- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Coffee & Tea |
- All
Design District Urban Tavern
Categories: Restaurants Canadian (New) Restaurants Gastropubs Canadian (New), Gastropubs
607 11 Ave SWCalgary, AB T2R 0E1
(403) 233-2433
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 11:30 am - 11:30 pm
Fri 11:30 am - 2 am
Sat 5 pm - 2 am
Sun 4 pm - 10 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street, Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Very Loud
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Dogs Allowed:
- No
47 reviews for Design District Urban Tavern
Review Highlights
-
"Poutine selection = nothing short of fantastic." In 18 reviews -
"Veal gravy, raw cheese curds, very authentic." In 6 reviews -
"Live music on Thursday nites is always good." In 4 reviews
Loading...
46 reviews in English
-
Review from Stefan W.
Calgary, AB
2/22/2012
District is a true brewpub, offering Brew Brothers beer, a long local favourite of mine.
First things first - please, for the love of god, take reservations! We waited in line approximately an hour and a half for a table. Not a huge deal, as we were warned about this and showed up expecting such a wait. The management was friendly and checked in frequently. Unfortunately, a few rockstars decided to bypass the line, hover tables, and pounce on them before us - much to the disappointment of others in line.. but maybe I have to blame myself for not being too aggressive.. but sue me if I believe in common courtesy.
Once we did get a table, our service was spectacular. Beer is served in mason jars which suits the venue's vibe perfectly (rustic - oh, and loud, but still laid back). The poutine options are mind boggling and the share plates are pretty interesting. I would have to say, this seems to be the best way eat here - split a bunch of share plates. I had a pretty wildly customized poutine, west coast mussels, maple bacon, and a cobb salad and it was all very tasty and went very well with the beer selections. Our server was quick, helpful, and funny. Management was also excellent.
The only thing stopping this place from getting a 5 star rating is the lack of a reservation system. Otherwise it could very well be one of the best relatively new restaurants in the city and certainly a contender for best brewpub in the loud and lively category.
I recommend the Black Pilsner and Amarillo IPA.Listed in: Best Brewpubs
-
Review from Queenie M.
Calgary, AB
5/7/2012
Drinks: 3/5
Food: 3.5/5
Atmosphere: 3.5/5
Service: 2.5/5
Overall experience: 3.5/5
(1- Terrible; 3- decent; 5- Fantastic)
The District is adjoined to Amsterdam Rhino and is a small to medium sized bar. It's divided by a row of booths in the middle and small tables set here and there. It has an urban, down to earth vibe; definitely for a more older crowed.
My first visit to the District was on a Friday night during a hockey play-off game.... boy was that the worst idea ever. We walked in at around 8PM and the place was packed so we had to leave to find another bar in the area. After about half an hour without luck, we went back to District and found a seat at one of the booths.
The service was horrendous... took them a good 10 minutes before they cleaned up the table and another 10-15 minutes before the waitress acknowledged us. She asked us what we wanted a drink, but we held off on ordering until the rest of our party arrived. She didn't even offer us a glass of water in the mean time. I wonder if service is this bad normally.
One thing that attracted me the most to District was its fresh, unique food menu that elevates your typical bar food to a new level. They have a little bit of everything including oysters and mussels, and a bucket of bacon as appetizers; salads; a variety of burgers and sandwiches stuffed with bacon/chicken/or pulled pork; and mains. All at a very reasonable price.
One thing I absolutely HATE though is that their menus are on chalkboards located all around the restaurant. Their reasoning is because their menu constantly changes which is fantastic, but the menu expanded 4 chalkboards so I couldn't see the ones furthest away from me. I was at a terrible angle, and the writing was too small. I was also uncomfortable with the idea of standing in front of a booth of people staring at the menu board above them.
Their drink menu consists of 2 oz ($10.25) or 4 oz ($15.75) cocktails; 16 oz premium draughts and house brews for $7; or bottles for $6.75. Not too big of a list. Their drinks come in neat glass jars. I decided to order their daily (1oz) cocktail special "Mellorillo" ($4.75) which is a beer cocktail of melon liqueur, blueberry vodka, apple juice, and Amarillo IPA. You could taste the blueberry and bitterness from the Amarillo. I'm not too fond of IPAs for their bitterness, so the after taste of the cocktail was distasteful. Definitely not your sweet girly cocktail. I also tried their "Bacon Caesar" which was disappointing. When the menu said it was infused with their home made bacon, I was expecting the caesar to be bacon flavoured. It was just a regular caesar with bacon pieces in it. The bacon tasted good with the alcohol though!
For food, we decided to order their yam fries with home made ketchup and aioli; mussels with chorizo and tomato sauce appetizer (around $11); and a mango brulee gelato ($7):
1. The yam fries were soggy and burnt, but the home made ketchup was delicious; tangy with a hint of cinnamon & spice.
2. The mussels appetizer was a perfect dish to share. It came with a giant piece of airy focaccia bread used to soak up the sauce which had many amazing textures and flavours. The chorizo added a nice touch of spice; and the tangy tomato sauce contained yummy chunks of sweet tomatos. A few globs of cheese were added on top which made the dish creamier. One dislike is that the mussels were really small and there wasn't enough to warrant $11.
