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Listed below, in alphabetical order, are some of Vancouver Martini's favorite gin-joints. The notes and ratings are based on completely unscientific polls, and may or may not depend on various factors, including what time of the night the Vancouver Martini Crew sampled each drink, whether or not we paid for the drink, and the hotness of the bartender/server that gave it to us.
Feel free to contact us to give us your opinion on the following, or to suggest more joints for us to try! This page is updated regularly, so check back for new additions (especially after each Martini Tour!)
| Cocktail Joint | Address | Martini Notes | Martini Rating (out of 5)* | Martinis To Try |
| 900 West at Fairmont Hotel Vancouver | 900 West Georgia | This lounge has won many awards for its superb martinis. Excellent atmosphere, super-attentive, and a perfect dry vodka martini. What every hotel lounge should aspire to be. |
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Grand Cosmo, Million Dollar Legs Martini, After The Frost Martini |
| Aqua 1066 Restaurant & Lounge | 1066 West Hastings | Top international DJs come to play here in this late-night restaurant and lounge. Good-looking bartenders could use some mixing tips though... |
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Aquatini |
| AuBar | 674 Seymour | Excellent late-night dance lounge, super-friendly and good looking staff. Martinis good, but come here for the eye candy. |
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Bombay Sapphire Martini with olives |
| Bacchus Piano Lounge at Wedgewood Hotel | 845 Hornby | Bacchus Lounge is THE definition of old-school elegance. Consistently voted one of Vancouver's best lounges. |
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Anything shaken, not stirred, of course. |
| Bar None | 1222 Hamilton, Yaletown | New management has taken over this classic Yaletown nightclub, and the results seem great so far. Perfect dance place to end up after a night of sipping martinis in Yaletown. |
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Pussy Galore Martini, BullTini, Watermelon Crawl |
| Blue Water Cafe | 1095 Hamilton, Yaletown | One of the best high-end seafood and oyster joints in Yaletown - grab a seat at the sushi bar and sip on some excellently crafted cocktails. |
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Red Dragon Martini, Yaletown Cosmo |
| Bridges | 1696 Duranleau St, Granville Island | One of Vancouver's best patios, with excellent seafood to match. Best place to enjoy a refreshing martini while watching the boats on the water on a summer evening. |
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Rapture Martini, Starburst Martini, Cooleo Martini |
| Browns Restaurant Bar | 1165 Mainland, Yaletown | A funky Yaletown joint. Excellent service, fun environment, and good food and cocktails. |
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The Removal Martini, Diverse Martini |
| Capones Restaurant & Jazz Club | 1141 Hamilton, Yaletown | Some of the best jazz in the city. Well-priced, tasty martinis accompany excellent food. |
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Rubytini, Gangster Martini (for the brave only), Sour Apple Martini |
| Caprice | 965 Granville | This former movie theatre turned lounge / late-night dance club is usually a stop on the Granville nightclub circuit. Martinis are ok, but don't order anything too complicated... |
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Marquee Martini, Late Show Martini |
| Cardero's Restaurant | 1583 Coal Harbour Quay, Coal Harbour | Rub elbows with the Coal Harbour regulars as you sip your martini and enjoy fresh seafood on their fantastic marinaside patio. Attentive staff will make your martini to taste. |
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One of the best Sour Apple Martinis in the city. Try it with or without a splash of Vanilla Stoli. |
| Cascades Lounge at Pan Pacific Hotel | 999 Canada Place Way | One of the best views in the city. Slow but friendly service, the martinis are impeccably mixed. |
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Pacific Breeze, Casacades Martini, Mondotini, Pomme Vert Martini |
| Cassis Bistro | 420 Pender | One of Vancouver's hidden gems, this French bistro has a superb martini list featuring creative and fresh ingredients. |
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Vancouver Phuket Martini, Eiffel Tower Martini, Lemon Hive Martini (warning: addictive) |
