Nothing beats a night of all-out clubbing after being chained to your desk for a week! Fortunately, Calgary has a plethora of nightclubs where you can let loose after the usual workforce drudgery.
To make things easier for you, we’ve compiled a list of these nightclubs that provide the best drinks, experiences, and overall entertainment value for your money. Check out all of them below to get the party started!
Table of Contents
How We Chose the Best Nightclubs in Calgary
Here are the criteria we used to evaluate our entries:
1. Cloud 9 Hookah Lounge & Bar
| Location | 4/5 |
| Music and entertainment | 5/5 |
| Food and drinks | 4/5 |
| Promotion | 5/5 |
We have team members who are regular partygoers and the degree to which they got hyped up about Cloud 9 is a big deal. We went on a Friday night (which we heard was the best time to go) to try and get the core experience!
First off, it’s difficult not to enjoy the night when the DJ has the hottest tracks on the table. It’s hard to be objective with fun but if you want something different, you can get their VIP room with its VIP bottle service, premium hookahs, and personalized service.
Actually, Cloud 9 is more of a hookah lounge and the music entertainment is just a bonus. While this service isn’t something we normally seek, we appreciated the wide range of flavors they offer to their regular clientele for the hookahs.
Perhaps our overall experience was just a little dull because the appearance of the place is a little dated, in our opinion. However, the environment still felt lively with people and music, so we still stayed until closing time.
On another note, the staff is very friendly and chatty, which is one of the best things about this nightclub. We didn’t feel like coming into the place as strangers – the people treated us like patrons with an open tab.
All in all, Cloud 9 is a good place if you want to enjoy a night out with fun music and people. The menu and drinks coupled with the pulsating ambiance are already enough to warrant a return any weekend you’re free.
Pros
- Has a Live DJ
- Spacious dance floor
- Offers VIP rooms for a personalized service
- Can be booked for special parties
- Has a hookah lounge
- Friendly customer service
- Has themed parties at times
Cons
- Slightly out of date look
- Minor complaints about hidden costs
Great music, menu is fresh and good
The staff here is AMAZING. they treat everyone like family. The shisha is the best in the city. Music also great…they have music according to the night and everything in between. The food menu is very good and fresh and you can have vip rooms for whatever your occasion is for which works well for coming with groups – Brittany Gogol
Vibing, on point
Pleasantly surprised by how much of a vibe this place is. Music was on point. Owner was more than accommodating and the food is better than expected. We will be back. – Hardeep Sallh
2. Broken City
| Location | 4/5 |
| Music and entertainment | 4/5 |
| Food and drinks | 5/5 |
| Promotion | 5/5 |
Our team previously partied at Broken City, and when we returned for the review, we couldn’t help but feel nostalgic. We were immediately reminded of why we loved the place as it offers a kind of fun that goes beyond dancing to music.
Of course, it didn’t hurt that the club hosts a number of weekly events and we happened to visit during their comedy night. The place was packed (unsurprisingly) but since they have patio seating, they easily accommodated everyone who came for the event.
To complement the show, we ordered some appetizers (nachos and onion rings) along with their cold brews. There are other options by the way, such as burgers and salads including a wealthy range of liquor – it’s all up to you to mix and match.
While we can’t comment on everything on their menu, we do have to say that the appetizers were flavorful although not very filling. At least their servers were easy to call whenever we needed additional orders, which is definitely a plus in our book.
It goes without saying that a nightclub isn’t alive without live music and this is where Broken City takes it to the next level. They actually have had countless touring bands from all over the continent grace their stage, offering a different flavor every night.
The only poor thing we noticed was how late they started for the event we attended, as we waited for nearly half an hour before the show began. Talking to other customers got us the intel that this isn’t all that unusual, unfortunately.
Pros
- Hosts various weekly events
- Live music from independent bands across the continent
- Has a spacious patio seating
- Offers a wide range of liquor
- Decent food selections
- Merchandise available
- Provides upcoming events info (on their website)
Cons
- Often late in starting their events
Great atmosphere, friendly and welcoming
Visited three stand up comedy places during my trip to Calgary and this one was the best. Had so much fun. Great atmosphere, friendly and welcoming staff and hilarious comedians. Definitely a must if you love stand up comedy and visiting Calgary. – I K (Kira)
Fantastic DJs, nice vibe
I haven’t been out dancing in over 3 years. Some friends and I decided Broken City would be a great place to try. They were right 💜 The staff were great. Bartenders were awesome. Great vibe. The djs were fantastic! Everyone was super friendly. Including majority of the patrons. I thank Broken City for helping make my birthday so much fun – Cam-Lorell Forster
3. Ironwood Stage & Grill
| Location | 4/5 |
| Music and entertainment | 5/5 |
| Food and drinks | 4/5 |
| Promotion | 3/5 |
At this point, it feels like you’ve been living under a rock if you don’t know Ironwood Stage & Grill. This stylish venue has been attracting big crowds looking to have fun, drink tasty cocktails, enjoy good food, and most importantly, dance the night away.
