Below Deck

We stopped in here for a few drinks before heading over to the Calgary tower… The drinks were reasonably priced. Didn’t order any food, so I can’t comment on that. The décor was dark, but made it feel interesting. Looked like a local hang out. There was a terrible stench when we were there. I think they were cleaning the grease traps, but the bartenders were trying to cover it up with spray. So they tried. I would come back.

This place has a great location on 8^th Ave, just below Libertine in the basement. Definitely a great pub vibe for after work drinks. Personally, I sometimes feel a little closed in with low ceilings but it makes things seem even cozier!
The food was pretty good, the pizza dough was a little thick and could’ve been cooked a little longer! Drink selection was decent and the atmosphere was cool. Our server was fairly average, wasn’t going out of her way to do anything extra for us, but got our drinks and food out to us.
They have live music on Thursdays!

I’ve been to the Below Deck several times, but I can only comment on two dishes: the garlic fingers and the donair. As a native Maritimer, I can’t even entertain the idea of ordering anything else on the menu.
The garlic fingers are perfectly greasy and the donair sauce (or, «sweet sauce» as non-​Maritimers call it) is thick and generously portioned.
Below Deck has plenty of other traditional east coast pub fare on the menu plus a few Western favourites. Service is always friendly and fairly prompt.
The restaurant is not fancy. This fact is established upon entrance, as patrons must descend an old staircase below ground. For an East Coast pub, though, I wouldn’t expect anything different.

Headed down to the pub; got there early and I wonder if people are tolerant of waiting or what. I’ve been here an hour and just got my dinner order placed. Have managed to get the server’s attention once: one beer and one food order in one hour. Hmmmmm

Pubs are more fun when they’re in the basement, aren’t they? Something about going down the dimly lit stairs makes it feel a little more edgy. But then once down to the dingy abyss it just sort of feels like home. Not that I’ve always lived in dank-​ish basements, and in Below Deck’s case, ones with a uniquely maratime-​y feel — But I feel a warm feeling of accepted-​ness.
With fisherman netting on the roof, industrial looking shipyard lighting, plenty of heavy wood tables, stone walls and no less than 10 TVs, Below Deck is sort of like the jock’s version of the ship and anchor. Still maybe a sports bar, but with heaps more character than most you’ll find in Calgary.
I was here for the YYC Pizza Week Pizza Crawl, so unfortunately the awesome-​sauce Chicken Korma pizza we had will no longer be available by the time you read this review, BUT if any of their food is like this, it’s definitely worth ordering. Now we’re talking pub grub here, and not pretentious uppity pub grub either. But it’s flavourful, home made tasting food that sits well in your stomach, makes you feel comfortable, and pairs well with several jugs of beer. When it comes to Maritime food, our server tells us they do it entirely legit. Their donair sauce is the real deal «not just some sweet junk.» I do love a good donair — I’m going to have to check it out!
They do live music on Thursdays and Saturdays and apparently cover everything except the «screamo-​hardcore scene», as according to one of their friendly servers. No cover on Thursday and maybe a $ 5 cover on Saturday, but all of that money (yup, that 5 whole dollars) goes to the musicians, helping to support the Calgary music scene. With some pretty decent beer prices, this is a might fine way to spend $ 5.
I’ll definitely be back to check out the live music scene and drink some more beers. I’m gonna like it here!

It’s rare to find a neat, hole in the wall kind of pub these days. Jenna, my waitress, recommended several great beers. I had the poutine, because I wanted a Canadian delicacy. It was pretty good. When I worked in a restaurant in Texas, I used to get French Fries and I put Cream Gravy and Cheddar Cheese on them. Slightly different than Poutine which has Brown Gravy and Cheese Curds on the fries, but it was good. I had an enjoyable experience there and will definitely go back when I’m in Calgary again!

