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Darby's Pub
Categories: Nightlife Bars Pubs Restaurants Canadian (Traditional) Pubs, Canadian (Traditional) [Edit]
2001 MacDonald StVancouver, BC V6K 3Y2
Neighbourhood: Kitsilano
(604) 731-0617
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Best Nights:
- Wed
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- No
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
29 reviews for Darby's Pub
Review Highlights
29 reviews in English
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Review from Kat S.
Updated - 2/27/2012
Okay, I've gotta admit. This place is pretty great.
They are featuring a lot of good craft beers on their menu, and the food is looking pretty awesome. Things have changed around a lot here. The prices for drinks were good, too. And they actually have drink specials. On weekends!! I know, right? Weird. The nachos are good. Salty, but good. Especially with pulled pork.
Had the best server ever on Saturday for a friend's birthday. He was on top of everything. Fast, efficient, funny, and friendly. And for a big, big group. Nice job, buddy.
I don't know the name of the band that was playing, but they did a variety of cover songs, and they were pretty damned awesome. However, they were also very loud. Incredibly hard to talk to the person next to you when the band was playing. So please, Darby's, turn it down a notch. The speakers don't need to go to 11. In general, the music in between sets was also loud, so that I could talk to the person next to me if shouting, but not anyone else at the table. I left with a sore throat and strained ears.
See you again, Darby's. You have swayed me. Just turn down the music, please.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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5/20/2010
Last night me and some Yelpers checked this place out for a Karaoke UYE! I had eaten before hand, so… Read more »
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Review from Sophie P.
Kitsilano, Vancouver, BC
2/24/2012
This is a bit controversial, but I'm going to declare the Best Burger in Vancouver.
This is a completely personal opinion and I know everyone has their own feelings about their favourite burger....well mine is at Darby's. Everything is perfect...the awesome fresh bread from Cobs on 4th, the delicious burger, not over cooked, excellent quality meat, super juicy in the middle and the yam fries, or crispy greens or regular fries or whatever you want. The beer is a reasonable price, it's my local and I love it. -
Review from Stu C.
1/25/2012 1 Check-in Here
Quick tips: 1) Check their specials of the day for food. The specials are usually the best tasting thing they offer that day 2) They have a roof top patio that should be used if you have the chance 3) Their sides are not included in the meal and are separate (keep this in mind when ordering as they will just ask "would you like fries or salad")
Many of my friends moved to Kits years ago since they were going to UBC. The pub many of them frequented was Darby's Pub since it was the closest pub to their places. However, this isn't a bad thing, since it was a standard pub with decent food and brews. Every time I was in town (which would be at least once every 2 months), we would go to Darby's. Over the months and years, you could see Darby's slowly went through changes such as adding a private liquor store, adding more tvs and special event nights. However, even with alternations, Darby's started to show signs of becoming older, but remained a decent pub still.
After being away for a couple of years, I moved to Vancouver and walked by Darby's one day when I was in Kits. Since it was around lunch time, I figured it was a good time to go in and check out the place and how it's held up over the years.
Darby's has still gone through small changes over the years, with upgrades to the bar, new paint here of there, etc. It still has a bit of a darker, little-bit aging feel, but not something that would be a deal-breaker to most people. The rooftop patio is still intact and fully functional in the summer. Being out in the sun above the street having a view of all the activity below with a brew in hand is still pretty neat to me. When I went in the summer, was alright, but nothing mind-blowing (standard pub food). Since there are a lot of other pubs in Kits and area, it's not something I would go out of my way for. However, I happened to go back in November with a friend that came to town and Darby's is now a place that I will travel a little farther distance to if I want to go to a pub.
