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Whistler Clubs and Nightlife
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Whether it's at noon or after the last lift closes, nothing
says "ahhh" at the end of an awesome day on the slopes like
the word "cocktails!" There are about as many options at the
base of both Whistler and Blackcomb as there are trail runs,
so sipping pleasures abound.
In fact, one does not even have to get off the mountain
before a bar beckons.
The Garibaldi Lift Company is the only bar
that is literally on Whistler in the village. When the
weather is good, it has a huge patio where you can watch
skiers and snowboarders finish their day while you tip one
back. In the summer, mountain bikers are flying off of
cliffs only a few feet away! It's home of many night time
events, including concerts from well-known artists, as well
as film festivals and theme parties. The food here is great.
Local's Note: Try the Sex Cheese. It's almost as good as the
real thing!
At the base of Whistler is The Longhorn Saloon.
Don't let the name surprise you; yes it's a country-themed
bar with a great expanse indoors, but on sunny days more
people wind up sipping cold ones outside on the large patio
watching the rest of their skiing compatriots fly down the
mountain finishing their perfect day. Friendly attention
from young, attractive servers has patrons forgetting all
about those burning legs while reliving their greatest
face-plants. But be careful – this place is so much fun that
closing time can sneak up like a high-speed quad chair.
There are a few more pubs at the base of Blackcomb than at
Whistler. For starters, there's Merlin's.
While it may actually be considered a nightclub, it's really
more of a great place to grab a cocktail or two when the
need hits to park the skis or board. Like the Longhorn, the
outdoor deck beckons skiers and shredders to revelry after a
great day on the slopes. It has good service, good drinks
and is a great place to look fabulous as the folks with
places to be other than here walk by, no doubt green with
envy.
Monk's has a warm pine interior, pool
tables, and outdoor deck and good food. The locals – a
surprisingly large number of which are Aussies on holiday –
tend to congregate here in the afternoon. This place is
highly recommended for those taking a day off the slopes to
nurse the hangover.
Those looking for a martini and a good cigar simply must go
to The Mallard in The Fairmont Chateau Whistler.
Plush seating, an outdoor patio with gas heaters and large
fire pits make "comfort" the keyword here. The service is
excellent and the martinis fantastic. Unfortunately, the
cozy surroundings and great drinks make the time fly by all
too quickly.
Inside Whistler Village there's a few places that seem to
beckon during the day and, of course, others that call when
the sun goes down.
The Whistler Brewhouse is a pub which makes
some incredible local beers – a point of pride in Canada, it
must be pointed out. Its beers are shipped all over Western
Canada, the most notable of which is Whistler Ale. For beer
lovers, this is a "must-do." During the day, the place is a
bit more subdued, catering more to social lunchers. During
the evening, it has been known to pick up its pace,
progressing as the night wears on.
Black's Pub is a semi-Irish theme pub which
tends to be quiet during the day. But it definitely gets
going during the late afternoon and into the early evening.
It has a good tap beer selection with the odd game of darts
thrown in. Black's is worth the stop for those simply
seeking a pint or two.
While not a bar, Citta's (pronounced
Cheetahs) in the heart of the Village is a great place for a
meal or just a beer (or six). Always lively, this is a best
bet to meet tons of people who are well on their way to
partying the night away. There's usually a long wait for a
table but when one comes up, don't be picky and take what
you get. A surprising number of people seem to prefer the
outdoor deck, even in the dead of winter, which is either a
testament to their bodily bravery or the potency of Citta's
cocktails.
Whistler Village is convenient for walking and PubClub-hopping.
Tapley's Pub is the first pub opened within
the main village. It's got that familiar feel that you could
have been there before, in almost any town in North America,
but when you sit down, take a sip and look around, you just
know you're in Whistler. Everybody, and we mean EVERYBODY
ends up here at some point! Look around, you are sure to
find young Aussies on one side of you, and sixty-something
locals that built the place on the other. Unpretentious,
friendly and full of sports, pool tables, and laughter.
Tapley's is home away from home for many.
The Dubh Linh Gate Pub in the Pan Pacific
is right at the base of Whistler Mountain. In true Irish pub
fashion one can savour the best of the Emerald Isle after a
tough day on the slopes. The Dubh Linh Gate offers authentic
Irish settings (not Setters, though we're sure that can be
arranged) and fare to the Pub Clubber with the taste for a
true snowbound Irish experience. We strongly recommend you
try this only after playing a game or two of darts. Cozy
surroundings, and a distinctive decor will surely beckon you
to return. All this being said, the service can be as slow
as a holiday lift line.
