The Blues Can

Bar · Banff Trail

The Blues Can

Bar · Banff Trail

1

2002 16 Ave NW, Calgary, AB T2M 0M1, Canada

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The Blues Can by null
The Blues Can by null
The Blues Can by null
The Blues Can by null
The Blues Can by null
The Blues Can by null
The Blues Can by null
The Blues Can by null
The Blues Can by null
The Blues Can by null
The Blues Can by null
The Blues Can by null
The Blues Can by null
The Blues Can by null
The Blues Can by null
The Blues Can by null
The Blues Can by null
The Blues Can by null
The Blues Can by null
The Blues Can by null
The Blues Can by null
The Blues Can by null
The Blues Can by null
The Blues Can by null
The Blues Can by null
The Blues Can by null
The Blues Can by null
The Blues Can by null
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The Blues Can by null
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Highlights

The Blues Can: a cozy Calgary joint serving up live blues jams and hearty Cajun bites like deep-fried pickles and jambalaya.  

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2002 16 Ave NW, Calgary, AB T2M 0M1, Canada Get directions

thebluescan.com
@thebluescancalgary

$$ · Menu

Reserve

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2002 16 Ave NW, Calgary, AB T2M 0M1, Canada Get directions

+1 403 262 2666
thebluescan.com
@thebluescancalgary

$$ · Menu

Reserve

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Last updated

Jul 30, 2025

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@afar

"Live Blues Accompanied by Cajun Comfort Food This live blues bar in Inglewood is known for its great music and its Cajun menu. Come for dinner and stay for the show. But if you don’t want to pay the $15-25 cover fee, then it’s best to book a table early and enjoy the deep-fried pickles with chipotle aioli and the Cajun mac ‘n’ cheese (Sylvan Star green peppercorn and cayenne gouda with cave-aged gruyère, sautéed jalapeños, and andouille sausage) before the band hits the stage at 8:00 or 9:00 p.m. Saturday brunch jams (both musical and sweet) make for a relaxing start to the weekend."

Best of Calgary
View Postcard for The Blues Can

Linda Ho

Google
A good spot to check out for local live music. The vibe is super chill and casual — perfect for a laid-back night out. It’s an awesome venue for supporting local talent and bringing music lovers together. Definitely a hidden gem in the city’s live music scene.

LAURA MAE Kijurina

Google
Went for an evening jam at this newly opened venue at this new location. Loved listening to Tom Phillips and his band. We did not eat but the menu and the food coming out looked amazing and not too expensive. Caesar's hit the spot. This place apparently was an Irish bar called Tipperary's so if not sure where it is just look for the old sign,which I imagine will disappear eventually. Hopefully on this trip I will be able to go again.

Eric Tilbrook

Google
Well, it looks like they pulled it off! A few months after being ignominiously kicked out of their Inglewood location, The Blues Can has re-opened in the North Hill, and although they've been open for less than a week, my recent visit left me very impressed. The building was never meant to be a performance venue (it was originally a White Spot restaurant if I remember correctly), and I admit when I first walked in, I was a little disconcerted to see that they had apparently just curtained off one corner of the joint to act as a stage. But when the band took the stage, it immediately became clear that management & staff knew what they were doing. The sound was clear, the levels were appropriate and balanced, and it was overall a great musical experience. The way they'd arranged the tables meant that there appeared to be great sightlines from almost anywhere in the house (except maybe the booths along the walls) and there's even room for a small dance floor in front of the band. The New Orleans-inspired food was good, the service was friendly, they have local beer on tap, and even the washrooms were well-maintained. If you're a fan of live music, check it out.

Robert McPherson

Google
Well we were only there for afternoon lunch. Cajun food, and I can't think of another place in Calgary that serves Cajun. I had the jambalaya and it had plenty of chicken sausage and shrimp. And corn bread They actually have 3 different types, meats, seafood or veggie for jambalaya. I enjoyed my meal and will be going back.

chantal belanger

Google
Vibes here are immaculate! Definitely love the upgrade to a bigger better location! The live music is as good as it is always been! Food is great and the service is great as well! I love Heather! She is an incredible server and always goes above and beyond. She's so nice!

