JJs Restaurant at VCC

Name: JJs Restaurant at VCC
Address: 250 Pender St W, Vancouver, BC, Canada, V6B 1S9
Telephone: (604) 443-8479
Price range: CAN$31 to CAN$50
Rating: 4.7

4.7

227 Reviews

CAN$31 to CAN$50

Canadian

Top tags:

JJ’s Restaurant is a Vancouver institution. Both the kitchen and front of house are run by students who are in their 2nd level of cook training. Enjoy a three-course a la carte lunch which is reasonably priced and produced with the highest level of passion and care by students with the guidance of their Chef Instructors. If you are interested in a group booking please email culinaryarts@vcc.ca.

Please note that JJ’s and Chef’s Table service may be interrupted by inclement weather, including extreme heat or significant snowfalls. VCC makes this precaution to keep the staff and customers safe. Thank you in advance for your understanding.

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

Sept 21, 2023

7:00 p.m.

Booked 4 times today

Experiences are available.

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Cuisines
Canadian, Contemporary French / American, International
Hours of Operation
Lunch Mon–Thu 11:30 am–12:30 pm Dinner Tue–Thu 6:30 pm–8:30 pm
Phone number
(604) 443-8479
Website
http://www.vcc.ca/services/eat-shop--more/jjs-restaurant/
Payment Options
AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
Dress Code
Casual Dress
Executive Chef
Tobias MacDonald

Location
250 Pender St W, Vancouver, BC V6B 1S9
Neighbourhood
Chinatown
Cross Street
Hamilton
Parking Details
street parking also available
Public Transit
Stadium/Chinatown Sky Train Station
Additional
Beer, Chef's Table, Cocktails, Full Bar, Non-Smoking, Private Room, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Experiences

Chef's Table
$55.00 per person
Prepaid
Multiple dates available
The Chef's Table dinners, are one of Vancouver's best-kept secrets! Enjoy a gourmet five-course meal designed by Chef Hamid Salimian with optional selected wine pairings, served in a unique group setting with only 10 seats available per night. The Chef's Table dinners are run by students, led by award winning instructors in Vancouver Community College's International Culinary Arts Program. Thank you for supporting VCC students-gratuities help the VCC Foundation create awards and bursaries. Dietary restrictions and preferences may be accommodated with at least 24 hrs notice. Please direct requests to culinaryarts@vcc.ca. Please note that Chef’s Table service may be interrupted by extreme heat. Thank you in advance for your understanding.

What 227 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.7

4.7 based on recent ratings

4.8Food
4.7Service
4.4Ambience
4.9Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

Vancouver / British Columbia
Best Food
Vancouver / British Columbia
Best Value
Vancouver / British Columbia
Canadian
Vancouver
Best Food
Vancouver
Best Value
Vancouver
Canadian

