it was so delicious! Will be back 💯.

Wow this place is amazing! Love the restaurant's open concept. We came on a nice sunny day so lots of people were sitting on their patio. We sat inside in a really pretty booth. Staff here are all so nice. And the food totally blew me away! The chicken thighs were very flavorful and came with tons of sides. I was super full by the end. My friend had the deep fried eggplant which I loved even more! The eggplant was perfectly crispy but not too oily. So delicious!!

If you like middle eastern spices and dishes, you will enjoy your experience here. The cocktails are quite innovative as well. Notes on the dishes we ordered: Falafel: it has a crispy and crunchy surface and inside has a grainy texture. I really enjoyed it. It comes with a green color sauce that completes the taste. Mushroom salad: quite refreshing and a good choice if you want a salad for your meal. Hot chicken: I enjoyed the texture and the sauces is unique. Loaded eggplant: definitely try this one if you like eggplant, it is loaded with topping. I could have enjoyed more sauce with it but nevertheless its tasty. Kunafe: this one was a bit if surprise, we were expecting crispy noodle type pastry with cheese inside but it was more like a dense cake. The service is very friendly and attentive. The music was could be set to a lower volume.

Full of disappointmentsss. Felafel was so ridiculously hard and dried, it’s like biting a rock. Nazareth Hot Chicken was so dried and the batter was so hard and after chewing for while and I still had hard time to swallow. They shouldn’t label this chicken as HOT. No kick at all. Jerusalem Artichoke karaage…. You be the judge and I think pictures can tell its story. The Turkish coffee looks okay, the first sip I felt like I was drinking coffee power and grinds. lol

I recommend the deep fried artichoke. The lamb had 8 pieces for $85 was a little over priced. Wished had more meat for that price. Also the resturant charged some credit card processing fee of $2 ish on my bill, which was only noticed after I obtained a paper receipt.

To start, the concept behind it is beautiful--it emphasizes coexistence and friendship among communities that are often seen as adversaries. Second, the vibes, and the service were all top-notch. The space is bright, comfortable, and welcoming, and our waitress was incredibly friendly and helpful. Last but not least, the food and drinks were excellent. The standout cocktail was the Sumerian Summer--absolutely delicious. Every dish we tried was great, but we especially loved the hummus, labneh, and shawarma chicken leg. Highly recommend!

I love Middle Eastern cuisine so I was jazzed to try out this restaurant - and I wasn't disappointed. Despite being right downtown on Georgia, corner Homer, I walked past this place a few times as there was minimal signage and since it was evening, I couldn't see the darkened "Haifa" sign etched on the darkened glass windows. I say this so others will more easily find this place! (My friend also walked by this restaurant initially without realizing this was the restaurant we were meeting at). We sat outside at the outdoor seating area, as the weather was nice and we like dining outside and people-watching. Our server was lovely and attentive. Prices here were high but, wow, the hummus definitely lived up to the hype. It was the best hummus I think I ever had. And we ordered extra pitas and they were amazingly good. Like, you could make a meal out of them, My sangria was excellent. I have heard. great things about the loaded eggplant, and I'm planning a return here to try it.

Really enjoyed the tasting menu at Bar Haifa! The portions are very reasonable considering the price and we were stuffed by the end of the meal. Our favourites were the Seasonal Hummus, Artichoke Karaage (added on), Haifa Potatoes and the trout entree with its crispy skin. One thing that I noticed was that the sauces used were the same for 3 dishes (they were good but the flavours were repetitive). The space is beautiful and our server was friendly and checked in on us. The wait between each course is longer than expected but we were also slow to clear our plates. Great middle easter in downtown area.

This is my second time here, but it seems Yelp deleted my previous review. This time, I went for weekday lunch with friends and unfortunately they were serving their brunch menu, so the choices were more limited. Anyway, I had their burger and it was ok. Their cocktails were interesting and good. It's unfortunate my first review got deleted, as that lunch was pretty fabulous (we could order off the larger menu). They are infamous for their hummus and I must say it's pretty tasty. I opted for the tater tots upcharge and they were pretty tasty.

