We made a reservation for 30 people for a 50th birthday celebration as we wanted a pub atmosphere but also where minors were permitted to attend. Kelsey our server was awesome !! I cannot say enough about her, she was very efficient, friendly and accommodating as well as all the other staff who helped her/ us.
Food was good too !!
Will definitely be back and would recommend this place.
Great Happy Hour & daily specials. Free popcorn before 6:00. 👍🏼 Good service & atmosphere for a local bar. Love the 'flight' to try a bigger selection of beer. Can't wait to get back to the deck... Would definitely recommend National at Westhills!
Stephanie Oliva McIntyre
+5
I'm actually in the restaurant as I type this. I've never been to this location before. I was greeted by 3 people, I have an amazing waitress named Monique and the food is delicious. I'm getting amazing service even though it's filling up for lunch and I had a great conversation with what I believe is one of the managers (she is so friendly). I haven't had customer service like this in a long time!! Can't wait to come back .... also the all day brunch is beyond amazing �����
Thank.you for going straw-less! Thank-you for continuing to be a great gathering spot for friends and family.
Love coming to the National at Westhills. Service is excellent, beer taps are interesting and the food is fantastic. What's not to love?
Love the experience my family and I consistently receive at National Westhills. It is our neighbourhood favourite for drinks and appies! Sierra has taken care of us many times and is fantastic, very knowledgeable and always happy and smiling.
Great, staff, food and of course beer! Family friendly which is great!
You can never go wrong at National. Great beer, great food, <3
Great service and food was amazing
Love how friendly they are! It's awesome that children are welcome, because single moms sometimes need a nice night out even when there's no babysitter.
Such a great patio! Love the atmosphere in here. The food is always good and they have a great selection of craft beer. The employees are friendly and attentive, always ensuring that you have the best experience possible. We took my husband for the Father's Day BBQ which was such a fun event!! Great food and beer, and games and pop for the kids too!
A busy and lively patio on a summery Saturday afternoon. Drink specials started at 3pm, the strawberry lemonade was really good...didn't swap out the bourbon for another liquor, but you have the option to. The fish & chips were huge, i think it could feed 2 people but that's just me. The fish was cooked well and the batter was light and crispy. The fish tacos on the other hand, i did not care for. Very basic, messy and i had to pour Valentina hot sauce on to make it enjoyable. Would not order the fish tacos again, Joey's is WAY better. Overall a fun place to grab a bite to eat, service was friendly and the food came out quickly considering how busy it was.
I was here with a friend. We had hear that they had a special on oysters and thought we would give it a try. It's a nice place clean and inviting, but also a little cold and noisy. We had 2 platters of 24 of the advertised oysters. They were good but extremely small and except for the point of going for oysters I don't think that we would have ordered the second platter. They were not worth the price. They do have a great draft beer selection and I would go back to try some of their other offerings.
The Clive burger is like a high quality Big Mac. There were two beef patties, made from natural grass-fed Alberta beef. Topped with American cheddar, Clive sauce, lettuce, tomatoes and pickles, sandwiched between soft brioche buns. All the layers of the burger just melded together.
Came here for brunch with friends on Saturday. Husband ordered the eggs Benedict and said it was very good. Tried some of the hollandaise and it was nice and buttery. Ordered the chicken sandwich. Fries were good and chicken had good coating on outside and cooked well. However the sandwich was ruined by this terrible pimento spread. It was awful. Would it get again.
Waitresses are all so incredibly nice. Love the food, drinks are amazing and patio is a must during happy hour. Only thing I dislike is that kids are allowed. Nothing that I love more than sitting at a bar with screaming kids running around on a Friday night.
I ❤️this suburb version of National down town. The rustic farmhouse decor with communal tables is absolutely perfect 🙌🏽
The food is also very high quality and the representation fits the decor. Crispy wings, hot sauce galore on the table(!) + hundreds of draft choices...how can you go wrong. 🍻
Amazing service and food! Was very impressed with the service. We had the tater tots, beet salad and oysters. They also have a nice patio.
I'm not usually a huge fan of the food, but it's a great place to hang out and enjoy a patio. We had buck a shuck oysters tonight (every Tuesday) and they were delicious. We also got the pork belly tacos which were average, the fish tacos were better. The fries are so good with the Clive sauce. The deep fried dill pickles were alright, but it was a lot of pickle in one place with the dill dipping sauce.
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I found myself here twice last week, once on Tuesday night to take advantage of Buck a Shuck night, and once on Saturday for a work gathering.
I must admit, I was pleasantly surprised with this location - I haven't been a huge fan of the downtown ones, so I kind of assumed this place would be the same, but I was wrong. It reminds me a lot of the one on 17th in terms of look/feel, but the atmosphere is much better in my opinion, I think it's the crowd this place draws. They have a huge patio that I look forward to trying out when the weather starts getting nicer.