| Cat's Meow | 1540 Old Bridge St, Granville Island | A friendly Granville Island joint, known more for their burgers and beer than their martinis. $6.00 martinis may bring you down for a few though... |
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In-Syle Martini, Barely Legal Martini |
| Central Bistro | 1072 Denman, West End | One of the largest martini lists in the city, Central's head bartender / mixologist serves up delicious and affordable cocktails in this funky West End martini joint. |
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Centraltini, What the #$@*K?! Martini |
| Century House | 432 Richards | This turn-of-the-century bank has been beautifully converted into one of Vancouver's hottest new lounges. Food okay, but come for the friendly staff, the decor and the excellent cocktails. |
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Local Uprising Martini, Northern Ally Martini |
| Chambar | 562 Beatty, Crosstown | Superbly crafted original cocktails pair well with excellent dishes in this newer Belgian restaurant. You have to know somebody to get a table on the weekend at this joint. |
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Original creations every month, but ask for the Vesper Lynn Martini or the Blue Fig Martini |
| Cin Cin Ristorante & Bar | 1154 Robson | A superb Italian joint. Very attentive staff, perfectly mixed martinis. A VancouverMartini.com favorite. |
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Amore Martini, Sophistication Martini, Unleashed Martini |
| Club 686 | 686 West Hastings | This creatively-named nightclub is better suited for meeting a scantily-clad dance partner than for trying good cocktails. |
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Rye & Coke in a martini glass... |
| Coast Restaurant | 1257 Hamilton, Yaletown | Super-friendly staff, hip atmosphere - one of Yaletown's newest and best restaurants. |
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BC Berry Martini |
| Crush Champagne Lounge | 1180 Granville | Martinis are just ok, but hip atmosphere, great music and a good-looking crowd make this a great stop on most nights. |
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North Side Martini, Snapple Apple Martini |
| Delilah's Restaurant & Bar | 1789 Comox, West End | The grand-daddy of martini joints in Vancouver, people have been sipping cocktails here for decades, before it was ever trendy. Every martini lounge in Vancouver aspires to be like Delilah's - if you only have time for one place to try a martini in Vancouver, this is it. |
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Delilah's Martini - perfectly shaken vodka with three lemon wedges. We dare you to drink just one. |
| Diva At The Met | 645 Howe | One of the business district's hidden gems. Come for a drink after work and sip a martini while chatting with the affable bartenders. |
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Aquatique Martini, Strawberry Lemonade Martini |
| Earl's On Top | 1185 Robson | Earl's has always been a reliable Vancouver restaurant chain, but their newly renovated Robson Street joint looks fabulous. Satisfactory martinis served by beautiful, friendly staff, for only $5.50 on weekends. |
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Red Bull Martini |
| Elixir at Opus Hotel | 350 Davie, Yaletown | Yaletown's trendiest joint, the place to be seen. Just bring your full wallet - the martinis are excellent, but come with a price. |
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Classic Gin Martini, Opus 97 Martini |
| Gecko Club | 518 Richards | The VancouverMartini staff ended up here one night after a late-night Martini Tour...our memories are a bit fuzzy but we know we had a lot of fun and tried some kind of martini-like cocktail with watermelon in it. |
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Something called Gecko Juice...? |
| Gerard Lounge at Sutton Place Hotel | 845 Burrard | The best old-school lounge in the city. Sit in the over-stuffed chairs in the dark-wood panelled Gerard Lounge and sip on perfectly made burnt Martinis. Ask for Ripper, one of the city's best gin-slinging bartenders... |
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Chocolate Martini (to go with the excellent chocolate buffet), Gogh Go Martini, Ripper Martini |
| Ginger 62 | 1219 Granville | In terms of atmosphere and style, one of the best places to enjoy a martini on the Granville Strip. Great drinks, great music and great vibes. |
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Showboat Martini |
| Glowbal Restaurant / Afterglow | 1079 Mainland, Yaletown | Glowbal is the restaurant, Afterglow the lounge. Excellent martinis served in classy stainless steel glasses - the best late-night lounge in Yaletown. |
