Go East!
Having lived and orbited Kits/downtown for quite a few years now, I have to admit that entertainment options are: 1) becoming limited; and/or 2) becoming quite repetitive. Cut to my experiences over the past few weeks (like Gastown and Main Street) and throw in Commercial Drive for good measure and now, you’ve got something to talk about!
Remember Bukowski’s on 1447 Commercial Drive? No more.
And even if you don’t, that’s OK, it’s time to introduce you to The Charlatan. We stumbled into The Charlatan the other night on our way to Stella’s (another great spot on Commercial Drive). If you think about it in a David Suzuki kind of way, The Charlatan is the butterfly to the Bukowski caterpillar. And the vibe and atmosphere is definitely worth a fly by.
And like Bukowski’s former footprint, The Charlatan is a triple-tiered loungy/resto-joint with a really cool square bar greeting you as soon as you walk in the front door. We’re talking massive silver taps staring down at you menacingly perched atop a polished wenge platform. Deadly.
What’s cooler, to use a word to death, is that the attitude is chilled out and really hip. The serving staff seem to all have their own unique little thing going on and are a lot of fun to talk to. The music, as well, is top drawer…heard Hard-Fi there…awesome.
Not-your-average pub food (as they do have ‘venison’ on the menu) and not your ordinary beer selection (nothing like six acres, mind you, but it’ll do just fine).
Worth the wait…worth the trip…worth your time.
darren
Hey Darren! I thought that was you crossing my path at 1am this morning. Was Phil on Bar? I haven’t been in the Charlatan for a bit, but, I remember them having a great burger and a beer deal on Wednesday nights…great burgers, great beer, and Phil is a very attentive ‘tender. This is the place to pass on the low-carb diet and go with the fries with that burger.
The ‘tender may very well have been Phil, not sure. Regardless, he had a tonne of energy and kept the entire ’square’ entertained. This place is a repeater…on service alone!