Dmytro was fantastic and attentive on our first night in Calgary at this charming restaurant on top…read moreof the Element-Westin downtown. The wine list and cocktails were top notch. Food was perfection. A really high end experience in an unlikely location. Such a wonderful surprise and we would definitely come back here to try more menu items. The only issue was we wanted to try their ice cream dessert and they were out. Disappointed for sure. Other than that? Great experience.

From the owner: Perched above the city in Calgary's vibrant downtown, Bow & Bend Rooftop offers an elevated escape…read morewith panoramic views of the Bow River and skyline. This stylish rooftop bar and lounge blends contemporary design with cozy west-coast vibes, perfect for sunset cocktails or late-night gatherings. Enjoy a curated menu of handcrafted cocktails, local brews, and locally sourced cuisine that celebrate Alberta's finest ingredients. Whether you're unwinding after work or celebrating the weekend, Bow & Bend delivers a uniquely relaxed yet refined rooftop experience.

Ambiance: Hotel Overlook inspired bar/restaurant with 60s & 70s decor where retro meets cozy +…read moreupscale. The menu, drinks, & decor play homage to Stephen King's The Shining. Great date night spot or enjoying dinner with friends. The rigatoni was spicy but delicious! Highly recommend their unique cocktails. If you're an espresso martini fan, the Eyes Wide Shut is a must order. Our server was friendly and helpful. We did wait a bit to order and for our drinks/food to arrive but it was a Saturday night so that was to be expected. Decent pricing for the quality of food/drinks. As a horror movie and fancy dinner fan, The Wednesday Room satisfied my expectations.

This is an awesome place to go if you want good drinks, food and just chill and carry a…read moreconversation. It's right on Stephens Ave. and right across from the Hyatt Regency. We came in around 10pm and luckily they were able to seat us downstairs right away. I feel so bad for the hostess because she had to run up and down the stairs and also buss the tables. Downstairs is a 70's vibe and I dig it. Their drink menus change seasonally and the prices are not too bad if you are from the US. It's almost like a speakeasy in a way and they put more effort in to their drinks. Overall, I highly recommend coming here if you just want to chill and get away from all the noise on Stephen Ave.

Bullshit place wouldn't let me in because I was wearing sweatpants. I will never recommend this…read moreplace.

Management at this bar is awful. We made a reservation months in advance only to be told when we…read morearrived at the bar that our reservation didn't exist. When we talked to one of the guys at the door, he advised us that what happened to us was "just Jordan" who is the manager who "confirmed" our reservation beforehand. Once we got inside - after waiting in line - we found a server and explained what happened with our plans. She said "this happens all the time" - meaning, the manager by the name of Jordan pretends to make reservations only to not actually make them and have people show up to nothing. Thankfully, the server we dealt with allowed us to take an available table (after we were told it was fully booked). Moral of the story is that the servers we dealt with were awesome - one of the doormen were rude and dismissive. The bar manager by the name of Jordan was absolutely atrocious. If you're planning ahead of time - don't trust this bar or management who allegedly try to help you. We won't be back.

Ambiance: Speakeasy style bar & lounge with an emphasis on champagne & absinthe. Dark & romantic…read morespot for a date night or post-dinner drinks with friends. We enjoyed the DJ and the staff is super friendly and accommodating. The caviar chips are an amazing deal at $5 each and made for a unique tasting experience. Highly recommend the black hummus paired with the truffle martini. As a craft cocktail lover who considers themselves well-traveled, I'm not exaggerating when I say this might be the most unique cocktail menu I've ever seen! Truly a menu of one-of-a-kind cocktails with unique flavors & creative twists. A must visit for anyone wanting a unique drinking experience. Loved everything about this lounge!

Was recommended this place by numerous people while out for dinner. Prices of cocktails are a lot…read morehigher than other surrounding bars. The drinks were good but there is not shazammmm to them. My waitress was not all that and rarely checked in. I paid a pretty penny and had about 6 drinks total until I had enough from the service. The waitress didn't know the menu and wasn't able to give any recommendations. They had some good drinks, but they were not drop on the floor omg delicious. I will say the most interesting drink they had was the dill with popcorn. Note, you can ask for more popcorn! It is made fresh daily.

I wrote this email to management on January 2, 2026. Since then I have been following up every week…read moretrying to get a hold of someone. Both via phone call and email. They haven't even replied to my messages. They do not care about patrons at all. I have written this review on multiple platforms and have even left a formal complaint with the BBB of Calgary. DO NOT waste your time on this business. They are horribly run. Said email: "I am writing to formally express my disappointment regarding the December 31 event at Lounge 18, which I attended after purchasing three cocktail hour and party tickets. Unfortunately, the experience did not meet the expectations set by the event's promotion or the standards I would expect from your venue. The quality of service throughout the evening was extremely poor. The drinks served were noticeably watered down, and on two separate occasions, drink orders placed at our table were completely forgotten. The server's presence was very infrequent, resulting in wait times of up to 45 minutes to receive a drink. Additionally, the first drink we received at midnight was empty, and the following drink had visible lipstick on the glass, which raised serious concerns about cleanliness and attention to detail. Other advertised features of the event were also lacking. The "photo booth and props" were essentially non-existent, and the dance floor was far too small and poorly arranged for the number of guests in attendance. The music did not reflect the DJ experience that was promised and instead sounded like a generic playlist rather than a professionally curated set. Due to the overall poor execution of the event, we chose to leave early and ended up paying full price to attend another event elsewhere so we could salvage our evening. This was my first experience at Lounge 18, and regrettably, it left a very negative impression. Based on this experience, I am unlikely to return. Given the circumstances, I believe a partial refund would be appropriate, and I hope you will take this feedback seriously. I would appreciate a response regarding how this matter can be resolved. Thank you for your time and attention."

