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Dine Out: Best for $18

by Eater Staff
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by Eater Staff

Canada's largest annual dining celebration launches its 13th year with a staggering 263 restaurants on board. Produced by Tourism Vancouver and presented by American Express, for two weeks between January 17 and February 2 you can dive into excellent value set menus at across the city - but where to even start?
Forget sifting through the hundreds of menus Amy Watkins has done that for you, to bring you her pick of Dine Out's various value offerings. May we present, in no particular order, the best of the $18 group.
hapakits.png
[Photo via Hapa Izakaya]

What will $18 get you nowadays? Three hours of The Hobbit movie? More cheap noodles than you can carry from Dollarama? At this year's Dine Out Festival your 18 bucks gets you a three, perhaps even four, course dinner. Perfect for cheapskates and potentially doomed first daters who want to eat out and still get change from their fifty.

· Dine Out Vancouver [Official Site]


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Note: Restaurants on this map are listed geographically.

1. Village Taphouse Wineshop

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900 Main Street, West Vancouver
BC V7T 1A1, Canada
604-922-8882
604-922-8882
Visit Website
This little lighthouse shines like a beacon of hope amongst the stores at Park Royal and its made-from-scratch pub grub makes the Village Taphouse a casual West Van favourite. Eighteen dollars gets you a heap of seasonal greens livened up with crumbly feta and spiced pecans, short rib pappardelle and a dessert to send you home full. One of the options, fish and chips, usually costs $13-16 alone. Take a seat by the fire, watch a game and get face-deep in some serious comfort food.

2. Hapa Izakaya

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1516 Yew St, Vancouver
BC V6K 3E4, Canada
(604) 738-4272
(604) 738-4272
Visit Website
The original Hapa location has opted for, count ‘em, four courses for their $18 Dine Out menu and the options include all the favourites: chicken karaage, spicy tuna roll, dynamite roll and a selection of spicy pork or teriyaki chicken ishiyaki spicy pork are part of a solid and varied list of options from Hapa.

3. Rocky Mountain Flatbread Company

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1876 West 1st Avenue, Vancouver
BC V6J 1G5, Canada
(604) 730-0321
(604) 730-0321
Visit Website
Both the Main and Kits outlets are taking part in Dine Out this year and with a typical flatbread alone starting at 10 bucks, the $18 menu is a doozy of a deal. Start off with a soup or salad (fig and goat cheese, basil and blackberry, herb) then build-your-own flatbread or fresh pasta to create your own Dine Out dinner. Pair with some BC wines and you’ve got yourself a deal. 


4. Las Margaritas

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1999 W 4th Ave, Vancouver
BC V6J 1M7, Canada
(604) 734-7117
(604) 734-7117
Visit Website
Pushing the paradox of healthy Mexican food, Kits’ favourite cantina is offering a filling $18 menu that showcases their South Cali/Mexican dishes: start as you mean to go on with empanadas con chorizo y papas (stuffed with housemade chorizo), carry on with chile en nogada - a pepper stuffed with turkey and apple then smothered in walnut cream - but leave some room for not-so-saintly churros or pastel de tres leches.

5. Atithi

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2445 Burrard St, Vancouver
BC V6J 3J3, Canada
(604) 731-0221
(604) 731-0221
Visit Website
Atithi's $18 menu is a good introduction for anyone new to eastern Indian food - appies include jackfruit biryani kathi roll and entrees such as sable fish with mango, mustard and curry leaves or lamb Bengali curry with green papaya show off the fragrant flavours of eastern India. Basic but ideal for family-style feasts - the lunch buffet is another good deal for the rest of the year.

6. Chutney Villa

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147 East Broadway, Vancouver
BC, Canada
(604) 872-2228
(604) 872-2228
Visit Website
Dosa dosa dosa - it’s the first choice appie on the $18 menu and the veggie-friendly South Indian cuisine of Chutney Villa reads like a fenugreek geek’s dream. Start with the dosa crispy rice and lentil crepes (save some to scoop up the lentil soup and coconut chutney) then stay on the vege-train to make a stop at the katrika pall eggplant coconut curry and mango ice-cream.

7. The Reef

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1018 Commercial Drive, Vancouver
Canada, Canada
Visit Website
If you’ve been mainlining vitamin D but still need a splash of sunshine, the simple Caribbean food at The Reef will give your serotonin levels a boost. Get a house made ginger beer to kickstart your meal and then dig into plantain chips to get going, followed by Caribbean favourites such as snapper with rice and peas or the classic jerk chicken. Sweeten the deal with a pineapple coconut tart with caramelized sugar - all for $18. Happy now?

