Do a search below using the city or postal code search box if your city is not listed above.
Get dining news including restaurant closures and qualify for giveaways.
Boneta's ever changing seasonal menu offers European comfort food with a modern flair and paired with a well appointed wine list and classic custom cocktails. Service is relaxed and attentive with an atmosphere that is energetic, warm and modern.
Came here on a weekend to try their new location. Nice setting in a courtyard and set back from Water St. Small signage so you would have to really know the area. Nice bare warehouse like decor. Tables are a bit cramped together and fairly loud inside. Had the pork terrine to start and it was just all right, but they never give you enough crackers to spread. Went ahead and ordered bread which was an additional charge which seemed like they nickel and dime the customer. Had the shortrib which was good but small portion for the price, sides were very small. Ordered an additional octopus chips which was the best thing tried that night. Service was just Ok, fellow diner had a problem with their salad which was not solved satisfactory. It was only a side salad and they would of just taken it off the bill. Portions are small for the price and would not return.
The service was outstanding....we were re-seated in a more comfortable environment..the restaurant was very very careful of my nut and bean allergy!!!! They made sure that the meal was made without any cross-contaminaton.I had the sablefish and the toffee pudding..yummm... I enjoyed my meal and my company!!! Thanks .I will be back again! Thanks Bonita for a nice evening out with a wonderful friend!
I heard a lot about this place and was disappointed overall. Service was strange and overbearing, the server kept topping out our wine (mixing wine that has had a chance to breathe in the glass with new wine from the bottle, ugh) in an obvious attempt to get us to finish a bottle quickly and get another one. The bread was good although it was an extra charge and really more brioche than bread. And a bit small.
Our starters: the duck consomme tasted not enough of duck and too much of bonito, the duck fritter that came with it was tasty with a right mix of duck and orange. Likewise, in the rabbit ravioli, there was no rabbit taste, the rabbit being completely overshadowed by the bacon. The tartare was solid and unexciting.
The mains: a letdown. The lamb was quite good, bordering on too salty but staying on the right side of the border. It was riding on top of kale which was just boiled kale, neither good nor bad, which was riding on top of squash (butternut?) puree which was too liquid, a bit too salty, and one dimensional. The onion confit and potato croquette on the side were forgettable and added nothing to the course. The risotto was a tad undercooked, almost but not quite "al dente" (which means cooked but still hard. Yes, it's hard to get there but yes, I do expect a decent restaurant not to miss this point). The accompanying mushrooms were cold. Was this intentional? If so, it flopped. The real miss was the pork. It was a dry, uninspired slab of meat, gloomily piled on top of Israeli couscous mixed with some boiled spinach and run of the mill goat cheese. The menu said "couscous", which is not the same thing as Israeli couscous, another let down. This dish was a failure in concept and in execution.
Desserts: not bad. Decent mignardises which I will quickly forget. Baba au rhum with too little rhum. A chocolate ganache-like thing with whipped cream. Yawn.
Then the small matter of settling the slightly too large bill, which had errors in it. They did get it right eventually, after no less than five tries. Oh well. I see no reason to return here or to go here in the first place. I would give the food three stars out of five EXCEPT that this site's verbal score for three stars is "solid", whereas the food here was highly inconsistent. There are quite a few similar places around town which do what Boneta is trying to do, but do it better.
Some colleagues and I went to Boneta after work on a friday. We were greeted promptly and were seated right away. The food was delicious and the service was good. We shared a few plates between 4 of us, the poutine was a hit as was the duck confit. It was starting to get busy with the same after work crowd and by 630 pm the lounge was full.
I've been there after work before and have always had a lovely time. It's a great spot to go to if you're looking for a quick bite and a drink to unwind.
So, I just came back from Boneta for a Christmas dinner. I've been eyeing this place for a very long while, but today I finally went with family to try it out. I loved the restaurant layout and the feel to the place. It had a very unique, modern restaurant look while keeping a warm energy. If you're looking for a quiet place to enjoy dinner, this is not the place. There's a bar and the place is absolutely packed (which is why I can strongly agree with their sign on the door: Reservations are recommended), so it's quite loud. I was in a group of 6 and fortunately, we were seated in a kind of 'cubicle' at the side of the restaurant, making our seat quite private to the rest of the restaurant.