A small hole-​in-​the-​wall, or rather hole underground? On Stephen Ave. They have your typical bar fare, including a Halifax donair. They have your standard beers including Village and Wild Rose, as well as your typical big name beers. The servers were a bit snappy, and the food kept going to the wrong tables — much to our amusement. For a downtown pub, they really need to manage things better. The food wasn’t bad, just a mediocre pub, wkith mediocre service.

The servers and bartenders are amazing.
I go here just about everyday!
Best service I’ve ever received.

This was one of my favs to grab a beer and a bite at. They recently turned over almost all of their staff and changed their menu. As a result the service is worse (not terrible service, just not as friendly as it used to be) and the menu is worse (less options, higher prices). Really friendly service, good prices and great pub food is what a Maritime pub should be all about, but they seem to be missing the mark. I think I will find myself another fav spot.

Below Deck is a nice maritime themed pub which sometimes has live music.
I have been to Below Deck quite a few times and although I like the crowd that frequents the place, I have usually found the service to be spotty. The food itself is some general pub fare with some different menu items including deep fried pepperoni and donairs. The quality is pretty average and what you would expect. Sometimes they do have live music which will cost you a varying cover charge. The price of PBR on Fridays is $ 5 (I believe), so it ends up being a cheap place to go for some decent beer.
Cheap beer, pub food, and a nice crowd of people to enjoy it in.

I was really looking forward to eating here based on the reviews I read, but I ended up being very disappointed.
We arrived shortly after they opened and they must not have been ready to go because the waitress was busy doing something with a table; too busy to even acknowledge that customers had arrived.
After we had perused the menu, which looked good, we waited over 20 minutes for the waitress to come back and take our order. When I asked what beer was on tap she just pointed to the beer menu and said that those were what was on tap. When I asked about the seasonal beer she seemed slightly mystified by the question.
The appetizers, garlic cheese fingers and potato skins, were fairly good, but not spectacular. However the main meal, Philly cheese steak and tabernak sandwich were disappointing. The marinade on the cheese steak was not good and the coleslaw side was not good either. The tabernak sandwich had too much bread for the sandwich components to be properly showcased, the chicken was not great and the garnishes were negligible; the side salad was wilted and looked like some of it had been dehydrated.
The décor was the best part of this restaurant. I would not go back, nor would I recommend it.

Above average attempt at creating a bar from the Maritimes. The bar tenders were extremely friendly (I was almost wondering if they mistook me for someone they knew) and the patrons were ridiculously happy. We had a moment where two groups landed at a table at the same time; not only did the other group voluntarily surrender the table to us, they went out of their way to apologize for the impression that they were trying to boost our spot. I wanted to buy them a drink as a thank-​you but the melted into the boisterous crowd too quickly.
Food is pub-​average (and some items I wouldn’t actually find in a bar in Halifax or Moncton), but they hit the highlights. That is, something for everyone who needs a bit of fried stuff or burgery goodness to help the beer go down.
Three cheers for low ceilings and fishing nets on the walls. While it didn’t quite make me nostalgic for home, this was far more authentic than many a faux-​Irish pub.

With the reviews being as good as they are for this place, we strolled in on Friday eve to have a look see and to have a few drinks. The beer is priced right at $ 5 a pint of PBR, but there are definitely some shortcomings. The wings that we had were pretty scrawny and low on flavor, the service was disinterested bordering on indifferent and the fluorescent lighting provides a pretty weird ambiance around the perimeter (it’s a pub, you don’t need it to be bright). It’s nice that there was plenty of nice places to sit though. Probably worth a visit, but I would suggest you lower your expectations based on the average score here.

Let me start this by apologizing for being the drunk tool that thought it would be hilarious to steal your big plastic lobster. Shoulda nailed that bad boy down! But it’s mine now and you can’t have it back, we are starting a new life together in BC.
I don’t even know how me and my party got here but it was fun. There wasn’t anything going on, was just a pub but I enjoyed the décor and the theme being that I am a bit of a nautical fan.
One of the bar tenders was reportedly a little rude to a couple of my friends but I didn’t witness it. But the drinks were good and they had a nice variety of beer.