3. The mango brulee gelato was very disappointing. We missed the "gelato" part while reading the chalkboard so we thought it was a Mango creme brulee. We got two small scoops of gelato which had a light Mango flavour. Definitely wasn't worth $7.
My overall experience at the District was alright. I will probably come back to try more of their food and hopefully see that the service has improved. I recommend you check it out if you haven't already been here! -
Review from Chris C.
5/2/2012 3 Check-ins Here
I love the ever changing menu and the build-your-own-poutine. We have yet to try the bucket of bacon but we swore that it is on the to do list next time we come back.
My co-worker said that the BLT sandwich was the best he's ever had and out of the variety of dinner entrees and burgers I've tried, none have disappointed. -
Review from Stephanie S.
Calgary, AB
4/17/2012
I had lunch at District last weekend with a friend after reading the favourable reviews on Yelp. I had been here once before when it first opened, but I hadn't been back in a while and was eager to try the "Calgary's Best BLT" as I'm a huge BLT fan.
We arrived on a Friday around 1:30, place was pretty dead so we seated ourselves right away. I knew the deal with the rolling menus so I grabbed one and pulled it over to our table and we decided on some appies. The waitress walked by a few times but kept saying she would "be right back" and looked busy, which was weird because there weren't that many people in there? Once she brought our drinks (I had the Caesar, it was awesome!) I ordered the oyster platter - I love oysters and these were definitely not cheap! My girlfriend had the mussels. Both were really good. My friend cant eat gluten so I felt there weren't that many options for her, but she wasn't very hungry anyway so I think she was fine with what she had.
I settled on the BLT with poutine instead of fries. I was really excited because I thought it had to be extra good to call itself "Calgary's Best" however, I was pretty disappointed. I guess I expected it to be loaded with bacon, which it wasn't. And the aoili sauce was just dripping out of it. The poutine was alright, a bit soggy but decent. Needless to say I was underwhelmed. Our bill came out to roughly $75, and the service was spotty, so I probably wont be returning anytime soon.
One more note - I read an earlier review here about a waitress accusing someone of not paying their bill. I actually found it funny because as we were getting ready to leave, another party was settling their bill with the same waitress as ours, and she kept insisting they were $20 short. I wonder if it's something that happens on the reg there. -
Review from Sarah C.
1/30/2012
We went on a Friday night, holy smokes. The line was out the door, and we waited for over an hour to get a table.
Thankfully we stayed, because it was worth the wait. I wish they'd just manage the crowd better. It is a loud, trendy place with the menu written all over the restaurant. We went with another couple so the 4 of us decided we'd order a bunch of random things and split all of it.
We ordered:
- poutine with lamb and green onions
- the bucket of bacon
- a delicious cobb salad
I have to say I'm a major sucker for this mason jar, bacon, rustic trend. So I ate up all of what they were about. There's just something about drinking from a jar that makes you feel like a bad ass.
And dipping bacon in maple syrup just screams Canadian.
I also recently found out there ingredients are ALL from Alberta. So an even better reason to eat here.
I'd love to go back, I am just terrified of another hour long line up. -
Review from Van B.
1/1/2012
Finally had the chance to visit District last Friday for one of my best friend's birthdays. We had a party of about 17 which is pretty big so I was interested to see how they would make out with such a big party as ours. Slowly our friends trickled in taking a seat at a long table some with stools sideways some with stools vertical. There wasn't too much room to have everyone seating comfortably but we understand and we made due with what we had been given.
District has a pretty cool interior, looking inside and around it has a very cabin-esque interior. The menu you have to kind of look around the place to see what they have, they don't have a menu for you to look at - that is something I both dislike and like. I like because I am just walking around see what's there to eat and I'm cool with that, I dislike because well I was hungry, lazy and didn't want to walk around to see what I could eat.
I was really interested in trying the poutine but didn't order any myself, luckily for me all my friends had ordered poutine just original no extras. Given the other reviews I have read I thought it would be fantastic but honestly and just in my opinion the original poutine was mediocre for my tastes. One thing I really dislike about their fries is the fact that they are so soggy. I hate soggy fries. I understand covered in gravy it will become soggy but not that soggy.
The bucket of bacon was pretty snazzy. I definitely had to try that out and it was pretty good for home-made bacon. I liked the fact that also in their Caesers that instead of giving you a green bean or celery they had opted for their bacon instead.
I had for myself the District Chicken Club with a side of Yam fries. I asked the waitress if the bread could be lightly toasted cause I hate how toasted club houses are usually at different establishments. Well, they basically just gave me not toasted cause the only thing toasted was the crust - which made my sandwich just fall apart basically. The Yam fries again, with the fries they didn't look too appetizing to be real. It looked burnt but it didn't taste burnt which was a bonus.
I also had the chance to have a piece of pork chop one of my other friends ordered and that tasted fabulous but only if you were to have 4-5 bites because any more than that I can tell and from what he told me it became really salty to chow down on.
I thought the service was great for the fact that our lovely waitress was waiting one entire section of the wall to herself. She let us know beforehand the service is going to be a little slower than usual and the fact that they let us know that was a big thumbs up for me as to what to expect for service.
