love this place. used to come there nearly everyday when I went to bow valley college... in retrospect probably wasn't the healthiest habit but that's on me and not on the tremendously friendly and chill staff. This place is exactly my type of greasy; by that I don't mean the cleanliness of the establishment (as it is impeccable) but that it's covered in band stickers and the people working and down to earth. (also at the time a bucket had to be put on tge floor whenever it rained haha classic roof issues) food was also really good when I went with other people that actually ordered food and not just double jack diet's short no ice and pabts blue pints (cheapest on tap). in conclusion I have had a tremendous amount of good times here and I commend the staff for tolerating me with such a pleasant demeanor and I hope to return soon. hopefully you guys host some gutteral shows soon.
p.s. if you guys need an opener for a metal show hit me up my band will play for free
Great place with the best food, drinks, music and so much memorability to see. If you have not gone you are missing out.
Always the go-to spot! Always recommend to city visitors! Big ups to all the staff!
Don't care what anybody says it's a beautiful Pub Smokehouse rustic food rustic atmosphere 100% my kind of place the food is a bit pricey but you get what you pay for
My wife and I we're extremely happy with the service, food, and price. The beef brisket was the best I've had, no small feat! We'll be going back as well as recommending to others.
Great Music venue , they treat bands like gold, their food is great , and some of the nicest serving staff !
Great place. Live band downstairs, drinks were top shelf and best brisket I've ever had.
Awesome veggie burger!! I haven't been to this place in a while but it is still amazing and has a super welcoming feeling!!
When one has a morning appointment in downtown Calgary, on a weekend, there aren’t a lot of brunch places that come to mind. I know they’re out there, but to be honest downtown can be a ghost town outside of business day hours – so please do give me recommendations. One bright spot in the downtown brekkie scene is The Palomino Smokehouse. Located on the picturesque? Seventh Avenue and First Street stretch, it was the perfect location for some pre-Women’s March nosh a couple weeks back.
Mmm, this is an excellent BBQ place in Calgary. The atmosphere is a little on the rougher side, most likely due to it's location and the fact that it is a popular bar in the area. I have tried several dishes but the brisket has always been my favorite. Make sure to bring your I.D., the bouncers will I.D. everyone.
![Zomato]( "Recensione")
I’ve been going to the Palomino for years, but unfortunately, over the past 10 or so years, l’m limited to going on my bi-yearly pilgrimages back home to Calgary. Throughout this time, the Palomino has consistently cooked up the best BBQ around, and some of the best I’ve ever had.
On my most recent trip, I took my wife (who’s been here before), my 3-year old son, and my in-laws for lunch. They too were more than impressed!
I diverted from my usual BBQ fare of ribs with a side of meat, and ordered the Pit Boss sandwich (brisket, pulled pork and sausage) with a side of smoked cheddar gritz and garlic fries. All 3 others had the Mac & Cheese. Nobody was disappointed and everyone was well fed.
The service was prompt and friendly, and the server was helpful and able to help with all our questions. They were also more than accommodating for out little one (who was more than happy sharing my fries). The music was also at a good volume, noticeable but not loud enough to make conversation difficult.
If you’re in Calgary and like BBQ, you should definitely eat here. As a side note, from experience, the Palomino is also a great place for live music later on in the evening!
My daughter and I had lunch at the Palomino and it was delicious. We especially enjoyed the eclectic decor and the fried pickles. Very reasonably priced for downtown.
Calgary has a limited number of true BBQ places so you really can't throw any out of the mix just because they don't stand up to Texas standards. I rated Palomino a 4 but the others from a non-beef province gave it a 4.5. Four of us shared the Fat Ass platter for $69.00 and no one left hungry. All of the food was pretty good - brisket, ribs, pulled pork, sausage, chicken, corn and other assorted sides. The bacon-wrapped corn and sausage were especially called out as hits. You don't go to a BBQ place for a fine dining environment. This is a bar come restaurant with a nice patio as well as a downstairs club. It is unashamedly rough around the edges. The wood on the floor has worn trails in it and it looks like it was last redecorated in the 70s. Beer and BBQ aficionados would not be deterred by the environment, but the more genteel amongst you may express some dismay. Personally I find it part of the charm.
A dive bar in the true deep "dirty" south meaning for the phrase. Their BBQ is far less greasy then Big T (new owners) and deep than Holy Smoke. The ambiance is a throw back to the way Calgary was prior to the upgrades of the 1990's, and for those who remember the old King Eddie, the Palomino is great fun with zero pretense. And because of that authenticity, it's a staple for of wildcatters, bankers and the grunge scene. Patio is great and a tourist draw. Of the menu: rib ends & brisket are their calling card. Smoked wings are a rare treat in a city of freeze dried breaded wings. All sauces are done on site and the fresh meat & authentic Carolina Mustard flavor will pull you back.
