Northern Cafe

First time in. We had the breakfast special,
Food was wonderfully delicious. People who own and work there are the most friendly. The owner came out with a big smile and thanked us for coming in.
This is a true old time diner and i LOVED everything about it.

A definite return is coming!
Thanks Northern!

Horrible food need to call health services rats and mice moldy food need health service asap in clear violation of multiple health codes

The chef/owner came out to day hello. A more gracious and humble man cannot be found. And his son is a chip of the old block. A must visit from wherever you are.

A place you would not expect. Once you walk in. Great service fantastic food. Very quick as well. Good background music. Family owned and operated. Great experience will definitely visit again

This place is a jewel in Vancouver. From the very unexpected entrance, to the warmth of the staff to the amazing food. Everything you need to have a beautiful experience. No fancy coffee drinks that are replaced for an absolutely amazing food experience.

Everything is cooked to perfection, from fresh ingredients never frozen. The flavors are an experience. That are accompanied by the smiles of every staff member. The place is cozy and comfortable. The house wonton soup is really great, a mix of flavors and expertly served. The hash browns the best!

Don’t forget your cash or debit, your credit cards are not welcome here:)

Definitely my kind of place to eat, is a little bit different than your typical eatery but is a laid back diner accompanied with diner type vibes kinda like from the 90s movies.
Mostly brunch and comfort Chinese food don't expect top of the line.
As for the service,

You will not find any greater service in Vancouver.

Our first time visiting! Located in a unique location paired with great food made for a lovely visit. Service was warm/friendly and quick. The place seems to have a lot of regulars, which says a lot when there are so many eatery options in Vancouver. We will be back!

The food is excellent the bacon and sausages are just right. You know the kinds you think about after eating them. The poached eggs come out perfect and the service is fast even when it's full. A wait is about 5 to 15 minutes. If you have to wait. And the staff is great to. They remember your name when you get asked for your phone number for a text message when your table is ready. It is also not far from the vancouver airport.
And I highly recommend it.
And it's in a lumber yard to which has good prices to. Keep up the great work Northern Cafe and I will definitely be visiting again.

I love this place. It’s a hole in the wall for sure, but it actually is amazing. The menu may seem like typical diner fare and Chinese chop suey style items, however, from the ingredients to the way the food is made is certainly anything but typical. Even their burgers are made with AAA sirloin beef. Overall, everything I’ve tried here (both breakfast and lunch items) in my multiple times visiting have been very yummy.

Don’t be fooled by its industrial surroundings and the wobbly stairs leading to the diner, this place is truly a hidden gem and is worth the hype. But make sure you have some time to wait, there is usually a wait time even outside the usual meal time rush.

I know I should start with food, but the best part of this place was the service. They are so kind and generous. The food is excellent! The meat lovers omelette had more meat than egg, and it was fantastic! Get the home made hot sauce! We will definitely be back!

Amazing breakfast! Had Steak and Eggs, and Ham Eggs Benny. As always everything was cooked perfectly. Thanks again Raymond and family!

Great "greasy spoons" joint hidden in the middle of a very industrial area. Hours are very limited as their demographics are the workers and some locals in the area. Parking in the lot here can be quite intimidating and can leave one feeling unsafe. But's it's really a dive on the outside. But it's the food that really matters. Sadly, most people nowadays value ambience, esthetics like decor over food quality and value. Anyway, it's worth mentioning that something has changed recently. Hashbrowns and toast is often served burnt which may be indicative of them closing down soon.

Really wanted to try it but they only accept cash and domestic debit. Two things I didn’t have! Please try to appeal to your international customers as well. I was really looking forward to your breakfast after all your amazing reviews

If you're looking for a random hole in a wall amongst construction loving lumber men serving breakfast foods with Chinese foods as an extra option; look no further because this place is for you.this place became known to me through the internet.door and walkway was tattered.floor felt hollow and windows a little off.but in a good way.it has a run down charm that hkers have grown to love.service provided by the bald Chinese guy was very nice.the food was 3.5/5 in my opinion but the small, rundown, family owned charm of the place brings it up.i have never been in a restaurant quite like this before and don't expect to ever again.this gem needs to survive.

50s music and diner vibe is great.love the charm, please don't change.keep up the good work!

Tourist/Americans: they take CASH ONLY they do take debit but Canadian Debt Cards, owner was kind enough to let us pay $USD.

