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A window-wrapped dining room offers a commanding view of the surrounding park-like setting; Burnaby and Vancouver below, as well as views of Burrard Inlet and Indian Arm. Nestled in beautiful Burnaby Mountain Park, Horizons overlooks the bright city lights below. Specializing in steaks and seafood grilled over an open flame, enjoy Chef John Garrett's West Coast inspired cuisine and dine in an elegant setting with a warm ambiance.
i have never been to a restaurant that suppose to be fine dining, with food that was so bad.i expected a lot more for the food especially with the price. Don't get me wrong the view was beautiful, but i rather enjoy the view from outside. We order the calarmi which cost $12 but it was the worst calarmi i have ever tasted. it had no taste ! event the dipping sauce had no taste. then our group of friends order a bunch of entrees. they are all so bad. the steak had no taste. there was no seasoning to the steak. they gave two little baked potatoes that were cut into half pieces with a few small carrots. the potatoes had no taste. worst steak dish ever for $33 dollars are u kidding me. That dish was my bf which i tasted. My dish was the lamb shank. the best part was the smash potatoes otherwise the lamb shank had no taste either. that was barely any veg. they gave me like three pieces of tiny carrots. The lamb was so disappointing, i even make better lamb at home. My other friend order the salmon, the rice was over cooked and over buttered. all u could taste was the butter! no flavor ! we didnt bother tasting dessert because at that point i was so disappointed already. my sugguestion is that if you want fine dining and willing to pay that kind of price for food go somewhere else don't waste your money! if you want to see the view just go up there for the view it has a park on the outside. i'm sorry to say but there was a family having a pinic out the restaurant and their sandwiches looked better then our food.
My wife and I ate here last night for dinner. The place is nice and the view is pretty cool. The staff were professional and friendly. They gave us some nice warm bread and whipped butter when we sat.
For appies we each had..
FREE RANGE BISON CARPACCIO $14
Basil infused olive oil, shaved pecorino cheese, tomato aioli, micro greens
It was good, the meat was spread thinner on the plate then most places do, there was a lot of cheese on top.
For entrees we each had..
PEKIN DUCK BREAST $28
Marinated with sherry, soy & brown sugar, star anise poached apple, caramelized yams,
Chinese 5 spice sauce
When ordering the waiter suggested adding a side of vegetables so we split a $5 bowl of spinach.
The duck was ok-good. Just slightly cooked more then we prefer it to be and a little tougher then usual. The vegetables were good, the extra side of spinach a little too buttery tasting for me.
Dessert..
We split the Dessert Sampler for Two - $15
which was a chai tea creme brule, chocolate mousse cake & Cinnamon Poached Pear
Warm pecan brioche pudding, butterscotch rum sauce
It was all tasty, the Creme Brule was the best part -)
Overall, nice place, good food, a bit expensive. Food wasn't so great that I feel the need to return. Was good but at high prices I have higher expectations.
We had an Entertainment coupon that indicated one diner could get a free entrée (up to $22 in value) when the second diner bought an equally or higher priced entrée. Having never eaten at Horizons before (but having wanted to for a long time) we finally decided to go last Friday night.
First off, even though they knew when I made the reservations that we were coming with a coupon, they gave us excellent seats with a beautiful view of lights of Vancouver. That was wonderful.
We then opened our menus to find that there was only one entrée priced at or below $22 (the gnocchettini); all the other entrées started at $28 and worked their way up from there. The real shame was that they had a tasting menu for $30, but the coupon couldn't be applied to it.
I ordered the duck, and my partner ordered the short ribs.
The meat of the duck was tender, but the fat had not been scored, so there was a slightly unpleasant chewiness to it, instead of a crispy texture that I had been expecting. The duck was served with sweet potatoes (inexplicably called yams) which were described on the menu as caramelized, but I could find no evidence of caramelization in their presentation or their taste. They were well-cooked. There was also a mixture of vegetables, including carrots, green beans, red pepper and zucchini. The carrots, red pepper and green beans were well-cooked, but the zucchini was on the hard side, and was also tasteless. Lastly, there was half of an apple, peeled and stuffed with a spiced apple stuffing. This was the most under-cooked of the side-dishes and it was too heavily spiced, especially when contrasting it to the perfectly spiced richness of the sauce the duck was served with.
