VC — NIGHTLIFE

Nightlife — Raising the Bar

In a city better known for Gore-Tex Grinding than nighttime escapades, you might wonder what happens after dark. Turns out, lots. Find a lounge, pub, or club that suits your speed.

Lounges »»
Dance Clubs »»
Pubs/Bars »»
Gay Bars »»
Hotel Bars »»

Compiled by Nicola Pender
Photo by Shannon Mendes

Lounges

Afterglow
1079 Mainland St., Vancouver
604-602-0835
A prime place to kick back and observe the beautiful people in their natural habitat. The 50-seat lounge is usually packed by 10 p.m.

The Cellar Jazz Café
3611 W. Broadway, Vancouver
604-738-1959.
The Cellar is surprisingly unpretentious and books top local and international musicians week after week in its velvety underground bar.

Chill Winston
3 Alexander St., Vancouver
604-288-9575.
Located at the nexus of the Gastown universe, and blessed with a patio so oversized that it spills out over the sidewalk, Chill Winston is the perfect spot to people-watch over a pint.

Crush Champagne Lounge
1180 Granville St., Vancouver
604-684-0355.
Crush is a great South Beach–style room where you can dodge the bridgeand- tunnel crowds that fill larger Granville spots.

George Ultra Lounge
1137 Hamilton St., Vancouver
604-628-5555.
This überchic Yaletown watering hole is a favourite of trendy, well-heeled cocktail connoisseurs. Everything that crosses the bar is a masterpiece.

Granville Room
957 Granville St., Vancouver
604-633-0056.
This popular lounge in the entertainment district straddles the line between mere watering hole and innovative eatery. Stay all night or pop in for a few before hitting the clubs.

Lucy Mae Brown
862 Richards St., Vancouver
604-899-9199.
At this former bordello/opium den find fresh, nuanced flavours on the menu that pair beautifully with a well-edited wine list; downstairs, mixologists pour inventive cocktails. The beats are good, too.

• POSH LOUNGE

Bacchus Piano Lounge
845 Hornby St., Vancouver
604-608-5319.
The Wedgewood is Vancouver’s classic boutique hotel; its Bacchus lounge — all cherrywood panelling, gold and burgundy colour scheme, and blazing limestone fireplace — extends the hotel’s elegance.
Look For: Howe Street players, on-themake legal assistants, and silver foxes
Music: The pianist on the baby grand takes requests
Drink: The extensive wine list favours B.C. bottles
Tip: Bacchus hops with downtown movers and shakers and regularly wins Vancouver magazine’s award for Best Bar/Lounge.

Dance Clubs

Bar None
1222 Hamilton St., Vancouver
604-684-3044.
A moneyed 20-to-30- something crowd packs the floor, dancing to everything from live funk and soul to Top-40 and house.

The Caprice
967 Granville St., Vancouver
604-681-2114
This is the mainstream club of choice for the 20- something set; frat boys guzzle Heineken and girls sip Stoli Raspberry and soda (no calories!).

Commodore Ballroom
868 Granville St., Vancouver
604-739-4550
If you’re a devout music lover, the Commodore is your temple. Everyone from the Ramones to the Supremes has played this storied 900-person venue.

Ginger 62
1219 Granville St., Vancouver
604-688-5494
Ginger puts a sexy spin on the ’60s rec-room scene, with a suave selection of drinks and music that’s more James Bond than My Three Sons.

Honey/Lotus
455 Abbott St., Vancouver
604-685-7777
Think reasonably priced cocktails, boys in skinny jeans and Harrington jackets, girls in super-short shift dresses and boots made for walking. Head downstairs to Lotus for the city’s best and latest basement party.

The Modern
7 Alexander St., Vancouver
604-647-0121
What sets this new Gastown hot spot apart from the tired Granville strip status quo? Premium sound, an impressive contemporary cocktail list, and a scenester status that makes all the cool kids want to be on the list.

Richard’s On Richards
1036 Richards St., Vancouver
604-687-6794
Still among the best live-music venues in the city, Richard’s attracts smaller bands than could fill the Commodore, but offers capacity to accommodate international DJs and small acts on the precipice of greatness.

The Roxy
932 Granville St., Vancouver
604-331-7997
Ol’ foxy Roxy is rough around the edges, but she knows how to get ’er done. It’s a weird and wild crowd with barely legal bunnies, suburban moms, and visiting sports teams.

Shine
364 Water St., Vancouver
604-408-4321
This newly reno’d Gastown basement is a favourite amongst students and hip-hop kids wearing fresh New Eras. If you’re over 30, you’ll feel out of place.