We had breakfast there and the food was amazing.
A Westernized Hong Kong Style cafe is my opinion on their food approach.
The owner was nice enough to greet us and chat with us for a bit
The only thing I regret was not being able to go again for lunch.

We got there right when it opened before it got busy. The owner came to chat with us and tell us his story. What an amazing experience, and delicious home cooked food. We will be back again for sure. It takes a little courage to get through the lumber yard without thinking you’re in the wrong place. Keep going, it’s well worth it.

Renovation is very old and outdated so the seats are not comfortable. Foods are worse than other restaurants but the prices are pretty high and credit card is not accepted there. The parking lots are very limited too. Do I won't return there definitely.

Was told about a really cool hole-in-the-wall restaurant I had to check out. I could not have been more impressed, the service was phenomenal the owner is incredibly friendly and attentive. The ambiance is absolutely wonderful, and the food was spectacular! I had the veggies eggs benny, and the flavors were amazing! The spinach and tomato were so fresh, the hand shredded hashbrowns were crisped to perfection, the eggs were cooked beautifully and that homemade hollandaise sauce was the best I think I've ever had! Never been more pleased with a dining experience before. Definitely coming back!

Wow how have I lived in Vancouver and Richmond my whole life and never heard of this little gem until today? Went for breakfast at 730am dont be thrown off that you actually have to walk through the lumber yard to get to the diner! Worth it! So.walk in and Jimmy greets me with a great smile and some really great coffee. I had the 3 choices of meat with eggs and toast and it didn't disappoint. Really cool diner atmosphere Jimmy refilled my coffee to my hearts content and the best part is thats its AFFORDABLE $11.50 for breakfast plus the coffee so im making this my new little spot. THANKS GUYS!

Yummy breakfast and a variety of other options. Seems to be a family business. Warm and inviting. Not hipster. You will not be coming here for the decor but for the food and customer service. I love supporting small family businesses!

Unreal service. The family that runs the place are some of the best around. Great fresh food all made from scratch. Pancakes were really good. Potstickers are well done too. Have been here a few times and will keep coming down as long as it’s open

Great place that is inside a lumber yard. Must have drove by it on Kent Ave a thousand times and didn't noticed it until my friend took me there. Anyway, the food is great but I especially like the retro vibe of the place. Takes me back to the era when diners were popular back in the day. I had the omelet the second time and recommend it if you are undecided. Word of warning though, the place is packed during lunch time! So make sure you go before the lunch hour crowd. Service is also a bit slower but easily forgivable due to the number of customers both eating in and ordering take out.

Hole in the wall greasy spoon diner. The location/setting is not for everyone but the food and service are outstanding.

You can’t beat the fresh home style cooking from Northern Cafe by chef Jimmy and son Raymond. You need to go early and have a hearty breakfast when you get a chance. Thank you Northen Cafe for keeping the legacy around!

Delicious and definitely a hidden gem! Family run and very fresh food. Their homemade hot sauce was exceptional! Definitely going here more often

Truly a "Hidden Gem" that's been around for many, many decades! Breakfast & Lunch old fashioned Diner with home-made style food. Served by friendly staff at a very reasonable price! Definitely worth a visit!

If a diner is your jam, this is another reasonably priced gem in the city. An odd location with sloped floors and low ceilings welcome you. My test is a cheeseburger with fries at this type of stop. 10/10 on both, and good service. The fries were unique with a clean fryer appearance and the perfect crisp for me. Looking fwd to working my way through the menu.

This hole in a wall diner is such a gem! Our family thoroughly enjoyed our breakfast yesterday. We ordered their pancake combo (my daughter came to the conclusion that it *is* the best pancake she's ever had), the chocolate chip add on was worth it, she said. The meat lovers omelette was so filling and tasty. My son ordered the chicken curry with rice and he happily devoured it and declared he needs to come back to try more of their food. But the best of all is the service, such personal touch to each and every table they serve. Will definitely go back!

Absolutely love this place! Every time I go the food is amazing. The staff are incredibly lovely and make you feel at home. My only request is that they get cheese curds for the poutine, other then that 10/10 would recommend to anyone.

Delicious chow mien and potato salad and their portions are generous too! Servers are very friendly, and worth our support! We’ll be back for sure!

Food was above average, service was okay, premises quite dilapidated.dishes were freshly cooked, with good ingredients.taste of both dishes was very bland, probably catering to western sensibility.parking on the street.restaurant is located on second floor, above a lumber store.no wheel chair access.we ordered 2 dishes, and 2 beverages: lunch for two was about $40.

