Best Bars Pubs in Calgary (2026)
Compare the best local businesses in this category in Calgary, AB.
Last updated March 28, 2026 · 5 businesses compared
Side-by-Side Comparison
Detailed Profiles
Bridgette Bar
Bridgette Bar operates as a chef-driven bar at 739 10 Ave SW in Calgary's Design District, part of the Beltline neighborhood surrounded by furniture showrooms and art galleries. Since opening around 2017, it has served lunch, dinner, and late-night menus daily, with hours from 11:30am to 11pm Monday-Tuesday, extending later on weekends. The menu features seasonally inspired food using fresh, locally sourced ingredients from Alberta. Options include snacks, pastas, pizzas, wood-fired meats, and vegetable-focused plates such as beet salad, endives, cauliflower, carrots, trout, and cod. Garlic bread stands out as a noted favorite. Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free choices are available. The drink program offers creative cocktails—both crushable and high-octane originals—alongside craft beers and a wine list. Daily matinee happy hour runs 2-5pm with a snacks-only menu, and late-night service is available Sunday-Wednesday from 10-11pm and Thursday-Saturday from 11pm-midnight. Minors are permitted in the main dining room until 9:30pm. Reservations are recommended via OpenTable; for wait times or general inquiries, text 403-700-0191 (reservations not accepted by text). Street parking is available nearby. Bridgette Bar has earned recognition including Western Living Foodies of the Year 2017, OpenTable's 100 Best Restaurants in Canada 2017, Best of Calgary Awards 2017 for Best New Bar, and Avenue Magazine's Top 25 Best Restaurants in Calgary in 2018-2020. Recent ratings include Tripadvisor 4.4/5 from 169 reviews and OpenTable 4.8/5.
Wild Rose Brewery
Wild Rose Brewery is a **craft brewery** established in 1996 by Mike Tymchuk and Alan Yule, making it one of Alberta's pioneering independent breweries. Operating primarily from its **60-hectolitre production facility in Foothills Industrial Park**, the brewery also maintains a working taproom and innovation center in the historic **Currie Barracks** neighborhood, housed in a restored WWII-era military hangar. The brewery produces **seven core beer styles** including WRaspberry Ale, Velvet Fog (unfiltered wheat ale), Brown Ale, IPA, WRed Wheat, SOB (Special Old Bitter), and Alberta Crude Oatmeal Stout, alongside seasonal and limited-release offerings. All beers are available exclusively throughout Alberta in over 400 retail locations. Wild Rose's taproom at Currie Barracks features a 10-hectolitre Bohemian brewhouse and 1-hectolitre pilot system used for recipe development and experimental brews. The facility accommodates events, including weddings and private functions, and maintains a child-friendly environment. The brewery employs several staff members with over 20 years tenure, reflecting its deep community roots. Acquired by Sleeman Breweries in 2019, Wild Rose continues operating with local focus and quality emphasis. The brewery invested $4.12 million in facility upgrades completed in 2022 to expand canning capacity and production capabilities. Visitors can experience both the working production brewery and the original taproom space, which retains the brewery's first equipment from its 1996 founding. ---
Tool Shed Brewing Company
Tool Shed Brewing Company operates a craft brewery in Calgary's northeast industrial area, producing handcrafted beers and non-alcoholic beverages from a 22,000-square-foot facility. Founded in 2012 by Graham Sherman, who began homebrewing in a backyard tool shed, the company launched commercially in 2013 after Sherman successfully lobbied to change Alberta's liquor laws, which had required a minimum production of 500,000 litres annually for licensing. This effort helped spark Alberta's craft beer growth. The brewery uses Alberta barley in its recipes, engineering beers with precision to highlight local agriculture. Products are distributed to over 1,000 locations across Canada. At the on-site taproom, visitors can sample beers alongside BBQ, including ribs that have won awards at Calgary competitions. The space also serves as an event venue for groups up to 200, hosting weddings, corporate gatherings, fundraisers, concerts, and team-building activities. Sherman, with a background in IT and military communications, earned recognition including a nomination for Canadian Entrepreneur of the Year, Calgary's 2016 Top 40 Under 40 by Avenue magazine, and the 2018 Business in Calgary Leaders Award. Tool Shed maintains its address at 401-3rd Avenue S.W. in Calgary, Alberta. (198 words)
Sushi Bar Zipang
Sushi Bar Zipang operates at 1010 1 Ave NE in Calgary's Bridgeland neighborhood, a vibrant area in Northeast Calgary. This Japanese restaurant has served the local community for over 18 years, focusing on authentic sushi, sashimi, and traditional dishes made with fresh, high-quality fish. Owner and chef Naoya Umino, trained in Yokohama, Japan, prepares specialties like clean-cut sashimi with thick slices, optimal fish-to-rice ratios in rolls, salmon roe, and items such as futomaki, rainbow rolls, and ebi tempura rolls. The menu also includes small plates like karaage chicken, takoyaki, and gluten-free options to accommodate various preferences. Dine-in features table service and reservations, available by calling 403-262-1888. Takeout and delivery through platforms like Uber Eats are offered, with a 5% discount for customers bringing their own containers to support eco-friendly practices. The restaurant serves lunch and dinner Monday through Saturday, closing on Sundays. Accessible to Bridgeland residents and Calgary visitors, Sushi Bar Zipang holds Tripadvisor Travelers’ Choice recognition and a 4.3/5 rating from over 146 reviews, ranking #153 among 3,758 Calgary restaurants. It provides a straightforward setting for Japanese cuisine in the area.
The Canadian Brewhouse - Calgary Harvest Hills
The Canadian Brewhouse - Calgary Harvest Hills is a Canadian-themed sports bar and grill located at 1200-9650 Harvest Hills Blvd N, Calgary, AB T3K 0B3, in the Harvest Hills neighborhood. Opened in 2013 as part of a chain that began in Edmonton in 2002, this location has served the Calgary community for over a decade, with a BBB file opened in 2017 and an A+ BBB rating. The restaurant offers dine-in, takeout, and reservations available 24 hours in advance online or by phone. It serves breakfast, lunch, dinner, and brunch, with an extensive menu featuring appetizers like nachos, salt and pepper wings, and onion rings; entrees such as beef dip, Rocky Mountain chicken sandwiches, fish and chips, and 40oz ribeye steak; pizzas; and daily specials. Vegetarian-friendly, vegan, and gluten-free options are available. A full bar provides local brews, sangria, and other drinks. Amenities include a patio with outdoor seating, free parking, free WiFi, wheelchair accessibility, highchairs, table service, and televisions for sports viewing. Minors are allowed until 8 PM for last seating. The venue hosts events like fundraisers, offering group pricing and catering services. Canadian decor, including a large Inukshuk at the entrance, creates a cheeky nod to national heritage throughout the space. This Harvest Hills spot caters to locals in northern Calgary, with easy access for residents of nearby areas.