At the end of our meal they also gave us a round of lemon drop shots on the house I am thinking because it was my friends birthday! I thought that was pretty cool of them cause usually it's just a piece of cake at what cost? A round of shots for 17 people sounds and tastes a lot better!
I'll definitely be back here to try out some more items and try out the poutine again with a few extra add ons and see how I like their poutine then, until next time...!Listed in: For everything else…, Pubs I Lubs
-
Review from Joel K.
11/26/2011
I have no idea what in the hell a "Gastropub" is. It sounds nasty to me, like some sort of stomach illness. I don't know why restaurants can't just be restaurants anymore, but I guess we as a society have demanded this sort of "creativity" from our eating establishments, so we need to lie in the bed we've made.
Wow, that was philosophical.
Regardless of all that pointless, stupid banter, I really like District.
When you come in, don't expect to be passed a menu. Why? Because you need to get off your lazy butt and read some of the chalk boards lining the walls. If that sounds like work to you, you're probably gorging yourself on McDonalds, so you don't deserve a place like Distric anyways.
Take a quick hop around the room, wink at some good looking patrons and then make your way back to your seat where a waitress will stop by to take your order. The night I went the place was absolutely buzzing, but our waitress didn't miss a beat. She even let us sit at a table reserved for someone else at a later time if we promised we'd be out of there before they showed up.
Now THAT, my friends, is service.
I ordered a Hairy Eyeball. it cost me $3.75 and came in a mason jar. That's a reasonably priced drink and a by-golly-gee fun way to drink it. It reminded me of being a kid at Montana's, only now I could have grown-up wobbly pops.
Anyways, I had a BLT and fries. Anywhere else, that would be an underwhelming order, but here it was great (with one small exception).
1. The bread was expertly toasted by a toasting wizard.
2. I wouldn't normally call bacon an aphrodisiac, but when it hit my tongue, strange things happened.
3. My lettuce was fresher than the new Childish Gambino album.
4. The tomatoes were juicier than a Kardashian heiny.
5. Chipotle aioli. It was wonderful.
My fries were crisp. Their skin smelled of happiness
.
My ONE and ONLY complaint stems from their ketchup. I am a ketchup purist, and this was some sort of hippy attempt at ketchup which I fully appreciate but nonetheless was not over the moon about.
But that's just me, and ketchup that is not to my liking is not enough reason for me to give this place anything less than a serious recommendation. The food is locally sourced.
They have a bucket of bacon. They apparently have the greatest poutine known to mankind (though I cannot attest to this myself). Apparently the menu is always changing, and that gives me a serious reason to return.
Great service. Delicious food. Creative menu items and presentation.
I'll definitely look past the dorky name and definitely be back here next time I find my stomach rumblin' near 11th. -
Review from Merry K.
Updated - 12/17/2011 3 Check-ins Here
I love District...at least I really want to. They have such a great concept but the last few times I've been there the service has been very poor. I took customers there & talked it up as such a great place. Then we had such bad service that it was laughable. I contacted District and they said they were "looking into it". That was months ago (and I reminded them once since them) so I feel like they just don't care.
I will probably still go to District occasionally but I won't be recommending them because I can't insure that they will have a good experience b/c it's so inconsistent.Listed in: Downtown Customer Lunch Spots
1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
7/16/2010
We went to The District last night for a quiet night after a full Stampede week. It was our first… Read more »
-
-
Review from Don B.
9/21/2011
When I die I want to be embalmed with gravy and buried in cheese curds.
And when I pass on to the other side my immortal soul will end up in a place that serves unlimited quantities of build-your-own poutine. A poutine that's structured on hand-cut locally-sourced fries, unctuous gravy and only the finest Montreal cheese. A poutine that can be topped with an almost endless array of additions including bacon, onions, mushrooms, peppers, cheeses, cured meats and the like.
This kingdom-cum-restaurant would serve up said poutine combos in varying sizes based on my amount of hunger at the time - small, medium and large. And of course to wash down this heady, toothsome, delicious meal, I'd have a choice of cocktails made as a single, double or quad and served in varying sizes of mason jars.
One chilly night in Calgary I thought I had died and gone to my proverbial poutine-laden afterlife when I realized I was just at District, an altogether too-well-lit brewery, bar and restaurant in downtown. This awkward space has the feel of a brewpub (well duh, it is one) that's burdened by a bit of an identity crisis. The food is way too good for this setting; the menus are strewn on chalkboards all over the walls, many of which can't be seen from one specific seat (so you have to get up and walk around to see all the options); and the flow lacks any real feng shui. It doesn't have the feel of a place I'd want to spend a ton of time in...
but I would spend eternity there for the build-your-own poutine if my arteries would allow. Oh, and the gigantic cocktails that are surprisingly good for how giant they are (size and flavor are usually inversely proportional). Well, okay the added bonus of super friendly service and ethos of only stocking local, natural products of the highest quality is something that drives straight to my pleasure center (almost as fast as a hot, gravy-covered bite of cheese and potato).
If you're visiting Calgary or even a local, do yourself a favor and seek this place out. Bring a pair of sunglasses if you want some mood lighting, and make sure you wander over to check out the giant poutine menu in the front corner of the joint. It'll bring you endless happiness. -
Review from David H.
