Cannibale sweeps most competition with its choice prohibition front. The BAR-bershop is one part salon, one part saloon. The food here is great, the drinks are cold, and you can also get a haircut while you’re here. Sounds like a win, win, win to us!

Tucked behind UNA Pizza on 17th Avenue, Frenchie Wine Bar is one of Calgary’s best-kept secrets. This spot is an ambient speakeasy where intimate is the word. We’re not going to lie, it’s a tight squeeze on a busy night, but it’s all totally worth it. If you’re lucky to get one of the 15 seats in the bar, you won’t regret the wait. The drinks are fun and inventive, and their fondue is to die for.

Model Citizen is a refined speakeasy hidden underneath Model Milk on 17th Ave. Their ‘parlour’ is an intimate experience, with an excellent rotating cocktail menu, weekly features and snacks from the Model Milk kitchen.

This is one of our favourites. Nothing is cozier than a dark room, velour chairs, and the smokey scent of bourbon. Climb through Betty Lou’s secret bookcase entrance and enjoy an evening of soft jazz music and 20s glamour.

Pfft, walking through a door? That is so 2019. At Ajito, which literally translates to “a hidden safe place”, the magic begins before you’re even seated. In order to enter this place, customers actually have to locate the Coca-Cola fridge at the back of Sho Sushi and climb through. If you’re in the mood for sushi, authentic rice and noodle bowls, and incredibly inventive cocktails, this is your place.

You might not remember it all on Sunday morning, but Saturday nights at the Bourbon room are classy. Though it’s temporarily closed, you’ll find this vintage-style tavern through the crowd at National on 10th, just up the stairs. Here, the vibe is typically laid-back, cozy and cool as all hell so keep an eye out! They’ll be back soon!

Suit up, Calgary! Untitled Champagne Lounge is an ambient little speakeasy described as a ‘swanky getaway’ with some of the prettiest, most theatrical cocktails, many of which are actually champagne-based. Now, if that’s not an original concept then we’re not sure what is – but it get’s even cooler! Though this spot isn’t located within another bar or anything, it does lack signage and that feels pretty secretive to us – so check it out, but good luck finding it!

Man, are you in for a treat! Sub Rosa is underground and all glitz, all party, all colour! The drinks at Sub Rosa are wild and their menu goes on for pages. We’d definitely recommend checking this place out on both nights of the weekend. On Fridays, Sub Rosa is more hip hop & R&B focused. Then, on Saturdays, their resident DJ spins chill deep house tracks. It’s an incredible time.

Located in a Chinatown basement, you’ll find the contemporary speakeasy-style lounge, Paper Lantern. With amazing-looking Vietnamese tapas, subs, bowls, and a super unique, tropically inclined drink menu, you might not be able to hop on a plane right now, but you can definitely trick your tastebuds into thinking you’re on vacation.