Scotsman’s Well Pub

My husband was referred to this pub by his shuttle driver for Shaganappi GMC. So we gave it a try twice now. It’s located in a strip mall in the NW of the city north of Stoney. As soon as you walk in you realize how big it is and how nicely done up it is. Bar is in the middle as soon as you walk in the door, décor is what you’d expect of an British setting bar. Lots of tables and booths, two pool tables and plenty of TV’s.
The menu is generous with lots to choose from. We each had a drink and some food. I had the Angry Scot burger with lager fries and it was fantastic! I recommend the lagers as they are nice and thinly sliced and crisp! Not like some I’ve had at other places which have been soggy with oil because they are too thick. My husband had the Guinness stew, it was a very good size helping indeed. Large mashed taters topped the stew and fresh cooked veggies on the side with 4 mini yorkies. Come hungry.
On our second visit with friends, we had the sharable appetizer, pricey at $ 40 but was sure good! The wings were nice and crisp and not greasy, the pork ribs also nice and not over dry and seasoned well. Calamari was good, lagers and the potato skins were decent. It came with 4 different dips which was nice. I had the truffled mac and cheese which was very fragrant with truffles. Only thing I didn’t like about it was how much sauce was on it and how much oil was in the pasta. Our husbands had the rib special which were great as none got left over!!! My girlfriend had the meat calzone. Warning when they say a pizza folded in half… they mean it!!!
Another warning… the dessert trio is huge!!! We thought it would just be a sampling of three desserts like most places, this place is not like most. When it came out is was huge, a huge piece of the coffee mud pie, some shortbread cake with vanilla ice cream and a whole lava fudge cake!!! OMG!!! So good but we where so full!!!

Good little neighborhood pub. Great selection of beers and the menu isn’t to bad either. Perfect place to stop by on the way home from a long day at work or just to hook up with some friends over a few pints.

Good service overall, good veer selection and fantastic steak sandwiches. My wife and I recently had a baby and I’ll be doing take out for the s. sandwiches until we can find a babysitter! Great food, pleasant staff and good clientèle.

This is really a tale of two experiences. I had fantastic service as well as a great food recommendation from a server, who had worked there for about 10 days, she told me. She made sure my glass was never empty, and even made small talk if she was just passing by. Jenna was her name, and I hope she stays for a while, although I’ll guess she’ll move on to something better because she seemed bright and ambitious. As her shift ended, she came to me and asked if I’d like to transfer to the next girl. I said no, because she was great, I wanted to have my tip benefit the girl who deserved it. But to pass on that I would be staying for a while yet. Because I was close to the bar, I overheard the conversation that I would be staying. And that I’d like another drink once I finished my current one.
So what happened? The new waitress walked past my empty glass no fewer than five times without once even looking at me, let alone asking if I’d like another drink. I wanted so much to like this place, but if someone is outright told I’ll want more to drink, and I’m ignored, I either wasn’t deemed to be worth her time, or I was resented because I paid up earlier. Either one are inexcusable to me.

Pros: I like the laid back atmosphere here, and their «pay what you want» comedy night on Tuesday’s is a lot of fun. The drink specials are decent.
Con: I’ll admit that I have seen some real lacking meals come out of that kitchen. I mean nooooo love at all. My boyfriend’s $ 17 steak sandwich was burnt meat on top of a burnt bun once, and there are a few other flops I can remember.
I’ve had average/​good wings and quesadillas a few times (and I like their fries), hence the 3 stars.
New: 5 stars for their pizza! $ 8 on Tuesday nights and usually super delicious but… be careful! One of their cooks takes your topping requests WAY too seriously! Just because I want onions on my pizza, doesn’t mean I want an ONION pizza. When I asked for onions once there was about an inch of onions under my cheese. No kidding it was wild. Who would ever want to eat that?! Another time I asked if they could sprinkle some oregano & basil on top and I got a pizza with an INCH of dry spices under my cheese LOL. Everyone at my table laughed, you could honestly take a bite of pizza and blow out dried spices like confetti!

I recently moved up to this area and have been searching to find my new favorite pub. Scotsman’s Well quickly took first place. The server we had was super friendly, and actually recommended other pubs/​bars around the area to try out. The food was pretty good for pub food, especially compared to what I have tried at other pubs in the area. The pizza special and the calamari weren’t anything amazing, but the burger I had was delicious. It was called the Angry Scot and I would definitely order it again. My fiancé had the meatloaf special which he said was awesome. There was a decent selection of draught beers, and drink/​food specials every day. The pub itself was quite large, clean and comfortable. The tables are large and accommodating to big groups. They had the flames game on with sound, and plenty of TVs so I imagine watching sports here would be awesome.
All in all, I will definitely be going back to the Scotsman’s Well. The crowd was good, the atmosphere was fun, and the food was great for pub food.

Keeping in mind that this is a neighbourhood pub and not fine dining, Scotsman’s Well does it up right… cozy décor, a ton of TVs for the sports fan, an extensive menu, tasty food and a hard-​working staff make this pub a must if you happen to be in the ‘hood.

