I went here with a friend for NYE. We had to wait an hour at the door to get tickets the day if as…read morethe bar was closed the day before and we are not local so couldnt just wander by whenever to get them. We also overheard people talking in the line and saying that theres always issues with trying to get tickets ahead of time. That being said, the guy who answered the phone when I called earlier in the day was super nice. Service here is pretty good for a bar. The waitress was attentive and checked on our drinks regularly. The bartenders are quick and we never had to wait more than 5 minutes for drinks. The process are better than average. A double costs about $9, a single just under $6. The band, the Big Shiny Dudes, was decent for the cover charge of $25. The dance floor was a good size -- it never seemed empty nor too crowded. However, the seating could have been a lot more efficient and it would be better if they had more stools and high top tables instead of restaurant style tables that do not optimize seating. It would also be nice to have hooks to hang purses/jackets under tables, etc. The bathroom ran out of soap very early on and was never replenished although the paper towel eventually was. Location is ok, although definitely not in the nicest part of town. The kitchen closed before we even got in the doors, it would be nice to have the kitchen hours posted online so we would have known to get food beforehand. Or, for the kitchen to at least serve chips and salsa or fries, snacky things.

Don't let the outside deceive you. The inside is charming and friendly. Staff are incredibly nice!…read moreService was great. They have food. We left before the band started, but the music selection was rocking. Cheers!!

Best smoked meat in town. Very underrated restaurant. Cause wow it was delicious!!!…read moreI would highly recommend giving it a try!

Service was decent but food was horrible. Table of five, all of the meat on each dish was inedible…read moreand tough. Burger was so overcooked and burnt. Pork was tough. Chicken overdone and hard and beef bites weee tough and fatty. Gravy absolutely terrible. Great atmosphere and good service. Used to have good pub food in the past but not anymore

Live music on a small stage with about 50 seats on the floor. An antique bar serves beer and wine…read morebefore and during the break. Tshirts and other souvenirs are also available. A great venue for musicians

I cannot emphasize how awesome this venue and staff are. 100…read moreseats so not a bad seat in the house. Sound quality second to none. Lots of street parking. Because of this shows sell out fast. If you like live music, you gotta go.

We took Friday night to step out of our age and revisit our youth!…read more Jmac, Stevie and my brother bought tickets to see the seminal Vancouver rock band Japandroids at the Cobalt. It was everything that i've become shitty at lately. Including staying up late, lining up, dealing with crowds and waiting for a drink. We started early in the hope they would have as well. I dont know how we did it. It seemed like such a struggle coordinating cabs to arrive before an unspecified time at a complete shit hole that seemed to have no concern that we were thirsty and unacustomed to having to fight our way through a bar line up that seemed oblivious to our ability to tip our way through this. Johns first rye and ginger arrived as a red bull and rye . The pretty thing at the bar was unimpressed with our ability to buy service and looked in disgust when John complained, threatening to take his businness and his tye dye Tshirt out of there and back to Browns!! It began to get even hotter and the crowd swelled beyond the legal limits of capacity. I thought, why didnt we bring a fireman? I switched to canned beer out of frustration. Cheap, cold and less of a line up. I felt young. My power wained even further. I went outside to cool down . When I rentered my glasses immediately fogged up to the point of blindness. I scratched my hands across the table looking for the beer I thought i had left there only to find my self running my fingers through a hipsters beard. As I screamed my apology through the ear splitting cacophony of a to near speaker , my glasses cleared long enough to see him wipe my spittle from his forehead and hear his girlfriend ask me if I needed to call someone. At this point I was unsure if I was having an anxiety attack or a stroke or both . I leaned back and pushed my self into the hipsters bench without invitation. Surely i was leaving on a gurney regardless. As the crowd looked at me with no concern whatsoever I became mildly at peace and gave in. And it happened. I cooled down for no acceptable scientific reason. my blood slowed, my vision cleared. I stopped sweating and the overwhelming sense of doom associated with a full on panic attack stopped for no reason other than the ativan i couldnt push under my tongue became nothing other than a belief in its psychosomatic effectiveness. I stared across the crowd and 200 hipsters were singing " its raining in Vancouver and I dont give a fuck, Cause im alone with you tonight" Screaming the lyrics to a song. I wanted to take a picture but I noticed no one else was. It was beautiful . They were singing along. Joyfully. Im not young enough to do this anymore but i still undertand why I did.... And if you need any particulars of the actual space . Yeah, Ayla's sums it up nicely.

