A Night at Keefer Bar: Prescriptions in Vancouver’s Chinatown
In the heart of historic Chinatown, Keefer Bar has been mixing medicine with mischief for over a decade. Perpetually listed among Canada’s best bars and currently sitting at #28 on Discovery’s World Best list, it has earned its reputation as both a local institution and a global destination for cocktail lovers.
We visited during Light Up Chinatown, the annual celebration honoring the neighborhood’s history with food, music, and dazzling lights. The streets buzzed with energy, and by the time we arrived at Keefer, the bar was already packed. Luckily, fate intervened—two seats opened right at the bar, our favorite vantage point for watching the action unfold.
Keefer Bar’s theme riffs on the apothecaries of old. Shelves are lined with bottles and curiosities, artwork nods to herbal remedies, and the menu extends the concept. Cocktails are “Prescriptions,” remedies are “Antidotes,” and traditional Chinese herbal ingredients are woven seamlessly into the experience. Their menu is cleverly divided into rotating seasonal “Prescriptions” and permanent classics known as “Alumni.”
Our Prescriptions
We started with one of the summer standouts, the Durian Colada. Our bartender, Zenan, entertained us with the tale of its creation—a process that was, in his words, “a bitch.” Durian, the notorious Southeast Asian fruit banned from trains and subways in Thailand for its infamous odor, nearly derailed the recipe during testing. “When it thawed, it stank to high hell,” he said with a grin. But after trial and error, Keefer’s team perfected a syrup that retained the fruit’s custardy flavor while eliminating the funk.
The cocktail itself was a revelation. Mount Gay rum, overproof 151, and baijiu (a traditional Chinese spirit) layered with citrus, pandan, Licor 43, and clarified with tofu for silky smoothness. Garnished with a flamed jackfruit, the Durian Colada was fruity, funky, and absolutely delicious—the star of the night.
For my second round, I turned to an Alumni Prescription, the Tokyo Drift. Made with Suntory Toki whiskey, amber vermouth, kumquat gomme syrup, and tobacco bitters, arriving with a toasted sesame snap perched delicately on top. Its bittersweet balance and refined depth made it the perfect nightcap—just what the doctor ordered.
Keefer Bar manages to walk a fine line between playful and serious, imaginative and grounded. With its apothecary theme, inventive cocktails, and the unmistakable energy of Vancouver’s Chinatown, it’s no wonder Keefer continues to draw global recognition. Whether you’re there for a seasonal prescription or a tried-and-true alumni classic, one visit is all it takes to understand why this bar has become a prescription for good times
