What enticed me to try this place out was their $5 lobster rolls Happy Hour special, and they sure delivered. They served THE BEST lobster rolls I've ever had! We also lucked out by going on an evening where they had open mic. The talents were great! The service was fabulous, and the bartenders were very friendly. It's a fun place to go and hang-out for some cool indie music and amazing lobster rolls! Try the BLT, you will not regret it. read more

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The atmosphere in this place is awesome. I can't believe I've lived in Vancouver most of my life and I've never been here before. Really great pirate ship vibe inside. Pretty good food too had the lobster grilled cheese hit the spot. The cider was also very good. Bartenders had a good sense of humor. read more

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Beware of the bartenders - specifically this one man who was working on the bottom floor with darker hair. He automatically tipped himself and when I asked for my receipt, he scrambled around, tried to ignore me and in the end did provide one as he knew he would be caught. Absolutely shameful behaviour trying to cheat people who he thinks are drunk. In fact, all the staff care about there is how much you can pay because the only way you can get in is by shelling out $200 to the bouncers. It doesn't matter how many hours you wait in line, you will end up having to pay to get in. The staff ruins the overall experience and reputation of a pretty fun bar in Gastown. Probably won't continue to recommend this place to others as it is not worth this kind of treatment. read more

Came by for some drinks and appies. Parking here (Gastown) is horrendous. 'Nuff said. The pub is boat themed as the name suggests. There are 2 floors, each with their own bar area. Seating is decent though it can fill up quit ea bit. Beer seems okay. Had their nachos and potato skins which was decent as well. Not a bad choice overall. read more

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The cutest spot! I would be here all the time if we lived here. Great service from the bartender. Mind you, there were only a few other people in there. We were on the main drag in Gastown to grab a drink and have no idea what propelled us down the stairs into this candlelit oasis. You felt like you were on a comfy, spacious boat, even in the washroom. Clean as could be and well designed. We had one drink each and vowed to one day return and try some seafood menu items. Lobster rolls! The bill surprised us... it was way cheaper than other bars in this area. Would be a great place to meet up with friends. The music was at a good volume, no issues there. On the weekends we were told this place turns into more of a night club so cannot comment on that. I can say that it was a perfect way to spend an hour in the pub style setting on a Wednesday evening. read more

The Portside Pub - Cozy, romantic on week nights. - Pubs Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

12$ cover reasonable cash only is annoying though. pretty decent vibes and music, cool venue

My buddy and I walked in here to start of our night of Vancouver debauchery. The cover was $5CAN, and coat check was $3CAN. As soon as we walked in, we immediately related this place to the bars in Westwood in LA. Undergrad party scene all over again. The crowd was early 20s, and it was kicking. We got some drinks, and took in the ambient. This was not our crowd, but it was a nice place to start the night. We took off shortly thereafter for other spots around town. If you're college age, and looking for a good party spot, then this is your place. If you're looking for a more upscale mature spot, then head elsewhere. I'm not bagging on this place hard, however, as the staff here was pretty cool. Great customer service. read more

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Worst bar ever. These little weasels with parsnips for fingers didn't let in my friend who is very much legal even though she showed them 4 pieces of ID. I am shocked and shaken. This was the most frightening bar experience I have ever witnessed in my life. The bouncers are shockingly rude and the whole experience left a bad taste in my mouth. I believe this establishment is an evil vile place with horrible staff. read more

This is probably one of my favorite clubs right now. Although I thought they did a great job with Post-Modern before, it's actually amazing how they turned a glitzy club from the late 90's/early 2000's decor (kinda like the club scene in Romeo must die) to....well, the Portside! The beer selection is plentiful in my opinion, but the music on the weekend is just bumping! And so is the crowd! I love it! read more

What a hidden gem!! We were whisked off of Gastown and were transported to the Maritimes. This is where friendly, unpretentious people who want to have fun in this city should go!!!!! Shoe Shop meets Lower Deck!! read more

