It’s no secret that Saskatoon has a thriving bar scene, and while we all love Louis’ Pub, students should know there is more out there. Here are five off-campus bars that you should check out.

There is no lack of options when it comes to finding a bar in Saskatoon.

Amigos Cantina: Amigos is the quintessential watering hole in Saskatoon’s Broadway area. They’ve got a great selection of reasonably priced drinks and amazing scratch-made Mexican food all day. What’s more, they are family-friendly for most of their hours.

Amigos is also one of the best bars in town to catch a concert, and it’s been a champion of Saskatoon-grown music acts, like Close Talker and the Garry’s. On top of this, Amigos offers great drink deals for events like their Thursday karaoke nights — so it’s guaranteed to be a good time!

Flint: Flint has silently become a favourite mainstay for the many millennials of Saskatoon. Located in the centre of downtown Saskatoon, Flint has a classy Williamsburg feel that makes the place stand out from other lounges. However, Flint is perhaps known best for its excellent cocktail selection, featuring creations such as their delicious mason jar beverages, the classy new old-fashioned and the eclectic Moscow sour.

Flint is also frequently home to some incredible art-house events, and a great karaoke night every Sunday. Between the drinks, the events and the nightly charcuterie plates, Flint is really the place you need to be.

Vangelis Tavern: Vangelis’s collection of cheap beer — like tall cans of Pilsner for just $6 at live music shows — and their affordable slices of pizza can surely be the recipe for a good night out. Vangelis has also been at the forefront of live music tours here in Saskatoon for the past couple of years, with acts such as Weaves, Julie & the Wrong Guys and PONY gracing their stage over the last year.

Vangelis’s small and intimate space and accompanying acoustics create an environment where live music can be experienced and reminisced on here in Saskatoon. Since it is nestled in the heart of the Broadway area, you can also use Vangelis as a meeting point or a final destination for your night out.

Pokey’s Pinball Café: You’ll find this neighbourhood gem tucked into the middle of 33rd Street West. Pokey’s has a great mix of Cuban fare, cheap beer — an important theme for this list — and perhaps the greatest bar game of all time — pinball.

Featuring eight pinball machines that are carefully curated and changed throughout the year, this place is a great way to spend a night out with friends — because who doesn’t like a little friendly competition? Though Pokey’s has been open for just under a year, it’s quickly growing to become a mainstay here in Saskatoon.

The Yard and Flagon: Few would argue with me if I said that The Yard and Flagon has one of the best patios in Saskatoon. On top of having a great patio, the Yard offers some of the best pub food available in the Saskatoon bar scene, with items such as their scrumptious vegetarian burgers. The handmade fries alone warrant multiple trips to the bar.

The Yard has a varied selection on tap and does a quality job rotating their draft selection between all the different producers of craft beer here in the province. Given the space, the food and the drinks, the Yard is definitely a bar to check out.

It’s pretty clear that Saskatoon is home to a great number of watering holes. While this list certainly doesn’t exhaust all of Saskatoon’s bars, it will help you get started with your nights on the town — because sometimes, you just need to leave Louis’.

Did we miss one of your favourite bars? Let us know at thesheaf.com!

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Jordan Stovra

Photo: Anura / Flickr