When I went again in Nov 2011, the menu was completely revamped and we were told a new chef was brought in. The special for the day was a lamb Irish Stew with potato pancakes. Sign me up! The meat was cooked perfectly and the flavours were awesome (especially for $9.50). The portion looked a little small, but after finishing it, it was incredibly filling. My friend enjoyed a burger and my fiance enjoyed a B.L.T sandwich they were serving (both regular items on the menu). Both enjoyed their meals, but I thought mine was the best. :) One thing that detracted me at the end of the meal was when we got our bill, there were extra charges for the fries ordered as sides. Sure enough, all meals you see on the new menu are a little cheaper than other pubs ($9-12) but do not include sides. Add on a side of fries or salad for $3, and you're looking at a $12-15 meal. In my book this is a big no, and reason for a one less star in the rating.
Going back another time around Christmas, I had the daily special of a roasted chicken meal and my fiance have a BLT again. Once again, the quality was there (but, I still thought my meal better than my finace's ;) ). I see other Yelpers have complained about the quality going down and Darby's is a dive bar, but I don't share the same opinion. I do agree the size of the portions has gone down, but I think the quality has gone up (or at least certainly the variety has increased with the specials) and I've always left full and content.
The waitresses I've had were always friendly and relatively quick with our food orders. However, one or two times, only one waitress was on shift for the entire pub (taking care of about 7-8 tables with people). With that said, the service was a little slower, but it wasn't unbearable or a significant problem.
If you're in the area of 4th and MacDonald and if you're looking for a nice little pub, Darby's is one to try. It won't stand out as the best, or worst, pub you've been in. But it will most likely be a positive experience. -
Review from Martina M.
Vancouver, BC
1/3/2012 2 Check-ins Here
I've come to Darby's Pub twice with my fiance in the past few months. I noticed a few reviews mention that it's a dive pub, but that is definitely not the case. It has a nice casual vibe to it, with plenty of booths and tables, and TV's in every corner. Two sides of the pub are all windows, which makes it really bright during the day.
The waitresses we've had both times were very friendly and quick with both drink and food orders. The second time we went, one waitress was stuck with eight tables, and we still got great service. That's very impressive in my opinion.
When it comes to food, all of the sandwiches and burgers are $10 or less. Note that the price does not include sides. It costs $2.99 to add fries or a side salad, or $3.99 to add a side caesar salad. Even with that, the food cost is reasonable compared to many other restaurants in the area. I ordered the BLTP sandwich, which comes on a super fresh and soft bun. The bacon was nice and crispy, and the side salad was fresh and tasty. My fiance ordered the chicken club sandwich, and it was equally delicious. I wish I had ordered fries, because they were spiced with pepper and were cooked to perfection.
I've heard there is karaoke here on Wednesday nights, so I may have to check that out one day. -
Review from Raven Z.
Vancouver, BC
3/30/2012
MMM!! The brunch at Darby's is AMAAAZZZING. It's your typical eggs, toast etc. but so much better than anywhere else. Massive sausages, maple bacon, grain toast, free range eggs. SO GOOD.
I enjoy popping down here for a drink sometimes also. It's a titch pricey for me to become a regular, but I'll still visit every couple of months. -
Review from Bronwyn G.
North Vancouver, BC
12/21/2011 1 Check-in Here
Fairly standard pub fare. Apparently one of their managers is allergic to nuts so its a bonus treat for those concerned about allergies. Their wings -especially the salt and pepper wings- were good.
They have trivia every Thursday. No entry fee and teams are limited to 6 people.
I noticed that their sides of fries are priced separately from their burgers and sandwiches. -
Review from Jennifer W.
9/7/2011 10 photos
I have mixed feelings about Darby's Pub... their rooftop patio is nice and casual, but their service was beyond terrible.
Trying the local craft beers was pretty cool. Not as cool as some of the brews in the states though.
Right outside their restroom is a machine with what Americans call "scratchers," except we're not even sure what Canadians call them. The only difference with theirs is that they have little cardboard pull tabs, so no need to get all messy and bothered with a coin or your finger nail. We spent $2 on 4 scratchers and won $150 cash!! We were super excited! http://www.yelp.ca/biz...
