Pourhouse

Pourhouse is a bar and restaurant at 162 Water Street in Gastown, Vancouver's oldest neighbourhood, in British Columbia, Canada. The venue occupies a heritage-style room with a vintage saloon feel, and it pairs a classic cocktail list with a food menu, which makes it as suitable for an early dinner as for a late drink. Water Street is the main tourist and nightlife strip of Gastown, close to the Gastown Steam Clock, so the bar attracts a mixed crowd of visitors, office workers finishing the day, couples and groups of friends.

The atmosphere is warm, lively and relaxed. There is no strict dress code, and smart-casual to casual clothing is common. The crowd is adult and spans a wide age range, from young professionals to older visitors, and the early evening tends to be more dinner-oriented while later hours become more social. The specialty is classic cocktails, and the venue is also associated with live music nights, so the music can range from background recordings during dinner to live performances on scheduled evenings. Visitors who want a particular act or genre should check the event listings on the venue's website, because programming varies.

The drinks programme leans on well-known cocktail styles, including old-fashioneds, sours and spirit-forward drinks, with a selection of beer and wine as well. Cocktails typically cost around CAD $15-20 (US $11-14). Food is available through the evening, and some visitors treat the venue as a restaurant first and a bar second.

Hours are listed as evenings daily, with exact opening and closing times varying by night, so confirming on the website is advisable. The bar lists no cover charge, although events may differ. Reservations are useful for dinner service and for larger groups, particularly on Friday and Saturday, when Gastown fills with visitors. Bottle service is not a defining feature of the venue.

The Gastown location makes Pourhouse easy to combine with a walking tour of the district's cobbled streets, galleries and restaurants. Waterfront Station and the SkyTrain are a short walk away, which simplifies the trip home, though some visitors prefer taxis late at night.