Calgary, AB
3/11/2012
A - List. Recommended. The ambiance is awesome: rustic and cool. The food is fresh, as organic as they can find and first-class delicious. The service was friendly and fantastic. The seating is comfortable and just a lot of fun. This is one of Calgary's best kept secrets for downtown fun. Not too big, not too small, just right. Awesome.
-
Review from Andrew G.
Calgary, AB
12/7/2011 1 Check-in Here
I love (almost) everything about this place! The uber relaxed atmosphere, the cool way in which the menus are presented, the in house craft beer they serve and ESPECIALLY the food. If there is one thing that they do right 100% of the time, its there amazing food.
Out of everything I find myself getting there, its the "Calgary's Best BLT" that I calls my name every time I'm there. The fresh, smokey bacon, the house made aioli, the fresh veg all on perfectly toasted bread...my mouth is watering as I type this. Not the mention the house greens with the raspberry vinaigrette......TO DIE FOR!
If there is one thing that seems to be the standard there for everybody, its that most of the time it just too damn loud in there. I'm all for listening to good music over dinner, but having to yell that I love my food across a table full of pints and have my comrades yell back "WHAT?" is a little off-putting.
All-in-all I love this place enough to come all of the way across the craziness that is Calgary downtown to partake in the best BLT I believe I've ever had.
Cheers and happy dinning!! -
Review from Wendy P.
Another Yelp Eats night, another restaurant! Wednesday night found me at the District (admittedly, it was my second visit this week). In past visits, my food choices generally revolved around pub food and appys. District is a great place to hang out, drink some Brew Brothers beers or drink your share of whatever's on special that day (Wednesday is the lemonade. They say it's spiked, but I think they're playing games with me. It goes down so smoothly!). During this particular visit, I asked the bartender what I should order. He suggested the salmon. Salmon at District? But it's known for its poutine and buckets of bacon...
Well, the whole point of the week is to get out and try things you normally wouldn't, so salmon it was! And it was good. The fish was mighty and the bones were, well, nonexistent. There wasn't a single bone in any forkful of fish I ate. I must say, as an entree kind of place, I'm impressed!Listed in: Places to go in the Beltline, Great date spots, A more intimate setting, Just a brew, Poutine Me!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
7/16/2010
If you've longed for a Pancake Breakfast during Stampede that didn't require a 7 am appearance, The… Read more »
-
-
Review from Jenna-Marie L.
Edmonton, AB
11/12/2011 1 Check-in Here
I love the simplicity and moderness of this place. The menu is often to be found written on the chalk boards around the pub as the menu changes often depending on ingredients available. They try to use as much local as possible which I think is awesome! The food is definitely delicious, I am not usually a big burger person but here I cannot resisit! On my last visit my friend and I became smarter and each ordered a different burger/sandwich and split them just so we could try more food.
It can become a little loud inside as it is a pub but sometimes can be hard to hear eachother and carry a decent conversation. But again, this isn't trying to be something it isn't, at the core this is still a pub just with way better food than most!
Next time I am in Calgary I definitely plan to stop in again! -
Review from Kim M.
Calgary, AB
10/17/2011
Fabulous food, supporter of local organic farmers and ranchers, great wine and beer, laid back vibe.
Try this pub! -
Review from Gracie d.
Calgary, AB
8/28/2011
I've been going to District for awhile now and it's hands-down my favorite after-work place! It doesn't bother me that it's located on a busy street- parking is free after 6pm... Better yet, walk over (if feasible) or take public transit so you can enjoy their Happy Hour 4-6pm specials.
I once booked a table for 10 and everything went smoothly: Our server was amazing! I don't know how he kept up with all of us coming and going. God bless him for offering to "stage our meals" as people were ordering appetizers, main dishes and 3.75$ pints of beer!
Service here is always warm, friendly, personable and fast. District staff are knowledgeable about the menu and honest. We once had the special blue cheese duck wings and our server was right: They were flavorful, tasty but definitely a hard chew!
I love, love, love their menu! Their chalkboard menu kinda forces you to get up and explore; be sociable! Their menu is always changing and reflects what's seasonally available in our great province/ country. I really admire District for supporting local farmers and companies. My go-to dish is their pulled pork sandwich with poutine as a side! So decadent, so good!
Whenever we go to District, I feel welcomed and relaxed because I know we're going to enjoy some refreshing cocktails/ beers with flavorful dishes all at a reasonable price. Yes- District is definitely the place where "foodies go to drink." -
Review from Brad C.
10/18/2011 1 Check-in Here
Well, I've been wanting to get to the District for quite a while now, and finally have made it. It can be a little difficult for me to get out there, as my other half is vegetarian. So I went while he was out of town. I was delighted!
District Gastro-Pub has a straight-forward layout, which is good, because you're bound to walk around a little in order to find out what's on offer. Because of the nature of the business, the menu changes frequently, so rather than printing a permanent menu, they have opted for a series of chalk boards on which the current menu is written. The most fun way to learn the offerings is therefore to walk around checking each board.
There also is a charcuterie menu, which is basically a bunch of meats and cheeses that you can order as a platter. If you're into that. Could be a nice appetizer option, or if there is a large group of people, an easy way to sample a bunch of different things.