Melanie Hankins Booth

Google
A hidden GEM in an awesome city. DO NOT MISS THIS in Calgary. Incredible staff with great hospitality. Tina is AMAZING - her attention to customer service & detail is evident in this world class entertainment venue where they make you feel like family. Great hospitality and food (even a visit to our table from the chef) and the music was incredible - Shaye Zadravec, Tom Phillips and their bands, plus Paul Kype & Texas Flood! Wish we could have gone every night of our stay! We made friends and memories there and can't wait to go back!

Dan Ell

Google
Support live music and live music will support you! I witnessed a live performance of "Dice Deluxe" recently where this band played from 7 pm onward into the night, putting on an authentic, experienced, "clinic of the blues." The heartbeat of the drums, with the "smoothest" pulse of a base guitar, a wailing saxophone, and "spectacular" blues guitar synchronized the blues story telling to its finest! Go find yourself at the new Blues Can location, as they grow carving new legacy in their new location. They keep it real, live and whole.

Susan Seal

Google
Great find. Went on Saturday night and the music was excellent. Tina and Daisha became quick friends. The hospitality was top notch, and I’m from the hospitality state. We loved it so much we went back on Tuesday night and brought friends. They loved it too.
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Clan M.

Yelp
The Blues Can is a community staple and needs a new venue. The food is authentic and expertly cooked with frogs legs and catfish being among my favourites (and also impossible to find anywhere else in Calgary). The bartenders and waitresses staff are amazing, but this is the best place in Calgary to catch a great band. I've even been here when School of Rock kids were performing and was so inspired that I put my own children into that place to learn music. Always a good time, always good food & service, a hole in the wall venue that is going to close soon & definitely needs a new home. The Blues Can needs to survive the community revitalization program - a responsible developer would simply create a new space for them (with same rents so they can survive). Hoping we find a new home for Calgary's best Blues bar!

Marcella N.

Yelp
zero stars. went on a pedal pub at 1:30pm for a bachelorette party. we came here after it was done. they refused our service. the girl behind the bar was rude and the patrons at bar were also drunk and rude. telling us to get out. they don't want our service (10 people). we were a group of 10, 35plus women in the middle of the afternoon looking to eat after. super rude to stereotype people who just went on a pedal pub and refusing to serve them.
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Johnny F.

Yelp
The definition of a well run dive bar. Small spot but they don't pump the music so loud that you can't talk. It was the only place open past 11 on a Wednesday. I will be going back for sure.

Ian B.

Yelp
Charlie Jacobson was phenomenal here few weeks ago, such talent!!! Great staff and prices
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Tonya S.

Yelp
Unbelievable live music. Cream of the crop musicians. A very eclectic ambience with exceptional service. When we are in Calgary we will come again!
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Paul G.

Yelp
Blues music bar and locals watering hole. They are open during Covid and have recorded live blues shows on the big screen, which is an excellent idea. Inexpensive beers. They have a limited menu but the specials are great. The clubhouse is to die for and is very filling. I liked the house salad too. Staff were friendly.
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Andrew K.

Yelp
The Blues Can is a must stop in Calgary. My girlfriend and I always love a good blues bar and this one has topped the list as our favorite of all time. Great music, great drinks, but even better staff. The bartender, Brad, took us out of towners in like family and made it an experience we will always remember! - Beto and Beyoncé
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Freya B.

Yelp
One of Calgary's last live music venues! Great staff! I had the ribs which were meaty melt-in-your-mouth fall off the bone flame-broiled fantastic! And a huge piece of house-made Cornbread. Too scared to try the deep-fried frog legs!!! I hear they taste like chicken...but I am not that much of a food adventurer...but good on them for maintaining a Louisiana home-style cajun food experience... going to try the Cajun Mac & Cheese next time. And to finish up dinner with a Grammy award-winning performer was the best way to end the 2108 holidaze! Thanks Blues Can for keeping it real! Looking forward to seeing future performances!
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Jamie D.