The short ribs were incredibly tender and served in a delicious sauce. My partner let me taste them and they were perfect. But he complained about the sides. He got the same vegetable medley as I did, and had the same comment about the zucchini. He also had a mound of Yukon Gold mashed potatoes, but he said they were bland, and needed something more to stand up to the richness of the sauce on the short ribs.
Throughout the meal, our service was excellent, even though it was clear that we were doing our best to stay on a budget. The waiter was attentive and kind, and I appreciated that. So much so that I calculated the tip based on the bill total prior to the coupon's discount.
The funny thing is that once you eat here, they give you another coupon for that exact same deal (to be used within sixty days), so we might be back, even though I promised my partner that I would treat him to a tasting menu in December when we had more money in the bank. Because yes, in spite of the minor food issues, I think we want to come back when we can more fully experience what this restaurant has to offer.
The first day of school each year some friends and I have lunch at Horizons. We are all retired teachers.
Today the weather was beautiful and the view was absolutely gorgeous.
One person had the roasted chicken sandwich which she enjoyed very much. Another person ordered the ling cod which was also very good. The rest of us had the Classic Caesar with shrimp. I could not believe the huge amount of shrimp on my Caesar! We all agreed the salad was delicious. It was dressed perfectly with just the right amount of seasoning and parmesan cheese. No one left anything on the plate. Two people had the apple/rhubarb cobbler with sour cream ice-cream. They loved it. (There was some mention of licking the dishes clean so as not to miss a single morsel.)
Our server was very efficient, cheerful, and attentive but never intrusive. He kept our water glasses full and checked on how we were doing. He was a very nice young man and an excellent representative for this restaurant.
It was an excellent experience. Thank-you!
We had reservations for 5:30PM on Sunday. Was hoping for a lovely view at that time, but nope, it was raining and cloudy. There was 4 of us, 2 adults and 2 kids.
I started with the Oysters which tasted amazing but very, very, very, tiny portion. My hubby had the Tomato Bisque as well as the 2 kids (they shared a dine out dinner). They really liked it.
For the main entrees, hubby and I had the New York steak. He thought it was great, I found it to be a tasteless piece of meat!! It was a fair size portion. Came with two tiny potatoes and a little scoop of vegetables. The kids had the gnochetti and they LOVED it. I thought the portion size of the pasta was rather small.
For dessert, the kids and I had the Chocolate Creme Brule and hubby had the Poached Pear Bread Pudding. The kids didn't like the brule. It was OK but it was not a brule. It tasted more like a pudding than a custard. Also, the top was soft not hardened sugar.
The bread was tasty.
The service was ok. She wasn't overly friendly and didn't care to make converstaion on anything. Didn't seem pleased that the kids were there too, eventhough they were behaving. Usually, if people are sharing meals, they would split them in the kitchen, but she just brought the extra bowl for the soup and an extra plate for the pasta, and it was akward dividing it up.
The atmosphere was nice. The place looked the same as before the fire.
Overall, because it was Dine Out, and we only had to pay $28 for the three course meal, it was worth it but I would be very disappointed if I ordered from the main menu. We will probably go back, like we do every year for my husbands birthday, but only with the Entertainment coupon.
Haven't been here for a few years so tried the DOV with a bunch of friends last week. We all had the $28 Dine Out menu so I cannot comment on any of the other food.
The wine list was good but as usualy way too expensive for my taste. I hate paying $30+ for half a carafe of wine.
The food - was good but still portions very small for the $28 price. I guess it was fair but really I hope the regualar portions were bigger. Verdict.
Tomatoe bisque soup was way too smoky to even finish. That was a clunker. Oysters were Ok but SUPER small portion and the green salad - well you can't really mess that up.
Entrees.Gnochetti good and in a decent size portion. Pork tenderloin was not well liked - another clunker. The salmon was good, but the risotto while edible was bland and the salmon had the skin on which grossed out the person who ordered it The NY steak must have come from some itty bitty miniature cow. Very small portion and entree. But it tasted good.
Complimentary bread was very dull and unmemorable.
The desserts. Chocolate creme brulee another clunker. The top was not crisp so it was just a chocolate pudding custard with a store bought cigar cookie. Pear bread pudding was more popluar but again in an elf sized portion but delicious.
ALl in all the service was very good and the dishes all brought out in good time. If I got the same sized portions on the regular menu I would have been mad. But ok for a dine out.
The new builing is an exact rebuild of the old one, so the view is just as good.
If they are trying ot entirce me back with the food the regular serving had better be substantilly larger.
