The Best Bar in Victoria, British Columbia

Background Illustration for Nightlife

Victoria's nightlife is low-key and casual, with many wonderful pubs, but a limited choice of other nightlife. Pubs offer a casual vibe for lunch, dinner, or an afternoon pint, often with a view and an excellent selection of beer. The pubs listed here all serve food, and many brew their own beer. Patrons must be 19 or older to enter a bar or pub in British Columbia, but many pubs have a separate restaurant section open to all ages. The city is enjoying a resurgence of cocktail culture, with several of Victoria's trendier restaurants doubling as lounges, offering cocktails and small plates well into the night. Dance clubs attract a young crowd and most close by 2 am. A dress code (no jeans or sneakers) may be enforced, but otherwise, attire is casual. Smoking is not allowed in Victoria's pubs, bars, and nightclubs—this applies both indoors and on patios.

Clive's Classic Lounge

Downtown
Boasting more than 300 rare and hard-to-find spirits on their racks, the bartenders at this classic lounge in the Chateau Victoria Hotel continue to lead Victoria's cocktail scene. They make their own syrups and bitters and use fresh juices in their traditional and contemporary drinks that are forever evolving into intriguing combinations. Trying is believing—sample one of their liquor flights.