We waited around an hour for the food. The waitress was very nice and the servers all seemed to know the food as they pointed out each part of our dish carefully. Perhaps it was the number of people in the restaurant, but our server seemed a little on edge. It was also a little difficult to get the attention of the servers at time. Anyhow, it didn't affect the restaurant experience too much.
I ordered the dorado, which was excellent. Seafood lovers are bound to fall in love with this dish. I had a taste of the buttered lobster (Little round shells of lobster meat smothered in melted butter), veal cheeks (very tender but I'm not a fan of red meat, so I don't have much to say about it), duck breast (strongly recommend this dish), steelhead trout (delish, but nothing extraordinary) and the sablefish (Basically, cod in a soup-like base. Quite good). I think what blew me away the most were their desserts. It was one of the best desserts I've had a restaurant in a while. I don't actually like to eat desserts or anything sweet for that matter because of how rich and sweet the restaurants usually make them. However, Boneta's desserts were full of flavour but not sweet at all. It was the perfect amount. I had the apple pie, (A thin wafer-like crust on the bottom and stacked with apples in an apple sauce that was very good and just a tiny bit sour) banana leche (loved this!) and the chocolate bento box. My favourite out of the bento box was the dark chocolate. It was just the right amount of bitterness that there was virtually no sweetness to it. Loved that.
Overall, it's definitely a place I'd recommend. The serving sizes look tiny when it's front of you but after you've finished the dish, you'll be very full. It's generally not expensive for a downtown dinner, especially since it's in Vancouver.
The food at Boneta was good, but not great for the value. Unfortunately the staff and manager's horrible attitude and service from the very beginning tainted the entire experience. I was there for a friend's surprise birthday dinner, there were 20 of us waiting in anticipation for her arrival, only to have one of the servers great her and ask if she was there for the "big surprise birthday dinner". Are you kidding me? The server completely ruined the surprise! That was not the worst of it.
We had a few more people than expected so I asked our server if it would be possible to pull another table up to accomodate them. With the look of disgust on her face, her reply word for word was "Look around. Do you SEE a table that will fit here? NO!".
Wow.
I have never been spoken to like that, especially by a server of all people. I guess you don't need to provide good service to a table when you know they will be getting charged an autogratuity.
Finally, they charged a $30 "cake cutting fee", we were told the day before it would be "minimal". It's not the money that i am annoyed about- what was most frustrating and disappointing was the attitude given to me by the manager when i went up to speak to him about this "minimal charge". For some reason, he seemed to treat us as though Bonetas is the only restaurant option in Vancouver. His response: "I don't know what kind of restaurants you eat at, but any half decent establishment has these same policies". The policy and the "cake cutting charge" were not the issue- due to the manager and server's attitudes alone I will never return to this restaurant and i will be sure to pass this experience along to everyone i know.
I came here the other night with a few friends for some drinks and appetizers. The ambience was good and the place was half empty. It has a very large open space, with cool mirrors hung from the ceiling which made the place feel even bigger.
We shared a bottle of wine while a couple others had tea and beers. We also ordered a couple appetizers as well. Bison Carpaccio(delicious) and the poutine (not so good). The whole time the server came over and asked over and over again if we wanted to order anything else or more wine. We felt very rushed and like we had to keep ordering drinks and food in order to stay there. All in all...not such a bad experience, but i don't think i will return again.
We were sat at 7:45 and did not receive our food until 10:00, but we had the prime rib which takes 45 minutes to prepare and we were a table that was "well not very, you know" from our waitresses lips. Complained to various people 5 times about the lengthy wait and Still had to ask for the manager who was not apologetic at all but thought we were aggressive. Asked for the owner, who was on the premises, but were asked if the manager should "disturb him from his meal". Overall, the service was horrible with no apologies, the food wasn't that great and the timing was very poor. My recommendation, and that of the clients I was entertaining, don't waste your time or money.