Our favourite neighbourhood getaway. Service is typically great! Tonight we had a lovely server who was efficient, intuitive and checked on us at all the right times. I haven’t seen her befor
Good music, large enough to accommodate bigger gatherings, pool table, VLT’s and a patio for those nice summer evenings.
The food is good! I mean, it is pub food so don’t expect to be raving for months about it but it is damn good pub food. Throw in a beer with some of those Lagers and the calamari and you shall feel quite satisfied.

Customer service awesome. Pizza was burnt they gave me a free beer when they came to explain why the pizza was taking so long. The pizza was absolutely amazing. i’ll definitely go back, despite their limited exotic beer selection.

This is our neighbourhood pub, and we’re regular patrons. The staff is friendly and warm. The food is excellent, with a wide variety and daily specials. Their pizza and burgers are my favourite items, and they have Kronenbourg 1664 Blanc on tap!

Vegetable quesadilla came with bacon, cheese, mushrooms and tomatoes… wtf? Server addressed the situation professionally but the mistake in the kitchen was brutal.

Food was great. I had a chicken burger and it was amazing. The food gets a little messy but they have great napkins.
Service was slow…

This is our neighborhood watering hole so we come here pretty frequently. They have daily food and drink specials, I think we’ve actually managed to try all the food specials in the years we’ve been coming here — dry ribs, wings, pizza, burgers, etc.
There’s a lot of TVs surrounding the seating area, and they’ve planned it out that no matter where you sit you can manage to see a TV — a bonus when it’s game night and it’s super busy.
I think the only downside to this place is that it doesn’t have a patio. They have a separate area for a private room (which I’ve only seen it been used for corporate Christmas parties and that’s pretty much it) and then a section with pool tables and some arcade games — which again stays empty when people are there to watch some sporting event because they want to sit at a table and eat.

It makes me sad to think others have had such a disappointing experience here. My spouse and I stopped in for the first time a few days ago and neither one of us could say anything negative about it.
I love the décor and even though the pub is about 5yrs old, it still feels new without being pretentious. I was thrilled to walk into a very clean, spacious, well lit and warm ladies restroom. The pub was busy but not too loud and is not bombarded by TV’s. Our server was friendly and bubbly. Our food orders arrived quickly and we thought the prices and quantities were very reasonable. We tried the garlic cheese toast which was light and delicious. I wasn’t expecting bread with herbs but it was very good. My spouse had the fish and chips. One piece was enough for his big appetite and although he thought the batter was a bit salty, he really enjoyed the meal. We both were surprised and impressed that he wasn’t charged for a side of mayo. I had the Cajun Jambalaya which was an interesting mix of ingredients but really tasty and packed with some heat. I couldn’t finish my meal so asked for the remainder to go. It was accidentally thrown out by someone else in the kitchen so our server apologized and ordered me an entirely new Jambalaya order to take home. I thought that was pretty generous considering I only had about ¼ of my original entrée left.
I hope this experience wasn’t a one-​off and others can enjoy Scotsman’s Well as much as we did. If you haven’t been here before, don’t let the poor reviews stop you from giving it a chance.

Stopped in to meet a friend for drinks but she had to bail, some emergency with her little girl, either way I found this place pretty cool, granted I didn’t have anything to eat but the Caesar I had was quite good. Meh, can’t really screw up a Caesar though!
Some friendly banter, some obvious regulars, and rich mahogany wood work everywhere totally reminded me of the Cheers bar, a place where everybody knows your name.
Will come by again, hopefully with some friends! Clint, the owner was super nice, it was slow, we spoke briefly and I was on my way.
Great neighbourhood pub, pretty clean and spacious, great for a party and nicely located in the Northern Hills!

