Elbow Room

Went in for drinks early on a Saturday. The cocktails were phenomenal! The bartender, I did not get her name, was skilled and knowledgeable! I also had the chance to chat with a guy who I'm guessing may have been the owner or something. He gave me some excellent advice on my home cocktails based on my preferences. Already planning my next visit and bringing friends with me! Dropped in for a second visit and it was even better than the first. I had a new menu item they were in the process of creating and it was phenomenal! I also had the chance to meet the man himself, Toby. Really chill guy and skilled in his craft. The bartender, Zola, is awesome.

The Elbow Room is a bar inside Paul’s restaurant downtown Vancouver. It has a 1970's dive bar vibe. The joint looks like it could have been in an episode of Barreta or The Rockford Files. Usually a place that looks this dated has mediocre drinks made with bargain basement ingredients but if you’re savvy, you’ll discover that the self-deprecating bartender manager is actually cloaking his superpowers. In reality, he’s a superb mixologist. At present, their stock is much better than a dive bar but has room to grow. Yet the bartenders are clever with substitutions. The end results are very good. And if you know what to ask for, you can receive a superb craft cocktail. Especially if Mike is behind the bar. I tried one of their "Bar Bites" called Disco Tots—tater tots with gravy and cheddar cheese. Next time, I’ll go for the "Cowboy" version, which comes with jalapeños, chili, and cheddar. I really like the vibe of The Elbow Room and I'm looking forward to seeing how it develops. You can take that to the bank. -VanPort Insider

Came in with some friends for breakfast. Parking is on street(np). I ordered an $11 mimosa at the bar. The bartender placed a small wine glass, a can of "bubbly", and a teeny metal pitcher w/maybe 1/4 cup of OJ in it on the bar in front of me. So, it was an $11 do-it-yourself drink. I mixed it and after only a couple sips, realized it(the "bubbly" in the can)tasted so bad that I couldn't drink it. I informed the waitress and the bartender how bad it tasted. Neither of them offered to take the drink off my tab. I had to ask the bartender to take it off my tab, which she did, but only after I asked. I ordered coffee instead, which arrived warm-ish. I ordered pancakes(3) and a side of 2 sausage patties. Pancakes were good and plentiful. But the sausage didn't arrive until I/we were all almost done eating. The waitress did apologize for the wait. I took it home in a box. I did like the dive bar/cafe historical vibe. But it did seem like the $18-20-ish prices per plate were a little high for the breakfast food we all ordered. I get that times are tough for restaurants. I'm just not sure the value equates here. I want to like this place and will give it another try eventually.

Awesome local jem we stumbled upon. Jared and his apprentice were awesome. Great mixed drinks! The Ruben and mushroom melt on rye were absolutely delicious and the locals were great!

I love this bar! The old school 1970s vibe was very cool. I love the beer signs, lamps and artwork. The booths and tables in the dim light looked cozy. We had four craft cocktails between the two of us and all four were delicious. The tots were also delicious. The staff was friendly and responsive.

My favorite bar in vancouver. Great cocktails and atmosphere. Perfect for date night. Bartenders know their drinks and have personality. Bonus; they play vinyl records.

Ah yeah, THIS place! Excellent old skool lounge atmosphere, DJ spinning delicious jazz records, superlative drinks (banana boulevardier!?!), and very tasty food. Highly recommend the fried chicken and grits. Just a happy joint to relax and feel good.