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Bear & Kilt Freehouse
- Price Range:
-
$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Music:
- Music Videos
- Best Nights:
- Tue, Wed, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- No
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
12 reviews for Bear & Kilt Freehouse
12 reviews in English
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Review from Rebecca C.
Vancouver, BC
5/10/2012
OMG YES - everything about this place YES !!!! Pool, seedy atmosphere, darts amazing decor - this THIS is a place that I can relax and enjoy a pint ! I didn't eat sadly but I'm convinced that if I did I would have been delighted with satisfactory amounts of grease. It's downstairs and slightly hard to find but that just adds to the overall ambience - there was even a sufficient amount of local regulars ready to oggle any attractive young ladies playing pool, if you're into being oogled (aherm perhaps that was just a poor wardrobe choice on my part).
The next time I'm in Calgary I am absolutely going back, admittedly in jeans but it was fun and divey and everything I needed for my pre-flight fun :) -
Review from Nicole M.
Calgary, AB
8/31/2011
I really love me a dive bar. I am so sick & tired of "Gastro Pubs" and "Restolounges" and their lambic beers, and over priced menus with poorly cooked food.
Give me a dive bar where I at least know the food will be bad over those places. Same goes for whether or not the kitchen is clean, here I am guessing it probably isn't - and that makes me trust it more.
The Bear & Kilt is the type of place you go when you want a cold beer and you are tired of all the people talking about how much they make. -
Review from Holly K.
Calgary, AB
2/4/2011
One of my friends said that since this place has no windows, the time track can be easily lost. He went there one day for lunch and ended up crawling out when the work day was gone.
So, yesterday I was on Stephen Avenue with my prospective new b/f. (Yes, for those who follow my reviews it is a SHOCKER, I hope). I figured - if my friend managed to have such good time there, we should too?
Nope.
1. The look and feel is truly great and cozy and really disattaches you from reality right in the heart of the downtown. 4 stars for that, for sure.
One star went missing, because they do not fix their broken furniture. This cushion on the bench I was sitting on - got loose and I kept sliding and while doing that, kept kicking the table, which resulted in some spilled beer. On the brighter side, my new man pulled me closer to him onto his bench. Awww....
2. Food was OK. Served pretty fast, great presentation, tasty. well, the potato skins were a bit dry. 4 stars for that.
3. Service. Do we have any negative stars here?
The waiter appeared quite quickly and for some reason chose to stand about 3 feet away from the table. I did take a shower before my date, so I was not sure why he did that.
It is important to mention that next table was full of some really loud, rowdy and drunk people. I mean, really loud people.
So, the server is standing where he is standing, and I figured - may be we are to play a lip sync game? So much fun! So, I am placing the order. I can't hear myself because of the next table, but I do trust the server....
"I can't hear a word you are saying", - he says that with a straight face and stands still, and in fact, i thought he even leaned back a little. I repeat the order, instinctively leaning forward a bit.
"I have no idea what you are saying". i contemplated for a second that may be I am expected to get up, get closer to him and yell it in his ear. i didn't. I just took the menu and pointed out what I wanted. The waiter gave me a dirty look but did nod.
When he brought the food, he kind of threw it on the table. I looked at him trying to find any signs that this could be a result of "I just got the news they fired me". Didn't see any.
Same story with the bill. Have no idea what his problem was. may be, tired... May be just hated me... Oh, Wait, may be he was my ex's friend I did not know about?
So, overall would not probably recommend this place at 5 pm... Too many people make the servers there act strangely.
Other than that - it's OK. -
Review from Steven E.
Calgary, AB
1/23/2011 1 Check-in Here
I can't believe this place exists. Walking by, you wouldn't even notice it.
This charming underground gem has a feeling of another place. I don't feel like I'm in downtown Calgary at all. Its great!
The beer is cheap and cold, and the typical pub fare fills the hole. -
Review from Danger D.
Calgary, AB
11/1/2010
Really torn... probably a solid 2.5 stars but being generous I'll round up to three...
Starting with the good news, the Bear & Kilt is one of the handfull of 'true pubs' downtown Calgary (think James Joyce, Unicorn, Buchanan's) and certainly is a 'hide away' spot. The kind of place you can sneak away to for a pint and never be seen... just ask my Server.
Pubs, however, ought not to confuse pub feel with Grungy and Dillapidated... unfortunately the K&B has more than it's share of G&D.
Service was ok but it seemed the single lunch time server was a bit overwhelmed by the 12 person lunch time crush... If you need a seat you're sure to find one for lunch at the B&K.
Food was ok but left nothing memorable to write about. hmmmm... having started writing I'm suddenly leaning towards rounding down to two stars... probably the place you might end up if the James Joyce is full for lunch (and it's raining and you're on crutches). -
Review from Katie C.
Calgary, AB
1/10/2010 1 photo
The Bear and Kilt is a bit of a hidden gem. Located in an underground lair (sounds better than "basement") along Stephen Avenue mall, I find that even though I know exactly where it is I walk by it when I haven't been in in a while. I like it that way. The Bear and Kilt is pleasantly busy - which means that your crew is not the only one in the bar but you're not fighting to use the pool table either.