The place is by reservation only for the shows, since they’re always packed. But the great thing is that they don’t charge a reservation fee because the show price is added to your bill at the end – though you should know that reservations are held for only 15 minutes.
The caliber of performance we witnessed at the Ironwood is stunning, and having so many of them as local talents made us swell with pride. Even though we’re not professional musicians, we’re avid supporters of live music and this met all our expectations.
The way we look at it, not only was the entertainment worth it, but the food was also equally amazing. Their steak sandwich is great, as are their fish and chips, which were pleasing to the eye (great plating, nice portions) and equally delicious (crispy and well-seasoned).
Unfortunately, it’s best to note that reservations at the Ironwood are not easy to come by. They didn’t even call us back to confirm our reservation when they said they would, so we had to contact them several times before we got settled.
Nonetheless, this nightclub lived up to its reputation for its spectacular nighttime entertainment and deliciously served food and drinks. Just be mindful of slow service because, as we have mentioned, the place is always full to the brim.
Pros
- Local talents perform live music
- Open mic shows
- Often has show tributes
- Menu is available on their website
- No reservation fee
- Delicious meals offered
- Can cater any event
Cons
- By reservations only
- Slow service at times
- Always packed
Good food and live music
Great live music venue, great tasting food at good value with high quality. Ate the Gumbo and started to Mambo! Fair deal drink options. WOW! – Dan Ell
Amazing entertainment, will be back
This was an outstanding experience! Our waiters Jimmy and Alex were awesome they ran all night take great care of their customers! Way to go you guys! Now the entertainment it was so Amazing (the Hello Darlins and their guest’s ) and I will definitely be back!!! They are a wonderful band the lead singer Candace is very very talented. Great venue! – Linda Gorko
4. Knoxville’s Tavern
| Location | 5/5 |
| Music and entertainment | 4/5 |
| Food and drinks | 4/5 |
| Promotion | 4/5 |
Knoxville’s Tavern has been quite popular for a while, particularly for Friday night hangouts sessions. We did have a good time in general at this place; however, we also encountered a few minor annoyances – but we’ll get to that later.
First and to no-one’s surprise, we were impressed with their music selection, which has an upbeat vibe with a mix of country music and rock styles. So if you’re the one looking for a place to dance, party, and socialize with music thumping, this may be a good start.
As for drinks, their selection is nothing out of the ordinary, but it’s definitely enough to get you good and sloshed. Knoxville has bars that are always fully staffed, so you’re never without a drink (plus points too since they never cut people off).
Besides providing good nighttime entertainment, the club also specializes in bachelorette parties, birthday parties, and fundraisers. They even provide a pick-up service for their customers for such events.
On the rough side of things, we find their sound system to be incredibly loud, to the point where we couldn’t have conversations anywhere. The bouncers are intimidating (though we understand this, so it’s not really a bad thing), and the floor is a little sticky (this one’s a bad thing).
Additionally, Knoxville’s Tavern has long lines which can kill a bit of excitement once you get there. Fortunately, their location is close to public transportation and parking so it’s easy to move in and out of the area.
All of that being said, this is the sort of place that will appeal to those who don’t mind a bit of grit or dirt to their clubbing atmosphere, we think. So, it still made our list of the top places to hit when you want to let loose.
