Tag Archives: Bar

07.03.25
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[Vancouver, BC] Arcana Food and Spirits, More Than Meets The Eye

Arcana Food & Spirits Bar238 Abbott St,
Vancouver, BC

Phone: (604) 336-4006
Hours: Tues to Sun 5 p.m.–1 a.m.
Menu: arcanabar.com

To get a seat at Arcana Food and Spirits, it’s best to make a reservation. This guarantees you a seat because this operation has the feel of a vintage speakeasy. Whether you’re here for a quick drink or a bite, that depends on when you visit. On a busy Friday night, I knew it’s going to be busy, and I have to wonder how many peeps Fan Expo Vancouver squeezed in back when they booked the space to get people excited about the convention? I suspect not many, as it may hold 70 folks at most (there are two levels), and to look around requires navigating the corridor.

Ever since it opened in December 2023, it’s been doing well. I’m 100% in love with this theme bar. While the food is a step above the typical bar food, albeit with some nicely named treats to satisfy my interest in the occult, I’d come back just to try a few more dishes. I dressed for the occasion! Not only that, but I was wearing my Viking Cthulhu themed bomber jacket, and Anubis tee, so I was really loving the dark atmosphere where it felt like I was here to witness a ritual summoning!

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03.05.25
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In Vancouver for Fan Expo and Their Partnership with GRETA Bar & Arcade Games

Greta Sports Bar than Nerd50 W Cordova St
Vancouver, BC 

Hours: 4 p.m.–2 a.m. daily
Phone: (604) 423-3081
Menu: gretabar.com

GRETA Bar YVR is more of a sports bar than an arcade for video game enthusiasts to hang out in. And when this franchise type operation has outlets in Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto, I’m sure the population of geeks is higher, and hopefully there’s a lot more space to play other electronic games too! When Fan Expo Vancouver selected this place to host an after-party of sorts, the business which opened in 2022 better be able to hold a ton of people. When this the convention had sold out attendance on Saturday, packing in over 10,000 people, the ticketed party most likely attracted 2-3% of that number.

Three comic book artists took part in the Comics Xplosion and as for where that took place, even I struggled to figure out where this operation can set up a safe space for them to draw. The mezzanine would be the best area when I was here before the event. It ran on February 22, with Benjamin Su, Dave McCaig and Mike Rooth drawing anything they could think of. Afterwards, the artwork was auctioned off. Although I wasn’t around at the start (was dining elsewhere), I managed to get here in time to see how the last hour went.

But to give the establishment a proper assessment, I went in a Thursday for a bite, because I was already in the area, and returned Friday to play some video games. The promotion for a free hour’s worth of unlimited gameplay to anyone showing their convention badge convinced me to return. While I got a lot of tickets because of one game, none of the swag at the redemption booth interested me. Unlike the prizes one can find at a normal arcade, this one is more about marketing this establishment with the t-shirts, lanywards and caps.

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06.27.18
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[Vancouver, BC] Remembering EXP Restaurant + Bar

Image result for exp bar vancouverEXP Restaurant + Bar
309 W Pender St
Vancouver, BC
(604) 558-1337

EXP Restaurant & Bar has been operating since late 2012 and sadly, by the time I visit this place again, it will be closed. I came across this article about the problems of keeping such operations afloat in a tough as nails city core. I can only hope and let readers know that if the Rio Theatre can be saved by Deadpool himself, is there hope for EXP? Sadly, no.

Their latest Facebook post made the news of closing official. I’m posting this article in memoriam and can only hope a future exists in another space. I get the feeling the owners and operators are not going down easy. They may have an alternate plan in the works but do not want to jinx the future.

Reprinted (in part) from otakunoculture.com:

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04.01.15
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[Seattle, WA] Follow Me, oh Follow Me… to Japonessa

Japonessa Sushi Restaurant
1400 1st Ave.
Seattle, WA
(206) 971-7979

Opening in 2016
at Bellevue
at Lincoln Square 2

I suspect that once R.E.M. hears about one of Seattle’s best restaurants featuring food inspired by the land of the rising sun, Japonessa, and the land down under, they will be regular visitors. The reason is simply that this restaurant has a sushi roll named The Orange Crush. Although the items from this part of the menu are pricey as heck, the expense is worth it. The two dishes I tried on my first visit was fabulous.

I tried the Crush along with a Barcelona Sunset and the flavours are just simply divine. The temperature and flavours emerging from the rice was just right. The cilantro and mango added to the first roll were not overpowering and it gave the rice a fruitiness that I throughly enjoyed. When the habañero allioli was gently used on the Sunset roll, all I could do was imagine myself watching a drifting sun cast its last breath of warmth upon my lips as I gently nibbled away.

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10.08.11
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Big Leagues or Little Leagues: Just Where does the Mafia Belong?

(Located inside Sopranos
Karaoke & Sports Bar)
730 Caledonia
Victoria, B.C.

Mafia Burger has a good product-line going for them: all the traditional toppings and extra heavy fattenings for their 21 burger line-up. There’s plenty to choose from if people visit at particular times. At any others, the pickings are slim.

On my Friday evening visit for a quick dinner bite, the only burger available during hockey night is “The Royale,” a bare bones burger. It was created for the Victoria Royals Budweiser Tail-gate Party that was happening around the bar.

On these special events, the Mafia had no choice but to provide simplicity. Shouldn’t that be the other way around? I was feeling jilted. Where’s the Don to say, “I want it my way!” All Mafia seems to do is to supply a demand. Al Capone once said, “Capitalism is the legitimate racket of the ruling class,” and Mafia Burger is not in the big leagues yet.

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