Club 23 West

This place is a blast and usually full of great people. Love the events, especially Organix. I did have a big problem, though with one of the bouncers. As things were starting to wrap up, I was with a female friend who was allowed back into the club to use the bathroom, assuming I had been allowed back in too for the same purpose, I went along with her when one of the bouncers pushed back with his hands on my chest and told me «you have a penis, you can go piss outside». Is that really necessary? Considering this place is advertised as an LGBT club it seems inappropriate to make loud comments about people’s genitalia and push them around without cause. As a cisgendered man with nonbinary and transgendered friends it seems this kind of behaviour could really cause issues for people. Let’s keep this place friendly and open to all.

Hey folk, I have brand new BDSM set toys for sale! If anybody interested, email me at

If you wanna have fun. This as close to an underground club as your gonna get. Staff are very friendly. Good music good times.

for a night club, this is as good as it gets.
For an after hours club, it’s even better!
the drinks are a little overpriced (not the worse though, for vancouver), but the service is excellent.
The club isn’t packed to the rafters, and most of the revelers are regulars who know someone who knows someone who knows the dj.
Great place to listen to techno/​dubstep on a Saturday night, watch the dancers, have a great time flirting.
The atmosphere here is everyone is just having a good time, there’s very little sexual tension in this free– spirited hedonistic vibe.

Tonight was fetish night. Hospital fetish night. I had never been here before. We arrived and my fiancé was not consider dressed enough to gain entrance. He dressed for me. It was what I loved. My fetish I guess. I have never been one for uniforms. They would have let me in but if he couldn’t go in I wasn’t even considering it! The people outside were younger and the exterior wasn’t the best. I can’t comment on the inside. Parking was available nearby. $ 12.00 for 3 hours. Someone arrived as we were leaving so we were able to pass it on so it wasn’t a total loss. Will we go again? I’m not planning on it. If you are younger and like crowds you will probably like it. It isn’t for us. But neither of us have seen 20 in a long time: D You might love it. I didn’t.

OK, I love Club 23. Really, completely love it. This is the one place I’ve been to over 5 times in regards to ‘nightlife’. Why do I love it? Let me take you to the dark side!
1. The music is wicked and eclectic. Friday’s are an event called Organix (a psytrance event) and I don’t absolutely love trance but there is incense and a relaxed atmosphere. Every other night there is a great mix of 80’s, new age, new wave, industrial, rock, metal, punk. They also have tribute events to bands like System of a Down and Korn. They throw in a few dance hits but by and large there is no popular noise like Rihanna, Chris Brown, T-​Pain or the like.
2. The atmosphere. They go all out here. There is incense, lights, artwork, installations… The events are characterized by a densely creative atmosphere that feels genuine and well thought out.
3. The stage. AT LAST! A stage you can actually dance on! After having been physically removed (or just scolded off) numerous Vancouver stages I have found solace here. Not to mention that they have cages that are open to all patrons. Cages! This is paradise for only 5 $ cover. Me like.
4. Fun staff
5. NICE door staff. A rarity in the way of danceable stages– kind door staff. They take your ID, look at it for a half second then point you on your way. No attitude, no lineup’s, no moody sighs, no double checks, no frisking. I really appreciate this and I wish more club managers knew this. Having nasty people working for you does not improve the index of your cool factor. It just makes your club an unpleasant place to be.
5. Kind and friendly people go here. Yes there are metal heads, punks and what many would regard as alternatives but there are rarely fights, there are minimal stares of jealousy and there is a general sense of collectivity and camaraderie. Leaving this place is relaxing, believe it or not because chances are all the people you met that night-​from the staff to the bartender to the girls in line for the washroom– were genuinely nice.

I wouldn’t say this is my favorite place to go but it’s a lot of fun and met a lot of fun characters there! Generally a very let loose feeling. The place was like a big house party really. Of course there is no dress code and people show up in the most wild outfits imaginable. But I like to tear off my stuffy dress clothes now and then and party in something casual/​bizarre/​flamboyant.
Service was pretty good too, didn’t have to wait long for drinks, got in right away at 12am when I showed up and staff are friendly and fun.

