50 Best Cocktail Bars in Calgary

“Amazing atmosphere, fantastic staff. Great music. Our server, Justin was fantastic. You really made my birthday something special. Definitely recommend this place.“

“Excellent food and friendly staff. Great atmosphere.“

“Came here with some girlfriends and we had a great time. The place has a really nice vibe, I loved the theme and decor, though it was a bit dark for my taste, but not a big deal. We ordered a couple of drinks; two of us tried the non-alcoholic options which were really good, and our other friend had the corn oil cocktail, which she also enjoyed.

As for the food, we had the green onion bun (it was okay), the fried tofu (pretty good), and my favourite, the fried dumplings. The service was excellent; the staff were very friendly and attentive. Overall, it was a nice experience. We’d definitely come back and would happily recommend it to others.“

“Been here a couple times but recently stopped in for the Halloween popup. The place was over the top decorated, they even had a halloween rinks list. The drinks from their main menu have awesome names and fun presentations. Staff were super friendly and kind. Loved the experience and would come back again. Would recommend going during the week so it's less busy and you can take in all the cool stuff on the walls.“

“Great food and a lively vibe! We went during live music on a Friday. The service is great, one gal worked the entire floor with the bartender's assistance. Great drinks and the food is fantastic! Pot stickers, tacos, salads, and the doughnuts were all amazing! Great dinner and entertainment!“

“Great atmosphere for a speak easy! our hostess, May Rose, was amazing! Celebrated my children's birthdays 18, 24! Establishment, Staff, Atmosphere, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️“

“My new favourite lounge in town!“

“This is an amazing place. Some of the best cocktails I've had anywhere. The creativity is out of this world, and the unexpected combinations hang together well. These are thoughtful cocktails, not gimmicks. The food is also amazing. Fresh, excellently crafted with contrasts of flavor, seasoning, and texture. The pork, maple, miso bao is to die for, as is the dessert parfait. The bartenders and servers are friendly and attentive without being intrusive, and have excellent eyes for detail in service. The decor is fun and funky, with a wall of gas masks behind the bar, sandbags piled up as a partition between the bar and table service area, and terrific lighting. Finally, Shelter has some of the best acoustic design for dining and drinking of anywhere I've been. There is a nice ambient sound level, and they've got a great playlist, but the room is not very live, so other folks' conversations don't reverberate. This makes it easy to have a conversation without having to talk loudly or strain to listen, which is a rarity in bustling dining and drinking establishments. Whether you live in Calgary or are just visiting, checking out Shelter should be a priority.“

“Amazing experience!! Great service, food and drinks!! Highly recommended !!“

“I love the cocktails variety the food is super fresh the look of the lanterns it make it so romantic I love it, great service 🥰❤️“

“What a cool bar in downtown Calgary!! The drinks are delicious and the ambiance is so cozy with the couches & dim lighting.

I ordered the Father of Sax, all their drinks are works of art 🎷

Already excited to visit Prohibition on my next trip to Calgary!“

“AMAZING COCKTAILS FOOD IS AWESOME HIGHLY RECOMMEND“

“We had a fantastic experience at The Park Kitchen & Bar thanks to Maddie! She was attentive and stayed on top of our needs without ever being intrusive. Very friendly and considerate, she clearly knows the menu well and even made sure we were aware of the spicy sauce on the salmon poke bowl. We got the sauce on the side and were glad we did because it was very spicy. All of our food was excellent, especially the Brussels sprout appetizer, which I highly recommend. We come here regularly and Maddie made the last visit even better by adjusting the music volume when we asked. She was very easy and friendly. We’ll definitely keep coming back!“

“I always make sure to drop by proof when I'm in Calgary for some AMAZING cocktails. The atmosphere is spot on, and the drinks are quite reasonably priced for how fancy they are. We were also pleasantly surprised this time as they have great Monday specials with heavily discounted drinks all night long, and deals on gourmet hotdogs and bao buns!“

“AMAZING drinks and AMAZING service. My one complaint is that my friend and I both fell off our stools several times—they were really wobbly wicker things that slid out from under me if i leaned back too fast. Lovely music choices and a good energy overall.“

“My friends and I were there last July 08 for dinner. It was so busy but we were greeted immediately by a server and happened to be our server Raquelle) She is very informative, pleasant, approachable and very friendly, However busy it was she still manage to smile and be friendly. All the cocktails she recommend were very good and we all love it ( Golden Sunset, Whisky me Away, Confluence and the made by Ben) The food were also good. WE also had the Japanese old fashion that se also recommended. (i love it!!) Raquelle is one of the best server we had and we highly recommend this restaurant for her top notch service. We will definitely comeback. Thank you“

