we drive by princeton pub all the time, but this was our first time stopping in, 9:00 pm on a saturday night and we lucked out with parking right out front, which already felt like a good sign. the pub is rich in history, dating back to 1912, and that sense of time and tradition is still very much part of the atmosphere. the space feels worn in and comfortable rather than gritty or rundown. what really sets princeton pub apart is that they feature live music every single night, and there's no cover charge, it's easy to see how that keeps the place feeling comfortable, lively, and well loved. inside, the pub was packed and buzzing, with almost every table full and everyone clearly leaning into the weekend. people were sharing plates of nachos, drinking, laughing, playing pool under green lights, and keeping half an eye on the tvs, while festive decorations hanging from the ceiling added to the warm, upbeat energy. the waitress was efficient and kept things moving despite the crowd, which we appreciated. we had just come from dinner and were already full, so food wasn't the focus, though we did get a basket of fries. we found a spot, ordered a few rounds of drinks, and settled in because we were really there for the music. we know the drummer, and watching the trio play a set of covers made the night even better. drums, keys, and sax worked seamlessly together, cutting through the crowd noise and clinking glasses and turning an already lively bar into a full on saturday night scene. princeton pub is a classic, old school neighbourhood pub with real character rather than a polished aesthetic. dark wood, green accents, pool tables, low lighting, and a slightly crowded layout give it a lived in feel. as expected, it can get loud, in a good way, with conversations overlapping, glasses clinking, and music filling the room. the live music feels organic, close to the crowd, and part of the bar's personality. overall, it's a casual, authentic spot with a festive weekend energy, perfect for enjoying drinks, live music, and a lively, friendly atmosphere. read more

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Came here to watch a friends show. Came here starving so we ordered their lemon pepper wings and highly recommend! Flavourful; super crispy but not dry. Delicious! Took our photo half way through the meal. So not an actual portion - it did come with more wings and celery and carrots! read more

Princeton Pub - Lemon pepper wings - Dive Bars Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Downtown Vancouver Eastside... Not in the best part of town, but thankfully quite a few blocks from the worst part of town, which is hundreds of people in tents living on the sidewalk. But you can feel safe going to this place. Staff seemed friendly, folks sitting at the table next to us were friendly, the music was good... Annie Bonbon... And the music is always free. Pretty good combination! 3 1/2 stars. I couldn't figure out how to get to the extra 1/2. read more

What a dump! This was a dive bar on the ugly side of town, so I didn't expect much. But the drinks were expensive, the band was awful with sound all over the place and the interior looks like it hasn't changed since the early 90s. If you're gonna charge people $9 for a Dinosour, do SOMETHING to update the place. As it is, this setup insults paying customers. Won't be back. read more

It's inexpensive. The ambience & waitress attitude were good. It's comfortable to see there , listening to the music & relax!

Spent a couple hours at the Princeton pub last night. Laid back east Van neighborhood pub. Small, older, a lot of character. No cover or ridiculous fees at this joint. Mostly a younger crowd to our surprise, with a few odd birds and a couple geezers here and there. Live music on Friday night and it was amazing. I think the music could be described as psychedelic rock and electronic. Nixie was the second band and oh shit they were good. Pretty sure this band is gonna go big one day! Check them out online. Paralyzers were on special for $7.95. Pickle back and Jameson shots were on special as well. This pub definitely needs a makeover but had a chill no fuss vibe. Didn't try any food but it was cheap and sounded greasy, in a good way! I would come back. read more