Of course, the bestest part of the District Gastro-Pub is the built-in micro-brewery, the Brew Brothers. Oh, well, that and the fact that as much food as possible is sourced locally. Local grains, local meats, local vegetables. Only the sea food really has to come from afar. Hooray for sustainability! -
Review from Miss J.
Calgary, AB
2/5/2012
I've been to District twice for dinner in the past month or so. I was hoping that the menu would have changed a bit on my second visit, but they seemed to have the same choices as a month ago. They list all gluten-free foods on their menu, which is a bonus!
Regardless, our service was equally great both times (with the same waitress). She brought out a generous pour of wine for me, which was a nice start to our evening. We started off with the crab cakes, which kind of reminded me of the fillings of a spring roll. Not my favourite compared to the shrimp we had last time.
I ordered the salmon salad, and my date had the lamb burger. My salmon didn't have much taste, and was lukewarm. Again, not as great as the tuna nicoise salad I had during my last visit. We ended the evening with a piece of gluten-free chocolate cake with ice cream, which was nice.
This review would have received 4 starts if the food was consistently great, however, I'm willing to give them another chance next time. -
Review from Erin S.
Updated - 2/16/2011
This is a difficult review to write - all you have to do is read my previous District review to figure out why...
Made a group reservation (several weeks in advance) for Friday, Feb 11 at District for a large group, to celebrate my sweetie's birthday. Having met at District & both loving it, seemed a most appropriate place to be celebrating. We looked forward to sharing some drinks & a meal with our friends.
Unfortunately, despite having confirmation in writing of a reservation, someone forgot to write it in the book. Shit happens. I get it. However I had not expected to be made to feel like I was in the wrong & an inconvenience by the manager. He seemed willing to let my group of 12 (most of our group being loyal & long-term District patrons) walk out. Fortunately Jarrod (server extraordinare) & Chef Heather (we took an amazing canning class with her) stepped in. We were found a table on the Rhino side, with assurances we would be moved to the District side as soon as they could clear up room for us.That never happened.
A band was playing on the Rhino side & incredibly loud, making it impossible for our group to visit. Sadly a good portion made their exit earlier than expected due to this. Could not blame them.
Our food was not up to the usual standards we have come to expect - the bun our burger was served on was dried out & stale. Yam fries were over cooked. The poutine with duck confit & caramelized onions was a hit though. When it came to dessert, the only thing left with chocolate banana cake - not what we were looking for.
Nobody came to check on us. Not even once. No attempts to even give the birthday boy a free drink to apologize for the schmozzled mess (& yes, they knew!) After our group was gone, we headed to the District side to meet another couple. Imagine our surprise to see a big EMPTY table. This is most definitely NOT the service we have come to expect from this group. Even the service on the District side was slow, even though it was not all that busy.
Despite my deep love for District, once our Groupon has been used, I do not know that we will be back - at least not without stellar improvement over our last experience. The ball was dropped in a major way & the lack of service, care & follow through are enough to turn a fan girl away. Breaking up is always hard to do. :(Listed in: Places That Sing To Me
1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
2/1/2011
District is my foodie home! It is the one place I return to time after time & often miss when life… Read more »
-
-
Review from Sho G.
12/17/2011
Went here with some coworkers and just had some of the worst service I've ever experienced. We had 3 drinks in the span of 3 hours. We got comped some of our meal and the food was really good but overall I wouldn't want to go back because of the amount of time it took to get our food and drinks.
-
Review from Crystal H.
Vancouver, BC
11/4/2010 1 Check-in Here
No, no, no, no, no. This can't be real.
Bucket
Bacon
Maple Syrup...
Dip.
Pure Canadian genius!!!
Wow -wait...
Poutine, "the people's way"
Choice of:
Fried egg
Ground lamb
Caramelized onions
Duck confit
and more
Okay, so it's not real poutine, with shoestring fries and unsqueaked curds, but seriously, trying to be genius.
And of course...
Brie
Sweet pickled strawberries
Sweet pickled cherries
One of the more interesting cheese boards I've dug into in a while!
Don't expect to handed a menu when your Black Pilsner in a mason jar (brewed in house of course). The menu is spread around on chalkboards. So jump up, mingle with a neighbour and then order the bacon! Or the Nunavut Musk Ox... but get there early - they were out of this by the time I arrived at 6:30 on a Tuesday.
Folks, you can't make this stuff up! I'm going to have to give them a Canadian stamp of approval! Smack an "eh" on me, I'm stuffed!Listed in: Traveling Calgarian Style, For Calgary Foodie Love
-
Review from Donna M.
Calgary, AB
I'm a bacon fanattic and have found a home at The District. Favorite menu option is "Bucket of Bacon". A generous portion of bacon is delivered in a bucket together with a side of syrup. yum.
Another menu option that is popular is the Poutine. It is served with delicious cheese curds and the gravy is tastely.
No printed menus, all food options for the day are written on chalk boards. They pride themselves on many organic options.
Combination of booths and high tables, they can usually accomodate a group of any size. Live music on Thursday nites is always good.
Staff is limited, so service can be slow. And be guarenteed that you will wait for your bill. (ask for it early & you won't be frustrated). It is also loud... expect it to be - and you will be okay.
I really enjoy this place. Remember, order the Bacon - you will love it!
