Happy hour is an opportunity to try some of Vancouver's best restaurants at a fraction of the price. Here's our guide to the best food Happy Hours in town.
- L'Abattoir Restaurant
Photo Courtesy: L'Abattoir RestaurantOne of the first fine dining restaurants to offer Happy Hour, L'Abattoir's small plates menu is half-price from 5:30pm to 6:30pm in the bar seating area only. (At 6:30pm, it's back to full price.) With only 10 seats available, there is a nightly line-up with eager patrons waiting patiently outside for the restaurant to open. Half-price small plates include smoked foie gras ($12.50), pan-fried veal sweetbreads ($8.50) , baked pacific oysters ($11.50) and poached humpback shrimp ($9). L'Abattoir is also one of the city's best cocktail bars, and a seat at the bar is a wonderful opportunity to watch the bartenders in action. Happy Hour showcases a special nightly cocktail along with glass of red or white wine for $7.00.
Gastown: 217 Carrall St
Happy Hour: 5:30pm-6:30pm Bar Only, Daily.
- Tableau Bar Bistro.
Photo Courtesy: Tableau Bar Bistro
Happy hour at Tableau Bar Bistro is offered daily from 2:30pm to 5:30pm with 50% off selected menu items including charcuterie and cheese plates ($9), oysters (6 for $12) and for vegetarians a delightful roasted beet salad with goat cheese ($7). Their heavenly burger and frites regularly $18.00 is a steal at just $9.00. Wine, beer and highballs are $5.00.
Downtown: 1181 Melville St.
Happy Hour: 2:30pm-5:30pm, Daily.
3. Pourhouse Restaurant
Photo courtesy: The Pourhouse Restaurant
One of Vancouver's best cocktail bars, Pourhour offers happy hour daily from 5pm-6pm featuring their entire small plates menu at 50% off. Feast on small bites ($5) including their famed scotch eggs and "devils on horseback" to larger plates including roasted bone marrow ($8.50), beef carpaccio ($7.50) and grilled Humboldt squid ($8.50). Both carnivores and vegetarians can enjoy their famed burgers which are also 50% off during happy hour. Negronis, wine and beer are $7.00. A lined-up success.
162 Water St
Happy Hour: 5pm-6pm, Daily.
4. Bao Down
EmBAOnada's at Bao Down Snack Bar
Bao Down began in Gastown in 2015, with a small eatry serving up traditional Asian bao sandwiches with a West Coast twist. Their empire quickly expanded with two restaurants opening in Gastown and Olympic Village. Excitedly, Bao Down is slated to open a new restaurant on Vancouver's hip Commercial Drive as well as their first international restaurant in San Francisco. Each restaurant has it's own theme and serves up their own unique menu. Happy hour at both restaurant locations offers excellent value.
Bao Down's Snack Bar Restaurant located in Gastown focuses on Filipino-inspired small plates and serves up Happy Hour Monday to Saturday from 3pm to 6pm. EmBAOnadas, deep-fried bao buns are two for only $5.00 with your choice of adobe style eggplant, braised natural pork or pulled beef short rib. PFC Chicken (gluten free deep fried chicken) or Adobo Shrimp are a steal for just $7.00 along with their popular "Little Big Trouble" for $6.00. Beer, highballs and house wines are $5.00.
Bao Down Gastropub + Raw Bar located in Olympic Village focuses on Pacific Northwest cuisine with an Asian twist. Happy Hour is served up daily from 4pm to 6pm. Their "Platitos" menu items are all $10 during happy hour and include Bang Bang prawns, chicken wings, lettuce wraps and green papaya salad. Addictive Kimichi fries are $5 along with $4 bao sandwiches. Drinks include $5 house beer and wine.
Gastown: 221 Carrall St.
Happy hour: 3pm-6pm, Monday to Saturday.
Olympic Village- 115 West 2nd Ave.
Happy hour: 4pm-6pm, Monday to Saturday.
5. Boulevard Kitchen and Oyster Bar at the Sutton Place Hotel
Photo Courtesy: Boulevard Restaurant
After an afternoon shopping on Robson, head to Boulevard Kitchen and Oyster Bar located in the posh Sutton Place Hotel, which serves up happy hour daily from 3pm to 6pm along with celebrity sightings. Enjoy octopus ceviche, crispy chicken wings or their gourmet hotdog, the Korean galbi'dog featuring American Wagyu beef with pickled vegetables on a brioche bun for just $10. The happy hour menu also features $2 buck a shuck oysters as well as beer and highballs for $5 and house wines or feature cocktails for $6.
Boulevard Kitchen & Oyster Bar
Downtown: 845 Burrard St
Happy Hour: 3pm-6pm, Daily
6. Hapa Izakaya Restaurant
Photo Courtesy: Hapa Izakaya
One of the first Japanese izakaya bars to open in Vancouver, Hapa Izakaya has remained one of the city's best Happy Hours. "Hapa" hour is offered at both Vancouver locations serving up small bites from $3.50 to $6.50 including edamame, beef tataki, and their famed Ebi Mayo (tempura prawn with spicy mayo sauce). The Coal Harbour location also offers chicken and fish tacos for $5 as well spicy tuna rolls for $4.50. Hapa hour features $5 red or white wine and $4 draft beers.
Yaletown: 1193 Hamilton Street
Happy Hour: 5pm-6pm, Daily.
Coal Harbour: 909 W Cordova Street
Happy Hour: 3pm-5:30pm, Monday-Friday.
7. Nicli Antica Pizzeria
Photo Courtesy: Nicli Antica Pizzeria
Good news- Vancouver's first certified Neopolitan pizzeria, Nicli Antica Pizzeria has brought back their happy hour menu featuring a 10 inch Margherita pizza and either a glass of wine or beer for $10.00 from 4pm-6pm daily. That's amore!
Gastown: 62 East Cordova Street
Happy Hour: 4pm-6pm, Daily.
Photo Courtesy: Forage Restaurant
8. Forage Restaurant
For weekend brunch-lovers, there is a reason to get up early or stay up all night. Forage Restaurant severs up their "Hair of the Dog" special featuring classic eggs benedict with a Caesar, Mimosa or draft of Craft Beer for only $12.00 on Saturday and Sundays from 9am to 10am.
Westend: 1300 Robson Street
Hair of the Dog brunch special: 9am-10am, Saturdays and Sundays
