A trip to Calgary could not be complete for me without a trip to the Unicorn. Why? Because I am obsessed with unicorns.

This was a nice little bar, the bar tenders were friendly, the drinks were reasonable and I really liked the darts area in the corner of the bar! We actually ended up getting to the darts area at the same time as some other girls and made friendly...fast forward a few hours... more

It's a pub.

Pros: They took a fairly big last-minute reservation for our large group. Drink specials were fairly priced considering the prime downtown location. The bathroom stalls are spacious (unlike at say, OJs).

Cons: I would like to see another hot vegetarian entree on the menu. Our server seemed overwhelmed by our group size and was often MIA for 30+ minutes.

We came, we ate, we drank,... more

November Challenge - 21/30

On a quest to find poutine for a friend (being vegan, I have never consumed poutine that I haven't made myself), we found ourselves inside The Unicorn Pub. A band was there doing soundcheck with Green Day covers. Ah, homesick nostalgia. 510, what!

Service was decent; I really appreciated that the waitress made it possible to enjoy my go-to drink while still... more

Walking down the steps for the first time I felt a bit overwhelmed at how busy and full it was. I was thinking to myself "oh no, I hope we can find a table for three" but my worries were put to ease when a server pointed out a table for us at the back. I didn't love the table since we were kind of tucked away from the scene and I like to people watch.

I didn't find the noise level to be too... more

A corner spot on the patio facing out to Stephens Ave, Ceasars in hand (2 at a time), burgers and wait for it... discovering that you can order deep fried pickles, not featured on any menu. Ladies and gentlemen, we have just found a Stampede nirvana.

I've been here before, for one of Wendy P's awesome CMYEs but there's a difference between the dark dungeon of the cavernous bar-lair and the... more

The friendliest servers in Calgary! We stopped in on a Saturday night and saw a really cool, fun band called "The Sunday Glow". One of the best pubs in Calgary for the atmosphere. I'll have to try the patio next time.

The Unicorn is a great place to grab a bite on Stephen Ave.

Most recently I had a Reuben sandwich at the Unicorn and was impressed by the bread and the amount of meat I was served. I was also quite happy to see that the sandwich was also provided with a jar of hot mustard that could be added to the sandwich. I had the sandwich with fries and they were crisp and tasty as well.

The staff were... more

Well hello Unicorn! I've visited you much since my last review, but haven't done an update on you yet. Are you still worth my four star rating from 2010? *drum roll* Yes you are!

One little fumble... Canada Day, I stopped in for beers with my cousin and her friend. You were out of many local beers. It was only 10am. Seems like maybe you should've ordered extra. Had that been my first visit, it... more

This is one of my favourite pubs in Calgary, it is also one of the oldest and is owned by the Canadian group The Irish Rovers.... hence the Unicorn (one of their songs). I actually just had lunch here about an hour ago and for the first time I wasn't overly excited about my burger, but every pub has it's day. I go here quite often and it's always great. I tend to sit at the bar when we go as I... more

One of my favourite pubs in Downtown Calgary. Good choice of beers on tap, although the pints are a bit pricey (nothing under $7). I like that they have Steam Whistle on tap (one of my fave beers). They have a section on the drink menu for drinks that are mostly a combination of cider and Wild Rose beers. I had the Diesel which was Big Rock Cider, Wild Rose Wraspberry, and black currant juice.... more

Last Thursday, headed into the Unicorn, after a less-than-stelar experience at Dakota's. I like the Unicorn. We were greeted as soon as we got inside...taken to a table...the day's specials were shared with us...and at that point, the host left us, also having let us know who our waitress would be.

Our waitress came by, took our order, and returned with two frosty beers. We were in for a... more

Good service, good beer, and good food. The atmosphere is laid back and made for an entertaining night out. I would definitely come back here again.

Nice Relaxed environment with reasonable beer prices. What more can one ask for.

Cold pint after work, lots of wing choices (35 cents each!) and the final game of the baseball season ... had the roasted red pepper wings (my favorite) ... highly recommended for people who like to have a pint, argue politics and eat some wings after work ..

The history of the Unicorn is surely tied to this city. Like the booms and busts, the Unicorn has had its good times and bad. I first came to the Unicorn far before I could legally drink, and I still return from time to time.