227 Reviews

J
James
Vancouver
48 reviews
vip
5.0
48 reviews
Dined 2 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience3
After a less-than-ideal chef’s table experience, I decided to return to see what lunch was like here. So glad I did! The food was marvelous, the service careful and attentive, and delivery of courses was well paced (which it had not been for evening chef’s table). Bravo!! A really lovely experience.
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J
James
Vancouver
48 reviews
vip
3.0
48 reviews
Dined 6 days ago
overall3food4service3ambience1
Culinary school meals are always a mix of pluses and minuses. The pluses here? The staff here are enthusiastic and the food was very good overall. The minuses? First the room is really quite unappealing. Second the service felt rushed. Third, the elaborate plating process often meant that the food was served more than a bit on the cool side. But still a fun experience.
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PC
PaulaC
Vancouver
2 reviews
4.0
2 reviews
Dined on August 31, 2023
overall4food4service4ambience4
Quite a nice value for having a nice 3 courses meal.
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EI
EdInTheWestEnd
Vancouver
4 reviews
5.0
4 reviews
Dined on August 30, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
It's always a pleasure to visit JJ's. The students are very Earnest and trying their best, but sometimes they are so nervous that they make some little mistakes which are easily and quickly corrected.
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AG
AlexG
Vancouver
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on August 21, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Easily my favourite restaurant, not just in Vancouver, but in the world! (And I've been to Michelin star restaurants too)
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T
Traveller47
Vancouver
9 reviews
4.0
9 reviews
Dined on August 18, 2023
overall4food5service4ambience3
A lovely experience. The staff were very engaged in their work and the artful presentation of the food.The dishes on which it was served were most interesting. The food was delicious and probably quite impossible for me to reproduce at home. The wine pairings were interesting. There were just 5 couples when we were there.The room is quite large so it was blissfully not noisy and the music was good. We had been wanting to go for some time and we were not disappointed.
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YM
YifatM
Vancouver
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on August 18, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great fine dining for 2. We had so much fun. A fantastic dinner for a great price.
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EI
EdInTheWestEnd
Vancouver
4 reviews
5.0
4 reviews
Dined on August 16, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Absolutely delicious! Be patient as the students are doing their best to make it perfect for you.
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DB
DonnaB
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on August 15, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
We had an excellent lunch. The food was delicious and the staff amazing!! Everyone was helpful, attentive and friendly. Congratulations to these culinary students! They did a great job!!
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Y
Yuliya
Vancouver
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on August 14, 2023
overall5food5service4ambience3
I love coming to J.J's Fine Dining - the food is extraordinary and very inexpensive. I enjoy supporting students and help build their confidence as they move through their program. Fine Dining at a decent price, ENJOY!
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AW
AnnieW
Vancouver
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on August 9, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Our JJ's 3 course lunch was wonderful. The service was great and the food was delicious. Glad to know they try to source their ingredients locally as much as possible. We will be back!
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B
Brenda
Vancouver
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on August 9, 2023
overall5food4service5ambience5
My son and I didn't like the dessert, Chai Ganche.
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C
Chun
Vancouver
5 reviews
5.0
5 reviews
Dined on August 3, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience4
We’ve always enjoy going to JJ’s. We can always count on being served good quality food, well prepared and beautifully presented. We are always greeted by polite and friendly servers. Most importantly, we know we are helping the students to gain valuable experience.
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EE
EErwin
San Francisco
6 reviews
vip
5.0
6 reviews
Dined on July 25, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience4
This is a hidden gem, and I am so glad we found it! What a fantastic experience! I would recommend this to anyone who wants a fabulous meal and experience at a very reasonable rate! It's an amazing experience for the students as well as the guests!
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CM
CynthiaM
Vancouver
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on July 24, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
A lovely experience from start to finish! Beautiful plating and delicous flavours, all prepared and presented by the very attentive and gracious team at JJ's. I loved the atmosphere of learning and earnest efforts by the culinary arts students, making the meal extra special. What a wonderful dining experience!
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KT
KeikoT
Vancouver
4 reviews
5.0
4 reviews
Dined on July 11, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Excellent food, and services, we will be back again。
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GD
GigiD
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on June 23, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience3
Lovely 5 course meal with wine pairings. The attending students were cute and did their very best to make our meal memorable. The chef who described the courses was very informative, friendly and professional as he guided the students through their training.
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g
gordmet
Vancouver
52 reviews
vip
5.0
52 reviews
Dined on June 8, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience4
A hidden restaurant upstairs in Vancouver Community College, JJ's offers an excellent Chef's table dinner for a very reasonable price. The restaurant staffed with students and taught by award winning chef's offers unique dishes with innovative techniques, fresh local ingredients, and excellent flavours and presentation. The chef's table is limited to only ten guests per night to allow students to prepare more complex dishes. Our dinner started with a unique freeze dried foie gras fluff served with a freshly made brioche followed by the highlight of the night a great tasting sous vide steelhead wrapped in a tender scallop mousse served on a sauerkraut dill consomme with asparagus puree, and sauteed root vegetables, followed by a tender venison sirloin with a oxtail tart served with cherries three ways, jus, compote, and a charred cherry skin powder coating on the sirloin. The main course did not disappoint with a sous vide lamb sirloin wrapped in bacon served with a celeriac oyster mushroom layered square, a caramelized onion tart, and a slow cooked lamb neck meat compress, with a balsamic glaze. Dessert followed with an interesting individual tiramisu dome creation dusted in cocoa and accompanied with a rich expresso icecream with chocolate shavings.