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Glowbal Martini, Hawaiian Punch Martini |
| Granville Room | 957 Granville | A surprisingly good cocktail oasis amid the chaos of Granville Street boasts well-mixed and affordable martinis. A great place to start off your evening of Granville St debauchery. |
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Flirtini, Gin Daisy |
| Herons Lounge at Fairmont Waterfront Hotel | 900 Canada Place Way | Excellent service in this cozy lounge live up to the Fairmont name. Enjoy a cocktail before dinner at their five-star restaurant. |
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Boxcar Martini, Happiness Martini |
| Joe Fortes Seafood & Chop House | 777 Thurlow | One of Vancouver's classic joints, and a local and tourist favorite, Joe Fortes never disappoints. Enjoy a perfectly crafted martini and some tasty oysters, served by friendly staff in a stylish environment. |
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Key Lime-tini, Sour Ness Martini |
| Le Gavroche | 1616 Alberni | Suberb French food in a beautifully restored heritage house. Wine is the focus, but all martinis were very well prepared. |
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Pre-dinner Classic with olives |
| La Terrazza | 1088 Cambie, Yaletown | Excellent Italian Joint in Yaletown, La Terrazza is known more for its food and wine than it's martinis, but you can still get a great cocktail nonetheless. |
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Extra Dirty Olive Martini |
| Lickerish | 903 Davie | Vancouvermartini.com hasn't officially scouted Lickerish yet, but we sent our expert gal Kelly to scout: "Their 'Mary Anne' is delicious. So delicious that I spied on the bartender to watch how she made it to recreate it at home. Yes, I probably could have asked, but how fun is that?" |
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Mary Anne, Asian Peartini |
| Lift Bar and Grill | 333 Menchion Mews, Coal Harbour | Lift is one of Vancouver's newest waterfront lounge / restaurants. The food, drinks and atmosphere are impeccable - this is THE place to sip martinis on their fantastic patio in the summer. |
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OMD Martini - Dry Double Grey Goose with a twist for $12. I've found heaven. |
| Feenies / Lumiere | 2563 West Broadway | Rob Feenie's Lumiere is consistently voted one of Vancouver's best formal restaurants, Feenie's one of the best casual. Superb food, but my martini was not quite dry enough to my liking. I'm sure, though, I will improve the rating on my next visit... |
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Manhattan |
| Mill Marine Bistro | 1199 West Cordova, Coal Harbour | One of Coal Harbour's new hidden gems. Right on the waterfront, sit inside or outside and enjoy their fabulous hospitality. Known more for their great food and beer, their martinis are just ok. |
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Sourpuss Martini, Lemelonie, Tokyo Stone Martini |
| Relish Restaurant and Lounge | 888 Nelson | Hip, funky, casual atmosphere. Martinis are just ok, but Saturday nights they are $4.75, making this a mandatory starting-point for your night of debauchery |
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Red Dragon Martini |
| Republic | 958 Granville | Another new addition to the Granville Entertainment Strip, Republic serves up good food and carefully-crafted cocktails in an environment that's suited for both casual dinners and late-night debauchery. |
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Grey Goose Martini with a twist, Cosmopolitan |
| Saltlik | 1032 Alberni | This impressive steak chain has landed in Vancouver, and boasts a great decor and delicious food. Martinis are well-made, but not their specialty |
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Dirty Birdie Martini, Blueberry Cosmo, Lip Smacker Martini |
| Sanafir | 1026 Granville | This fantastic restaurant is bringing some class back to Granville Street. Enjoy superb food and cocktails downstairs, than continue upstairs with your companion(s) to the private rooms, replete with king-size lounging beds. |
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Elixir of Life, Marrakesh Mint |
| Sandbar | 1535 Johnston St, Granville Island | Vancouver's trendy head down here after work to sip martinis and look for Mr. and Mrs. Right-Now while enjoying great seafood and well-mixed cocktails. |
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Sandbar Martini, A-Bomb |