Visiting Vancouver from Seattle for the weekend and was recommended this place by a local bartender. This is hands down one of the best restaurants I have EVER been to. The hummus was to die for, the drinks were so unique and delish, and the chicken was so flavorful. I definitely am someone who likes a lot of spice so the chicken wasn't spicy enough for me but they do have chili oil on request which was also great with the hummus. It's definitely a bit of a splurge for everyday but I will absolutely be coming here every time I make it across the border and if you're a Vancouver local, PLEASE give this place some love while I'm away!

We went in towards the end of their open hours for a quick drink because we heard the bar menu was innovative and highly recommended, and we absolutely loved it. While we were pacing ourselves to head out before they closed, it wasn't hard to keep sipping our delicious drinks. We got the Tahinarita and Sumerian Summer and got window seats.

If you're here....you might wanna read this. Online: Atmosphere - busy, happening, fun. Service - welcoming, friendly, professional. Food - lower prices. In Reality: Atmosphere - empty, stale, dead. Service - cold, tense, unprofessional. Food - higher in prices. Here's what happened.... We walked in, and as we were waiting to be checked in to our reservation, we noticed how dead the place was. Not a single person at the bar and maybe 3 tables in that big space. On a Saturday night. Finally, an angry looking fella walked toward us and just looked at me.... I told him my reservation time, and I noticed there was coat check, so since he didn't offer....I asked for my coat to be checked.... He just pointed to the rack of coats in the room and said, you can check it yourself.... He walked us through the nearly empty space, threw down our menus and left. I later found out through our waitress that this Bloke's name was Jonathan and he was apparently the General Manager. He was rude, unapproachable, dismissive and unprofessional. I just couldn't understand why he treated us like we kicked his dog. Just a genuine piece of advice....if you feel that you're too good or above checking coats....maybe not offer the service.....moving on.... The Menu in-house is different than the online menu in terms of items offered and the price. In-house you're paying more....what a surprise. Not cool..the dishonesty. I don't like going to empty restaurants, and that's what it felt and looked like...with the exception of maybe a couple of tables. Empty bar, odd lighting, hostile reception, deceptive menu...so ....yeah ...not a good start. To be honest with you, I kinda started to lose my appetite already. They have an open kitchen and at one point there was arguing in the back. It was just bizarre how almost everyone who worked there seemed and came across angry. The only one there who managed to provide good friendly service was Sally, and one star is just for her. Now as for the food: Seasonal Hummus - Tasted great. Online price - $21 In-House price - $23 Lamb Rack. Online price - $80 In-House price - $85 Kofta - Overcooked/Dry. Melts - Tasty but not a good value. Mostly just batter. Loaded Eggplant - Tasty but also not a good value. Half an eggplant with some seasoning covered in sauce. A light drizzle would've kept the delicate taste of grilled eggplant. $28. You do the Math. Drinks: Pistachio Sour - tasty. Haifa Caesar - tasted like a Virgin Caesar, and I don't drink Virgin drinks. If you look at their website, their whole handle is about bringing the taste of Israeli and Palestinian cuisine not only culinarily but also culturally to this part of the world. They speak of the beauty, history and peoples of both backgrounds, and their effort to union, include and promote through the joy of eating, laughing and enjoying in a space they call Haifa. Unfortunately, our experience was the exact opposite, and you've already read how and why..... I have to say this... The experience we had is an insult to both Israeli and Palestinian hospitality, culture and its amazingly warm and kind people. Sadly, Haifa the restaurant on Georgia St. resembles nothing that of the true colours and nature of the beautiful and vibrant city of Haifa by the Mediterranean Sea. Sad.

I like the location of the restaurant ... tucked away in a corner steps down from the lobby of a fairly new office building downtown. The 4 of us were seated at the back corner of the restaurant so we had the best vantage point of people watching (well ... for the 2 of us seated facing the restaurant). We shared the labneh brûlée. It was heavy and creamy and perfect with pitas. The best part was taking a bite along with sweet brûlée crust. I had the chicken pita sandwich and my husband ordered the falafel pita sandwich. The pita was warm and fluffy but the best bite was one of the loaded eggplant that one of friends ordered. Although it is meatless, the nuts and grains provided wonderful texture and flavours to every bite. To me as meat eater, it is a perfect vegetarian dish, not pretending to be meat. I can't wait to go back to order the loaded eggplant for myself and to try the smelts on the menu.

