VANCOUVER - British Columbia: Including the Alaska Highway - page 82

Inlet. Down the hill is Deighton's Well (131 Water St., 604/669-7219), with a few tables
streetside and a quieter courtyard out back.
At the far end of Gastown, the lively Blarney Stone (216 Carrall St., 604/687-4322)
frequently resounds with rowdy Irish party bands. The evening crowd here is older and of-
ten single. In the same vein, across the road is the Irish Heather (212 Carrall St., 604/
688-9779), renowned for its Guinness. This part of downtown also holds some of the city's
worst bars, but the beer is cheap; take care when walking the surrounding streets late at
night. The best of a bad bunch is the Balmoral (159 E. Hastings, 604/681-8233), with oc-
casional live music, and the Grand Union (74 W. Hastings, 604/681-6611), where country
music is blasted throughout the day and night.
Yaletown and Granville Island
Yaletown Brewing Co. (1111 Mainland St., 604/681-2739) is the premier drinking hole
for the hip population of inner-city Yaletown. The in-house brewery produces a variety of
excellent beers, there's a great patio, and the food is of a high standard for a pub. Also in
Yaletown, the Opus Bar (22 Davie St., 604/642-0557) serves up strong cocktails and im-
ported beer in a sizzlingly hip setting off the lobby of the Opus Hotel.
Walk back toward downtown from the Opus to The Royal (1029 Granville St., 604/
685-7527) to join the throngs of young backpackers drinking up nightly specials before re-
tiring to the upstairs hostel. Doolin's Irish Pub (654 Nelson St., 604/605-4343) dispenses
mugs of Guinness and hearty food (such as a ploughman's lunch for $8) daily from
11:30am.
The small but always lively Wicklow (610 Stamp's Landing, 604/879-0821) overlooks
False Creek just east of Granville Island and a short ferry trip from Yaletown. Aside from
beer and liquor, this joint offers delicious snacks to keep you going, live music on week-
ends, and great sunset views of the harbor.
West End
Toward the West End, Joe Fortes Seafood and Chophouse (777 Thurlow St., 604/
669-1940) boasts a great bar, complete with a wide range of beers and a condensed menu
from the adjacent restaurant. In the same part of town, at street level of the Best Western,
The Park at English Bay (1755 Davie St., 604/682-1831) is a popular sports bar, this one
with a long list of regional wines.