Top Vancouver Night Clubs
Locals and tourists alike join for some of the world’s most notable nightlife. Huge dance halls can be found in various neighborhoods. Gastown, Yaletown, and Granville Street all have their own choice selection of booty-shaking parties.
It’s all about knowing where to go to get your fix of fun and, perhaps even more importantly, when. The top Vancouver Night Clubs operate on different nights and dish out varied dance options. While sometimes you’ll walk in to a life band, other nights are full-blown parties set to scratching turntables.
Whether you’re a local or a visitor, there is promise to have a great night out on the scene of Vancouver. Check out our list of Vancouver's best nightclubs to find out when to go to join the party.
1. Celebrities
Celebrities is a mainstay for Vancouver, boasting over 30 years of parties in Vancouver. It opened in the 1980s and underwent a huge renovation in 2013. The facelift gave it new life including state-of-the-art sound and lighting, solidifying its reputation as a premier nightclub on the West Coast.
The club likes to push the boundaries and, as such, is now known as a mainstay for the gay community, although the doors are open to anyone looking for a good time. The name says it all; David Guetta and Boy George are two notable attendees of parties.
Their website posts events ahead of time, giving you the option to decide if you’re going with table service for your night out or just a good ol’ fashioned frolic on the dancefloor. No matter what you choose, you’re bound to have a blast. It’s open Friday and Saturday nights for a good weekend scene, but also on Tuesday if that’s more on your schedule (or you just need a midweek break from the mundane).
2. Venue Nightclub
Located smack-dab in the middle of Granville Street is Venue Nightclub. This dual-level hotspot is known to be a dance-floor haven as well as a concert hall. Depending on the night you go, you’ll get to hear the best of what DJs have spinning or a live band or artist.
David Guetta made an appearance here as well, and they didn’t max out there. Some of the upcoming concerts will welcome Dennis Lloyd, Terror Jr., and Peter, BJorn, and John to the main stage. While Venue functions as a concert venue on some nights, Friday and Saturday are designated club nights. Fridays are themed as #EmbrvceFridays when they spin all the new and emerging artists to listen out for. It’s a party and a preview of all the great music to come. Two floors means there’s plenty of space to draw a big crowd and still host a bitchin’ party.
3. The Roxy Cabaret
If you need a little more time flexibility in Vancouver, The Roxy Cabaret has that option. It’s an attractively energetic nightclub that may also be a concert venue, depending on when you go. Open every day, the Roxy Cabaret that hosts live bands or DJs nightly.
It does this well with a lot of practice. It’s been open for 27 years and continues to bring in guests with the promise of legendary ultra-strong double Long Island Iced Teas. Popular with local hostel-stayers and sometimes a younger crowd, some visitors equate it closer to a dive bar than a night club. Either way, it’s quite popular and on some nights can get quite poppin’. Expect a mixed bag of party-goers and musicians. Also, depending on who the lineup is and what night it is, there may or may not need to queue up.
4. Red Room Ultrabar
If you want to know exactly what you’re getting into, Red Room Ultrabar has lineups that stay pretty consistent. That doesn’t mean they aren’t fun though. Friday nights are their Cancun Nights, during which the DJ spins all types of hip-hop, electronic, reggae, salsa, and Top 40.
Saturdays are a little different. Know as SUBculture Saturdays, it’s more a deep dance vibe with dubstep, trap, funk, and hip-hop. The club is also open Thursdays and Sundays.
As for the rest of the year, The Red Room is all about keeping things seasonal and on theme. They’re well-known for hosting huge holiday parties for Halloween and New Year’s Eve.
Any other day of the week is up for grabs for private parties, except for Friday and Saturday nights – those nights are for the party people. Red Room Ultrabar is definitely a top Vancouver night Club.
5. Bar None
Party people also flock to Yaletown on Friday and Saturday nights for Bar None. Bar None is wildly popular and a senior on the Nightlife scene. With over 20 years of serving the neighborhood’s dance-crazed residents and visitors, it still stands supreme.
The legend of the nightclub is solidified by some of its high-profile performers and attendees. Artists from the likes of Drake to the late Prince have graced the stage at Bar None, and they’re always looking to host the next major celebrity.
The parties are so photo-ready, you can log into their website after the fact and hope to catch some starlit photos of yourself with friends from previous parties.
Aside from the table service and top-notch attendees who must adhere to dress code, Bar None had a few noteworthy renovations in 2015. They introduced updated lighting, eclectic art, and a sushi and sake bar. Renovations aside, it’s a staple of the community and always ahead of the trends.
6. Caprice Nightclub
Open Wednesday, Friday, Saturday
Calling on the elegance of old Hollywood, Caprice is located in an old movie theater. The building provides lots of space amongst its two floors for party-goers and offers a more create-your-own adventure approach to a night out.
Like some other of the world’s best hot spots, there are plenty of themed nights to choose from when stopping by Caprice. One of the few open on a Wednesday, you can spend your hump day celebrating with their RUTS night of rap, trap, and hip-hop.
The fun is taken up a notch on Friday when they open both floors for their DLUX themed night, and Saturday is truly a chance to make it your own. OWN Saturdays has the top floor playing reggae and R&B for a change from the downstairs rap, trap, and hip-hop.Some visitors say the crowds tend to be on the younger side and you can always expect it to be jam-packed. If you really need to let loose and get a little crazy on a Wednesday, Friday, or Saturday, this is the place.
7. Playhouse Nightclub Vancouver
Known to be more exclusive than some of the others, the Playhouse Nightclub in Vancouver gives off Gatsby vibes. Surprisingly, it’s one of the newer spots and doesn’t have the long-standing reputation of some of the other clubs.
Despite this, it’s been increasingly successful in attracting plenty of party-goers looking for something extravagant. It’s lighting system holds the fabulous architecture, custom tile-work, and chandelier come to life. It rockets you back to old glory, while still staying modernized with phone-charging outlets at every table. Inside is impressive, but outside is really what sets it apart. It’s the first of Vancouver’s clubs to have a heated outdoor patio for a smoke break or, on the flip side, a breath of fresh air. It’s open every night for one of their premier cocktails served up by best-in-class staff.
8. Aura Nightclub
Back on Granville Street, Aura Nightclub gives party-goers an all-around experience. The place is decked out in some of the most electrifying decór of colorful lights set in a dimly-lit room, perfect for setting the dance party mood.
Aura Nightclub is on the newer end of the scale compared to other Vancouver nightclubs but has proven itself an ace in the whole. It’s set up to send all of your senses tingling. It’s a great place for singles to go and mingle while wearing their best weekend gear. It opens on Thursday for an early start to the weekend and runs until Sunday night at 3AM. Expect a lot of high-energy EDM music and pretty peers to be in attendance. Check it out any week or wait until they post their themed parties that are sure to be a night to remember.
Well, there you have it! That is our list of Vancouver's Top Night Clubs. Please leave us a comment if you agree or disagree with our list. Also, if you think we missed a club, let us know!