Mark Brand has launched his newest Gastown bar, music venue, and all around eatery to great anticipation last night. Boasting 24 beers on tap (6 local, 6 Canadian, 6 American, 6 international), the Portside has gone full hog with the nautical and wood crafted theme. It really is quite hard to believe this basement nightclub locale comes from the ashes of Post Modern dance bar and its many previous incarnations. Brand and company have brought a lot of character and a certain cool, unspeakable charm once again by reinventing a well known, local space and staple into something both old and new again. Portside is easily lining up to be the hip, new place folks will flock to grab a beer and hang out. The seaside joint opens up at 5pm tonight. Cheers to that. read more

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If I would have known black people weren't allowed to be served water at the upstairs bar I would have never came to this establishment. Your female bar tenders are very disrespectful. I was a sober patron visiting from the states and was treated rudely when I simply asked for water and was told to go downstairs (the simplified version) while the downstairs male bartender told me I should have been served upstairs. I tipped/paid him for the 5oz of water for being pleasant. On the other hand the music was great... for a racist place, they played the best hip hop music. read more

Several locals recommend this place to my friends and I while visiting from Seattle so we decided to stop by between 11 and midnight on a Monday. I guess there are two floors? Only the bottom floor was open so we hung out down there for a couple hours. There were a few other people there but it was pretty quite. My friends ordered beers and I asked the bartender to make me a vodka drink which turned out really well. It was a little fruity and refreshing but not overly sweet. Sooo of course I ordered another one. I am not a beer person (at all) but I had a sip of my friend's beer and it was surprisingly good! Like I would consider ordering it. It was on the light side but still super flavorful. I'm sad I don't know what it's called to be honest. The ambiance is casual but not dingy. The bathrooms are very dark, so be prepared for that. I'd like to check this place out on a Friday or Saturday night to see what the vibe is like then. It seems like it can get pretty packed and fun during the weekend. read more

Oh boy, oh boy, one of my favourite bars in Gastown. Why is it one of my favourites? First of all, the bar is laid out like the bottom of a boat: there's an upper deck (dance floor) which overlooks the lower deck (bar area). Second, it's one of the few bars in town that has a super laid back crowd. Think everybody becoming best friends on the dance floor, kind of crowd. Third, the bartenders are rad! 'Nuff said. Fourth, they have really pretty string lights that hang in between the upper and lower level. That's just a personal favourite about Portside. Fifth, it's a pretty relaxed pub during the daytime with delicious food, and then turns into a night club during the darker hours of the day. As like most places in Vancouver, come a bit early to avoid the line, or call ahead to put you and your friends on guest list. Definitely one of my go-to bars in the area. read more

A fun night out here - great hip hop music, but only beers & well drinks (no cocktails!). Saturday night about 10pm: there was a line outside but it wasn't too crazy. A few people in our group were on the guest list so we got priority entry. $10 cover, cash only, and there's an ATM inside with a $2 charge to withdraw cash. Coat check is right up front too. There's an upstairs area on the sides surrounding the downstairs. A long high table in the middle, sit down tables along one side and the bar at the other. Everything is made of large pieces of natural wood - made me think of a barn. A really stylish, happening bar. There are stringed lights hanging across the two upstairs balconies - really cute. The two floors connect in the back onto a dance floor in the middle. The music was AWESOME. It was like 90s hip hop rehash night. We heard everything from Beyonce to Snoop Dogg to Dr. Dre to N Sync to Backstreet Boys to Jackson 5. Later it got into some Top 40s stuff, and the DJ definitely reused a few songs throughout the night (but they were all ones that we liked!). Downstairs from the dance floor are the restrooms - individual stalls, a single line for both boys and girls. They got pretty messed up by the end of the night... at least one wasn't flushing, and my bf unfortunately got one where part of the bowl was chipped off and water got everywhere when he flushed. My bf thought the vibe of the place was totally weird considering the disparity between the hip-hop music and the rustic decor. Oh well, I had fun! read more

