TV Restaurants

What Happened to The Reef After You Gotta Eat Here!? (Vancouver, BC)

You Gotta Eat Here!, Season 2 Vancouver, British Columbia

Current status

Closed

As of October 2026, The Reef has closed — confirmed via Google, October 19, 2026.

What the source shows: A public Google Maps listing for the Commercial Drive address is marked permanently closed, and Daily Hive reported the company's Main Street restaurant would end service on 2020-10-04. How we decide a status →

What happened after You Gotta Eat Here!?

The 2013-03-01 episode of You Gotta Eat Here! (season 2, episode 5) featured poutine with a Caribbean twist at The Reef in Vancouver, according to the TVmaze episode listing, which does not say which of the company's two Vancouver restaurants was shown. The Reef was a Caribbean restaurant known for jerk chicken, curry and roti, according to Daily Hive. The Georgia Straight reported on 2008-06-25 that it had opened a restaurant at 1018 Commercial Drive that March, its third location after nine years on Main Street and five in Victoria.

Daily Hive reported on 2020-09-25 that the Main Street restaurant would end service on 2020-10-04 after 21 years, and Curiocity wrote on 2020-12-31 that fans could still buy its sauces online. The restaurant's old web address now forwards to The Reef Market, which in October 2026 sold three jerk and curry marinades and hot sauces and showed a 2021 to 2026 copyright. A public Google Maps listing for 1018 Commercial Drive was marked permanently closed when checked on 2026-10-19.

The episode You Gotta Eat Here!, Season 2

Episode 5
Aired
Title: The Reef, Smokin' George's BBQ Restaurant and Takeout, Mickey's Dragon Pizza · What was featured: Poutine with a Caribbean twist at a Vancouver restaurant

Synopsis (tvmaze.com) : The Canadian dish poutine is served with a Caribbean twist at The Reef in Vancouver. Other stops include Smokin' George's BBQ in Nanaimo, B.C.; and Mickey's Dragon Pizza in Mississauga, Ont.

Also in Season 2 You Gotta Eat Here!

Season 2: 34 of 78 still open · 12 renamed, moved or under new owners

All 26 Season 2 episodes →

Nearest open restaurants By distance from 1018 Commercial Dr

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All 85 TV restaurants in British Columbia →

Before you go: Businesses change fast. Always confirm directly with the restaurant — call ahead, or check its own current website or social media — before making plans around anything on this page.

Sources we checked 6 references

  1. Google https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=The+Reef+1018+Commercial+Dr%2C+Vancouver%2C+BC+V5L+3W9
  2. dailyhive.com https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/the-reef-closing-vancouver
  3. straight.com https://www.straight.com/article-151108/surf-reef-drives-caribbean-vibe
  4. curiocity.com https://curiocity.com/15-fantastic-restaurants-that-vancouver-lost-in-2020/amp/
  5. thereefmarket.com https://www.thereefmarket.com/
  6. api.tvmaze.com https://api.tvmaze.com/shows/15676/episodes
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Record ygeh-090 · checked by Cal Marchetti.