Love the hearty homemade soups, salads, garlic fries, chicken club, appetizers and ribs (that come with a variety of homemade sauce choices) as well. Would definitely recommend!
Went here for lunch, really like the vibe and atmosphere and the food was really tasty! I had the special of the day which was a brisket sandwich and the hubby had the beef brisket main. Meat was done well, juicy and smokey and all of the accompaniments were great as well. Will be back.
I love this place. I don't think it is serving the "best" BBQ in town, but it has a great location and a cool vibe. I would not recommend this joint for anyone who is a foodie. BUT if you want a fun, casual atmosphere while you pig out on brisket and cornbread, this place has my vote. I love the nearly hidden patio - it is a tiny sanctuary in the middle of a bunch of buildings.
This is the perfect spot to bring meat lovers for a plate of completely unpretentious comfort food.
Gorgeous patio at the back of the pub at a prime location in downtown. The pulled pork poutine was the best but the BBQ platter was a bit disappointing as the pub was supposed to be famous for its smoke meat, ends up the beef brisket and ribs we got actually were kind of dry and not tender at all. It would be a perfect place for beer in the summer at the patio but not for the meat.
Palomino Smokehouse most often lives up to its name.....great food! Sometimes the service might leave a little to be desired but then I'm not often in a rush here. As they might say Palomino's is "Smok'in".
HOWEVER THIS WEBPAGE IS SOMEWHAT MISLEADING AND SHOULD BE CORRECTED....
Palomino Smokehouse indeed located at 109 7th Avenue SW in Calgary. However, the page indicates Stephen Avenue. Stephen Avenue is actually 8th Avenue SW in Calgary......no Palomino Smokehouse on Stephen Avenue.
![Zomato]( "Recensione")
For years I've walked pass Palomino and almost become oblivious to it. The area surrounding it is a little weird which might be why I never went in. I had heard about the garlic fries being delicious (they are BTW) but hasn't heard much else. Then a friend of mine suggested we go eat brunch. I had very little in the way of expectations when we went. For starters I really liked the menu, it had a number of simple but very interesting choices. I choose the breakfast poutine. It was absolutely incredibly, from start to finish it took me 5 mins and it wasn't because I was greedy. It was enough that I was satisfied but not to much that I was full and tired. I don't know that I've ever gone into a place with as little expectations and been blown away by the quality. We also tried the Eggs Benedict which was also excellent. I will be going back again and getting the French toast and write another review but I certainly recommend this to anyone who is thinking about going here or looking for a brunch spot downtown
***Update ... I went back again this weekend and got the French toast with pulled pork and bourbon apples. It was really really good, the pulled pork really works well with the sweetness of the maple and the French toast is really tender. At this rate I'm probably going to go through the menu and leave updates here.
I Went to palomino's for lunch and brunch last week. I literally inhaled the eggs Benedict in 6 mins :) it was so good. Don't let the exterior fool you!
This little dive bar next to the Hyatt Regency hotel is an interesting contrast.
The brisket was very tasty, and the grits were interesting as well. I liked the mustard sauce the best of all the sauces. It is savory and spicy.
An interesting place. I don't know that I would make it a destination due to the general sketchiness vibe laced in throughout (my chair arm came apart), but the food - which is what it's all about - was decent.
Palomino is one of my favorite places to when I need to come downtown for a beer.
I have only had some kind of burger and garlic fries. I remember enjoying both of them very much.
Palomino is always a good place to go, they usually have live music going on upstairs and or downstairs.
Overall, my experience at Palomino was fantastic. I had seen it from the outside so many times but last week I decided to try it for the first time! Me and my friend ordered the beef brisket entree (rated 4.5/5) and the pulled pork sandwich (rated 4/5), and decided to get 4 different sides between the 2 of us. The best side dish by far was the bacon wrapped corn cobs. The corn was so delicious and the bacon added an amazing flavour to it! The black eyes peas and beans side dish was also really good. One of the most interesting side dishes was the bourbon glazed apples! It was actually great complement to the pulled pork sandwich. The cheese grits was our least favourite side dish... we found that its garlic flavour was too overwhelming. Our server (I believe her name was Lacey) was absolutely lovely, she made sure our drinks were always filled. Overall this place has awesome food + service, just don't expect to carry a conversation since the Live music is really really loud.
Hands down the best bar in Calgary to see live music or else start the morning with a greasy brunch. Order the brisket every chance u get. And start with an order of garlic fries.palominos isn't fancy but it's a must!
