Hydra Estiatorio Mediterranean

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Review

1,733 reviews

#8 of 2,480 Restaurants in Vancouver$$ - $$$, Seafood, Greek, Vegetarian friendly

+1 604-416-0880+ Add website

Hours

Sun

6:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.3:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.

Mon

6:30 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.

Tue

6:30 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.

Wed

6:30 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.

Thu

6:30 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.

Fri

6:30 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.

Sat

6:30 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.

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Ratings and reviews

5.0

1,733 reviews

#8 of 2,480 Restaurants in Vancouver

RATINGS

Food

Service

Value

Atmosphere

Food and ambience

Seafood, Greek, Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Gluten free options

“Excellent Mediterranean seafood, fantastic happy hour, great service!”

“The salmon was perfect and as for the moussaka, it was the best I have had.”

“We had the hummus and king prawn souvlaki which were faultless.”

“It was an amazing dish, flavourful and rich with prawns cooked perfectly and...”

Location and contact

475 Howe St EXchange Hotel, Vancouver, British Columbia V6C 2B3 Canada

Downtown

+1 604-416-0880

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Does this restaurant offer valet parking?

Yes

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About

Located in the EXchange Tower atrium, Hydra offers quality Mediterranean dishes such as salt baked whole fish, vine ripened tomato salad and lamb chops served straight from the grill. Hydra Estiatorio will deliver you to the sun-kissed hills and aquamarine waters of Greece. The stylish ambiance of this space is perfect to enjoy throughout the day and in to the evening, ideal for groups. Hydra offers a friendly, fine dining service experience. Join us!

PRICE RANGE

$11.00 – $190.00

CUISINES

Seafood, Greek

Special Diets

Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Gluten free options

Meals

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Brunch, Drinks

FEATURES

Takeout, Reservations, Private Dining, Seating, Parking Available, Street Parking, Valet Parking, Highchairs Available, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, Wine and Beer, Accepts American Express, Accepts Mastercard, Accepts Visa, Free Wifi, Accepts Credit Cards, Table Service, Family style, Non-smoking restaurants, Gift Cards Available

Top 3 reasons to eat here

Sponsored by: Hydra Estiatorio Mediterranean

1. Fantastic Food and Service

"amazing! The food is superb and the service is outstanding"

angelisle

2. Amazing Happy Hour

"the service was on point and every dish I ordered was delicious"

Petite-Bouffant

3. Authentic Mediterranean

"this is the best Mediterranean restaurants town"

fatemahq82

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5.0

1,733 reviews

Excellent

1,620

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michael s

London15 contributions

Favourite Review

Master Chef

Aug 2023 • couples

I don’t generally like aubergine or cauliflower, but the chef did wonderful things with them. For starters we shared the “spreads platter” (taramasalata, hummus, melitzana, and tzatziki) and the octopus. I wasn’t fussed on the smoked-salmon tarama, but my wife (who loves seafood) said it was great. The aubergine dish (melitzana) was delightful (maybe because it was smoked aubergine). The octopus was tender, but the dressing contained chilli which was not mentioned on the menu. The “Funny Business” cocktail went well with the starters. Halibut main was a good size and perfectly cooked. This came with a significant amount of “cauliflower skordalia”, a purée that I was expecting not to like but which tasted amazing and complemented the fish. Desert was bougatsa: a “custard” in delightfully crispy filo. We were defeated; I think it would serve four! All in all a thoroughly delightful culinary experience.

Written August 2, 2023

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Brittany Marcq

Hi Michael, We’re very pleased that you enjoyed your time with us at Hydra and would like to thank you for taking the time to review your experience. We’re glad you enjoyed the spreads platter and cocktails as well as the grilled octopus, halibut and bougatsa. We look forward to your next visit. Brittany Marcq

Written August 4, 2023

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Petite-Bouffant

Calgary218 contributions

Great service, delicious breakfasts & best value happy hour oysters in Vancity!