• THUMPING DANCE CLUB

Republic
958 Granville St., Vancouver
604-669-3266
Yes, grown-ups can actually come out for late-night play on Granville Street
Look For: Migrating Yaletowners, night owls, and anyone over 25
Music: Top-40; live music on Mondays and the odd celebrity DJ
Drink: Premium vodka cocktails that are crafted, not dispensed from a fountain gun
Night to Go: Any night you’re feeling feisty — this was the first venue in the city to stay open until 3 a.m. seven days a week
Tip: Score a spot on the enclosedglass patio for a bird’s-eye view of the Granville Street mayhem below.

Pubs/Bars

The Cambie
300 Cambie St., Vancouver
604-688-9158
The Cambie is a dive bar and makes no pretensions to being anything else. The floor is sticky and the beer is cheap.

Five Point
3124 Main St., Vancouver
604-876-5810
Like any good neighbourhood pub, the Five Point is a melting pot — you’re guaranteed to find hipsters, jocks, and old-time drunks any night of the week.

Malones
2210 Cornwall Ave., Vancouver
604-737-7777
The major draw in the summer isn’t sports on the big screens, it’s the patio — the perfect place to peruse tanned bodies heading to Kits Beach.

Nevermind
3293 W. Fourth Ave., Vancouver
604-736-0212
A gathering place for college kids and sports teams — the spacious interior is perfect for large groups.

Six Acres
203 Carrall St., Vancouver
604-488-0110
With its exposed brick and rich hardwood, Six Acres is stylish enough. But what stands out is one of the best beer lists in the city — 34 carefully chosen bottled varieties.

Stella’s Tap and Tapas Bar
1191 Commercial Dr., Vancouver
604-254-2437
The beer list features a monthly fresh sheet of 20 rotating Belgian brews — all with thorough tasting notes.

• HIPSTER PUB

The Cascade Room
2616 Main St., Vancouver
604-709-8650
This room is a modern twist on the English pub; design details include Queen Victoria’s portrait stamped on overhanging lampshades.
Look For: Stylish Main Streeters, savvy baby boomers, casting agents
Drink: There’s an alwayschanging wine and draught beer list, but with bartender Nick Devine manning the shaker the cocktails are the stars of the show
Night to Go: Every night is a busy night at Cascade (open nightly 5 p.m. to midnight)
Tip: Grab a seat before 6 p.m. or you’ll be waiting in line.

Gay Bars

Celebrities
1022 Davie St., Vancouver
604-681-6180
The city’s largest gay dance club hosts a young, hot, and virtually hairless crowd bumping and grinding the night away.

Lick
455 Abbott St., Vancouver
604-685-7777
In a city that historically hasn’t been very kind to lesbian bars, Lick has managed to survive and thrive by delivering kick-ass music and hot girls who like girls. Open Thursday to Saturday.

The Odyssey
1251 Howe St., Vancouver
604-689-5256
Host to the longest-running drag show in town, a men-only back-door policy, and Shower Power Thursdays (where go-go boys strip down and rinse off).

• CHIC GAY BAR

1181
1181 Davie St., Vancouver
604-687-3991
This modern room is as sexy as the crowd that frequents it
Look For: Style hounds, international playboys
Drink: The 1181 Margarita, the Rio, and the Caipirinha are all good choices, but there are pages and pages of delicious sweet, salty, and sour cocktails to choose from
Night to Go: Saturdays, when a rotating group of DJs set up behind the bar
Tip: Beware: there’s no food to temper the booze, and the drinks are always a stiff pour.

Hotel Bars

900 West Lounge
900 W. Georgia St., Vancouver
604-669-9378
The impressive wine list is the highlight, and the experienced bar staff know how to handle a martini. Prices are steep, but the service is outstanding.

Diva Lounge
645 Howe St., Vancouver
604-602-7788
Diva offers great cocktails, a wide-ranging wine list, and a great menu of light bar snacks. (We love the selection of B.C. cheeses.)

Opus
350 Davie St., Yaletown,
604-642-6787
The crowd is a mix of jet-setting internationals and locals who’d dearly love to be jet-setting internationals. Drinks and service are excellent and it’s very stylish indeed.

Sands Bayside Lounge
1755 Davie St., Vancouver
604-682-1831
This hidden gem has much more charm than the hotel it’s attached to, with seasoned waitstaff, reasonably priced drinks, and beautiful English Bay vistas.

Sylvia Hotel Lounge
1154 Gilford St., Vancouver
604-681-9321
This muchloved room was the first cocktail bar to open in Vancouver. Sure, it’s a little poky these days, but the views of English Bay are unbeatable.

• GLAM HOTEL BAR

Yew at the Four Seasons
791 W. Georgia St., Vancouver
604-692-4939
Hotel bars can charm you into believing you’re a tourist in your own city and then convince you that you’re a traveller anywhere else in the world. Yew inspires both thrills
Look For: Corporate lawyers, executives, and Holt Renfrew devotees
Drink: A glass or two of vino — there are over 150 premium wines by the glass to choose from
Night to Go: The crowd and the West Coast design look good any day of the week
Tip: The after-work crowd dominates the bar between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m.