Overall good experience, first rack arrived over cooked and too their credit they replaced it without thinking twice. Rub on the ribs was outstanding and the sides were good. Cool decor inside and nice atmosphere.
We decided to drop by Palomino Smokehouse while visiting downtown, and though the place does not look welcoming from the outside, it is fantastic on the inside.
The service is really good, and the place has a good western setting.
For starters we ordered the quesadilla, and for main course the two meat plate.
The quesadilla was simply gorgeous, with the right amount of crisp, and flavors. The salsa on the side was average, so we stuck to the sour cream.
The two meat plate included Kansas style Ribs and a Alberta Beef Brisket, and on the side we had grilled veggies and bacon-wrapped corn on the cob. They were so good! All that arrived on the two meat plate was delicious, and absolutely worth every cent.
The prices are a bit expensive, but that seems to be the norm for all restaurants on Stephen avenue.
If my brothers visit me again in Calgary, I would take them to the Palomino. There aren’t many places in Vancouver that serve up so many meatalicious dishes in a delightful western style saloon. My coworkers and I started off with a round of beers. I usually stick to Mill Street Organic ($7) while my friends prefer to drink Thirsty Beaver ($7). Palomino also makes a wicked Caesar, with a big crunchy pickle and a slice of bacon. My friends ordered the Carolina BBQ Wings ($12) which can be ordered battered or grilled. They also shared a huge plate of garlic fries ($7.00), which were better than the same fries that came with my burger. While my fries were small, cold little end bits, the fries on the appetizer plate were longer and fresh out of the fryer.
Prepare for a nap!. Palomino is awesome. I've gone both for lunch, and after work for a bite, and both were exactly what I was looking for.
Can't go wrong with the bacon corn cobs. Only thing I would say is that if you order the garlic fries I sure hope you have a toothbrush back in your office (I'm not joking.. mega garlic-but so delicious)
Live music, cold beer, and bbq. Had a good local beer. Music is good but louder than all get out. A bunch of coworkers said the bbq is good but I had to put sauce on the brisket which tells brisket lovers everything they need to know. The good news is they had 4 homemade sauces and 2 almost made up for the weak rub and inadequate smoke. The waitress was attentive and we managed to communicate over the music.
Yummy. Garlic fries were good. Outside of building looks dodgy and located on a scary street downtown but turns out I actually like palomino
Always a good time, great food.. I have been here so many times and I always love it. It's not the place for everyone, but it definitely is one of my favorites! They bring in great live music, prices are fair (drinks are particularly reasonable) and the food is as close to authentic smokehouse you will find around here. The pulled pork poutine is a particularly delicious late night snack.
Super cool staff, friendly atmosphere. I've been twice in the last 3 weeks. I took a work buddy and he's already stopped in twice since with out of town guests. Keep doing what you're doing guys best BBQ in calgary!
Stopped in Friday after work. Was busy no tables but we stood at the bar and ordered drinks and ribs. The bar tender went out of his way to find us two chairs for the bar. Then while eating a table came open and we were offered it ( like how amazingly nice - most places would have just left u standing never mind looking out for you twice )
They were fantastic with service and very friendly!!! Our bartender was great and even explained all the sauces in our tray.
The ribs were fantastic - we will be back repeatedly !!
Great food , great service, friendly staff!!
GARLIC FRIES. That's it. Enough said. GARLIC FRIES *droooool*
I love this place, but for a restaurant with amazing BBQ their burger seems pre-made and kind of like cardboard. Get the pork! At least until they make their own burgers. Great service.
Love this place!!! If you want great service and fantastic bbq you have to try them out. Especially the mac and cheese.
Yummy corn bread. Yummy corn bread - nuff' said.
I am never let down when I stop off at the Palomino! The staff is amazing. The tall waitress with the short hair was an absolute delight! She was very funny, professional, and sweet, and managed to get our orders perfectly, although it was quite busy. My husband and I will keep coming back in hopes of getting served by her again!
Don't judge a book by its cover.. These guys know how to cook and the service is excellent. You can't say that just from looking from the outside. People are down-to-earth and friendly and approachable here. They do not hate, discriminate, or push you away. What a welcoming bunch! Music is a little loud inside and you can feel the whole place rumble as the C-Train goes back and forth on the track outside.
May I say YES PLEASE to garlic fries? I thought about it 2 days after I ate it... this is the best thing there. I mean, the beef brisket was good too. The sauces were home-made and ready to be squeezed from the bottle. The pulled pork was standard stuff. But the garlic fries... man... you can see the freshly cut garlic bits in there with olive oil (I presume).