Nov 2020 • couples

Every visit to this restaurant was a treat, the service was on point and every dish I ordered was delicious. We enjoyed a terrific breakfast each morning of our stay at the Exchange Hotel. Not one meal disappointed. We also had happy hour drinks and eats on one occasion - their a buck a shuck - is best value in the city. The oysters are super fresh and delicious! And their octopus is cooked to perfection!

Written November 13, 2020

Rummy B

3 contributions

Amazing Food Amazing Staff Amazing Ambiance

Jul 2020 • couples

Went out for happy hour / early dinner to Hydra with my husband the other night. So worth the visit to this restaurant. Hydra is beautiful and the staff make you feel so welcome. They are very attentive but not hovering. The food was delicious. It was so fresh & cooked perfectly. We loved the grilled octopus and grilled prawns. The Maitre’d Mark was very patient with me to find me the perfect wine to compliment my food. And to top off the experience we enjoyed a wonderful phyllo Greek desert called Bougatsa - yummy! Will be going back to try the lamb next time.

Written July 27, 2020

HydraGM

Rummy, Thank you for the lovely review. It was an absolute pleasure to host you and we very much look forward to wining and dining you again very soon. Have a lovely day! Claire

Written July 31, 2020

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Jonathan L

4 contributions

Overpriced and underdelivers

Feb 2020 • none

I visited with a 30 person birthday group, we ordered a round of tequila shots for everyone and it cost $1000. On my own I also ordered another 10 drinks for $300 and did not know pricing until the bill came. If you're gonna charge people over 3 times what other establishments in Vancouver charge for the same product you should probably say something. I could get Don Julio 1942 anywhere else for the cost of a regular shot at your restaurant. Portions for the family meal was also lacking for the share appy plates given the number of people and length of the table you should have included another portion. Food overall was alright nothing special. Also, you guys somehow messed up the bill and did not charge 2 people for dinner after everyone already left the restaurant. I don't mind paying high prices if a commensaurate level of quality and service matched. Would not recommend.

Written March 15, 2020

KS-Vancouver

10 contributions

Excuses - didn’t bother listen

Mar 2021 • friends

Went there for dinner with some friends excited about eating at this restaurant which some called the Milo’s of Vancouver which is absolutely not true Milo’s of Montreal puts this restaurant to shame. Upon arrival we were told we would be downstairs in the café when we made reservations we were never told that. The excuses that they used “social distancing” which I truly understand and appreciate but if that’s the case at least advise us that will be sitting in the café the ambiance in the café was dismal - dark cold and our waiter was the bartender, he knew nothing about the meals - but made a great old fashion. We ordered the lamb chops and the amount of fat that was on there, it was impossible to find any meat. We sent it back and they credited our bill for one of the two entrees - talk about being cheap. We ended up ordering another appetizer just so we could fill ourselves up.

Written March 6, 2021

Claire Wright

I am so sorry to hear that we let you down. I have spoken to other guests of your party and would like to personally make this experience up to you. It is clear we failed to live up to our own high standards and for that I am truly sorry. I assure you we can do a much better job. Please reach out to me directly at gm@hydravancouver.com

Written March 8, 2021

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Holt

3 contributions

Poor value for the money for brekfast.

Dec 2020 • none

The yogurt platter said it came with fresh fruit, which turned out to be an apple that was brown and mushy on the inside. The croissant it came with was stale. The potatoes our other two brekfasts came with were tater tots! Not what we were expecting for a "fancier" place for brekfast. Good service, but would not return for brekfast!

