Willem’s On Main

I don’t usually write reviews too often other than sharing photos of what I ordered as I think photos truly add some reality to a rating in and of itself and gives a potential guest a idea of what they may expect to receive as well. In saying this, if you find I added a photo of something or even checked in at a particular place and did not write a negative review then you can assume from me that it was at least «acceptable»
As for this restaurant, we decided to visit this restaurant for lunch while alking in downtown Vancouver and definitely glad we gave it a try.
Both entrees we ordered were full flavor and were prepared with care. We also had the aI don’t usually write reviews too often other than sharing photos of what I ordered as I think photos truly add some reality to a rating in and of itself and gives a potential guest a idea of what they may expect to receive as well. In saying this, if you find I added a photo of something or even checked in at a particular place and did not write a negative review then you can assume from me that it was at least «acceptable»
While walking in downtown Vancouver one day we decided to try this restaurant for lunch. I had a martini to start with my wife had a glass of their house wine. We had their appetizer special which was a bruschetta and the entrees we chose for lunch were also very good and appeared to be prepared with care.
Service and cleanliness of the restaurant was on par as well as the friendly and knowledgable service we received.
I have only been here once but give this restaurant five-​stars based on what my experience was. I look forward to visiting them again.

Great place for lunch! Farm to table-​type spot with cool vintage theatre seats and sliced tree tables for two.
I had the tomato soup and Brussels sprout salad. Both were excellent!

Its always a pleasure to enter a restaurant and smell good food and to hear lighthearted conversation and laughter. This is not an inexpensive place but is so worth the price. Terrific service, a creative menu, the ambiance is very comfortable, the staff make sure you know that you are appreciated, and the food is way better than many higher-​end Vancouver restaurants. The servings are larger than on my last visit, too — great leftovers! Excellent wines, home made desserts, to-​die-​for bread. Go, Enjoy! !

The wait staff were very friendly and did a great job. Everything we ordered was delicious and well prepared. We will return for a special dinner. It would be five stars except I found the wine list a little paltry. There are so many great NW wineries and didn’t see many reflected. They were also out of many on the menu. The portions are small for the money, but in line with other nicer restaurants. Always funny that you pay more for less food. Overall a very nice dining experience and place for the Couve.

Incredible food with less than great service. Server forgot to deliver our side dish and was unsure about the prices and beer list. With this price, incredible service is expected.

Exceptional! The wife and I shared a nice bottle of Red and the braised beef and gnocchi appetizer. Had chicken on creamy polenta with mushroom jue. Brilliant and delicious. Possibly the best restaurant in The Couv.

Super friendly staff (which is very important to me). I’ve been here for appetizers and drinks and also Sunday brunch. Their menu is delicately and purposefully created so that each dish has its own unique experience. Their blueberry pancakes were delicious as were their side of potatoes. I really enjoy the inner décor of this place included the tables that appear to be slabs of wood.
Not an easy place to eat at for dinner if you’re vegetarian but you will still enjoy their breakfast menu.

I went here for brunch on a Saturday. Was seated immediately, service was prompt and friendly. The food was good. My friend got the corn beef hash and liked it. I would like if they had more vegetarian options. I would return.

I want to give you 5 stars. I think the quality of the food is amazing. However, I cannot get over the portion size and price. My husband and I came in for lunch. He ordered the bruchetta and meatloaf. I ordered a «BOWL» of tomato soup and salad. My order was $ 15 total. Honestly, my «bowl» was probably a total of 3 – 4 oz of soup. It didn’t come with bread or anything. My salad was also very very very small. My husband’s bruchetta was ONE piece of toast. Granted the toast was about 4 inches long, but still. The meatloaf dish was also very very small.
As I said above, everything was very very tasty. In fact, it was amazing. But the portion size almost makes me angry. I want to feel like I’m getting my moneys worth. After a $ 15 lunch for me and similar price for my husband’s lunch… we both left hungry. Wanting more is always a good thing, but I’d rather go somewhere else, spent that money and feel like I didn’t get a little ripped off.
I’ll try you again maybe in 6 months… I hope (PLEASE) that you take my comments to heart. I think more people would return as a custom if the portion size were addressed.

Best restaurant north of the river. Quality ingredients, farm to table, and wonderfully prepared. Very charming.