The staff here are terrific, I have nothing but positive things to say, both nights we were there the server(s) we had and any other staff we interacted with were great. By far the most pleasant of any National location I have been to. Friendly, had some great recommendations, quick with service and any questions we had.
On the Buck a Shuck night, was quickly greeted and sat right away. Again, the service was lovely. My only slight complaint was that the oysters were not actually shucked very well, which was a bit of a turn off, especially for my companions who had never had oysters in the shell like that before. Every one I had was gritty, I found myself picking pieces of shell from my mouth, and a few of them looked as if they had been run over and then placed in the shell. However, that aside, it was a great meal - it's such a good deal, and they offer both East and West coast oysters (my preference is East). Love the sides to them and the fresh grated horse radish. They tasted really fresh as well. We also had fried pickles and the pretzels w/ beer cheese (which to me seemed like cream cheese?) - both were pretty average for pub fare, we enjoyed them.
Saturday I returned with a larger group for a work gathering - I was able to make a reservation for 12 of us via the website and I really like that process. Again, the service was terrific, she was very patient and accommodating with the folks who had never been to a National before, explaining the menu and drink options. No one was ever without a drink, nor did we have to wait long for the food. Everyone enjoyed their meal, but the stand outs were the Prime Rib Dinner, the crispy chicken sandwich (which is what I had, and I really liked it) and the Mac & Cheese. Everything came out at basically the same time, was hot and presented pretty well. I am not a huge fan of the wooden plank thing, but that's not just National, I have always hated having something a little messy being served on something other than a plate. But I get why they do it... that's just me being picky.
Of course, I am fan of the beer selection, and also love the Grizzly Paw Ginger beer pop being on tap.
Overall, while in general, National is not my first choice for a night out, I will certainly pick this one over the other locations. Also handy to see that kids are allowed for the meal hours - good to know we can visit here as a family!
Came here with a large group on Saturday night about 5 pm and we were seated promptly. The waitress was great! She got all our drinks and food very quickly and checked on us often. Really impressed by the service.
Ordered the Hawaiian pizza and thought it was pretty good though there was a ton of cheese and it was very rich. The crust was fairly thin so the rich gooey cheese was a but much for the delicate crust. Seemed like almost half of it was cheese.
Drinks were great, service was great. The others at the table were split on how much they liked their food. Someone had the prime rib and said it was incredible, another wished the chicken tacos had been a bit spicier. They were pretty accommodating to one member of the group with a milk allergy. I would stop in here again.
Cindy Macgregor Bradford Gravatt
+4.5
This was an excellent last minute decision. On the way to Earls saw this place and decided to check it out. There is a Great Patio and a good variety of places to sit inside. Beer on tap but the wait staff were knowledgeable and were able to direct us to a beer that suited our taste. Had Wings and they came with really nice flavor and crispyness - included a dill (ranch?) dip that was very good - even though I'm not a Ranch dip person. The pickled Veg in the Basket was very good although because they were under the hot wings they were slightly warm and limp when we got to them. - Turned out that there is a Happy Hour and a Happy Hour food special each day so the whole thing plus 20% tip was $25 - way less expensive than I had expected!I will be going again and this may become my meet up place with my NW friends and SW friends!
If you come to national and you don't get beer you're doing it wrong. If you get beer but you get some swill you're still doing it wrong. Try a nice pale ale or a higher end wheat beer. The price for beers starts to make a lot more sense when you're drinking the good stuff.
Dinner before a movie is pretty important - sitting through 2-3 hours when you're hungry makes for a poor moviegoing experience! With that in mind we met up with a friend at the National right across from the theatres.
Dinner choice for the night was a platter of Fish & Chips for D and a Bacon Cheddar Burger for myself. The fish looked delicious, well seasoned batter with a good crisp to the outside. The burger was a little messy but you can tell they make the patties in-house and the taste was decent. The fries were freshly cooked so they were super hot and came in little cups so that any oil or vinegar dripped to the bottom out of the way, keeping them crispy. We all shared a plate of hotwings to start, they were very saucy and properly cooked with a nice heat and flavour balance.
Simple fare but delicious. The only trouble was the place was so loud it was hard to hold a conversation.
Inconsistent =(. I've been to this location twice now, and both times I thoroughly enjoyed my food, the portions were surprsingly large. I tried their veggie burger on my first visit, I don't know what came over me as I am a total carnivore, but I couldn't be more glad with my choice, along with my beets and goat cheese salad, I left there with a happy and full tummy. The second time there was a long strand of hair in my salad...enough said.