What an amazing menu! Everything fresh, highest quality and INCREDIBLE! Don’t let the facade fool you!

Delicious food, amazing service, it felt like I was eating at my mom's house, with all the homemade food! Even the hot sauce is homemade!

First time customers and we now know why this is a hidden gem.

First, place is located within a wooden storage yard. And decor isn't anything special but really reflects east side!

My sons are huge pancake fans, so always hard finding good tasty, fluffy pancakes at an affordable price. This place has it. I ordered the Blueberry and Chocolate Chip pancakes. Both were fluffy and moist.

Veggie eggs benny and cheese omelett was also good. I ordered the French Toast and it was OK. Wished the slice of bread used for the French toast was thicker.

Pork sausage was nice and plump and bacon cooked just right. We'll definitely be keeping this place on our list of go to places! We'll try dining in next time.

Cost for the 5 dishes was $63. Very affordable compared to other breakfast places where I'd be looking at closer to $80.

Came here for the first time with my friends after he raved to me about it.
This place is absolutely amazing, delicious, and the staff are all super friendly.
I ended up getting the Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich and upgraded with a side of poutine. And that was by far the best Philly Cheesesteak I’ve ever had. The side of poutine was a good size too.

My friends got a Triple Decker Clubhouse, and a Steak and Eggs meal. Both of them loved their food as well.

I will definitely be back to try more items on their menu, and also because the staff were SO kind, and friendly. I much rather spend my money here.

(Also, I brought my mom some leftovers, she also said the food was good, and that the poutine was the BEST, and that it was far better then any other place.)

Thanks you guys! I will be back.

We were searching for a small, 'hole in the wall' type of joint for breakfast around the East Van area. Decided on this place due to the overwhelming positive review. Definitely not what we were expecting when we drove up to the front.

Hidden in a building supply yard, its intentional run-down appearance made us questioned our decision to try it out. Fortunately, we took the chance and were quite surprised and impressed by the quality of service, the quantity of food, and the humbling experience.

Definitely a great place to go for breakfast (all day). My new favorite spot in Vancouver. Great prices and well worth every penny!

Hole in the wall vibe, with a yummy and well priced menu. The staff here is far more attentive than expected. You really cannot judge a book by its cover. We will be back again to try more menu items!

David Y said you can not judge a book by it's cover, so true indeed!

We went to Simply West Coast to order our seafoods but got hungry so they recommended us to try this restaurant. When we saw from outside, we were kinda ummm not sure if we will walk up there. But right after we were entering the restaurant, the greeting and smiling from people inside and everybody made us wanted to sit right away. What a warm welcome! I saw the foods made me drooling.hehehe. And yes, everything were delicious. We all can't stopped eating, so delicious, big portion, reasonable price. Do not mentioned about service, beyond expected. Can't wait to go back again! Really miss your wonton soup, yummm!

Very tasty my first time going here and it was a pleasant experience. My mom took me here because she saw it on the news with Mike McCartol and heard it was good. I had the BBQ pork, shrimp, noodle in wonton soup. It was so good and fresh. Not oily or greasy. Reccomend it!

Amazing hole-in-the-wall diner. Raymond and his staff really care and go out of their way to make your experience a good one. The burgers are seriously good and almost everything, including the buns and the fries, are home made. The potato salad is too notch. Lots of love here. Will try their asian food next I come.

“When you come in, you’re treated like family”. This outstanding family operated establishment is located in a old cafeteria built in 1949.90% of their menu items are made in house. Hand made fries and shredded hash browns. Chinese dumplings. Pancake batter made to order. The friendliness is genuine and the food is made with pride and love. Comfort food for western and Asian gastronome.

Food was so good, not a drop left on our plate. We forgot what take out boxes are, seriously such good food.

Quality hidden gem! A very warm family-oriented cafe that provides great food for the soul. Delicious food and great service.

Nearly had a hypoglycemic episode, wait is too long. Coffee should have been on the house to compensate for the long wait

Heard great things about this place from our friends, and it definitely exceeded those expectations. The staff was super friendly and the potstickers were unforgettable. Can't wait to come back!

Amazing place! Family owned and upon entering they make you feel so welcomed. If you want breakfast, skip Denny’s and come support this family owned business!