Note: see previous review about Midnight Stampede Breakfast. I have attended both they have hosted - and they were both INCREDIBLE!! -
Review from Reginald T.
Calgary, AB
The Poutine here is excellent. Veal gravy, raw cheese curds, very authentic. In fact, all the food is excellent. The vast majority of it is locally sourced, and it shows. They have daily specials (in the sense of limited quantities; they may only be able to make or source so many certain foods that once they're gone, they're gone) so every lunch or dinner becomes an adventure.
The big draws: the in-house brewed beers and the in-house smoked bacon. In fact, the bacon comes in a bucket if you wish, complete with maple syrup for dipping on the side. Live music every so often.
Many pros that keep me coming back. In the interests of full disclosure, sometimes when it gets really busy, the service gets slow, but all in all, it's usually one of my first choices for food if I'm in the area. -
Review from Philippe G.
Calgary, AB
10/25/2010 13 Check-ins Here
Nothing but praise for the food, for the local beers, for the non-pretentious service.
Great all around, I am here once a week it seems:) enjoying a District experience is effortless and so damn tasty.Listed in: Calgary's Best Pubs.
-
Review from Ted M.
Calgary, AB
1/8/2011
Excellent place to hang with friends. Great concept, great food, great bevys and a brilliant environment.
Love this Place
"A Food Joint for Drinkers" -
Review from Mia T.
9/15/2011
Ive been to this place a few times now. They have GREAT drinks, and I love how they all come in mason jars. They have happy hour and Im definately coming back for that! The food can be hit or miss, I had the beef shortrib last time to start and the prawns with chili lime aioloi, which were both delicious. My grilled chicken sandwich was so so , the meat was a little charred, but the greens that accompanied it was fresh and I was given a large portion.
My mom had the lamb burger (perfectly done) which had goat cheese on it that made it melt in your mouth. My dad had the flatiron steak, it was ok, the poutine on the side for $3 was quite good. They arent stingy on the gravy or cheese curds.
The service for me was always top notch...maybe because Ive had the same server the 4 times Ive been to this place..Ive never caught his name, but he's tanned and has perfect teeth. Sit in his section if you can! -
Review from Daryl D.
Calgary, AB
3/14/2011
I have only been here twice, both times for a business networking event, but I must say I quite enjoyed both times.
When you first walk in, it has a homey, neighbourhood pub kind of quality. In fact, in a way it almost seems country-western. There are several booths available for seating, and some long tables toward the back. However, when it gets crowded, walking space is limited.
The prices are fairly high, though no more than average for good dining, but it's no fast food, that's for sure!
They make a helluva GREAT poutine, it's very popular among everyone who goes there :d Also, this is the first place I've ever tried a "Hairy Eyeball", out of a jar lol. The waitresses are very friendly and always talk with a smile.
However, my absolute favorite part is how they label the men's & women's washroom doors, oh-so phallically :)Listed in: Drinkin'!!
-
Review from Nicole S.
Calgary, AB
4/14/2011
I LOVE The District.
Their menu is very unique. No physical menus you can hold, just read it on the chalkboards. They change their menu so often that they don't find "real" menus useful.
I have been to The District three times and I have always had FANTASTIC service, food and drinks. It is usually packed but the atmosphere is great. Prices are high but you get what you pay for. Organic ingredients and home made EVERYTHING, even the ketchup!
This place is definitely good for people who like to try different foods and flavours and who enjoy organic and almost gourmet cooking. All the sandwiches are delicious and the crab macaroni and cheese is to die for.
Overall, the place is full of great eats and a good atmosphere, I highly recommend it! -
Review from Bryan H.
Calgary, AB
3/2/2011
Good food and good booze. Never been there for lunch, however after 5 we have never been disappointed!
We have never personally been victimized by the entity of Bad Service, however I have seen it happen at other tables whilst enjoying a pint. This fact almost made me drop this rating to three stars, however I feel that unless it was something outrageous that happened to the other tables, I'll let them rate for themselves (which it appears some have).
Poutine selection = nothing short of fantastic -
Review from Andrew R.
1/11/2011
Air-cured musk ox, pickled stawberries, buckets-o-bacon, good beer, and fresh, tasty, made-from scratch poutine were revelatory. I'm a fan, even if I'm the only American I know of who likes poutine (my wife even admitted that it was "pretty good").
Excellent, unobtrusive-but-attentive waitstaff, and a good atmosphere. -
Review from Alyssa A.
Calgary, AB
3/8/2011
I would definitely give this a 4.5...District is a unique and exciting establishment.
I went there with my girlfriend a couple of weeks ago and made it in time to catch an 18 oz. jar of their Ambush Pale Ale during happy hour (4-7p.m.) Being surrounded by chalkboards as our menus, the place was very interactive in the sense that you had to get up off your butt and take a gander at what to have for dinner.
Our waiter was also very knowledgeable, which I'm sure you'd have to be especially when it comes to this unusual dining concept. My only complaint on the service part was when we asked what our choices for a side would be he listed them off, including their infamous poutine, but failed to mention the additional $3+ charge to get it.
What I really did appreciate was while commercials were on during the Flames game, music was being played and GOOD music at that. Japandroid's "Wet Hair" was one of the many great tunes being pumped out. (5 stars for that alone!)
