To know about my personal favorite cocktail bars Vancouver, scroll below! Canada is known to dim down the chaos with its peaceful vibe in many cases, but the cocktail bars Vancouver has may be an exception. The red maple leaf has a lot to offer to give us the craziest hangovers when it comes to alcohol. The lust for alcohol and the fun of music, all wrapped up in a bar Vancouver delivers to you, must be felt when you ever visit Canada.
So, here is my personal take on the 10 top bars in Vancouver...
1. The Keefer Bar
With the natural blends of exotic spices and aromatic herbs, you can imagine your bar night experience to be an exquisite charm of fun and bliss. A very British way to put it, I agree, but the servings of every variety of tea and syrup will take you to the heart of Vancouver. Keefer bar holds its specialty in serving artisan bars, where the spice of flavors and the richness in the “healing” section are enough to tantalize you for a whole night.
Timing- Saturday to Monday – 7:00pm to 12:00am
Must Try- Rosemary Gimlet, Alumni Cocktails, Tokyo Drift, Chinatown Sour
2. Six Acres
No, the bar isn’t built upon six acres of land. Rather, you may look afar Six Acres to see psychedelic heaven when you taste their serving in one of the best cocktail bars Vancouver can get you. Its name is homely, and so are its customers, with a couple of local regulars sipping on traditional brews and enjoying the conventions of a gastropub. The essence of local is best felt in this bar, created in the most antiquated brick building of Vancouver. Your summers will light up with the breezy drinking experience under sturdy patios and a beautiful interior. The Canadian Daft beer was the best taste of Vancouver cocktails I ever had, and you should try it too.
Timing- Tuesday to Sunday – 3:00 pm to 11:00 pm
Must Try- Negroni, Pimms cup, Jameson, House
3. Alibi Room
Oh no, who are we framing for a crime now? Well, no one is getting framed here, but I personally will regard it as a criminal offense if you don’t visit the Alibi room, one of the best cocktail bars Vancouver can present. The Gastown situated crossbar is peace to your closed mind and a taste of delight to your taste buds. It’s not just the quality of beer alone, but the variety they serve.
Their specially made microbrews and craft beers stuck to me the most when I left out the beautiful atmosphere. The communal table setting will offer you a different kind of beer flight while you gossip about Vancouver’s eccentric drinks with the locals over there! The “Alibis” of cocktail bars, Vancouver, if I may be so shrewd.
Timing- Sunday to Wednesday- 4:30 pm to 11 pm & Friday and Saturday- 4:30 pm to 12 am
Must-Try- Boombox “Arcade Glow” Pale Ale, Superflux Rotating IPA, Steel & Oak “Simple Things” Pilsner, ‘Best of BC’ Mixed 4-Pack
4. Long Table Distillery
The bar, not the tour offering, will still give you enough to ponder over the exoticness of Vancouver with their drinks. Their liquors are served in sophistication. The distillery crafts the beers with the care of handmade blends and creative experimentations. The range of gins, seasonal vodkas, and spirits of the cocktail is far longer than you can imagine. So, make that imagination into reality and visit this bar, as you can also rent out the tasting room for your personal events.
Timing- Wednesday to Saturday- 12:00 pm to 6:00 pm
Must Try- Triton, Pale Shelter
5. Lift
Now enough of the calm and cozy, let’s get to the glamorous cocktail bars Vancouver can show us! Lift is located over the harbor, making it the perfect spot for enjoying breathtaking views of the city. I would personally recommend always going for the rooftop deck to enjoy the view.
That will literally take your breath away. It has taken special inspiration from the outdoors of view. The glass interiors won’t wreak much havoc while you are spellbound from the mountains, docks, and city life in front of your eyes. While Lift provides services for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, cocktails are nothing short of impressive. I tried the recommended seafood, and it tasted exquisite. So, with mountains by your side, and a platter of succulent food in front of you, your cocktail drinks are just going to send you to Vancouver paradise with this.
Timing- Monday to Friday- 11:30 am to 10:00 pm & Saturday and Sunday- 11:00 am to 10:00 pm
Must Try- Martini Monday, Throwback Thursday, Sunday Funday, Bubbly Friday
6. L’abattoir
France? In Vancouver? Well, what do you say about a bar transporting you to Europe’s finest from the Carrel streets of Vancouver? The flair of French stylistic choice is known to everyone, and Vancouver cocktails try to deliver their own take on French delicacies with their best dishes served. In the classy aura of Gastown, you can enjoy the Mexcal Spritz, for the splurge of French alcohol you might never get to taste ever again.
