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The Bothy Wine & Whisky Bar
Categories: Food Beer, Wine & Spirits Nightlife Bars Wine Bars Restaurants Irish Beer, Wine & Spirits, Wine Bars, Irish [Edit]
5482 Calgary TrlEdmonton, AB T6H 4J8
(780) 761-1761
- Hours:
Mon, Sat 3 pm - 1 am
Tue-Fri 11:30 am - 1 am
Sun 3 pm - 11 pm
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Late Night, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- No
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Ambience:
- Classy, Trendy, Intimate
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
18 reviews for The Bothy Wine & Whisky Bar
Review Highlights
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"Scotch scotchity scotch scotch scotch scotch scotch." In 3 reviews -
"The cheese and charcuterie plate looked to-die-for." In 3 reviews -
"It's one of my favourite things - right up there with steak." In 3 reviews
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18 reviews in English
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Review from Wendy P.
Bothy, I love you. I could listen to your folks speak about whisky in those Scottish accents anytime. Ladies... sit at the bar!
I stopped in with some friends for a little after dinner drink and a bite of dessert. This spot didn't exist back in my Edmonton days. It's at the far end of a strip mall on Calgary Trail and the inside looks nothing like a place you'd expect in a strip mall. It's quaint (yes, an upgrade from cute!) and cozy, with only a few tables on hand. It makes for a lovely atmosphere.
Interested in increasing your whisky knowledge? Sign up for the whisky passport! Not sure you can handle the passport yet? Start out with one of the whisky flights from the back of the menu. Don't forget a piece of gingerbread cake to help clear your palate a little between samples. It's delicious!
Whisky is becoming my 6th W (you know, like... who? what? when? where? why? whisky!!)Listed in: Edmonton a-gogo
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Review from Peggy L.
5/6/2012
I came to the Bothy recently with my boyfriend to use up our fast-expiring living social coupon. He wanted to find out if he was a whiskey man (he is not) and I wanted to try the food, which is what this review is focused on.
I ordered the seafood trio and my boyfriend ordered the steak and mushroom pie. We started with the smoked salmon on rye, which was really nice. It was pretty typical, but the salmon was delicious and there was a maple whiskey gastrique that really balanced all the savoury and salty elements of the dish. My seafood trio was quite tasty as well, with a bacon wrapped scallop on risotto, seared tuna with watermelon, and a crab cake with guacamole. The only thing I didn't really like was the tuna, which seemed under-seasoned on top of the wateriness of the watermelon. The waitress had warned me it was small, but it was really tiny! It was $21.00 for the plate, and each third of the trio was about two bites, so it seemed quite overpriced to me. My boyfriends steak and mushroom pie was really homey and tasty. He ordered it with the bacon tomato soup, which was average. Although his portion was reasonable, he wasn't satiated by it, and thus the $18.00 price tag seemed like too much.
In the end, this is a bar, something that I can't comment on too much, having not drunk anything. I can say that they have an impressive and almost intimidating whiskey and wine list that the friendly staff will surely help you navigate if needed. One last note, I must agree with Wendy P. - Ladies, sit at the bar. -
Review from Brennan W.
Edmonton, AB
4/10/2012 2 Check-ins Here
Terrific selection of scotch!
Great environment!
Just go with the flow and meet me there sometime. -
Review from Angela E.
2/27/2012
I had a really fun double date night here last month. The service was perhaps a touch lacking (took a lot of effort to flag down the server even while the restaurant was not busy). That said, the fun food, extensive beverage list, and intimate setting would draw me back.
My wine was so so so good - the Petit Petit (Brittany we should celebrate our love for this bottle together.. over a bottle). The menu had poor formatting - I know, WHO puts this in a review, but it actually did contribute to some confusion in my sister's entree selection.
The cozy atmosphere of the Bothy would make for a nice private party. The location isn't bad, not too far from Old Strathcona. The menu is small, in a good way. Solid choices without being overwhelming. Decent charcuterie selection (it's really not so popular in Edmonton for being a lovely snacky, sharing sort of food), and the server was able to make recommendations (although this doesn't redeem ignorance of empty drinks). -
Review from Scott C B.
Edmonton, AB
Fun fact: I like scotch.
It's one of my favourite things - right up there with steak. Now, admittedly The Bothy doesn't offer steak... but it more than makes up for that issue with one of the best scotch selections I've ever seen.
