Speakeasies in Vancouver
Vancouver's speakeasies hide behind fake storefronts, freezers and unmarked doors. The best speakeasies in Vancouver include Laowai in Chinatown, entered through the freezer of a dumpling shop once you order No. 7, which keeps Canada's largest baijiu collection and placed No. 72 on the 51-100 list of North America's 50 Best Bars 2026. In Gastown, Arcana Spirit Lounge sits behind a Pet Psychic storefront, and no password is needed. Key Party hides behind a fake accounting office on Main Street, The Narrow Lounge marks its door with a single red light, and Lala is a vinyl bar beneath June on Cambie. Key Party and The Narrow take no reservations. These are the bars we would start with.
NORTH AMERICA'S 50 BESTSpeakeasyLaowai
A speakeasy-style cocktail bar in Chinatown entered through a freezer door inside sister restaurant BLND TGER. The room channels 1920s Shanghai with velvet, copper, malachite and leather, and the drinks program centers on baijiu and cocktails built on bamboo, ginseng, lychee and Sichuan peppercorn. Seating is first come, first served for small groups. It sits at No. 72 on the North America's 50 Best Bars 51-100 list in 2026.
251 E Georgia St, Vancouver, BC V6A 1Z6Tue–Sun eveningsFull profile- Arcana Spirit LoungeSpeakeasy
Arcana Spirit Lounge
Arcana Spirit Lounge is a tarot-themed cocktail bar in Gastown, entered through a door marked with a neon Pet Psychic sign rather than the bar's name. The room is dressed in occult imagery, and the house cocktails are named after tarot cards, alongside classic cocktails, absinthe, amaro and alcohol-free drinks. It comes from the team behind Storm Crow Alehouse.
238 Abbott St, Vancouver, BC V6B 2K8Tue-Thu 6pm-1am, Fri-Sat 5pm-2am, Sun 6pm-1am, closed MonFull profile - Key PartySpeakeasy
Key Party
A dimly lit speakeasy on Main Street hidden behind an unmarked storefront, run by East Vancouver's Narrow Group. The menu leans on original cocktails and twists on classics from the 1960s and 70s, alongside beer, wine and shareable snacks. No reservations are taken; entry is first come, first served.
2305 Main St, Vancouver, BC V5T 3C9, CanadaSun–Wed 5pm–1am, Thu–Sat 5pm–2amFull profile - LalaSpeakeasy
Lala
Lala is a 40-seat vinyl listening bar in the basement of June, the Cambie Village brasserie run by the team behind The Keefer Bar. Past two sets of velvet curtains, the low, red-lit room has plush banquettes, vintage-style speakers and DJs spinning records every night. The drinks list reworks classics with Japanese touches, such as a Gibson Last Word made with mezcal and lovage, next to a short menu of small plates from June's kitchen. It opened in May 2025 and ranked No. 19 on Canada's 100 Best Bars 2026.
3305 Cambie St (lower level, beneath June), Vancouver, BC V5Z 1T4Sun-Thu 6pm-1am, Fri-Sat 6pm-2amFull profile - The Narrow LoungeSpeakeasy
The Narrow Lounge
The Narrow Lounge is a basement bar on Main Street in Mount Pleasant, marked only by a red light over the entrance when it is open. It pours classic cocktails, house originals, highballs and draft beer, with Mexican-style snacks from its Taco Kat kitchen, and a covered patio with its own bar opens in summer. It belongs to the Narrow Group, which also runs Key Party, and takes no reservations.
1898 Main St, Vancouver, BC V5T 3B7Sun-Thu 5pm-1am, Fri-Sat 5pm-2amFull profile
More of Vancouver
These are the speakeasies specifically. The full Vancouver guide ranks the best bars of every style, and the directory lists all 25 with a map and filters.