Pros
- Great music selection
- Very wide and fun dance floor
- Fully staffed bars
- Offers drink specials
- Specializes in bachelorette and birthday parties
- Close to public transportation and parking
- Welcoming and respectful bar servers
Cons
- Sound system can be incredibly loud
- Long lineups
- Minor complaints of dance floor being a bit sticky
Good variety of music
Was here last week. I had such a great time! They played a good variety of music and the energy was really really fun! I’m coming back for Stampede time and can’t wait! – JEN MOORE
Friendly staff, great music choice
All the staff were friendly, bar was kept clean and I’m digging the update to music choice. The regular DJ Jaxx plays some killer EDM and mixes it in with songs I know well. – Keegan McVittie
5. Habitat Living Sound
| Location | 4/5 |
| Music and entertainment | 5/5 |
| Food and drinks | 4/5 |
| Promotion | 3/5 |
Honestly, we were very excited to learn that we would be visiting Habitat Living Sound. They’re known to host some of the best DJs and international guests who come to Calgary, and we couldn’t wait to try it out for ourselves for the first time!
The vibe at this place is exactly what we expected from a typical nightclub – the music is loud but thankfully not to a deafening point. To be fair, the place is DJ-owned and operated, so all the night-out jazz really comes naturally.
We were lucky enough to come by when they were holding their studio social event. Thanks to this, we got to experience dancing to the city’s thriving underground electronic music.
It just seemed as though Habitat Living Sound is for those with an acquired taste, as they’re not super-popular with the younger crowd. While they welcome anyone of legal drinking age, it appears that fresh-out-of-high-school partygoers aren’t as fond of them.
We’re highlighting this observation to you because we know how crowds really define the experience inside a club. Our younger team members felt just slightly out of place, as there was almost no one to kind of match on a similar wavelength.
On the good side though, we loved the selection of drinks available at their bar. We even found them deserving of extra points for having a decent non-alcoholic beer which we totally dig – someone has to be designated driver, after all.
It’s also worth noting that Habitat Living Sound is a small, intimate club that can get quite crowded when it’s full. So, if that bothers you, you might want to reconsider going there, but for what it is now, they met most of our standards.
Pros
- Home to some of the best local DJs and international guests
- Features electric tunes
- Wide range of drinks
- Non-alcoholic beer available
- Has social studio events
- Lively, electronic music
Cons
- Can be cramped at times
- Generally doesn’t appeal to a young crowd
Chillest vibes, never fails to impress
Despite it’s smaller, more intimate size – Habitat never fails to impress. From their awesome bartenders and drink specials, to the incredibly monumental amount of talent they manage to pack into a single night, there is absolutely no shortage of memories to be made here. If you’re looking for the chillest vibes to let loose to, Habitat is ya boo. ♡ – Melyssa Naomi
Friendly staff, ensures a great night
One of my favorite establishments for good music in Calgary. If the underground electronic scene is your jam then Habitat is the place for you. A intimate club packed full of PK sound. Friendly staff and great community will ensure a great night every time you visit. As always respect is the expectation, treat others well and they gladly will return the same. Great place! – Darren Mycroft
6. Twisted Element
| Location | 4/5 |
| Music and entertainment | 5/5 |
| Food and drinks | 3/5 |
| Promotion | 4/5 |
Twisted Element has to be our favorite night-out spot for Calgary’s LGBTQIA+ community. It was actually our first time there but we felt very welcome, already a good sign of the safe space we were looking for.
As we expected, the club has plenty of shows that make the typical nightlife experience more special. We went there in time for a drag show (which they’re locally known for) and had a fantastic night filled with fun and crazy performances that had us howling and singing along.
Their entertainment varies each night, so it’s safe to say that customers always have something new to look forward to. Among the entertainment options are karaoke nights, burlesque shows, dancing, and, as mentioned, drag shows.
Their friendly staff was another highlight of the night, helping us with everything from getting to our table to taking our food orders. The bartender downstairs was also extremely polite and chatty in a very charming way.
It’s just that their food and drinks can be a little pricey, although we find the food tasty and well-portioned. If you want to get an idea about their prices before you go, their entire menu is available on their website.
Nevertheless, it goes without saying that we had a fantastic time at Twisted Element with all of the entertaining performances and dancing. Just a bit of advice from us: bring cash to tip their amazing performers, especially if it’s your first time there.
