The Best Happy Hours in Downtown Vancouver (An Honest Guide!)

Looking for a list of the best happy hours in downtown Vancouver? 

From mouthwatering tacos and slurpworthy oysters to beers, wine and cocktails galore, happy hour downtown has plenty of offer those who are A-OK with leaving work a little early.

We love doing Happy Hour downtown. It’s one of our go-to date ideas because it gives us a chance to scope out some of the city’s best restaurants without committing to the eye-watering downtown price tags.

And while prices seem to be going up everywhere, and good value happy hours are becoming more and more difficult to find, there are still plenty of excellent options for cheap eats in Downtown Vancouver, and drinks too if you know where to look.

So, here are our top picks for the best Happy Hour deals in Downtown Vancouver. We hope you (and your stomach) find it helpful!

Help us improve this article! Here at Vancouver Tips, we only write about places we’ve personally visited, which is why some of our articles are fairly short. If you have any insider tips or recommendations for us to try out, let us know in the comments so we can expand our content!

ARC

Happy Hour: Monday to Friday 3pm – 5:30pm

Probably best known for their bottomless brunch, Arc (located right at Waterfront) is another downtown Happy Hour worth checking out.

As an upscale restaurant, the price point here is higher than other downtown Happy Hours, but it’s a classy yet relaxed spot for drinks if you want something a bit “nicer” for a date or girls night.

That said, given its location on the ground floor of the Fairmont Waterfront (close to Canada Place and Vancouver’s financial district), the clientele here at Arc is truly a mixed bag. You’ll get everything from post-work business men in full suits to hungry tourists in sweats… BUT the signature cocktails are pretty and delicious, the service is attentive, and the space is beautifully bright and airy.

During our visit, we tried the mussels and fries, the crispy chicken wings, and the baja ceviche tostada. All were really delicious, although the wings were a messy choice for such a “nice” spot (wiping sticky sauce off on nice cloth napkins felt blasphemous) so we wouldn’t recommend that one if you’re on a date or trying to impress clients!

We also tried the Blackberry Mule and ARC Sangria, which were perfect if you’re into sweet cocktails. 

Glowbal

Happy Hour: Daily from 2:30 – 5:30pm

For a swanky Happy Hour in downtown Vancouver, Glowbal (located at TELUS Garden) is a great pick. Taking place daily from 2:30 – 5:30pm with a nice drinks menu ranging from $5 – $8, this is our go-to if we want to go somewhere “nice” for drinks without breaking the bank.

In case the entrance’s flower-lined selfie mirror didn’t make it clear, Glowbal is a great spot to meet for Happy Hour drinks in downtown Vancouver for a girls’ night… although it’s fairly popular as a date night spot too. The patio is especially pretty, with its unique birdcage seats which are (of course) also lined with flowers.

Sadly, none of the super cool cocktails here at Glowbal are included on the Happy Hour, so you’re bound to get cocktail envy when a server comes by a giant blob of cotton candy on top of a drink… but you can sip easy knowing you’ve saved yourself twenty bucks. The sangria here (red or white) is always a great pick, but don’t forget to indulge in the yummy food menu too – the calamari and fried chicken are well worth a try.

Chewie’s 

Happy Hour: Daily from 3 – 6pm 

If you’re craving fresh and tasty oysters, then Chewie’s at Coal Harbour is a great pick for Happy Hour in downtown Vancouver. Besides beach oysters at less than $2 each, pints of local beer are only $6, glasses of BC wine are only $8, and you get to enjoy it all in an airy and laidback environment that’s perfect for after work drinks. 

Besides oysters, there’s a selection of their hot dishes like calamari and poutine available for Happy Hour under $15, but let’s be honest: oysters are always our priority when we come here and we’re never left disappointed.

The Pawn Shop YVR

Happy Hour: Wednesday – Sunday 12pm – 5pm, all day Tuesday

For a super fun happy hour experience downtown, you can’t go wrong with The Pawn Shop, a funky taco joint found along the Granville Strip.

Besides having one of the most generous happy hours in downtown Vancouver time-wise, it also has an irresistible deal in spiked slushies for $4.95, and two dollar tacos.

Although a quick look at the most recent menu shows that tacos might have slightly gone up in price to $2.50, this is still one of our favourite downtown Vancouver happy hours for tasty food and an ultra fun vibe.

West Oak 

Happy Hour: Daily from 3 – 6pm

With highballs for $4, wine for $6, and a small assortment of classic cocktails for $7, West Oak has (in our opinion) one of the best Happy Hours in Yaletown. Add on some delicious dishes ranging from $8 – $28, and you have a happy hour that’s perfect for an elegant date or girls night.

And while the Happy Hour selection here isn’t huge, West Oak wins points for its upscale ambiance and the fact that Happy Hour specials go until 6pm, an increasingly rare occurrence these days in downtown Vancouver. It’ll cost you a bit more than some of the other downtown Vancouver happy hours on our list, but the atmosphere here is quite nice, so great if you’re looking to impress.