Written December 25, 2020

Ronel C

1 contribution

Terrible display of racism

Feb 2021 • none

Upon arrival at the upscale restaurant located on the 2nd floor of a hotel, we we were impressed by the decor and ambience. However, as we were directed to our table by the hostess, we passed by the 2nd floor of the restaurant and made our way downstairs to a mediocre table by the stairs which was poorly lit and right in front of the door which frequently opened allowing a gust of freezing winter air to breeze by. When we sat down, it took 5 mins for anyone to acknowledge us and when they did, they threw menus down on the table and walked away. We already knew we wanted which was the Valentine's menu so we were ready to order. After waiting 15 mins and trying to catch someone's attention, we knew we were being ignored. It could be that we were the only asian group there or it could be that the waiters were not attentive. Regardless, we were paying customers waiting to order. In the time that we were waiting, we realized that every other table was candle-lit except ours. We had to waive someone down to ask for some light at our table. Finally a young waiter came and asked us what we wanted to order. We told him we wanted the Valentine's menu, but guess what? He said they are sold out....that's right, sold out. After eagerly waiting for the late dinner on a day where it is almost impossible to get reservations, he told us we couldn't order the only thing that brought us into the restaurant. He said he would give us a few more minutes to check the menu. After browsing the menu and looking at the lackluster options, we decided to look elsewhere for hopefully a better experience. Luckily Gotham came in clutch and was able to accommodate us with such a late request on one of the busiest nights. We walked out of Hydra which was fairly easy since no one even noticed we were gone. We ended up having the best meal at Gotham Steakhouse which actually had their valentines menu available. Thank you Gotham!

Written February 15, 2021

Claire Wright

I am very sorry that you feel this way. It was certainly not our intention and I would like to personally make this unfortunate miscommunication up to you. Please reach out to me directly at gm@hydravancouver.com

Written February 16, 2021

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Theskyis

Sicamous17 contributions

Not high on my 'return to' list.

Jul 2020 • none

Our first clue should have been that while many other restaurants were busy - this one was not, with only one other couple on the premises. The food was OK - but certainly not worthy of the prices or of the 4 star ratings left by other patrons, at least not during this visit. Finally - the young waiter who served us let his mask remain below his nose as he spoke to us. When I politely asked him to cover his nose... he argued with me! He told me that when he talked, it would slide down, while making no attempt to put it back where it belonged. I watched him indicate our table and his mask to the greeter stationed outside

Written July 30, 2020

HydraGM

I am very sorry to hear that you did not enjoy your experience with us. We take the safety of our guests and staff very seriously. All service staff wear masks and the highest sanitation protocols are adhered to at all times. If you could reach out to me directly at gm@hydravancouver.com with the details of when you dined with us I will certainly follow up with the server you speak about and provide him with a better fitting mask. Sincerely, Claire

Written July 31, 2020

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

TravelproA

306 contributions

Mixed Feelings

Aug 2022 • none

don't know how to rate, good and not so good, let's say good things first good part: 1) beautiful deco and design all around the restaurant, I have to say this is one of the best decorated restaurants I've seen! 2) also good location, right in the middle of downtown Vancouver, second floor of a hotel which is super easy for the tourists staying at this hotel to grab a bite not so good part: 1) it's a fine dining restaurant with an accordingly upward priced menu. saying food is bad wouldn't be fair, but certainly not reflecting it's fine dining calibar. instead, dishes rather taste and look like a roadside cafe. 2) no plating whatsoever, reminds me the canteen food back in my college time. 3) service is subpar, we arrived early in the evening with only 4 tables taken in this restaurant, yet our drinks arrived on our table AFTER the food, while bunch of staff standing around just casually chatting. 4) every time we received food or drink we politely said 'thank you or thank you very much' but got no reply nor smile from our server, she just walked away. never experienced these kind of things in a fine dining place, ever! we still tipped twenty percent in the end, but that just because we are always generous. overall I do not recommend this place. it's easy if you are staying at Exchange Hotel, but that's about it

Written August 10, 2022

K Sweder

Hello, I am so sorry to hear that we did not wow you on your recent visit to Hydra. While I cannot change the past, I would love the opportunity to show you that we really can do a much better job. Please reach out to me directly to discuss your concerns further at krista@executivetablegroup.com. Thank you and I look forward to hearing from you at your convenience, Krista

Written August 13, 2022

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

mercederain

Vancouver7 contributions

Incredible Meal

Jun 2020 • none

Not only are the room and atmosphere absolutely exquisite, but the FOOD is also to die for. I had been to Hydra once before, and the food was good enough to come back - but this time, it was incredible. When I asked our server what had changed, she mentioned they had a new head chef who had taken over. All I can say is fantastic, hire - BRAVO!