So I walked into this beer spot to get wifi. I was wifi hopping all over gastown. And it was pretty much dead when I got there at 7pm - where's the happy hour crowd? Anyway, the bartenders were very happy to share their knowledge of the beers on tap there. I had a few drinks before and wanted something light. They were cool enough to offer tastings of light beers before I settled on my choice. In the end, I chose one of Belgium's finest - Delirium and it was on tap!! Super stoked. The bar quickly filled up by 8pm and I was happy to run off to a new spot. Great for a pub crawl when I do organize them. read more

The Portside Pub - Try this when you're there. Belgian gold. - Pubs Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

If you're looking for a place to drop by for a quick beer or four and at a decent price, you've come to the right place. I'm not sure when their regular happy hour runs till, but on a Thursday, you can get happy hour pricing till 8pm on all their beers. So why not!? While their beer list is not insanely large. They still give a good range of beers to sample. Plus if your up for it, 12 dollars will get you a flight of four AND a shot of Jameson. No joke. Let's just say, I left the pub feeling pretty happy Bonus: crazy nautical theme and if you stay long enough, live music and dance floor action. read more

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On a recent visit to Vancouver, I took a trip to The Portside Pub and I'm so glad I did. First off - nautical! I love all things nautical and this place is the ultimate maritime drinkery. You are hanging out in a bar thats made up like a boat, the upper deck is for dancing and the lower deck has a long bar with seaside knick-knacks, barrels for tables and even the toilets have mirrors with rope detail around. It's pretty much my dream come true bar. The vibe is chilled and it really makes you feel a world away from the streets of Vancouver. There was only one bartender on and I felt he could be doing with another member of staff to help. He seemed rushed off his feet but that didn't stop him making up his own special cocktail for my friends and I. He really took the time to find out what we like to drink and tailor the drinks to our taste. Despite it being super quirky, it still has a big TV that's a little out of place, but I didn't care because The Oilers are in the playoffs and I wanted the updates from the game that night ;) It's still a bar after all! I'll definitely be back on my next trip to Vancity. read more

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Portside, get your sh*t together. I went in last night, someone upchucked outside the bathroom and it took the staff 20 minutes to clean it up while people are waiting to get in. Embarrassing. Then you have ANOTHER line for coat check that wrapped around the stairs because the front desk staff are horrendously slow. How hard is it to take someone's ticket and give them their coat? On top of that, the dance floor smells like a rotten fart. So you have your choice of puke down below or farts up top. I thought it was my imagination, but this place really is a nightmare. Don't go even if you get in for free. I did and still felt ripped off. Zero stars. read more

I came in, looking for the Guilt & Co., for another stop on the BC Ale Trail. I had gotten the addresses confused, and just assumed that they had changed their name. (I never bothered asking, because men don't ask for directions.) I tried the 'Dark Matter,' which was heavy and smooth, with coffee and chocolate tones. I had two, with their Halifax Donair. There was a musical duo, singing Irish ballads. Ever since, I've had the song 'Crooked Jack' playing in my head every day. read more

The only reason I am giving it a one star is because of our bartender was super rude. He said we were not polite and did not say PLEASE. I wish I knew his name, but he was on the top floor. My frd had tipped him $100. Even after that he was a such an A hole. It's not like people are drinking for free. For every drink we bought we gave 15% tip or more. Beware of this guy. Overall pub was alright. But it's annoying that they charge you $12 for cover charge. I don't mind paying as long as we have a better service and bar is better. Its a regular bar with a dance floor kind of an area. Nothing fancy.i would not recommend this place. Please go to guilt bar which is literally few steps form this bar and has great cocktails and service. read more