I love finding a restaurant, hearing so much about it, expectations are high and getting more than you expected.
Food was fantastic. Whether it was a simple, poutine, or their maple glazed pork belly, it was incredible. The texture, flavour, and the presentation, just perfection.
The service was friendly and attentive, great knowledge of the food and wine. Even entertained us a few jokes, it was a good time.
Really funky and cool room. it was a great night out. Prices are up there a little bit. i would probably be go there more often if i could afford it. But it was more than worth it. The quality and flavours is almost priceless. Will be back again.
A friend of mine was in from London England, he's currently the Chef of a great restaurant there. We called two more Chef friends plus my lawyer, headed for an evening out. We went to Boneta on my suggestion. We were all dressed very casual if that matters. We were greeted at the door by the host/manager/owner? who was almost over friendly to the point of irratating me.Talking to us like we were old friends, really over the top. The out of towner spoke up and said he was paying the bill then asked for a great bottle of red possibly a Zin. He told us that he had a perfect wine for us from Italy. Returning he brought a red that was both average and on the low end of the price list. Maybe he thought this was all we knew about wine. My buddy turned to me and asked "is this considered a great wine here in Vancouver?" The server was friendly and did offer some suggestions. The food was priced reasonably until we saw the portion sizes..small. All the dishes were flavourful and well presented. We really felt rushed and not welcome our entire visit.Even with all the good press I woundn't return.
Four of us decided to cancel our reservations at the Shore Club and come to Boneta's instead - what a good choice we made. I ordered the scallops to start with followed by the duck - we also ordered, as mains, the ling cod, the tuna and the rabbit. We all sampled each others and each one was as good as the last. I would have probably skipped on the desert as it was only pure decadent gluttony on my behalf - but mmmmm - all good. The service was a little slack but nothing worth getting in tizzy about. We ordered from the "projection" menu without the need for a paper menu unlike the previous reviewer. Wine list is quite limited and a bit pricey but overall a great place to eat out and it will be missed once its gone.
Hubby and I were doing some restaurant hopping one night. A bartender at another restaurant suggested Boneta and we thought "Why not...we keep saying that we are going to go...let's give it a try".
I was expecting more I guess. The room looked huge...especially with such few tables in it and the food was horrible. Carpaccio was extremely chewy and the headcheese was far from what the server explained. I am always up for trying new things...and I would try headcheese again, just not here.
Wine selction was interesting but the by the glass did not suit me.
Server was just OK. She seemed knowledgeable enough.
Needless to say we hopped onto the next restuarnat really quickly.
Not sure that I would need to return.
I had absolutely no expectations for this place, as I had never heard of it before.
BAM! Walk into the place, and you're greeted with a beautiful funky, modern interior that is styled more like a nightclub, with a raised loft type ceiling, open kitchen and chefs performing in place of DJ's. We sat at one of the raised section tables that's 3-4 feet off the ground, and the first thing I noticed was the menu projected onto a screen, as the room's centerpiece. The second thing I noticed was everyone really enjoying themselves. 5/5 for ambience!
Then, the food. I had the following:
Basil Punica - Tall, refreshing, slightly savory.
Middle Eastern pomegranate syrup, gomme, citrus, muddled basil & Appleton white rum. Served tall over rocks with soda.
--->Very pungent, and the basil and pomegranite definitely stand out
Smoked Bison Carpaccio, Sherry Vinaigrette, Walnuts, Roasted Tomato, Quail Egg
---> Tart, smokey tasting and very very good
House Made Charcuteries Platter, Pickled Vegetables, Mustard, Ficelle
---> Delicious! My favorite parts were the long strips of fat that you dip into the fleur de sel and the bread and butter. Lots of unique meat!
Loaf of in-house baked bread
----> Wow, delicious. Nice crispy top. Very hearty.
Poutine with Cheese Curds from Quebec
---> Until this one I'd never had an 'authentic' poutine before and I was expecting this to be a lot different from NY Fries poutines. I'd rank it about the same as a NY Fries poutine. The cheese curds are definitely better. I like more gravy, and saltier gravy though. The fries could be a bit crispier, like Chambar's fries. But it was still good and hit the spot.
