The Yale Saloon

For general manager Seamus O'Brien, The Yale Saloon offers an experience unlike any other in town.“There's not really anywhere else in Vancouver that has this sort of style,” he notes. “There's no pretension in this room. It's come-as-you-are. Some people come in here in a suit, some come in sweatpants. It's a comfortable place to come and snack on some great food.”

After being closed for nearly four years, Vancouver's iconic blues bar has reopened with a distinctly down-south twist, offering country music and authentic southern barbecue fare, including homemade rubs and sauces, and slow-roasted meats. String lights and hung cowhides give the room a genuine saloon feel. Chef Mark Crofton has redesigned the menu, backing it up with one of the largest meat smokers in the city. For aspiring cowpokes, there's even a mechanical bull – which, Seamus notes, isn't nearly as intimidating as it looks.

“Our goal with the bull is to give someone a fun experience,” he says. “Not just rocket them off the thing. Once people get their bearings, then we'll gradually increase the speed, but keep it manageable. We want people to feel like they've earned it.”