If you like live music and authentic working class bars, then look no further than the Ivanhoe Pub.  I went on a Sunday and there was a blues band playing.  I don't know the name of the band but the music matched the decor perfectly.  The vibe is very unpretentious and laid back. I feel very comfortable in blue collar pubs like this one. I just had a non-alcoholic beer because I don't drink.  They serve food as well, although I didn't order any.  There are big screen TV's and billiard tables.  Live music is just on the weekends, I believe. If you need to make a call, there is an old fashioned coin operated phone.  The kind you only see in a phone booth on a street.  I wanted to take about a million photos of this place but I didn't come to the pub alone and you have to be careful about taking too many photos in bars.  I would love to check out some of the hostel rooms upstairs and the basement downstairs.  These old heritage buildings are a photographers dream. The story behind the building is a long one so I'll just give you the highlights.  The Ivanhoe Pub is on the main floor of the Ivanhoe Hotel.  The upper floors are long stay rooms.  Possibly a hotel, possibly a hostel, or maybe SRO's.  And the main floor is a pub.  It was built in about 1908, or so.  The exact timeline is a little sketchy but it supposedly started out as the Globe Hotel and then in 1920 it became the Ivanhoe.  Even back then it offered long stay hotel rooms.  So that feature has remained consistent. Rumour has it that back in the old days the nearby Pacific Central Station had lots Black Porters who worked on the trains.  And a lot of them stayed in the Ivanhoe Hotel because it was so close to the train station.  This was also during a time when nearby Hogan's Alley was thriving and was home to a large Black population.  It was a vibrant community that was well known for it's Blues and Jazz music.  Even Jimi Hendrix lived in Hogan's Alley for a time.  Back then the Ivanhoe Pub must have hosted some amazing musicians.  There was no internet in those days but there was a lot of live music and bars.  Which was about as close as you could get to an internet experience, back in the old days. One could argue that back in the old days the entire community around the Ivanhoe Pub had more life to it.  But all that character and culture got washed away with the construction of the Georgia-Dunsmuir Viaduct, gentrification, and all the homeless problems that now plague the Downtown Eastside.

I like Tuesday night Kimeroake. Karaoke with Kim, as well as other hosts. A lot of regulars and growing. Karaoke is a recent event and seems to be attracting more people. I've been a regular here since the 80s. A good place to shoot some pool or watch sports. Come as you are, there's a place for you here. Go Hoeing tonight!

Fun place!!! One of the oldest pubs in Vancouver. Was lucky enough to be here during a blues jam so we stayed a lot longer than expected. The restaurant isn’t open for seating yet but serve food in the bar. Great bar food and staff is very cool!