Frankie's on a Tuesday is the best-kept secret in Vancouver

We stumbled into a Tuesday night set expecting a mostly empty room and got a packed house and a quartet that played for two and a half hours without a weak moment. The room is small, the tables are close together in the way that actually encourages conversation, and the old-fashioned is properly made. There's a cover charge on weekends that's completely worth it — but Tuesday sets are often free or cheap and the quality doesn't drop. This is the kind of place that makes you feel like you're in a different city, in a good way. Arrive early; there's no reserving tables.