Laowai / Blnd Tger Dumplings

As the front of a speakeasy, it's certainly made to look quite unassuming. It looks like a small dumpling shop with limited seating.

The dumplings are good and I would recommend trying them, but the prices are on the more expensive side. You can get better dumplings for cheaper elsewhere.

There are also limited vegetarian options so this place is not recommended for anyone who doesn't eat meat.

I think this place is rated more negatively than it should be based on my experience. For my thoughts on the drinks, check out my review of Laowai.

I don't know if they have a dress code, age, or gender, but they didn't want to serve me on the night of my birthday. The girl didn't want to assign me a table, she told me that the only ones there were the ones outside the restaurant that were wet because it was raining. I asked her if they didn't have tables inside, to which she replied that it was the restaurant's refrigerator. Following this, the door opened where some guys came out and music was heard behind, clearly it wasn't a refrigerator. She made a stupid face and asked me if she could help me with something else. It was a horrible experience, I had never felt so discriminated against. SEP 24,9: 00PM

Really cool decor and vibe. Staff is nice and friendly, however the drinks were disappointing in our opinions. We had such high expectations and even had to send one drink back, but the new one we got wasn’t good either. We ordered 5 cocktails in total and unfortunately struck out on all of them. We love speakeasies and upscale, experimental cocktail bars but this was a flop for our party of four.

Go here for the drinks and atmosphere (live music on some nights), but not for the food. Also, you need to say the password to get into the back (order the number 7 dumpling) and they are serious about this. They will actually play dumb even when you’ve paid for parking and clearly know about the place. That’s a little much, and in hindsight, they didn’t deserve my business.

Here for the drinks. Love Lao wai in the back.definitely my go-to to kick off the weekend. Brings me back to asia?

Delicious, unique flavours and a cool aesthetic. Great new spot and who knows.there may be other surprises in store

Had a great experience here last weekend, my girlfriend and I went on a date night and were completely blown out of the water by the level of care and hospitality by our server. The food was amazing and cocktails were all a hit. I would recommend this place to absolutely anyone looking to get away from their busy life and enjoy a night to unwind and enjoy quality time with their spouse, friends or family.

One of my favourite spots to visit whether it's a night cap with friends or entertaining clients/out of towners. Creative cocktails, delicious small plates, and live music set in a beautiful room create the perfect environment for a good time. Love what they're doing for Vancouver's bar scene.

Great speakeasy with a story book of amazing cocktails! The bartender was engaging and made the experience that much better. Tasty dumplings and to top it all off some awesome live music. One of my favourite spots in Vancouver.

Been here a couple times. Really like the food and most of the drinks (some are too adventurous for me). It’s really cool layout inside and they have a no phone rule which really allows you to soak in the moment of being in a wonderful space. Sometimes they have live music which is an added bonus.

Amazing food and drinks, staff are really knowledgeable and welcoming. Can't wait to go back!

A hidden jade (gem) indeed! There is a long waitlist to get in (typically 2-3 hours +) so I would recommend putting your name down on the list and enjoying other food places nearby.

-Bartenders: perfection. Extremely knowledgeable, friendly, and skilled. Our bartender put on a good performance with the other bartender when mixing drinks and they work harmoniously together.
-Drinks: Each drink has a story and was very well thought out. We tried 4 drinks that night and we will be back to try more! Each drink was also very special and in my personal opinion the best bar I've been to in Canada.

*note* they do not allow usage of cameras in this place, but you can keep your phone in your jacket/purse.

We were told there were 3 tables ahead of us and it would be approximately 1 hour. We waited for almost 2 hours before going back to check in to see how much longer. We were told there were still 2 more tables ahead of us. It’s now been 5 hours and they’re closed and we never received the text to say our table was ready. This place was a complete disappointment.

Its kind of cool, old school feel but weird arbitrary rules you'd expect from some old school exclusovity.

No ball caps, but Reindeer ears and super poofy random woodl hats and the like are cool.

May or may not get served before or after the people who arrive 20 minutes after you. Might be cause you're regular or preferential. Decent bison momos

Still sticking to the number 7 shtick. Even though the wait list is visible and you can hear them talking to others on the wait list.

Either do a speakeasy right or just let people in. My friend got stuck outside.