Great place for brunch!. I went to National Westhills yesterday for brunch with a friend of mine. I was pleasantly surprised with the interior of this place. It had a funky, but comfortable feeling to it. We made a reservation ahead of time, but realized when we got there, that we didn't really need to. I think this place has yet to be discovered by the people of SW Calgary. I have to say that while the food wasn't the best (it was good, just not great), the coffee was amazing and so was the service...for me if you start me with a great cup of coffee, I will come back. I would go back again and try something different (the eggs benny sauce wasn't to my liking, but I'm sure others would love it) or I may go back and try one of their evening specials.
Beer is great, food over priced. The wings are good but way over priced for $14 for 12.
Many great evenings here. I have been here 4 or 5 times (often as a group of 4) and have had consistently good experiences. The choice of 60 beers (all yummy!) is fantastic. The food menu is quirky but pretty good. The servers we have had have all been friendly. It's certainly a busy and noisy place.
When inside you can imagine you are in a San Fran brick building or a Seattle Pikes Place eatery. Very different from the other places around here.
In summary we don't see what the other negative reviews are saying, we like it and are now regulars.
Hey Oyster Guy!! QUIT running your hands thru your hair then shucking my sea boogers!! Wash those mitts or start wearing gloves amigo!!
EXCELLENT BRUNCH!. I came here for brunch on Sunday- I have never even thought to come here for breakfast but it was SOOO good!
First, our lady server (wish I remembered her name) was really nice and energetic. I had the eggs benny HOW CAN YOU NOT and it was one of the best eggs benedict I have had in a long time--- of course I am comparing this to the typical breakfast places like Dennys, Rickys, Coras, etc. The perfectly poached eggs are served with peameal bacon, really yummy hollandaise and served with shredded hash browns MY FAVE! I also tried the lavender water to go with my meal and that was very nice and refreshing I recommend you try them both!
I will definitely be coming again for brunch!
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Its all about Quality ingredients and Passion. Bright, open space with communal seating, a beer hall with a twist in that it caters to those that care about quality of the ingredients not about the quantity. 60 beer taps to choose from with a wide array of Pale Ales and IPAs. They have a few Lagers for those that need a hand moving away from fizzy mass market lagers and want to do it in baby steps.
Great food specials that run Sunday to Thursdays with most being uncomplicated but delicious and bursting with flavor and intensity, well thought out and prepared well. Like the surroundings most of the food is presented in a simple manner on a wooden platter. For larger groups they have Charcuterie and a seafood tower. They also have a fresh oyster bar and some of the best tasting Clam Chowder I have had East of the Pacific ocean. If you sit up at the Oyster Bar you will also see your salads being made one at a time and I can tell you that they are all extremely good as I have tried them all.
Like the other National Beer Halls the staff is exemplary and they all look and act proud to be part of Calgarys Gastropub revolution. If something is not right with your experience when you are there just let them know, they work quickly to fix things up and get your experience back on track.
If your looking for a quiet intimate private affair this place may not be for you. It is about social interaction with the friendly staff and the patrons around you hence the big open space and the communal seating. I like to eat and drink a diverse selection of food and enjoy meeting and chatting with a diverse selection. National Beer Hall fits that bill perfectly for me.
I went to National for the first time ever and had brunch. I got the duck skillet and it was divine. The service was quick and friendly. I am a fan of the long tables, like they have at Wurst, and I really enjoyed the atmosphere. I will make this my neighborhood watering hole!
Update March 2018:
In the years it has been open it has just gotten better and better. I am a huge fan of the ambiance, staff and food. Definitely my neighbourhood pub.
Tremendous service, food and beer list but overpriced for what it is. Several of the draught selections are carried at other local bars for much less. Worth checking out
Off to an excellent start!. I stopped in the new National in Westhills on St. Paddy's day. I've been meaning to check out the one on 10th, but haven't done so yet. All I can say is this new location is off to an excellent start! Even though I'm a certified IPA nut, I was a still a little overwhelmed by their extensive list (which is an awesome accomplishment in itself). Our server was very knowledgeable, and made a perfect recommendation for me. My friend and I both had the flank steak sandwich which was on special, and it was excellent. I can't think if anything their staff could have improved on, and I can usually find something to complain about!
National has become the best bar in Calgary. With multiple locations that are consistent and always packed with a good vibe. The westhills location is a mirror of it's 17th ave location, clean crisp decor with a great staff. The food is good which is hard to get in a chain restaurant. The servers are new but have picked up quick, our server tonight didn't know about the daily special but fixed everything and had a great attitude about the mess up! The drinks are all good and they have a great beer selection. We have been here 5 times in the past week and a half, that alone speaks for itself! Will always be a National customer!!
National grinds its own chuck and can thus offer its burgers medium-rare, a rarity for sure in Canada. Great side salads, too.
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