Then we got our bill...
we realized that the waitress had overcharged for her mocktail because it was charged as a cocktail... My sister didn't even know that there was alcohol in her "fake" mojito, but started to feel a bit dizzy. Anyone with some common sense knows that you don't mix alcohol with antibiotics... after a bit of arguing about how we wouldn't lie about ordering a fake cocktail, the waitress felt like a complete idiot because it could have really made my sister's antibiotics not work... thankfully they didn't charge use for their mistake!
Sorry Darby's Pub, this is the end of the road for you!Listed in: Hit the road, Jack...
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Review from Emily-Anne P.
Vancouver, BC
8/14/2011 1 Check-in Here
Darby's has always been one of those places that I know exists, I know where it is and that I can go there but I hadn't been until recently.
After a lovely stroll in the summer sun we stopped in for some food and drinks. They had a really lovely Rasberry Ale on tap and we decided to share the nachos.
While the nachos were in fact divine, good mix of cheese and toppings they were on the greasy side. I'm sure that can't be helped and wouldn't stop me from ordering them again. Very, very good.
We sat up on the patio, which I think now has to be added to my list of Vancouver Patios on which to enjoy a beverage or two in the summer. -
Review from Mazie C.
Vancouver, BC
6/8/2011
Fair for pub food. Great beer and wine place attached if you are in need of supplies. Believe they have a decent selection although it is of course more expensive.
Was expecting better comedy on comedy night. Was a bit disappointing. -
Review from Dean P.
Abbotsford, BC
12/31/2011 1 Check-in Here
I was here earlier in 2011 and it was amazing. Unfortunately, the chef has changed since then and the prices are up, portion sizes are down, and the quality has gone faaaaarrr downhill. The burger menu used to be creative and mouthwatering but that list has been cut by 3/4s.
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Review from Stephanie M.
Vancouver, BC
12/4/2010 1 Check-in Here
This is a random, super-casual pub whose atmosphere makes you feel like you're in Britain (at least if you come during the colder months and therefore sit inside, and participate in trivia night, as I did).
Our server was very friendly and already knew which menu items were gluten-free or not from previous experience. Definitely a plus in my books. I had the roasted beet salad with goat cheese. It was tasty but nothing amazing. I give it creativity points because it's not a very common menu item, particularly at a pub. My friend's meals (more traditional sandwiches/burgers and fries; macaroni & cheese) looked decent too.
Overall not a dinner destination but a good place for a casual drink with a group, particularly if you want entertainment in the form of trivia or karaoke. -
Review from Christine R.
New Westminster, BC
5/21/2010
A Night at Karaoke
Act 1
We arrive, find our table of fellow Yelpers and Yelpettes, become deeply immersed in songbooks, order drinks, write songs on slips of papers, wait in anticipation of our moment on the stage. Wet my throat with a Raspberry-Lemon Mojito. Mmm.
Act 2
Kat gets us clapping; Crystal shakes it. Yay! I submit some songs, but the karaoke DJ is too deeply immersed in his laptop to look up. Wait some more. The husband won't let me look at his song selections; says it's a surprise.
Act 3
Drunk girl with obvious daddy issues ends her song with some prolonged boobshaking for the tables at the front, throwing of cowboy hat to the guy who seems to have brought it for the purpose of regaling us all with "Cotton-eye Joe," and air kissing. If there was a pole, she'd have used it. A procession of Kits chicks are called forth for ironic renditions of modern country.
Act 4
Long pauses between karaoke songs with filler music. Pennylane is called to the stage; she practically has to find the song on the karaoke guy's laptop. This must be the worst karaoke host I've ever experienced. Most of the time, they introduce people, sing a couple songs of their own, and use that 3 1/2 minutes someone is singing to oh, I don't know, cue up the next song!
On a high note, our server seems nice, and brings me a second drink pretty quickly.