And with "local" being the current food fad, I dig knowing that what I'm eating is supporting the local farmers in the area.
I will definitely be going there again.
...and we did, last night for our anniversary as my boyfriend's never had the chance to check it out. Do yourself a favour and keep things light, avoid their infamous bacon, cheddar, jalapeno wings and their pulled pork sandwich! The wings are overrated, the cheese should stay where it belongs, on mac and cheese. And the pulled pork sandwich was dripping with grease, this equals a star drop for me. -
Review from Michael T.
Calgary, AB
District is a great concept pub/restaurant.
The main reason for this is that all their food is bought local. They cook based on what is in season and available. I think this represents what more restaurants should adopt - especially as customers care more about where their food came from.
Add in an excellent selection of beers and you have a winner (Blanche 'de Chambly on tap - that is all). -
Review from Eric F.
Calgary, AB
3/25/2010
When I dine out, I prefer being treated with a modicum of respect -- and so does my credit card.
Foodwise, plenty of clever unhealthy treats that leave you satisfied (bucket of bacon, poutine with any number of toppings, schnitzel, all nice and greasy). Tasty microbrews as well.
But where to begin with the service...
- I prefer to have my server come by my table, instead of requiring one of our party to find help every time we need something. (Isn't it customary to have a server come by to take your food order?!)
- I understand it's hard to serve a group. But it's insulting to be blamed for not paying the bill - especially after we specifically asked if we left you with "a good big tip" and you say yes. Although it was kind of entertaining when you "found" $25 when we asked you to check the numbers.
And last but not least:
It's just plain bad practice to find my credit card billed with an extra $25 on my statement two weeks later. Hmm. I think I know where you "found" your undeserved tip.
Good thing I saved my receipt for my dispute with MasterCard. -
Review from jessica g.
1/5/2011
We're in town at the tail end of a vacation to the mountains, and we wanted to make our last meal in Canada a little special... different, I suppose. We read about The District and its commitment to local foods and freshness, so we decided to make a trip. Thank goodness we did! It was an unforgettable experience.
When you walk in, they hand you a checklist of charcuterie that you can choose to begin your meal. We chose the house-pickled beets, cured musk ox, bison, and the house terrine, which only says it's made of local Alberta meats - a thrilling mystery combo for my husband and me. Everything was superb, from presentation to flavor.
Then, we ordered East and West Coast Canadian oysters - sooo delicious - and some boiled shrimp.
Although that might sound like a bunch of food already, we did not really feel like any of those dishes would soak up the tremendous amount of alcohol that we consumed along the way, so at the last minute, we put in an order for an appetizer of gnocchi with black truffles. - again, outstanding.
So, we tried hot, cold, and cured... everything was fabulous. I'm soooo glad I don't live in Calgary, because I'd eat here all the time, and I'm afraid that would not gel well with my workout/eat healthy commitments! -
Review from Joe L.
Calgary, AB
1/6/2010
Wow! I'm surprised that no one's reviewed The District yet.
My buddy suggested that we check this place out to watch the game and man were we glad that we did!
The District is a brew house/pub with a twist of quality beers, cocktails and food prepared with locally sourced ingredients such a organic beef, lamb, duck, cheeses and vegetables.
Here's a sample of what's on the menu, which changes often based on what ingredients are in season...
- Wild mushroom & gouda burger
- Bucket of house cured bacon with maple syrup dip
- Create your own poutine with hand cut fries, Quebec cheese curds and other accompaniments
Obviously not the healthiest of foods but obviously this isn't the place for it. This is a place for quality get-together food, drinks and good times!
Seriously... check it out! -
Review from Joel W.
Fantastic food and a great Chef. The selection for the Poutin is one of the best I have run across. They use a veal gravy and raw cheese curds (double order is nice). The smoked bacon appetizer is good with the house brewed beers.
I would say there Pork chop is one of the best I have had and the staff are great on the weekend. Nice beer selection too. Really fresh food.
Wings are a bargain on Tuesday and they are hooked up with the Amsterdam Rhino next door. -
Review from Jennifer G.
Calgary, AB
9/28/2011
The atmosphere is good, local and organic food offerings will get me back in the door and my colleague claims they have the best pouting outside the province of Quebec. The food and drink was great.
The only unfortunate news is the lunch hour service was friendly but very slow the day we went. -
Review from Dan D.
2/15/2011
My lady and I tried District on Valentine's Day.
It was the free 200ml bubbly that finally drew me in, but I gotta say I had heard about it for a long time and had intended to giv'r a whirl (hey, when you have a reputation for serving a "bucket of bacon," chances are I'm going to see what all the hubbub's about).
Everything at the restaurant was pretty well prepared. Not mind-blowingly good, but tasteful and worth a visit. It's also good that their thing is that they try to keep everything local and organic.
After the champagne, we had a beer & a mojito along with appetizers (a "bucket" of house-cured bacon and 10 BBQ wings). The beer was an in-house brewed "Ambush English Pale Ale" and was pretty good. Being happy hour it was only $3.75 for an 18 oz mason jar, which is hard to beat. The Mojito was also $3 off due to happy hour.