Great service and food! Highly recommend but know that the food isn't "light". If you're calorie conscious, this might not be for you. But if you're all about good food, you'll be in love!

Bar Haifa a famous new restaurant in downtown vancouver is serving up Palestinian-Israeli dishes with a modern twist. We ordered: Seasonal Hummus $15 Nazareth Hot Chicken $18 Shipud - 10oz Striploin Skewer $44 Rosewater Paloma $14 **No Dessert because they ran out of them** The seasonal hummus and nazareth hot chicken stole the show. The Brussel sprouts were extra crispy and paired beautifully with the hummus and pistachio gastrique. The chicken was extra crispy and went perfectly with the sumac yogurt and honey butter harissa. The shipud was my least favourite dish. It was lacking flavour and some pieces were well done while other pieces were raw. Service Food Parking (paid street parking) Ambiance 5/5

My wife and I loved the food at Bar Haifa. If you're looking for fresh and delicious flavors of the Middle East, you should try this place. (The food deserves five stars, but please note the caveats.) We shared three items, which might be the way to go at this place. The hummus was delicious, creamy and served with chickpeas, oil and paprika. The pita was warm a delicious. The watermelon and feta salad was served with ripe watermelon, cubes of feta and celery pieces. The real standout is the loaded eggplant with roasted eggplant, farro, pine nuts with tahini on top. It was outstanding. I'm hoping to replicate it at home. The atmosphere is nice. It has an open kitchen concept and sits at the ground level of an office tower in downtown, across from the library (and a minute from our hotel). That said, as someone who lived in Haifa for six months, I was hoping to see a bit more "Haifa" atmosphere. (There were some knit rugs on the walls, perhaps made by one of the owners' families?) Service was efficient. Based on our experience, don't expect warm and friendly service. (Come to think of it, may that is very much like Haifa.) My wife and I are on vacation. We were looking for a night out, and this fit the bill. That said, don't expect bargain middle eastern fare. The hummus was $17 (CAD), and it came with one pita! We ordered a second pita for $3. So, our hummus and pita app costed $20. The eggplant was awesome, but it was $28 for a 1/2 of a medium eggplant and farro. Once again, it's all fresh and delicious, but there is a healthy profit margin built in. (In fairness, it doesn't seem high volume, so they probably have a lot of overhead to cover.) Lastly, check out the menu before going. While we found it appealing, it wasn't extensive. I'd hate for you to go and not find food you like. Don't let these caveats, dissuade you from trying it. If we are in the area, we'd go back.

We enjoyed everything about our meal. A group of four was a great opportunity to try about half the dishes on the menu to share family style. Cocktails were fantastic. Service has attentive and everything came out pretty quickly / consistently throughout our meal. We didn't get overloaded with too many dishes at once and didn't have long gaps. The Brussels sprouts, the hot chicken, watermelon salad, and the cabbage were standouts. Everything was very good!

We almost did not come after reading reviews and that would have been a HUGE mistake! GO!! We thought the concept seemed great and wanted to check out the food. We had never really tried this cuisine as it is not widely available in Texas and was hesitant but intrigued. I would recommend the chefs menu. You tell them some of the things you want to try and they incorporate it into the meal. The meals were meant to be shared and you will leave feeling full! The service was amazing and the waitress was knowledgeable about the items and explained them well. She was also the bartender and we were very happy with the service and drinks. The seasonal hummus was recommended and it was the best hummus I have ever had and we LOVE hummus and eat it often. We splurged for the lamb and we were not disappointed. The meat was tender and cooked perfectly. It had so much flavor. We had the Nazarene chicken and the seasoning is just so good. It was crunchy yet the chicken was juicy. The eggplant was also delicious. We left with dessert to go because we were just too full and wanted to enjoy every bite. I never leave reviews, but I felt this was worth it. The ambiance, service, drinks, and food were incredible. If you are debating ...go!

First, it always nice to dine at a place which has a beautiful origin story and I encourage you to read it https://www.haifabarandfood.com/about Truly unique and remarkable. Now the restaurant - excellent service, food and cocktails. I have been there thrice so far when I do my work trips to Vancouver and never have I been disappointed by them. I can now say I have tried all the items on their menu! Yes all. The only thing I did not like or expected more is their take on the Kunafa. The rest are just awesome.. A must go if you are in Vancouver.

