

Break a Sweat
Ping-pong, darts, board games, and cheap pints in Gastown, where the Jenga tower reveals your true character.
Some dates call for candlelight. This one calls for a ping-pong paddle and a cheerful willingness to be embarrassed in public. Back and Forth Bar in Gastown puts table-tennis tables in the middle of the room, sticks a dartboard in the corner, and keeps a towering stack of board games behind the bar, Jenga and Yahtzee included, for when your serve falls apart and you need a new arena to lose in. The beer list is solid, the snacks are within reach, and the pricing won't punish you for ordering one more round to settle the match. What makes it a great date is the rhythm it gives you: you're always either mid-volley, celebrating a lucky strike, or deciding whether that Jenga tower move was technically legal, which turns out to be a more revealing personality test than most.