Yelp
I've only been here half an hour, and I've got enough to leave a review. Order the Cajun Mac with Andoulli sausage, it was so good. Cornbread a hair dry, don't care, tasted right. Not over sweet like most. Chris, my bartender is friendly. Not a huge selection of booze, but enough to get the job done. Now I'm gonna finish this up and put my phone away, because this band, The Flat Whites, deserves every ounce of my attention. Phenomenal!
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Marton B.

Yelp
-----Food----- GIANT Portions! Like WOW I had the most massive pulled pork sandwich I've ever seen. I would have loved to try the catfish but they were out. I wish they had a larger selection of food. The menu was very limited -----Condition----- Old, and a bit dingy... like a blues can -----Service----- Friendly -----Cosmetics----- Very interesting blues atmosphere. 4 stars for the unique feel, if the menu had more variety and the lighting was better I would give it 5 -----Accessibility----- Parking lot and street parking
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Wendy P.

Yelp
When a show down the street is advertising tickets for $25 and you're not really in the mood to spend $25 on a show, give the Blues Can a call. That's what I did, and I ended up with a fun Rockabilly band to watch for free. The Blues Can is now where the Ironwood used to be. It's got a smaller stage up front (room for about a three piece band) and some space for a dance floor. If you're there to see the band, sit up front. If you're there for atmosphere but want to attempt conversation, sit at the back. It gets loud. The menu is a variety of Southern-style food, much like what you'd find at Mikey's. All I ordered last night were the wings, being that it was Rockabilly Wing Wednesday. 25 cent wings works for me! I tried a new flavour, hot mustard. They were alright, but tasted a lot like dijon mustard, which I'm not a fan of in the first place. Our server last night was Chantal. As far as I could tell, she was the only server on. I don't think she ever actually stopped moving. She came around several times to make sure we were doing alright. Even while the band was playing, she'd stop and give us a questioning like with a thumbs up sign as a way of checking in. Thanks Chantal! The other fun bit was watching some of the other patrons gettin' up to bust a move or two on the dance floor. I'm not sure if they came as friends of the band, or just as regular patrons of the bar, but it was great to see other ppl gettin' into the music! So, the next time you're bored and looking for something to do on a Wednesday, might I suggest you give The Blues Can a shot?
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Dale E.

Yelp
So blues it's red hot! In what appears to be an old airplane hangar along the 9th Avenue strip in Inglewood lives some of the best Calgary blues served up raw and real! The patrons are as colourful and diverse as Inglewood itself, all brought together with through the same language - The Blues. Simple layout that's all about the music - One room, a bar and a stage. The interior is very dark, decorated with pictures of blues greats and posters showcasing upcoming acts. The curved hangar style walls and give it both an intimate and cave-like feel. Don't ask me how those two things work together, but they do! Blues, beer, and Cajun BBQ - yum! Deep fried pickles, blackened catfish, po'boys and Jambalaya. I've been trying to eat my way through their menu, and have been really impressed along the way! They also seem to be open later than most Inglewood bars! I've wandered over here on many occasions after getting booted from "other" Inglewood bars that shut down right when the show is over.

Shania B.

Yelp
This place is a fun little live music venue and a fairly no-frills place. It was expectedly busy when I went for a friend's birthday, so it is a bit tight on space (this is not an issue for me though). I ordered the "Montreal Smoked Meat Po'" and while it was not a po boy at all, it was arguably the best Reuben I have had in Calgary: these were not Safeway deli cuts, but the real deal. The side red-skinned potato salad was also incredible! I was here the night the Scott Ellison band was playing, and this act definitely lived up to being bluesy. There was a mix of younger adults and older patrons. The only thing I found disappointing is that I was one of the only "younger" people going to dance. I will be back here!
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Kelly T.

