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The Waterfront Taphouse

3.9 (258 reviews)
Closed 11:30 am - 10:00 pm

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THE WATERFRONT TAPHOUSE ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Casual
Touristy
Trendy

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Recommended Reviews - The Waterfront Taphouse

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Smoke and Barrels Old Fashioned
Kade H.

Great view of the river! Excellent service. Delicious food! The stuffed steelhead and the fish and chips were both very good. The drinks were tasty. Lots of space and tables that look out on the water. Looking forward to our next visit.

Fish and Chips
Asha B.

Friday Night, Full Bellies, Zero Regrets Rolled in on a Friday night--family of four, no reservation, living on the edge. The place was packed but somehow we scored a booth with no wait (the restaurant gods were clearly smiling on us). We landed across from the window, but let's be honest--it was already dark out. Waterfront view? More like waterfront shadows. No loss there. Appetizer adventure: Crispy Artichoke Hearts - These were not your standard deep-fried afterthoughts. Lightly breaded with just a hint of tangy goodness that made the flavor pop. The dipping sauce? Chefs kiss. We nearly fought over the last one. Deviled Eggs - Oh, but fancy. Topped with shredded chicken and microgreens like they were headed to a cocktail party. Surprisingly filling and delicious. Deviled eggs with main-character energy. Entrée excellence: Fish & Chips - A classic, leveled up. Crispy on the outside, tender on the inside. The batter had just the right crunch-to-flavor ratio, and it came with solid backup dancers: tangy slaw and golden fries. Big enough to share, but honestly, why would you? Tacos - We're talking hearty, flavorful, generously filled tacos. Definitely not the dainty kind--these are two-hand-holders. Bottom line: Great service, clever spins on classic dishes, and portions that leave you full and happy. Bonus points for snagging a table with zero planning. We'll definitely be back--next time we might even pretend to make a reservation (for the thrill of it, of course). I would say this is a solid 4.5 but Yelp doesn't have half stars yet!

Interior
Joe S.

Beautiful scenery and good service at this spot. We tried a few items from the bites section and really liked the fondue. The fried artichokes were kind of a revelation! The current deviled eggs were nothing special (it was topped with street corn which I didn't think added anything to it). We were a bit overloaded with fried and rich and creamy things by the time we got to the fish and chips so that may be why we didn't enjoy it as much; it felt a bit greasy, and the batter didn't hold up very well even just soon after it was brought out from the kitchen. I was certainly satisfied and curious enough to come back next time in town to try other things from the menu!

Menu
Stephen W.

Gosh, there are so many restaurants on the waterfront that it took us forever to decide. We finally settled on Waterfront Taphouse and it was a good decision. We went for dinner and were lucky to get a second floor water front table with killer views. Service was friendly and helpful, a theme that is common in the Vancouver area. I had the tap house burger and it was excellent. The burger was a little past the medium I requested but it did not matter. There was a delicious BBQ sauce, blue cheese crumbles, and fried onion strings, plus maybe some lettuce. All the flavors came together to make a very delicious burger. At $18 it was not cheap but it was worth the money. The wife had the nachos and it was huge! An enormous portion of chips and toppings. She ate maybe a third of it and was stuffed. I had a couple of IPAs but don't know the name, but they were perfectly paired with the burger. The ambiance overlooking river could not have been better. I told the wife, we belong here.

Blackened Mahi Mahi
John H.

Huge spot on the water with great views! The menu feels pretty typical of a Taphouse restaurant, but with a few pleasant surprises. We had a large booth with a nice view - some of the booths are even elevated over the others - so everyone has a view, smart. To start, we had the crispy artichoke hearts, which were just okay. Honestly, some fibrous, leafy parts still on some of the hearts. Our main dishes were amazing. The PNW stuffed steelhead was great, but I've seen better constructed in other yelp photos. The blackened mahi mahi was phenomenal! Both were great dishes all around, but the steelhead is a heavier dish. The only bad part of the meal was the service. Our server was not attentive and almost never took any dirty dishes away. At one point, he filled a dirty beer glass at the edge of the table with water. He also put his finger in the sauce rim on the mahi mahi. ‍

Lori H.

