50 Best Bars in Calgary

“This a really great place to have a super fun start to the evening! It's not cheap, but the ambiance and amazing drink presentations, make for a good experience and energetic conversations. We wish they offered more varied menu options, but we'll definitely go back!“

“It was a perfect breakfast for the three of us before we dropped out daughter off at the airport. I had my traditional two eggs over easy with toast sausage and bacon. The two others had some wonderful eggs-benny. My eggs were perfect, the toast was perfect, the bacon was crispy, and the sausages were spicy and succulent, making for a delicious meal. Arlene was wonderful throughout the whole meal so thanks to her especially!“

“Amazing food, amazing service, and always a great time!!“

“Larissa the bartender is top notch. Makes a well balanced drink and is a pleasure to talk to.“

“Bar Gigi is much more than a great meal—it is a small restaurant with a very distinct personality.

We sat outside on a cool early-fall evening and tried several dishes. The prawn toast was rich and buttery, brightened beautifully by yuzu. The Hokkaido scallop crudo was delicate and refreshing, while the charred cabbage—perhaps the humblest ingredient on the menu—was one of the most memorable dishes of the night. It perfectly reflects chef Sandro’s philosophy: “There are no boring ingredients, only boring chefs.”

What makes Bar Gigi special is the story and spirit behind it. Sandro Chinea, Jaden Kanomata and Kayla Blomquist left established restaurants to create something of their own, transforming an old fish-and-chip shop into this intimate 20-seat neighbourhood gem. The atmosphere is lively, relaxed and unpretentious, while the cooking is confident and highly creative.

It is small, crowded and a little noisy—and that is part of its charm. Bar Gigi feels less like a formal fine-dining restaurant and more like being invited to a very talented friend’s dinner party.

One of the most interesting and memorable meals I’ve had in Calgary. Reservations are difficult to get, but absolutely worth the effort.“

“Jan is great, always a killer haircut, and good conversation, i would recommend Cannibale to anyone“

“OMG the food here was soo amazing I went in with a coworker for dinner, we had the HUGEA mozzarella sticks they were soo delicious and yummy, we also had some margaritas on special and gosh dis they hit the spot!! The server was amazing and friendly and the bartender too each time he brought us drinks. We will be back.“

“I love Leopold's Tavern! Great atmoshphere and the food is great!!!“

“I've had a wonderful dining experience at Original Joe's! The atmosphere is always so inviting and the food is consistently delicious. The service is top-notch our server Ava was so funny and made the visit feel special. Highly recommend for anyone looking for a great meal and a lovely vibe.“

“We went for a Birthday dinner and the server was very attentive was able to recommend fantastic options. The food was amazing as always. Will definitely come back to this location.“

“prime rib was delish and filling“

“I loved everything about your patio and the food and your establishment.
Shanae was an absolute joy and took great care of us.

The only thing we all couldn’t stand was the awful rap music.
It’s too loud and too repetitive and honestly it did not suit the vibe or the patio.
We asked for it to be changed but the music got worse and louder .
Please change your playlist !!!!
Call me ….id love to explain

Do you think you might consider other music choices for the future?
There were 2 other tables that felt the same as us 🍺🍷“

“First time visitor. Love the ambiance , decor and space. The friendliness and service were impeccable. The food and drink were delicious and unique. I will be back. Loovveee“

“Place was great. Visiting from out of town and was taken here. We had a great night. The pizza was fresh and delicious and the prices didn't destroy my wallet. And my god the beer was cold, as advertised. Special shout out to the bartender who put the Oilers game on for me. Can't recommend the Diablo pizza enough.“

“A dear friend of mine stop by this vary spot at least once a week, I can say this is his personal watering hole - per se

I only manage to come with him once, but since he is the VIP in this lounge, I don't think it's fair for me to make a review with it, due to he can get the 5 stars treatment as long as he steps his foot into the door,

So this time I come alone. no body can spot me, no body can recognized me, so I think I can be honest about it

Menu is very simple, most of the drinks are pre-batch, this is to rest assure the quality and consistency of each cocktail, which is the best way to do it

Food menu wise, I think they are smart too, they served the best CAN food you can find in the market, like Anthony Bourdain said, if the Spain people can preserve the best seafood into a can, and ship it around the world, this idea is genious -

All they need is just some warm sour dough bread on the side, and open the can ,,,,viola

Save the kitchen investment, Save the kitchen labour, if the idea is working fine, don't change it

So if you want a cool cocktail, with some great snack, Missy's would be great place for you to stop by“

“University District keeps getting better, and this is one of the reasons why.

