Great dive bar with cool staff and a laid back vibe. Nice place for a late night drink.

The customer service is so bad that the bar tender lady was yelling at me do not setting outside with the 4tables were totally empty at that moment as she was thinking the place gonna get so busy later in the day. I said no worries, I will move if people are coming!I had one beer within one hour nobody showed up, the entire time in the bar were literally three customers sitting! and at the end when I ask her for the check, she asked me was it only one beer? I said you are the server not me! I think the lady was high on something! Super rude! We tried to support the locals, but I guess doesn't worth it, I texted my friends to meet at GoodCo bar! close by! The service was like a day and night! Way much better! Never come back! read more

bf and i loved it here! cute & cozy college bar. american tourists, your dollar will stretch a lot further here with the exchange rate. we also took advantage of the college student specials despite not being a ubc student. bartenders nice and friendly! good place to go to talk & drink read more

The dinner was unique and great! Service was excellent. I was staying in hotel and very happy with my cho! read more

i came for music bingo and had the time of my life. the fringe is the best spot in town!! read more

Waitress charged us 20% auto-gratuity (on the after tax value) for a table of 4, and says it's "industry standard". Waitress insists she told us beforehand about auto-gratuity, but all of us at the table remember her coming to the table twice and not mentioning it at all. We also don't recall seeing it written down on the menu. Worse yet, one of my friends literally had to walk up to the bar to get served after waiting 15 minutes. My other friend just didn't get served at all. Used to be regulars before pandemic (especially for trivia night), never coming back again. Note to industry: Tipping practices are getting out of control, this is how you either turn off people from going out or get yourselves regulated. read more

Horrible place. Friend went here for their birthday. The service was horrible. They raised the volume so high I couldn't even think and we could not talk. When I asked them nicely to please turn the music down, so my friend could talk to her friends during her birthday, they barely acknowledged me as a person. I then asked them for my drink, saying that I had gotten up twice to ask and it had been nearly 30 minutes. They were rude and confrontational. They then ruined my friends birthday party by forcing us to leave to punish me for having commented on the service. I still feel badly for my friend celebrating her party when nobody did anything wrong. Even if they had an issue with my asking, ruining her party with their aggression and horrible attitude was inexcusable. I sincerely hope they go out of business. read more

Went here for drinks on a Wednesday night and the place was pretty live but not to the point where seats were all taken The atmosphere here is very retro and very much a dive bar. Don't get fooled by the name - it is NOT a cafe at all. I didn't try their food but had an MGD and that cost almost 9$ which was ridiculous! They don't have cocktails, only beer read more

I don't think I've ever written a bad review but this was BAD. My friends and I wanted a beer after we bought popcorn and an ice cream so we walked into the pub and asked for a table. The waitress instead of answering the question, yelled at us not to bring food inside. My boyfriend tried to tell her that we could finish our food outside if there was a table available. She didn't even let him finish talking, she proceeded to push us out the door while yelling "no food! out! out! out! " and just like that we were out the door not knowing what just happened and feeling like we did something really bad. I liked this place before this incident and I get waitress are under so much stress, but this was just very rude. Never coming back. read more

Atmosphere 100% Awesome music and vibes, and Josh is super nice (plus he whips up an amazing thanksgiving dinner!) Sadly, I had a bad experience with a bartender tonight :( she came back begging for a better tip which seemed a bit forward, esp considering I am a college student. Overall great place though... would recommend :) read more

This cave of a bar is the kind of place where your comfort grows. And as it does, so do the frequency of your visits. It's a mix of a grad student bar, European cafe, and a rural roadside pub. The service is reasonable with a touch of gruffness. The tables clean but a smear of sticky. Everything hovering between just-so and just hanging together. The places buzzes--varying between conversation and blasting tunes. It's a clean break from the excessive social-house vibe of Kits, and hits closer to a back alley hideaway. The chips and salsa make the perfect bar snack. An unending bowl of tortilla chips and mildly spicy salsa. The beer selection is diverse with good draft on tap. Due to fairly limited seating, The Fringe is best as a mid-week or Sunday night outing. Like the locals who fill the place, go here to talk, drink beer, and escape. read more

The Fringe Café - the front of the restaurant - Dive Bars Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Great, relaxed place to drop in for a beer. The staff are all super friendly and fun. Decent selection of beer on tap and good, if limited, pub grub. If I lived in the neighborhood, I'd definitely be a regular. read more

My cousin took me here for a beer after having told him about my love for dive bars. Since arriving in Van, I've been on the lookout for my Cheers because nothing beats a little hole in the wall where you can get to know the staff and the other regulars, and I've found it. Upon leaving, the bartender approached me and told me I was going to be a regular there. It was nice to really feel welcome there. They've got a really interesting selection of beer and the nachos are decent... It's got a really intimate setting, but would be great with a big group of people. It draws a great crowd... everyone's always really friendly and just there to have a good time. I love love love this place! read more