Decided to try this again for a family dinner. Our out of town family were lodging at the nearby Hotel Indigo and we wanted a restaurant with a beautiful view of the Columbia River. I made reservations online. My first gripe is how many emails, text messages and phone calls I received the day before and day of my reservation. It felt like borderline harassment. I have never received so many reminders and confirmation requests for a reservation before! I literally received 2 emails asking for confirmation, which I replied to as soon as I received them. Then I received a text requesting a confirmation reply, which I did immediately. Then a phone call with voicemail requesting a call back to confirm, which I did within minutes. Finally another text asking for confirmation a couple hours before our reservation time. Geez, it was all a bit much, and super annoying! We did get a window table as requested in my reservation, which was appreciated since we were entertaining out of town family. All the food came out at once, which was great! Only one person in our party wasn't happy with their food. The Caesar salad dressing was way too fishy! You could smell the strong fish odor as soon as the plate was set on the table. It should have been sent back, but regrettedly wasn't. Everyone else seemed to enjoy their food. My other gripe was our waiter. He was just okay. Not too friendly and didn't refill waters at the table throughout our entire dinner. Not sure if he wasn't trying too hard because of the automatic 20% tip added to large groups or what, but it certainly didn't make us feel like he earned his tip. It was disappointing. Overall, a subpar experience. With all the other restaurants opening up down on the Vancouver Waterfront, we'll be choosing a different one next time.

Half Roasted Chicken $26.00 Lemon Herb Marinade, roasted Potatoes, Heirloom Carrots, Broccolini.

The food quality has been declining but we typically frequent this restaurant because of the great location, simplicity of food for the kids and the atmosphere. While service is good, the food was the worst it has been and not cooked as described on the menu. The roasted chicken was roasted and then flash fried making it greasy outside and super dry meat. Food being fried should be included on the menu. Broccolini was one full stem and a sliver of a second one. The ribs my husband ordered were full of gristle. I had emailed the restaurant a week ago about the food quality and did not get a response.

Dinning room
Michael F.

Well this was a one and done. Don't get me wrong. The food was adequate bar fare. Noting special or memorable. The cocktails were college grade. It was just so so. I would look elsewhere for something worth going out for.

Outdoor patio facing west
Andrew C.

In my search for a dining spot with views of the water to take my out of town visitors, I landed on Waterfront Taphouse, and glad I did. The second floor space looks out over the Columbia with 180 degree sightlines, featuring the Interstate Bridge on one side (though not Mt Hood) and if you time it right, the setting sun on the other. There's an outdoor patio if you want to get even closer, but there's more comfortable seating with booths and tables inside (plus A/C). Service was attentive and efficient, and you have a very nice tap list of local beers along with a good selection of cocktails. Our meals got thumbs up all around, with the baked stuffed salmon, BBQ ribs and mahi fish tacos coming on in decent size portions, nicely plated and full flavored. The vibe here is modern, a bit refined but still casual, and somewhat corporate-like in the decor department, but with those great views, the background is secondary. 4/5 for food, 5/5 for views.

Manhattan
Brad C.

Amazing water front eats and drinks. The vibe was upbeat and casual. The service was awesome, our server was always around and took great care of us. The drinks were amazing, we had the mojito, Smoky old fashioned and the Manhattan all were expertly crafted and taste was amazing. The food was delicious, We had wings and corn ribs appetizer and for my main I had the French Dip which was cooked to perfection the horseradish sauce was on point. My coworker had the blackened Mahi Mahi and said it was amazing. Will definitely return here next time I am in town.

Cocktails on a hot day
Amanda S.