Even though this place is in the most random location in the middle of nowhere, the foods at this small cafe was really good! Even the burger, the hand cut fries and the potato salad was really delicious and I enjoyed it. Next time I come here, I'd like to try some of their breakfast items and other items on the menu. Also even when it wasn't that busy, the chef came out to talk with us! He seems like he enjoys the interaction with the customers! Even they gave us a little extra to take home after finished eating! So nice of them I would definitely eat here again sometime maybe after Covid hopefully ends. I'd probably recommend this place to friends.

Edit: I forgot to say it was very busy, which led to the 10 minute wait.

I was happy to find out that you were open today.

We called our order for pickup today, corned beef hash and chicken chow mein. When we got there, it took about another 10ish minutes to be ready. Not an issue for me because I really like the breakfast they make.

We drove about 15 minutes home and the overeasy eggs were still runny. This is usually unheard of for fried eggs. The corned beef hash was great, not too salty or dry.

The chow mein was very good, too. For the size of container, I was, "Wow, that's full. " It wasn't too oily, the noodles were perfectly cooked.

I want to rate this place 0 stars, so that I can keep it as a secret all to myself! Fantastic eggs benedict, omelettes, and the keen eye to serve up firm egg whites with runny yolks of perfection. You can tell the years of experience that Jimmy and Ray have in each bite, but the writing is on the walls with all the recommendations the family have rightfully earned from across the globe.

The diner itself is frozen in time, an honestly loving care has been taken to actually preserve and not just recreate the atmosphere of a clean, bright and welcoming space where you are not rushed and can have an honestly relaxing chat with the staff and enjoy the best start to your day!

Omg. You must eat here. The mere fact that it's literally in a lumberyard is so friggin' cool. The food is delicious and portions are more than enough to get you full. I came here near the end of service and it was a tad busy, but certainly not as busy as the rush. The server is so friendly and helpful. He mentioned to come early if you want to avoid major lineups.

I really like their omlete. Will definitely go back for more. Be nice to these people coz it's a small restaurant. They try to work very hard to serve everyone.

Great food that is fresh and unpretentious and even better service. Raymond and his dad Jimmy are great at remembering you even if you've only been there once and it's been months since your last visit.

If you're looking for a good brunch spot that's not well known or frequented by insta foodies, this is the place. The food is excellent and the chef will often walk around asking if you enjoy your meal (which you will). Definitely high on my list for places to return too if I'm in the area, and if you're a Vancouverite whose exhausted your regular breakfast eateries it's a must check out.

Heard lot of positive feedback regarding this cafe so today my wife and I decided to go for breakfast. If you are looking for a "diamond in the rough" or "the hole-in-the-wall" or "a Ma and Pa" place for good food. This is it. Mind you, this review is only from my experience at breakfast. I had a 2 egg and 2 bacon with hasbrown and coffee. It was good. I had originally ordered a 3 egg and 3 bacon combo but something must have happened and my order was mixed up. Not a big deal at all. The staff quickly changed my billing to reflect the 2 egger combo instead before I even brought it up to their attention (and I didnt need the extra egg and bacon anyways.so they doing me a bit of a service) Realistically there was nothing extraordinary about the breakfast. One can easily have made that at home. I personally dont think one can really screw up eggs and bacon nor improve on it too much. My wife had the sausage and pancake combo. She enjoyed that as well.
However, if you dont feel like making this kind of breaky at home then this is the place to go. And the main reason is the atmosphere. It is a rustic home feeling. The moment you walk into the cafe you are greeted by the staff in the same manner that a loving family member would greet you in your home kitchen whilst making your breakfast. The price I paid for my 2 egger combo was definitely worth it. The same meal wouldvd cost you double at a franchised family restaurant.
As I mentioned, making eggs, bacon, and toast isnt too hard and it would pretty much taste the same in all restaurants but what made my meal taste better was the experience. The staff and the atmosphere (and the price) definitely made this a very good experience for me. Definitely will go back. I only gave it 4/5 stars because the breaky was not extraordinary. The family who runs this place is definitely worth the 4 stars (and then some more if I can). Will go back to check out their lunch menu so stay tuned!

The food is delicious and price is definitely not an issue! The only thing better than that would be the atmosphere plus the friendly staff! Can't wait to go back again and try something new!

10/10 would definitely recommend! I had a great experience there with Raymond and the family team. Everyone was really friendly, the atmosphere was different from what we're usually used to - but it was a very pleasant change! Also, most importantly the food was amazing and I'll be back for sure!

Holy Smoke!
First of all great people running the cafe. Thanks for welcoming me with a smile.
Now for the holy smoke part.
The food was awesome.
That's all I have to say!