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FIRST WARNING: In his blurb on this page, Ryan the manager claims that none of the food is frozen. WRONG. Before the pandemic, the french fries were fresh and cut by hand. NOW, THE FRENCH FRIES ARE FROZEN. And so are other foods there. SECOND WARNING: Last night I suggested to a new acquaintance that we finish the evening at The Princeton. After we ordered our two non-alcoholic beverages, we were accosted by an angry man yelling at us. I later discovered this man was Les, an owner. He aggressively approached our table and angrily announced to us, "You have been barred from The Princeton. You know that. Why are you here?" I was horrified. Was he talking to me? I discovered he was speaking to my "date." The people at tables around us stopped and stared. I was so embarrassed, not by my date who did not tell me he had been barred, but by the attention we got from the abusive approach, unwarranted harassment, and lack of professionalism of the owner. He could have taken Sonny aside and quietly reminded him that he had been barred and asked him to please leave after we had finished our two non-alcoholic beverages. Instead, he ranted in a loud voice so the entire bar could hear, and I was implicated in his accusation! Nice music venue. Nice staff. Mean-spirited, unprofessional owner. read more

Best dry ribs in Van....it's in a gritty spot but the food is excellent. We also enjoyed the wings.

This bar is the closest bar to my boyfriends place, so we went to checkout out on a Monday night . We were pleasantly surprised by the beer special - Gulden Drar for a $7.50! At 10.4% alcohol this is a strong beer. We were even more pleasantly surprised there was live music. A folksy gentleman with guitar and harmonica treated us to some John Denver And James Taylor classics. My boyfriend tried his first Hawkins cheezies. They have a kitchen and daily food specials. Kitchen closes at 9 but we will definitely be back to see if our local bar can have 4 stars. Wouldn't that be great? read more

Princeton Pub - Beer special 7.50 - Dive Bars Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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Had a bad burger this summer at the Princeton and ended up getting food poisoning, I was sick in bed for 4 days. When addressing this to the owner in person upon my next visit I was met with eye rolls and " thats just the way we do things around here", kind of attitude. I ended up talking to one of the cooks who promptly told me "food safe is not a thing at the Princeton". Eat at your own risk, I guess ‍ read more

Service and food is fantastic in this hidden gem..... Crispy Chicken crushes KFC..., Great food always fresh. read more

Princeton Pub - Dive Bars Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Lauren is a joy!!! Incredible service and just a good time. Great beer and better wine!

Best hidden breakfast gem in east van! My boyfriend and I have been coming here every single Sunday for the last 2 years. It's my most treasured tradition of the week. The ambiance is down to earth and relaxed with ample booth seating to get extra cozy. The servers here are all huge sweethearts and make you feel very welcomed. They serve breakfast until 2:00pm so you can enjoy a nice sleep in and stroll over as you please. The breakfast special is super cheap & traditional- 2 eggs, toast, bacon or sausage and roasted potatoes for under $7.00. Consistent taste and quality. No frills here, but exactly what you'd want in a breakfast on a Sunday morning. My most favorite thing about Princeton Pub is that I can walk in, seat myself at a bright and sunny booth by the window, get a cup of coffee and order food within 2 minutes of getting there. No lines, no waiting for anything. I really appreciate this about Princeton. read more

Great dive bar. Clean, good drinks and live music. Good pool table, friendly people and food ain't half bad. Some live shows are a bit loud but it's a great collection of diverse and interesting people. Good neighbourhood drinking hole! read more

the Princeton has a pub and hotel restaurant. shared kitchen in the middle. I just eat at hotel restaurant which closes at 3. super clean, cool staff, cool booths. parking across the street. all my meals have been great. breakfast special like $6.39. burgers are hand made. chipotle chicken burger is so light and fluffy. no frozen crap here. French fries are like no other place in town that I've seen. this place is a gem and should be busier than it is. read more

Princeton Pub - a plate with a sandwich and a bowl of soup - Dive Bars Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

I think The Princeton is going for an urban cowboy theme what with the old-style barrels out front and the music that's played, live or recorded, that most would categorize as country. And I suppose they've achieved what they were shootin' for. But, honestly, that vibe isn't my bag and I'll leave this place to the 40-and-up crowd. On weekdays anyway. Still a fun place to go with a gaggle of friends for a game of pool, drinking some beers, playing some pool and listening to some usually pretty decent live music (no cover which is nice) on a Friday or Saturday. read more

