Overall I love DV8, friendly staff, great owners, good liquor selection, decent size, lots of…read moreseating, ATM, decent prices. The one downside is that, as the name implies, it's DV8 Underground which means wobbling down that flight of stairs after a smoke break while you've already had a few drinks, but that comes down to how much you do or don't drink. The music is always decent to great, from open mic to planned shows with low cost tickets (5-15 on average). There's a bit of variety, acoustic to punk to post rock, so almost anyone can find at least one DV8 show that they've enjoyed more than just drinks at. The bathrooms (or at least the ladies) is pretty clean, some graffiti (but hey, I think it just adds to the atmosphere), always stocked with toilet paper/paper towels/soap unlike a lot of bars in the area.

What an interesting place. DV8 is kind of a rock, metal, screamo band type of place and is…read moredifferent from any other bar that is located on Whyte. On the night I went, there were a bunch of bands playing and admission was free. The music itself ranged from "What in the hell is this?" to "Okay, yeah I'm feeling this". The volume is ridiculously loud for the venue, which is why I took one star off. Your eardrums will be in actual pain (both from the volume and the more questionable bands playing). They do sell ear plugs, but I doubt they would help overtly much. If you're into the type of music, then I'd say yeah come on down. For myself it was mostly a painful experience. The space itself is decently large. The washrooms are in a state of disrepair and not for the squeamish type. I took a second star off because the place reeked of smoke. I'm very sensitive to smoke and my eyes started burning within half an hour of being inside the place.

We came here for a night out and expected to hear 70s music but it was not quite what we were…read moreexpecting. Still, it was great that we were able to reserve a spot and have a wonderful place to sit. The club is quite nice and the staff are very friendly. Drinks are what you would pay anywhere else, but I was expecting to have a bit more variety considering the high-end nature of the club. I'll go back - maybe try 80s night and see if the music is better!

I understand the owners of The Bower had a coming of age moment; it seems they decided to open a…read morebar that reflected their newly discovered maturity while holding on to youthful self-deceit. The Bower opened late 2012, but it feels to me Edmonton is still trying it on for size (also trying to locate it since there is no signage--follow the slight scent of pretentiousness). Last night there was an eclectic crowd, with post-hipsters well represented, many wearing ties, bow ties, or dresses (and oddly, slightly more men than woman, likely just a chance occurrence). Average age: 25-33. The atmosphere feels like a French salon minus the enlightenment, intellectualism, culture, and revolutions. Wood and brick walls, decorated with romanticism portrait art. Victorian sofas and chairs. And marble topped tables (from Leva?). The Bower is smack in the middle of being a lounge and club. Seating is limited but comfortable. The music is loud, but not too loud. The DJ was playing danceable music, but not dance music (I really liked it). And yes, there is a dance floor and it was being used: I recall a man in a bow tie leading the charge. Drink prices and cover will keep the clientele older. We paid $7 cover even arriving before 10:30. Drinks although not cheap are quality: what the bartender is willing to make, he makes well. The Bees Knees cocktail is really nice (2oz, $10). The Jalapeno Margarita (2oz, $11) was surprisingly spicy and one of the tastiest cocktails I've ever had. The Old Fashioned (2oz, $10) was just as you would expect (I suggest asking for half sweet though). But my friend's request for a Mint julep could not be accommodated (no mint). If wine is your style, you're in luck with a few decent ones by the glass or bottle. Our server was fantastic. I think she was waiting solo and did an excellent job. Despite being very busy she was very attentive, funny, friendly, and brass tax. She is clearly experienced and deserves every dollar she makes. Overall, The Bower is a unique lounge/club trying to cater to us mature children who want to pretend we have (a) little class.

This is one of my favourite venues in Edmonton! I have experienced a lot of awesome concerts and at…read morethe moment we have tickets for 5 more! :) I recommend going there with uber since there is construction in that area and parking has been always an issue. The building itself is beautiful and maintained well. In general I love to look for concerts like the last one (Star Wars) and enjoy the live experience and support our (Edmonton) symphony orchestra! :)

I've been to The Winspear a number of times, including getting to perform on stage with my school…read morechoir back in the day. But it had been a while since I'd seen a show there. And then I had tickets for 2 shows just a few weeks from each other. So I figured let's review The Winspear. This concert hall is fantastic in terms of acoustics. I'm sure you've seen other reviews say something similar. There aren't many bad seats, and most of the shows here are concerts so have good sound will be the most important thing imo. The space is beautiful, bathrooms are clean, lots of space in the lobby, coat check is a reasonable $2, and the line for the bar or snacks wasn't to long. The one thing that's a downside is the seating chart, or maybe better to explain it trying to find your seat. The first show I saw (Foil, Arms, & Hog: Skittish) the usher pointed to where my seat was. Sat down and 10 minutes later a man came up and said I was in his seat. No problem, got up, asked another usher where to go. I was further down on the main floor. The second show (1922 film Nosferatu with a live playing of the massive Davis concert organ) my friend and I went were we thought we should sit. We entered on the left doors and there was no usher there. But something didn't feel right so I went to the main doors to ask an usher if we were in the right spot. He pointed to where we were sitting so I went back there. A few minutes later another group of people in that section we were in realized they were in the wrong spot when other people came to their seats. And that group(the ones that had to move) said they were in the section our tickets said. Obviously we were in the wrong spot, so we moved to right seats. So that was confusing with the seats and there isn't anything, other than on the doors to mark what the sections are. The fact that two different ushers at two different shows I've been to told me to go to the wrong seats is a bit frustrating. There is an online interactive map, but I find on a phone it's hard to see and navigate. Maybe have a paper map outside by the doors, especially the ones on the left and right side if no usher is going to be there. That's my one gripe about the Winspear. Other than that both the shows were great. The Winspear is right downtown and the library parkade is nearby. There's also Churchill station nearby, so pretty accessible for transit. I've already got tickets for a third show I'm seeing in a few weeks, so I hopefully I won't get sent to the wrong seats.

