Gotham Steakhouse & Bar

Hubby and I decided to treat ourselves to a belated Valentine's Day dinner at Gotham Steakhouse & Bar. Boy, was it an experience to remember!

As soon as we walked in, you could tell this was the dark wood décor of the sophisticated steakhouses in the city. Crisp white linens, monogrammed cloth napkins and tables big enough and spaced wide enough apart we never felt awkwardly close to our dining neighbours. To note, the trek to the bathroom was an adventure and a half down a very cool spiral staircase. Make sure you build in at least one trip to the washroom as part of your afternoon or evening.

We were thrilled with our server, Jamie. He was very personable and friendly, and I am sure he made every table under his care feel unique and special. He gave us an overview of the entire menu, highly recommended the decades old tradition of Cheese Toast, and expertly helped us decide on which steaks to order based on our taste references (more fatty or lean? Cooked more rare or more done?) He also helped us order smaller portions of our sides, so we got to experience a greater variety and made sure were satiated with our portions, without having to bring home leftovers. I can't remember the last time I had such a unique and positive interaction with the staff at a restaurant.

We went with the recommended Cheese Toast appetizer. Gooey melted and now hardened cheese, with crisp crunchy. I'm not sure how they made the toast so crunchy with the complement of melted cheese, but I can see why it has been a staple for over six decades.

For our dinners, my husband ordered the New York Strip, Chicago Style and I was thrilled when Jamie suggested the Filet for me (I had been eyeing that one already, so points for me for being on the right track). My steak was done to perfection, exactly as I had asked for: medium rare, a hint of pink on the inside. I tried a little bit of my husband's steak and it was cooked very well. A nice crust on the outside, and to his desired level of rare on the inside. I thought my steak was better, only because I gravitate more towards medium or medium rare. All steaks were cooked with simple salt and pepper, and I always have a soft spot for restaurants that cook with simple spices and let the flavour of the actual food be front and centre.

We shared smaller portions of Lyonnaise Potatoes, Sautéed Asparagus, and Seasonable Vegetables that turned out to be Sautéed Kale and Bacon. Special props goes towards the Kale and Bacon. My husband acknowledged he never thought Kale could taste this good, and I agreed!

A truthful note for potential first time patrons. If you are looking for a place that gives the most bang for your buck, you may be a little disappointed with Gotham. The restaurant separates the entrees from the sides, and the prices of some of the steaks could make your heart skip a beat. However if your idea of bang for your buck includes getting truthful recommendations from the waiter, experiencing steaks you never thought could be so delicious from just salt and pepper, having a top notch dining experience for a very special occasion, and preparing yourself for the prices beforehand, then please keep Gotham on your "to try" list.

We came on a Thursday for happy hour. Half of the tables were full when we got here and by the end of our time, the lounge area was completely full.

We ordered the cheese toast ($8.25), beef burger ($16.50), oysters ($18.90) and sticky toffee pudding ($16.25). The cheese toast was served nice and hot. Very sinful and delicious. Always a classic at Gothams and Hys.

The beef burger came with fries and was not bad. The beef wasn't overly dry. The fries were crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. I would order this again as it was a good deal.

Sticky toffee pudding was a bit too sweet for me but the texture was good.

Service was really friendly and nice. Food came out fast and I didn't feel rushed during happy hour.

Would recommend for happy hour. The menu isn't the biggest but it's good enough to satisfy your cravings

Sometimes you just want a classic steakhouse meal, cooked well, and served nice and smooth. Gotham will give you that experience in spades. We sat upstairs in a plush velvet booth - once sunk into it, we weren't leaving until we'd sampled the desserts (key lime pie! cheesecake! Sticky toffee pudding!).

Appetizers were solid, as you might expect - the crab cake was tasty but tiny (see the photographic evidence); the carpaccio was somewhat lacking in flavor, even with the Parmesan crisp accompaniment; the Caesar and the manhattan chowder were serviceable. The steaks were perfectly cooked to order. The creamed corn and broccoli sides were compliments to the saltiness of the steak seasoning. We were very glad we skipped the famed cheesy bread in favor of saving room for dessert. My personal favorite was the Key Lime pie - it was just citrus-y enough to really hit the spot after such a rich meal.