The space has a lot of personality without trying too hard. It’s one of those places where you can grab a drink, settle in for a meal, and suddenly realize a few hours have gone by. The menu has enough variety that everyone at the table can find something they’re excited about, which is harder to pull off than most restaurants think.

What impressed me most was that nothing felt forced. Service was friendly, food came out exactly as expected, and the overall experience felt smooth from start to finish. No complaints, no issues, just a genuinely enjoyable night.

Already looking forward to the next excuse to head back to University District.“

“I came here for the first time today and will return soon...the food was beautifully prepared and delicious. Highly recommend the cinnamon buns! Brunch was fantastic. Our server was so kind and thoughtful and made our experience a 10/10. Thanks everyone!“

“This has got to be one of the coolest places in Calgary. I've walked by many times and didn't know it existed, it's a hidden gem. As a record collector myself, i have to say that their collection is one of the best i've ever seen.“

“Me and a bunch of friends went in on thursday september 24 and the atmosphere was wonderful we had a great time and the bartenders upstairs were very kind aswell as most of the people in there. we went downstairs and went to the bartender down there and it was a complete flip. the bartender whos name is jordan was absolutely terrible. she didnt say hello or anything just gave dirty looks and practically threw the machine at us. she was extremely unpleasant to deal with and so we decided to go to the other bartender down there and asked her name because jordan said her name was jessica. jordan ran over and told her not to tell is anything which shows she knows she was providing terrible service. the other bartender who was down there with her was very sweet and had great service i didnt catch her name unfortunately but dark curly hair. wonderful experience with her but terrible with the other one. im also in the service industry so i get giving people a break because you never know whats going on behind the scenes but at that point you shouldve never come to work if you are going to be absolutely miserable. overall though we did have a wonderful time just kinda threw the vibe off because whats the reason.“

“First time visiting this restaurant. We had an enjoyable experience. The waitress was friendly and attentive. The ambiance was very nice. We were all pleased with what we ordered and everything tasted delicious. We will certainly dine there again soon!“

“Fun cocktail bar in East Village! Drinks, both alcoholic and nonalcoholic, were great! Service was friendly and chill. All the food is vegan, but even as a meat eater it was tasty and worth the price. Bar seating and some regular tables are on the first level. The bar is on the main floor of the Orange Lofts building, so the space also has a small loft area at the top for seating (maybe 8+ seats total?).“

“Haven't been for a bit and completely forgot to write from the last time we were there. The outdoor patio is honestly one of the greatest in the city I think. cozy but really pretty and an amazing place to meet friends. In fact we were there with friends and bumped into other friends who had their dog there which tells you automatically that a dog friendly patio is where you should always go! Great food and wine by the way!“

“I went for the first time last night. I was so impressed with the measures the waiter and cooking staff took to ensure I didn't come in contact with my food allergies, the sharing plates concept was brilliant, and the food was delicious. Whenever I'm in Calgary again, I will be returning. Thank you for such a wonderful experience!“

“Probably our third visit and very pleasantly surprised again at how excellent and creative the food always is. Different menu every time. The tuna crudo was outstanding. Only super nit picky complaint was that the special wagyu steak had too many delicious crispy potatoes. Would have enjoyed a few veggies to balance the plate. Chocolate torte was a very nice finish - also unusual to find on restaurant menus but seemed house made that day. Great cocktails too. We’ll be back. Don’t park in the District underground. Nightmare.“

“A good place to go in Calgary's Malbrough area near the station itself. Their house ciders are great, not loaded with sugars, and they sell Mexican and latin-inspired food which is both healthy and delicious. I go there often after excercise at the gym across the street.

Highly recommended.“

“Such good people! Thank you to Kiki (worker at Hitman's Bar) for calling Wayne Hart in and pulling out Bret's belt for us to get pictures with! Wayne was so nice and talked to me for over an hour! Food was amazing as well! What an incredible experience!“

“The Food and Service was Terrific! Thank You!“

“the owners treat us so well. Great food, service,and golf“

“What a great place to find in Calgary! Staff was so nice and beer tasted perfect! Was a great place to have a random birthday drink.“

“Award for best tiki bar and fried squid in the city goes to lulu!“

“Really enjoyed the tacos and soup here during our time in Banff!“

“Marshall and Stu were absolutely fantastic. Bartenders and servers are immaculate. I came up here from Utah and have loved absolutely everything about the place. They don’t deal with BS and it’s nice to see a door team that wants people in line to get in more than people trying to pay their way in. Integrity at its finest and also communicating that certain people coming in were VIPs“

“Had a great experience at Bar One! Fanny provided excellent service — very friendly, attentive, and made us feel welcome throughout. The food was also up to the mark, fresh and really tasty. Overall, a wonderful dining experience. Will definitely visit again!“

“I don’t usually leave reviews, but the service and warmth at Botanica Kitchen & Bar genuinely deserved one.