Let's be clear: The Princeton Pub is no more a dive bar than Pavarotti was an East Van lounge lizard. It's true that the Princeton Hotel next door is a boarding-house-cum-liquor-store, and the neighbourhood is a bit down at the heels. But the Princeton is a welcoming ray of light on a cold, wet night, with better-than-average food and friendly, attentive service. A real dive bar, in contrast, is a place where food service is an oxymoron and butter knives are best kept out of reach of the patrons. Each day features a food and drink special, with Trivia Night thrown in as a Wednesday bonus. Although many menu items looked tempting, I went for the Sunday special: a pulled-pork sandwich topped with cole slaw, a side of fries and a pint of Powell Street White IPA. It was all -- dare I say -- better than average. Apparently, live music is to be had on many evenings. But karaoke was on this Sunday's music menu. I opted for discretion and left before bursting into an East Van lounge lizard's poor imitation of Pavarotti's rendition of Rodolfo in "La bohème." read more

We went here on Friday night to see a friend's band play. We had a hoot! Comfy benches along the wall gave us a great view of the packed room. $5 to get in was reasonable for three bands. Don't go here for the beer selection and eat first. They have chips and peanuts if you get hungry. Totally relaxed venue without any pretence. It's not like this is going to be my regular hang out but if there's a fun band playing I'll go back for sure. read more

I've Been Here Two Tuesday Nights in a Row - I'm thinking tonight might be Night #3. I've come here after my martial arts class and everytime I've worked up quite an appetite - the only downside is, the kitchen closes at 9 - last time here, I've resorted to eating Bar Nuts from a vending Machine (which surprisingly was really good). Beer prices are cheaper than the standard price (~$5). This place has an amazing cast of patrons and so far, has always been a good time. read more

Just a good vibe. The live music is usually pretty good. Food and booze are reasonable. And there are trains and a view!!

Me and my husband went for breakfast on this holiday weekend Monday. Our usual spot wasn't open so we decided to check out the Princeton restaurant the food was amazing!!!! We had a lovely view too. Got a delicious breakfast sandwich with bacon and avocado on some of the best gluten free bread I've ever had in a restaurant. The service was fantastic too I hope more people will support this spot which has been long-standing in the community!!! This breakfast was seriously way better than some of the fancy brunch spots downtown! read more

The Princeton only attracted my attention because of the new shows being billed here. They built up a stage against the train tracks and the place gets packed quickly, thanks in part to the talent and in part to the promotion work. The sound is hard to screw up in such a small space (capacity has to be 150 at most) and the dance floor feels quite crowded between the ATM machine and the bar tables. Yet, somehow these few aspects are the only appeal of the place, because the bar itself has to be one of the least hip places you can be. Decorated with corny barrels and a pool table, you'll find unreasonable beer prices in an odd location full of mid 30s to 40s on any given night. They could justify this with a consistent western theme, if it existed beyond their swill. I dont mind buying good beer on tap, but theirs is bottom barrel, with an odd taste in the glass to boot. The staff are also incredibly reserved here. For example, when I've sung karaoke, I had people honestly offended by the fact that I was a bad singer (and singing the Rolling Stones), and so I challenged them back by having my friends sing all their song's lyrics as "Matts birthday." I understand we were being annoying, but we were all kicked out for the night, instead of just being asked to stop. Its kareoke at a bar, the entire point is that people are supposed to be 1) drunk 2) bad 3) not ashamed of either of these facts. On another night, during an event I drunkenly snuck a friend in the side door and got caught. Realizing I made a very poor judgment, I apologized to the event and bar staff, and the promoter was ok with us coming in as long as we paid cover this time. Yet the bar staff made it a VERY personal complaint, and because of an angry waitress we were curbed. Understandable, if this was a bar full of 40 year olds. Oh, wait... So thats my take on it. Get drunk and get out business here for anyone not a regular. Come here to see a show if you like the bands, but dont expect the staff to take any shit. and dont expect to make any friends with people under 25 for now read more

