Secrets of the Penthouse is a tour with Forbidden Vancouver that explores the history of an infamous nightclub. It includes dinner and live music too.
Forbidden Vancouver is an awesome tour company. Most of their tours are guided walking tours that explore different neighbourhoods of Vancouver. The Secrets of the Penthouse, however, is a special event where everything takes place at one venue, at the Penthouse Nightclub. It’s not a “walking tour”. Other things with the Penthouse event that make it unique from all of Forbidden Vancouver’s other tours are that it also 1) includes dinner, 2) features live music, and 3) only happens once a month. There are other differences too which we’ll explain in this article.
Tours with Forbidden Vancouver that include walking around town include the Lost Souls of Gastown, Dark Secrets of Stanley Park Tour, Forbidden Vancouver Tour, Really Gay History Tour, and Hidden History & Sweet Treats Tour. With all of these you walk around a neighbourhood (or Stanley Park) for about 90 minutes or so with your tour guide.
To learn about all of Forbidden Vancouver’s tour options, see our article about Forbidden Vancouver or visit forbiddenvancouver.ca. To learn about the event at Vancouver’s most infamous nightclub, click Secrets of the Penthouse or continue reading.
The Secrets of the Penthouse Nightclub Tour with Forbidden Vancouver
Forbidden Vancouver offers a variety of tours throughout the year. Most involve walking outdoors and exploring different areas of the city. However, one of the company’s most popular tours takes place inside two buildings located beside each other. Secrets of the Penthouse is a mostly indoor experience at the Penthouse Nightclub. It’s for adults only.
The tour features a backstage look at the venue. It’s a fascinating event full of history told from different perspectives. Multiple guides share stories of mobsters, bootlegging, murders, rat pack parties and other dark things that used to take place at the nightclub. The tour also includes a buffet dinner and live music.
Tour Dates and Location
The Secrets of the Penthouse tours are held at the Penthouse Nightclub. The venue is located at 1019 Seymour Street in Vancouver.
As previously mentioned, the tour only takes place once per month. Most years they only happen from September until June, so not in July or August. The first edition of the tour in 2025 takes place on Wednesday, January 29th. Other ones happen on the Wednesdays of February 26th and March 5th. The tours run from 6:30 pm until 9:30 pm.
The Penthouse Nightclub is about a 10-minute walk away from the Granville SkyTrain Station, so it’s easy to get to. For folks who want to drive, there’s a paid parking lot at the corner of Nelson Street and Seymour Street which is steps away from the venue.
Admission Details
Tickets for the Secrets of the Penthouse tours are available online. In 2025 they cost $70 per person (plus taxes and online fees). The tour is only for people ages 19 and above.
Dinner is included with admission and it’s served at about 8:45 pm. The meal is an Italian buffet with spaghetti and meatballs along with salad and garlic toast. For attendees who don’t want meatballs, there’s a vegetarian pasta available as well. The nightclub’s bar is also open for folks wanting to buy drinks during the event.
What to Expect
Secrets of the Penthouse tours are led by Danny Filippone. He’s the current owner of the club and also the nephew of the original founder. Although he’s not a professional tour guide, hearing from him is very entertaining. There’s also a tour guide from Forbidden Vancouver on site to help out. Another person you’ll hear from is author and historian Aaron Chapman. Plus, retired cop Grant MacDonald shares stories about when he used to do stakeouts in the area. With this lineup of guides you’ll hear all about the nightclub from very different perspectives.
Unlike other tours offered by Forbidden Vancouver, the one at the Penthouse includes dinner and live Jazz music. There isn’t much walking involved either. In fact, the only walking to do is outside the building and to the building next door. There are also different floors to explore inside the club, so you’ll be walking up and down some stairs indoors. The event runs for three hours in total, and you can expect to be on your feet for about 45 minutes.
Everyone is welcome to stay after the event ends. Soon after the tour, however, is when the stripper shows begin!
Other Information
To learn more about the Secrets of the Penthouse and related walking tours, see Forbidden Vancouver‘s website.
To learn about Forbidden Vancouver’s other walking tours, and our experiences with them, check out the following articles:
- Lost Souls of Gastown
- Dark Secrets of Stanley Park Tour
- Really Gay History Tours
- Hidden History & Sweet Treats Tour
Other articles you might be interested in include the following:
- Vancouver Nightclubs
- Bars & Restaurants in Vancouver
- Entertainment in Vancouver
- History & Culture in Vancouver
- Vancouver Shows and Entertainment