Act 5
Begin to officially hate Darby's karaoke. Some decent singers go on, but after almost 2 hours of drinking and waiting, we don't get to sing anything. I'm past attempting to order food. We bail, heading down the underground parking lot, where our car is still the only one parked there. (A sign on the ramp reads "Small Car Only!!!" Heed it.)
Encore
As we're driving up the teeny-tiny ramp (curved for extra fun), we just barely miss running over Daddy Issues with Cowboy Hat, who is now passed out cold on the ramp, with some meathead (second-year B.Com, I can just tell) bent over her, staring blearily into our headlights. He drags her up and to the side. She sags drunkenly in his arms. Ah, UBC. Memories.
Bra-vo, Darby's. Your karaoke is as bad as the sideshow is good. Maybe I'll try you again when the circus is gone. -
Review from Tina H.
6/6/2010 1 photo
So this place is pushing a 3-star but I'm giving it a 4 because there's a rooftop patio and the service is really friendly. There's also a karaoke night which I've heard mixed reviews about.
Only go here in the summer and sit on the patio. The inside of the pub is ugly and smells like a dusty old dive bar. The washrooms are kinda gross.
The food is mediocre. Apparently iceberg lettuce is a type of mixed green. Who'd have thought? At least they tried to make it a bit interesting by sprinkling some cranberries. The chicken on the Lisa's Club sandwich was super thin. The sauce was decent and overall the sandwich was enjoyable. Kind of a rip off though, I would've liked a bit more chicken. If you get one of the sandwiches or burgers, pick the warm potato salad as your side (over the greens). It was pretty good.
I almost forgot about the butternut squash dip with garlic bread. The girl bringing to our table accidentally dumped half the bread onto the table but it's ok, we ate it anyway! Garlic bread with a butternut squash and cheese dip. Pretty good!
Service was really friendly, which helps bring this to a 4-star. -
Review from Kassim D.
5/29/2010
I was completely unsure of this place when I walked in - looked like a dive bar which had been vacuumed a couple times.
Then I got a chance to peak at the menu, and I was VERY pleasantly surprised. They have a great selection of the usual pub fare, but also has steak, fondue, several interesting sandwich varieties. I had the shaved steak which was a great variation on Roast Beef Au Jus but add some cheese and some great bbq sauce and we've got a serious contender. They even substituted steamed veggies instead of Salad on my request...and only for a $1.00!
the music was all over the place - punk rock , oasis, and Red Hot Chili Peppers..the service was pretty quick and friendly even though lightly staffed.
During the evenings they have comedy and karoake mixed with some live music nights....I would definitely go back and check out the rooftop patio deal...
solid meal and experience. only comment - no free refills on soft drinks, not great, but not a deal breaker. -
Review from Reena M.
4/12/2010 2 Check-ins Here
This place has definitely modernized after the days where it was rumored to be a complete dive bar! The menu was quite up to date, with more than half of it being burgers. The burgers are quite creative though. And they don't come on a round bun, but instead a six inch ciabatta bun! I had the guacamole and bacon burger. I forgot what it was called. It was quite delicious though. We also got a plate of the potato chip nachos were were just what we needed with beer. And they are one of the few places that make their own potato chips from fresh potatoes. Awesome! The drinks list was pretty decent. I had a French Toast martini, though, and that was nothing reminiscent of a French toast. It was quite awful. All of the other mixed drinks were nice though!
So glad I finally made it over here. They do karaoke on Wednesdays (if not all nights?) after 9pm. Next time I'm staying for that!
Plus, the server was extremely accommodating to our group of 17 girls. -
Review from Cyndi H.
Vancouver, BC
10/26/2010
Dude, I've had some good times here. Aside from a tragic camera dropping incident, my time spent here has been highly memorable, goofy, and fun. So many happy hyper people and if you're in the mood for that, it's a great place to be. We split appies that tasted great and our group pretty much dominated the rock band karaoke. That was awesome. I suck at rock band, but I love watching people release their pent up inner rockstars. Clearly I don't have one.
