The Riot Room

I dig this place.  The patio is bigger than the venue itself but the small venue is one of my faves.  I love catching up and coming acts here in an intimate setting before they hit big.  

The inside though has one of the worst layouts ever.  The viewing area and the bar are positioned wrong the bar is on the lower level and you have to take a step up to stand in front of the stage.....which leads to opposite theater seating...but whatevs the place is still fun and they have great music.

I've only ever heard dance music played on the patio and i LOVE it.  I love hearing something so infectious you cant help but get your body moving. AND the patio bartenders are the best in the city.  Quickest drink I've ever gotten at a packed bar.

Riot room has my heart!

I love The Riot Room. I saw signs tonight about remodeling and that makes me scared. I hope they do not remodel it to death.

Things I like about The Riot Room include, but are not limited to:
Lots of seating, good variety of shows, two bars (in & out), outside stage and seating area, you can usually find decent parking even though it is in Westport, even though I'm getting old(er) the crowd is mixed so I don't feel like I'm the grandma of the group

Oh the delicious brews they serve.  I had heard Riot Room's famed reputation for having beers on tap long past when everywhere else in town ran out but had never experienced this for myself. When one of my favorite, and lesser than obscure Vancouver bands, scheduled a show there for the first weekend in March, I was ready to test this for myself.

The brew that had me so worked up? Among others (trust me, I didn't have to drive home so I mayyyy have taken a little extra advantage of their selection than I normally would have) Goose Island's Bourbon County Stout.  And Southern Tier's Creme Brulee Stout. For well under $10 a glass when most places were charging upwards of $20 for both in bottle, it was a tad more pricey than I would have liked but still much better than other bars where they were only found in bottle format.

The atmosphere in the Riot Room is intimate-one room concert room with stage set about one step above the bar area and extra standing room area for larger concerts.  Lights are dim and the unique circular bar in the middle of the room allows listeners to walk around to see what is available on tap but if it's crowded, there is huge chalkboard opposite the door with all the brews listed. I loved this bar design and never had to wait very long.  With their GA shows, if you want to get up close and personal with a band, Riot Room (much in the vein of Record Bar or Czar Bar) let's you get right up to the stage or if you'd rather relax and just observe, there is a tiny seating area stage right.  I'd recommend getting there early because when that seating is gone, there really isn't much to choose from.

Now that I've seen it for myself, I can say that I will be paying Much closer attention to shows that are scheduled there. Atmosphere and drink selection alone make this a concert venue to attend, but the music and people you can meet there make it a venue to love.  You have found a new fan, Riot Room. Well played.  See you soon.