Instead of going to Wine-​ohs for a Jazz concert, we opted to drop our $ 15 cover charge on beers. So we stumbled around Stephen Ave in search of a pub. Until we saw the sign that said «Below the Deck». My amigo chirped about going there instead and so I followed
From the stairs to the pub itself, the décor and atmosphere is nothing I’ve seen before. That doesn’t mean it’s original since my sister-​from-​another-​mister bragged about how this place reminded her of her fav pubs in the east. Hence the pub’s «authentic east-​coast experience».
The menu has a small beer selection but provides one of every kind to satisfy your palate. Their Grogs are hilarious, the Dark and Stormy is a dangerous brew. I usually gack at the mere thought of a rum and coke, but the ginger did an amazing job of killing that gross aftertaste. My BRO downed five of them and I’ll tell you, she stayed goofy the whole night.
I didn’t get a chance to try their main dishes even though there were a lot that caught my eye. I did try a maritime specialty, fried pepperoni. It was AMAZING and paired perfectly with my beer. Hence it belonged to the menu’s «Real Good Beer Food» menu. It went well with my pint of Keith’s.
This is almost a place one would wish wasn’t packed with characters, but it worries me that with a prime location like Stephen Ave, it would need a large patronage. Worries… pfft, you know what I need? GROG.

I have been to Below Deck a few times and I still don’t know what to think. On the one hand the drinks and food are relatively cheap. I had the house Cab Sav because really that was the only selection. Serves me right I guess because this definitely isn’t a wine kind of place.
I glanced curiously at the food choice of my table and most of it looked pretty good. The donair looked particularly appealing. However, I decided to go with the Fish and Chips because this is a maritime-​esque place. If I can’t get authentic Fish & Chips here then where? The 2 piece fish and chips went for 13 $. It came out, I kid you not, less than 5 minutes after I ordered. That’s the kind of story that precedes an epidemic! Kind of scary! I think they precook both Fish and Chips and it tasted like it. Chips were luke warm and tired. Fish was slightly mushy. I wonder if that is how they do it in the maritimes.
Now the weird part. One person in our party got hit with a garbage bag full of ice (that touched the floor by the way) being carried by the staff. No apologies were offered. And though it was partial contact and no harm was done, I don’t know about you but it would really upset me if some guy hit me with anything and not apologized.
This place is weird. I come here because the drinks and food are reasonably priced, but from now on it won’t be a first or second choice. I’d settle here if no other options on Stephen Ave were available. Maybe it was just this experience.

One of those little spots you would never notice if you weren’t told about it. The entrance is probably the worst part, however, as once you get down into this cozy spot you’re in for a great night of food, drinks, and friends.
Very cozy, cool menu, and the best part is the open and inviting atmosphere. Been on Thursdays for the open Jam and it felt like a house party — so much chatter and energy and good vibes.
Could do with a more varied draft selection, and prices are a bit high, which is why the ⁴⁄₅ stars. Great cool, fun, and hip joint tho, right in the heart of downtown.

I had a friend coming into town today from my hometown that I had not seen in almost 20 years. She was in town on a conference and with a bunch of people, asked me to come by Below Deck and have a drink. I am not one to drink in the afternoon normally but that all changed today!!!
I had not been to Below Deck before but had seen it. I knew nothing about it. Arrived, went downstairs and immediately felt like I had been transported back to Nova Scotia! The place had that pubby feel, I never felt like I was in a «basement» and it was clean. Even the washrooms were really clean.
It was not too busy but it got busier as the afternoon progressed. The space is large and had all kinds of seating.
I really liked the menu. After 3 drinks I thought I should order some nibbly food and had the poutine. Being from Ottawa/​Quebec border I know I good poutine and this really hit the mark. It was amazing! Not a big portion, but still decent enough to share.
The service was impeccable. I met the nicest server named Trish and she really was on top of our somewhat large group but never rush-​y or over the top, just perfect service.
I am anxious to come back here and try something else off the menu. I am told the Donair is in fact the best thing on the menu a must try.
I really relished the décor and just felt like I was transported back to another place. A «feel-​good» kinda place. What did they put in that fireball shooter anyways? Oh ya, I guess that takes me to 4 drinks.
A great day, I met some new friends, was able to catch up with my old one and most of all, I felt like a valued customer. Trish remembered my name and as I was on my way out shouted a loud, «Bye, Janna!!!» just like they would do on the East Coast.
Below Deck is one of my new faves! Unilocaltastic!
PS Thursdays are open Mic night.

