Beatty Street Bar & Grill (755 Beatty Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada, phone: 604-688-3563) is located really close to BC Place Stadium and GM Place Stadium and is a great place to grab a beer or some food before (or after) the big game. They are also open for lunch and have a reasonably priced menu that includes burgers (such as the one pictured below, around $13), sandwiches and pastas (such as the Chicken Pesto pasta also pictured below, $13.99). The restaurant is decorated with sports memorabilia and there are plenty of TV’s tuned to the sports channels. The Beatty Street Grill is located in the Georgian Court Hotel in downtown Vancouver.

Hamburger and fries (around $13)

Chicken Pesto Pasta ($13.99)

Cactus Club (web site) is a chain of trendy, popular restaurants with great food, fun atmosphere, and awesome service.

Their downtown Yaletown location (357 Davie Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada, phone 604-685-8070) is conveniently located in one of Vancouver’s most upscale and chic neighborhoods, a short taxi ride from any hotel in the downtown core. They also provide valet parking.

As an appetizer I enjoyed the Westcoast Pocket ($4.00, pictured below), which is an inventive creation that is made from sushi rice, salmon, Japanese Inari (bean curd wrapper), and is garnished with pickled ginger and Japanese masago. The Westcoast Pocket is one of my favorite menu items at Cactus Club and I seem to order one every time I’m there.

As a main course, I selected the 9oz Sirloin Steak (with four mushroom demi-glace: shitake, portabello, button, and crimini mushrooms, $27, also pictured below). The steak was juicy and tender – truly satisfying!

To finish this fabulous meal I enjoyed the fresh baked apple pie ($7.50, also pictured below). If by any chance you have some room left over for dessert, I highly recommend the apple pie! It was made with sweet and slightly tart ripe apples, and the flaky crust was heavenly.

If you’re interested in Live Jazz, be sure to check out their West Vancouver location (855 Main Street, West Vancouver, BC, phone, 604-922-1707) which features the Geoff Peters Trio on select Tuesday nights.

Westcoast pocket at Cactus club- like sushi but better! ($4.00)

Sirloin steak at Cactus Club (with four- mushroom demi glace) – $27

Fresh baked apple pie at Cactus Club ($7.50)

Ricky’s All Day Grill (web site, 104-111 Dunsmuir Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada, phone: 604-602-9233) serves all day breakfasts, pizza, steak, sandwiches, rice bowls, and more. This location is just steps away from GM Place Stadium and BC Place Stadium, as well as the Stadium skytrain station and Chinatown.

Pictured below is the “BBQ Breakie bowl” ($11), which their menu describes as “Bourbon BBQ sauce brushed over ground-steak burger, 3 scrambled eggs, green onion, diced tomatoes, and grated cheese on seasoned chunky potatoes with red onion, topped with ranchero-hollandaise and your choice of toast.” I quite liked it, although it was a lot of food for lunch!

BBQ Breakie Bowl ($11)