Only U Cafe

Eaten here half dozen times before and food was good. But last Tuesday I had their Montréal smoked meat sandwich and chili at about noon, by 8:30pm I was vomiting until 5am the next morning. Slept all day Wednesday, Thursday is here and I still feel slightly off. I decided to phone the café so they can review their food safe procedures. Before hearing my story he argued it wasn’t their food that made me sick.
I will never eat here again, I hope that they look review their food handling procedures but I doubt they will with a response like that.

Great for a quick breakfast. Eggs made to order. Daily breakfast specials or you can order off their large menu. Service is hit and miss but this isn’t a five star restaurant — it is a convenient diner. Food is hot, fresh and fast :). They serve lunch/​dinner as well but I have not been there for anything other than breakfast.

Like most things on UBC, it’s overpriced but at least the portions are good. The problem is, most college students (and the college aged students that hangout at UBC but don’t actually go here) can’t wakeup pre 10am for McDonald’s breakfast because they were binging at the Pit the night before.
So it’s their only choice. I’m a fan of their breakfast food it’s above-​average. Some of their sandwiches are overpriced, but the Montréal smoked beef one is delicious. You can easily run a $ 15 morning breakfast or quick lunch bill here.
I’d give it four stars, but it’s definitely overpriced. If you come from 11 – 2 on thursday mornings it’s a big spot for the hungover and exhausted.

This is pretty much the only place on campus that serves pancakes and other breakfasty foods.
The food is decent, nothing special. The service isn’t great.

Located at University Marketplace (The Village), Only U Café is not only known by UBC students to be the go to place for all-​day breakfast/​brunch, its menu also consist of a variety of cuisines from all around the world.
Although not as authentic and varied as a international buffet, servings are guaranteed to satisfy a roaring bully no matter what you order. The restaurant also have a huge variety of drinks one can choose from to mix and match with whatever meal you choose.

Note: If Only U Café was off campus, there is no way this would receive four stars. Probably three stars (mostly related to price and it’s just a basic, quick service place). However, since this is my neighbourhood and it is one of the only legitimate breakfast options, it gets a bit of a boost for filling a void.
I have never, ever had lunch here. Only breakfast or brunch. Even at 2:30 in the afternoon, usually because I’ve indulged in serious amounts of fun the night before.
The place is a quick service, order-​at-​the-​counter restaurant. None of the staff is particularly full of any personality, but they get their job done. I have never had my order messed up, and it comes out quick.
The portions are good, and the food tastes like it should. There’s nothing fancy here. If you’re ordering bacon and eggs, you’re getting bacon and eggs. There’s no special twist to it, they’re not concerned about plating and I almost prefer that when I just want a quick breakfast.
Biggest complaint: price. It’s a pretty pricey breakfast place. These basic bacon and egg breakfasts, with a small juice on the side will cost you around $ 13. Not terrible, but you can also find better deals.
If you’re on campus and you need a filling breakfast, it’s a safe bet.

Fact: breakfast specials bring me insurmountable joy. Especially when my requests are acknowledged (crispy bacon and eggs over easy with runny yolk).
You will find Only U Café in «The Village» at UBC, on the East edge of campus. Pay upfront, and your food will show up in the order corresponding to the number they hand to you. Help yourself to some cutlery, napkins, and bottles of sauces.
Living on campus for the first two years of university, it was not until the second year when my friends and I discovered this gem. Even though I have moved all the way across town, U remains a destination spot to meet up with my buddies who are rocking on-​campus UBC housing.
I mention and emphasize breakfast and brunch food, however at Only U, they also cook up burgers and make sandwiches, accompanied by a side of choice from what is offered.
«U will luvs it!»

The best place on ubc campus. Fresh food and great breakfast.

A great little spot on campus. I love their veggie burger and their onion rings. They have lots of healthy options as well, and quite a few desserts for when you have a craving for something sweet. Food is fast and made on the spot. Never a huge wait, even at peak times. It’s basically fast food with a more relaxed approach.

Not the most enthusiastic staff here. Food is pretty good, though.

I’ve only ever had lunch here, but the food is pretty good. I’d say if you go for the burgers or the fish and chips, it will be below your expectations. However, one of my favorite lunches on campus is to get the ham and cheese panini. It’s around $ 6 and comes with some veggies sticks and you can add a salad for a buck or two. The sandwich is delicious with a bit of spice. I haven’t tried enough to say for sure but it seems like they have a wide menu that they do alright, and a few things that they do very well. Worth checking out!

We spend our summers in Vancouver. For the past 8 years we have cycled on Sundays in the UBC area and always look forward to the completion of our ride and lunch at the Only U Café. We love this neighborhood gem. It changed hands a few years ago and the quality of food was maintained, plus they made improvements in the décor. We find the place clean and employees industrious. This is a neighborhood café and has a flavor and charm of its own. We love the food. I can’t get myself to order anything but the vegetarian sandwich. The bread is tasty and it is loaded with the freshest veggies. My husband loves the veggie melt and the grilled chicken cheese. The chocolate chip cookie is also very good. It is a small family owned business and we usually see the owners there on Sunday working hard and over seeing the café. It is a pleasure to support a small family owned business. If in the UBC area, it is a great place to eat. July 18, 2010

Only U is a brunch/​cofffee/​sandwich place at the back of the UBC Village. It’s my office’s go-​to sandwich spot on campus.
The warm sandwiches are nicely done — I appreciate that they’ll do a Monte Cristo (mmm). The soup & sandwich special is usually a good deal; if it’s the Montréal smoked meat sandwich, definitely go for it. Try the potato soup. Served in styrofoam to go with a carrot for garnish? Sounds like lunch to me.
I tried to place a call-​ahead order once, though, and the phone was busy for five minutes straight. When I got there, it looked like one of the owners was just chatting with someone on the line. Professional, guys!
They also do brunch all day, so if you’re hankering for a pancake around 3 in the afternoon they’ll do ya. I haven’t tried the coffee yet… guessing it’s not really the point, here.

Bought a cookie here wants. The place looks cozy and popular but their cookies aren’t good. I never tried sticking around for anything else. I usually judge a coffee shop by their baked goods, but that might be because I’m a little crazy.

i’d say that it has the best food on campus. love the «accordion» fries. burgers are really good. Definitely would choose this over the pit any day.

well the pub food might not be the best, but Canada can do omeletes! this was yummy after a good workout! despite the odd smell inside, I give this place 4-​stars! I got the ham, tomato, cheese omelete with has browns and it was super good. the service was solid.

A handy solution for on-​campus brunch cravings. Only U Café has a wide selection of dishes suitable for breakfast and lunch. The atmosphere is pretty bland and the tables are usually dirty or sticky, but the quality of the food usually trumps any minor concerns.
However, the food is not always perfect. The primary breakfast items have been quite good historically, with large portions and good ingredients. However, the lunch was a bit more sketchy. The chili my girlfriend ordered was a bit light on chunks of veggies or meat, and the salad I ordered had about 5 bugs in there as a result of less-​than-​washed lettuce. Thus, I would recommend you stick to the breakfast items and you should enjoy the overall experience.
If you want to find a decent breakfast place in the Village without resorting to McDonald’s, then this is the best bet. As long as you can deal with slightly inflated prices, then you will likely find this place can satisfy your cravings.