Top 10 best bars in Vancouver of all time, according to Yelp
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – To celebrate Vancouver Week at KOIN 6 News, we asked Yelp to compile a list of the best bars in the city.
From cozy wine tasting rooms overlooking the Columbia River to a bar embracing an unsolved Pacific Northwest mystery, the list includes a variety of spots to grab a drink.
Yelp identified the top bars using several factors including the total volume and rating of reviews.
Brewed Café & Pub
With more than 450 reviews and a 4.7-star rating, Brewed Café & Pub topped Yelp’s list of the best bars in Vancouver.
The pub, located at 603 Main Street, opened in 2012 and serves everything from wine and IPAs to cocktails and coffee.
On Yelp, Brewed Cafe & Pub's owner explained "This is the place to be for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Brewed is a family run cafe that focuses on local, high-quality food and drink. We are proud to offer Vancouver's very own Transcendence Coffee Roasters. Specialty Coffee minus the snooty attitude.”
According to one Yelp reviewer in June, the cafe serves the "best coffee in Vancouver."
Willamette Valley Vineyards Vancouver Waterfront
Willamette Valley Vineyards, which claims to be among the region’s leading wineries, scored the second spot on Yelp’s list.
With Columbia River views, the tasting room offers “world class, sustainably made wines and Pacific Northwest-inspired food pairings,” the vineyard's website says.
Willamette Valley Vineyard’s wine selection includes sparkling wine from their Dundee Hills estate, sauvignon blanc from Tualatin Hills, and merlot from Walla Walla.
In August, the Vancouver tasting room is celebrating its two-year anniversary on the waterfront, located at 801 Waterfront Way.
Brian Carter Cellars
Boasting the highest star rating on the list, with 4.8 stars, Brian Carter Cellars also scored a spot on Yelp’s list.
The business's Vancouver tasting room, at 660 Waterfront Way, offers personalized tastings of European-style blended wines with shared plates and flatbreads. The tasting room also offers a tasting flight of five wines for $20.
Brian Carter Cellars was also named 2023 Pacific Northwest Winery of the Year by Great Northwest Wine.
Tap Union Freehouse
Rated 4.6 stars, Tap Union Freehouse scored the number four spot on Yelp’s list for best bars.
The tap room, and bottle shop, opened in 2015 at 1300 Washington Street.
As of Aug. 20, the tap list includes the Animal Cookies IPA, “brewed for the hop-loving animal inside of you,” a ginger root hard kombucha, and the coconut cacao barrel aged dark star stout.
Victor 23 Craft Brewery
Rated 4.6 stars, Victor 23 Brewery “embraces the adventurous history of the Pacific Northwest,” with a beer collection in homage to D.B. Cooper, a man suspected of hijacking an airplane in 1971, and getting away with $200,000.
The St. Johns Boulevard Brewery’s beer list includes the “Skyjacker” West Coast IPA, the “Parachute Pivo” Czech lager, and the "Perfect Heist” New Zealand pale ale.
Ruse Brewing Crust Collective
With a 4.5-star rating, Ruse Brewing Crust Collective made Yelp’s list – serving up beer on tap and Detroit-style pizza.
“Ruse Brewing is an artisanal brewery inspired by Portland’s creative community & culture. These attributes are what inspire us to create out art: Craft beer,” Ruse Brewing’s website says.
Ruse Brewing’s beer line includes “Glass Shadows” IPA, with notes of stone-fruit, mango, and grapefruit, and “Imaginary Lines,” which Ruse Brewing describes as “brewed with both rolled and malted oats and a tenacious trip of Strata, Citra, and Mosaic, for a fruit punch medley to your face.”
The Infirmary
The Infirmary, at 1708 Washington St, is a new addition to Shanahan’s Pub & Grill.
The bar offers more than 300 Irish, Canadian, Japanese, Taiwanese, and Welsh whiskies and other “unique and rare spirits.”
In January, one Yelp reviewer said, "This place is the place for happy hour. Good food and great service. If you want to drink some of the best whiskey around all-in-one place this is the place."
Taps Growler House
Founded “on the love of beer and the desire to create the best hangout in town,” Taps Growler House boasts a 4.6-star Yelp rating.
“We take pride in our customer service to ensure you have the best experience at Taps. With 54 taps of beer, wine, and cider, we have an enormous selection of local brews. We aim to have something here for everybody,” Taps’ website says.
The tap list includes a variety of options from hard cider and stout to amber ale and hazy IPA.
One Yelp reviewer said, “there is not a better place to grab an amazing craft beer in Vancouver.”
Ben’s Bottle Shop
The restaurant, beer and wine tap room on East Mill Plain Boulevard features 20 coolers with a rotating collection of beer, wine, mead, sakes, ciders, and more.
Ben's Bottle Shop's draft list includes an orange peach mimosa hard cider from Mela Brewing and Hana Pils Japanese rice pilsner from Ferment Brewing Co.
“We carry beers from all over the world but always support the many fantastic breweries of the Pacific Northwest, specifically our own great city of Vancouver, Washington,” Ben’s Bottle Shop website says.
The business was also voted one of 2019’s Great American Beer Bars from craftbeer.com.
Niche Wine Bar
In the heart of downtown Vancouver, Niche Wine Bar rounds out the top 10 bars featured in Yelp's list.
The menu includes reds, whites, roses, sake, sparkling wine and dessert wines, along with cocktails.
“Nestled within the Riverview Tower, Niche Wine Bar is a hub of warmth, camaraderie, and exquisite wines in downtown Vancouver, WA,” Niche Wine Bar’s website states. “Our inviting atmosphere welcomes guests to relax, mingle, and embark on a global wine journey. Boasting an extensive range of wines from countries all over the world, Niche caters to both the seasoned connoisseur and the curious beginner.”