VC — NIGHTLIFE

Nightlife - Good Libations

Seen at right: Uva wine bar at the Moda Hotel pours serious wines by the glass.
Photography by Christine McAvoy

What’s on the agenda tonight? Whatever the mood calls for — whether it’s chilling at a low-key pub, sipping a superbly crafted cocktail, exploring an adventurous wine list, or taking over the dance floor — make sure these rooms are on the shortlist.

PUBS / BARS

Morrissey Irish House
1227 Granville St., Downtown
Vancouver, BC
604-682-0909
Worn leather chairs and dilapidated wooden tables look cosy and inviting thanks to the glowing fireplace and dim lighting in this laid-back Irish tavern.
Crowd — Tourists from the attached Ramada hotel and hipsters avoiding Granville’s mainstream bars
Go for — Traditional Irish stews and a rousing selection of draught beers
Hours — 11 a.m.-2 a.m. Sun-Thurs, 11 a.m.-3 a.m. Fri-Sat.

Six Acres
203 Carrall St., Gastown
Vancouver, BC
604-488-0110
Red-orange lamps warm wooden tables and chairs at this low-key but stylish Gastown haunt where conversation is shared over tapas like prawn quesadillas and edamame beans.
Crowd — Brew aficionados, fashionable Gastown boutique owners
Go for — A menu of 43 bottled beers sorted by type and accompanied by colour, origin, and flavour notes
Hours — 5 p.m.-midnight Tues-Thurs, noon-1 a.m. Fri, 5 p.m.-1 a.m. Sat.

Stella’s Tap and Tapas Bar
1191 Commercial Dr.,
Vancouver, BC
604-254-2437
Beer is taken seriously at Stella’s, where bartenders pour 11 different draught beers (plus Strongbow) using the traditional Belgian 10-step pouring ritual; another 80-plus are offered in cans and bottles.
Crowd — Young professionals taking a break from reno’ing their fixer-upper Craftsman
Go for — A cornet of Belgian-style frites and a glass of Karmeliet Tripel beer
Hours — 11 a.m.-11:30 p.m. Sun-Wed, 11 a.m.-midnight Thurs-Sat.

HOTEL BARS

Gerard Lounge
845 Burrard St., Downtown
Vancouver, BC
604-682-5511
Mahogany, rich tapestries, trophy mounts, and stately leather chairs compose the Sutton Place Hotel’s wellappointed lounge — a scene aching to welcome the British hunting club.
Crowd — Film industry types, including visiting celebs and hangers-on
Go for — Your chance to rub shoulders with Al Pacino
Hours — 11:30 a.m.-1 a.m. Mon- Sat, 4:30 p.m.-midnight Sun.

Opus Bar
350 Davie St., Yaletown
Vancouver, BC
604-642-0557
When nighttime rolls around, the fashionable Opus Hotel’s bar — with its iridescent lighting, glass bead curtains, and designer décor — positively shimmers.
Crowd — Effortlessly beautiful people
Go for — The revamped cocktail menu featuring exotic concoctions like April Flowers — Giffard blueberry liqueur, bubbly, and an edible orchid
Hours — 11:30 a.m.- 1 a.m. Mon-Wed, 11:30 a.m.-2 a.m. Thurs, 11:30 a.m.-3 a.m. Fri-Sat, 11:30 a.m.-midnight Sun.

Yew Restaurant + Bar
791 W. Georgia St., Downtown
Vancouver, BC
604-642-4939
A tribute to the natural elements of coastal B.C., the Four Season’s Yew is a sea of rock, wood, and glass. The theme carries over to the menu, which features Pacific Northwest cuisine complemented by international and local wines.
Crowd — Business execs with money to burn, moneyed tourists
Go for — Three-course tasting menu ($35) from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Hours — 11:30 a.m.-midnight daily.

WINE BARS

Brix Restaurant and Wine Bar
1138 Homer St., Yaletown
Vancouver, BC
604-915-9463
Look no further than the patio at Brix for a romantic spot for postdinner drinks, where over 60 wines can be enjoyed by the glass.
Crowd — First dates
Wine list — Extensive, with everything from local favourites to specialty finds
Hours — 5 p.m.-2 a.m. Mon-Sat.