great bar the worst server. Brandi was my server, she screwed up all my drinks and broke a full one on my table all over my clean clothes. completely ruined my night... she was slow and useless. I loved the bar until she started working. i wont come back unless shes gone read more

went here a few nights ago with a few friends to support a friend who was releasing a newly published book and another friend's band that was playing on the same night. it's deceivingly large because of the way they have the mirrors set up! it's actually a really small place, but they have a huuuuge mirror that runs along one wall, so i was tricked into thinking there was a whole other section to the bar... but nope! all tricks. well played though, it opened up the room a lot more and so you didn't feel so crammed into a tiny space. the beer prices were reasonable (around $15 a pitcher was their special that night). i honestly was expecting a little bit cheaper just because of the type of place it was. i guess we do live in vancouver after-all. overall, i had a great night with my friends, and if there was another event similar to this, i wouldn't be opposed to going back. it is kind of out of the way in terms of where i live, so i probably won't be back on a regular basis. read more

This is a wonderful neighbourhood pub! Their Wednesday night trivia night is the best!!

prices have gone up. ok the food is a lot better but the prices are quite out of whack for its location, clientele, and ambiance. its a dive bar keep it dive bar prices... but saying that i still love the princeton. read more

Very pricey. Only having one $ sign is very wrong. Try 4 $ signs. And a special is not 15.$ for a draught beer and a pound of wings. Maybe 10$ and that's pushing it. No wonder when I go by daily, it's always empty. You could hear the mouse fart! read more

This place is the definition of "middle of the road" but it's a classic environment, one of the last of it's breed. Food is meh, service is meh, but it's comfortable. Which is hard to find these days, unfortunately. Fun events. Meat draw is recommended. A legit dive bar. read more

this used to be one of my favourite breakfast spots in the area. however with the increase in price, that seems to mean there's a decrease in food quality. i used to come here when the breakfast special was $5 and done well. it's still pretty cheap ($6.29) but nowhere near as good as it was when it still came with a piece of fruit. super mangled and mushy hashbrowns, slightly undercooked sausages, and poor presentation. save your cash and walk up to Far Out and get their breakfast burrito instead. read more

Decent Food but definatley don't go there to watch sports. Beer is good, Food is really greasy and unhealthily good!!!, most of the service is awesome. The owner of the Princeton Pub needs to learn the rules of a sports pub!!. Have the appropriate game on when paying patrons want to watch the World Series, actually correction, ....when paying patrons are already watching the world Series and the owner walks in and turns it off. 100% the truth! read more

I've been going to the Princeton for over eight years for karaoke. In all that time, I've never had a problem with the food or the service. Every two weeks my friends and I go to the Princeton for Karaoke with DJ Val, and it is a rocking time! read more

At the risk of making this amazing breakfast spot even busier than it already is getting...I have to say this is hands-down my favourite breakfast in the city (probably the world) my family and extended family of friends have been coming here for just about weekly breakfasts for years. The hash browns are tender and cooked with rosemary so they almost taste like stuffing. The eggs are cooked perfectly, the bacon is crispy, the ham is juicy, and the marble rye is amazing. I can't talk it up enough. If breakfast isn't your thing they also offer an excellent and varied lunch menu (I highly recommend the club or BLT). The ambience is part of the charm of this spot as well. You can sit and watch the big trains go by only a few feet from the window! The servers are lovely here. They genuinely go out of their way to make us feel welcome and always serve us with a smile. I recommend this spot wholeheartedly but keep it secret! Don't tell your friends! read more

Great place to go drinking! The bartender was a great guy and always topped up our drinks when needed! Drinks are a bit pricy but it's pretty awesome for a dive bar! read more

great place for breakfast, we go every weekend with friends, homemade hash browns. You get a great tasty breakfast for the price. We have eaten in the pub side very clean and friendly place. I had the ribs and chicken really good, my buddy had the burger and he said it we good and tasted homemade. read more