If you're a scotch lover, like me, The Bothy needs to be on your "to visit" list. Be sure to get yourself a passport - it's about $15 and is a full listing of their scotch selection with spaces for you to write your thoughts on each one as you experience it. It even comes with a scotch glass to take home at the end of the night. They also offer flights of scotch - a little scotch adventure that lets you sample three or four at a time.
Oh, and they have wine. But let's be honest, it's the scotch that makes this place stand out.
That all said, does the incredibly deep selection of scotches alone merit five stars?
No.
Fortunately, The Bothy also has a decent menu meant to round out the amazing drink selection. In particular, you can build your own charcuterie and cheese plate. They also have a friendly, knowledgeable and accommodating staff.
I was tempted to take off a star due to the price range being a little higher than I'm normally comfortable with... but honestly, I can't fault them the price point, and it didn't in any way detract from my experiences here.
The Bothy is a great place to go for an evening with good friends and a glass of scotch. It's absolutely going to become a semi-regular haunt for me.Listed in: The Regular Haunts
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Review from Char D.
Edmonton, AB
I came here with my family on a whim because both my brother and I had been meaning to try it and we were in the area. I'm glad we did because it is a classy little place with nice decor with extensive wine and whisky lists. They also have a temperature controlled wine cellar in the back.
The wine was actually a bit overpriced so we opted for beer instaed, I would like to go back and try their whisky sample flight. I had the special which was lamb curry and it was wonderful; homey and satisfying. I would come back here with friends as a nice quiet place to have a couple drinks and appitisers. too bad it's really out of the way if you don't have a car. -
Review from Poul M.
Edmonton, AB
3/18/2011 ROTD 3/21/2011
I started going to the Bothy when Doug first opened the place. I was excited to visit a new independent local place which was dedicated to great whisky, wine, and great local food. To date they haven't disappointed me.
They have one of the best line-ups of whisky in Canada, and more than that, know what they are talking about in terms of serving it up. I love going there for lunch, and think that their sandwiches are some of the best kept secrets of Edmonton. The only thing that I will say is that this is not fast food. You need to plan on at least an hour if you want to go and eat there. But the wait is worth it, as I always leave smiling.
Doug, Chris, Andrew and the rest of the crew always make you feel welcome and I would encourage anyone who hasn't yet discovered the Bothy to drop by, whether for a wee dram, or some authentic meat pies.Listed in: My Neighborhood, Top Restaurants
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Review from Brittany K.
Edmonton, AB
2/28/2011 2 Check-ins Here
What an outstanding evening at The Bothy! Both our host and server were friendly, chatty and knowledgeable about the menu. The special that evening, the short ribs, sounded amazing. I hope it come back as a special so I get a chance to try it!
My wine (the Petit Petit) was fabulous. A dark, fruity, vanilla flavour to it, and a fun name to boot. Server assured me it was her favourite on the menu, and I loved it too!
My arugula salad was extraordinarily tasty, and the wine went well with it. The cheese and charcuterie plate looked to-die-for. I'm also ordering that next time! (So what if I'll already be full of salad and short ribs?)
I'm not a whiskey gal, but I do love the idea of having a little journal to keep track of all the whiskeys you've tried here!
Our waitress sort of disappeared towards the end of the night, but we were wrapping up anyway, and it's only a minor detail.Listed in: Four-Stars, Date Night, South Side, Adults Only, For Watching The Game
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Review from Christianne C.
Edmonton, AB
1/3/2012
My bf and I went to the bothy back in November and loved it. At first when I walked in I was a little like "what did I step into" as it was a little dark and small place. But the decor, food, wine, whisky and staff made the place seem so warm and welcoming. The owner happened to be sitting beside us and chatted with us for a while. He was friendly and told us about the business and himself. He told us which scotch and wines to try and bought us a round which was very kind and generous. He told us that if we wanted to try any wine from the cellar that they sell by the bottle to ask for it by the glass- for 2 glasses he would open the bottle and simply charge us by the glass! The bartender was his nephew. He was a wealth of scotch knowledge which we both appreciated as we are not scotch experts. With our drinks we ordered the cheese and meat plater (chacutaria). yummy! the applewood smoked cheddar, prociutto and asiago cheese were amazing!!!! As for the wine and whisky, the selection is truely endless. And there is something at every price point!