If you’re looking for a fun unpretentious place to hit up on a Friday or a Saturday then this is the place to be!
Friday night is Organix while not necessarily my scene or my kind of music a good time is still to be had. Friday is psy-​trance night. The crowd that shows up for this night is pretty varied both in age and dress!
Usually pretty packed and makes for excellent people watching. Every time I’ve gone I’ve left with some interesting memories. Plus FREE cover before 10:30!
Saturday night the club alternates between Sanctuary and Sin City.
Both alternative nights. Sanctuary definitely caters a lot more to Vancouver’s ‘goth’ scene. The best place to hit up if you’re in the mood to stomp your little heart out. Decently priced drinks and great tunes if you dig alt/​industrial/​loud music. Come dressed up in your hottest alterna duds or show up in a ratty old tee and jeans. It’s all good here. Again, FREE cover till 10!
On the alternating Saturday its the infamous Sin City night.
One of the hottest club nights in Vancouver for sure. Strict FETISH dress code in effect to keep the looky loo’s out so there’s little to no worry about creepers or douche bags.
With a super cheap $ 9 cover with a flyer OR $ 12 without there’s no excuse to not check this party out at least once!
The fact that you get to get dressed up (or down) in your shiniest and/​or tightest of outfits, let your hair down and have a fun night of drinking and dancing with the added bonus of TONS of hot eye candy you know you’re bound to have one hell of a good night!
I have to stress that Club 23 is absolutely –NOT– your usual Granville Street type club, this place is dingy and old and may be in need of lots of repairs.
But guess what? Its got tons of history and still standing due to the people that run the place. There’s so much heart and soul put into keeping this club going, From the owner to the bar staff and all the way to the hard working people that put the nights on.

So where to begin…
Well for starters this place is dirty. No, not like an unclean dive bar, I mean like grimy in a way that would give Mr. Clean a heart attack. It just seems like something out of an episode of X-​Files or something where you would tear back the plaster and see a wall full of maggots.
The bar has a really lame selection of shitty beer and a couple different bottles of hard liquor. To be fair the prices are moderate but I was really expecting more. It just seems like they’re begging people to do E before they show up so they don’t need to provide a decent selection of drinks.
Another thing that adds to the low budget look of this place is the folding chairs and tables when I was there. Why can’t they buy proper furniture? It just seems like nobody cares about this place.
Now to be fair this place isn’t really my scene at all but even if I liked this sort of music and such I think I’d rather just go to a house party. This place seems like the welfare house of clubs. Everything is run down and crappy looking, but because my fiancée loves this place I’m sure I’ll end up back here. Sigh.
Edit: apparently the chairs are not plastic here, or so I’ve been told by my fiancée. It really doesn’t change what I think of this place though. It’s just a rundown shanty of a club, the jalopy of them all if you will.

During my recent trip to Vancouver i was able to stop by 23 West for their Sanctuary night. This happened to be a NIN tribute night.
I was really let down by the number of people didn’t dress up. I’m so use to goth clubs with strict dress codes and I guess Sanctuary just doesn’t have one. Lots of people in jeans and white/​pink/​light colored clothes, *sigh*.
I also forgot how young the drinking age in BC is (19) and it made me feel old to see so many youngsters in their Hot Topic «scene» clothes, thinking it was appropriate goth attire. I know there’s no one way to express yourself as goth but alittle internet research is all that’s needed.
The club itself is not something I’m use to either. The dance floor is on the main area/​level that you enter on, and the bar is up a flight of stairs. This seems very unsafe in my mind. Booze + lots of stairs = trouble. Also, how am I suppose to rush to the dance floor for my favorite song in 6 in heels? It’s not an easy task.
Anyway, in a town where the goth scene is slowly dying out, I’ll take Santuary over nothing.

Make sure you know what night you’re going to before you go… because they are 3 VERY different scenes!
I’m not into the saturday night Sin City/​Sanctuary nights much but Friday night «Organix» nights are like nothing you’ve ever seen. The only downside to Organix is that it’s only on Fridays!
It is by far my favourite place to go in all of Vancouver. It’s the least pretentious club I’ve been to, you can wear a suit and tie or a nice dress and fit in, or you could wear torn jeans and a tie-​dye shirt and fit in… or you could wear your underwear and fit in! Age ranges from 19 to 91 (quite literally), you’ll often see people bring drums or didgeridoos and play along to the DJ.
If you’re looking for a club full of «gangsta’s» or people standing around the walls looking pretty, this is not the place for you. Everyone is on the floor, not bobbing in place but actually going nuts to some epic psytrance.
The DJs are amazing, especially DJ Chris! The bartenders are friendly and welcoming, the cover is super cheap ($ 6 or free if you get there early enough). It’s not the classiest in décor, but it suits the scene.
In summary… if you haven’t been here before, go! Even if you’re one of those «I don’t dance» people, it’s almost as much fun to just go and people watch.