The Unicorn is like the sort of neighbourhood pub from days gone by. Nearly everything has gone on the neat little installations and themed joints catering to on clique... more

Went here last night with some friends for a bite to eat and I wasn't overly impressed. It's a basic basement pub, with a wide range of clientele. Menu looks pretty good with quite of number of options, from the usual pub foods to a couple of comfort food options (perogies & sausage, mac & cheese, and cabbage rolls). I shared the calamari with a friend, which tasted fine but definitely not the... more

I have only been here once, and it was after a long day in the sun on a Sunday and we desperately needed some food in us, and all other fast food joints were closed.

We sat in their small outdoor patio they have set up. A waitress got our drink order within 5 minutes of us sitting down. However, it did take her a while do bring us the ACTUAL food menu. It took so long, that we ended up getting... more

Less-than-mediocre food + less-than-enthusiastic service = a less-than-pleasant experience.

I seemed to know more about the daily specials than the server did.

We were there on a Thursday, so Wild Rose pints were $5, which isn't bad ... but that was probably the only good thing about the experience for me.

This pretty much sums it up:
If you can't even make a decent burger, how can you... more

Though I have only been taken here once, I noted that it is another one with that friendly 'neighbourhood pub feel'. It kind of reminds me of that old show, Cheers.
There is a dart board, pool tables (from what I remember) and of course TVs on which to watch the games.
Note: if you are a young-looking 20-something like me, make sure to bring your i.d. The waitresses are very stern about that... more

Just home from the first Calgary Yelp Community event, organized by Wendy P., and hosted at the Unicorn Pub.

This was my third visit to the Unicorn - and my third good experience! The venue holds a lot of people, and can accomodate a group easily. This was a perfect pick for Wendy's inaugural community event.

The service has been great each time I was there. Never had to wait long for drinks,... more

I have always loved the Unicorn. The legend and the true pub feel brings you out of Calgary and into a pre-prohibition style "underground" pub.

The fare is average but the atmosphere and service are tip top.

I enjoy a good night of darts, or a relaxed pint after a long day on Stephen Ave.

Truly a gem in Calgary.

It's okay. Food is good but a little pricey for the quality. Just a generic pub to go to when you need a good place to eat. Used to be better. Good looking staff! My crowd is the "other" kind that shows up here and is loud and drunk, and the business crowd can be a bit stuck up.

My first in a series of Pub reviews...

First the background. I'm downtown a lot... I like pubs... I like pints and 'pub food'... I'm presently on a mission to find a favourite. Sadly, The Unicorn isn't it. This isn't to say, however, that The Unicorn is completely without its charms.

For as long as I can remember there's been The Unicorn... I recon that it must be one of the longest standing... more

I couldn't agree more with Arinn's review calling The Unicorn "a solid standby."

You can never really go wrong with the underground pub but it will never blow your socks off. I will say for a pub with no windows or any form of daylight, you never really feel like you are sitting in a basement. The dark wood, bright tvs and usually nice staff trick your mind into thinking that maybe you are... more

A solid standby. The food is good, if a bit expensive; the crowd is pretty varied and thus not super judgemental like some hipster hangouts. Service is ok. All in all it's a good place.

Can I be honest? This place gives me the heebee jeebees.

I got dragged here a couple of times by my ex-friend (I should seen that one was coming) and I always felt uncomfortable in here.

The crowd is definitely hit or miss. Sometimes it's the business crowd from downtown Calgary, but when you get dragged here on the weekend, it's everyone else and their dog. Not literally, but it may as well... more

I've been to the Unicorn a lot over the years. It's the best place to meet in downtown Calgary. I've always tried to figure out why, but I think it is because it is one of the only places in downtown Calgary that stays open late and caters to a diverse set of interests. They've got drink specials, decent food and virgin drinks for the teetotalers. It is a great place to people watch - it isn't... more

The Unicorn is not my favourite place, but sometimes I end up here when meeting friends. There's nothing extraordinary about the place. It's just a handy place to get together for a few after work pints of beer on a Friday.

Decent pub with a great history/location.

Heralded as Calgary's "original" pub -- whatever that means, the Unicorn is a good place to snag a beer or a bite. We had breakfast there on a calm Saturday morning and everything seemed right. A few guys with hangovers were watching the soccer game and sipping on lager and others still were on dates.
The food was average, but there is a cool atmosphere to the place. It's in a basement with a... more

The Unicorn is situated on Stephen Avenue and offers more than just a relaxed atmosphere. They take reservations and offer lunch with pints to local business types during the daylight hours. Their in-house beer, Twisted Horn, is better than most others and the price is definitely right.

They have a patio, offer sections for private functions, and have full banquet facilities.

The Unicorn is a... more