This place is a hidden gem.it isn't Fancy but you will probably have the best pancakes around. Prices very really reasonable. Service was excellent. It could have been cleaner maybe but still very nice place.

An old and dear friend has been telling me about this café for ages. I've been threatening to treat him to a lunch at this place for two years now. Finally our schedules coincided and today we enjoyed a lunch.

These places are few and far between nowadays. My expectations were entirely met. Typical diner fare. Excellent quality and service. The article from the National Post accurately describes the place. The coffee cup is Corningware. Turn it upside down and it says, "Made in the USA" ~ ". That's got to be thirty years old at least" pipes up my lunch companion. So, in a nutshell. ***RECOMMENDED***. I'll definitely go back, and soon, to taste other items on their menu.

Authentic home cooked meals at a reasonable price. Been here twice and both times the food was excellent. No this place is not posh and trendy but it has a charm that can not be found anywhere else in Vancouver. The servers are friendly and fast. Everyone here seem to really enjoy this place. We will come back again and try something else. Had chinese food and first time and a burger the second time; both were delicious.

Hard to find and a bit out of the way but it's a great breakfast for the price! The diner has been there since the 1940s with the current owner running it for the last 12 years. The food is made mostly from scratch including the hand shredded hash browns. The best steak and eggs around (and by FAR the cheapest!). You'll feel apprehensive walking into this place but you'll feel satisfied when you leave!

Very friendly owner/chef!

There are narrow uneven stairs that lead up to the restaurant which makes this not wheelchair accessible.

Finally made it! Lives up to its#3 ranking in Canada by Yelp! Chef Ray was so welcoming, helped us chose all the best fares. Everything is made in house, including house made burger patties, ground with steak chunks, hand cut fries and hash. But the surprise is the wontons, the soup is the best I've ever tasted!

10/5. Best service my boyfriend and i have had! Very friendly people! The owners will always remember you and come around to say hello. Food is great. Always accommodate to whatever u like. One of the best places hands down.

Such a great little gem in an unexpected location. Always well worth a visit. It's probably the best diner style place I've been to in Vancouver. Everything here is home made and you can never go wrong in ordering anything from the menu. Also, everyone who works here is super friendly and happy.

Deluxe burger with an egg with a side of gravy. Beef patty is hand made from AAA sirloin. Fries are hand cut fresh every day. Great food and super friendly staff. Family run place. Will definitely come back to try their breakfast! Highly recommend!

All the right ingredients and the most important one, love. The food and the place smells and breathes love. Juicy burgers, hand grated potato hash browns, hot refillable coffee, genuine smiles and a lot more in one small place.

Small place. One of only 5 diners left in Vancouver. Delicious Pancakes. Also ordered Beef Dip with Caesar Salad to go. Total was less than $14. Friendly owner and staff.

Not just service you'd expect from a place that has these high accolades but character and prices that are as classic as the menu. A gem of a breakfast/lunch cafe.

I'm so happy this little hidden gem is so close to home! It was our first time here and it will definitely not be our last. After reading so many positive reviews about this place, I definitely had to bring my family. My daughter, who is a picky eater, loved the food so we will definitely be back for more! Raymond was super nice and took the time to tell us a little background history of this family own restaurant. My favorite thing about this place besides the friendly staff- is the unique layout of this place- love the vintage vibe of this place so much.

Man-oh-man. Stopped here after a quick airport drop off, and wondered what I had gotten us into. Do it. Make the drive, enjoy the discomfort of a brand new situation!

Raymond and his family are fantastic. He went through the menu with us, told us about the history of Northern Cafe (1949!), sold us on his pot stickers with our breakfast, and was an incredibly pleasant host.

The food was diner food, but oh-so-pleasing. Not a heavily greasy breakfast at all, well made and made with love.

I can’t recommend this enough to anyone in the Richmond area! Take your great aunt Sally before she flies home from the holidays!

Guys, it’s so good. Thanks Northern - I’ll be back!

What a gem of a restaurant. This hole in the wall cafe is an incredible value, along with a concept that you will not leave here hungry. Love this place and can't wait to return.

This old style diner was so great. I ordered bacon and cheese burger and my wife ordered pancake 222. The burger was very juicy and came with fries and small bowl of potato salad. The potato salad was very creamy and home fries was very crispy. The pancake was fluffy and the sausages were juicy. After finishing our meal, the owner came over and had a small chat with us. I will be back with my friends. I give two thumbs up.