The closing bartender is awful. The first few times I went there it was a pleasant experience -- the servers were nice and the interiors brought me back, so it's unfortunate that the establishment has hired someone so rude and patronizing. The visit before last he had spoken to me and my friend with some borderline sexist language in a mildly condescending tone. This last time; however, was completely unprofessional. As someone who has worked in the service industry, I know the last few minutes of a shift before the remaining customers leave can be tiresome, but I have never felt entitled to project this in my interactions with customers. His words and attitude were completely uncalled for and speak more about his work ethic and bigoted attitudes (directed toward Asian-Canadian women). We were in the process of putting together the bill payment when he interrupted us to criticize us for being the last to leave. He essentially rejected the tip for its denomination (small coins), and then proceeded to criticize us for not tipping. There was a group of three older Caucasian people who left literally just a minute before (to whom he gave none of this attitude to). It amazes me that people like this are able to remain employed in a relatively progressive city. read more

Where to start, where to start. Prices: $8.75 for a SLEEVE of draught beer? You are kidding right? Where was it brewed, the moon? Nope, just Oregon. I know imported beer is expensive, but there are several joints around the corner pouring beer from the same brewery for 7 bucks. $6.75 for 16oz of LOCAL Parallel 49 beer? There is no excuse for this - your neighbours are selling the same volume for $5.50. But that's not what burns. What burns is that there are NO PRICES listed on the beer menu. Bad form, gents, bad form. Tap List: Okay, so it wasn't total crap (like Ensemble Tap, who really missed the mark on their beer list) but wasn't particularly thoughtfully curated either. Note to 'Beer forward' places: If you are marketing yourself as a beer joint, you need to spend some real time planning out your beer list. Word is out about craft beer, and regular bars like the Cascade or Malones are stepping up their tap lists. If you want to be a 'beer place' don't get caught pouring the same stuff that can be found everywhere else. Service: What service? Server appeared to be non-existent, and after sitting for 10 minutes I went to order from the bar. I actually thought they didn't have servers until one eventually appeared and cruised around the floor not talking to any tables.... Needless to say, I won't be back with so many better beer focussed establishments in the neighbourhood (Alibi, Bitter, Six Acres....) read more

over priced, underwhelmed The place smells like a pig factory, and the beer is ridiculously priced. this is a donnelly group bar. need I say more. I give it another month before it is over run with Granville street douchebags. read more

I've tried for days to contact someone with no response. Portside placed myself and a friend on Barwatch for "fighting with a bouncer", and I found out when I tried to go to another pub 2 weeks later. I am certain I would know if I fought with anyone, especially a bouncer, and I certainly did not. I'm asking them to just review video footage because they have the wrong person but no one is responding; I've sent them all the details. This is extremely frustrating and is unfortunate because I did have a decent time. Their phone number does not work and no one answers emails and I may have to make a trip all the way down there just for them to tell me they deleted the footage, or some other excuse. I just need a reply. read more

This place is different -- gimmicky. You have a server who will bring out your drinks and sell you raffle tickets to go order food yourself from the kitchen. It feels like you're at a ballpark getting vendor food. The quality is not that great although the guy making the food the night I was there was super nice. Unfortunately the food is pretty much reheated frozen food quality. Boo to the food and the ordering system. The night I came here, I was drinking wine due to later plans involving a wine tasting. However, this is NOT the place to come for wine. They have two options. A red blend and a white. Neither was very good. They're served in tumblers, not proper glasses. Okay, fine. This trend is never going to die. At least give me GOOD wine in a tumbler. (Does anyone else have trouble with wanting to omit the e in tumbler?) Wine, fail. Next time, BEER! I particularly liked the interior space design. Big wooden tables, beautiful exposed beams, cool lighting. The idea that you're in a ship isn't overly obvious and cheesy. Nicely done. The bathrooms were nice as well. I could see using this space for an office holiday party. Nice touch -- they have an ATM onsite. Bad move -- they are probably the only establishment in all of Canada that doesn't accept debit. WTF? Would I come back? Sure. For beer only. Not for food. Not for wine. Just beer, and the cool interior and decent service. Side note to Yelp admins: Portside is not a $$$$ establishment, someone should update that. read more