I’ve only eaten here once so far, and don’t have enough experience to issue 5 stars. But it was 5 stars good. It was soooo good! I had the pork, my wife had the chicken. Both were top notch, 5 star quality. Stay tuned. If Willem’s continues to perform at this level I’ll add another star.

I had the opportunity to go to Willem’s last week, and enjoy what was to me and my wife, not just a meal, but an experience.
I became aware about the quality of the chefs (Shout out to Chef Alex) at this restaurant through my work, and eagerly made my way to the restaurant, on the quaint Main Street of Vancouver.
To my enjoyment, the food was not only delicious, well cooked and creative, it was always served in the perfect portion amounts.
Since moving to the US from England, I have become accustomed to feeling okay when leaving food on my plate (something I was taught was pretty much an insult to the chef back home), so having the amount of food served being reasonable, I was already knowing this crew understood it was about quality over quantity.
If you have not been to this restaurant yet, get moving!

Although Willem’s has a small menu they did a lovely job with all our dishes, adding creative seasonal touches.
We had the gnocchi starter which had a tasty sauce with fresh grilled corn kernels. Both the arugula salad with beets and the butter lettuce salad were very good with nice dressings that weren’t too sweet. The rockfish had a sauce made from local tomatoes that was delicious. Our spinach side was flavored with shallots and a nice peppery broth.
We used to frequent the chief’s prior restaurant in Portland and are very happy he opened a restaurant in Vancouver.

Excellent service — Cathy is the sweetest and well be back to see her! The food is amazing — perfectly cooked, veggies are crispy, sauces are complex and creative flavor profiles. We are coming back. This is a gem in downtown Vancouver — support them!

Stopped in for a quick bite during HH. The restaurant was really adorable inside with some wood tables made from old tree trunks. Our basil/​gin drinks were so refreshing and delicious. Had the Vietnamese flatbread special and the spaetzle. Everything was made fresh and tasted amazing. I am kind of sad we only had time for a quick bite. Would definitely return to have dinner sometime.

First time here, thought we’d start with brunch. What a lovely experience. We ordered the griddle cakes and brisket hash along with a mimosa and a bacon Bloody Mary. Everything was well cooked, appropriately portioned, and presented nicely. No photos; once we got our food we couldn’t stop eating it long enough for photos!
We’ll be back soon to try their other brunch options. Service is a little slow, but that’s no crime as long as the food is good.

In a small town like Vancouver, this restaurant is a gem, small menu is a hit, and food made from scratch is filling, portions perfect size, and very tasty. Waffles are best in town, don’t miss chance to stop by and enjoy some delish food

Our server Lindsay was a pure delight! My first time to eat at Williams on main. Everything was a delight.
We started off with the gnocchi, absolute delicious. Light and fluffy gnocchi in a sauce was delicious with sautéed onions.
My husband had the steak with risotto and fennel slaw, my son had the pork, and I had the Wildboar with the chocolate sauce over polenta.
Everything was delicious.
For dessert I tried the pumpkin roll with prosciutto, would’ve never of thought to put these two things together.
The chef is truly a culinary genius.
And Lindsay makes some amazing martinis especially the huckleberry one!

My wife and I went here for dinner this evening — outstanding food and service.
We ordered the garlic butter and bread and chicken liver mousse for appetizers — both excellent choices. For dinner I had the rib eye steak with caramelized onion risotto and my wife had the rockfish. Both were cooked exactly as we asked and tasted very good. My wife had a couple of glasses of wine during happy hour and we had the chocolate cake with huckleberry sauce for dessert. Our total bill was about $ 85 which IMO was well worth the value for the quality of food we ordered. All in all it was a great experience and we loved the seating by the window which was made possible by making a reservation.
I would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone and know that my wife and I will go back in the near future.

Have been wanting to try this place after the article I read in the Portland monthly mag — previous owner/​chef of Fratellis in Portland. Decided to try them for brunch on Saturday. No problem getting a table — don’t think Vancouver has caught onto Saturday brunch yet. Easy street parking. Wonderful store front seating — very eclectic.
We had wonderful service — our server was very knowledgeable and wonderfully attentive. Oh by the way, they have their liquor license now and they make a killer Bloody Mary!
The brisket hash is definitely worth the trip to Vancouver. The sauce for the dish was a little on the sweet side like a teriyaki– would like to have a bit more acid to the sauce, but that is neither here nor there. The pork belly and lentils was very nice, but lack a little seasoning.
We really enjoyed our brunch — most definitely worth another trip for dinner. To be continued…