| Savory Coast | 1133 Robson | One of Robson's newer additions is an average restaurant, catering mainly to tourists - however, their fresh pear-infused Savory-Tini is one of the best cocktails in the city. |
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Savory-Tini (amazing!) |
| Seawall Bar & Grill at the Westin Bayshore | 1601 Bayshore Drive, Coal Harbour | Not only tourists enjoy the spectacular views from this great indoor /outdoor lounge right on the seawall. Super-friendly staff, great service, but martinis could use a little more refinement. |
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White Cosmopolitan |
| Show Case Bar at the Marriott | 1122 West Hastings | This beautiful lounge is tucked away in Vancouver's business district near Coal Harbour. Friendly staff and great cocktails make it worth a visit. |
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Show Case Martini, Red Lotus Martini |
| Sip Resto-Lounge | 1117 Granville | Love the atmosphere, the staff and the food at Granville Street's latest lounge. Sadly, though, after two separate visits, the martinis were sorely lacking. Dry martinis were very sloppy and their signature martinis were too fruity and sugary. Come anyway, as the scenery is great... |
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Kobe's Tie (if only for the name) |
| SkyBar | 670 Smithe | 3 floors of pure trendy. Some of the best looking Vancouverites end up here to schmooze and dance to some great music, but bring your wallet for the privilege of drinking with the beautiful. Bartenders are great to gaze out, but need some help in the mixing department. |
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Cosmopolitan |
| Steamworks | 375 Water St | Although they are known for their beer, one can still enjoy a martini in one of their trendy private rooms, including an oyster bar. |
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Monsoon Martini, Harry's Sidecar, Late Night Martini |
| Terrace Bar at Four Seasons | 791 West Georgia | The Four Seasons know how to treat their guests, and the Terrace Bar is no exception. One of the best traditional martinis in the city. Great for an after-work drink before you hit the town. |
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3-olive Vodka or Gin Traditional |
| Tokyo Lounge | 1050 Alberni | Once past the pat-downs and metal detectors, the young crowd comes here to dance to some of the world's best DJs - martinis are an after-thought. |
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Sake To Me Martini, French Connection Martini, Swimming Pool Martini |
| Tonic Nightclub | 919 Granville | Late-night dance club, right in the heart of the Granville Strip. Friendly staff, good music. Martinis are surprisingly well-made. |
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Cosmopolitan, Sour Apple Martini |
| Top of Vancouver Revolving Restaurant | 555 West Hastings | Enjoy a martini atop the tallest building in downtown Vancouver, THE best view in the city. Good martinis, but over-priced. Bring your tourist friends, but have them pay. |
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Tiger Lily Martini, Emerald Martini, Top of Vancouver Sunset Martini |
| Watermark Restaurant | 1305 Arbutus, Kits Beach | Gorgeous restaurant with an even more gorgeous view, Watermark unfortunately falls short in the martini and the service department. Poorly-mixed martinis served by unsophisticated staff don't make up for the spectacular location. |
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Ice cold Seabreeze Martini on a hot summer day |
| Wild Rice Restaurant | 117 West Pender | One of Vancouver's gems, this Asian Fusion restaurant also serves up some of the best martinis this side of the Pacific Rim. Come for the food, stay for the house-infused vodka martinis. |
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Lotus Martini, Shanghai Alley Martini, Carrall Street Martini |
| Yagger's Downtown | 433 West Pender | The only restaurant in Canada sponsored exclusively by Jagermeister, Yagger's serves suprisingly good martinis and excellent food. Sit at the bar and ask for Dan, their resident wisecracking bartender. |
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Garlic Mash Potato Martini, Yagger's on Mars Martini |
| Zin Restaurant & Lounge | 1277 Robson | Funky lounge in trendy Robson Street, Zin Lounge has affordable, well-made martinis. Service just ok. |
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After the Quickie Martini |
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*Rating Key:
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