aving endured Hitler, Communism, and Velvet, Czechs know how to drink their troubles away. They've been brewing hop-head favourite, Pilsner Urquell, for almost two hundred years. Thanks to our Beer Guide, Vancouverites can score the superlative brew without suffering a second of Marxist facial hair trends. We'll take you through the finest local haunts, expense account eateries, and barley juice dens, all on a quest for Bohemia's greatest son: Pilsner Urquell. You're welcome.




Bin 942
For all the Toronto refugees who find themselves on the coast, The Bin will do for you what the best Queen Street speakeasies do: It will make you cool: cool by osmosis. Struggling with your style? Simply knowing about the Bin gives you scenester cred. Don’t know jack about good music? Prepare to download all the 4/4 and head nod that you can handle after Bin's soundtrack inspires you. As a bonus: Bin doesn't condescend to sud heads. It's a joint where cork dorks and sophisticated beer sippers live harmoniously. And, Gord Martin's coast-cultured tapas plates add a feeling of paint-by-number romance. – C.L
1521 West Broadway, 604-734-9421




Black Frog Eatery
This new addition to the Gastown community has sports revelers from around the city crawling to get a seat to watch the game on their wide screen plasmas, munching on cheap appies and guzzling down pitchers. Their exposed brick walls bring a nice touch to the long open-spaced eatery. The long bar has modern looking stools, a clean brass and a wide selection on the bar rail. Their large windows bring in plenty of natural sunlight so you can go home with a j-lo glow. – A.C
108 Cambie Street, 604-602-0527




Capone Restaurant
Before Yaletown became yuppie-ville, it was a great location for cheap studios, offices and manufacturing workshops. To feed this up-and-coming neighbourhood, Capones opened in 1993. They have live jazz every night of the week and serve up an extensive Italian menu including a tapas menu. Sipping on a nice alcoholic beverage is a great way to end the evening, swaying to the sultry swooners. –AC
1141 Hamilton Street, 604-684-7900




Cecil Lounge
Welcome to Showgirls mania. You can find Elizabeth Berkley wannabes—going crazy on stage, taking off their clothes, dancing on polls and giving lap dances for a price, of course. This exotic show lounge says they carry the hottest, wildest and sexiest nude dancers. I don’t know how classy it is if you’re chomping on burger and ribs while some girl takes off her shirt, but, hey, who am I to judge? –A.C
1336 Granville St., 604.683.5029




Fogg N Suds Robson
Sometimes, fog and suds aren't the best combination. Case in point: Two friends, we'll call them X and Y, went to a bubble/foam party. Fog and suds enveloped the room, casting a haze over the revelers. As beers went down and wetness ironically engulfed the dry humping contingent, the X and Y lost one another. Toward the end of the party, the friends reunited, or so X thought. Excited and laughing at the reemergence of his soggy pal, X reached up to wipe the foam from Y's face. It wasn't him. Now, the friends stick to brewpubs, like Fogg N Suds, where happily reminisce about mistaken identity and bubbles over exotically fabulous international beer. -S.T.
1323 Robson Street, 604-683-2337