Being a hub for live music seven days a week has been a driving force for Darcy’s Pub since it opened for business in 2009 having been taken over by the Frontier Group.
Housed in a heritage building erected in the latter 1800s (1862 for the first storey and 1885 the second) and later named Darcy McGee’s, COVID threw a spanner in the works.
But the pub rode the restrictive storm admirably and is now almost back to full speed.
“We had to make a shift during COVID, but were really excited when we could start getting things back," says Operations Manager Tanya Heartwell. "And we’ve gradually brought it back to live music six days a week and music bingo on Wednesday.
“Mondays and Tuesdays we have live acoustic music from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. and Thursday through Sundays we have full live bands from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m.”
Heartwell says Darcy’s is unique as it’s “one of those spaces that’s a bit of a chameleon and really anyone can find a home here.”
“We have a mix of all demographics – a lot of tourists and locals – and I think everyone mixes and mingles here in a peaceful, nice environment. I think we try to have our menu range from a little bit of something for everyone. And I think we’re a good place for a younger crowd to come and dance, but then also my parents would feel comfortable here having a night out.”
Heartwell has worked for the Frontier Group for 12+ years, and also serves as operations manager for Upstairs Entertainment, directly above Darcy’s, the Duke Saloon and Darcy’s Westshore.
“I started at Upstairs in December 2011 and worked up there for quite a few years. Then about 6.5 years ago I came full-time to the pub.”
Bar manager Brandon Clark has been at Darcy’s coming up on 4.5 years now, having had a brief stint at the downtown-located Duke seven years ago.
Clark says Darcy’s – and their other locations – pride themselves on giving customers a “premium experience.”
“We aim to give people an elevated product and experience, whether that be food, liquor or from our cocktail program, while not breaking the bank; so you get a really good bang for your buck.”
Darcy’s also has a “phenomenal chef,” Margaux Gagnon, “who curates an amazing menu that we change twice a year – a spring-summer menu and a fall-winter menu. She does a really good job with it and you can get a really good meal at a super fair price,” Heartwell says.
Gagnon’s signature dishes include the popular chipotle chicken burger, fish tacos and weekly features such as the smash burger, features every Thursday all day for just $10. The smash has a four-ounce patty that’s been flattened or ‘smashed’ down to size and comes with a home-made burger sauce.
I sampled the smash burger and it was delicious, washed down by a sleeve of Darcy’s Bitter and a Strawberry Vanilla Margherita, two of Darcy’s signature drinks.
Having a great team of staff is also a key to Darcy’s success.
“I have to rave about our team,” Heartwell says. “Our staff are all excited to come to work and tell you about the specials. It feels like a family."
Clark adds: “Our staff stick around, too, which is always a really good indicator of the quality of a place – the servers, cooks in the back, the bussing staff, the bartenders and the managers. We have a really solid staff retention. Our chef has been here 12 years and sous chef seven.”
Clark dazzled with his bartending skills in curating my cocktail and says a great bartender has to be versatile in their ability to give everyone their ideal experience.
“We strive to have bartenders who'll be as good at night as in the daytime. Tourists want a great bartender. They’ll help people find out about the best spots to eat, drink and frequent in the city. Overall happiness and kindness also go a long way.”
Heartwell says her highlights working at Darcy’s are during the pub’s peak times when the atmosphere is buzzing with energy. “Although the staff are super busy, they all have a smile on their face and are excited to just be there, with the room humming and vibrating, offering a high calibre of service.”
Clark’s highlight is the pub’s annual Movember fundraiser at the end of November.
“Everyone comes together for that one night. It’s the staff’s favourite night to work, attend or be a part of. The community comes together and they donate silent auction items, breweries donate beer to the cause and time and services; my barber and his team donate their services to raise money for the event; and we have bands donating their time on stage to provide entertainment.
“Everyone just comes together to have the best time and raise awareness for prostate cancer. In 2023 we raised $12.5K... Before that it was 10K and 6.5K. And we know the money goes to the BC Cancer Foundation, staying close to home, which is really rewarding as well. It’s been pretty special to double the amount from the first fundraiser," Clark says.
“I constantly have a moustache, and if we raise a certain amount of money I’ll shave it off the night of the fundraiser and be baby-faced while auctioning off items the rest of the night.”
Clark says Darcy’s and the Frontier Group are also a great supporters of the community.
“We’re kind of a staple in the community and people look to us for supporting sports teams, fundraising efforts and community support in general. Darcy’s is a pretty big pillar in that regard.”
Darcy’s is also known for providing great coverage of live sports.
“We have 10 TVs in the pub and two full-size projector screens as well,” Clark says. “So for big sporting events we play the games with full sound for football, hockey, the Oilers, and the Olympics.”
Meanwhile, Heartwell says the downtown pub has the green light to rebuild their outdoor patio in the next few months. “We’re always looking at little ways to grow/improve or stay fresh. During COVID our extra outdoor seating was a hit and we’ll be rebuilding our deck in the next few months. So it’ll be a hot new deck right on the harbour.”
Coming up for fall and winter, Darcy’s will host many parties, including Halloween, Christmas ans New Year parties, which the staff are all excited about.
“We stick to our pillars and core values that make us Darcy’s," Heartwell says. "Always staying true to the live music, offering great service at a great price for cocktails and food, while always trying to stay fresh with our ideas and entertainment.”
To learn more visit: darcyspub.ca.