The crowd can be a bit on the young side (we are in UBC land, remember) but if you bring enough of your friends you won't have to feel so old... if you are old... um..
Good times.Listed in: Pubs!, If only I was 19
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Review from Joyce P.
Vancouver, BC
7/21/2010
Those who know me know I don't usually enjoy pub food and that sort of thing.
My friends suggested coming here and since I was at Kit's beach already, I figured it was close enough for a bite, I could suck it up for one day and eat bar food.
Looked kinda divey inside, I wasn't helped at the door but I found out I was supposed to walk up the stairs to the rooftop deck. Ohhh! Good sized patio, the sun was out, we got a pitcher of beer, I was happy.
Apparently this place is famous for their hamburger and were they damn good. Served on a toasted ciabatta bun, the meat was ground fresh and served medium rare. I was very impressed.
The other food was meh. We had the potato chip nachos. Holy heart attack on a plate. The mussels were fishy, the pork steak bites were your typical bar style food.
I'd go back for the burger. They had quite a few varieties.
When we left there was someone collecting cover by the door. The comedy night starts at 9:30. Didn't look like it would be busy? -
Review from Luisa D.
8/14/2011 1 Check-in Here
Love the roof-top patio here! The staff were really sweet. We had a couple of jugs of Red Racer Raspberry Ale - mmmm. We shared some nachos which were tasty but a bit on the greasy side. I'll definitely be back for beers and will give the food another try.
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Review from Ryan G.
8/15/2011
Slow service, cheapn enough pitchers. And a cold beer and wine attatched! Liked the rooftop patio. Great mountain view
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Review from Tim L.
8/18/2008
This pub is great for getting intoxicated just enough prior to walking down to the beach to lie beneath the stars for the rest of the evening.
Great for meeting people in the neighbourhood as well as great for its easy accessibility by transit.
Drinks are reasonably priced and there's enough hustle and bustle to make it feel busy without it being overly loud where you can't even talk to the person sitting directly beside you. -
Review from Sheila W.
BC
12/2/2008
This Kits location is not a place I'd recommend (at all) to go for food. I ended up eating here once because our restaurant of choice in the neighbourhood was closed that night for a private function. We thought we'd check out Darby's and found it dim, kinda creepy and grungy. And the food was overdressed with lots of sauce from a plastic tub (at least that's how it tasted).
But in the summer it has a wicked patio on the top of the building. It's within walking distance of Kits Beach, so something to keep in mind when the sun shines! -
Review from Kate L.
Vancouver, BC
10/13/2011
It's a bit dark and dingy inside, but this is one of our favourite local pubs to grab a beer (and they have a very nice selection of local brews on tap) and watch the hockey game. Their food is fresh and tasty for a pub, with great house-made chickpea veggie burgers. The servers are usually great, and the patio is a wonderful place to spend an afternoon in the summer.
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Review from Megan S.
1/13/2009
Not terribly impressed with the inside of this place. Someone else said the word "grungy" and I would have to agree. Since this isn't 1992 any more, that's no longer a compliment, especially for an eating establishment.
I've met a group here twice, and both times no trouble seating us all together. The service is alright, but drink refills can take a while. The location is ok, a little bit away from the busiest blocks of Kits, but still within walking distance of the beach. I haven't been to enjoy the patio, and that just might be Darby's saving grace. I'll have to think about it for next summer. -
Review from Chloë E.
Vancouver, BC
1/9/2009
I'm pulled in two directions writing this review. I want to like Darby's because they kindly hosted a fund-raiser a friend and I organized awhile back. But even in light of this charity I just can't give it more than two stars.
We sold tickets to an ol' burger and brew shindig, but most of our guests were served cold food, the waitress couldn't take the stress of a large group, and many of the bar's promises fell through. The worst of it, I'm even keeping under wraps because I can only surmise about what happened.