If you're going to charge cover for a "pub" you better make sure it is worth while to enter your establishment. At 11pm on a Saturday night (granted it was November 1st) the front door people informed us there was 140 people inside and the proceeded to charge us $10 for entry. We got inside and there was barely 40 people - the top bar wasn't even staffed and the "DJ" was playing top 40 from 15 years ago. My two friends and I immediately turned around and exited the premises and asked for our cover back, which they refused stating again that there is a 140 people inside and that it will get busy "later". It's Vancouver, if you don't have a line by 11 it's not gonna happen. If I was in there for more than 10 mins I would agree but the place was desolate and if anything they should have been handing out drink tickets and waiving cover just to get it going in there. Front door staff - I am a customer, it's not a gift you bestowed upon me to enter your establishment and if I don't get what I paid for expect there to be complaints and you better figure out how to deal with them. read more

A fun, casual place to sling back a few beers. No cocktails and limited wine make for a real cozy atmosphere, but definitely narrows your options here. When I asked about cocktails, I was told that they didn't have the ingredients to make even a Manhattan. Mark Brand hopes beer snobs from the Alibi Room might mingle up the street--and they seemed to be, even on the second night in business. Portside is unapologetic in its 'Halifax kitsch'--the food is comfy but greasy, the beer cold and plentiful and that's it. Plain and simple. Food is ordered via tickets: a $5 ticket gets you dim sum (okay, but passable) and a $7.75 ticket gets you a chicken, beef, or pork sandwich. I had the beef sandwich--a juicy roast beef sandwich with way too much cheese. Long story short: A nice interior makes for a fun meeting spot, but a limited food and drink menu will keep your stay short. read more

Every time I am in here, I secretly want to be transported back to 1990 where these vacuous walls echoed the sounds of Blitzkrieg Night, in this former location of the Twilight Zone club. The renovation is nicely done. Hints of yesteryear still remain, but it is a refreshing uplift. It's primarily a beer bar. The beer selection is good, but not outstanding. Several craft options are on tap from breweries such as Deschutes, Ninkasi, Russell, Phoenix, Phillips, Four Winds and several others. My disappointment came when I ordered one and it came to $9.25 for a sleeve. This is going to make it hard for me to become a regular, even though the promise of a large casual space for after-work drinks was a good tease. The food options are a little weak too. You have to remind yourself that this is not a restaurant. I can't even review those because it wasn't worth considering ordering. Basically, you have to purchase tokens and order one of a few options at a kitchen window downstairs. Recently, during a post-conference tech event, Portside was packed to the gills. The upstairs area was standing-room only, yet there was only ONE bar server on duty. The customer side of the bar was an exercise in being crowd-cordial, but it was a frustrating experience to watch the Portside fumble and stumble in this way. It wasn't an ambush either. This was a planned event. I really wanted this concept to work for me, but there is nothing here to turn me into making a habit of it. read more

What was missing in Gastown was an East Coast style Pub with good beers on tap and some character. The decor is retro hippy with long wooden tables and an upstairs area which I think is the left over from the club that used to occupy this space. I love the fact that you can seat yourself which on a rainy Wednesday night would give you plenty of options. We chose to sit by the wall to get a view of the bar and also people watch the long table in the middle. Our waitress was quite friendly and knowledgeable about beers. As I was asking for a Guinness equivalent on tap she recommended Mill Street Ale, a lighter dark beer with plenty of taste and pazzaz. To try their home brewed beer I gave the Portside Lager a chance which was nothing special. Another cool fact about this place is that after a certain hour you have to order your beers at the bar and table service ends which should bring more life to the party. I would definitely come back to this spot in Gastown on a busier night to enjoy the vibrations. read more