The Clubs – After the Jacuzzi
Bars, clubs and dancing define Whistler's wild nightlife.
Whistler Nights
• Monday – Tommy Africa's
• Tuesday – Savage Beagle
• Wednesday – Buffalo Bills
• Thursday – Garfinkles
• Friday & Saturday – anywhere
While the post-mountain bars are sure to produce a fair
amount of staggering, all ski bums and bunnies are
rejuvenated for a night on the town after a long hot tub.
Here's where to find the best post-Jacuzzi action.
It's a jungle in there, but it's almost a given that
everyone in Whistler will eventually make it into
Tommy Africa's. There is great live entertainment
from professionals, but quite often it's the amateurs
(patrons) that provide the most excitement. Credit the
shooters, an intoxicating house trademark that eventually
gets in the bloodstream of everyone.
Garfinkel's is almost always busy. It's
very popular with the locals and just as popular with the
young – and young at heart. People here play hard. There
seems to be some unwritten instructions for this
place.......drink, dance, repeat. It's a high point –
literally – on any Whistler trip.
Young revelers also like a downstairs club, Max Fish.
It's not a large place but the pace picks up later in the
night. It tends to be for the young crowd largely because of
its different theme nights and lots of house and hip-hop
music. But it can be fun for anyone. It has lots of
late-night energy.
The Savage Beagle is a two-level bar and
while things may not seem too nuts on the top entry level,
the small-ish dance club downstairs really gets going about
11. It's easy to join the insanity that rises like a chair
lift up until the end of the night. Thus, its a good place
to roll into for an hour or so.
The granddaddy of them all is Buffalo Bill's.
You have to pick your nights here, as it seems to be busy on
one or two nights during the week. But on the weekends –
Watch Out! This is a big bar with a very upbeat crowd.
Everyone just seems to want everyone else to have the time
of their lives and most of the time, everyone succeeds. The
ages vary here, from twenty somethings all the way to
fifty somethings, but it seems that everyone's biological
clock turns back to 18 when they enter the place. Buffalo
Bill's has a fun staff and plays great music, making it one
of the highlights of any trip.
One of the few places that focuses the tunes on the upbeat
"party music" is Moe Joe's. A good smell of
spilled beer screams out COLLEGE BAR!, but this
unpretentious club/bar is a cool place to cut loose, do
shots with the sexy cowgirl-clad bartenders and generally
act like a fool.
BBK'S is British Columbia's smallest pub!
Found in the Upper Village at the base of Blackcomb, it
offers amazing food, and exclusively micro brews on tap. The
art on the walls changes regularly, and is the work of both
staff and patrons. There's even board games to play on the
quiet nights. The regulars are friendly and offer great
advice on activities and pursuits in town. It's solud from
about 6 or 7 into the evening and you never seem to have
"just a quick beer." Fun, friendly, and comfortable!
Sadly, The Boot at the Shoestring Lodge is
no more. Progress has taken "The Local's Living Room" away
from us and is replacing it with a housing development. In
true Boot fashion, a massive farewell party was thrown in
her honour, with thousands attending. Tears and smiles bid
her goodbye, and even the siding was taken as mementos of
the good times by the faithful patrons. Fare thee well!
CreekSide – More Bars!
CreekSide is the first development coming to town. It's kind
of like a mini village. The main village is located 3
miles/5 kilometres down the road. Basically, Whistler has
plenty of places to upload. This is the original base of the
mountain and site of the original gondola. Oddly enough,
High Times magazine has rated the Creekside Gondola the #2
place in the world to "hotbox!"
Dusty's is the original pub of Whistler. It
boasts a two-level bar where a quick lunch crashes into a
long session of après. A big, relaxed A-frame style chalet
beckons you to forget you parked the car on the other side
of the mountain while you envision yourself racing down the
Olympic Downhill to a gold medal. So yes, during the 2010
Winter Games, this will be a place to hang. In the spring,
the patio gives great views all the way up to Whistler's
peak and is situated right at the lift line. You can toast
the shredders as they board the gondola back up to the
powder.
Hoz's Pub is a true local's haunt. Located
across the highway from Franz's Trail Marketplace, you will
find the true home of many of the people that built Whistler
with their passion for partying. Not just a tavern, it also
features many screens to help you keep up with all the
sports you could want, as well as a kitchen with both
Mexican and traditional pub fare. In addition, it features a
liquor store for the reinforcements you will surely need for
your condo fridge. Good casual fun! |
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