The best atmosphere in Kits as bars go. A friendly and fun staff work magic in a long and narrow space. The lighting is dim and the tables are small (2 people) but for a big booth at the front and some nice big tables in the back. Along the bar, the stools are constantly covered with regulars who are great to talk to and always eager to strike up a conversation. The lighting is dim but pleasant and the walls are adorned with old concert and rock climbing posters as well as various other amusing and retro miscellany. Nothin' fancy in the way of beers and the prices aren't fantastic. But the glasses are always chilled and you'll get your drink real quick. The music is also diverse and excellent, if you're really nice Tom the bartender might let you throw on a CD. Oh and they also have a big stash of games, be sure to check out Blockus, its like horizontal Tetris and awesome. The Fringe is the tops in Kits. read more

Only in Vancouver would people label this a 'dive bar'. It's not a dive bar, it's a bar. That's right hipsters, not everywhere needs a prefix. It's also a great little bar with very friendly 'dive staff', a great selection of 'dive beers' on draft and in bottles, and a good 'dive atmosphere'. Just a damn good place for beer and bar chat. read more

What can I say? It's my new local! The place has just-the-right everything: just the right lighting, music, and staff. The beer is cheap and good, the staff is friendly and attentive, and the atmosphere has character and energy. Tom the bartender is a master at his craft. If you're in the area, you should definitely go. (BTW, it's the kind of place where I'm not sure how many people I should tell about it because I want to preserve that local feel. ONLY SHOW UP IF YOU'RE COOL). read more

My friends love this bar and the staff, and I would have to agree with them. This no-frills bar has really nice staff that won't BS you with expensive drink recommendations, they just keep it real. This place is small and has two secret tables in the back for bigger groups, but in general this place is great for a casual date, a nightcap, or a small gathering of close friends. The music is pretty decent along with the decor. I like the Dirty girl lager, but the Ugly boy beer ain't bad either. These are their house beers and they are pretty delish. read more

Fun place. Great prices, pitcher and chips for 10 bucks - daily from 3 to 7 PM. Cozy atmosphere and classic rock music. Loved the guys hanging out at the bar discussing Zack Wylde. Friendly staff! read more

The Fringe Café - a telephone and two glasses of beer - Dive Bars Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Used to love this place, great drinks for cheap and many events to keep you entertained during the week. Went there the other night with my girlfriend and she got yelled at twice just for asking for another drink. We are younger folk and I wonder because we are young they think they can treat us like children just because we are trying to give them money for drinks! Twice in one night she was snapped at by the servers because she was "stressing them out" read more

More like a small bar and less of a cafe but still has it's charm. Gets busy at night. Simple bar food. Customer service is good but don't be surprised if they ignore you for a bit before serving you. read more

The Fringe Café - a chalk board advertising a craft beer - Dive Bars Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Our second stop on our return to Kits was to the infamous Fringe Cafe. The Fringe thankfully, is still the Fringe. It is still dirty, dingy and smells like twenty years of stale beer and sweat. Draft beer and decent music are as upscale as they get but, what more could you ask? The Fringe is one of the last unpretentious places in Kits and one hopes that it will remain for years to come. PS- they also got rid of that tattooed grumpy guy that threw attitude at everyone. read more

Kitsilano's quintessential bar. It's small but cozy, and the staff are friendly and attentive. Daily specials are super affordable, and they make the best nachos in town. read more

It was with much sorrow that my decision last year to stop drinking logically resulted in me no longer going to The Fringe. To those who aspire to my 'old fart' stool at the end of the bar, I have only one suggestion: tip well! This is a great place for beer, beer and beer. Any Questions? read more

I've been coming to this bar on and off for about 15 years, it's a great little casual neighbourhood pub. However, I can honestly say I was flabbergasted at the hyped-up beer prices on my last visit. Since the beers on tap are somewhat average and have been the same for donkies years, I went for a bottle of Parallel 49's Gypsy Tears - so imagine my shock when I realized that a measley 330ml beer had cost me $8.75!!! And that's BEFORE tax and tip! WTF? Hello, you do realize that you're just a small, dumpy neighbourhood bar in a residential area, right?? And yet you're charging for the glitz of a downtown Vancouver bar/club. Get over yourself! Doubt we'll be back! read more

Very relaxed, slightly cramped dive pub. The clientele is very mixed depending when you show up and everyone feels at home. Great pub food also - service is a little relaxed. Be lucky and grab one of the two patio tables for great people watching. read more

