Buckstop

Start your evening with Happy Hour from 4:30-6:30pm at this pint-sized 32-seater barbecue joint in the West End but prepare to visit again on your way home: Buckstop stays open till 2am (midnight on Sunday) every night with a (rare in this city) full service kitchen till close. Take a seat at the decidedly un-Vancouver-ish chatty bar and you'll have made friends by the time you order drink #2. An eclectic mix of rock, blues and indie plays loud in the narrow room lit by quirky antler chandeliers and flickering candles.

Sure, the hickory-smoked brisket and the St Louis Memphis-style ribs are finger-chewingly good, but stay a while longer and check out owner-manager Fiona Grieve's deft touch with original cocktail creations. Her mostly-bourbon and rye drinks include plenty of home-made syrups, infusions and smoked spirits. The small list is dark spirit-heavy and changes according to whatever fruits, berries and herbs are in season (peach time is a thing of joy). The only downside is the bar's size: it is tiny and can be a mob scene, the only solution? Come early or arrive late.