Yelp
The Blues Can is a fun and unique place to enjoy live music. I was there on a Wednesday night and the place was pretty full; I take it there are a lot of regulars. Wings are on special $4.50/lb and the lemon pepper and Louisiana BBQ are both quite nice. The deep fried pickles are delicious and highly recommended. The blackened catfish was good but a tad too blackened as I would've liked to taste the fish a bit more. The sweet potato fries are crispy but I'd pass on the coleslaw as it was quite bland. The cornbread was quite good with a hint of sweetness. The po boys are huge and the portions here are generally quite big so you won't go hungry. They also have a gluten free menu for those with dietary restrictions. I'd be happy to return.
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Daryl M.

Yelp
Great music. Also hilarious comedy first Wednesday of the month @cancancomedy Had the jambalaya. Very good. Just the right amount of spice. Yolanda was very friendly server.
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Julian L.

Yelp
I just read some negative reviews so I can't really comment on the food quality as all we did was have a quick drink, we just moved from Toronto and everyone I asked about whether Calgary Has an open mike scene this is the only place they knew.......I have a 15-year-old who has been playing guitars in restaurants for five years so since this was the only place we knew as I was very glad to see that sure enough they do have a very healthy and talented open mic situation once a week... Even though we were here on a Thanksgiving holiday the place was packed and there was only three seats left in the whole restaurant when we arrived which was perfect timing for us as we are three. The waitress was very nice and I met Bill who is running the open mic and coincidentally it turns out we know the same people in Toronto. We will definitely return when my son has his ax with him and play a few tunes. Also I noticed that once a month school of rock is there with only kids on the stage so that will definitely be fun PS If you are looking for a restaurant locally; Whatever you do, NEVER go to the Calgary restaurant The Guild. The insane manager literally called the police and tried to put me "under citizens arrest" for accidentally knocking over a glass of wine- see my full review here https://www.yelp.ca/biz/the-guild-calgary
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Miranda C.

Yelp
Do you enjoy the blues? Go here! Live music 7 days a week- coming from Tennessee, this place is my jam. I love this joint for live music, a beverage, and genuine, no fuss service. I haven't eaten here...yet!
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Richard P.

Yelp
Music was great, atmosphere tremendous, burger and beer special fantastic. Cajun wings deplorable.... We will Go again but avoid those wings!
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Steve L.

Yelp
This place always has great music great atmosphere and great service. We've been back a few times in a row is been very impressed with the quality of everything in a very old facility. Feels pretty authentic and we always make a point of going to this spot every time were in Calgary!
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Heather K.

Yelp
There was no music on the night that we went so I have no idea what this place is like as a bar. I am in Calgary on business and just wanted a place that was decent. We came based on yelp reviews and was horribly disappointed. From the moment we walked in I should have known it was going to be bad. While it was decently busy for being a bit early for dinner (6ish) it took several minutes to catch the waitresses attention to ask if we could sit wherever. When she came to the table she only brought one menu for two people. Apologized for it but then never came back with a 2nd menu. When she brought the appetizer (fried pickles - they were good) she again brought only a single plate (there were two of us). I ordered the Mac & Cheese and my coworker ordered the Jambalaya. The mac & cheese was not very cheesy at all and whatever sausage they used was most definitely NOT andouille. His Jambalaya was pretty sad. The rice was way overcooked and just in a tomato sauce. There was no cajun seasoning at all. I don't know what kind of meats were supposed to be in it, but it was pretty fishy. Our waitress stopped by while eating to let us know she was going off shift and needed to check us out. When she came back with the credit card machine she brought her car keys but not a pen to sign the receipt. I genuinely don't understand the good reviews on the food here. It definitely looks like it might be a good place for drinks and music, but DO NOT eat here. ********* Updated 04/25/2014 ********* Both of us ended up getting sick from the food.
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glenn d.

Yelp
A group of us (20+) went to The Blues Can in Inglewood on April 21 to see One Eyed Cat; just a great sounding fun band of three playing hard and dazzling the place all night. A summary of our feelings: Hey, that seemed to turn out well. The Blues Can had a nice set of table front & center for us and and an amazing server (Thanks, Diane --you busted your tail for us!) . The band was very good, and kept people dancing from the middle of the first set on. A hardy 3 of us made it to the middle of the 4th set when we had to go (at a quarter to one). Cross Eyed Cat are back on May 26. See you then!
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Carla B.