A huge shoutout to Zahir, the bartender. What an awesome personality and incredible service. He recommended some fantastic food, and the mocktail he made was top-notch. This was my second stay at The Westin Calgary Airport, and both times Zahir has been amazing. After a long, tiring flight, his energy and hospitality completely turned my evening around.

Also, hats off to the kitchen team. The food was absolutely delicious and worth every penny. You can tell there’s a lot of care and hard work behind it.

Great food, great service, and genuinely warm hospitality. I’ll definitely be back!“

“best bar in town- like the show Cheers, always a great time“

“Went tonight for a casual date night and had Sarah as our server. She was amazing! Our drinks and food were perfect and the timing between appetizer, salad and main was perfect - not rushed like most places. We still ended up taking leftovers home and couldn't resist taking some cheesecake home too. Thank Keg and Sarah for a wonderful evening! Best keg location in the city.“

“A huge shout-out to The Banquet (Mahogany) for making our private event unforgettable! From the moment we arrived, we were blown away by how accommodating and attentive the entire team was. A special thanks to our amazing server, Chelsea, who was nothing short of phenomenal — always on top of things and ensuring we had everything we needed. The facility truly went above and beyond, making the entire experience feel personal and seamless. We had the chance to enjoy every floor, and it was hands down better than just bowling or your typical pub experience. If you’re planning an event, do yourself a favor and reach out to them. Highly recommended — you won’t regret it!“

“Friendly and attentive service“

“I don’t even know where to start.. all of the staff and the manager Sherry (I believe that was her name) are INCREDIBLE!! Friendly, welcoming and great service every time! Thank you for the amazing service and going above and beyond to brighten my day after a hard week.“

“Had a great time $5 Beers went down well“

“had such a great time at Ranchmans !!!“

“Calgarys most popular dive bar. This is a place that tends to be a good spot to socialise and meet strangers. It tends to attract a slightly more older (I won’t say mature) demographic which is nice if you are trying to get away from the places more popular with the 18-23 year old crowd. Anyone from 25-50 can feel pretty at home here.

The biggest issue is that it is somewhat a victim of its own success and there are often long queues to get in as it has a small maximum capacity. It can also get a bit crowded and loud, so if that isn’t your vibe then only visit on a weeknight or during the day on a weekend.

The security guys here are all pretty good natured and friendly to talk to but they won’t tolerate people making trouble so be nice and you will be fine.

The $1 Stan’s hot dogs are amazing, great value and they serve them (and their other food) anytime of the night. The poutine here is also surprisingly good.“

“Great atmosphere, friendly staff, prices decent. Try the homemade beef jerky“

“Delicious chicken wings and the Caesar was really good too“

“have a blast everytime we go ..“

“Great local spot. Food menu has a lot of selection and we have enjoyed every meal eaten here. Very good value, pool is free and there are many board games as well.
Servers are friendly- happy hour specials are hard to beat- both food and alcohol.
We like to watch sporting events here as well.“

“Our server Perci was above and beyond incredible and he made our dining experience top notch. Broken Plate has always been a favourite of ours and tonight was no different!“

“Parking: Parking is not a problem . Awesome everything, great service, great food on every occasion. My dad and I come get often it’s never a problem or bad food item. Great service with Frank in the drivers seat and awesome staff, Lorhea is fanstasic ! Great ambiance!!“

“Great hole in the wall bar and grill on 17th Ave SE. The staff were very nice, atmosphere was enjoyable. The music wasn't to loud so you could have a conversation without screaming. The food was great. Got the 5 Apps for $38 plus a large chicken caesar salad and a burger with fries and gravy. The gravy reminded me of the very yummy high school gravy, which I was very pleased to find out. ? ? ? ? ? ? onion rings, potato skins, deep fried pickles, and the steak bites were all so good.
Had ro take a couple of boxes homeof leftovers but so glad we did. The burger was even better then next day for dinner. First burger I've ever had that you could eat the day after. ????
Will definitely go there again very soon, and always remember to bring cash, it's the best currency since we have to have one.

Parking: You can park on in the street in front of the door or park out back

Wheelchair accessibility: Yes, no stairs, street level“

“Diane & Sandy, who served us, were so welcoming and the most fun... they really made our evening out feel special! We enjoyed them immensely and look forward to seeing their friendly faces again on our next Deerfoot Inn staycation! Thank you, ladies!“