8. Bitter Tasting Room

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18 W Hastings St, Vancouver
BC V6B 1G6, Canada
(604) 558-4858
(604) 558-4858
Visit Website
You only come here for the beer? Like other Heather hangouts, Bitter do a bang-on simple kale caesar salad, which handily is one of your options for the $18 Dine Out menu. They’ve gone the way of the taco for your entree choice with chicken, pig, seafood or veg options to keep you going and goat cheese cheesecake with Okanagan peach compote acting as the final stomach liner.

9. The Fish Shack

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1026 Granville St., Vancouver
BC V6Z 1L5, Canada
(604) 678-1049
(604) 678-1049
Visit Website
Half a pound of Caesar mussels, a mixed fish fry, filet-o-fish shack sandwich and a sticky toffee pudding are amongst the options on this cut-price three-course menu.

10. The Refinery

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1115 Granville St., Vancouver
BC V6Z 1M1, Canada
(604) 687-8001
(604) 687-8001
Visit Website
The Refinery can feel pretty pricey for the portion size so Dine Out is the ideal time to taste their Oceanwise offerings: make the most of the tuna tartare and pan-seared arctic char on the $18 special menu. The tartain crumble is a bonus - apple, salted caramel and shortbread crumble are nearly as good a mix as The Refinery’s cocktail list.

11. Romer's Burger Bar

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1039 Mainland St., Vancouver
BC V6B 1A9, Canada
(604) 559-7210
(604) 559-7210
Visit Website
At upwards of $12 a burger, the $18 option is a thrifty way to get a carb and meat fix and smash all those resolutions in one go. Choose from pretty standard soup or salad appies, a selection of burgers (of course) from the keen-wa to the magic mushroom and finish off with drunken doughnuts. Shrimp tacos and noodles are on the menu for anyone who wants to go to a burger joint and not have a burger. Really?

12. Clough Club

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212 Abbott St., Vancouver
BC V6B 1B2, Canada
(604) 558-1581
(604) 558-1581
Visit Website
At the darkest den of the Donnelly clan the Dine Out menu is following the colour scheme of the cocktails - there are some lighter options but you might as well stick with the dark spirits and opt for the house-made pork terrine, braised lamb shank and Bailey’s chocolate mousse cake with dark chocolate espresso fondue.
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1. Village Taphouse Wineshop

900 Main Street, West Vancouver, BC V7T 1A1, Canada
This little lighthouse shines like a beacon of hope amongst the stores at Park Royal and its made-from-scratch pub grub makes the Village Taphouse a casual West Van favourite. Eighteen dollars gets you a heap of seasonal greens livened up with crumbly feta and spiced pecans, short rib pappardelle and a dessert to send you home full. One of the options, fish and chips, usually costs $13-16 alone. Take a seat by the fire, watch a game and get face-deep in some serious comfort food.
900 Main Street, West Vancouver
BC V7T 1A1, Canada
604-922-8882
Visit Website

2. Hapa Izakaya

1516 Yew St, Vancouver, BC V6K 3E4, Canada
The original Hapa location has opted for, count ‘em, four courses for their $18 Dine Out menu and the options include all the favourites: chicken karaage, spicy tuna roll, dynamite roll and a selection of spicy pork or teriyaki chicken ishiyaki spicy pork are part of a solid and varied list of options from Hapa.
1516 Yew St, Vancouver
BC V6K 3E4, Canada
(604) 738-4272
Visit Website

3. Rocky Mountain Flatbread Company

1876 West 1st Avenue, Vancouver, BC V6J 1G5, Canada
Both the Main and Kits outlets are taking part in Dine Out this year and with a typical flatbread alone starting at 10 bucks, the $18 menu is a doozy of a deal. Start off with a soup or salad (fig and goat cheese, basil and blackberry, herb) then build-your-own flatbread or fresh pasta to create your own Dine Out dinner. Pair with some BC wines and you’ve got yourself a deal. 