Written June 23, 2020

HydraGM

Thank you very much for the lovely review Mercede! Yes, we are really excited about what we are doing here at Hydra. Excited to wine and dine you again very soon! Thanks again, Claire

Written July 13, 2020

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

MaureenL123

Nanaimo33 contributions

Not a 5 Star experience

Mar 2021 • none

We went to the restaurant for Dine Out Vancouver because the menu sounded really good. Our waiter was exceptional and did make our evening but the dinner was not up to our expectations. The restaurant is supposed to be a 5 star dining experience and it's not. The lamb chops were perfectly cooked and extremely tender but the visual was not at a 5 star level and the vegetables were flavorless.. The appetizers were pretty average especially the tomato salad which would have cost you $19 on the regular menu - which means to me that this salad should be exceptional and it wasn't. The Greek donuts were good but to put them on top of a cold yogurt mixture defeated the purpose of hot donuts .

Written March 6, 2021

Claire Wright

Hi Maureen, I am sorry to hear that we did not wow you. We do pride ourselves on offering 5 star food and service and I am sad to hear that we missed the mark on your visit. If you are willing to give us another shot please book through me directly at gm@hydravancouver.com and I will personally ensure the first class dining experience that I know we can provide. Have a lovely day, and thank you for your feedback Claire

Written March 8, 2021

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Walker

Lancashire11 contributions

A poor end to a nice evening

Sep 2022 • couples

Starters arrived promptly and were excellent, though we were told the Prosecco we asked for had run out so we ordered (more expensive) alternatives. We then waited nearly an hour for our main courses, though the genuinely lovely server came along and told us it was her fault for forgetting to put the order through and as compensation she brought us 2 glasses of Prosecco, which had apparently run out an hour before!!! The food , when it arrived, was excellent - crab stuffed lobster tail and a chicken souvlaki. We were also offered dessert “on the house” due to the poor service. As we were full by now we asked for 2 coffees instead, which we received. In view of the acknowledged poor service and a bill of over $200 already, we didn’t think it appropriate to add a tip. On leaving the dining room we were literally chased out by the manager demanding to know why we had not left a tip! We explained politely that we felt the service didn’t deserve one and left. I can’t fault the food here, but they showed absolutely no class or acknowledgment of our customer experience, leaving us slightly embarrassed and angry at the end of what should have been a great evening.

Written September 8, 2022

Jenel A

1 contribution

Disappointing

Feb 2021 • couples

I was so excited when I got the spot for 4 to this place because tiktok hypes it up, eventhough it was a very late dinner for us which is 20:15 on Valentines Day. We got into the hotel entrance, took the elevator to the 2nd floor and checked in with the lady for my reservation. She guided us to our spot which is downstairs. While walking downstair, I was so stunned with the decor so I got even more excited. But then she put us to a spot which was very close to the stairs where servers kept walking around and to the door which was very cold. I dont know if they don't have any other better spots but it was a crappy spot for 4 asians. All white people there expect for us. I didnt feel welcome. I didnt feel special. Another lady asked our reservation name again when we sat down. I was confuse why they asked again when the lady upstairs did already. We sat down. We noticed all the tables had candles lit expect ours. No cutleries prepared. No nothing! Sat there for 10mins noone noticed us. A guy gave a menu threw it on the table, just in case we need it. (They have scan menu too) Didnt even say his name. We asked to lit the candle, no apoligies heard for leaving letting us sit on a dark table. We wanted to try their valentines menu because of the obvious reason. Hello?! Its valentines. We then tried to asked questions about the Valentines menu. Guess what? Out of stock! On the Valentines itself. Again, no sorry. Server wasnt friendly or didnt even try to explain the options we can get instead. I was very disappointed! A very fancy resto with no manners at all. We then decided to call gotham if they have a spot for us instead. I am happy that they have. We left the table. I dont think they even notice. I am happy we left! We ate a better meal and got the service we deserved.