Our recommendation? Get the mussels and fries, and visit on Wednesdays for 40% off all bottles of wine.

Ebisu on Robson

Happy Hour: Daily 3 – 6pm

If you’re looking for a Happy Hour in downtown Vancouver that does Japanese food, then be sure to check out Ebisu on Robson.

Perched on the 2nd floor above the shops of Robson and Bute, this fun Japanese lounge is one of the few in the city that still does Buck a Shuck oysters, at 99 cents each.

Although they limit you to twelve per person, this is still a great deal, especially when you add in the 14.99 pitchers of ice cold Sapporo, and a selection of tasty sushi rolls and appetizers in the 5.99 – 7.99 range.

While we can’t say Ebisu has the best oysters or sushi in town, the fair price points and chill loungey ambiance make it a great place to grab a post-work bite or casual date.

We can highly recommend the Truffle Fries and the Volcano Roll:

Good Co. (formerly Colony Bar) Granville (Entertainment District)

Happy Hour: Monday – Friday 3 – 6pm

For a really fun and dirt cheap Happy Hour in Downtown Vancouver, Colony Bar on the Granville Strip is pretty tough to beat.

Taking place on weekdays from 3 – 6pm, you’ll find burgers, nachos, and corndogs for 5 bucks, with an array of drink specials that max out at 5.50.

The vibe here is really casual and laidback, with tons of large TV screens and a small assortment of arcade style games in the corner available for 1-2 bucks per play. This would be a really fun place for a casual date night, or a spot to hang out with a group of friends. Think dive bar prices without the sticky tables and beer-soaked carpet – a great deal for downtown Vancouver.

Earls

Happy Hour: Daily 2 – 5pm + Sun – Thurs: 9pm – Close, Fri – Sat: 10pm – Close

As you probably guessed based on our Best Happy Hours in Burnaby article, we’re no strangers to Earls, and if it’s a great value Happy Hour you’re looking for downtown, then this is a reliable bet with a few locations to choose from.

The regular Happy Hour menu at Earls offers a generous choice of high balls, beers, and wines for $5 each (plus many more drinks for a bit more), alongside a large assortment of bites from little snacks (think $4 tacos) to filling main courses (Steak Frites for $22).

Honestly, Earls is one of those downtown happy hours in Vancouver that you really can’t go wrong with… especially when you factor in their special Brunch Happy hour, which takes place on weekends.

Steamworks

Happy Hour: Daily from 3 – 6pm

With its convenient location right by Waterfront station, Steamworks is an ideal happy hour in downtown Vancouver for those who need to catch public transport home, whether you need to head back via Skytrain, Seabus or West Coast Express.

While this is one of the few happy hours downtown that doesn’t offer special deals on food, it makes for a perfect post-work stop if all you’re looking for is a cold drink at an affordable price… plus they have tons of tables and seating so you’ll almost always find a table, even when other places are booked full.

During Happy Hour at Steamworks, you’ll save between $1.50 – $4 on beer, wine, cocktails, and pitchers. Sure, the selection isn’t huge, but its convenient location and chill atmosphere makes it one of our go-to Vancouver happy hours if we’re in the area.

All the better if you manage to snag a table with that coveted water view:

Cactus Club

Happy Hour: 2 – 5 pm & 9:30pm – Close

With several locations scattered around the most scenic parts of downtown Vancouver (the view from the Coal Harbour location is unbeatable), featuring Cactus Club on our top happy hour roundup was kind of a no-brainer.

Besides their signature Bellini being on offer for $7.25, they also have a large selection of wines, cocktails, and beers for under 8 bucks… alongside many of their main dishes at a nice discount too, if you’re looking for food.

We’d definitely recommend this happy hour if you’re hungry enough for a full meal. When else can you enjoy signature Cactus dishes like the steak frites for just under 22 bucks?

Keefer Yard

Unfortunately closed as of September 2022

Happy Hour: 4-6pm Monday to Friday, 2-6pm on Friday & All Day Monday

Keefer Yard is hands down one of our favourite underrated happy hours in Vancouver. It’s not quiiiiite downtown-downtown, but it’s close enough (and the deals are good enough) that we had to include it.

Not only is the dim sum & bar snacks menu 50% off during Happy Hour, their drink prices are super affordable, with most of their cocktails (usually at least $14) available for only 5 to 8 bucks.

You can also have a go at their mini golf course inside, for a minimum donation of $10 to charity.

PRO TIP: Visit on a Monday and take advantage of these Happy Hour deals all day long.

All-Day Happy Hours & Other Drink Specials

Sometimes limiting your plans to Happy Hour time constraints is a bit of a drag… Luckily, we’ve done some research to find all-day drink specials around Downtown as well, so you can enjoy Happy Hour prices without having to get all your orders in by 6.

Did we miss any of your favourite downtown Vancouver happy hours?

Let us know in the comments so we can add more to our list!