National on 8th is an awesome place to grab some drinks with coworkers or friends after work! It’s also conveniently located right in the middle of Downtown Calgary. 🙂
Primarily known as a socializing bar, National on 8th offers excellent beer on tap, as well as delicious wines, cocktails and spirits. One surprising hit for me is the food!
Normally when I grab drinks with some friends (which is NOT often), we usually eat out at an actual sit-down restaurant before heading to the bar. We were a bit limited for time today, so we just decided to eat at National. If I can be honest, I didn’t look forward to eating here.
However, my fears were calmed after eating my food! I ordered the Glory Bowl because it was the only vegan option in the menu that would fill me up. My friends ordered the sliders, and we all got beers to drink (yay beer)! Try out their beer, because they have such a big selection!
My Glory Bowl was really, really good! The tofu in the bowl was sooo juicy and flavourful, and it had that “wok flavour” that you would get from a good stir fry. I’m still thinking about it now… 😆
The atmosphere at National is also great. The dimmed lights and modern music makes the bar feel young, and makes it a perfect bar to hangout. Despite this, I much prefer National on 10th because its more hip and vibrant (but National on 8th is a close second).
National on 8th is definitely a go-to for drinks and socializing in Downtown Calgary!
Recommended? Yes!
COST: Moderate. Because National is primarily a bar, the food is somewhat overpriced. That said, happy hour usually is a good deal for food and drinks! My Glory Bowl was $17, and our beers were $5/pint during happy hour.
TASTE: Very good. Craft beers are always delicious, and it’s the type of beer I usually drink. The beers are really good and well-crafted. My Glory Bowl is surprisingly delicious for bar food, and my friends loved the sliders.
ACCESSIBILITY: Easy. National is located along Stephen Avenue in Downtown Calgary, so it is highly accessible by public transit. Driving is okay too, but parking is limited (especially near Stephen Avenue).
ATMOSPHERE: Nice. This location isn’t my favourite National, but it still has a great atmosphere. The bar isn’t as crowded as National on 10th, and there are a lot of seats for its size. The lights are dimmed, the music is loud (but not overly loud), and ping pong & foosball is available if you tire of sitting and drinking.
SERVICE: 7/10. Because National is primarily a bar, if you come for food, you will find that service is lacking. If you want quick service, order drinks at the bar.
National On 8th
Address: 360 225 8th Avenue SW, Calgary AB
Phone: (403) 237-5556
Hours:
- Monday: 11AM – late
- Tuesday: 11AM – late
- Wednesday: 11AM – late
- Thursday: 11AM – late
- Friday: 11AM – late
- Saturday: 4PM – late
- Sunday: Closed
Website: ntnl.ca
This is not a sponsored post.