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The Naam is a vegetarian restaurant located in the heart of Vancouver’s Kitsilano district. It is the city’s oldest natural foods restaurant, with over 30 years of cooking tradition.
TERRIBLE. I went there for a birthday meal and everything was awful. The door was open in the middle of winter, I was freezing, the people waiting in line were inside the front of the restaurant and literally standing over top of our table, we waited FOREVERfor the appies and then they brought it out the same time as the main course, and then it was too much food, so we had it wrapped up and they didn't even include the hummus we specifically ordered! The dragon bowl was a strange mishmesh of food and the veggie burger was dry. BOOO!!
I have been here a few times and am never disappointed. I have tried the Pad Thai and the veggie burger and they're delish. I usually do not order ethnic foods outside of ethnic restaurants but was just craving some noodles. Huge portions, great price. We went early (4:30pm) to avoid the line ups.
Can't wait to return!
Especially when I'm hungry, seeing that big, beautiful tempeh burger arrive alongside a heaping salad with good dressing and sesame fries is such a rush, and it does not disappoint. On the other hand, stay away from their veggie steak. Great idea, but guys, you gotta find another recipe. Desserts taste as good as they look, so I just get the same thing every time + dessert, and I'm happy. The place is very easy-going. I think those who are complaining on this site about the service should not expect a hop-to-it mentality here, and just relax.
I have eaten here many times and enjoyed it. Unfortunately, my latest experience has left me so disappointed that I don't think I'll be back, at least not for a while. We went to the Naam for Sunday brunch. The restaurant was full, as it always is on the weekend. We ordered our food and waited. And waited. And waited. For 40 full minutes. There is no excuse for making patrons wait 40 minutes for pancakes. Our server wasn't even the least bit apologetic. When we asked if order would be coming up soon, she just said the kitchen was very busy, and asked if this was our first time. The restaurant was no more busy than on any other weekend that we've been there. Also, I was never offered a refill of coffee, and no one came to refill our water glasses until we were paying the bill.
The food was good, but not worth the wait and neglect from the server. I think the kitchen must have been understaffed, because we have never had such bad service. That's probably the fault of management. Our server though . . . I can't think of any good excuse for her.
I've been going to the Naam for years and the food is consistently good. The fries and miso gravy are super tasty, and the Naam salad is always a treat. It should be noted that if you're looking to order takeaway, it is highly likely that your order will not be taken if the restaurant is too busy. Also, if you're dining in, the wait times can be quite long.
I've been a veggie for 20 years, and when I moved to Vancouver people kept getting me to try this place. I've now been about ten times, and I don't think I will go back unless someone else I'm with really wants to go.
I find the place warm and friendly. The service is quirky, but has never been terrible. I don't really mind waiting for a table, which you often have to do at this place.
I think my issue is really with the menue. I just don't find anything very amazing, unusual, exciting. I like to get something when I eat out that I wouldn't make at home... and I don't really find that here. I also am not a fan of the miso gravy and it comes on a lot of things.
Although in past years this restaurant has been a favourite of mine, lately it has opted for sloppy, uncaring staff who look right past you. I never got a chance to order the last 2 times of trying to eat here because it took 10 minutes just to get a menu and after another 10 without any employee coming around, I decided to bail and never set foot in there again. The concept is good but with wait staff who couldn't care less, why would anyone patronize this place?
I thought it was ridiculous that they charge 15% to reserve seats, but I did so anyway, knowing the long lineups.
Food: I had The Naam Dragon Bowl, which was really delicious, but I thought it was overpriced for the ingredients given. Everything's vegetarian, everything should be a lot cheaper. Also, my friend ordered a juice, which was about 3$, and it was SUCH a pitiful size. I could finish it in one gulp.
Service: Slow.
Ambiance: Really old, I think they need to renovate it a bit. Not clean either, being a restaurant that opens for 24 hours.
On my second time there, I went there at 11am intending to eat lunch, but they don't serve lunch till 1pm! Ridiculous. I left.
The food is characteristically great. Everyone would probably agree. Unfortunately, the food quality and its uniquely vegan character, coupled with the ambience of a hippie homestead has lead to the utter hijacking of all things decent and any sense of decorum when it comes to customer service. In other words - your attendance is totally taken for granted, regardless of how they treat you.