As you can tell from the other reviews of Club 23 West every Saturday there is something going on. I will leave the other reviews for you to see what happens and why to go. What I will provide you, however, is a «things to watch out for» at 23 West.
1. Drips — I was under the naïve impression that the ceiling only dripped when the air conditioning was on. Oh lordy how I was wrong. Pipes drip all the time. I have no idea what falls, but you should be warned.
2. Couches — Don’t sit on them. This is a general rule for most dark, dingy spaces but here I’d say it’s especially true. You’ve been warned.
3. Basement dance floor — It’s really uneven on the basement, partially because tiles are peeling up, partially because it’s a basement. Either way watch out.
4. Washrooms — I can only speak for the women’s… the downstairs is always better.
5. Drinks are cheap — They really are. So drink up…
and enjoy dancing your weekends away!

This is the place to be if you’re in the alternative scene. Sin City is without a doubt the best Fetish dance night in Vancouver, and Sanctuary is the best goth/​industrial night. Granted, those nights are put on by promoters, not the venue itself, but it’s still a great venue for them. Three floors, smoking deck, well-​priced drinks, good dancefloor, and a bunch of super awesome people!

I come here for Sanctuary on Saturdays and occasionally Rock N Roll Highschool on Thursdays if I don’t have to work in the morning, or enough people have guilted me into coming out.
This bar rules. The drinks are cheap, the music is always good, and I always know about 40% of the people inside.
I suppose a lot of people consider this place a dive (cuz… well, it is) and kind of disgusting. I think its charming though. I mean, hell, if you’re waiting in line for the washroom there are a few things that will keep you entertained. My favourite is counting the cockroaches in the cracks of the door frame. Although lately I haven’t seen any… what the hell is that all about? When I can’t do that, I end up in large group discussions about where one girl bought her outfit, or bitching about how long the person before us has been in the stall holding us up.
My most favourite bartender in the world worked here up until a few months ago. TINY. I miss you so much. I miss walking up to the bar and not even having to say anything, because you already know what I want. I miss the time I asked for a vodka cranberry instead of beer and you asked me if I was trying to lose weight, I miss your attitude, and I miss the crude way you would hit on all the young men.
I would have given this place 5 stars, but they need to bring back Tiny first.

Totally love moving and groving here at Club 23. A great place to fantasize, dress-​up, dress-​down and/​or just shake your sexy booty. Flirt and/​or be flirtatious, wall-​flower it or simply go to people watch. This is the place to be to hangout and leave all your hangups behind.

One of the other bars that my boyfriend and I checked out while on our little trip to Vancouver, we usually like gothy clubs and this was the one that kept coming up when we were online, I’m so glad we gave this one a try!
Pros: Good music, full and lively dance floor, lighting and sound was pretty good, cheap drinks, cover was $ 5 (for their Organix night on Fridays, which is kind of ravish and loads of fun), plenty of seating (barstools and couches), great people watching (great alternative/​eclectic crowd!)
Cons: CASH ONLY! And the bartender was a bit cranky, make sure to know exactly what you want before going up to the bar, other than that, nothing!
Next time we will definitely be checking out their Sin Night, also wishing we could have been there on a Saturday!

I go here for Sin City every 2^nd and 4^th Saturday.
There are two dancefloors, more electronica in the bottom and more alt in the upper floor. Topmost floor has couches, tables, bar and a reasonably equipped but small dungeon for bdsm scenes … with spectator seating.
This is the most fun you’ll have at any club as far as I’m concerned. Totally pansexual, liberating, accepting, ageless, and naughty! Also great: @ssholes are not tolerated.
Strict dress code for Sin nights is enforced so don’t expect to get in with your hockey buddies: absolutely no street or casual wear. Plain jeans, cargo pants, briefs or boxers, t-​shirts and suits are not permitted unless part of an acceptable ensemble costume — e.g. jeans under chaps are fine! Lower gentital nudity is not permitted. Suggested permitted attire includes: vinyl, pvc, leather, tuxedo, full uniform, fantasy or period costume, armour, cross-​dress, rubber, bondage, body paint, fancy lingerie, kilt, or any other risqué costume your perverted little mind can dream up …
If you haven’t been here before and want to go before you step off a curb and get hit by a bus, dress up, take a kinky friend, and go.