Excited about events to happen later in the evening, Wendy suggested that we meet downtown and have a drink to kick off the festivities. Her suggestion — Below Deck.
Nestled in the basement of a building close to Flames Central, dispite construction upstairs, it was easy to find. Crowd was rockin’ when I arrived — of course, it’s NHL playoff season.
Found Wendy at a table along a side wall that has an wide ledge holding many artifacts to give it the feel of being «below deck». What I really remember is the lose ceiling. I’m clostraphobic, so I always notice things like that… it was low, place was full — but it didn’t bother me. It really had a «below deck» feel — without the sway of the sea. :)
Wendy told me about «deep fried pepperoni» — sounds yum. Wanted to try, but dinner was next on the list and wanted to save my appetit. So I ordered my usual from the waitress as she put Wendy’s drink on the table.
Blueberry Ale. Didn’t know there was such a thing. I was sorry I had ordered Rum — should have tried the Blueberry Ale. Next time.
And yes, there will be a next time. Great place to stop in for a drink. Next time I’ll check out the menu.

Who needs a flight to Nova Scotia when you can find a piece of it right here in Calgary? I was walking along Stephen Ave when I saw a big sign «Below Deck now open» on the sidewalk. I looked in the direction of where the sign was pointing and saw a building draped in tarps. Open, hey? Like I’m going in there… ha!
Construction or not, this spot is new and I wanted to check it out. I opened the door to a narrow stairwell. There was a man coming up the stairs, I waited for him to pass. The stairwell was that narrow. As I took my first steps down towards the pub, I could tell I was in for something from the east coast. The walls at this point were painted to look like some of the colourful houses I had seen on a trip to Newfoundland.
As I walked into the pub, a friendly «Hello! Come on in and find a seat!» called to me from behind the bar. I looked around, it was nearly 4 pm, but the bar was empty except for a girl at a corner table and a handful of people hanging out around the bar. Where was I?
As soon as I sat down at the wood, the bartender asked me my name. Turns out hers is Trish and she’s usually a server here, she just happened to be covering for the bartender for the rest of her shift. None the matter, Trish had that friendly sort of welcoming attitude and cheerfulness about her that you find in most maritime folk. She had made friends with every single person at that bar, knew them all by name and kept a good portion of banter going.
She brought out the menu for me to look at-​potato skins with no potato, poutine, deep-​fried pepperoni and a myriad of other treats you don’t often find on a western pub menu. Wait, potato skins without potato? Yep, it’s literally potato skins, sour cream and bacon bits. I opted for the deep-​fried pepperoni. It came with beer mustard. Don’t ask me how they made beer mustard, I haven’t a clue, but it’s a great combination! Man that pepperoni had some bite to it. It was spicy! The guy to my left grew up in Nova Scotia. He asked if they used some brand of pepperoni. It was somebody’s name-​Chris Brown? Jim Brown? I can’t remember. Anyway, he was very impressed when Trish confirmed that Below Deck indeed did use only the best pepperoni from back east.
Below Deck also boasts the best Halifax Donair in town. I didn’t try it, so I can’t comment on it at this point… but even if I had, I’ve never had one, so I’ll leave the donair to you Nova Scotians in Calgary to Unilocal about and let the rest of us know how it compares.
I’m not sure what this spot turns into once evening hits, but for a late afternoon stop, it was mighty entertaining.