Passion Fruit Mousse, Macha Chantilly, Passion Fruit & Macha Milk Shake
----> Very delectable and our table raved about the complexity and tartness of the matcha milkshake
Selection of House Made Ice Cream & Sorbet, Seasonal Fruit, Sable Cookies
----> Of the two, this was my favorite dessert. The passionfruit sorbet was the most intense passionfruit flavor I ever tasted, and the blackberry sorbet was the most intense blackberry. My boyfriend raved over the little butter cookie crumble bits strewn on the plate, and the homemade dark chocolate was also tasty.
My boyfriend didn't get his Bourbon sour exactly how he likes it (apparently it was missing something that it had the last time he was there) but I won't count that into the equation because he is fanatical about his drinks. 5/5 for food!
Service: Unlike any other tapas restaurant I've been to, the servers will spend a few minutes explaining what every single thing on your plate is. Sometimes this can be 10 or more things per plate. I REALLY liked this as it added to the appreciation of the food, and all the detail that went into it. The servers were also really attentive and peeked at our table regularly without interrupting us, to see where we were at. When our first server quit for the night, she came over to say bye and make sure we had everything we needed, before she passed us on to another server. They were maybe a bit less jovial than servers at other establishments, but I liked how they seemed passionate and knowledgeable about the food, which is the more important thing. 5/5
Two tapas, a cocktail, and a dessert plus taxes, and tip is about $50 per person and I found it filling enough to call it my dinner (must have been the awesome homemade bread that filled me up). Can't wait to go back!
Five friends and I stupidly didn't make reservations last Friday and tried our luck that Boneta would have space. They were very kind and managed to get us a high tabel in the bar by the window - very interesting for people watching!
The cocktails were a great start - mine was flavored with rosemary and a friend had a margarita with black salt rim - yum!
We ordered 4 mini loaves of the fresh baked bread with sun dried tomatoes and then had a whole list of starters - arugula salad, duck liver parfait, poutine, carpaccio. That last dish is so good we're so happy it never goes off the menu.
Mains were filling and beautiful - the side of gnocchi was done in brown butter and so good we dubbed them 'yum pillows'. Our server was really busy but very sweet and the owner and chef came by to say hello and check in - so friendly!
We ordered 3 plates of petit fours for dessert that were (almost) too pretty to eat! My favorite was the homemade marshmallow flavored like lemon & juniper!
All in all a great place and wonderful people. We will all be back.
So everyone is always raving about Boneta so i went...loved the ambiance and the menu ......I eat out at least 3 times a week so i'm not a cheapskate looking for a deal. I ordered the most expensive meal on the menu (a steak about 30 bucks).....its had more gristle then meat on the minuscule excuse for a steak. I was actually shocked at what i got. However I will give the restaurant another shot seeing as they had the best creaser i've ever had
My dining experience at Boneta was a succession of disappointments. Gastown has a several great restaurants and Boneta is not one of them.
Here is a list of what they fell short on:
When I walked in with my date we were seated without being offered to check our coats. For a restaurant that boasts a welcoming atmosphere this is a bit of an oversight and not a good start - strike 1.
From the point we were seated we had to wait over 15mins for our drinks - strike 2
When our drinks did arrive, there was a mistake with one of them and had to wait another 5 mins for the correction - strike 3
The server made a point to mention that the pork entree is cooked at medium tmeperature. When our entrees arrived, the pork dish was cooked rare. They had to completely remake the dish and I sat there with my entree while my date waited another 15mins for the new pork. This is a huge mistake on its own and coupled with the other let downs made for a very poor didnig experience - strike 4
One of the staff came to check on us a couple of times. His demeanor was a bit snoutty and pretty much embodied the experience you get at Boneta. Both times he visited our table he spent over five mins chatting up my date and pretty much ignored me. I might as well of not even been sitting at the table. This is not only rude and bad manners but very unprofessional - strike 5
With the variety of quality restaurants in Gastown to choose from, Boneta is a place I would never revist nor reccomend. It has nothing new to offer Gastown and has failed in it's attempt at creating a welcoming and entertaining atmosphere.
