Bravo: The Best Seat in the House for a Date
Bravo has been one of our favourites since it opened in 2023. During that time? Michelin recommended. Local chefs from Mates on Crates swore by it. Everyone we asked said the same thing: sit at the bar.Four different people mentioned it. Not the booths, not a cozy corner table—the bar.
Bravo is great for sharing with large groups, seated at tables, especially in this square, open floor spaced where everyone is in the action together. But honestly, dates should always be at the bar. It’s closer and more natural. No weird table gap. No stiff, interview-style dinner. Just two people, side by side, watching the fast-paced talent, letting the drinks do some of the talking.
Neither of us had been before. That made it even better. A date spot, like the person next to you, should feel intriguing and new. No weird baggage. No tables beside you to peer in at because what matters is beside you already. Just quality drinks, fresh conversation, and hopefully, some tasty dishes to cheers and talk over.
Walking in, Bravo felt quiet…not dead…more like the calm before the service. People were smiling, friendly, and focused. It was a confident readiness. Nobody was behind. The prep work was finished. Tables were set. Within an hour of sitting down, there were no empty chairs. It was a packed house on a weekday.
Turns out, the bar was the obvious choice. Oysters on ice being shucked right in front of us. Drinks shaken, stirred, poured with precision. Huge Atlantic salmon hanging in the fridge like an art installation. To the right, the open kitchen was cranking out dishes we appreciated admiring because we would (unfortunately) never have the room for them all.
And then there was Dani, the bar manager. The best bar service I’ve ever had in the city. And maybe anywhere? He didn’t just recite the menu; he told it and believed in it. It wasn’t a recital. He understood why some things needed to be explained and why some things just explained themself. The same goes for every staff member dropping off bowls and plates and the appropriate cutlery.
The wine list is exceptional, and the cocktail menu is a blast. Thoughtful, balanced, and actually fun. Some restaurants in the city could drop the food and survive as a cocktail bar (Bao Bei, Kissa Tanto—and no, they shouldn’t do that), and Bravo is one of them.
Ordering on a date is a game. Too much, and you look reckless. Too little, and you look boring (cheap). Here’s what we got:
Fish Dip – Smoked Sablefish, Ikura, Sea Salt Lavash
Fish dip is one of those comfort dishes that every restaurant thinks they do well. Most of them don’t. Bravo does. Smoky, salty, creamy, with the pop of ikura cutting through the richness. The lavash added crunch without trying too hard. Simple, familiar, elevated just enough.
Tofino King Salmon – Ginger & Tamari, Maple, Cucumber, Avocado
Arguably the most photogenic dish in Vancouver. It arrives, and you hesitate. Do you take a picture? Is that lame? Maybe. Feel it out. This isn’t just raw salmon—it’s dry-aged, rich and silky, balanced with tamari and maple. The cucumber and avocado round it out, adding freshness to all that umami.
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Fremantle Octopus – Brava Sauce, Salsa Verde, Labneh
Ordering octopus is always a gamble. Unless you’re in a coastal European city, it’s rarely worth it. This one was. The brava sauce and salsa verde felt authentically Spain but with a Pacific Northwest handle on things. Charred, tender, and not a hint of that dreaded rubbery texture. If you’re skeptical about ordering octopus, this is the one to change your mind.
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Seared Scallops – Makrut Lime & Lemongrass, Fregola, Swiss Chard
Two scallop dishes. One raw, one seared. We rock-paper-scissored for it. This one won.Sometimes, a dish has too much hype in your mind. And in the end, it’s just scallops, right? Then it arrives. You take the first bite and start saving the scallop, eating just the veg and fregola instead. And then it hits you—this is a scallop dish where it really does all work together. The chard, the fregola, the coconut, the lemongrass—they don’t just sit next to the scallop as a filler… They’re necessary. That’s what a perfect dish is. Scallops are not the most filling but often the most expensive and to have everything work as one necessary dish while keeping the scallops forward is a hard thing to pull off, and it was here.
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It was impossible to pick what to order. We didn’t even touch the pasta. Tagliolini with Humboldt squid bolognese, olives, herb ricotta? Completely unhinged, in the best way. If the first date worked out, this is a great reason for a place to come back to on anniversaries, just to work your way through the rest of the menu
If you like seafood, you’ll love Bravo. If you don’t, this is the place that could change your mind.
This isn’t cold seafood towers and shrimp cocktails. No lobster claws dunked in butter. We love all that, but this is something else. Locally sourced, high-quality fish paired with ingredients that actually belong together. It’s fine dining that feels fun, never pretentious.
Every dish is a conversation piece. Crudo with prickly pear leche de tigre? Tuna toast with black garlic, gochujang, cherry tomatoes, basil? It’s as fun to contemplate an order as it is to actually eat. And on a date, that matters. No awkward pauses, just menu debates and damn good food.
This isn’t just the best bar seating in the city. Or the best first-date restaurant. Or the best seafood. It’s this writer’s new favourite spot. No question.
No word on the second date yet, though…
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