Was taken here as a surprise. A terrific concept venue, love the entry way, the dumplings. All wonderfully cute. Once inside, the interior is beautiful, very clever giving one a feeling of being in a sophisticated city. The food was interesting & delicious. The bar menu is epic reading, and over complicated. Sadly, despite having all of the ingredients for a simple martini - if it's not on the menu, they won't make it. Perhaps a bit precious. But top marks for concept.

Judgy staff, specifically the white girl at the front. Don't ever waste your time here, you’re worth more than that. Dined at michelin star in same clothes but not suitable to theirs. What a joke, child please.

Probably the worst place in Vancouver. I would give a zero if I could. Terrible. Don't waste your time. They'll make you wait, tell you you're next, but give tables to ppl who pay or they know. Don't bother with this place unless you want to waste your time. So bunk and won't last. All the other reviews are the same. Facts.

Excellent drinks and love the concept. The dumplings had a nostalgic taste to them as well. Overall, a very pleasant experience and would highly recommend visiting this location on an evening with live music.

Very disappointed about the hospitality here. My husband’s family grew up nearby and experienced the dim sum, social clubs, and diners (as business owners) in Chinatown. This is a pretentious attempt at recreating a far cry from the origins of Vancouver’s Chinatown. We were excluded from entering the bar without the password. The dumplings were ok, nonetheless pricey.

Ordered 8 total, 2 vegan and 2 of the meat options.the dumplings are good, and the variety in flavour across the veg options was a nice surprise.however, 44$ before tip for 4 dumplings each (+ a can of coke), counter service, and served in paper to-go bowls left the experience feeling a little sour and speaks to the crushing weight of gentrification in chinatown these days.we ended up getting twice as much food for a quarter of the price at New Town afterwards because we were left hungry despite the bill of a typical quick dinner without drinks at any other spot in the city.i don’t think any legit chinese mom and pop dumpling shop in vancouver would offer 2 dumplings for 9$ with a straight face, even in a pricey city like vancouver.overall, the taste is there, and i’m curious about the speakeasy, but not a spot for quick a satisfying dinner despite how much the storefront suggests that to be the experience you’re expecting when you walk up.

Front man was very rude. Customers in front of us clearly did not understand the concept of speakeasy, but he was discriminatory and offered no help. Instead of showing some empathy he their night. Funny that they can operate in Chinatown and be borderline racist.

Tasted a bit "lap sap" or the most "Gwai Lo" dumpling I have ever tasted. I was drawn to the copious steam coming out of the store. The dumpling I got was filled with beef/bison. Very dense with no other veggies or aromatics to break up the density. 3 Xiao Long bao shaped dumplings for $9. Tasted like tortellini pasta rapped around a meatball. The boy behind the counter was super nice though!

I’ve been only twice. Food and cocktails are so expensive for what you’re getting and neither were amazing. The aesthetic is gorge but not enough to make up for the food + drink. Cocktails all have stories which are cute and gimmicky but give off cultural appropriation vibes…. Overall, not great

This is a bar behind a dumpling shop. Say the secret pharse and get inside. Great atmosphere, sorr of expensive drinks with a cool vibe. Definitely worth checking out.

Overpriced food and cocktails with disappointing quality. If you’re going to charge what you’re asking, atleast make sure it’s good.

Amazing ambience and creative cocktails. The live music was a great touch. Get the Snakes on a Crane or ask a server for a recommendation - their suggestions were spot on. New favorite bar in the city.

Laowai was highly disappointing. It's immediately pretentious when you have to wait outside despite no one inside.

Before you are allowed in, you are presented with some house rules which include limiting cell phone usage, so to maintain the social atmosphere. They also said that given dim lighting, flash photography or phone use would disrupt the vibe. Well, someone should tell them the kitchen door is constantly open, where the those bright lights keep ruining the vibe. Make sure you don't get seated right in front. They should consider using a curtain to address this.

Cocktails were balanced and unique but way overpriced. Food was decent, but if it I'm going to get dumplings, I may as well stick with my favourite dim sum places.

The decor wasn't much of a departure from the previous Mamie Taylor's. A friend even thought the lamps may have been the same. I don't doubt it. I was expecting far more given the way it was marketed. I see the vision they were going for, but I think it misses mark.