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LL
LiamLoxton
Vancouver
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on May 26, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Such a hidden gem! Definitely a great place to have a food experience.
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QL
QueenieL
Vancouver
3 reviews
4.0
3 reviews
Dined on May 25, 2023
overall4food4service4ambience4
All food presentation excellent and , taste very good
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S
Smallcar
Exclusive
2 reviews
4.0
2 reviews
Dined on May 25, 2023
overall4food4service5ambience4
Only very limited seats available as it’s a student run restaurant, have to book in advance
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r
robertp
Vancouver
5 reviews
5.0
5 reviews
Dined on May 10, 2023
overall5food5service4ambience4
A gem of culinary delight & a unique experience of molecular cuisine & extremely great value in this day and age, well worth a visit
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JL
JonathanL
Vancouver
7 reviews
4.0
7 reviews
Dined on May 4, 2023
overall4food5service3ambience3
I enjoyed going to JJ restaurant very much so, and they even decorated the writing happy birthday on my dessert plate. Thank you to the entire team, students and instructor/dining room manager included of course!
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S
Smallcar
Exclusive
2 reviews
4.0
2 reviews
Dined on May 2, 2023
overall4food4service5ambience3
Students run restaurant so not expected a professional service provide. The food were pretty good for the value.
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L
Lily
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on April 27, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Had lunch here a week ago and the place was full. Despite this, service was impeccable and the food was as great as ever! Every menu item was worth its price. Kudos to Dennis for running a tight ship and the students for a job well done, both in the kitchen and in the dining room. Another pleasant dining experience! :)
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H
Hossein
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined on April 27, 2023
overall3food3service3ambience3
The price for the quantity (portion amount) was too expensive. We felt almost hungry when we left !!!!! Not worth it... will not come back again and will not recommend anyone either! It was really a nano/micro eatery.
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DC
DavidC
Toronto
2 reviews
4.0
2 reviews
Dined on April 27, 2023
overall4food3service3ambience3
Enjoyed lunch and happy to see that the culinary students are receiving good training at VCC. The food is a delight to the eyes, palette and pocketbook.
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RK
RickK
Vancouver
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on April 24, 2023
overall4food3service4ambience5
We were very disappointed that they ran out of rack of lamb, even though we were seated first. The service was a little slow but understandably this is a culinary school. Would definitely return.
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DF
DennisF
Vancouver
6 reviews
vip
5.0
6 reviews
Dined on April 20, 2023
overall5food5service4ambience4
Excellent food and good service. The custom salad cart was slow due to volume. Overall great value
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MD
MarkD
Toronto
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on April 17, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
The food is great, the plating is first class, the student servers are at their best, and the Host is gracious and eager to offer information about the food and the culinary program.
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RL
RosalieL
Vancouver
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on April 4, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
This venue is a wonderful place to visit if you are going for a fantastic experience. I can’t wait to return with more friends.
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KB
KathyB
Vancouver
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on April 4, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
I have not been to JJ’s in years, but will definitely return. We really enjoyed it!
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RC
RoderickC
New York Area
3 reviews
vip
4.0
3 reviews
Dined on March 31, 2023
overall4food4service4ambience4
Excellent experience and innovative food. Small and intimate
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KK
KennaK
Vancouver
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on March 28, 2023
overall4food4service3ambience4
Was a great experience, many different cooking techniques demonstrated.
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CG
ChrisG
Vancouver
2 reviews
4.0
2 reviews
Dined on March 28, 2023
overall4food4service4ambience4
Great value for good food. Entirely student run, some minor errors are to be expected, overall well executed. Don’t know how the kitchen is run but supervision/oversight by instructors should probably eliminate errors from making it to the guest. For example, my desert included caramel popcorn. Unfortunately this included corn kernels which failed to pop, a perfect way to unintentionally break a tooth. But knowing this is a student run facility any patron should pay attention and be prepared to provide constructive feedback when a learning opportunity presents itself. Overall a good job was done by all.
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T
Tiga
Vancouver
18 reviews
4.0
18 reviews
Dined on March 22, 2023
overall4food4service4ambience4
I believe the servers are students. The service was excellent! Food was fantastic!
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DA
DA27182818
Vancouver
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on March 22, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Fantastic food and excellent service - run by students.
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N
Nasron
Vancouver
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on March 17, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
An amazing experience! Kudos to the staff and team for a wonderful immersive experience.
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EC
EldaC
Vancouver
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined on March 17, 2023
overall3food3service5ambience3
Quality of food very good and dishes most interesting. Impressed with students preparing the dishes. Students very sociable a and willing to engage in conversation with patrons. We enjoyed courses 1, 2, and 5 the most. We look forward to coming again soon.
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AF
AdrianF
Vancouver
6 reviews
4.0
6 reviews
Dined on March 16, 2023
overall4food4service3ambience3
Great value in terms of food. Being a culinary school, the thoughts and ingredients placed on the food creation was great. However, the services should be part of the training and that side of the scoresheet wasn’t at par. Nothing to complaint about just a comment and understanding that it is a learning process.
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Safety precautions