Went with a friend after both of us had a long day at work. Was surprized to see more than one option for vegetarian options and beautiful desserts. Service was impressive and will be back. Their website is right - Boneta loves you. They made all the little touches in a restaurant worth going to. :) Very well done. Will return most likely.
We felt in need of some post-workday coddling tonight and walked over to Boneta. I wasn't sure where exactly it was, but it's literally just around the corner from the Heather at Cordova & Carrall. Scary hood but Gastown is only getting better, it would seem.
In any case: Amazing service (warm & attentive, and the maitre d was hilarious), absolutely gorgeous room and the food was inventive and sublime.
We started with perhaps the best Manhattans I've ever had and the wine list was excellent as well--we followed up with an 03 Chamarre Bordeaux that was brilliant.
I had braised veal cheeks on pappardelle with mushrooms and a wonderful jus and the veal was literally fall apart fork tender. My only minor complaint would be that the scattering of green asparagus in the dish was slightly overcooked, but the flavours made up for it.
Dessert was also incredible: An unbelievable coconut tapioca layered with an almond and papaya salad and accented with cilantro oil. It absolutely danced in your mouth and was light and sublime.
We also shared an excellent chocolate terrine with anjou pear and pureed raisin & brown butter sauce that was absolutely the perfect amount of sweet and rich.
Everything was amazing and we're definitely going to make it a regular place. The restaurant is warm, gorgeous and chic with none of the attitude of neighbour Chill Winston, and the food was certainly better.
Go Go GO to Boneta. Best Vancouver dining experience I've had to date.
1st visit to Boneta after reading rave reviews and was not disappointed . Greeting really made you feel welcome and the feel of this space is neat . The menu is limited and changes but had no problem sharing 3 dishes . started withe Scallop ceviche that was accompanied by a citrus vinaigrette > excellent dish . We the shared the Albacore Tuna with roasted Red peppers as well as the AAA Flatiron steak . Both dishes were beautifully presented and very tasty . Service was attentive and very professional . On the way out the floor manager not only thanked us but said " don't be strangers now " and we won't as we will be back soon and often
What a treat. I've eeaten here about 6 times. Total exit from you typical try-hard Vancouver yaletown special.
At Boneta you will find no glowing lucite bar or Wenge-wood paneled walls. THe chef's genius creations leave you jaw-dropped staring at you date after the first bite. The scallop and duck wanton, the cod and the beef or bison sparerib are outrageous! The chef comes from Lumiere so the cult is sure to follow but as yet, the other customers add to the experience with laughing and drooling over there dishes, no cougar installed at the bar like some other local spots.
It is the perfect combination of casual and upscale with unique and stylish touches in unexpect places. The service is fantastic because, it seems, the management will not settle for less. The owners are well know local talent and totally hands on in all areas. This is my new favourite in Gastown, it fits perfectly between Salt and Chambar. Love, love love!
*I was disappointed by the negative review on here by some un-informed food snob. The "doughy wanton" contains no dough at all, the dough being replaced by a SCALLOP (hence duck and scallop wanto, they didn't forget an ingredient). Pounded out carpaccio style and wrap around the beautiful duck. Also, I thoroughly enjoyed the halibut, though to enjoy halibit you have to knowq it is a small, delicate taste and more about the texture and accompaniment that some powerful flavour.
| 1. | Coffee Bar (7 m) |  |
| 2. | Six Acres (33 m) |  |
| 3. | Apres-midi Teahouse (45 m) |  |
| 4. | Old Spaghetti Factory (52 m) | |
| 5. | Salty Tongue Cafe (58 m) | |
| 6. | Vera's Burger Shack (58 m) | |
| 7. | Chill Winston (58 m) | |
| 8. | Irish Heather (59 m) | |
| 9. | Blarney Stone (61 m) |  |
| 10. | L'Abattoir (61 m) | |