Ooo weee.. I was visiting banff for a few days and checked out Calgary while I was in the area. Who…read moreknew a place like this existed out there. I tried the fish tacos and they were . They also had Mantu on the menu! Definitely check this place out if you are in the area.

I had a great time at Ricardo's last week as part of the "Sippin' Santa" tiki pop-up they were…read morehosting. I'd heard about the event in 2022 too late to make a reservation so I made sure I was on the ball for 2023. I'm so glad I did. The popup included a fun menu of festive drinks, all served in Christmas themed glasses and mugs. My husband and I started out with a drink served in a large bowl, intended to be shared by two or more people. We also tried a couple items off the Sippin Santa menu and some from Ricardo's regular menu. While we enjoyed everything, Ricardo's house items came out ahead. The bar itself is quite small so now I understand why reservations were hard to come by. It normally has a nautical theme but they did a great job incorporating wrapping paper and other holiday decor. I had a great time at Ricardo's and definitely plan on checking it out again the next time I'm in town.

Awesome bar with fantastic drinks and friendly bartenders. What I really loved about the drinks is…read morethat they weren't too sweet - but they were delicious. The Tiki Bomb is especially aesthetically cool - the rum was on fire in a lime when it was served.

Jenny was an amazing server. She was knowledgeable about the menu and the different types of steak…read morecuts. The food was excellent. Caesar salad is made table-side by the server. The meat was cooked perfectly. Ambiance was appropriate for an upscale steakhouse. The dinner is pricey but worth it.

Good spot in the middle of downtown. Did the table side ceaser salads and table side steak tar tar…read more Cool presentation. All had steaks a well done. One was a bit undercooked. Accommodated splitting a meal. A little loud but really good service. Don't have to get overdressed.

Went here on a Saturday afternoon, it was empty inside which is such a shame considering how good…read morethe food was. We had a different combo each, I had Shahi Paneer which was incredible, my wife had butter chicken which was equally as good, the Naan was fantastic and made there when we ordered it. It was hard to choose what to have as the menu seemed interesting offering a variety of meat and vegetarian options, Indian food is my favourite and it seems hard to find good Indian food in Calgary, I grew up in London and was spoilt for choice there, but this was very impressive with wonderfully tasty spiced sauces. Our server was fantastic too. Definitely worth checking out!

What an an exceptional hidden spot! Loved the dramatic entrance into this speakeasy and very much…read moreenjoyed the music that night. The ambience is low light, perfect vibe, waitresses and staff were wearing vintage looking clothing, and you definitely felt that you were taken back in time. The drinks were amazing and the food looked great, we only had the snack nuts which I highly suggest. There were some surprises during the night with musicians coming in and playing, so the experience was even better with so many sounds throughout the night.

This place was great to work. In my industry experience, one of the best places that I've worked…read more It's been awhile where I can say "I genuinely loved working at Betty Lou's. For the owner, I can't say the same He has asked me "so, how can we can we improve at Betty Lou's". No matter what you say, it doesn't really matter. The owner seems to weaponize feedback, which is completely toxic. Sure, you're the owner, absolute respect to you for making this fair in this industry, it's accomplishment. However、please do not ask serving or bartending staff if you don't want genuine feedback. The owner will act against you. We requested one time that Blaine (the owner) does not come on floor if he's had more than two drinks and if he's not dressed in proper uniform. As an owner, sure, to some extent that's fine. But when you threaten a server, who is still new, you will fire them based off how long you're doing menu tours is not acceptable. If you didn't know, menu tours are just running through the drinks and food, which can take a considerable amount of time when you are busy. Now imagine the owner is so disconnected from the reality of the service, is also five drinks deep in the office. The owner will award you back off a few good days, but if you have one review where a customer believes you didn't believe you delivered "a personable experience" you're done. Now, that seems rough, but imagine an owner who values complete bullshit over actual truth. But I mean hey, would I work an environment where the owner can flip a switch, absolutely. It doesn't matter So hey, if you get hired at Betty Lou's, got bless you You can have a good few days, but ultimately, it doesn't matter. There is no HR, no general manger, you know why? They've left, to better and more complete opportunities that Betty Lou's cannot offer. If you're looking for any place to work, please, reconsider Betty Lou's. If you're looking for a place to drink, please reconsider Betty Lou's