To paraphrase the late George Carlin, when you’re born, you get a ticket to the freak show. When you come to club 23, you get a front row seat. What a wonderful show it is! It’s kind of like an old friend. You may not be able to see each other often, but when you do, you pick up where you left off.
Once you find your way through one of the dodgiest parts of Vancouver, you’re welcomed by friendly faces, and cheap drinks. If you come early, you can even avoid paying a cover charge most nights (Woot!).
Don’t expect lavish, or upscale — it’s a dive, but with so much personality. Every week is a wacky mix of people having a great time (the dance floor is still rocking at 3am). Wherever you’re coming from, you’ll be welcomed with open arms, and if you’re lucky, maybe even a hug from Tiny (best name ever btw).

I like Club 23 for the eclectic crowd (think 30 year old ravers, 40 year old punks, 20 year old backpackers), the unique sightlines provided by the smoking balcony (blood alley, yaletown. Lots of people yelling and some more funny, drug-​related fun), and the kitchsy «club» atmosphere created by having everything drenched in blacklight and fog. There’s a few unique events that go on here that draw specific crowds, such as organix (all the fire spinning and contact juggling and acid tabs you can handle). The only qualm I have with the place is that it’s always loud, even on a tuesday evening where there’s about 4 people in the bar and you just want to shoot some pool and have some drinks and listen to some rock n roll. The dancefloor on the weekends is always full and the beer is pretty cheap. The cover can be pretty steep though, especially if you just blew your last $ 10 on some ketamine.

Every Thursday night there’s an event called Rock & Roll High School at Club 23 West in Gastown. The regular DJ’s include Jonny Vancouver, Evilyn 13 and Pandemonium. They play everything from old Bowie to new Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Stray Cats to Tool. There’s no cover and it runs from 9pm — 2am. I love this night! When it first started up I went and found we were all getting nostalgic about different songs from our youth. These are songs I actually know the words to. Nobody worries about what they’re wearing; jeans and a T-​shirt are just fine but if you feel like reliving your days of big hair and leather nobody is going to bat an eyelash. There’s a big school chalkboard near the DJ booth so you can write down your requests. TV screens play rock movies such as Pink Floyd’s The Wall or The Clash: Rude Boy. Tiny the bartender (who’s not tiny at all) serves up $ 4.25 drink specials and they’ve even got Storm Brewing on tap now. If you’re a Monday to Friday working stiff you can show up at 9, dance for a couple of hours, enjoy some pints and feel young again. If you’re more of a night owl don’t worry, the club doesn’t stop rocking until closing time. Either way, if you love listening to rock and roll you should check it out. Here’s their facebook link
Club 23 is host to regular events such as Sin City, Sanctuary and Organix. It attracts a more diverse crowd and age group than the mainstream bars around downtown. I’ve been going there for years and never feel uncomfortable or too old. There seems to be an open-​minded, laissez-​faire attitude at this club and it often feels more like a house party than a typical nightclub. This could be due to the various events attracting a crossover of regulars so eventually you end up chatting with the person you’ve seen a couple of times a month on the dance floor. I now feel that if I was ever bored and wanted to hit a dance floor I could go to Club 23 and bump into someone I know. Even if I was alone I would feel safe here. It doesn’t seem to attract many predatory types and the bouncers keep a low-​key eye on things. Although Club 23 West has been getting some upgrades like A/​C added this past week (couldn’t have picked a better week for that given the weather) it still has a relaxed feel to it. The beat-​up faux leather black couches are comfy for slouching with friends while taking a break from dancing. The walls are black with neon touches around the room. There’s a lower level that opens up on busy nights for more DJs, dancefloor and a full bar. There’s a covered, heated patio on the back which overlooks Blood Alley. You can’t take alcohol out there but you can take a breather. There’s a pool table, a pin-​ball machine, a snack machine and plenty of comfortable seating. If you get there on time you can grab a bar stool overlooking the entrance and the main dance floor for prime viewing all night long. The address is 23 West Cordova so if you haven’t gone there before and want to check out a club with an alternative feel go to their website
to see which event is on to make sure it’s the right night for your taste in music or theme.