The Bottom Line
One of Yaletown's nighttime hot spots, Section (3) is a trendy restaurant, lounge and bar that comes to vibrant life on weekends with a hip crowd of pretty people and live DJ sets on Friday and Saturday nights.
Section (3)
1039 Mainland St.
Vancouver, BC
604-684-2777
Pros
- Great location on Mainland St. in Yaletown; perfect as a starting spot for a night of bar hopping
- Great crowd on weekends, with plenty of young, pretty people
- Easy to meet other people when crowded
- Variety of reasonably-priced appetizers
- Late night menu available
Cons
- Crowding on weekends can mean a long wait for a table
- Street parking may be difficult to find
- Dinner entrées are over-priced
Description
- Open Sunday - Wednesday 11am - 12am
Thursdays 11am - 1am
Fridays & Saturdays 11am - 2am - Most dinner entrées $25 - $30
- Most appetizers and pizzas $10 - $20
- Large parties should make reservations
- Easy to meet people when crowded
Guide Review - Section (3)
Yaletown's famously-hip nightlife centres around two main streets: Mainland and Hamilton. With a wealth of fabulous (and celebrity-friendly) hot spots all in one place, it's easy to bar-hop, and Section (3) is good place to start the night.
As a restaurant, Section (3) has an all-day menu, including (fairly pricey) entrées like Cornish Hen and duck. The entrées are fine, but not a reason to visit in and of themselves. The appetizers are a better deal; they come in large portions and are more reasonably priced. The crab and shrimp cakes are genuinely delicious, as is the decadent Baked Brie Wheel.
But it's not the food that brings in the weekend crowds of pretty people, it's the vibrant atmosphere, the pulsing music (yes, you have to get close to the other person to be heard, which can have its advantages), the urban-lounge decor, and, of course, the other pretty people.
Early in the night, Section (3) is more restaurant than singles scene, but as the crowd grows--and more people have to stand around the bar and spill over into the table area--it becomes easier to meet and mingle: all you have to do is walk around and you're bound to run (literally) into someone. Smile, look great, and the conversation will practically start itself.
If you do run into someone and need a good opening line, you can always ask if they know the story of Section (3)'s unique name: When the restaurant opened in 1994 it was originally called De Niro's, in honour of the actor. Unfortunately, De Niro himself wasn't flattered. In 1999, he threatened to sue unless the name was changed, citing his rights under section (3) of the BC Privacy Act. So they changed the name...to Section (3).
