Calgary Nightlife

Situated next to Eau Claire Market on the banks of the Bow River, the Barley Mill is a lively bar offering a multitude of beers and whiskies, with a great patio in the summer. Lunch and dinner menus offer sandwiches, burgers and typical hearty pub grub such as pies and fish and chips.

A super-cool neighbourhood hangout in Bridgeland across the river from Downtown, Cannibale is a barbershop and bar in one. Once you've had a beard trim, head to the bar for a mezcal-based Aztec Warrior cocktail or a beer-and-shot combo. Keep hunger at bay with share plates of sourdough pretzels and olive toast.

There's no jostling for space in Proof, a hip cocktail bar where everyone gets a seat. The drinks and food menu both change regularly, and you may need extra time to make your choice once you've cast your eyes over the wall full of bottles of every type of spirit imaginable.

A chic spot in a converted downtown warehouse, this hip club is spread over two floors. The owners are music-mad DJs and producers, so you can expect a fun selection of dance tunes. Modern Vintage Saturdays see current hits played upstairs and old-school classics downstairs.

Branding itself as a 'micro-club', Habitat Living Sound is a DJ-owned dance spot specialising in electronica. The bijou lounge hosts both local and international DJs, with a particular focus on house and techno tunes. Crowds cram the dance floor late at night.

You'll hear different music every night in HiFi, which churns out everything from house to disco to soul to a trendy, early-20s audience. The tiny club doubles up as a live music venue, attracting both local and international acts. Saturday is the night to come for guest DJs or live bands.

If you're in Calgary during Stampede, it's practically obligatory to party at Ranchman's, which plays non-stop live music from noon until the small hours throughout the festival. At other times of the year, you can still enjoy this true cowboy bar, whose walls are plastered with rodeo memorabilia. Tuck into steaks and ribs, then work it off in the dancehall.

Enjoy a taste of the South at this lively dowtown venue. Upstairs, you can sip draught Albertan ale and chomp on pulled pork or Albertan beef - the meat is smoked in a huge BBQ pit. Downstairs, local and international bands play in the Showroom, where you can hear everything from rock to metal to hip hop.

While Wine-Ohs' ground floor is a stylish bistro where you can dine on lobster mac and cheese or bison ribs, the cellar is the go-to spot for live music. The intimate venue plays host to an eclectic line-up of emerging local talent. Sit back and enjoy the tunes as you sip your way through the impressive wine list.