Ancora Waterfront Dining and Patio - Ambleside

The extreme thick air of pretentiousness here scores way higher than the taste of the meal. If you can call the bite size portion a meal. For the ridiculous cost of nearly $50 per plate, there are no vegetables included nor any flavour. For that you have to pay $12 more for a side of broccoli! Judging by the complete bland nothingness of the shrimp & lobster risotto, don’t waste your money on more side dishes—go somewhere else especially for dessert. Boasting a Japan/Peru hybrid is only an excuse to serve quinoa as a delicacy. The mirrored decor and nothing ambiance only made us doubly aware we were in pretentious West Van. On top of that I’ve had better service by the teenager at Earl’s. Do not waste your time, money or tastebuds on this overpriced dull food. This is not gourmet, this is a complete pretentious sham. I wish someone had warned me.

I had a wonderful experience dining at Ancora. Everything was amazing from the food to the service. First off I was very impressed with how the sushi pizza was. The combination of excellent melt in your mouth sashimi and the crispy rice paired so perfectly together. Second the Ancora Glacier had some amazing items on it such as the oysters, scallops, and much more. My main which was the fish and chips were cooked to perfection and had a thin yet crisp batter coating the succulent fish. I really enjoyed this meal and would recommend this place to anyone.

Absolutely amazing food and service
Highly recommended
Underestimated by review
Quiet atmosphere and delicious flavours

My Brother and I took my Mom and Dad to Ancora for Mother’s Day and our Dad’s birthday. We had reservations for 5:30. We arrived at 5:33 when the restaurant was nearly empty as they open at 5:00. The server asked us if there were any special occasions, and we told them about the birthday and Mother’s Day. We gave our appetizer and dinner order between 5:50 and 6:00. The appetizers took roughly 20 minutes to arrive. We finished them in another 20 or so minutes. From that point, we waited 45 minutes until the server told us the dinners were being plated. Then another 15 minutes went by before the food came. Other tables around us had arrived after us and had already received and finished their food. At some point during the meal, the server, let us know that desserts were on the house because of the long wait for our food. She brought the dessert menu and we all choose desserts. The server returned to take the dessert order and said that it might only be one dessert that is complementary which left us a little shocked. She went to confirm with the management. Most restaurants give a free dessert when there’s a birthday involved anyway. After several minutes, she returned and told us it was only one dessert that was complementary, to our surprise. As if only one out of four of us waiting an hour for our dinner… So we gave them menus back and did not order dessert and let her know that we did not want to order anything else. 15 more minutes went by as we watched the server take other orders and clean tables among other tasks without bringing us the bill. Then the server brought a plate with four tiny Chocolate truffles with a happy birthday message painted with chocolate sauce. At that point we had been rather frustrated with the timing of everything so the gesture of four tiny chocolates seemed like a joke after the poor service and amount of time we’ve waited for everything. We didn’t eat them and went next-door to Thierry to treat our Parents to dessert. We did not complain once throughout the entire meal about anything so there is no reason for the poor service whatsoever. This place gets an absolute F for service and management. Virtually all restaurants I’ve been to give a free dessert to the birthday person. So to offer one dessert to four people for extremely poor service and very long wait times seemed like nothing and not an offer of apology at all. The bill was almost $600. For the manager to decide on that, put the server in a terrible situation even though her service was quite bad. We left at almost 8:30. We made early dinner reservations because our Dad was leaving for a three vacation the next day and needed to be home early to organize… We won’t be returning to Ancora. That was a joke.

Who ever is responsible for running this restaurant should be FIRED. Absolutely, the worst service I’ve ever experienced.

No wonder the restaurant across the street was packed with customers.

Do yourself a favour and never go to this restaurant. Ever.!!!

My husband made a reservation here for our wedding anniversary, but unfortunately, the experience was quite disappointing. The food was just average, and the service felt more like a casual pho spot than a place that markets itself as fine dining.

Despite noting the occasion in the reservation, the server didn’t even acknowledge our anniversary—there was no greeting, no mention, nothing. At a budget restaurant, I wouldn’t expect much, but when a place positions itself as upscale, you naturally expect a higher standard of service and attention to detail.

Given the price point, I don’t think we’ll be returning. There are many other restaurants in the city that offer better food and much more thoughtful service.

When we came in it was totally empty, which is weird as for a nice Vancouver evening.
The food was ok but nothing specifically memorable. Service was alright, restaurant lacked a bit of a vibe. We don’t regret coming, but won’t come back.

Best sushi ever! Chefs know what they’re doing and waiters do a great job. Highly recommend sushi pizza.

I've never been a fan of Ancora, and my latest visit only solidified my disdain. The location is great, but that's the only redeeming quality. We decided to give it another shot the other night because Earl's was packed, leading us to Ancora.

What greeted us was not just a disappointing meal but a bizarre experience. We walked into what was essentially a ghost town at 7:50 PM on a Saturday night; only three tables were occupied. You'd think this would translate to quick service and a warm welcome, but no. Instead, we were met with chaos among the staff. When we asked for a table for two, you'd think we asked for the moon. There was a ruckus, and then someone had the audacity to inform us that the kitchen couldn't handle any more diners.

Let's break this down:
1. **Staffing and Competency Issues**: If your kitchen can't manage to cook for a handful of patrons, there's a severe problem with staffing or kitchen management.

2. **Operational Mismanagement**: It was 7 PM on a Saturday, and your restaurant was nearly empty. This isn't just bad for business; it's indicative of deeper operational issues. How does a kitchen in a half-empty restaurant claim incapacity?

This experience at Ancora was not just a culinary disappointment but a testament to poor management and service. If you're looking for a place where you're not just another number but an inconvenience, Ancora is the spot. However, for any semblance of dining pleasure or efficiency, look elsewhere.

Won’t be shocked when their doors don’t reopen.

Atmosphere: 1

Food: 1

Service: 1

The Ambleside unit of the Ancora Waterfront restaurant is gorgeous! We had an awesome experience overall. Phenomenal service from start to finish and great selection of sushi and appetizers. The lobster roll was out of this world, just a bomb of different flavours; my favourite was the ceviche mixto though. The dining room has a wonderful decoration and the view to the Ambleside Beach is glorious.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Amazing food, nice staff and right by the water! 👌🏽

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Vegetarian options: The food was great, they had options for vegetarians. Servants were so kind and helpful.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Seafood

While the ambiance is exceptional, the food and drink fall slightly short of expectations. The menu is creative, but the flavors can feel underwhelming and not as bold as anticipated. Similarly, the cocktails and wine list are decent but nothing particularly memorable. Overall, Ancora is more about the atmosphere than the culinary experience. If you’re looking for a beautiful setting, it delivers, but the food may leave you wanting more.

TOTAAALL SHAKEDOWN!! buyer beware: I went there to grab a beer and they have a policy that you have to buy food. so I was forded to buy food lol. they didnt tell me the policy until after they gave me my drink. a few minutes later a waiter came up and told me I must order more. i’ve made it a point to tell everyone i know not to go there. We get ripped off on prices at these places as it is. and now entrapment lol.

It is hard to rate this restaurant, on one hand its beautiful, great location by the sea, great service and great music, on the other hand very mid food, taste wise just not matching the price and freshness is a hit or miss, loved the yucas bravas though. Also shoutout to our waitress who i forgot ur name, u were amazing. Btw the restaurant had no customers at all, and in two hours we were there only one other table was occupied ( weekday 7ish pm)

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 3

Service: 5