Peter Sew was a terrific server and we'd definitely request to be seated in his section again (once the upcoming renovations are done - the restaurant will be closed for most of April 2024).

We had dinner here to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary and it was phenomenal. My wife and I agreed it was the best steak and shrimp we have ever had. We live in SoCal and love to visit Vancouver so we went for our anniversary and wanted a great place to have dinner to celebrate. I am so glad I found this excellent restaurant and would highly recommend this to anyone who wants to have a great dinner. We have a lot of steakhouses here in Southern California and Gotham surpassed all of them. I had the 20oz bone-in rib steak and it was seasoned and cooked to perfection and my wife's garlic shrimp was plump and juicy, and the sauce was so good. And be sure not to miss their famous Cheese Bread. Also the staff was amazing and made our visit that much better! Don't hesitate to eat here, I highly recommend it! Thanks Gotham for making our anniversary unforgettable!

Trying out social hour at the Gotham lounge. Service was super friendly and the food was tasty! The shrimp and scallop ceviche was very fresh and I would order it again. The ahi tuna was ok, there wasn't a hard sear on it so the crust was lacking and the plating was lackluster. The open-faced steak sandwich is a deal at $20 for a steak, garlic bread and side! Highly recommend if you're feeling hungry on your visit.

Absolutely delicious and incredible experience here last night. Service was top notch, food was amazing (split the oysters and wagyu for an appetizer then porterhouse, mac and cheese with potatoes as the main course). It was my friends birthday and they gave her a super tasty brownie with ice cream as a dessert. It's pricey but if you are looking for a high end great dinner this is a great spot! HIGHLY recommend.

Was awesome!

Food was soooo good ~ service was amazing too.

The steaks are exceptional.

Sablefish special was melt in your mouth yummy

Key lime pie was top 3 I've ever had.

Thank you!

We were in Vancouver for my Birthday so wanted to take the wife and daughter someplace nice, being that Gotham was voted the best steakhouse in Vancouver we decided to give them a try. We were seated right at out reservation time and promptly greeted by our server David. We ordered the Porterhouse steak, Mashed Potatoes and Asparagus, followed up by a slice of pumpkin cheesecake.
Food was delicious, service was exceptional and the price was comparable to other restaurants of similar quality. The porterhouse was more than enough for the tree of us.
The decor is old school steakhouse which is one of the reasons I wanted to give them a try, I miss the old days when going out to eat was an adventure and not just a trip to restaurants that all look the same. While not the cheapest dinner in town it was not overly expensive for what you are getting.
Highly recommended if you

Service was spectacular. Steak was so good and tender. I sleep thinking about it. The corn was also a favorite. The cheesy bread was apparently a popular thing to order, but I didn't love it. Felt that the cheese overpowered the whole taste and wished it was more savory.

Good steakhouse but nothing differentiating to the place. The atmosphere is very nice (usual dark wood, white table cloths etc.) and the service was prompt and friendly. Would highly recommend the cheese bread as a starter, it was awesome. Caesar salad was a bit dry and lacked the usual oomph of a caesar dressing. The croutons were a HUGE disappointment as they were clearly small squares from a commercial bag... should not even be in the same kitchen as the other food. The Clam Chowder was flavorful and had a good number of clams. Disappointment #2, they were out of one of their signature steaks (no porterhouse-really the Granville Market is right down the road and has incredibly meat purveyors. How could you be 86'ed on a Friday night?). The alternative suggestion, which we followed, was to order a bone in NY Strip and also a Filet. Two annoyances with this solution: 1) significantly higher price point and 2) there is nothing like a bone-in filet (which Gotham does not offer). The cheddar and cassarecce was very good but the fries were a heavy disappointment. Again, a place like this needs to differentiate and not just serve McCain's from a bag. We ordered the Bernaise sauce which was served cooler than room temperature. Asked for it to be heated up and they said it would break, while of course it would break because it is not prepared a' la minute. It should be to get 5 stars. The sticky toffee pudding was the highlight of the meal. All in all, a typical steakhouse visit with little to differentiate it from the others which separates 5 stars from 4 stars.