I've been here a handful of times and they are consistent. Walking in you are greeted by the hosts and you have a nice view of the waterfront. I ordered the roasted chicken and a refreshing raspberry mojito for the warm day we were having. One of my favorite places to go to in Downtown Vancouver Waterfront.

John L.

The service was very friendly. Our server accommodated my friend's request to change seats and turn on the fireplace with a very nice smile. The various brochette was great, we picked 6 different ones to share. Wishey flights were delightful. The view of the Columbia River with the occasional jets coming out of the airport adds to the atmosphere. The only downside was that it was super busy and got my beer order wrong, twice. 4.5 stars on its way to 5!

Weller Flight

Stopped in here for some late night drinks and to celebrate a birthday. Just sat at the bar and ordered a few whiskey drinks. First thing I noticed was the whiskey selection - they had good choices here including Eagle Rare, Blanton's and Weller. We ended up trying a cider, the Weller Flight, and Eagle Rare. All were very good. Didn't try the food here, so can't comment on that. The bartender was very attentive and friendly. Cool spot on the waterfront for drinks.

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The food was really good. Our waiter was amazing. Polite, friendly and helpful. Everything came out quickly. The environment was great.

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Ask the Community - The Waterfront Taphouse

Do they allow dogs on the outdoor patio?

They only allow service dogs but Twigs does allow dogs on their patio.

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Irrelevant Beer - They have limited seating outside on their sidewalk patio.

Irrelevant Beer

4.3(15 reviews)
0.9 mi
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I have delved into Irrelevant Beer a few times at this point and each experience was solid to…read moreexceptional. Over the course of our experiences we have had eight different beers at this point and time and we have enjoyed them all very much! There is a neighboring coffee shop that is actually right next door called Relevant Coffee and I imagine it's the same owners doing both coffee and beer at two different locations. I bought a coffee bag of Relevant Coffee for us to enjoy at home and it was quite good! You can buy coffee bags at the brewery also which is where I bought mine. And now onto the beer! As I said currently I have had eight different beers and I will go into detail as to what I thought about each one I had. 1) Living Eulogy is a Bock beer which was something I don't normally am able to get a hold of so getting one was definitely a priority. In this flavor profile you can detect notes of chocolate, coffee, sweetness and creaminess. It is also a fairly thick beer. 2) The Pocket Symphony is an American style IPA and was nice and refreshing with it's melony, hoppy, fruity and crisp flavor characteristics. I considered this beer to be very, very solid. 3) A favorite of mine was the Sundressed and I rated quite high on Untappd. This was a Witbier which I do love getting. These wheat based beers are so tasty even though sometimes the gluten comes back and may bite me later. the flavor of these beers are so blissful which is why it's one of my favorites. Flavors to have fun finding in the flavor profile are maltiness, citrus and coriander. This beer goes down nice and smooth! 4) Inner Song is another IPA I had. This time out it was a black IPA or a Cascadian Black Ale as some call it. I do love these kinds of beers! At first in our brewery adventures this IPA type was kind of hard to find but they seem to be a bit more common now. The flavors in this beer are malty, roasty, floral and some notes of coffee. This beer is also very aromatic. 5) Dark Ambient was another beer we delved into... this time a Vienna Lager. A type of lager that Steve and I both like quite a bit. Perhaps not our most favorite lager type but that didn't hold me back in giving this beer a very high rating on Untappd and it becoming one of my favorites. Flavors to enjoy in this beer are caramel, toastiness, herbal aspects, some fruitiness along with a dry finish. 6) The Relative Strangers lager was another lager we thought very highly of... seems like a trend here with this brewery and being very, very fond of their lagers. Well, it's completely justifiable as the lagers from Irrelevant are great! In this beer flavor features to enjoy are coffee, caramel, roasty, malty and coffee. 7) Mediocre Love is an IPA we had at one point from our beer experiences here. It's a good, solid IPA and is very refreshing! Look for fruitiness and a presence of peach. 8) The final beer was the Shrimp Fried Rice. This was another IPA of the New England sort and was very nice and refreshing. Flavors to partake in this flavor profile are juicy, tropical and some sweetness. The beer is smooth and soft in body. I realize describing some of the flavor features in all these beers there is quite a few of the same flavor elements in the beer... like coffee or roastiness but despite those flavor characteristics being in more than one beer you can certainly tell the difference between those that do share common characteristics so don't think that finding one element of flavor in one beer over another is going to blur together as to what beer you are drinking and if you can distinguish the difference... you certainly can!