Great spot! The bartenders/waitresses really make the place! Tom? I think that is his name is so entertaining and really involves everyone at the bar so you could come here alone and feel welcome. Music is great and varied,, where everybody knows your name! read more

I really really wanted to like this place.... I mean the vibe is so cool inside, and I love a good dive bar. But when I went the service was so terrible. They had one guy working the bar and serving the food. When he finally got to us he couldn't take our food and drink orders at once. I only drank the $4 beer that they had on special, I found the rest of their prices pretty average (not cheap, considering the setting). My companions ate the veggie burgers and were not impressed. read more

Pretty much the ideal bar: small but not cramped, awesome beer, cool music. The food is shockingly good given the size of their kitchen! Overall a kickass place to hang out. read more

I have a confession to make: I'm a regular here. When I lived in Vancouver, this was my local hangout for just over two years. And we're not talking a "oh, maybe I'll grab a beer once or twice a month," people. I was in here three or four times a week. The atmosphere is just like home, and the beer is cold and cheap. My recommendation is a pint of Dirty Girl lager, and share a laugh with Tom or Craig about the hilarity of the name. "Yup, I sure like them Dirty Girls." The service is always incredibly fast regardless of how busy they are, and make sure to tip Sandy well, she'll remember you next time. Plus she's the sweetest. (Though don't go singing "Alone in the Drive In" for attention. Only those who are really deep down loved can get away with that.) If you're looking for a bit of intimate conversation, you might be SOL, tables are close together and the place is always hoppin' busy by 730 or 800. But if you're looking for a good time, cold beer, fresh homemade salsa and fantastic burgers, this is the place for you. read more

Love this spot! Nothing fancy, just cheap booze and excellent people watching. Definitely my fave dive bar in Vancouver.

Great music, good beer, great service, and fantastic nachos. We have been here several times now, and enjoy the hole-in-the-wall aspect of the place. As a beer lover, I would suggest a little more variety in the bottle selection; however, the staff do a great job pointing me toward something similar to what I had in mind. This is our favourite place to go when we want to tuck in for a few beers and good conversation with a small group of friends. read more

Great place to go and drink your face off. Happy hour is $10 pitchers of DirtyGirl & chips w/ salsa!

Excited to try this local bar after reading an article about it. My friend and I had to wait about 15 mins to be served but we weren't fussy about it cause it was quite busy that night. After orders were finally taken, we waited patiently waited for our quesadilla and 2 sleeves of beer. We waited for at least another 15 mins and decided to check on our order since pulling 2 sleeves shouldn't have taken that long. With a lucky coincidence, the owner helped us at the end. He apologized for the wait and even offered to give us the entire meal for free! It was very kind of him and it turned the dining experience around for us! Great atmosphere, good food and awesome people! read more

The Fringe is the same that it was over a decade ago ... cool hangout to chill with your buds and have a few local brews. Friendly bartender ... read more

If you're looking for a dive bar with good drink specials and a great atmosphere look no further! Great local hang out.

They have a good selection of beers and yummy food. If you go before 7 pm you get free salsa and chips. It's a fun place to hang out with friends and drink. People are friendly and nice. I like being there. read more

Great service and friendly people, especially Tom the bartender! So much good times at the Fringe shared with friends. Love the ambiance! Space is fairly small but a variety of seating arrangements and table sizes are there to flexibly accommodate a range of group sizes. As far as dive bars go this is definitely one of the best in Vancouver. read more

Generally my experience was enjoyable. Great beer and great service. Also, the atmosphere is cozy and friendly.

Have been going to The Fringe intermittently since 2000, but was amazed when I saw my bill after 2 bottles of beer today during Greek Days - $6.25 for a Parallel 49 Gypsy Tears, and $8.75 for a Deschutes Chainbreaker IPA! Ridiculous Granville St. downtown prices for what is a neighbourhood bar. read more

This is not a dive, unless you don't really like locally-owned, intimate, interesting places that don't resemble the Donnelly Group. This isn't your parents' bar: it's dark, candle-lit, and fun (rotary phone lamps, anyone?) Been here at least half a dozen times, from meeting up with a friend who is a regular, to taking a group for a nightcap after meetings at UBC. 4-6 irregular shaped booths lend themselves to groups, small tables & long bar for smaller pairs & singles. Personable staff with great sense of humour always puts me in a good mood here, they also have an ecclectic taste in music which I found to my taste although none of it was particularly familiar (refreshing!), from 80s to UK punk rock classics, hipster & drinking-with-friends songs. Excellent price and value for food, nachos loaded with cheese. Dirty Girl Lager is most sessionable and decent for even the more picky beer drinkers of us. Def. recommend to most folks for a meeting after dark, and for the east side oasis on the west ;) read more