This skuzzy death metal bar used to be a strip club back in the day, and the mounted pedestals with…read moreshower nozzles are still located throughout the room, adding an authentic trashy vibe to the already filthy ambiance. The Cobalt is the lowest common denominator of bars in Vancouver, but it manages to take a certain pride in the dilapidated scenario. Typically full of punkish-goth kids, it serves extremely cheap beer and highballs, has ample seating and room for mosh pits, and comes off as unpretentious, in a "too good for good" sort of way. Many loud bands are given their first opportunity here, and many of the better ones return after achieving success for nostalgia's sake. Things can get out of hand, as conventional wisdom tends to get left behind in coat check, and obnoxious teenage drunks start doing whatever they want. I've even seen a band shoot whiskey filled super soakers out into the audience. This is actually the only place I ever did cocaine, taking it for the only time on one of the musty old cars parked out back. I had always envisioned doing blow with nice clothes, beautiful women, a mirror, and a rolled up hundred dollar bill, but the Cobalt was so exactly opposite that it seemed perfect.

5 stars simply for being an absolute legend of a venue!! Expensive drinks, just meh food but still…read morehands down my favourite place to see a concert! It's the perfect size for a show, you feel close enough to the main stage but yet it can fit a ton of fans! Bartenders are always friendly and quick serving drinks.

The Commodore Ballroom is a great place for concerts and live entertainment. The staff were very…read morefriendly and helpful, and there's a large dance floor that adds to the atmosphere. The bathrooms were very clean, and I liked that there are two levels with bars. I didn't try the food, but overall I always enjoy my time here. Great location too -- close to the Granville Street SkyTrain station, with lots of restaurants and a fun vibe nearby.

Guilt & Co is a popular live music bar in Vancouver's Gastown neighborhood, known for its nightly…read moreperformances by a variety of local and touring musicians, from jazz and blues to funk and rock. It features a dark, cozy, and intimate atmosphere, with food and drinks available, and a cover charge per set, though it used to be pay-what-you-can. The venue is praised for its consistent quality of live music. Great vibe! Plenty of seating. Quaint and cozy.

Based on my experience going at 8:40pm on Friday night…read more We went there for the live music performance. It was near the end of the first set when we showed up and there was no line up at all and were seated immediately. It was already packed by the time we were there. When we were headed out at 10:30, there was a very long line up.

We had a really wonderful experience attending the Orcas Island Chamber Musical Festival here. The…read morecenter has a beautiful theater with clear sight lines and spectacular acoustics. The lobby and reception area were also spacious, bright, and welcoming. Another lovely feature of the venue is local art for sale around the space. It gives it the feel of a gallery. Excellent venue.

Great music venue for everyone. We came here for couple of flute concerts over the years.read more

Tucked away in a little mall type of situation, if you think you are lost, you probably aren't!…read moreJust find a place to park and walk in...and eventually you will find it. A gem of a place, with a super knowledgeable and friendly proprietor. He certainly knows his vintage punk, and had a few punk offerings of that ilk in the store. Heck, he knows Joey Shithead, as well as members of the Dishrags! Not really a store for new records as it is a used record shop, but everything is in great shape. While not a large place, they have plenty of selection in there. Definitely worth a regular stop if you are nearby, as they seem to actively search out new stock.

This place is a hidden gem. It is literally hidden, good luck finding it suckers!…read more If you reach the end of the road and think you have made a mistake as what appears to be a giant high rise is looming over you.. you've nailed it. Go park in the FREE parking lot. If you walk up to the front doors and still think you have made a mistake as the doors are locked and you need to buzz in.... just walk down the few stairs and go in the lower door on the left. You're still nailing it. Good for you! Located in the basement mall, it's the coolest little place. Great vinyl selection, reasonable prices, and solid quality. The gentleman running the shop is the friendliest vinyl lover you will ever meet. He even hosts live music here!

I rarely write reviews unless exceptionally good or exceptionally bad. I was excited to go into…read moreSimonholt today having looked at the menu online. I ordered a beer and some takeout. The beer was good, server charming. When I got home, the side of coleslaw was mixed in with the sticky ribs (!!not even a separate container) and the ribs were so black and charred and crunchy (ouch), they perforated my tongue! Also, they mixed up my order with another patron, so if it hadn't been that I used the loo before leaving, I would have gone home with the wrong order. This was a Tuesday evening (4:30 ish), so not busy - in fact I don't recall seeing any tables occupied. JEEEEZ guys, what a let down!

Basically a pub. Stick with the burgers…read more Wrong dish brought, reordered ... partner finished his meal before replacement meal arrived. Offered a free dessert... seriously ? Menu never changes. Decor sldo. eeds a reboot

The Iconic Roxy has been around for ages. It's clients vry from day to day depending on the bands…read moreplaying. Good chill vibe for those want to hang out along the bright lights of Granville St.

Was visiting Vancouver and staying downtown... and this was a must stop spot!…read more It's a historic bar. Had a live band playing. Good time!