“Had a wonderful time with my husband! The drinks were fantastic, and the poolside atmosphere was perfect. Our server, Khadija, was incredibly kind and gave us great recommendations for fun things to do around the city. We really enjoyed our stay at the hotel and to top it all off, breakfast at Yellow Door Bistro on our last morning was absolutely delicious.“

“My wife and I had an amazing and memorable evening! Ryan and team out done themselves! Amazing atmosphere and food! Already planning our next private event here! Thank you!!“

“When you get over that looming taxidermy, everything else is less overwhelming haha. Really enjoyed that smoky beef tartare and drinks. ✨“

“Great joint to grab a bite, the food came out quickly and was delicious. We enjoyed a basket of Parm fries, charred broccoli and I had the Tuna melt. Will definitely be coming back to try out their other dishes, everything looked great on their menu.“

“Great food and service! Highly recommend!“

“I always want to go there >< I starved today to come for chunjang lol It was so delicious ㅠㅠ A really good sweet and sour pork restaurant;;; Red pepper miscellaneous sauce is so delicious!!!! I recommend Jjambbong more than Jjajangmyeon!!“

“We eat out a fair bit, but this was the best night out I have had in years! Have not been here before, but definitely coming back often. Came here with my wife and one of our friends later on Saturday afternoon for happy hour and got seated at the bar, overlooking the kitchen. The happy hour drinks were very good, and the food was fantastic. We ended up staying for dinner, and every dish was beautifully prepared, tasty and original - not just a variation on something you would get at a restaurant down the street. The staff were so friendly and welcoming. Our waiter provided excellent service. He always knew the right time to check up on us and see if we needed more drinks or food. Nice guy too. I originally was a little disappointed to get seated at the bar instead of a table - now I would not want to sit anywhere else. Loved to watch the skills and teamwork of the kitchen staff, who were very friendly and chatted with us when they had time. Loved everything about this place.“

“I love the decor and the pop ups on top of that are 😍 Aside from the spectacular cocktails with PRESENTATION they have a huge menu and I've enjoyed every single thing I've ordered to date!“

“I love everything Chicken there - Fried Chicken & Creamy Chicken are my favorite. The staff is super friendly and have good recommendations. this place can get loud during Karaoke time, but it's still entertaining.“

“My second time in Calgary was nothing short of perfection. Last year I dined here for my birthday and when the thought of what to do rolled around this year, flying to Calgary seemed both extra, and hilarious. But it stuck. Saltlik, you outdid yourself. I’ve been thinking of the Beeswax Old Fashioned for 366 days and it just hits the spot. Victoria B.C. hasn’t latched onto it yet but it’ll come. Dinner was exceptional but the real star or the show was Trevor. Exceptional service is becoming an almost lost art and this guy has it. His energetic read on the table and tailored charisma is what 90s career servers were made of. The kind of server who questions himself “how do I elevate this experience?!” And then executes. His tag team with Chris to make this birthday nothing short of Calgary perfection is exactly why we ended up here. Thank you for making us feel special, our dinner incredible and leaving us with yet another Saltlik memory for the books. Thanks over many thanks. We will see you again!“

“We had a wonderful evening - great vegan options :)“

“Delicious food and fast service. Our server was so friendly and helpful and we all loved our food!“

“A must go to Restaurant. Just amazing food and ambiance!“

“Such a great vibe! I highly recommend Best of Kin Social!“

“Wonderful attentive service with friendly and fun atmosphere.“

“I chose the lamb meatballs and cauliflower. Totally superb food. See pics. We were a table of 8 and my only complaint was that they added 20% automatically to the bill (which I kinda get) but our server did not point that out. I find it bordering on unethical that she wouldn't mention it, because a couple of people added a further tip because they weren't aware. Hey management, it left a sour taste when you added 20% like that, so you should change your practice to at least mention it out of respect and courtesy. However I gave you 5 because the food and ambience were superb. Take a look at the pics of the dry aged lamb, yummy!“