The crowd here can get rowdy. While a friend and I once waited for a bus a guy from the bar chased another guy and knocked him to the ground just a few feet from us. Once the puncher left, the punchee was super angry and started running down the street vandalizing window boxes. Like I said, a rowdy crowd.
There have been long-promised renovations of the bar that would certainly improve the rather cruddy appearance. I'll say it flat out: it's on my boycott list. -
Review from Cameron M.
Toronto, ON
1/13/2009
For West 4th, a place that prides itself in cutting edge eating/clothing and super fanciness, Darby's kind of sticks out. It's not necessarily a bad thing, but Darby's can be best described as absolutely usual.
It's a Canadian-ish pub with the usual kenos and plastic stools and beer specials you'd expect at any of the places silently dotting the office buildings downtown. It has some features it touts but I've never really noticed or enjoyed them as I've always kind of come for one drink, in and out.
Unless you really want to see something on pay-per-view or are being brought here for a specific reason, I can't imagine what would draw you here. Maybe getting away from the interesting, expensive places on 4th is nice, but Darby's proves something price is a fair exchange for uniqueness. -
Review from Mina B.
2/8/2010 ROTD 3/19/2010
We came here on a monday, hungry and thirsty so the burger & beer special sounded quite appealing. We checked out the menu and decided to stay. No regrets.
The beer was included in the regular burger price.
I got the Roasted Garlic, Caramelized Onions & Edam burger with the veggie pattie, a side of house salad and a pint of heineken for $12.99!!
The food was AMAZING!
The burger came on a crispy bread and not on a soft bun that's soggy by the time you're about to finish eating. The veggie patty was great and the toppings very flavourful.
The house salad came with sun dried cranberries, star fruit, chick peas & sour cherry vinaigrette. Delicious!
It was very filling and left a great taste in my mouth.
I also had a bite of the Guacamole & Edam burger. It was good. A little less flavourful than roasted garlic and caramelized onions but makes sense. Probably just should't eat them both at the same time ;) I also tried the cream of tomato soup my friend got. Yum.
I love how you get to choose the pattie for your burger cos it gives a vegetarian a lot more options than just the usual "veggie burger"
I will definitely come back and try another one!!Listed in: best (pub) food (Vancouver), oh sando (Vanvouver)
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Review from Megan K.
Vancouver, BC
11/8/2010
Great Patio, however terrible food at a rather high price for what you get. My husband and I went this summer and ordered some type of fish dinner. REALLY gross. Which is such a shame as this patio is one of the nicest down town. Even the dessert was awful! Kudos to the enthusiastic staff and their love of Rock Band.
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Review from Richard W.
Vancouver, BC
7/29/2009
After about a 5 year or so boycott of this place, I finally returned 3 times during this beautiful hot streak-and don't whine about it being too hot damn it! I love it, appreciate it, because it won't be long till its cold and rainy again.
Ok, back to Darby's: Enjoyed the upstairs patio, wonderful in the evening. The girl serving the patio was awesome, very happy, helpful...and pretty damn cute too...that never hurts. She introduced us to their new craft beers, none on tap, but a great selection anyways, instead of the usual mass produced crap. Had a great IPA by Philips from Victoria, and a lager from Comox, I think it was Sugenar. Both very good, but the IPA definitely was the better of the two.
The biggest improvement here, though, is the food. I know everywhere says they have the best burger, but I seriously think this place is the best burger, at least best burger for $10 or less.
Also, the Fish and Chips are amazing, they use catfish in a light breading instead of beer batter. Tasted delicious....and possibly healthy?
Will definitely continue visiting their patio...and perhaps give it a visit on hockey nights. -
Review from Jasmine O.
Vancouver, BC
3/11/2010
We finally made it to Darbys this week for the Tuesday night comedy show. $5 to get in and totally worth it. Good show, cheap drink specials and an excellent burger menu.
Listed in: Drink it up