If the staff chatting away behind the register while you wait eons for just about anything, and if the sprinkle of arrogant and smug staff coupled with a nice balance of sheer obliviousness chiming away to some spiritual blather about "love" and one's "karmic" destiny doesn't drive you nuts - it will certainly leave you with a taste in your mouth that pales in comparison to some of the charming dishes that the Naam is renowned for. Yes. Staff have become so catatonically neglectful of customers (some staff knowingly so) - that one goes for the food - but suffers the subtle abrasiveness of rude, spaced-out flakes who'd rather smoke up in the garden than attend to paying customers. In short, the food is good. The service - is a disgrace - and something that the restaurant is also unfortunately renown for.
But hey - who gives a f.... Right?
I can't say enough good things about the Naam. Fantastic vegetarian food with fantastic service, and it's open 24 hours! Some unique flavours; at first the miso gravy didn't appeal to me but by the second taste I was hooked. My only complaint is the chairs and table we sat at by the window. The seats were very uncomfortable to sit in and the table was kind of awkward. Don't get me wrong, it was a small price to pay for such good food and service.
I don't care how good the food can be but if the service is awful then I can not enjoy the meal. Came here w/ a girlfriend and we were quite excited about the place cuz it's quite popular. When we arrived, it was a total disappointment. The service was slower than a turtle and a lot of times we felt invisible. I ordered the miso soup but it tasted like soya sauce. I also ordered this soy milkshake but the glass was so small that I almost burst out laughing. And the taste was diluted. Overal, it was a terrible experience. I saw other people ordering these huge salads and it looked appetizing but I guess that's all they're famous for.
If it's still a 24hr establishment. They're a tad on the "cozy" side with the tiny place filled up with tables. And then the crowd that frequents there and the wait. Nice vegetarian variety, a bit slow on service and serving. A little on the noisy side even without the live music. But not many vegetarian and vegan places out there with nice aromatic herbal teas to choose from.
Went for a weekday breakfast with my kid. Apple juice was good, non filtered and the coffee could have been worse.
Homefries were good but not spectacular. Toast was weird. You only get one piece with an order and it has weird caraway seeds or something nasty in it. There is only one kind of toast. And the jam was TERRIBLE had a weird background flavour.
Breakfast burrito was very good and not totally covered in 2 inches of cheese like some places do when they have poor quality.
The food here is good, we had no waits, servers were excellent and superfriendly and the food came in good time.
The only thing is they should know that being good and veggie, food doesn't have to have odd flavours like the toast and jam. Just make them great adn normal.
The Naam is one of my favourite restaurants EVER, and probably one of the most unique (and oldest) in the city.
While I do love my meat, a meal at the Naam well outdoes any vegetarian joint and makes you realize you don't really need meat to feel satiated (even my carnivorous boyfriend says so).
My favourites on the menu include:
- Any one of their soups (their daal is amazing) [esp. as a soup combo with bread/veggie butter + salad]
- Chili burrito (or as a platter. People love the miso gravy - though it's not my fave)
- Croissant melt
- Santa Fe enchilada
- Naam salad (*disclaimer: the Naam dressing is an acquired taste so be careful when ordering. I always go for the poppyseed dressing instead - delicious!!)
- Noh Pie and apple crisp (though you can't go wrong with ANY of their desserts)
The ambiance is fantastic (rustic, great live music, boho paintings on the walls, and very cozy).
You may read reviews below saying the service is slow and the servers are lazy and/or stoned. However, this is one of the appeals of the Naam. It's one of the few places where you can sit for 2 or 3 hours chatting with your friends without feeling rushed. You never get a manufactured smile and you always feel like you're dealing with real people (even if they are reminiscent of the 60s, when the restaurant was first opened).
I recommend trying to arrive before or after the dinner rush. And the line always looks longer than it is, so don't get discouraged and do give it a try!
I absolutely love The Naam. The food is delicious, a refreshing change from your average burgers and fries. Every plate is full of delicious fresh veggies and piled sky-high with food. Considering the low prices, I was astonished the first time I went and was served a mountain of incredible food. Who could ask for more?
The service is pretty standard, nothing to write home about but definitely nothing to complain about either! I never felt like I was being ignored or forgotten, and the staff is friendly and knowledgeable about the menu.