Cru
1459 W. Broadway, South Granville
Vancouver, BC
604-677-4111
A colour-coded system expertly pairs a long list of wines to prix fixe and small-plates menus, both well-executed by chef Alana Peckham.
Crowd — Unpretentious oenophiles
Wine list — Organized by flavour and fullness, the menu of more than 35 wines — available in $9 to $15 glasses — will effortlessly guide adventurous amateurs
Hours — 5 p.m.-10 p.m. Sun- Thurs, 5 p.m.-11 p.m. Fri-Sat.

Uva Wine Bar
900 Seymour St., Downtown
Vancouver, BC
604-632-9560
The 1908 terrazzo floor adds a touch of historical whimsy to the bronze lighting, boldly patterned wallpaper, and clean lines of Uva’s sleek, modern room. Settle in with a glass of Prosecco and a neat selection of olives, eggplant bruschetta, artisanal cheeses, and locally made charcuterie — simplicity itself.
Crowd — A cultured lot gearing up for a night at the ballet, symphony, or opera
Wine list — Hard-to-find selections chosen by legendary Vancouver sommelier Sebastien Le Goff
Hours — 5 p.m.-1:45 a.m. Mon-Sat, 5 p.m.-11:45 p.m. Sun.

COCKTAIL LOUNGES

The Cascade Room
2616 Main St., South Main
Vancouver, BC
604-709-8650
The regional cuisine on the menu is good, but nothing wows like a perfectly blended, fresh-fruit cocktail by Cascade’s award-winning bartender, Nick Devine.
Crowd — Main Street hipsters spill out of black booths
Drink to try — The Cascade Room Cocktail, a heady mix of bourbon, apple, lime, and vanilla topped with a shaving of roasted hazelnut
Hours — 4 p.m.- midnight Mon-Fri, noon-midnight Sat-Sun.

George Ultra Lounge
1137 Hamilton St., Yaletown
Vancouver, BC
604-628-5555
Soft, leather banquettes and tones of red and gold create a warm, sexy ambiance in this upscale room. An equally impressive drink menu covers everything from simple highballs to innovative cocktails.
Crowd — Sleek, well-dressed Yaletowners, visiting NHL teams
Drink to try — A blend of lime juice, bitters, and honey-infused vodka aptly named the Honey Mule
Hours — 5 p.m.-midnight Mon-Tues, 5 p.m.-1 a.m. Wed-Thurs, 5 p.m.- 2 a.m. Fri-Sat.

Ginger 62
1219 Granville St., Downtown
Vancouver, BC
604-688-5494
At Ginger 62, beaded curtains hang from the ceiling, candles glow atop wicker side tables, and couches sport retro patterns. It’s not your parents’ basement circa 1962 — this is where to go for exotic drinks and slick house music.
Crowd — Sexy young things and their sugar daddies
Drink to try — More elegant than it sounds, the Yaletown Blowhard is a delicate mix of Orange Stoli, Triple Sec, white cranberry juice, and champagne
Hours — 8 p.m.- 3 a.m. Fri-Sat, vary Sun-Thurs.

LIVE VENUES

Commodore Ballroom
868 Granville St., Downtown
Vancouver, BC
604-739-4550
Back when artists performed in swank theatres rather than sports stadiums, the Commodore hosted some of the world’s top acts. Eighty years later, with an updated sound system and springy dance floor, it’s still one of Vancouver’s best live-music venues. Four bars strategically placed around the space mean you never have to wait in line for a drink. The balcony area is perfect for people-watching.
Crowd — Hipster kids one day, aging punk-rock dads the next
On stage — Everything from 54-40 to Gwar to Martha Wainwright along with top-of-the-charts indie and electro artists like Cut Copy and Ladytron.

The Media Club
695 Cambie St., Downtown
Vancouver, BC
604-608-2871
At this intimate live-music venue, cushy booths and a well-stocked bar are oriented toward a stage that boasts a state-of-the-art sound system brilliantly delivering the acoustical chops of up-and-coming talent.
Crowd — Industry types
On stage — Independent artists looking for their big break, from local singer-songwriters Nat Jay and Adaline to metal bands like self-described “lethal rock and roll explosion” Cancer Bats. It’s a mixed bag.