We were really impressed by this place and are planning to return soon. -
Review from Katie F.
6/18/2011
I think hell has frozen over... a charcuterie place in Edmonton? If only these places sprouted up before I left a few years ago!
The menu reminds me of Salt and Gudrun in Vancouver, but with a more casual/dark wood decor and a more of a focus on whisky than wine. That being said, this is a great place to hang out for a night.
Prices are a bit overpriced in my opinion, but not out of keeping with this type of place. There's the option to do flights of wine and whisky which are a great way to sample if you don't know what you want. It was my dinner for the night, so I skipped the meat/cheese options and went straight for the regular menu. I had the black cod feature for the night - nicely cooked with fiddleheads and rice as my sides. I found the portion a bit small but it was well prepared.
Service is great and there's no one rushing you when you're hanging out with friends. No kids allowed!
P.S. I totally agree that it's a pain to find! It's on Calgary Trail south, and look for the giant buffet sign. That's the area you need to get to. -
Review from Melissa C.
Edmonton, AB
3/20/2012
The menu is not extensive, but everything on it is delicious. I am a fan of the cheese and charcuterie board, and of all of the desserts. The atmosphere is delightful, and though cozy it doesn't feel cramped. They were able to accommodate my birthday party (for which there were about 12 people) easily.
Clearly the reason to go is for the comprehensive scotch selection. I don't feel I have the palate to appreciate it fully, but what I do relish is the wine selection. Due to a vacuum-wine-sealing device, they are able to offer several higher end wines by the glass where typically (in other restaurants) you might be asked to purchase the entire bottle.
The most delightful surprise is the price points seem very reasonable! The only thing I find a little sad is that it is a challenge to go there without a car. That being said, bussing home means everyone can have a few drinks and not worry about the drive home! -
Review from Aditya R.
I must certainly add that after going there a few more times, I've had the opportunity to try out the food. Trust me, their savory meat pies are just terrific (you could easily get addicted to the beef and mushroom pie).
Also, it's worth adding that they have a Whiskey Card (for $15, price includes a free whiskey glass). The card allows you to list all the whiskies you've tried and those that you haven't yet tried - my goal is to try out all 130-150 whiskies here.Listed in: Hidden Gems, Love at first sight, 3rd Dates, Whiskey, a go go?
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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12/27/2010
The Bothy is really, really a stand out. A stand out of no other kind! The word bothy means a… Read more »
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Review from Daniel L.
Edmonton, AB
6/23/2011
Great selection of scotch! Delicious! We had the pleasure of a truly great and attentive server as well.
This place is pricey, but it is because they serve the best. I had a Murray McDavid from the lowlands and it was a treat!
I cannot say anything about their food menu because I haven't tried it nor did I look at it.
I will definitely be back for more! -
Review from Roman K.
Edmonton, AB
8/11/2011
Scotch! Scotch scotch scotch scotch scotch! Scotchy scotch scotch. Scotch scotch scotch. Scotch scotchity scotch scotch scotch scotch scotch. SCOTCH! Scotch. Scotch. Scotch. Scotch. Scotch. Scotch! Scotch scotch! Scotch Scotch Scotch! SCOTCH!!!! And wine! Parking was ample.
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Review from Pete G.
Edmonton, AB
4/25/2011
This place is a bit of a trick to find if you haven't been there before. But it's a classy little joint. I'm not into whiskey but i order a "flight of whiskey" with some friends, very impressed! Also, i don't understand when people say haggis is weird just it's supposedly made of intestines, etc..., but the version of haggis they had at The Bothy was sooo awesome, i have no idea what spices they used but very delicious meat!
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Review from Shawn A.
Edmonton, AB
1/16/2011
One of my two favorite restaurants in the city! Everything I have had on the menu was gold, the Robbie Burns day celebration is second to none, Andrew is one of the best servers EVER.
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Review from Linda S.
A fantastic place to go for food, for drinks, for company. Our server tonight, Andrew, has an encyclopedic knowledge of wines and scotches. Lovely decor, easy to find, free parking, comfortable -- it's a place that will become a favourite on your first visit!
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Review from Chris H.
Edmonton, AB
5/2/2010 1 Check-in Here
With 114 whiskies, 20 wines by the glass, a few sparkles by the glass, excellent food ans staff this is a hidden gem of a place. Check it out