Value, as I mentioned, is outstanding. Prices range from about $7-$12, and for that much you get so much delicious food that you will only be able to finish if you are a competitive eating champion.
The atmosphere in The Naam is relaxed and refreshing. The salvaged furniture works well, the colours are neutral and warm, and the music isn't too loud or too quiet. Each evening I've gone there, I've been delighted to find decent live music.
And it's open 24 hours. It's the perfect place to hang out after a movie or show, when no one else is open and you need something tasty and vegetarian in your belly. I expect they're quite crowded with students pulling all-nighters during exam season, too!
The only problem I have with the Naam is making my way through the crowd of people at the door when I'm trying to leave. I guess they can't help being popular though! I've only lived in Vancouver a month, and so far this is my favourite restaurant. I have a hunch it will remain my favourite restaurant for quite a long time.
This is the place to go if you love healthy, environmentally friendly, body friendly and mind friendly food! I've seen some people's posts on here and they are just obviously not open to the idea of a vegetarian restaurant to begin with.. yes, there are lots of vegetables.. yes, some of them are raw.. the gravy isn't going to taste like A&W gravy.. lol.. as I said, it's a healthy restaurant!! The service is slow but friendly, but really.. once you love this place, you don't care about the poor service! You love it because of the food, the energy of it and it's open 24/7!!! Whether it's breakfast, lunch, supper, or dessert... there are amazing choices here. Some of the best desserts I've ever had, whether they are organic or not!
I cannot even begin to express my disappointment for this place. First off I waited in line and I was thinking this place must have something good to offer since there's so many people waiting to eat her - I was wrong.
Food:
- My party started off with the potato wedges which were terrible; burnt, over-salted and we also ordered their gravy...oh my I cannot even begin to describe the disgust: it was sour and tasted like vinegar.
- I then ordered some tofu salad and honestly it felt like I was paying for a heap of alfalfa sprouts and beats. Their house dressing they are known for (supposedly) tasted like grass - no flavor whatsoever.
Service:
- With a full restaurant there was probably 3 people waiting tables which was terrible and in return the service suffered greatly.
Value:
- I paid like $15 for sprouts and veges that I can at home for maybe one fourth of what I paid. For the price I paid and the food/service I got this was a joke.
Ambiance:
- They have live music on the weekends I think or they did the day I went which was on the weekend which was not bad.
- The decor and furniture is so outdated and rickety. This place is a hole.
I would never go back. If you want to try a better all vegetarian place go to THE FOUNDATION.
The Naam has everything going for it: great food, good service, insane hours (24/7 - rare in Vancouver!). The only thing you need to know before going to The Naam is that it serves a wide range of customers and this is reflected in the menu. So besides vegetarians, The Naam also caters to health food junkies, the raw food crowd, and so on. The few people I've met who have disliked The Naam invariably made the mistake of trying the most experimental, far-out thing on the menu and then complaining that it didn't taste like anything they'd had before. Please don't get me wrong: I'm all for taking chances, but if you don't like beets and carrots then don't order a veggie burger made from beets and carrots! Some items I can definitely recommend: the Vegan Breakfast (served before 11 a.m. if memory serves me), the Thai Noodles, the Deep Fried Tofu, the various Burritos, the Blueberry Soy Shake (even if you're not a "soy person"), and anything with their Miso Gravy. Drop by anytime but be prepared for a long line-up: The Naam has many loyal customers!
Went to the naam very later (around 3) for food.. obviously no one was there so seated quickly.
Nachos were pretty good but the cheese was a bit too dry in my opinion. The quesadillas were good, and the tea was warm. However, seeing that these were all vegetarian, I thought it was pretty yummy, even for people who would like meat.
Really nothing much to say about the service, just average. I would have wanted to try out their sesame fries, or their soy shakes but didnt have the chance.
Ambience was very warm, but it was a jumbo mumbo of all kinds of posters and paraphernalia.
Really an average restaurant in my opinion, good for late night vegetarian food. Would like to visit during the evenings to see if it is better.
First of all, my friends and I waited at the door for at least 10 minutes before anyone acknowledged us. Then, when someone finally came by, we asked if we could get the booth. The server walks away and never comes back!!! When we do get seated, the server was in a horrible mood and we were almost scared to ask her anything. The food was quite good, but the service completed turned me off.
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