We came here to see the Nutcracker balleta few weeks before Christmas. It was superbly done,…read moreincredible dancers, incredible sets, special effects and costumes. The ESO was there to do all the music which was also amazing. I preordered drinks for the intermission, which I highly recommend if you are seeing anything here. You order before the performance starts and you pick up your drinks etc as soon as intermission starts. I'd never seen a ballet before, it was wonderful and I would love to go again. Pro tip for parking, don't park in the Jubilee parkade, it takes an hour to get out of after. Park anywhere else.

We were there for Romeo and Juliet ballet. Alberta Ballet definitely did an amazing job and we…read moreenjoyed this version a lot. Beautiful and amazing performance! Alberta Ballet is a gem of this province and we should all support them for these amazing experiences! If you haven't gone to ballet yet, it's a great experience and also tickets could be a nice gift to your friends and family! :)

Best chill-out ambience in the city. Staff here are cool and on point. 3 levels here and each…read moredistinct.

One of my favourites on Whyte, since the music is so eclectic and the people watching so much fun…read more But at the same time, it has a nice relaxed vibe. Finally got to try out the Wooftop Patio last night. Was amazed at how warm and cozy it is, even when it's -14 outside. Had a couple Blondes, which went down smooth. They were having a Jaegermeister demo while we were there, but I am not fond of cough syrup, even when I'm sick, so I eschewed the freebies. Bonus points for hearing "Golden Brown" by The Stranglers and "Reptile" by The Church on the same night. I was in heaven.

The owner Dave is amazing we go here and the otter by our place. It's a pub had vlts and dark but…read morethe staff are amazing and good food. Bathrooms clean.

One of my friends suggested to go there for beer and wings!…read moreThe place is ok and has the usual bar atmosphere! Can't really comment about the beer since it's the same anywhere you go! :) The food was not bad but nothing special! The pretzel wasn't the best! Customer service was a bit slow! Overall it's an OK place but definitely not my first choice to go! I'll give it a shot again another time to see if I experience anything different!

We went here for the crab boil and I think for 30 bucks pretty good bang for your buck…read more We also ordered a couple of appies. The calamari and the roasted broccoli. Atmosphere was a typical pub ambiance. Really not remarkable. I liked though that the music wasn't blaring and I could have a conversation. Server was friendly and helpful. Food was quick to come out. We both loved the calamari. They were thick pieces that were well seasoned. Definately need to order this again. Broccoli was perhaps a bit underdone, but flavour was good. When the crab came out it looked a little skimpy in terms of potatoes and the other shellfish. However with the appies we were filled up well. Crab was tasty and well boiled. Potatoes were okay and the few mussels and clanms on the bottom. I would come back here for that still. All in all a good meal.

Very quick service and great drinks specials. I really enjoyed the crowd and live music. Also they…read morehad a lot of things available like gaming machines and a large dance floor. They have a lot of events, daily specials and live bands there. I always see a lot of people enjoying themselves. I'd highly recommend I also heard they have a great seafood boil too

Perfect nightclub for a great night out. Vegas vibes, great music, beautiful people, great liquor…read moreselection. Place is great for groups and has sick events that sell out all the time. The venue is unparalleled in class and decor and the staff are always friendly. Go here to feel like you're not in Edmonton but Vegas or Miami.

Located in the largest mall in North America (West Edmonton Mall) I had very high expectations for…read morethis place, but sure enough it was everything I expected if not more. This upscale luxury mega-club venue is a definite must-see for anyone visiting Edmonton. I was surprised at how large the venue was, beautiful decor and good sized dance floor with tables connected to it. Make sure you check out the SHVR ice bar. It's a room with a bar sculpted entirely of ice, 1 of 3 in Canada the server told me! I did not purchase bottle service as there was only two of us, but I did keep an eye out for specifics, as I have been to numerous famous nightclub destinations around the world and am used to the way VIPs are handled. I must say, I was very impressed with the bottle service presentations, treatment and attention to detail at this club. Bottle service guests were showered with confetti, greeted with huge "Happy Birthday" signs waved at their table, as well a posse of beautiful girls holding sparklers and signs with the clients name. I even saw a bottle of champagne being brought out in a LED birthday cake. For a bachelorette party the cocktail waitresses brought out a sign that read "Future Mrs." and spelt the bride's last name, super cool! The MC paid great attention to each and every birthday/stagette in the club, and the club was packed. Reminded me of Vegas, nice touch. Music was an open-format mix of Hip-hop, Top 40, and Electro House. Once the headlining DJ started playing we were EXTREMELY impressed and the energy in the club was crazy. We didn't want to leave. He knew exactly what the crowd wanted and kept us all dancing all night long. Amazing DJ, great VIP treatment and very good over all customer service as well. I even lost my coat check ticket and the girls had no problem finding my jacket and it was returned to me. A+++ goes to ENVY Edmonton Nightclub!