Good pubs/bars in Lethbridge?

[PyramidsofMars]

I'm moving to Lethbridge in a few days to start school, having chosen the UofL over the UofC, and was wondering which were the best pubs or bars around, good places to watch a Flames game and have a few beers.

Things to consider: I'm half-Arab so I don't want to head into total non-student, 100% redneck (for lack of a better word) territory, on the off-chance I get in trouble with some guys. I know it's not likely, but I'm still concerned. I don't want to wind up in an Aryan Guard hangout by accident.

Also, I'm fairly particular about beer, the only stuff I can stand at the campus pub is Rickard's Red and I don't want to be drinking that stuff all night. Which pubs or bars in Lethbridge have a decent selection of beer on tap that isn't just Canadian and Pilsner? Or even a decent selection of bottles? Am I better off just sitting at home and drinking good stuff I bought at the liquor store? Also, I'd rather it be the sort of place where I wouldn't feel too odd sitting alone at the bar, just because it'll probably be a while before I make good friends.

anyway, thanks.

[flames85]

Welcome to Lethbridge PyramidsofMars. Not sure where your living but hope this helps:

IMO....
Best University Pub on West Side - The Duke of Wellington, cheaper specials, but a little bit more run-down. Lots of university students go here.

Best Pub on West side - Mojos - easily the best pub on the west side, good pub food, average prices, decent looking waitresses.

Best Place to watch Flames Game - Shark Club - little more pricey, more eye appealling pub, not as many college/university students, they are big on the flames, usually have a dj do the games, playing music during commercials, really gets people into it, win tickets, really good looking waitresses with really nice attire. haha

Other Option - Scores - more students, decent prices, not the greatest t.v.'s to watch at. good looking waitresses, more run down than shark club.

personal preference: Shark Club
maybe see you around! GO FLAMES!

[Buff]

Average Joe's won Sportsnet's Sports bar of the year award, beating out all the other bars in Canada. This was two or three years ago.

I don't go to bars anymore so I can't give recently accurate help but I'll do what I can... I do go to Shark Club for lunch from time to time. It is a nice place with nice TVs all over the place. Good view from wherever you sit, and you can see the TVs well too.

The U is on the westside and there are only a couple of bars nearby. As flames85 mentioned, MoJos and the Duke. Everybody goes to the Duke because it is so close. I used to hang out there when I lived on the westside. Just around the corner from The Duke (same parking lot) is Backstreet (or whatever it is called now)... if it is still open. I still drive by weekly and I don't pay attention to what it is called. The U of L has, or had The Zoo. I'm not sure if it is still a bar or not. At one piont they were shutting it down, or at least changing its usage. I'm not sure if they followed through with that or if that change stuck.

Most of the bars/pubs around town aren't too bad. You'll be able to walk into pretty much any establishment and you won't be stepping on anybody's turf. That doesn't mean that you won't find a bad group here or there, the chances are pretty much equally the same for all the places and those chances aren't too high.

There are a couple of places you want to stay away from though, such as... hmm, I don't know all the names. There is a bar on 13st Street north across from 7-11. I wouldn't go there. The Coalbanks which is downtown... I would avoid that one at all costs. Basically anything that looks like a hole int he wall. You'll know the moment you walk through the door that you shouldn't be at that place.

[Knut]

The Alec Arms.....

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally Posted by PyramidsofMars

Things to consider: I'm half-Arab so I don't want to head into total non-student, 100% redneck (for lack of a better word) territory, on the off-chance I get in trouble with some guys. I know it's not likely, but I'm still concerned. I don't want to wind up in an Aryan Guard hangout by accident.

The campus is not a shining tolerance beacon in the middle of a big Klan rally. Lethbridge is no different than Calgary when it comes to that kind of thing.

[keratosis]

Wasn't there a Brewsters or sumsuch on Mayor McGrath. I liked the beer there
and at that time the chicken wings were pretty tasty.
Also plenty of TVs and boobies.
Mind you this was before 2005 when I moved away from LA.

[Buff]

Originally Posted by keratosis

Wasn't there a Brewsters or sumsuch on Mayor McGrath. I liked the beer there
and at that time the chicken wings were pretty tasty.
Also plenty of TVs and boobies.
Mind you this was before 2005 when I moved away from LA.

A new owner, $1M renovations and its now called The Shark Club. There is plenty more of better TVs, still lots of eye candy.

[Redliner]

Only been to Mojos once - great food, nice place, LOUSY service. The Shark Club is definitely the best for catching a game. Scores isn't bad either but as mentioned above, isn't as nice. More greaser fans there too, I find. If you really want to play it safe, there's always Boston Pizza.

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally Posted by Buff

A new owner, $1M renovations and its now called The Shark Club. There is plenty more of better TVs, still lots of eye candy.

A million dollars in renovations? What, do they have solid gold toilet seats now?

That building used to be a McDonald's, IIRC.

[mikey_the_redneck]

Originally Posted by RougeUnderoos

A million dollars in renovations? What, do they have solid gold toilet seats now?

That building used to be a McDonald's, IIRC.

Yeah it was a McDonalds long ago........

The million bucks was spent on a giant shark hanging from the ceiling, about 100 TV's, a kick-a$$ fish tank and suede leather walls.....

Other places - Blarney Stone - you want to be here on Sunday.....trust me
Madhatters - neat place attached to the Ramada

[mikey_the_redneck]

Dude,.....this isn't the wild wild west out here.......

We do have "arabs" here......hell we got a few black people here too...
This is a safe city with a small town feel, no need to worry.