1876 West 1st Avenue, Vancouver
BC V6J 1G5, Canada
(604) 730-0321
Visit Website

4. Las Margaritas

1999 W 4th Ave, Vancouver, BC V6J 1M7, Canada
Pushing the paradox of healthy Mexican food, Kits’ favourite cantina is offering a filling $18 menu that showcases their South Cali/Mexican dishes: start as you mean to go on with empanadas con chorizo y papas (stuffed with housemade chorizo), carry on with chile en nogada - a pepper stuffed with turkey and apple then smothered in walnut cream - but leave some room for not-so-saintly churros or pastel de tres leches.
1999 W 4th Ave, Vancouver
BC V6J 1M7, Canada
(604) 734-7117
Visit Website

5. Atithi

2445 Burrard St, Vancouver, BC V6J 3J3, Canada
Atithi's $18 menu is a good introduction for anyone new to eastern Indian food - appies include jackfruit biryani kathi roll and entrees such as sable fish with mango, mustard and curry leaves or lamb Bengali curry with green papaya show off the fragrant flavours of eastern India. Basic but ideal for family-style feasts - the lunch buffet is another good deal for the rest of the year.
2445 Burrard St, Vancouver
BC V6J 3J3, Canada
(604) 731-0221
Visit Website

6. Chutney Villa

147 East Broadway, Vancouver, BC, Canada
Dosa dosa dosa - it’s the first choice appie on the $18 menu and the veggie-friendly South Indian cuisine of Chutney Villa reads like a fenugreek geek’s dream. Start with the dosa crispy rice and lentil crepes (save some to scoop up the lentil soup and coconut chutney) then stay on the vege-train to make a stop at the katrika pall eggplant coconut curry and mango ice-cream.
147 East Broadway, Vancouver
BC, Canada
(604) 872-2228
Visit Website

7. The Reef

1018 Commercial Drive, Vancouver, Canada, Canada
If you’ve been mainlining vitamin D but still need a splash of sunshine, the simple Caribbean food at The Reef will give your serotonin levels a boost. Get a house made ginger beer to kickstart your meal and then dig into plantain chips to get going, followed by Caribbean favourites such as snapper with rice and peas or the classic jerk chicken. Sweeten the deal with a pineapple coconut tart with caramelized sugar - all for $18. Happy now?
1018 Commercial Drive, Vancouver
Canada, Canada
Visit Website

8. Bitter Tasting Room

18 W Hastings St, Vancouver, BC V6B 1G6, Canada
You only come here for the beer? Like other Heather hangouts, Bitter do a bang-on simple kale caesar salad, which handily is one of your options for the $18 Dine Out menu. They’ve gone the way of the taco for your entree choice with chicken, pig, seafood or veg options to keep you going and goat cheese cheesecake with Okanagan peach compote acting as the final stomach liner.
18 W Hastings St, Vancouver
BC V6B 1G6, Canada
(604) 558-4858
Visit Website

9. The Fish Shack

1026 Granville St., Vancouver, BC V6Z 1L5, Canada
Half a pound of Caesar mussels, a mixed fish fry, filet-o-fish shack sandwich and a sticky toffee pudding are amongst the options on this cut-price three-course menu.
1026 Granville St., Vancouver
BC V6Z 1L5, Canada
(604) 678-1049
Visit Website

10. The Refinery

1115 Granville St., Vancouver, BC V6Z 1M1, Canada
The Refinery can feel pretty pricey for the portion size so Dine Out is the ideal time to taste their Oceanwise offerings: make the most of the tuna tartare and pan-seared arctic char on the $18 special menu. The tartain crumble is a bonus - apple, salted caramel and shortbread crumble are nearly as good a mix as The Refinery’s cocktail list.
1115 Granville St., Vancouver
BC V6Z 1M1, Canada
(604) 687-8001
Visit Website

11. Romer's Burger Bar

1039 Mainland St., Vancouver, BC V6B 1A9, Canada
At upwards of $12 a burger, the $18 option is a thrifty way to get a carb and meat fix and smash all those resolutions in one go. Choose from pretty standard soup or salad appies, a selection of burgers (of course) from the keen-wa to the magic mushroom and finish off with drunken doughnuts. Shrimp tacos and noodles are on the menu for anyone who wants to go to a burger joint and not have a burger. Really?
1039 Mainland St., Vancouver
BC V6B 1A9, Canada
(604) 559-7210
Visit Website

12. Clough Club

212 Abbott St., Vancouver, BC V6B 1B2, Canada
At the darkest den of the Donnelly clan the Dine Out menu is following the colour scheme of the cocktails - there are some lighter options but you might as well stick with the dark spirits and opt for the house-made pork terrine, braised lamb shank and Bailey’s chocolate mousse cake with dark chocolate espresso fondue.
212 Abbott St., Vancouver
BC V6B 1B2, Canada
(604) 558-1581
Visit Website