Yelp
Love blues, service okay but best Natchos ever!! Hated frog legs very bland, drinks average.
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Yale G.

Yelp
The Blues can is a true Blues bar. They feature some of the best Blues in North America. The staff and building have lots of character. The food is great bar food always consistent
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Crystal W.

Yelp
I like the atmosphere and decor, but a $15 cover charge on a Thursday night seems excessive. I thought I saw people walk in later who weren't approached about paying. This process was a bit awkward. A guy walked up to us out of nowhere and asked for our payment. He looked like a patron. I'd say they could put a more formal system in place. Apparently the cover charge was $20 an hour prior to our arrival. The band was good but if the cover was jacked up because of Valentine's Day, I wouldn't humor this again. Our server appeared indifferent, which was a little disappointing because the rest of the room was pretty high energy. My spouse and I had one drink each and no food, but someone nearby ordered nachos and we both stared at what looked to be a giant mound of greasy deliciousness. Between the service and the cover charge thing, I'm not as excited to return as I'd hoped I would be.
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Jenn S.

Yelp
If you don't like getting yelled at by a crazy owner then this is not the place for you!! My husband and I have been going to this bar for years to see live music but mainly to watch Donald Ray Johnson. Last Saturday we had reservations to see him perform with 4 friends. At the last minute 2 friends could not make it so I called and left a message to let them know. I worked in the industry for 17 years with one of them being a busy bar on 17 Ave during the Flames '04 run for the cup so I always make sure to let a place know so the seats don't remain empty instead of generating revenue. When we got there I let them know too and they said tickets were non-refundable. I let them know I called but that's okay and then asked if we could let people who didn't have tickets sit with us so they could watch the musician too. The employee at the door said yes. Fast forward 2 minutes later. We had just sat down and a lady comes up to our table and starts yelling at us telling us we were harassing her employee. I asked her to calm down and talk to us about what she was so upset about and that we had asked her a question and she obviously had a misunderstanding. She would not calm down so I calmly let her know what we had asked the employee and what her response was. I let her know we love watching Don and just wanted 2 people to get the opportunity to see him too and that we had been coming here many years to do so. She then said "I don't know you!" I said why would you? We come here to see musicians not bar owners!? I told her I've worked in the industry so I understand how it works and only wanted to make sure the seats were used so the business and server could generate more revenue. To which see replied "Then you know you stick up for your staff." At this point our table knew to stop talking to her because she was clearly seeing red and you can't have an adult/civil conversation with crazy. Then she told us "We have one chance and she's watching us!"??? I'm so glad my friend had the inclination to start recording the incident but unfortunately he didn't get the first 2 minutes which were the worst as she was just yelling and we were all speechless in disbelief of what was going on but we do have the proof to show we did nothing wrong. After this the server came over to ask us for our drink order and we said we're not sure we can stay after what just happened and told her what happened. She let us know she does that all the time to other customers AND especially her EMPLOYEES. We decided we did not want to stay and give this business our money after being verbally harassed. My husband went over to the bar owner to let her know he was not impressed with her assault and we were leaving. Her excuse for her behaviour was that it was a high stress time and she would buy us a round. He declined. She gave him back the full price of the tickets and we took our business to the Hose and Hound. I'm very saddened by the events that took place at the Blues Can. We have been supporting local music venues for years throughout Calgary and to know many of them have closed and are closing is sad to see so I'm hoping this bar owner stops harassing her customers to the point they can no longer stay open. We will not be returning to the Blues Can as long as the owner is there as we do not support verbal abuse of customers or employees. We will head to Mikey's on 12th from now on to watch Donald Ray Johnson.
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Pete H.

Yelp
I was taken here by some friends during the blues festival. My friends ordered food right away but I waited. When they got their food, not one of them finished their plates. Grease was dripping off the fish and the fries looked like the grease was years old. I decided to pass on the culinary experience. I would have been happy to drink and enjoy the show but the middle aged waitress spent more time chatting by the kitchen window than she did serving and in the two hours I was there I was only served one drink. I would have gone to the bar myself, but I had a cast on my foot and was getting grumpy. The blues players were just ok. As I understand it, the best players had legitimate gigs during the festival, so the jam players were the second string. I've been to a lot of blues bars in my time, and this was the least enjoyable of them.
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Jenny C.