[keratosis]

Originally Posted by Hesla

The Alec Arms.....

Originally Posted by mikey_the_redneck

Dude,.....this isn't the wild wild west out here.......

We do have "arabs" here......hell we got a few black people here too...
This is a safe city with a small town feel, no need to worry.

Just don't go there and make Indian jokes, simple.

[PyramidsofMars]

Originally Posted by flames85

Welcome to Lethbridge PyramidsofMars. Not sure where your living but hope this helps:

IMO....
Best University Pub on West Side - The Duke of Wellington, cheaper specials, but a little bit more run-down. Lots of university students go here.

Best Pub on West side - Mojos - easily the best pub on the west side, good pub food, average prices, decent looking waitresses.

Best Place to watch Flames Game - Shark Club - little more pricey, more eye appealling pub, not as many college/university students, they are big on the flames, usually have a dj do the games, playing music during commercials, really gets people into it, win tickets, really good looking waitresses with really nice attire. haha

Other Option - Scores - more students, decent prices, not the greatest t.v.'s to watch at. good looking waitresses, more run down than shark club.

personal preference: Shark Club
maybe see you around! GO FLAMES!

yeah, I'm still in Calgary but I passed by the Duke while moving my stuff in, I'm living on Dalhousie Road so it's just a short walk. What's the beer selection like? Thanks for all the suggestions btw, like the sound of the Shark Club but does anyone go there alone? Doesn't sound like that sort of place.

Originally Posted by Buff

The U is on the westside and there are only a couple of bars nearby. As flames85 mentioned, MoJos and the Duke. Everybody goes to the Duke because it is so close. I used to hang out there when I lived on the westside. Just around the corner from The Duke (same parking lot) is Backstreet (or whatever it is called now)... if it is still open. I still drive by weekly and I don't pay attention to what it is called. The U of L has, or had The Zoo. I'm not sure if it is still a bar or not. At one piont they were shutting it down, or at least changing its usage. I'm not sure if they followed through with that or if that change stuck.

yeah, I spotted that pub right by the Duke, looked crappy though. The Zoo is still a bar/pub, I suspect I'll be going there a lot for lunch and a beer as I have a break between classes at pretty much the perfect time. They do seem to be doing Flames games as events and have discounts and stuff for them, but the major drawback there is they have Canadian, Red, and Pilsner on tap and that's it, I'll need at least one more (hopefully better) beer than that, although a cheap pint of Rickard's Red with lunch doesn't sound half-bad.

Originally Posted by RougeUnderoos

The campus is not a shining tolerance beacon in the middle of a big Klan rally. Lethbridge is no different than Calgary when it comes to that kind of thing.

Originally Posted by mikey_the_redneck

Dude,.....this isn't the wild wild west out here.......

We do have "arabs" here......hell we got a few black people here too...
This is a safe city with a small town feel, no need to worry.

oh, I know it's not a big concern, I'm just kind of paranoid because I lived in England and Germany and being in the wrong place at the wrong time with the wrong skin color (which might be white in some areas...) even in big cities there can mean trouble... even worse if you're wearing the wrong team colors.

the Blarney Stone seems like a great place. Out of the ones mentioned so far, could you guys just help with answering these quick questions?
a) which is best for sitting alone, NOBODY I know is going to the UofL, and I'm not the type that instantly makes friends?
b) beer selection, this is important to me. Duke, MoJos, Blarney Stone, etc., any idea of the beer selection there?

but yeah, thanks a lot for all the help, this has been more of a response than I was expecting.

[Slava]

I went to the U of L knowing no one and met a ton of people. I'd imagine that is the same as any university and you're not going to the be the only one in that position, so don't sweat it. You'll meet a ton of people and finding someone to catch the game with is not a problem there.

[TurnedTheCorner]

I don't visit Lethbridge often. But when I do, I choose The Shark Club. Great pub food and eye candy as previously mentioned.

[PyramidsofMars]

Originally Posted by Slava

I went to the U of L knowing no one and met a ton of people. I'd imagine that is the same as any university and you're not going to the be the only one in that position, so don't sweat it. You'll meet a ton of people and finding someone to catch the game with is not a problem there.

I have trouble socializing (I'm suspected to have Asperger syndrome, but diagnosis is complicated as an adult and too expensive for me atm). I'm not outright anti-social, but I am very shy and awkward in my approach. I'm sure I'll make friends, it'll just be a while.

Too much information.

[BuzzardsWife]

Originally Posted by PyramidsofMars

I have trouble socializing (I'm suspected to have Asperger syndrome, but diagnosis is complicated as an adult and too expensive for me atm). I'm not outright anti-social, but I am very shy and awkward in my approach. I'm sure I'll make friends, it'll just be a while.

Too much information.

I think that new movie coming out about the guy with Aspergers will really make people more aware of that disease. I saw the guy playing the main character talking about it on t.v. so I looked it up. Very complex disorder. Good luck in your new town.

[mikey_the_redneck]

Pretty much all of the pubs mentioned have seats at the bar......

For a place to sit alone at, Scores is usually pretty quiet with small groups of people on a weeknight....and they have seats at the bar. On weekends, this place gets alot of college chicks too..

As far as beer selection goes, your best bet is Blarney Stone, followed by Shark Club. I am a vodka man so I'm a little limited here...

[Shnabdabber]

Originally Posted by TurnedTheCorner

I don't visit Lethbridge often. But when I do, I choose The Shark Club.

[BuzzardsWife]

hey Pyramids, the name of that movie is Adam, and it stars Hugh Dancy. I think it just came out the last couple of weeks.