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

“I was so happy my friend Caitlin reccomended this bar. This was my first time here and Carter and Mia were so amazing and funny and welcomimg!! I love the menu and attention to detail (probably one of the most intentionally funny and random menus ive ever had the pleasure of chortling several times to* (*see photo update). Easily one of the best bars ive been to in Canada alongside some seasoned favourites back in Vancouver, but this place is a gem!!! 💎💎💎💎💎💎💎 i really enjoyed my Oolong Peach Long Island (delicious... Lychee in there, maybe? 🍑🦚🧋🍐🕊) and the Mighty Moose Vodka was very decently good for a Well. Will definitely be back!!! 🥰💯💯💯🤠💎💎🍑👨🏼‍🚀🥳“

“My husband and I came here and had the best server Brie looking after us, if I could leave 10 stars I would!
A big thank you to her and the kitchen staff for the complimentary desert to celebrate our anniversary
They went above and beyond to make the night and special.
Exceptional service and the food and ambience great!!
Thank you Brie!!!!“

“We have been to this Cactus Club lots of enjoyable times. We therefore decided to go there for our 54th wedding anniversary last Wednesday. Food was prompt and excellent and the manager arranged for a welcome drink of prosecco. Nice touch. The service by Jackie R was a 10-out-of-10 and we will certainly pay a visit to this restaurant again in the near future. Five stars!!“

“Haylee (J) mentioned that it was her first week here. However I would never have been able to even tell. She acted with so much patience, grace & kindness— coupled with the highest level of professionalism, I was shocked to learn that! I would come back here if she is the only server here. Food / atmosphere was cool too.“

“Love this place love the live bands and a variety of food to choose from“

“Total hidden gem in south Calgary and probably one of the best places to eat real, good quality food. Chef driven and worth the visit. The quality is insane for the price point. Most everything seems to be handmade like their pasta and sauces. Service was great based on the more casual setting, its fun to watch people climb while you eat.“

“Amazing- nothing to complain about at all. Just consistently good service, good quality food and friendly experience. Dined for dinner 6:30 on a Wednesday and lively enough. It's a real neighbourhood restaurant vibe up at Dalhousie. Will be back !“

“We had a beautiful evening celebrating my daughter's 18th birthday. The food was exquisite, service was perfect, and the interior of the restaurant is beautiful. We loved that the music is just the right level so we could enjoy it but also talk to each other and hear each other.“

“Earls menu and staff are pretty consistent with great quality food and generally busy but good service. This Earls has the one big issue of very little parking at the site or nearby. On rare occasions you can randomly find a spot out front if someone is driving out but otherwise you end up driving around for a while looking. Once in the restaurant and enjoying a drink and the great food then all is well but getting to that point could take some time if the surrounding restaurants and businesses are busy as well.“

“We were a large group of ten for my bachelorette party on June 1st and we had an AMAZING dinner at Porch. I am so glad we chose to come here. The food was incredible, I had the Wild Mushroom Pappardelle and it was to die for, I am still thinking about it! The drinks were also so refreshing and unique! Our waiter, whose name I forget (sorry!) was attentive, fast and very helpful! The Manager came to our table and gave me and my Mom a complimentary glass of champagne too! 10/10! I can't wait to come back here and try more of the menu! Thank you so much for giving us an unforgettable dining experience!“

“This place in Calgary hit home... For starters the atmosphere brought nostalgia with retro Corona tables & Pedro Infante portraits, etc. The tacos are amazing, the atmosphere is cosmopolitan but traditional Mexican style, super friendly staff, and the mezcal drinks were on point.“

“One of the best Mexican restaurants in Calgary. An ever changing menu of delicious food makes this a place to return to and it has never disappointed in all the times I have been there. Located perfectly for a meal and a night out. It's atmosphere speaks to the casual but yet can cater to a more up-scale. Perfect for an intimate date night, a casual dinner, a group function, a quick bite or a social meetup.“

“The best culinary experience you could possibly get for the price. The food was prepared with the upmost attention to detail. We did the Yakitori Omakase (15 course meal with drink pairings). The specially reserved seats in front of the kitchen offer a show, not just the meal. Our server Adam provided an 11/10 service, explaining the intricacies of each dish and how the each drink was tied into the given course. They also offer you the option to purchase 3 ounces of the 45 day beeswax aged A5 Waygu (which we also purchased and highly recommend to take in the full experience). You will not leave hungry, or unsatisfied in any way. If you’re in Calgary, you have to visit Shokunin.“

“Great ambience!!! Delicious food.“

“Some of the best Thai food I've had in Calgary. What beautiful menu. Delicious and fresh. Perfect flavors.“