Top 5 Cocktail Bars

Bartholomew, Yaletown
Right in the heart of Yaletown, Bartholomew is a cozy, dark wood bar that you want to retreat into. The long, narrow room is home to comfy banquettes and booths, perfect for a cocktail or two and a chin-wag. But don’t just stick to the drinks list; the bar also offers some of the best cheese and charcuterie options in the city, as well as larger plates for bigger appetites. Don’t miss their compelling nightly happy hour from 5 – 6 pm.

The Keefer Bar, Chinatown
Chinatown is home to some of the city’s coolest bars, but The Keefer Bar has always stood out to us as one of the most interesting, thanks to its apothecary-themed décor and cocktails. Look out for their seasonal “prescriptions” among their 25+ unique cocktails, as well as a very compelling happy hour from 4 pm – 6 pm, Sunday through Friday.

Bagheera, Chinatown
Just a couple of blocks from The Keefer is Bagheera, a speakeasy-style lounge behind the facade of the “Happy Valley Turf Club”. Tell them you want to place a bet on “King Louie” and you’ll be shown through to a hidden cocktail bar that aims to conjure the days of Victorian India. Along with inventive cocktails, you’ll also find a surprisingly robust dinner menu of curries, pakoras and more.

LaLa at June, Cambie Village
One of Vancouver’s hottest new restaurant openings also features a buzzy downstairs listening lounge. June‘s own cocktail list is noteworthy, but there’s nowhere better to enjoy a tipple than behind the velvet curtains at LaLa. Take a seat at one of the low tables, order up a drink and some carefully curated nibbles from the June menu, while DJs spin vinyl seven days a week.

Shameful Tiki Room, Mount Pleasant
Take a trip to Polynesia (well, just up Main Street) and enter the yellow door to discover the darkly lit world of the Shameful Tiki Room. As the exotic name suggests, this Tiki-themed bar serves up seriously boozy beverages in a tropical setting (we’re not kidding — ‘Zombie’ rum cocktails are so potent they are limited to two per person). Share a mystery volcano cocktail for a fun surprise when it’s served and listen out for live music on the weekend.