Prophesy

This downtown bar with a bit of a speakeasy vibe is certainly a happening place at happy hour. I was there on a Wednesday night, and the music was cranking from a live performer. The place was packed to the point where I ended up standing at the bar. I guess even the bar seats require a reservation.

There’s a lot of creative cocktail making going on here, and I enjoyed the drinks, but both of the drinks that I tried seemed simpler in actuality than their complex descriptions implied that they would be. Certainly, the Kelpie was well-named because it was like drinking ground-up nori. If you don’t like seaweed, you would not like this drink. The other drink I had was the Run Wild, which turned out to be an excellent espresso martini, but again not as complex as the ingredients might imply. It was perfectly assembled, though, and the float of cream on top of it was sublime.

During happy hour they were passing around various small bites, including their chili chicken and a truffle flatbread. Both were quite tasty and appreciated. The bartending was precise, but the volume level in the place precluded any form of socializing, so I can’t comment on the friendliness of the servers.

https://www.yelp.com/biz/prophecy-vancouver

Davie Social

This place has a great atmosphere. There is a long bar with terrific artwork and fanciful trees above it, plus high top and booth seating, and an expansive outdoor patio.

I went at lunch, which has a fairly short menu but hits a lot of favorites. There’s a Mexican slant to many of the dishes, but it is definitely not an entirely Mexican restaurant.

I had the nachos, fully loaded, which was very much like ones that I would make at home. I also tried the chicken wings in two different styles: one tossed in salt and pepper and the other tossed in a habanero mustard sauce. The habanero mustard sauce was particularly interesting.

The margaritas are good, and the service was friendly.

Lift Bar Grill View

This is a pleasant location on the water overlooking the marina. On a nice day it’s particularly fun to set on the narrow balcony and watch the float planes land, but the views from inside are great, too.

The menu is diverse. We enjoyed everything we had,

We started with the shishito peppers, which were perfectly blistered and served with an excellent glaze. The sourdough baguette was also good, crisped in the oven with a light coating of olive oil and herbs.

The signature salad is a great spring mix with lots of berries, walnuts, and feta. My companion really enjoyed her tuna poke, which was served atop wonderfully crisped rice cakes.

Service was friendly and efficient.

https://www.yelp.com/biz/lift-bar-grill-view-vancouver