We were a party of 6 on Sunday night. We had reservations. When we were taken to our table it was a long table with the seating arrangement being 3 people on each side of one long table. This would have made it very awkward to talk to everyone. It was also extremely loud in the restaurant and out table was not in a good location. When we entered I noticed tables on the patio and we asked to have a seats outside instead.
The food was decent. It was nothing to get overly excited about. The bread was nice and warm but it was not outstanding. You could probably buy the same bread at your local grocery store. We had 2 orders of short ribs, 2 orders of Alaska Black cod, 1 order of cioppiono and 1 order of salmon. My Alaska black cod was as I mentioned good but not outstanding - it should be better for $29.00. My husband had the salmon and he said that it was nicely sauced but he found the fish somewhat dry. Each couple had separate bills. Our bill was $76.00 for 2 glasses of wine, the black cod, salmon and 1 chocolate mousse cake. Considering the fact that we had an entertainment coupon I felt that the price was a bit high.
It is a beautiful setting on the deck. We received very good service. I might give it another try but there is better value out there.
Food: I went here for the Dine Out Vancouver deal, which was about $35. It's a lot cheaper than usual for a 'high end' restaurant like this, but I expect quality food for $35. That was not to be. I had pork, which was really really really rough, kind of like eating pork that has been boiled in soup over and over. A total disapointment.
Service: Decent, nothing special.
Ambiance: I was seated in an inner table, not much of a view.
We visited Horizon’s atop Burnaby Mountain for our first wedding anniversary after a recommendation from a friend.
We had never been there, but were told it was a fine dining restaurant with nice views. Given the information we were provided, my husband put on a nice suit, pressed shirt, tie, and polished dress shoes; I wore a cocktail dress with moderate jewelry. Once arriving at the establishment, we realized we were both quite overdressed. There wasn’t another man in the place with a tie, and perhaps only half were even wearing a shirt with a collar. Most of the women were sporting skirts and blouses / jackets, or even hodge-podge pant suits. You would be dressed well (based on what we saw), if the men wore slacks, a collared dress shirt and jacket; ladies – a summer-esque dress you might wear to an outdoor wedding would do you just fine.
Once inside, while the restaurant was nice enough, it lacked an air of elegance for a place that claims to be a fine dining eatery. There were no table cloths, and no candles or center pieces on the tables. The hostess was wearing something I would think one would wear for a night out to a fancy club; the bussers ad servers were wearing white blouses or collared shirts and black slacks. Our busser was wearing black runners.
While the ambiance and presentation of the place left something to be desired, the service was really very good. Our server (Bea M.) was attentive, friendly, efficient, very knowledgeable about the restaurant’s menu, and made some great recommendations. Our order was taken promptly, and our drinks arrived in short order. We also received complimentary warm bread and butter. It was okay. Nothing exciting though … certainly wasn’t as good as the Old Spaghetti Factory’s complimentary bread! Moving along…
The wine selection was alright, but quite overpriced. Give the choices and the corresponding prices, we opted to order non-alcoholic beverages which did us just fine. The menu was of decent caliber, though you really do have to like fish and seafood if you are looking to have the option of variety for your dinner entrée. 80% of their main courses and a good majority of their appetizers were fish or seafood.
Once our food arrived, we were pleasantly surprised. It was really very good. Portion size was reasonable; quality was good; meat and fish were cooked to the right consistency; and the sides which came with the mains were good complimentary choices by the Chef. Prices range from $18-36 for a dinner entrée; I think it was a tad overpriced, but at least there was quality behind the cost. We happened to have an Entertainment Book coupon which we used, so we did a two-for-one main which made the cost less objectionable.
After our meal, we were offered dessert but were both too full. The dessert options LOOKED nice enough, though there wasn’t much available to those with nut allergies. On the plus side, we were given two complimentary glasses of sparkling wine as it was our anniversary. Certainly a nice service touch.
On the whole, I would say it was a decent dining experience … just not the fine dining atmosphere or menu choices we were expecting...
Came here with my family. Amazing view. Attentive server. He had a good sense of humor.
Food: Overall, really good presentation and flavor. I really enjoyed the egg noodle tagliatelle. Plenty of clams.
Service: We were seated shortly after we arrived. Server checked up on us a couple times. It wasn't intrusive.
Value: It's what you would expect for fine dining.