Yelp
I love this place, it's quaint, homely and very welcoming to all types of people. The live music is what brings me back every Wednesday, if you haven't had a chance to hear a performance yet do check it out! I finally got around to actually having some food instead of drinking like a fish, and wow the Cajun Mac and Cheese is something magical. It's their number one dish for a reason! If you're going to come here you best believe that's what you are ordering. Friendly staff, spectacular music (you'd enjoy it even if you aren't a fan of jazz/blues) and authentic Southern cuisine. This joint definitely deserves 5 stars from me.
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Jen G.

Yelp
Blues Can is just down the street from my place and it always looked a little questionable at best when driving by. Probably for no other reason than the unpolished smokers huddled around the door. My dad was the one who asked me to go there with me, so I took him up on the offer to check out what it was like inside. Very simple and relaxed interior. No frills here, making it a great hangout spot any night of the week. The Blues Can just re-did their menu bringing in MORE Cajun deliciousness including an improved rib recipe, batter for deep fried pickles and in-house made corn bread that is to DIE for. Prices are fair because the food is so delicious. On April 2nd, they are opening for both lunch and take out, adding a steak sandwich for under $10. This I gotta try! Bar and wait staff are so incredibly real: friendly, sarcastic, helpful, and all around great people, which is one of the reasons that brings me back time and time again. The music is great. I have no complaints about the cover charge to see live music in this city. Sometimes you have to give and take, and Blues Can is completely worth it.
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Kali R.

Yelp
I went for a beer with a friend last night and had a riot. The music was decent, though I wish it was more...bluesy. The bartenders were AWESOME, really friendly and fun but not sleazy. I ordered the Mac & Cheese and WOW. If you love cheese, you're gonna love this. It's a really big portion though - fit to share a bowl for 2 people. Very yummy! But you know, I did order Mac & Cheese...so my expectations were low. I also tried their fried pickles, which were very good. Food was very fresh. I was told that The Blues Can was a bit divey, but as a dive connaisseur, I didn't find it very divey at all! Casual, yes, but not divey. The drinks were good and my night was inexpensive, so more points for them.Fair warning: if you want to start a tab, they hang onto your card. I don't mind in the least, but some of you might. I left off one star because the cook was a little...aggressive...at flirting with me and sometimes it seemed like a "pick up" place, which I'm not into. Also, I happened to go on a beer launch night so I want to go back and see what it's like on a regular evening. I'll absolutely be back soon, though!
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Sasha W.

Yelp
I love this place. An institution. Great service for being so packed regularly. It's great on a weekend, evening or afternoon. Love to ride here on my motorcycle and stop in for a beer and some tunes in the summer afternoon. Food? Well, I can't eat much but I've heard it's pretty good. Smells good anyway. Keep on grooving Blues Can....you rock.
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Darcy P.

Yelp
Starving and heading into the core at 7 to see an 8 o'clock concert at the Dome, decided to stop in at the Blues Can for a quick bite and a beer. Still early for this place to get busy, just mostly the regulars at this time, so no trouble finding a table on this Friday evening in November. We were greeted right away and got our beverages and ordered right away. As promised the food came quick as we were on a timeline. Good food, I had the pulled pork Po' Boy and M had the blackened catfish Po' Boy. The only complaint was that the bun was not toasted and as a result was a bit doughy. Maybe it's not meant to be toasted? I was fine with it, will definitely be back, great place to grab a beer, and I hear the bands that play this venue make it a great night out. Next time we'll try and stick around a little later and catch some of the live music.
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Cory R.