We got two entrees, Buffalo Chicken Mac & Cheese and the "District Burger." Both were very good. The Mac & Cheese had chicken, jalepeno, onion and peppers, topped with breadcrumbs, and came with a side salad of mixed greens (which I'm guessing had a "Saskatoon vinegarette" that I saw posted somewhere). The burger came with fries and was topped with bacon, aged chedder, onions, butter lettuce and a "tomato confit." Not sure exactly how a tomato is prepared "confit" but it was DELCIOUS. Hands down the best part of the burger. The meat in the burger was well seasoned and not shy on flavour.
The Mac & Cheese was total comfort food, the kind of dish you want to keep coming back to, although I was hard pressed to think of "Buffalo Chicken" while eating it. Aside from not really naming the dish very well, I thought it was quite good.
I have a few reservations about District overall:
- First, the "Bucket of Bacon."
When I hear the term "bucket of bacon," I expect just that. The house-cured bacon was excellent, but for $8, 6 strips of bacon with a side of maple syrup seems pretty stingy. As Jessica pointed out, make it 8 strips and it's fine!
- Second, the side salad that came with the Mac was very forgetable. It was bitter and tart and I found myself continuing to eat it, not because it was good, but because it was 1) there, 2) "healthy?"
The side of fries was also very forgetable. Floppy and bland, they seemed to just be "filler" for the meal. Maybe should have got poutine?
- Finally, the wings we got as an appetizer were good, although two of the drumettes were PINK inside! I'm not sure if this was maybe due to a blood vessel or what, but I think it's possible that they were undercooked. Also, a sign said wings were $0.15 each during happy hour and ended up being $0.25 each on the bill. Only a dollar difference, but still. In both cases with the wings, I neither sent them back or pointed out the amount on the bill, as I believed neither was a big enough deal to make a fuss, so no harm, no foul.
The service was pretty good (very attentive, which was nice) and the decor is great.
Not any place I am jumping out of my seat to return to, but like I said, worth a visit and I might be back for happy hour sometime. -
Review from Sapna G.
Calgary, AB
6/16/2010
Spent a few hours at The District a couple of nights ago and had a good night. The food was good and the service was as well. It felt a bit like being in a garage however (and the connecting club Amsterdam Rhino feels even more so like one) but overall, an alright ambiance.
The crowd was friendly and approachable.
Honestly, it wouldn't make my list of favourite places to meet up with friends, but an A-OK place nonetheless.
That's what she said. -
Review from Devon B.
2/12/2011
I want to like this place- I really, really do. I've kept an open mind, and went back again only to find the problems had grown. There are a lot of good things about District, but the problems are too glaring to ignore.
The first time I went the service wasn't great, but one bad experience is nothing to judge a restaurant on and the food was quite good. I recently went back, with hopes of having better service. Better service I received, but other issues popped up.
To start with, District sells itself as a fairly high-end eatery. The term gastropub is synonymous with quality food. So, with that, I get turned off when I have someone preparing a meat plate in front of me (we were eating at the bar), on top of the bar and I have to point out to the bartender that there was a bug climbing on the very meat plate the other employee was creating in front of all the patrons in the packed restaurant.
They offer an oyster bar at District, which made me happy because I'm from the east and oysters and beer are something I dearly miss. I paid $9 for three Malpeque oysters (which were at one time frozen i was informed). Again, this same guy prepared the oysters in front of me and completely butchered them. If an oyster bar is offered, the person preparing the oysters should know what they are doing. There is a technique to opening and shucking oysters and if you don't know what it is, learn. Honestly, read any men's magazine and you will likely see tips on how to shuck an oyster properly, or maybe try the magical invention called Google. The really scary part is that this guy was creating multiple, massive plates of oysters for various tables and completely making a mockery of them. They were almost chopped up and in a lot of cases they were seemingly pouring off of the shell and onto the ice bed they were being served on. It was a shame.
I was also a little turned off by the fact wing night ends, I was told, at seven.
There are good parts to it. I give credit to the bartender for giving us a 10% discount because my friend said he received the wrong order (I'm pretty sure my friend was the one mistaken). It did take a few minutes to have our order taken, but it was a busy night.
I had a burger and poutine which were delicious. My buddy had a pulled pork sandwich which he also adored. The food, generally, is great. I just worry about the preparation after seeing the less-than-careful employee preparing the bug/meat plate and oysters.
In my humble opinion, District's issues stem from a lack of quality control. This could easily be a four star restaurant (Yelp rating system), but they have to be more consistent. -
Review from Cornelius V.
Calgary, AB
Updated - 3/27/2010 1 Check-in Here
I went back and they got it together. Same good drinks, beers seem to be not as much of a rip off from what I remembered ($6.25 for house beer) although the non alchoholic gf's pepsi was $3.25.
And for the love of whatever god, this place needs to turn off the TVs if no one is watching them. I consider the district to be a place to get quality food and beverage. Hockey is an ugly, ugly sport and I opt to watch it at the al cove, not a gastro bar. But that's just me.
I'll come back, and not just for the food.1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
3/9/2010
I'm genuinely amazed. A place. In Calgary. That's inspired. Good food. Good drinks. A vision.… Read more »
Comment from Cody T. of Design District Urban Tavern 3/11/2010
Hello CV! Thanks so much for our 2nd review, we really… More » -
Read more reviews for this business:
French (1)