Ambiance: The view is amazing. The decor isn't everyone's cup of tea. I find it to be a bit on the rustic/old fashion.
Horizons on Burnaby mountain offers unparalleled views and a nice dining experience. On a clear night you can see across much of the lower mainland and it's nice to walk on the manicured grounds after dinner.
The food is up to par... I had the grilled Salmon which was quite good and my girlfriend ordered the Halibut which she equally liked. The quality was what you'd expect from a place like this for the price... Nothing earth shattering or overly creative but good food and professional service in an amazing setting.
Worth a visit at least once...
Situated at the top of Burnaby Mountain, Horizons has a fantastic view. Even not seated by the window, you can still see half of Vancouver, Stanley Park, and North Van. If you're lucky enough to be dining here during sunset on a clear day, you can see the pretty purple shades of the mountains as the sun goes down, and all the lights of Vancouver turning on one by one.
We went to Horizons for dinner after a hike around SFU. We had an entertainment book coupon so it was pretty much 2 for 1. I had the NY steak done medium, and it was unbelievably good. I don't like bloody meat, so I was happy to find that when I cut into the steak, it was pink throughout but no blood anywhere and very tender. That's how medium should be done! And it was deliciously seasoned. The veggies that came with it were tasty and crisp. I opted for mashed potatoes instead of nugget potatoes, and the mash was creamy and buttery. We also tried one of their non-alcoholic cocktails, but it just tasted like pineapple juice.
I probably wouldn't go back to the restaurant at regular price since the menu is pretty pricey ($32 for the steak). It's lucky that the receipts they print out for you has a 2 for 1 offer if you go back within 60 days. We will be taking advantage of that deal many times, I'm sure!
We were out with another couple here last night (their choice of place)
The location/space of this place is truly awesome as we got lucky and the sun broke through for a fabulous sunset. The ambience can make up a lot of shortcoming at any restaurant and believe me, this place needs the help. The Food, overpriced and pretentious. I ordered the Prix Fix menu for $42.00, including dessert, not bad right? Wrong!
The first course I ordered was a chorizo shrimp risotto. I literally laughed when it came the portion was so small for the huge plate it was in that it almost looked like a stain!! Ridiculous and not that well prepared to boot. The next course was a lamb shank and thankfully it was at least competent. My missus had the Ahi and it was OK, the best thing about it was the aoli it came with which isn't saying much. Dessert? I’ve had as good from the bakery at Save-on foods! Wine list? Limited and expensive. The service? Very good, it at least matched the caliber of restaurant they aspire to be! I wouldn't go back unless I had to or had a coupon.
Went on a weekenight and had a set menu they had. It was $39 or $29 with a coupon.
It was not busy and mostly everyone got a view table. But the service really should be much better. Waitress was pushy at first and then never seemed to be around.
Lentil soup with curried croutons was good but nothing I couldn't make my self. Scallops were good.
The rice was nastly and gummy, not even edible. The mashed potatoes good. Rockfish was tasty but almost cold while the ahi tuna was terribly diappointing. They obviously did not have the real chef there that night. The dessert of bread pudding and caramel and pear was nice. Not bad for $29 but this whole place is more hype than substance. Never go here without a coupon.
I was expecting more from Horizons considering the price of food there. The view is great on a clear night and you can see the skyline of the entire city as you dine if you have a view of the windows from your table.
I found my Filet Mignon medium rare came out medium and overcooked for my liking and the salmon was very tasty but also overcooked and came out a little dry. The cheesecake and chocolate Moose cake for dessert were great though. I think the food here is a bit overpriced for what you get but overall a pretty good dining experience.
We were there for Sunday brunch last weekend. I'm guessing they were understaffed because it took forever for us to get service. We tried to be sympathetic to the poor girl looking after us because there were probably 30 people in her section and just her looking after us. She was sweet and all but definitely flustered. After she took our orders, the food showed up no more than 10 or 15 minutes later. She did manage to check up on us a couple of times and we could tell that some of the other people in her section were angry at her. The crepes were DELICIOUS! The view was excellent and we really liked the inside of the place. They have an omelet buffet that looked great (with fruit and pastries) for $16!
We'll go back for brunch again another time. Hopefully, they'll be well staffed the next time we're there.
Went for Dinner with my dad. Ordered a $14 bottle of Lindemans and paid $38 for it. That's 200% mark up, a little excessive even given the real estate of this restaurant. Service was polite and prompt.