Written February 15, 2021

Claire Wright

Hi Jenel, I have written to you on multiple outlets now. I am truly sorry you feel this way, it was not our intention. Please reach out to me directly to discuss further at gm@hydravancouver.com

Written February 16, 2021

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Niko D

4 contributions

Great service, great food!

Apr 2022 • friends

I’ve been to Hydra a couple times for breakfast and every time the service and food never fail to impress! Jason has helped me out both times and he’s been super attentive and accommodating to me/my friends needs. The food is great and portion sizes are very fair for the amount you’re paying. Would definitely recommend it!

Written April 24, 2022

Claire Wright

Niko! Thanks for the great review! Claire

Written May 19, 2022

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

jonnyk331

Edmonton27 contributions

High prices for this level of service - at least the food was great

Jul 2022 • none

We were greeted with initial confusion (more to come) as we walked in the door from the street, as we weren't sure if the restaurant was open. There was a sign to proceed up the staircase, and expecting a hostess when we got to the top of the stairs, there was nobody up there either. We stood at the top of the stairs awkwardly for what felt like a couple of minutes. A hostess finally ran over to us and got us seated. We had a server come to our table shortly after we were seated, brought us menus, and then came back shortly after to explain the menu to us. She was friendly and helpful. Partway through the conversation, she was interrupted by another server, who almost pushed her away, and said she had "too much sun" that day. I guess the table belonged to him? But all of the tables also seemed to belong to him that night. He proceeded to ask to take our order, but we were in the middle of asking questions with the initial server on the menu, and it got a bit confusing as the conversation was totally broken. We finally got things straightened out after asking the same questions we were in the middle of having answered with the first server, and got our order in. I had requested water for my wife and I, and the server offered a bottle which I thought meant that we would have some water on the table, but out came an $8 bottle of Evian instead. The trend of confusion continues. Right as our main showed up, I ordered a second glass of wine. When it was brought to us, I was told it was a "better pairing" for the food we had ordered, but wasn't told what the wine was. The man who brought the wine wasn't our server, he had been sitting in the back corner most of the night, and might have been the manager. I wasn't particularly thrilled with the wine brought to me, and nobody checked up on us after that point. I was disappointed to find out at the end of the night (when the bill came) that it was a Chianti, when I was originally drinking a Greek wine earlier. I wanted a second glass of the Greek wine given that I can order Chianti at any restaurant on the planet if I want to, but not so much with Greek wines. Very unprofessional service! This might be acceptable at the Olive Garden, but not at this price point. We ordered the salt crusted fish, and one appetizer, our bill was $185 with 3 glasses of wine which normally wouldn't be out of the question, but the service simply let this place down. We declined dessert as by the time we were asked if we'd like it, I just wanted to leave. Too bad this was our last night in Vancouver to boot!

Written July 29, 2022

K Sweder

Jonny, I wanted to take a moment and extend my sincerest apologies for your recent experience at HYDRA . While it is always our goal to provide the best food and service possible as well as an enjoyable atmosphere; clearly, we failed to meet not only our own standards but yours as well. For that I am truly sorry. We appreciate that you took the time to present your observations clearly and concisely as it is integral in helping us improve upon our own deficiencies. These issues are not taken lightly by our team and we will make every effort to ensure they do not occur in the future. Please reach out to me directly at krista@executivetablegroup.com so I can personally ensure we make this unfortunate experience up to you. Regards Krista Sweder, Assistant General Manager.

Written August 2, 2022

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

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