2 minutes away, Brothers Cascadia Brewery is a hidden gem. Just go try their burgers, fries, beers…read moreand you will get what I mean. Consistently great food, top notch service, no matter the day or time. Honestly, just make the simple decision to keep your hard earned money and skip Goon Burger / Irrelevant Beer. This "goon" burger only qualifies as a burger in some chaotic South Park fantasy. It looks like they really dropped it on the floor and called it a concept. The fries? Sad, soggy, barely seasoned, and completely forgettable. Now the best part: the hipster staff at both places. They take themselves very seriously. One of their newer employees, clearly aiming for Employee of the Month, decided to stop me while I was literally grabbing my food and leaving, just to tell me, in a smug tone, that next time I can't bring my dog. The funny part. I was already outside waited for my food away from patrons, then I grabbed my food, and was leaving right away. What exactly was the problem? Did my calm, happy dog disrupt the sacred burger experience? I laughed and said we'll see about that. You don't just randomly enforce a rule like that and talk to customers like that. I've been there plenty of times before with no issue. But apparently, after a very important team meeting about dogs they had just yesterday, they have decided that, even "pickup customers" can't have their dogs with them. Mate, you could have just said "hey, can you tie him outside next time?" Easy. Human. Instead, you went full authority mode over a mid burger spot. I won't be going back, not because I will miss anything, but because of that attitude. When people blindly follow rules without basic common sense, it just gets sad. Anyway once again, Brothers Cascadia Brewery. Two minute drive, ten minute walk. Just go.

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Irrelevant Beer - Hanging out at the bar at their great new location around the corner from where they used to be.

Hanging out at the bar at their great new location around the corner from where they used to be.

Irrelevant Beer - The Black Boc known as Living Eulogy!

The Black Boc known as Living Eulogy!

Irrelevant Beer

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Pour Choices Pub - 01/25/25 - they currently have 15 local beers & ciders on tap & you can view their current tap list on their website.

Pour Choices Pub

4.7(6 reviews)
1.0 mi

Low key, laid back environment with friendly regulars. Great rotating tap list. Good Thai truck in…read moreback, with more trucks coming.

This beer & cider taproom (with some wine, too!) is located in the spot formerly occupied by…read moreDoomsday Brewing's uptown Vancouver location (Doomsday Brewing's other locations are still open). They've changed up the decor making it lighter & brighter, with lots of houseplants & colorful abstract art* on the walls. Gone are the pinball machines which were replaced with a new cozy nook with soft chairs to relax in. They still have several small tables, along with window seating & the stools at the bar, of course, and there are couple TVs around that had different sports on. The gravel patio out back has the same tabletop fire pit & some other patio chairs & tables (hopefully they'll give the patio a facelift when warmer weather comes). The same friendly beertender we knew from before was working, so that was nice. They currently have some wine options along with 13 local beers & 2 local ciders on tap, and you can view their current tap list on their website. According to their website they have the following weekly events as well (see website for more details): -Sundays 4p - close, table-top games -Mondays 6:30p- 8:30p, trivia -Tuesdays 7p- 10p, open musician jam session -Wednesdays all day, 10% off wine -Thursdays 8p, comedy open-mic -Fridays 8p, live music -Saturdays 8:30p, karaoke *The only negative I found was they oddly have some incredibly expensive, and imho, wildly overpriced abstract art that's for sale, hanging on all the walls.