Had the rack of lamb. It was cooked properly but was underseasoned so it had a bit of a lamb-y taste to it, not indicative of $35. Dad had the pork tenderloin and said it was ok, not outstanding.
Chocolate Creme Brulee had nice flavor but was grainy and was not torched to order but instead arrived cold. This is typical of most restaurants these days and is not acceptable at a fine dining restaurant.
Overall not a good value for the price paid.
This was our first time back since the fire closed the restaurant last year. To attract customers back to the restaurant, there was a coupon in the local community paper for a steak and lobster special at $20. Apparently, there was even one posted on their web site. And by the way, the picture on the special definitely does not resemble the actual entrée when it arrives at the table.
The restaurant was dimly lit and I'm guessing, to give it an intimate setting. The only problem was that I could barely read the menu because it was rather dark. However, I suppose the younger crowd could probably see no problem. There were four of us: two ordered the Special, one had maple salmon and one had pork tenderloin. We also ordered the tuna tataki as a starter.
Service was rather slow and the restaurant was not packed. The order was taken, the bread came and then it was a wait for dinner. The busboy even came around to ask if we wanted more bread! Dinner finally arrived, and no, the tuna tataki appy never came. The steak was made to medium and was still a little on the dry side. The pork was disappointing as it was also on the dry side. The maple salmon was the only dish that came out fine. Oh, the lobster tail was so tiny it was the size of a jumbo prawn. Then we had to wait for the dishes to be cleared. Once they were cleared, we had to wait for the waiter to come and ask if we were interested in dessert. For dessert, we tried the white chocolate blueberry crème brule which wasn't bad. Again, after the dessert dishes were cleared, we had to wait yet again for the waiter to reappear so that we could get our bill. When it arrived, we had to make sure we were not charged for the appy that never materialized. I'm not seeing any improvements in the restaurant since they've re-opened. As of right now, the Richmond Boathouse has much better service. Time will tell.
First off i would like to say that i have taken the time to read some reviews and am appalled at what i have read. I am a frequent at Horizons, and by that i mean almost dine there every week! My family love it and my friends do too! I also bring out of town co-workers during the day for lunch in order to show them what a beautiful city we really live in! Well, I am shocked that someone is saying that they waited for a table for 20min or longer! That is just untrue because i know people get sat within a minute or two,( i watch, i can't help it, I'm in management). The only time people wait either 2 minutes or longer is when its a holiday or just a busy busy sat night, and even then you are only waiting 5 minutes.
Now, there are also comments on service that i would like to address. I have been served by every server in horizons and i believe there are only approx. 12-15 of them. They are all curtious, respectful and genuine. Horizons has had some staff there for more than 10yrs, and one fellow has served there for more than 20yrs, you cannot tell me you are getting terrible, rude service when i know thats just bologne. Have you ever thought maybe YOU are having a bad day, or you are just very hungry and irritable, your hubby or wife is bothering you, maybe a friend has pissed u off or possibly, you just want to be a jerk to get free food. Well, let me tell you that servers all over have to put up with people like that every day and still have to put on a smile, that takes talent and discipline.
The Chef at Horizons puts out nice quality salmon, steak, duck, ribs, shellfish, ect ect. The only reason you may not like it is because of the sauces(by the way he makes from scratch along with all the dressings and all the desserts and sauces). Maybe its not your favourite flavor or pairing, but it doesnt mean the whole meal is terrible. I have been to Earls, cactus, and more fine dining like Don Francescos, the Pear Tree... and know the difference. If you have a problem on the way its cooked, maybe too rare or over done then just say so and the server will always gladly fix it, AND ALWAYS apologize. Know this, if you are going out to a nice upscale fine dining restaurant, you will always be paying more and getting less. The portions are not huge, you are usually paying for the quality, ambience, and service.
Honestly, this website is a terrible way to judge and criticize people and the way they cook and serve you. I mean, how would you like it if your family or friends left your house after you slaved all day in the kitchen and went on some website to anonymously critique you and say mean things about your food and poor hosting skills. Here is where that old saying comes in, "Treat others how you would like to be treated". Come on People, have some manners and some R-E-S-P-E-C-T.
The view is quite remarkable however the number of times I've been to Horizon's we've never had a seat with a view. Not sure what the prerequisite might be?
The food is very good and the service has been exceptional. This place provides good value in a nice environment. Have enjoyed my time here and maybe one day will get a seat with a view.