Cleaning & sanitising
- Common areas deep-cleaned daily
Physical distancing
- Limited number of seated diners

FAQs

JJs Restaurant at VCC is rated 4.7 stars by 227 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

Sept 21, 2023

7:00 p.m.

Booked 4 times today

Experiences are available.

250 Pender St W, Vancouver, BC V6B 1S9

Additional information

Cross Street
Hamilton
Neighbourhood
Chinatown
Hours of Operation
Lunch Mon–Thu 11:30 am–12:30 pm Dinner Tue–Thu 6:30 pm–8:30 pm
Cuisines
Canadian, Contemporary French / American, International
Dining style
Casual Dining
Dress Code
Casual Dress
Parking Details
street parking also available
Public Transit
Stadium/Chinatown Sky Train Station
Payment Options
AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
Executive Chef
Tobias MacDonald
Additional
Beer, Chef's Table, Cocktails, Full Bar, Non-Smoking, Private Room, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
http://www.vcc.ca/services/eat-shop--more/jjs-restaurant/
Phone number
(604) 443-8479

JJs Restaurant at VCC

Make a reservation

Additional information

Chef's Table

Appetizers

Kale & Arugula Salad

Poached Shrimp and Scallop

Beef Carpaccio

Braised Short Rib

Entrées

Seared Steelhead Trout

Rack of Lamb, Shoulder Terrine

Pork Wellington

Crispy Cornish Game Hen

Desserts

White Chocolate & Chai Masala Ganache

Chocolate Cashew Bar

Lemon Tart

Apple & Brie Cheesecake

Drinks Menu

Wine

Gray Monk BC

Cedar Creek

Craft Beer

Parallel 49$7.00

Mill St.$7.00

Whistler Brewing$7.00

Yellowdog

Cider$7.00

Cocktails

Caesar$9.00

Cosmopolitan$9.00

Lime Margarita$9.00

Mocktail$5.00

Highballs

Rye

Vodka

Gin

Rum

Scotch

Non Alcoholic

Perrier Water$3.25

Coffee or Tea$3.00

Espresso$4.00

Cappuccino$5.00

Latte$5.50

Hot Water & Lemon$1.25

Soda

Pepsi

Diet Pepsi

7-Up

Ginger Ale

Ice Tea

Juice

Lemonade Pink Grapefruit

Apple

Orange

Tomato

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

Cleaning & sanitising

Physical distancing

FAQs

How is JJs Restaurant at VCC restaurant rated?

Is JJs Restaurant at VCC currently accepting bookings?

Make a reservation

Additional information