So many tasty sides!. The food was excellent!!! I really enjoy all the side options, wish I could get more than two! Service was ok, was nice and friendly but seemed very distracted and messed up our bills multiple times. Otherwise will definitely be returning for the great and well priced food and otherwise awesome atmosphere!
So much good. This is the greatest place to eat when the wife is out of town as you leave covered in the delicious smell of garlic and smoked meat. I think this is one of the best places to go for a friday afternoon lunch. Huge meals for decent price, and everything is delicious. I could go and just eat plates of the garlic fries.
Great food. I love this place, the brisket is awesome. Perfect place to get a meat coma.
My only complaint, occasionally the food won't be hot when the place gets busy, but really, all in all it's really good.
Watch out for the garlic fries, they taste great, but they linger.
Try the JD Apples as a side.
Gotta say the best BBQ I've had in Canada. I had the Brisket for lunch and my son had the Mac n Cheese. Both A+. We stopped in there today for brunch and I had the Palomino Benedict with Brisket an Pulled Pork (asked for both) chased with a decent Caesar. I would love to take this place back to Vancouver with me. The house made Jack Daniels BBQ sauce has got to be the best I've had since spending time in New Orleans. Bring an appetite.
Had Sunday brunch at the Palomino. The pulled pork eggs bennie is a MUST TRY for everyone! There was so much pulled pork under the eggs and hollandaise sauce I couldn't even see the english muffin on the bottom.
The service was great and 10 TV's for NFL games doesn't hurt either.
Best BBQ in the city hands down.
Garlic lovers' heaven! I counted 13 cloves of garlic in my Caesar salad. My companion had the garlic fries, so no problem. The chicken I had with the salad was flavorful and juicy. The drinks were inexpensive, service was excellent. Overall, a great experience.
Good food but.... Was impressed with the flavour of the food, and the timing (it was nice and hot from the kitchen). I had the Catfish Po'boy, but I've tried other items in the past all decent. The waiter was probably one of the worst we ever encountered. Aside from forgetting our drink orders repeatedly, and not being helpful at all with the menu, she just seemed miserable. There are other jobs you know. The service needs to improve here, the food and the great live shows are still enough to keep me coming back though.
Stampede Staple. Lovely smokey meat! 'Love the brisket. I'm not a big fan of their pulled pork though: fatty chunks turn me off and there wasn't much sauce to speak of. I still recommend the place for a good rowdy time!
Although I hate drinking beer out of a can, I'll do it if there's no other choice during Stampede.
Good food!. Good food, went in with a few friends over the weekend. horrible service in my opinion the waiters were a bit rude, if your looking for a place to go eat without any talking come here haha the live music is a good addition but it can get very loud!
bacon wrapped in corn!
the nachos are quite a challenge too !
This place is the best. Its very rustic and smells very good inside. Best of all, it is unlikely that you will encounter any obnoxious vegans in there.
BEST. K so this place has the best bar food i have ever had. its a great place they place good music. the people are really cool, and they have the best poutine in town hands down
![Zomato]( "Recensione")
Good food, cool atmosphere.. My fiancee and I visited Palomino Smokehouse on a recent stop in Calgary. The atmosphere was cool, however a little dark and the addition of an extra TV or two would be appreciated as we could hear the hockey game but not see it (the TVs are situated at the bar only). However, our food arrived in a timely manner and as we expected.
I ordered the beef brisket meal with coleslaw and garlic fries; there was lots of meat, with some pieces being more tender than others. The coleslaw was fair and the garlic fries were good - however, I could have kept vampires at bay for at least two days afterward. Overall, I was satsified with the portion and taste of my meal.
My fiancee ordered a two meat meal (pulled pork and beef short ribs) with creamy corn and caesar salad. The pulled pork was good, but the ribs were great; the meat was very tender and fell off the bone. However, the portion sizes of the meats weren't quite big enough on the two meat selection (my brisket meal had a good deal more meat, he helped polished some of mine off with ease in addition to his own).
The customer service was average, and could have been a tad better given it was a Tuesday evening and not very busy. That being said, we would return.
BBQ meat and steam whistle on tap = A++. Out of all the restaurants in Calgary Palomino is my husband and my favorite. The food is to die for, come hungry, and order the two meat platter. One of our fav's is the Kansas City Ribs and don't forget the garlic fries! Can't go wrong with smoked/bbq meat.
If you're looking for a fun night out on the weekend, go later and grab dinner around 7 or 8 and then head downstairs after for some live music. We promise you'll be back.
