Top Rated Nightlife in Calgary

This popular nightclub and bar hosts the city's up-and-coming bands with live music every night. You can also enjoy great food while you watch the bands performing live; the restaurant opens early to host breakfast and lunch, and is always willing to pour a drink. Choose from an excellent food menu of pub favorites and a spirit list to keep the night rocking. If you're hoping to find the next big band and soak up some local culture at the same time, drop into The Broken City where you're sure to do both.

At Proof, each night is all about perfectly crafted cocktails and stress-free service. The quirky cocktail bar believes that their guests should be able to sip and savor without having to pack into a crowded bar, which is why they only allow in as many people as they have chairs. The bar has a seasonal menu that changes with ingredients they purchase from local producers, which means that guests are only served the freshest of cocktails and tapas. Also on offer are a curated selection of wines and beer.

Situated on the outer rim of downtown, this chophouse is removed from most of the bustle of downtown, and has a reputation for a great selection of steaks and burgers, and a laid-back yet sophisticated atmosphere. Buchanan's offers a good business or after-work setting, with upscale wood and brass finishing at booths and open tables. There is also a lot of top-grade Alberta beef on the menu, including a 10-ounce, hot-rubbed rib eye steak in wild mushroom sauce. The award-winning whisky bar has its own loyal following and a reputation for one of the best Scotch collections in the city.

Añejo is an inspired Mexican restaurant that boasts an impressive collection of over 200 tequilas, though most guests tend to sample the restaurant's house-made margaritas, which have been called the best in Calgary. The restaurant is housed in a multi-level industrial-chic building lit by a gigantic skylight. Sample Jalisco-inspired delights like guacamole prepared in a traditional lava rock mortar, or tuck into a variety of Mexican dishes all crafted with the freshest of ingredients. Be sure to bring along some friends to share a ceviche tasting alongside a variety of other Mexican tapas.

One of the first attempts at capturing the look, feel and sensibilities of a small village country pub in the UK, this stop has remained popular for more than 15 years. Located just a few blocks south of downtown in a rambling old building (legend has it as a former funeral home), there are three distinct bar areas with booths and tables. There are also comfy couches, some near fireplaces. Come summer, there's also a heated patio area. There are some 30 beers, many of them imported. The menu tilts towards finger foods, burgers and sandwiches.

The speak-easy, bygone vibe is in full-force at this barber shop and neighborhood cocktail bar. Sulky light glows from fixtures out of the 1930s, a massive marble-top counter dominates the interior, and a friendly guiding principle to have patrons well-fed, well-groomed, well-imbibed win the day and night here. The food menu is a bit more contemporary than the aesthetics suggest, with kale salad, bahn mi sandwiches, and vegetarian selections. The cuts, however, are to-the point, and do not get more sophisticated than the “fancy beard trim.” Please note that the bar stays open until the very early morning, while the barber shop closes between 4p and 9p.