Review #2 of Unilocal’s 30 Day Challenge 2012.
Food: ²⁄₅
Service: ¹⁄₅
Ambiance: ³⁄₅
Overall experience: ²⁄₅
(1– Terrible; 3– decent; 5– Fantastic)
Scotsman’s Well Pub is like any other European-​esque watering hole you will find in Calgary. I thought the place was drab, but it was still bustling as people sipped on their beers whilst watching sports highlights or playing pool in the back corner. The bar is very spacious and can accommodate for large group parties.
Their domestic and premium draft beer selection is what you would typically find at a bar and is fairly pricey at about $ 6.50 for a pint. One highlight is that they have drink specials everyday with happy hour pricing all night long.
The menu consists of your typical pub fair such as nachos and wings; sandwiches and pastas at around $ 15/​dish; entrees like steak and ribs; and expensive thick crust pizzas starting at ~$ 12 for an 8inch. I do appreciate their «Chef’s Feature» section with homemade feature dishes.
I ordered their:
— Scottish Mussels starter with garlic, white wine, butter, rose sauce, and sourdough crostinis ($ 12). There were a lot of mussels, but they were fairly small, slightly overcooked and grimy. The sauce was really salty and the crostinis were rock solid.
— My friend ordered their 7oz Sirloin ($ 16) which came with a choice of two sides (soup, salad, fries, mashed potatoes, or vegetables). There was a mound of mashed potatoes, but the accompanying cream of chicken soup was so watered down it was like drinking coffee creamer. We both found his steak to be mediocre.
— For something filling, I suggest a burger ($ 12.50-$ 15) which comes with a thick patty or a large pizza to share with a few people. If you’re a real meat-​lover I recommend getting the «Lover of Meat» pizza ($ 15.50/8in; $ 23/​10in; $ 30/​13in) which is a Chicago deep dish styled pizza with a thick layer of Salami, Pepperoni, bacon, spicy beef, sausage, ham. One slice is a meal in itself!
— Served in a skillet, the poutine is good with crispy fries and tons of melted cheese.
The service was TERRIBLE which is mostly why I give this place a 1 star. I don’t know if our waitress was new or just rude in general, but when she went to set down a beer, she splashed some of it onto a guest in our group. She didn’t even say sorry; she just quickly ran off and didn’t come back for another 15 minutes. Our water glasses were empty and our waitress was MIA for an hour before she took our dishes away.
All in all, nothing stands out about Scotsman’s Well Pub. It’s one of those local pubs where you would go to get a casual beer because there is nothing else around.

My parents live really close to this pub, but never checked it out. With my fiancé’s and my influence, we ventured here for an after dinner drink. The first thing to point out is that the outside of this pub does not do it justice. It’s located in a strip mall in a huge shopping complex. The perk though is that Scotsman’s Well has plenty of parking (which is great if you have a designated driver!).
When you walk inside, Scotsman’s Well has the perfect pub vibe. It has plenty of seating, with the bar located in the center. There are also plenty of TV’s everywhere showing a variety of sports. It was cool to be able to watch the nascar race and the UFC fight at the same time. On that note, if you don’t want to pay $ 10+ to watch a UFC match at a bar, watch it here to save the cash.
As for prices, it’s a little bit more expensive than you’d expect at a standard pub. However, they have a fantastic selection of beer and spirits. We didn’t have any food, but the food listed in the menu is what you’d expect at a pub. My parents were really happy with their mixed drinks, and my fiancé and I always enjoy trying new beers.
As for service, our server was very friendly and attentive. She was chatty and quick with refills. I will mention that it was quiet on the Saturday evening we were there, so this might be a different story if you come after work hours during the week.
Overall, if you’re in the area, definitely check out this pub. I’ll definitely be back when I come and visit my parents again in Calgary.

Went back today for another meeting… Fantastic! Had the special again today which was a chicken quesadilla (huge chucks of chicken and really good quality cheddar!) and the buffalo dip that came with it was very good as was the caesar salad. The salad was crisp and cool, bite sized and not over-​dressed.
My friend ordered the beef stew and she really loved it. The portion size was very large and we both had doggy bags to take home. The pub was busier today being a Friday but still very laid back and pub-​like with a good late afternoon vibe.
Service was spot on.
BUT
I had a vodka/​tonic and trust me, for $ 1.50 more, ask for the «good» vodka to make a better drink. Otherwise you can close your eyes and imagine you are in Las Vegas drinking bad alcohol. A good tip I would say as there is nothing worse than bad vodka.

As my neighbourhood pub I frequent it fairly regularly and often enjoy myself here. I was there about 2 weeks ago and enjoyed myself. We usually go after a ball game or for a quick drink and chat. I like the nachos, quesadilla and poutine, but bare in mind that it is typical pub food and nothing spectacular.
It’s clean with an old Irish pub ambience. Last ball season they had a piano man singing Lady Gaga. It was quite entertaining. There’s usually a game on the TVs.
We have servers that we prefer and try to sit in their section if it’s not full and if they are working. Not all the staff are as friendly as others. I’ve never had horrible service, but at times I’ve felt like an inconvenience.
Would I go back? For sure… as long as I live in the hood.

This place is kind of interesting tucked away in the corner of a strip mall in Kincora. I would have never gone to this place if one of my friends didn’t go there often. Boy, was I happy they suggested it.
The place is extremely large and has tons of seating, both booth and table. The ceilings are high which means you don’t have that cramped, caved-​in feeling. The bar is conveniently located so that it’s never too far of a walk.
The prices at Scotsman’s Well are pretty much what I expected. It’s the typical pub prices for food and drinks, but with specials on different nights. I wouldn’t say that it was a super awesome deal, but I also wouldn’t go as far as to say we were being ripped off. It was just right.
Another great thing about this place is the pool tables. They have a couple so that a few different groups can enjoy a game at the same time. There are TV’s around the place playing whichever sports game is on at the time. I never really care, but it’s nice to have something to direct your attention to when there’s a lull in the conversation.
If this place weren’t so far away from me and everywhere I usually go, I think it could become a favourite new pub. Sadly, it’s a little too much in the boonies for me to enjoy on a regular basis.