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The Bottom Line

Irish GastroPub, Whiskey Shebeen and bar all in one, Sean Heather's flagship restaurant is a neighbourhood institution in Gastown and home to the famous Long Table Series of communal dinners.

The Irish Heather
210 Carrall Street
Vancouver, BC
604-688-9779

Pros

• Long Table Series is a great price, unique experience
• Great location in the heart of Gastown
• Vegetarian options

Cons

• Must email for Long Table Series reservations; dinners sell out quickly

• Street parking may be difficult to find

Description

• Open 11:30am - Midnight Sunday - Wednesday
  11:30am - 1am Thursday - Saturday
• Long Table Series open daily for dinner only 6/6:30pm
• Irish Heather entrées $15 - $17
• Long Table Series $18 including one artisan beer / beverage
• Minors not allowed in Irish Heather, but they are allowed for Long Table Series

Guide Review - The Irish Heather

Owned by the Sean Heather, co-owner of Gastown's Salt and Judas Goat, the Irish Heather and it's on-the-premises neighbours--the Salty Tongue and The Shebeen Whisk(e)y House--combine to make one of Gastown's most popular dining and drinking spots. They're also home to the hugely popular communal Long Table Series of dinners.

Modeled on authentic Irish GastroPubs, the Irish Heather is the perfect place to have a Guinness, hang out with friends and soak up the distinct character of Vancouver's historic Gastown district. Whiskey lovers will adore the backroom Shebeen, where you'll find the largest selection of Single Malt, Bourbon, Rye, Scotch and Irish whiskeys in Vancouver.

For food, the lunch and dinner menus are full of tasty pub favourites, including bangers (sausages), fish and chips, and the steak-and-Guinness Heather Pot Pie.

But the real choice for dinner is the Long Table Series, a series of all-inclusive dinners--$18 includes a main course and one complimentary artisan beer or non-alcoholic beverage--that take place each night at the 40-foot communal dining table in the adjacent Salty Tongue.

I love the Long Table Series (LTS). Not only do you get excellent value for the money--dinner and a beer for $18 is a great deal--the food is always delicious, and it's a unique experience to communally dine where your dining companions want to chat and are there, in part, for the social aspect. There aren't many place in Vancouver where it's this easy to meet new people!

Getting into the LTS is a bit unusual: You must make reservations in advance via email. Dinners can sell out weeks in advance, so email well ahead of when you'd like to attend.

For the LTS dinner schedule, see their blog here.

Email reservations:
reso@irishheather.com