Yelp
The Blues Can is a real neat "idea" but the execution may be less than awesome. Since the closure of The Eddy, there has been a void of a purely blues venue in Calgary. The Blues Can claims to fill the void, but only partially delivers. The Blues Can makes some of the same old mistakes that countless lame Calgary bars / wanna be music venues make. Overcharging for drinks after happy hour is one. Juuuuust bloody well have at least one thing every night thats $3.50 or $4.00. Maybe become famous for $4 cans of Canadian all the time or something. Also, an exorbitant cover charge gets boring. Charge $5 and book local acts who dont demand high guarantees but sound the same or better as the "well known" stuff, which is often generic crap anyway (Bill Dowey for example). Then..... once in a while charge $12 or $15 for someone whos ACTUALLY well known? DO you know what you could have charged for tickets if YOU had Johnny WInter when he came thru town last month?? A fortune if you had your act together man! :) On one of my visits to the Blues Can, I nearly cried because there were no blues at all! Instead some kind of semi-basement-wannaa-be-pro "HEavy Metal Jam Night". Hahahah! There was no one there except the members of the "bands" LOL. Do some research, and you will find that pretty much every jam night thing in town is a fail, including this one :) There ARE good things about The BLues Can though. The chef / cook is AWESOME and scratch makes some wicked grub. The menu is overpriced, especially for a blues bar. When the hell did a blues bar become a cartoon mockery of itself catering to suit and tie people instead of the depressed working class !!?? SO to summarise, I am on the fence about The Blues Can. I HOPE it fixes itself and becomes a success, calgary needs a blues venue!
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Kevin T.

Yelp
Great bar in Inglewood, music 7 days a week, music always great. Good beer options on draft, "Pabst Blue Ribbon" friendly staff. I have never tried the food. Hangout here once a month, my favourite hangout.
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Liz R.

Yelp
Went to the blues can on a monday night to watch a friend propose to his girlfriend. (She said yes!). I was starving even though I had worked at the restaurant all day. When I looked at the menu it reminded me of Cajun Charlies when it was still around, a lot of new orleans and cajun influences. Im not one of those people who handle spice well but i decided to try the Mac and Cheese. I loved it. It was just spicy enough that i could still eat the pasta without dying. The best part was the cornbread.. sweet with a hit of a kick not to crumbly or overly moist.. cornbread the way its supposed to be. I love going to the blues can to listen to their live music and the great staff... will return hopefully before the end of the year, but as christmas dawns on the restaurant industry.. well you know the rest.
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Kyleigh K.

Yelp
Went on an event night and it was awesome!! Just went for dinner but ended up staying for 4 hours be side of the upbeat atmosphere and wicked entertainment. Food was delicious, would definitely recommend to Everyone I know. Looking forward to going back!
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Mike M.

Yelp
Came in on a Saturday afternoon, and the place was rocking with live music and people hitting the [improvised] dance floor. Nice selection of beers on tap and in a can, priced right. Can't say anything bad about this place, look forward to coming back to catch more live music.

Lana T.

Yelp
Great music and absolutely mouth watering food. The atmosphere and clientele make this place even more interesting. Eclectic for sure.
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Scott G.

Yelp
Worst experience ever. I am sure the regulars love the food and the music. We dropped in for dinner were forgotten and berated for asking to order after 30 minutes of waiting. Good luck to the drop in.

Jeremiah A.

Yelp
My brother and I went for dinner here. It wasn't too busy, but we waited for for 5 minutes before getting up to get our own menus from the bar. When we sat back down a waitress asked how long we were there and expressed that she was sorry we had to wait. 10 minutes later we were still sitting there and no one had even come to our table. So we left.
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Wayne R.

Yelp
Great atmosphere, great band tonight (Poppa Dawg) and a great kitchen. Excellent Crab Cakes
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Joan C.

Yelp
I loved the atmosphere very laid back, great music playing in the background. I thought the acoustics were pretty rough when the Live band were playing, although I did find them to be pretty good. It really is a "can" though acoustically, ,so if you're looking for smooth sound I'd go somewhere else.

Sam M.

