8 Best Nightlife in Vancouver, British Columbia

If beer is your thing, head to Alibi, which specializes in pairing beer with your meal. Kegs of microbrews from around British Columbia and beyond are the pride and joy here, and it's known for having one of the best selections of craft beers in Vancouver. For those looking for something other than beer, there are also organic wines and a few fun cocktails to enjoy. 

Tucked away just off Main Street on 6th Avenue, you'll find a cozy space known for its endless selection of natural wines—as well as sakes, cocktails, and more. Late-night bites include creative dishes like mussels escabeche tartine and duck liver parfait. And FYI, the wine bar and eatery won Gold for Best New Restaurant at Vancouver Magazine's 2022 Restaurant Awards.

A 14-foot communal table crafted from a redwood plank is the heart of this tasting room and distillery, which produces small-batch gins, vodka, and special liqueurs. The house-made spirits are the basis of excellent cocktails, and though the tasting room has fairly limited hours (Friday for gin and tonics, Thursday and Saturday for cocktails), the family charm makes the experience a worthwhile treat. Plan ahead, as it's closed Monday to Wednesday.

One of Vancouver's original microbreweries, R&B serves house-made beers with East Vancouver-inspired names (try the Stolen Bike Lager or Dude Chilling Pale Ale) alongside a delicious brewpub menu (they are well known for their pizzas). Grab a seat in the busy taproom or on the small outdoor patio. And while you nosh on pizza and beer, enjoy the music on the overhead speakers, and take in the baseball knickknacks and cool retro decor. 

The 360-degree views from this convention center patio take in Stanley Park, the seaplane terminal, and the North Shore Mountains. You can sit inside, amid the wooden casks of wine (in addition to 36 beers on tap, there are more than 20 British Columbia wines on tap), but waiting for a seat on the deck is worth it if the weather even hints at sunshine. There's another location—and similarly large patio—on False Creek, another at North Vancouver's Shipyards district with equally stunning harbor views on a giant patio, and yet another giant patio venue on Granville Island.

Inside this intimate bar on the eastern edge of Chinatown, you'll find retro '80s vibes, A+ cocktails (you must try the Greyscale with gin, black lime, black sesame, lime juice, and egg white), and affordable eats from the attached Juke Fried Chicken (fried chicken, ribs, sandwiches, cornbread, mac and cheese, etc.). There's a small outdoor space, too.

Since 1980, the award-winning Vancouver TheatreSports troupe has been performing hilarious improv. Catch a show before an enthusiastic crowd Wednesday to Saturday evenings at 7:30 and 9:30, or enjoy some stand up, featuring Canadian and international headliners every other Thursday at 9.

The Keefer Bar has fully capitalized on its Chinatown connection, using ingredients sourced from local herbalists—think ginseng, tea-based tinctures, or astragalus root. Small plates of Asian dishes make good nibbling. The decor is dark and red, with hanging cylindrical neon lights that layer a sultry, hidden vibe over nights of live music and DJs.