Was really excited to come here. As a Jew myself, I love seeing Jewish food in different cities. We made a lunch reservation on a Friday. The man who met us at the front (he didn't greet us), unenthusiastically walked us to our table and plopped down 2 menus. Now, he didn't say was that they were only serving brunch on a Friday at 1pm. To be fair, the menu does state it, but a) no lunch on a Friday? and b) homeboy should have said something when he sat us. We could see one server (the only server for the whole place) really hustling, trying to handle multiple tables while the guy who sat us is just kinda mindlessly walking around, occasionally going back to his friends who were sitting at a table to shoot the shit with them some more. After we picked our lunch items and were then told by our server that it was only brunch (we also saw people sitting down after us also having the same issue as us) we ordered 3 breakfast items: the latke and lox, the brunch hummus, and the side of falafel. The breakfast hummus: watery with a ton of tomato and cucumber dumped on top. Not good. The accompanying pita was good. The falafel was pretty decent, maybe a bit dry, but the sauce it sat in was good and helped with the dryness. The latke and lox: Eggs were over poached, were like two round golf balls sitting on top. And the latke was darker than Wesley Snipes. It was burnt so bad I assumed it slept with the mother of the person who prepared it and this was payback. Service was really slow so for the food to come out like that was disappointing. I will say 5 stars to the woman who was serving and hustling. My theory about the man who sat us: not the owner, but likely the relations or offspring of the owner. He had no hustle, didn't give a shit that the server was hustling while he did nothing. He even saw her bussing a table and he asked her to go check on someone else while he just stood there. I can't see this place surviving with someone like that managing the place. I won't be back, if the place even lasts long enough to return to it.

I don't know that one would necessarily happen upon Bar Haifa if they weren't seeking it out, which I was. It is a long narrow space tucked into the lobby of an office building. Considering the space, they made the most of it with plants, tall windows, marble top tables and some banquette seating along one side, an open kitchen and bar on the other. I went for lunch, which has a more limited menu than dinner, but still plenty of delicious options. Everything we ordered was delicious, and this is a good choice if you have a vegetarian and meat eating group. Two of us share the pickles, house made hummus/pita, kale fattoush salad (we added falafel), Nazareth hot chicken and a vegan desert of burnt cashew and tahini ice cream. We took home leftovers for later, as the portions were generous. The spouse generally ignores hummus, but he was loving this one, and spent a whole pita bread on it. The spicy sauce on the fried chicken made it fork-licking good. The dessert was probably our least favorite and it was still good! Our lunch was just over $100 (one non-alcoholic cocktail and a soda for drinks) before tip, so this probably isn't an everyday Middle Eastern meal, but it's definitely food I will want to eat again.

We had a great but extremely long meal. Reservation 730 left the restaurant at 945. Drinks were amazing. Dips and pita as well. Do not skip the lebneh brule. Chicken and smelts were only okay but I'm from the south so o have high standards for fried chicken. Lamb and veggies were also only okay. Our potato was slightly under and the lamb was slightly over. Would def eat here again but only if I had plenty of time. There were several exceedingly long gaps that didn't make a lot of sense.

Nice outdoor skinny patio running the length of the restaurant. Spectacular when weather is good! Very friendly and helpful staff- you get a sense of personality and that's fun! The food is interesting and mouthwatering!! The best hummus you'll ever have!! Brussel sprouts were delicious! And the salmon is definitely worth getting!! Loved that Wayne came out to talk to us about some of the dishes - overall a great vibe - will go back

If we had just come for appetizers, this would be a five-star review. The hummus was perfectly creamy and tangy, the labneh brulée was spicy and innovative, and the grilled pita was the exact right balance of soft and chewy. But at the encouragement of our waiter, we had ordered six little plates to share. We were off to a great start, ready to move into the middle of the meal. Then things got weird. As the kitchen got obviously behind (we had a good view from the chef's counter), twenty minutes passed. Then another twenty minutes. And when the rest of our food eventually arrived, it just wasn't awesome. The kofta weren't especially juicy and didn't earn their minimalist presentation, the sunchoke karaage (a genuinely good idea) were undercrisped and undersauced, and the stuffed eggplant was texturally interesting but monotonously flavoured. The scallop crudo never arrived. The first half of our meal was so promising. I hope the second half was a fluke, and I want to go back to find out whether it was. Maybe -- hopefully -- we picked a night where the kitchen was in the weeds and a couple dishes that don't highlight their best work. Cause gosh, that hummus is a knock-out.

