The 5 Best Bars in Vancouver

Steamworks Brewing Company

With waterfront views, games tables, and house-brewed beer, Steamworks Brewing Company easily ranks among the best bars in Vancouver. The multi-level bar with private dining is ideally suited for groups, but there are plenty of hidden tables for solo travelers as well. Gastown Brewing Company brews its craft beer on-site. Just as the famous Gastown Steamclock draws on the steam line that runs underground, the brewery’s beers are heated using steam. Steamworks is located at 375 Water St., near the transit hub of Waterfront Station.

Irish Heather

The Irish Heather is the best bar in Vancouver to get your Irish-style mixed beer drinks, be it a mix of lager and lemonade or Guinness with a shot of blackcurrant concentrate. Food is no pack-of-crisps here, with pot pies, bangers and mash, and lamb shepherd’s pie on the menu. The bar also runs long-table dinners on a rotating schedule. These feasts host guests at a 12-meter (40-foot) table for a communal, set-menu dinner. For travelers, it’s the best bar in Vancouver to meet locals.

It’s this simple, shared focus on food, drink, and good times makes the Irish Heather one of the best bars in Vancouver. Plus its location at 210 Carrall St. puts it close to a raft of other great Gastown pubs and bars.

Yaletown Brewing Company

Another favorite brewpub, Yaletown Brewing Company has one of the best summer patios in Vancouver and is set in the city’s old warehouse district. In rainy weather, play a game of pool or sip a craft beer by the fireplace. Exposed brick, wood beams, and metal girders give the bar a historic, industrial feel. Yaletown Brewing Company is situated at 1116 Hamilton St. in Yaletown. One of the best bars in Vancouver, it neighbors dimly lit cocktail lounges, fine-dining seafood restaurants, and entertainment venues.

Local Public Eatery

The Local wins on location: it sits looking out at busy Kitsilano Beach. As such this is one of the best bars in Vancouver to sip a beer and watch passersby. You’ll find the outdoor patio packed with beachgoers and the inside set up for sports games. Dog-walkers, bikers, and sun-tanners, parade in a steady steam past the bar at 2210 Cornwall Ave.

Morrissey Pub

Amidst the long club line-ups you may not notice the Morrissey at 1227 Granville St. But this dark, narrow drinking hole is one of the best bars in Vancouver and a hangout for touring musicians. Irish beers on-tap and a packed atmosphere make the Morrissey feel like a long step from the glitzy Granville Entertainment District.

These five picks are just some of the best bars Vancouver offers. Great drinking holes can be found in various neighborhoods, with the greatest barhopping options in Gastown, Granville, Yaletown, and Kitsilano. For a pre-pub dinner, bring your appetite to the best Vancouver restaurants. And for late-night dancing, skip the line-ups and find out about dancing at the best clubs in Vancouver.