Yelp
This place is a bloody s**t hole. Ive been in there three times and everytime i went in there to have a few drinks i felt gross, disgusting, like i crawled into a garbage can. I used the washroom (which is absolutly disgusting) went to go and flush the toilet, well dont ya know, the handle fell off. Only plus side they had nice smelling hand soap. The service was shit. The drinks were disgusting, i had a paralizer and it tasted like it was watered down, Not made right at all. Even the rum and cokes....disgusting. this place is the kind of place that you go to as the last stop of the night when your way to wasted to even care.

Saoirse M.

Yelp
I visited The Blues Can recently on a Wednesday evening. While the venue itself is just dandy - spartan, but clean and welcoming - it was the food and the service that warranted a two star rating. Firstly, the service was unreasonably slow. I have sympathy and patience for servers that run their buns off in a venue that is crowded - but this certainly was not the case with our server. She was quite simply inattentive. We had to request menus - for which we waited over 10 minutes, and ended up borrowing from a neighbouring table. Once our drinks were ordered, it was again upwards of 10 minutes (for EVERY round). Once our food was ready, it sat at the kitchen window and cooled while our server passed by at least three times and did not bring it to our table. All in all, terrible service (though, to be fair, our server was very friendly). Secondly, the food. Our table shared the blackened catfish po'boy, and the rice & beans. The rice & beans was simply delicious and seasoned to perfection, though we had two (yes, no joke, TWO!) crumbles of sausage on the plate. The blackened catfish was downright inedible - way over salted to the point that we couldn't eat it. As for the The Blues Can as a music venue - its a fun place!! There's a good mix of table sizes, and given in the intimacy of the space, I don't think there's a bad seat in the house. The crowd was varied - every age, shape and size - but all seemed friendly and intent on enjoying a good night of Rockabilly music! As I mentioned earlier, the space is spartan, but definitely does not classify as a "dive". The Blues Can is clean and casual - exactly what I'm after for week night/weekend live music. THE BOTTOM LINE: All in all, I will be giving The Blues Can additional opportunity to redeem itself. I believe in supporting local businesses, and as another reviewer put it, Calgary needs a good blues venue. I believe The Blues Can is onto something with the creole/southern themed menu, and I would love to see it take off. Stay tuned ...

Danny S.

Yelp
Love the can. It's a classic blues dive bar with colorful friendly people. Don't come here expecting fine dining. Blues booze and good bar food. Expect that and your all good.
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Mia T.

Yelp
Stopped by the Blues Can after a show for Fringe Festival. It had the windows wide open. You could hear the band playin and people having a good time. Paid $10 for cover to get in. The band was awesome, you could tell they were really into what they were playing. The service was good. Had the chicken nachos, which came with a BBQ sauce on it.... So good the sauce wasnt overwhelming or too sweet. Cant say i liked the salsa, tasted cheap and was runny. Everyone has to try the sweet potato pie. It sounded gross, but turned out to be so delicious, like our server told us it would be. It tastes like a lighter version of pumpkin pie, and comes with a ginormous heap of whip cream. The best part was all the folks on the dance floor. One couple, probably the oldest in the room, barely say down the whole evening. Their stamina was incredible, and their enjoyment was contagious. I would definately go back, maybe with more people, as they can accommodate larger groups (6-10). I'd also like to try some other items of the menu. This would be fun place if you were wanting to take a date somewhere a bit different.
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Stephanie S.

Yelp
Really fun, cool little place! My boyfriend and I were running errands downtown and were invited here for a beer. Neither of us had ever heard of it, and I was expecting a simple pub in Inglewood. As soon as we parked out back and heard the live band, I knew it wasn't just a simple pub! The place was PACKED. People were crammed into the little tables, up at the bar, and standing against walls near the door. There was a decent band playing, with a hipster-cool grandpa fronting and jamming out on his electric guitar. We ordered a round and settled in to enjoy the music, and I checked out the Yelp reviews, which were favourable. Didn't surprise me, the place was happenin' on a Saturday at 2pm, I would love to check it out on a Friday or Saturday night. We didn't order food, but everything that passed by us looked delicious. I noticed the flyers above the bar advertising their nightly specials, which all looked pretty neat. I'll be back, this place seems awesome!