I've been here twice in a month. Don't judge me. Both times I've gotten in relatively early (just before 10pm) and haven't had to wait in line or pay cover. Also, both times i've spent the majority of my time on the upper level. Drinks are your typical Gastown/Vancouver prices but the vibe is awesome. When I've arrived, a live band is still playing, which is such a treat. It really makes a great atmosphere for chilling and hanging out for your first few drinks. Then eventually, a DJ starts and it has happened to always be great timing because I'm usually on my 3rd drink and ready to dance! I have no complaints about this place so far. I think they did a great job converting it from Post Modern. Chill, lots of places to snag a stool and pice of table, dance floor, food shack down stairs (GENIUS!) and 2 bars to get drinks at. Thumbs Up. read more

Visited on a busy Canucks game night shortly after Portside opened. The vibe couldn't be more different from the space's last incarnation as a nightclub. Decor suits the increasingly hip/trendy Gastown look - exposed wood beams, hand-painted signage (courtesy of Dan Climan - same artist who did all of Mark Brand's other DTES hotspot, Save-On-Meats), etc. This upscale pub setting already feels like its been here a while, and the clientele were having a majorly good time. Ignore the home-brewed pilsner (tasteless) and go for another craft beer. Otherwise, have fun. read more

*2.25 stars...am I allowed to do that?* This is the kind of place you drop in for a drink before you actually go out for a night on the town. Drinks - be warned wine drinkers! They just have red and white. As in, two kinds. But I guess that's acceptable for a "pub" as their specialty was beer. Food - interesting concept of street food indoors. You purchase tickets. Server brings your ticket to you. You go up and order your food at the counter. Then you go and pick up your food too. I don't know about everyone else but when I go to a restaurant I wouldn't mind being served my food. It's like when you go to Korean BBQ and having to cook your own food. The food quality itself was ok...pork shiu mai (random?), and some other Asian inspired burgers. Good for sharing, that's for sure. But quality wise, nothing to rave about. No debit?! Sacre bleu! I hope this is just a growing pain of being new-ish. On the plus side - the pub itself has a great vibe - great decor and layout. I believe it used to be the old Post Modern and I love what they've done with it. So much potential! Hopefully after a few months I will be able to add a star or half. read more

After reading reviews, I was expecting the worst, but it's not bad at all. No east coast vibe except for the decor, which is done well. What I think anyone has failed to mention is that this used to be Donnelly's Post Modern- so same layout, just more wood and pictures of tall ships! Beers range from $8-$10 but a double highball is $8.50. This is by no means a restaurant. It's a nightclub with snacks which you can purchase through a concession ticket system. Service was good at the bar-and didn't have to wait long to get a drink. Unisex bathrooms which only got busy around midnight, but kept clean considering. DJ (saturday night) was amazing. Not top forty, really good mix. read more

The negative reviews of this place are pretty unfair. Yes it does get busy on the weekends, but all bars do. The beers can be pricey, but there are over 20 beers on tap an they are mostly of premium quality so you're paying for a really good brew thats worth it. They have cheaper beers like PBR, but only hipsters and scumbags drink that garbage. You don't have to go on the weekends either. During the week it's actually a nice casual rustic looking pub. The decor is very quaint and and not like a nightclub at all. The food is pretty darn good and much better than the average bar food. Pulled pork sandwiches, Nathan's world famous hot dog, dim sum and various snacks. All the staff are very friendly too, so I'm really surprised at some of what people write here before me. Give it a chance cuz it's a pretty diverse little pub. read more

Portside has a laid back fun vibe. It is nicely decorated inside, strings of lanterns and plenty of perches and tables with ample room to watch the dance floor/people watch. DJ was good the night I was in, playing lots of crowd pleasers. For the pub/club vibe its a fun spot, but maybe a start the night out spot before you head out to somewhere more upbeat if you really want to dance. read more