I guess I like it because it is so relaxed. Sometimes I feel like the clientele is leaning over to the side of hipster and it will change, but then it bounces right back. Maybe my fear is due to the Canadian Hoser woody hudson's bay company everything is forty years old kind of decor they've got going on. It's just enough to be ironic, so I'm gonna declare a hipster alert right now. Luckily the cheap beer and decent food make it a destination for some awesome downtownians too.
Last time I was in there were some business looking people, a bunch of rocker looking guys and probably some other people, but the ratio was decent and our party was pretty big so we got some great service. Our server was just lovely, making friends with the guys and only gently ribbing me for sticking with water because I was sick as a dog. I couldn't eat this time, but I can recommend the wings, the philly beef dip, and anything that comes with fries because they are just that good. -
Review from Chad W.
Calgary, AB
12/5/2008
The Bear & Kilt rests along the famous Stephen Avenue corridor. The place is dark, dingy, and full of wood, from the paneling on the walls to the furniture to their massive wooden bar. But the place serves up a delicious array of draught beer, wines, and mixed cocktails. Plus, they offer the standard Canadian pub-style cuisine everyone living in this city for more than a year has grown well accustomed to.
The place is all right. The music isn't very good and the staff are hit and miss. But the vibe is right, especially for somewhere to eat for lunch. Makes me feel like I'm hanging out in some British pub somewhere in the UK. Funky. -
Review from Deanna M.
8/19/2008 1 photo
Great pub in a cold place. Bunch of things on the wall that make it fun to try and look at in a dark, woody, downstairs, creepy guy looking at you kinda place. Good bar food and Canadians that speak Canadian, Good fun and cool place for a chat.
Get the pierogies, you won't be sorry! And if you are. . .I'm sorry. -
Review from V M.
12/18/2008
I was here in Canada about four years ago and ended up finding all the great stuff while i was lost. my dad and i stumbled on this place around 8pm when we were lost and went inside for lack of anything better to do. we ended up staying and drinking for about three hours. i love the place. when i go back to calgary i will hit this place up again. mostly unpretentious and great because it is dark and close.
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Review from Dylan S.
Calgary, AB
10/24/2009
The best discoveries are often made in your own backyard, so when I heeded the call of my friend's birthday party here, I knew it deserved a chance. Being closer to the east end of Stephen Avenue, it's a little more out of the way compared to Flames Central and the King Henry VIII. Considering that and it's a basement bar, I shouldn't have been too surprised when it was a little sparsely inhabited. I've only been there twice before writing this review on a saturday and tuesday respectively, but I haven't seen more than 8 people in the bar at a time; and I LIKE IT THIS WAY. A bar for me is supposed to be a quiet place to hang your hat and hide from the rest of the world for a few hours, and the Bear meets this standard with ease. When I go alone, it's easy for me to sit and think without being distracted, and being there with friends is easy too, since I don't have to strain myself to hear what anybody said. Compared with say, the Liberty Lounge while I did review them favorably, they've had a problem with setting their music volume too high. Some days, indoor voices are just not an option.
Getting to the food though, I started with stealing fries from everybody else's plates, and I could swear that they were crisp, yet melting in my mouth. I was amazed; it was as if they were cooked in fat. Later on I ordered the pulled pork sandwich, and to tell you how good it is, all I need to do is say that they also put the coleslaw right into the sandwich. The rest of the details don't even matter, get a copy of the menu if you care (this has nothing to do with my memory being spotty on the rest of the details. Quiet you!)
Beers on tap is respectable. You get staples like Newcastle, Kokanee, and so forth with about 6 more to choose from. The liquor stock will just have to be amended to this review later after the next time I go. I do know they got Jagermeister though, because our barman did a birthday shot with us during my friend's celebration.
Lastly, I should point out that when I was there on a tuesday night after seeing a play, I came here for a pint and was sitting next to a staff member of the Palomino watching the hockey game that night. It is of my belief that if staff from more popular bars come somewhere to drink, it has to be a good place to go. So go! Go there and give them your money for spirits and chow! -
Review from Tony K.
5/19/2010
A great place to grab some food and beers in downtown Calgary! I was impressed by the variety on the pub's menu. Everyone in our group had a burger and I was thoroughly impressed. I had an elk burger with bacon, swiss cheese, and fried onions accompanied by a side salad with a balsamic vinaigrette. Honestly, it was one of the best burgers I have ever had! I heard the fries were good, but I didn't get a chance to try any. They have great daily specials and prices are wonderful considering the great food.
The inside was dark and cozy. I was unsure about the place when we decided to venture in from the street, but was pleasantly surprised when we settled in. It was quiet and laid back. Pool tables open and a few games on the television made for a relaxing evening with a few local beers. Our server was very, very nice and all of her recommendations were right on.
Definitely a great place to relax and drink some beer, eat some great food, and watch the game without having to yell through your conversation. This will be my go to place when I'm in Calgary and I can't wait to return! -
Review from Yo U.
9/26/2009
This place is a dump. I don't understand the appeal.
