Must-see nightlife in Gastown & Chinatown

  • Alibi Room sign, lit at night, Gastown.

    Alibi Room

    Gastown & Chinatown

    Vancouver's best craft-beer tavern pours a near-legendary roster of 50-plus drafts, many from celebrated BC breweries including Four Winds, Yellow Dog and…

  • Guilt & Co

    Gastown & Chinatown

    This cavelike subterranean bar, beneath Gastown's brick-cobbled sidewalks, is also a brilliant venue to catch a tasty side dish of live music. Most shows…

  • Revolver

    Gastown & Chinatown

    Gastown's coolest see-and-be-seen coffee shop, Revolver has never lost its hipster crown. But it's remained at the top of the Vancouver coffee-mug tree…

  • Back and Forth Bar

    Gastown & Chinatown

    There's an inviting, den-like feel to this cool-but-friendly games-room bar, where six ping-pong tables combine perfectly with a 12-tap beer selection …

  • Exterior of Six Acres bar

    Six Acres

    Gastown & Chinatown

    Gastown's coziest tavern, you can cover all the necessary food groups via the carefully chosen draft- and bottled-beer list here. There's a small,…

  • Exterior of the Irish Heather pub

    Irish Heather

    Gastown & Chinatown

    Belying the clichés about expat Irish bars (except for its reclaimed Guinness barrel floor), the Heather is one of Vancouver's best gastropubs. Alongside…

  • Brickhouse

    Gastown & Chinatown

    Vancouver's most original pub, this old-school hidden gem is a welcoming, windowless tavern lined with Christmas lights, fish tanks and junk-shop couches…

  • Diamond

    Gastown & Chinatown

    Head upstairs via the unassuming entrance to discover one of Vancouver's warmest little brick-lined cocktail bars. A glowing, wood-floored heritage room…

  • Keefer Bar

    Gastown & Chinatown

    This dark, narrow and atmospheric Chinatown bar has been claimed by local cocktail-loving coolsters since day one. Drop in for a full evening of liquid…

  • Pub 340

    Gastown & Chinatown

    A grungy old bar with plenty of life in it, you'll find cheep beer, a sometimes rowdy crowd and – the highlight – a separate front room lined with pinball…

  • Salt Tasting Room

    Gastown & Chinatown

    Tucked along a cobbled back alley reputedly named after the area's former butchers, this atmospheric little brick-lined wine bar offers dozens of…

  • Emerald

    Gastown & Chinatown

    Look for the curlicued neon 'E' outside, then push through the unassuming green double doors to discover an evocative hidden-bar complex upstairs. You'll…

  • Vancouver Urban Winery

    Gastown & Chinatown

    Vancouver's only winery is a cavernous, barrel-lined warehouse serving tipples from BC and beyond. It has a public tasting bar (on-tap wine flights…

  • Revel Room

    Gastown & Chinatown

    Tucked along a Gastown side street, the red-painted facade fronts one of the city's most intimate live music resto-bars, a brick-lined cave of small…

  • East Van Roasters

    Gastown & Chinatown

    Blink and you'll miss the entrance to this small but perfectly formed mosaic-floored cafe, which includes a busy coffee-roasting operation. It's worth…

  • Iktsuarpok Coffee Stand

    Gastown & Chinatown

    At this charming window hatch servery loved by in-the-know locals, order your americanos, flat whites or more from the friendly young Japanese-expat…

  • Exterior of the Black Frog pub

    Black Frog

    Gastown & Chinatown

    A few steps from Gastown's Steam Clock crowd magnet, this never-changing, fancy-free bar still manages to feel like a hidden watering hole. In summer,…

  • Exterior of Darby's Gastown bar

    Darby's Gastown

    Gastown & Chinatown

    This brick-walled Gastown satellite of a popular Kitsilano beer bar has a long and diverse tap menu, packed with gems from some of the region's most…

  • Local Public Eatery exterior

    Local Public Eatery

    Gastown & Chinatown

    A large, loud and fun exposed-brick tavern dominating one side of Maple Tree Sq, this is Gastown's best summer-patio spot. There's a good array of BC…

  • Juniper

    Gastown & Chinatown

    A pilgrimage spot for gin fans. Head upstairs at this intimate mood-lit resto-bar and prepare for exquisite drinks that require serious savoring. There…

  • Cambie

    Gastown & Chinatown

    One of Gastown's remaining dive bars, the Cambie is a local legend that most Vancouverites fondly recall (perhaps hazily) visiting at least once. Summer…

  • Union

    Gastown & Chinatown

    If you can't find any hipsters in Chinatown at night, that's because they're all at this contemporary Union St resto-bar. The Union is ever-friendly, and…

  • Steamworks Brew Pub

    Gastown & Chinatown

    This huge brewpub on the edge of Gastown serves several own-made beers, including crisp pilsners, hoppy IPAs and small-batch seasonals. But the best of…

  • Fortune Sound Club

    Gastown & Chinatown

    This club has transformed a tired Chinatown spot into a slick space that lures a loyal band of partiers. Slide inside and you'll find a huge dance floor…

  • Cobalt

    Gastown & Chinatown

    Gastown and Chinatown are studded with insalubrious dive bars that most Vancouverites are happy to avoid, but the Cobalt has managed to lure many…

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