Top 5 Cocktail Bars

The Diamond, Gastown
Right in the heart of historic Gastown, The Diamond is easy to miss from street-level. Look for the neon diamond on the Powell corner of Maple Tree Square and head upstairs for contemporary cocktails and charcuterie nibbles. We’re fans of the modern speakeasy feel when it’s dark, but early evening with the sun streaming through the windows is also a breath of fresh air.

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. The Keefer now has retail options, so take-home souvenirs like the Opium Sour mix (grapefruit and tamarind) can bring back memories of your new favourite Vancouver tipple.

The Chickadee Room, Chinatown
Right across the street from The Keefer, and located at the end of our favourite fried chicken restaurant, Juke, the Chickadee Room is a cocktail bar with some of the savviest barkeeps in town. Whether going with classic or signature cocktails, or ordering from their tidy, spot-on craft beer and wine list, Juke’s popular menu is always available for snacking.

Liberty Distillery, Granville Island
Take home a taste of B.C. from Granville Island’s Liberty Distillery — made right here in Vancouver from 100% organic B.C. grain, the handcrafted artisanal spirits range from pink gin to whiskey aged in Madeira barrels. While the tasting tours have been suspended for right now, you can still take a seat at the 110-year-old bar and sip cocktails such as their Honey’d Sour made with their own Railspur No. 2 Wildflower Honey unaged whiskey.

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.