The Avocado Gimlet is a must-try for non-alcoholic drinkers. But I guarantee you all will enjoy the freshly baked pacific oysters curated by the chefs. They also recommend Butter Poached Scallops. I was requested to never leave out their dessert part of the menu, and I wasn’t at the least disappointed when I ordered.
Timing- Tuesday to Saturday – 5:00 pm to 12:00 am
Must Try- Avocado Gimlet, Mezcal Spritz, Baked Pacific Oysters, Butter Poached Scallops
7. Shameful Tiki Room
Who said bars are only for the sad and the sleek? Bring on your inner hipster vibe and enjoy the quirks offered by Shameful Tiki Room. One of the funkiest cocktail bars Vancouver has, this Mount Pleasant situated bar has music, beats.
Further, to add the cherry on top, a tropical theme that takes you back to your bachelor college beach trips. Remember in college when we drank like there is no tomorrow? Shameful Tiki Room took it quite literally, with their intense alcoholic quantity in every drink they offer! Their drinks are named rightfully so, too- Painkiller, Zombie, and more. With a side of chips and dip, let go of your workaholic life and enjoy the night with booze and fun, bringing back younger days!
Timing- Sunday to Thursday- 5 pm to Late, Friday- 5 pm to Late & Saturday- 5 pm to Late
Must Try- Zombie, Painkiller, chips & salsa, curry
8. Bayside Lounge
The mental image of a lounge does give out a modern outlook, but Bayside Lounge is different from the quintessential bar Vancouver is known for. Built years ago, it is eccentric in its style and servings. Some also say it’s the Norma Desmond of the local bars and lounges. They upheld the classics, but not without their own unique experimentation of it. A customer favorite is the eclectic Cucumber Collins, which is traditional, but with the special Bayside ironic tinge, you won’t find anywhere else. However, you will get different styles of the traditional Caesar Cocktail, Bloody Mary’s maple alter ego, you may call it.
Timing- Sunday to Thursday- 12 pm to 2 am & Friday and Saturday- 12 pm to 3 am
Must Try- Pickle me caesar, Caliente, Samurai, Hot Tamale
9. Chickadee
The 2020 grand opening by two visionaries from Fried Chicken and Beatbox brings to your imagination intrigue and irresistible fun in handcrafted cocktails. The best feature yet, that rarely is spotted in cocktail bars Vancouver has seen is you can customize your cocktails from scratch. They also have creative names for their own drinks. Titles like Super Amaro Bros and Cobra Kai take you back to good times, while Risky Business is another drink you’ll dare to drink.
With the variety of booze options, you also get the sides to soak them up, like Spicy Wings, salads, classic yellow fries, and for the sweet tooth (like me), you have Belgian waffles right at your service. Also, you should ask for the “secret menu” because it’s worth checking out!
Timing- Tuesday to Sunday – 4:00 pm to 11:00pm & Friday and Saturday- 4:00 pm to 12:00am
Must Try- Super Amaro Bros, Cobra Kai, Risky Business, Spicy Wings, Belgians Waffles
10. Guilt And Company
I will conclude this list on a very musical note, as I present to you the only concert cocktail bar Vancouver is proud to declare, Guilt and Company. They host commercial music with bands playing live in stages so, you will feel like a concert arena is presenting its grand opening. If you are a sucker for live music coupled with your booze, there is no place else in the Canadian world than this pinpoint among all Vancouver cocktail bars. From local to generic, from a little jazz to a lot of rock, the music keeps changing, but the spirit demands to stay. You can have the privilege of getting drinks on the house with their Femme Fatale.
Its Bulleit rye made me entranced, but what made me crave a whole bottle was the special ingredient they have originally curated, Velvet falernum, which blends with the absinthe and lime perfectly. It’s astounding how good their blends are, and I would definitely say it’s a miss if you don’t visit this live music bar if you ever visit Vancouver.
Timing- Monday to Sunday- 6 pm to 11 pm
Must Try- Mercy, mercy, mercy! The bird, Pirate king old fashioned, New York, I love you but you’re bringing me down, Grounds for divorce
Cocktail Bars Vancouver: Wrapping It Up
From calm to chaotic, exotic to exciting, we all know by now that Vancouver doesn’t just serve drinks, but the whole experience that comes with drinking in the top bars in Vancouver. So, when you are out here visiting Canada next time, you know which place to stop by and relax your soul in, and you also know where all the fun lies. For me, it was all a different kind of solace. Find out what yours is by visiting Vancouver cocktails paradise and have the time of your life with your friends and family.