Richard’s on Richards
1036 Richards St., Downtown
Vancouver, BC
604-687-6794
When bands play this 450-capacity bar, the sizable dance floor is filled with hard-core fans squeezing their way closer to the stage; more reserved concertgoers people-watch from the second-storey balcony.
Crowd — 25- to 40-year-olds with musical tastes that don’t include Britney Spears
On stage — That band you fell in love with on Myspace. A mixture of out-of-towners (Cadence Weapon doing hip-hop, the Black Kids doing hipster) and the occasional local group (funk and Afro-beat-filled Five Alarm Funk).

DANCE CLUBS

Pop Opera
686 W. Hastings St., Gastown
Vancouver, BC
604-633-3988
The newest member of the legendary Donnelly Hospitality Management family is its most stylish room — portraits of pop icons line the walls, spherical light fixtures glow above chic white leather couches, and VIP areas give off an air of exclusivity.
Crowd — Investment bankers and their assistants
Music — Hip-hop, R&B, and Top 40
Night to go — Friday — DJs from popular radio station the Beat 94.5 broadcast live
Hours — 10 p.m.-3 a.m. Fri-Sat.

The Roxy
932 Granville St., Downtown
Vancouver, BC
604-331-7999
Located in a sea of Granville Street bars that constantly try to one-up each other, the Roxy sticks to a simple formula of good drinks, personable bartenders, and crowdpleasing cover bands.
Crowd — Vancouver Canucks, puck bunnies, stagette parties, bridge-and-tunnellers
Music — Classic rock, Top 40
Night to go — Sunday, for Country Night
Hours — 7 p.m.- 3 a.m. nightly

Shine
364 Water St., Gastown
Vancouver, BC
604-408-4321
At Shine you have two options: lounge on sleek banquettes in the “red” room or dance up a storm under brightly flashing lights in the “blue” room. The former is for relaxing with a drink while the latter is for trouble making.
Crowd — Music worshippers and kids in their 20s who like to party
Music — A mix of ’50s and ’60s hits, reggae, and funk, depending on the night
Night to go — Ice Cream Social Mondays feature drink specials and $4 cover
Hours — 10 p.m.-2 a.m. Mon- Tues, 10 p.m.-3 a.m. Wed-Sat.

GAY BARS

1181
1181 Davie St., West End
Vancouver, BC
604-687-3991
The Davie Village is still dominated by low-design, beer-stained institutions, but 1181 (né Tight Lounge) is a shining beacon of finesse.
Crowd — It can feel run over by a set of microgroomed Abercrombie-zombies, but don’t let that keep you from enjoying the peerless layout: cork-lined walls and polished concrete floors wrap around to a gorgeous unisex bathroom and a cluster of ottomans beneath a wall-sized video display. From the glass entrance tunnel (frosted, save for a crotch-level strip) to the purposeful people-funnel of a bar (which makes nabbing a stubby of Red Stripe an exercise in flirty “Excuse me”s) everything about 1181 is designed to ensure keyed-up, and even coquettish, interaction.
Drink — Station yourself with a stellar margarita on a low-slung couch and eye up both playboys and lipstick ladies (gay and straight).
Hours — 5 p.m.-late nightly.

Celebrities
1022 Davie St., West End
Vancouver, BC
604-681-6180
Celebs rules as the city’s largest gay dance club, and it’s not coincidentally the top site for spotting dewy, waxed youths. A regular string of celebrity guests comes by — Ru Paul, Boy George — and a motley set of gyrating porn stars have patrons paying grand cover charges.
Crowd — Tuesday nights, thanks to the $3 highballs that promoters are dishing out, have made Celebrities the straightest gay bar in town. (Most queer folk actively avoid the night.) For the rest of the week, under-30s writhe on the central floor and voyeurs can retreat to the back of the club, where a pair of staircases ascend to a wreathing balcony — an ideal perch for catty commentary.
Hours — 9 p.m.-3 a.m. Tues-Sat.

Oasis Ultra Lounge
1240 Thurlow St., West End
Vancouver, BC
604-685-1724
Sidle up to an outdoor table on the expansive covered patio, where one can still hear tinkles of live piano performance and enjoy powerful heat lamps and even more powerful cocktails. Share decent tapas plates on the communal table, or nuzzle in a dim enclave with your date.
Crowd — Non-scenesters enjoy this resto-pub, which operates at a slight remove from the Davie Village.
Hours — 5 p.m.- late Thurs-Sun.