Bar Haifa, you got us at the first bite !!! Yesterday's dinner was the best meal of my 3 weeks travels! The staff was fantastic and the food... heavenly! Favorites ( all of them) Brussels sprouts, hummus, eggplant ( absolutely delicious) , warm mushroom salad, the potatoes, the spicy labneh was a total discovery, and lastly the Knafeh, such a creative twist. Can't wait to be back in Vancouver to indulge in Bar Haifa again!!

Try the tasting menu to get a sampling of the delicious variety of food. The service was personal and excellent, and the venue was modern and beautiful.

Excellent food and service. Accommodated my dietary restrictions. Everything was outstanding: lamb-beef kafta, eggplant, mushroom salad, and Brussels sprouts. Highly recommend!

We really liked the Nazareth Chicken and the Loaded Eggplant. The chicken were crispy and pleasantly spicy; the Eggplant, stuffed with nuts and dried lemon had very unusual taste. We know that Imam has fainted after trying a particularly inventive version of Eggplant - in this case, I presume that a Rabbi would faint? Only Hummus was a bit too salty - everything was great, including service. If we go to Vancouver again, will definitely repeat the experience

What we ate was delicious, without a doubt; love the idea of a tapas-style Middle Eastern menu, but I would not eat here again. ~ The staff needs to be better trained while describing the dishes -one server called the Labneh a "labneh yogurt" which is just inaccurate. ~ The seating is far too close to one another and does not justify the price point of the menu, because it almost feels like I'm eating out of the adjacent table's plate ($14 for 2 bite-sized koftas while I can practically participate in the conversation of the couple next to me? Not my idea of a good dinner). ~ The specific location chosen for the restaurant does not work because there isn't even a dedicated bathroom with multiple stalls, since the singular bathroom stall is in the lobby of a commercial building. Overall, I found this to be an unnecessarily pricey and overhyped affair for a very mediocre experience.

The selection of food choices and the flavors were fantastic. Four of us shared pickled veg, warm olives, cashew muhammara, roasted carrots, brussel sprouts, stuffed eggplant and seared tuna with shaved asparagus. We enjoyed everything we tasted and the desserts too. The atmosphere was relaxed and the staff was very friendly and accommodating. What a special wonderful evening and menu!

The hummus is the best I've ever had in Vancouver. It's perfect for appetizers and drinks. Great atmosphere, and nice flavors. It is a bit pricy, especially if you're having a full meal at dinner though, beware.

I've been to Haifa 3 times now and never had a dish that wasn't delicious. The menu is an inspired blend of Israeli and Palestinian cuisine reminiscent of Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi's beautifully conceived cookbook "Jerusalem". From the comforting Nazareth Hot Chicken to the surprisingly complex Charred Cabbage, the food was satisfying and delicious and the cocktails and mocktails are equally tempting. Servers and runners are gracious and knowlegeable - on my most recent visit I was with a larger group and our server provided lots of helpful information on portion sizes and which dishes would work well for our party. The space is beautiful and well conceived, despite being off the lobby of an office building and I was excited to see they have opened up outdoor seating for summer. I want to try the chef's menu next time.

I really wanted to like this place. Atmosphere is cute. I only went for dessert. Ordered the knafe. DO NOT ORDER THIS! It was absolutely disgusting. There was no cheese pull, it's made with ricotta and comes out as these thick slices and it was COLD. can't complain about the service.

We had a pre-booked group of 11 for my birthday dinner and it was such a nice evening. We had one of the fixed menus for larger groups and the food literally didn't stop coming out. The food was both visually appealing and very tasty. We also really enjoyed the cocktail menu. The space is nice, and open. It was probably the best pita and hummus I've ever had and I have spent time in Israel. I'll definitely be back.