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Pour Choices Pub - Front door

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Front door

Breakside Brewery - Flight of all their beers that aren't IPAs.

Breakside Brewery

4.1(10 reviews)
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Was walking around downtown and came across the brewery seeing it was open! We lucked out with bar…read moreseats, at like 530pm. Peter was phenomenal, he let us sample some brews, and we opted for a blend of a cider and breakside beer, he was very attentive, which were delicious! I do wish their music was a bit louder as with everyone talking it echos. Food menu is very limited, I'm assuming it's because they're still new? I hope they expand! I will be back, as the vibe is great!

We used to frequent Locust Brewing when we lived next door to the joint. Learned recently it has…read moreclosed and that Breakside has taken over. Decided to stop in for a drink. They have decent indoor and outdoor seating. You're right against the sidewalk, so there is some great people watching while you're visiting. Their beers are vast. Now, to be fair, I don't do a lot of beer drinking. We all know I like my martinis so beers are few and far in between. We did share a flight when we stopped in last... they had some great IPA options which was great for me - I prefer an IPA. The flight was good. There wasn't a beer I didn't like. The food options are limited. Not where we'd aim to go have dinner... now a nice beer before dinner downtown, sure, it's a place to land. Service is always friendly and prices are fair.

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Breakside Brewery - Nachos $18 add chicken $6 add queso $4 plus 20% tip. not going back for myself unless i forget how to use a microwave.

Nachos $18 add chicken $6 add queso $4 plus 20% tip. not going back for myself unless i forget how to use a microwave.

Breakside Brewery - Inside

Inside

Breakside Brewery - Bartop

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Bartop

Uptown Barrel Room

Uptown Barrel Room

4.0(340 reviews)
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Our visit was almost four weeks ago, shame on me, I don't recall exactly what I had that day but…read morelet me say this. The food was good; the service also, and the ambiance was, or is friendly, well done, without any disappointments. The others in the group were also pleased with All of the experience groups. Absolutely No problems with a return visit.

You can see my previous reviews and they've been great. Unfortunately not this time, this time…read morebeing Sunday November 30th about 6pm. I have 2 friends that have been reluctant on this place from previous "not good" experiences, and they came with me and it made me sad!! Anyway, our server was so blah (Katelyn H), our water glasses had lipstick marks, I asked her for new ones, she seemed to have forgotten or something so I asked the bartender (which is so sweet!) then our server heard me and grabbed glasses and handed them to me. She didn't check if they were clean, and they weren't, friends were too thirsty to wait and wiped off the lip marks with their napkin. She didn't even bother to ask if the glasses were clean, and also never asked us if we needed anymore drinks (we ordered cocktails). When food arrived, I had to walk up to her to ask for small plates, as she just walked away after delivery. The calzones were burnt on the bottom, and the marinara was 100000% canned tomato paste and was cold. Work on that marinara. Ambiance was as it always is, super chill and welcoming. She was the only server but she could have led with that and made it a comfortable setting. (Towards the end I saw the bartender delivering plates and drinks).

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Uptown Barrel Room
Uptown Barrel Room
Uptown Barrel Room

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UnderBar - Under burger  fries

UnderBar

4.1(98 reviews)
0.9 mi

I had a negative experience with the karaoke staff at Underbar. I signed up to sing before three of…read moremy friends, but they and many others were allowed to sing ahead of me. When I asked about the order, the male KJ was dismissive, and the female KJ repeatedly stated that I was lying about signing up earlier. Two friends confirmed to her that I had not been lying, but she continued to insist otherwise. I spoke with the owner to explain the situation. Later, after leaving Underbar and going to Tip Top, the same KJ arrived there. I approached her to express that I did not appreciate being called a liar. She then represented the interaction as if I had been harassing her, which was not accurate, as I had arrived at Tip Top before she did. Overall, the situation was handled unprofessionally by the karaoke staff, and the interaction was unnecessarily confrontational.