Speakeasy's aren't new. There are better in town that are more chill and less pretentious. I think it's worth a try to see for yourself, but I won't be going back.

Let's start off with a drink that was recommended by the waiter that was awful, told him the kind of drinks i liked and got nothing close. So my girlfriend and i sent it back. We ordered an Appetizer that was Fire engine hot so we sent that back. We as customers were not happy so we left! The employees personalize it and continued to call and harass me by calling me over and over saying that i stole from them and that i was on camera. This establishment seemed so desperate to get their $40.00 that it turned into a case of desperation and multiple calls from different numbers. "DISGUSTING" If you have to wait for a table they will ask you for your number and that is their way of harassment is their job is not being met. Never experienced anything like it.

Wierd vibe being sold fusion dumplings by a white guy in the middle of Chinatown, but whatevs, I was extremely hungry and the lineups next door were long.

The really offensive thing here was three dumplings barely larger than quail eggs for $9.50. I mean, seriously? I was expecting something the size of a Georgian Khinkali at that price, because wow, that price to portion ratio is outrageous by any stretch of the imagination. Reasonably priced hand made dumplings are not rare in this town.

Would not recommend unless you have a desire to set money on fire and remain hungry afterwards.

A fantastic night at the Blnd Tger. Special koodos to Ethan for keeping the dumplings steaming hot even on a cold rainy evening. Would rate this place a 7 if I could!

Last night was my second visit. The cocktails, ambience and the dumplings were all so good the first time, that I thought it would work for our friend's special birthday. It was a big success and we all had a great time. The cocktails wowed again with Death and Laughter the star.
Our vegetarian non drinking friend was accommodated no issue. We had lamb, Ling cod and a seafood dumpling with shrimp and oyster. The vegetarian noodle option was delicious too.
There is a certain mystique and a lot of references to Chinese history. The birthday girl grew up in China and was well versed and able to discuss with the proprietor.
If you are looking for great cocktails, good food and atmosphere, give this place a try

Food was really bad! Especially the Shanghai Xiaolong Bao, it is DEFINITELY nothing like what i had in shanghai.

Long wait, Bland dumplings and horrible customer service. Won’t be coming back and I don’t recommend anyone coming here. The name of the restaurant should be bland tiger dumpling

Food wasn’t good (my soup dumplings had zero soup inside, plus they gave it to another table so they had to remake for us after an hour) but the drinks were delicious!

Love this place.friendly service, great food and amazing live music. The cocktail menu is well thoughtout~ Highly recommend ️

The dark speak easy has a long wait so arrive early to reserve your spot. The dumplings are all great but my favorite was the vegetarian and the bison.

Service was fantastic - manager and bartender kept checking in on us and explaining the drink making process. We made a request and they were very accommodating. Got there just after 6 on a Friday and waited 30-40 min for seats for 2 at the bar, so be prepared for a bit of the wait on come earlier or later in the evening.

What an amazing experience we had inside ;) Our server was such a delight and went above and beyond to accommodate my bridal party and I. I loved that each drink paired with a quirky story on their menu. Every exclusive cocktail had such a unique taste that showcased some interesting ingredients. Don't be shy to ask the bartender for their recommendation too!
I appreciated they maintained the sanctity of a "blind tiger" by enforcing their own set of light rules. The décor and concept of LaoWai was very charming and I would easily revisit again.

We ordered dumplings for takeout, and 2 hours later were shown to our table in the restaurant?
Don't get me wrong, the dumplings were great, but the whole experience was lacking.

Dumplings, too expensive.too gingery as well.staffs not nice.asked if I can see inside the restaurant while waiting for 3 dumplings to-go which was $10 I was denied to see inside.overall I think this venue is an expensive hipster place, foreign to chinatown.

Wow what an experience! Chris absolutely killed it with the recommendations but I don’t think you can go wrong here! My favourite was the bison dumpling but our group loved the spicy pork. Great cocktails but if you order Snakes on a Crane make sure you have an adventurous palette!

Such an amazing place from the getting in as a dumpling place to the surprise of getting into a hidden gem the decoration super beautiful, the staff are friendly, the cocktail menu has nothing alike in Vancouver and the food is fantastic.