Pros
- Rotating shows for each week
- Safe space for LGBTQIA+ community
- Great line-up of drag shows
- Friendly staff and bartenders
- Menu is available on their website
- Offers rewards and gift cards
Cons
- Food and drinks can be quite pricey
- Currently accessibility accommodations (e.g. wheelchair ramp)
Safe space, genuinely caring staff
Twisted has become my home away from home. I am so thankful to have a safe queer space full of amazing staff who genuinely care about your well-being and that you’re having a good time! I will forever keep coming back 🙂 – Violet Sunshine
Fun and welcoming, unreal
BEST NIGHTCLUB EVER! What a time! The shows are unreal! Pop up hot men in the shower! What an experience! Plus the staff is so fun and welcoming! Brittany bobby…. I’ll be back just for you alone! – Kaeleigh Reesor
7. The Trop Bar & Grill
| Location | 3/5 |
| Music and entertainment | 4/5 |
| Food and drinks | 5/5 |
| Promotion | 4/5 |
The Trop Bar & Grill may seem just like any regular pub so some may wonder why they’re on our list. Well, it’s because they actually have a constantly packed dance floor on weekends when they host local bands – something we definitely love.
Their live music appears to be mostly rock bands and it’s always a party. We thought we’d embarrass ourselves by jamming to the music, but hey, when everyone else is having fun, going a bit crazy is the only way!
Perhaps if they had a larger dance floor, it wouldn’t be so crowded while dancing (we almost bumped into other groups, though we admit it was still fun!). Apart from that, everything was good: great music, great sound, and a great crowd.
On another note, our experience at the Trop would not have been the same without trying their food, which they say is their pride and joy. For a neighborhood pub, the food is surprisingly creative, delicious, and quite affordable.
They also have a great selection of beers on tap, including a number of local pours. Honestly, if you’re not up for the party, the beers themselves are worth a shot – and that’s coming from our picky beer enthusiasts in the team.
The audience at the Trop is diverse, but it’s mostly a fun older crowd that loves to throw down to familiar bangers. Personally, we are fans of old and good songs, so we had no problems with their song selections.
Overall, we had a great time at the Trop Bar & Grill – the atmosphere was lively and the food was delicious. It’s just that some of the customers were smoking right outside the door, making the place smell like cigarettes inside, which we’re not fans of.
Pros
- Local rock bands on weekends
- Great sound system
- Tasty pub food
- Great selection of beers and local pours
- Diverse crowd
- Can be booked for event
- Gift cards available
Cons
- Small dance floor
- Mostly older crowd
- Not totally a smoke-free place
Live music, daily specials
This is the ideal neighbourhood bar. The food is excellent, far above the level of a typical pub. Ontop of that, the beer selection is great, servers are always friendly and the happy hour is good too ($6 sleeves). Live music on the weekends. The daily specials are also exceptional (sandwich tuesday, wing wednesday, pizza sunday). They even have a patio that is pretty great in the summer, and has heaters to make the most of the summer evenings too! – Arvind Ramnauth
Good drinks and service
Went here to see a live band. It was very busy and everyone was laughing, dancing and having a great time. It is so nice to see people gathered having harmless fun again. Drinks were good, service good. Would recommend it for a fun casual night out. – Angela Vermette
8. Club Rendezvous
| Location | 4/5 |
| Music and entertainment | 3/5 |
| Food and drinks | 4/5 |
| Promotion | 5/5 |
For anyone who wants to witness the swinging lifestyle, Club Rendezvous might be a good choice for you. It’s Calgary’s longest-running lifestyle club, but since a change in ownership in 2012, they’ve taken a different turn by holding various events.
Honestly speaking, we find it hard to experience clubbing at this place for ourselves since it’s pretty difficult to enter as they prioritize their members more. We did, however, secure a spot with early-ticket purchasing.
They’re also only open for business twice a week (Friday and Saturday), making it difficult for non-members to gain access to the club. Members obviously have priority access whenever they want, so that should serve as a heads-up to you.
Now, as for the club itself, we find it quite relaxing and cozy, with a sense of security – something we expect from a swinging club. We never felt some sort of discrimination at all, as they’re welcoming to people of all body shapes, genders, and sexual preferences.
Additionally, Club R knows how to throw a great party, with a wide range of music genres that makes nightclub goers go gaga on their intimate dance floor. Their resident DJ deserves a special mention for playing all of our requests, by the way!
Lastly, what makes them one of Calgary’s premier nightclubs is that they have amazing promotions ideal for both first-timers and seasoned swingers. Plus, even though we weren’t particularly looking to swing, we had a great time at Club R.