Y'all I love this place.. When you walk down the stairs the…read moreambience pulls you in but it's the people, wonderful food and fantastic drinks that keep you there... There's always a show or activity going and then trivia with some of the most fantastic hosts and performers.. The bartenders are fantastic at what they do plus the food is delicious! One of those rare places I can say I love it all right down to the owners! (Just the sweetest) Drop in and say hello, you'll love it.. I've included just a few pictures of amazing hosts and performers from events at Underbar

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UnderBar
UnderBar - Grilled Cheese and Tomato Basil Soup.

Grilled Cheese and Tomato Basil Soup.

UnderBar - Happy Hour Gin and Tonic

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Happy Hour Gin and Tonic

Witness Tree - Food: Deviled Eggs and Cocktail Prawns. Drinks: Fever Dream, Recommended Bourbon, and Postcard from Paradise

Witness Tree

4.0(52 reviews)
0.2 mi

Cool rooftop bar in hotel…read more Service was great. We went on a Saturday night and it was pretty busy. Went to serval bars that night and this was the most expensive.

Witness Tree is located on top of Hotel Indigo along the newish Vancouver (WA) waterfront west of…read moreI5. The area has developed quickly and having grown up nearby and moved away years ago, it's amazing to see what's happened along here. Prices - well, everyone has their hand out along here. We were in town somewhat last minute staying at Hotel Indigo. The hotel provides $10 drink coupons so we decided to drop in for an impromptu drink while planning our dinner strategy. It was already 7p so no view but live music and a nice buzzy ambiance. Wait staff were fast and friendly, and before we knew it two delicious cocktails were in front of us. At the same time, I overheard the waitress at the table beside us saying that food could be ordered from El Gaucho downstairs. So we asked for a menu and started perusing. If you don't know El Gaucho it's a classic steak restaurant with lots of cuts and sizes, a sprinkling of seafood, the usual salads, and tableside this and that. A notch above Ruth's Chris, Morton's or The Capital Grille but with Peter Luger Manhattan prices. Yes, that's right, Manhattan prices in Vancouver. WA. The Couv is all grown up. Or at least trying to be, Like Witness Tree, El Gaucho has a mandatory 20% gratuity regardless of party size. Theoretically this shouldn't be an issue if you know restaurant culture and tip appropriately but I think a mandatory fee rubs many wrong to assume service will always be at that level. And on top of very high prices. A $72 6oz filet is $86, so those 8 bites better be damn good. That said, we ordered oysters, a filet, seafood pasta, and wine. The wine list was decent but not as extensive for a premium steak restaurant. Wines had the typical markup which meant $20-35+ per glass. Both the pasta and steak were good but - and this may sound picky - at $72 for 6 ounces of steak (a bar of soap) I expect perfection which means medium rare throughout. The steak was medium in some parts. If I can achieve medium rare throughout at home it should be possible here. So here's the math (rounded) for those interested. Total bill: $295. $225 food and drinks, $45 service fee (mandatory 20%), and $24 tax (8.8%). Interestingly, the 20% service charge is taxed which means we actually paid $49 or 28.8%. Had I been given the choice of my own 20% tip it would be applied to food and drink and a slightly lower bill. Not a huge deal but these are the little details - call it "nickel and diming" patrons - that rub many wrong. One note - another server came to our table before our food arrived and placed a steak in front of me. Before he could place the other dish I told him it wasn't our order. He picked up the steak and delivered to another table. In most restaurants - and certainly in a premium setting - that dish should have been remade. Whether perception or simple hygiene you simply can't do that. All in all, the Witness Tree was a nice spot, with tasty cocktails and ambiance. Prices and service fee will be off putting for some, and not sure this would be my go-to as there are many rooftop / view options nearby.

Photos
Witness Tree - Balcony

Balcony

Witness Tree - Interior

Interior

Witness Tree - Wine with a sunset view

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Wine with a sunset view

The Waterfront Taphouse - beerbar - Updated May 2026

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