Don’t know why you would post awful reviews about a restaurant you know damn well just opened a few days ago. Especially during a time where restaurants and small businesses need our help the most. Shame on all of you. I digress, Louis was lovely and our experience in the beautiful restaurant was great. Don’t listen to the people who couldn’t get past the front door.

Pros: Great decor. Live music. Speakeasy vibes. Fun menu with main theme of dumplings (wish we could have tried more food but everything was sold out by 8pm, can forgive as it was the first week open)
Cons: Not taking phone numbers and texting for the waitlist, making your guests stand in the street for 2+ hours when it's 2021 and we have the technology to notify someone a table is available. This makes people hangry and thirsty and impatient. Partner and I ordered a drink each, we both had a sip and didn't finish, they were not nice drinks. Would have said something but we were so over waiting and the server took 20 minutes to come back to the table.

Will wait 6 months for this spot to work out the kinks first before spending more money and time. It has potential but isn't there yet.

Food was great! Atmosphere was lovely! Staff were friendly and knowledgeable. It was obvious that a lot of attention to detail has gone into the space. Will definitely be going back.

OMG! Great experience. Tastefully designed room with carefully crafted menus.cocktails were amazing and food was so delicious. My new favorite in Vancouver.

What an awesome experience at Laowai! Something with such an edge here in Vancouver. You can tell that the owners definitely put a lot of time and effort into the space and menu - the cocktails were so delicious! Just went for drinks and to check the new space out after dinner. Excited to go back and try the dumplings!

It’s not actually a speakeasy… The dumpling shop, BLND TGER, wasn’t operating since they were funnelling all resources to the “speakeasy”. So people were told the password when they got it wrong. The entrance isn’t hidden - it’s through the one visible door.

They also made everyone wait on the street and wouldn’t call/text when the table is available. We waited almost 4 hrs to get in. We were told 40 mins and when we returned, they watched us stand there waiting for another ~hour. When we asked how much longer, the time measurement system changed to pints? After another ~30 mins we asked again and were told it’d be another 1-1.5 hr.

Once we got in everything was sold out except for 4 dishes (no dumplings) and 3 or 4 cocktails. We ordered the char siu and it arrived cold. Also the drink menu was cringey because they’re all named after memes and pop culture.

The owners have a pretentious no phones allowed rule. So you have literally nothing to do when your friend goes to the bathroom because their bar staff are too busy to stop and chat for too long. (Which is not the bartenders’ fault - it’s a dumb rule).

We liked the food and what we did drink was good. But overall it was not worth our time.

Vancouver needs more cool places like Laowai. Such a cool concept. Amazing décor. Knowledgeable staff. Food, cocktails and music were all fantastic. I can't wait to go back again. The place was slammed from the moment they opened.rightfully so.get there early. What a vibe.

When I heard Chinatown was getting a speakeasy I was SO EXCITED. I went on their opening night and wasn't disappointed - loved the decor, food was amazing (dumplings, fried eggplant and char siu were incredible). It's a cool, vibey atmosphere that Vancouver desperately needs more of! The dumpling bar is a new lunch favourite for sure.

Let's also remember to give a little grace to restaurants right now, especially new ones opening after 16 months of lockdowns and restrictions. We should all be doing our best to support the small businesses that give life to our neighbourhoods:)

An amazing experience! I’d heard great things about the drinks but the food was unexpectedly good! The smoky tofu noodles were excellent as was the lingcod and crispy eggplant!
The cocktail menu was a hardcover with some of the most interesting drinks I’ve ever had. Recommend the “Behind Blue Eyes” and “The Khan and I”. Will definitely be back again soon!

Awesome staff and menu! I really enjoyed the tofu noodles and the green drink (pretty sure it was called jade empire). The decor was also a huge plus. Can’t wait to go back!

Terrible experience at the door. It was obvious the people at the door favoured there friends or others. We waited two and half hours after being told it would be only an hour. So many restaurants in the area that are miles better and actually respect there customers.

Disappointing! Avoid! Put my name down at 7: 10pm but kept getting told to come back in an hour. By 10pm and a few Brooklyn pizza slices later we decided to wait at the front seating area till 11pm where we were told we would be next to enter but saw other parties (friends?) being let in before us. Gave up and went to the kefferbar instead.