Not quite sure how this place stays in business. I came here with mostly beer-lovers with the goal of drinking beer so my expectations started out lower already! Some in the group left before ordering because they serve no cocktails, have no wine selection or anything you could call substantial food. Unless a sausage for 3 tokens (or $6) is your idea of a meal. On the plus side, it's spacious with full-on wooden decor which makes you feel like you're inside a keg, and there were tons of empty tables so at least you don't have to wait. Not sure if that's a good sign considering there was an event in gastown that night and all the neighbouring establishments were packed. And they have a few good beers but nothing so special you can't get anywhere else. Actually now that I think about their beer selection wasn't grand either, especially for an exclusive beer bar. They had run out of two of the beers that day, one of which I had wanted to order. If they want to keep up, they need to start offering more of everything. read more

Dropped in after work during the week and the first thing that struck me was the quality of the decor. Large chunky wooden beams span the length of the place and the low ceiling downstairs really lend to the consistent nautical theme. The beer selection was great and the staff were friendly and attentive. There was some confusion about the ordering process from the concession, but once the ticket system was explained the service was prompt and the food was solid. I'll be back again for sure. The Portside Pub has carved out their own niche among the other establishments in Gastown. read more

The interior of the Portside Pub? So awesome! Three different levels, a couple of perma-street vendor style food stands and plenty of nooks and crannies to hole yourself up in. I was there for a Jameson Whiskey event, so cannot comment on the regular cocktail menu... but I sure did have enough pickle backs to keep me happy. The mid-level platform made a most excellent spot for the dj to set up. And I loved the low lighting and cozy feel. The acoustics were decent and it was a great night to hang out with some friends! read more

I was prepared for the worst but this place was not bad, just not particularly my style One thing you should know is that this is NOT a pub. It is a bar. -I'm generally upset with ANY place that calls themselves a pub and then charges cover, but this is looking to be typical in Vancouver (which I am shaming the city for, not necessarily Portside). -Cover was 7$ on a Friday night. -Another thing that is atypical for a "pub" is that there are no TVs so don't expect to catch a game here. -The floorplan is modelled after a ship- the bottom floor being, arguably, the most popular to bump into good looking strangers. There are two bars, bottom and top floor- the dance floor is a "mezzanine" floor that is half the floorspace of the other floors, and there are stall bathrooms with communal hand-washing area on the lower-lower floor. -They have security at the door and on all floors -The music was a mix of old-school hip-hops and top 40. Not my favourite but better than new..school... top 40. So I guess that is ok. And there was a generous crowd forming on the dance floor even before midnight so I can't complain about that- I generally like crowds don't think they are too cool to dance- -The crowd itself is pretty mixed, on a high average of normative good looks and a range from early 20s to late 30s. The crowd is friendly and definitely on the prowl. -Many people were casual, and a couple people pulled out some club-type clothes. I generally liked the vibe. Unpretentious and not worthy of a blanket douchey description as others have mentioned. -They have a lot of beers on tap which is great. They have more than 2 stouts on tap which makes me very very happy, and a bunch of other beers that I'm sure others care for. As the night wore on, people were ordering hiballs and shots from the bar too- so it almost made me feel like the nice tap selection was going to waste on people who just wanted to get hammered fast. -A sleeve- was about 7$, so fairly typical- but at my favourite microbrew upper scale restaurant rated at $$$ in Toronto, I could get a full pint of my favourite stout for 7$. But this is typical inflation for Gastown so I'm not complaining too much. This of this like the Yaletown brewpub, except more bar/club. It's not a bad space, I'm sure my friends will successfully drag me back to this place, but it is certainly not my first choice of bar. 2 stars on MY scale for my style bar 3 stars on any objective scale 4 stars for people who REALLY want to go to a pickup crowd bar that isn't a club and likes that newly gentrified bar-feel -It would never get five stars on ANYones scale unless you had an atypical night or you were an atypical customer And 1 star if you're Kareem A, whose exchange with the manager, I don't doubt. I'm not gonna hate on the Mark Brand group the way I do Donnelly just quite yet. Donnelly opens the same ass pub using the same terrible formula. (Except for Biminis- which is a great place). The Mark Brand group of places are successfully opening up different types of places that are interesting and potentially even adding new and interesting things to Vancouver's day and nightlife. read more