Pros
- Longest-running swing club in the city
- Holds various events
- Relaxing and cozy atmosphere
- Secured club setting
- Plays various types of music
- Resident DJs accepts requests
- Welcoming, non-discriminatory treatment
- Priority access for members
Cons
- Difficult to access for non-members
- Operates twice a week only
Welcoming and safe place
Super fun, comfortable, accepting place. The staff are attentive, welcoming and go out of their way to keep it safe, clean and just fun! We’re looking forward to coming back. Never had a bad experience here, and never been to a place with more respectful, fun and pleasant people! Highly recommend this club – Kristie Buckingham
Top musics, amazing bar
Wonderfully addictive! What an amazing community this club has created. They have the best staff since they changed them all out early this year. The music is tops! The bar is amazing and the place is packed all the time. – Yycguy
9. Rated Ultra Lounge
| Location | 4/5 |
| Music and entertainment | 5/5 |
| Food and drinks | 3/5 |
| Promotion | 4/5 |
A lot of people told us that Rated Ultra Lounge is the newest and most addicting nightlife scene in Calgary, so we decided to check it out for ourselves. And boy, we weren’t disappointed – the place is chic and polished, with fantastic drinks!
We got a table right off the dance floor, so we could enjoy the complimentary bottle of bubbly and the great music even more. The lounge has an intimate feel, which made the dance floor appealing to everyone, especially us.
And, as embarrassing as it may sound, we found it extremely difficult to leave the dance floor despite our questionable dancing skills – all thanks to the definitive electronic experience provided by their DJs. Their killer sound system and lighting truly deliver, adding to the inviting atmosphere.
Even for a new business in town, Rated Ultra Lounge had a long line, by the way. We also gave them bonus points for serving drinks quickly, whether they are packed or not.
Speaking of drinks, they have something for everyone including cocktails, martinis, wine, beer, and bottle service. However, they don’t have a food menu so expect the place to be purely for a fun night of drinking.
Having said that, Rated Ultra Lounge is mostly standing, and you won’t get to sit unless you pay for bottle service. Fortunately, they appear to be looking into a new seating system as of writing, which is fine for us for the time being.
Pros
- Intimate lounge
- Provide definitive electronic experience
- Curated drinks and bottle menu
- The best local house talent and sound system
- Quick serving
- Can book a reservation online (on their website)
Cons
- Mostly standing
- No food
- Long line up at time
Drinks are fantastic, amazing music
Celebrated New Years here with some good friends and had an absolute blast. The service was great, the drinks were fantastic and the music was amazing. Highly recommend Rated if you enjoy dancing and great DJ’s ! – James Blackburn
Cleanest sound system
Awesome experience and a great vibe. Just what the city needed a place that plays awesome house music with the cleanest sound system I’ve heard. – Jeff Schuett
10. Blondies All Star Cabaret
| Location | 4/5 |
| Music and entertainment | 3/5 |
| Food and drinks | 4/5 |
| Promotion | 3/5 |
Blondies All Star Cabaret is by far our favorite place to have a few drinks while watching sports games. The entertainment and music there keeps everyone in a good mood, though it’s best to note that it’s an adult entertainment club.
Going to this place was definitely a walk on the wild side for us. But if you’re not game for this type of show, it’s really okay to skip for now.
Despite not being our typical type of nightclub, we found their amenities to be extremely helpful in taking our clubbing to the next level. They have VIP booths that are ideal for a more fun-filled atmosphere, as well as bottle service.
However, the latter is on a first-come, first-served basis, so we recommend you contact them for availability. This package starts at $550, which is a bit pricey, but it includes a wide variety of spirits, beers, and champagnes – we still look at it as a worthy expense.
If we’re being honest, we were disappointed with their overall customer care. They seemed to lack professionalism when it comes to customer service, though not all of them disappointed us since some were pretty approachable.
All things considered, Blondies All Star Cabaret seems to pass our standards for an effective nightlife spot in Calgary. There were some flaws, sure, but we also considered things like their current offerings and customer feedback, for which they’re quite adequate.
Pros
- Fun sports bar
- Offers party packages
- Generous amenities
- VIP booths and bottle service
- Wide variety of liquor
Cons
- Minor complaints with customer service
- A bit pricey
Awesome music, highly recommended
Me and my friends had the best time there. The owner was very nice, great staff, stunning woman and awesome music. Big shout out to Jackie our server. She was very funny and attentive. I would highly recommend this place for a great night out. We will definitely go back. – Mj Temraz
Incredible performances
Blondies does not seem like much from the outside, but once inside and the performers are on the stage, I was blown away with the incredible talent on display. I have been to a few places and Blondies has some incredible performers here with wide ranges of different talents. All the staff is super friendly as well, especially Jolene Fox and Cici Romero! – Sean