Best BBQ in town!!!. I've travelled to where BBQ is worshipped; and Palomino's staff have something to be proud of. Most authentic southern BBQ in Alberta. Great venue, good wait staff, and excellent booze selection. I eat out four times a month, and three this month were there!!!
Great Food, cool place. Cool spot. Best nacho's i've ever had.
Smoke-dawg!. This place is awesome. I have eaten here a few times on Friday nights when my band has a gig in the basement. I love this menu to go early and eat!!!!
This is a smokehouse, so eat the smoked stuff!!!
I have had the pulled pork poutine.... WOW. This ain't diet food, but it's ridiculously delicious. I have also had the pulled pork sandwich.... so good....... Everyone is always happy when we eat/play here. The downstairs venue is good for live music. Good size, good sound, good staff (gets busy, but they get that "Cocktail" feel going...)....
BUCK!
Man Food. What you see on the menu is exactly what you get. Those garlic fries are garlicky as all hell! The pulled pork here is admittedly delicious, so come hungry. The menu is unapologetic, heavy on meats, starch and salt. Don't come here and order the ceasar salad; that's not what they do best. The attitude here is very saloon as well (don't even think about getting separate bills, and consider buying a round for the kitchen). Midwest bar food at it's best. Make sure you stick around after dinner, their live music downstairs is always great.
Best Kept Secret?!. Can this place be Calgary's best kept secret even though a lot of people know about it? Fact is that a lot of "foodies" won't come here because of the location, but those people are missing out.
I've eaten almost everything on the menu and my favorite dish is the stew (seriously... try it with a little bbq sauce on each bite) followed closely by the short ribs (try them with a lot of bbq sauce)
If you havent been here, do so and eat some garlic fries!
Great staff, great food, usually some interesting downtown entertainment, but the staff takes care of it very quickly.
Can't miss even if you "think" you like meat!
Great Platter. Tried the Fat Ass Platter, a lot of food but well worth it. The ribs were fantastic, the pulled pork, smoked chicken very juicy and full of flavor.
The decor is what I would expect in a smokehouse felt just like home.
Service is great and friendly, down to earth people.
Will return again.
Good all around. Although parking was an issue and it was somewhat cool in the restaurant, everything was great. The platter we had was huge and amazing. Chicken was sooo moist, brisket was tender and juicy. Ribs and pulled pork were amazing. Bacon wrapped corn wasnt too good. Cold and OVER cooked. Cream corn was from a can. Sweet potato mash was tasty. Service was great and atmosphere was so comfortable. Plus they have live music in the bottom bar too. Will for sure be back enjoying Calgary's BEST bbq. Sorry Big T's.....Palomino's has you beat hands down.
Great time there every stampede for Corp parties!
All around awesome. I love the palomino. ive been there for lunch, saturday breakfast, friday after work drinks. thats when this place really heats up! its loud, boisterous, and busy with live music upstairs and the beer keeps coming. i have never had a problem with the service. all the waitresses are super friendly and an eclectic bunch - blondes, brunettes and redheads, piercings, tattoos and au naturel. padded bills? come on! its easy to rack up a huge bill here on cold beer. my favourite dish is the pulled pork mac n cheese, and the garlic fries are to die for!
not a place to go for a vegetarian or those who prefer small meals. bigger is better here.
the only thing id change is for them to stop putting the damn meat on deli paper! i don't like eating paper with my brisket :P
Know what Palomino is.... I have seen reviews of people complaining that the salad is no good or the veggies were greasy. This is not a place to go if you want a salad, it's a smokehouse. Palomino is however the place to go if you want to have the best BBQ in the city - ribs, pulled pork, steak, it's all good. And the sides are great, my personal favourite: bacon wrapped corn on the cob.
I've always had exceptional service here as well, and I love the smell of it...
Best food in Calgary. I love their rare steak with baked potato.
These were some of the best wings I’ve ever tasted. They were huge, meaty & juicy – lightly deep fried in a barely there batter and gently tossed in Jack Daniel’s BBQ sauce.
My dinner, was a little bit different. Of course :/ I had the Half Rack of Kansas City Pork Ribs and my sides were Bacon Wrapped Corn on the Cob and Smoked Cheddar Grits. Yeah, you read that right I said grits. When dinner is served I'm pretty stoked. Big plate of ribs, and sure enough a cob of corn wrapped in bacon. They do a great job of producing what the menu describes. Too bad the menu doesn't describe the taste of grits. It really should come with a warning.
Serving up Calgary’s best smoked meat the Palomino is true southern style BBQ. The $25,000 smoker from Mississippi is just one indicator of how serious they take their art. This is not a place for vegetarians or small appetites. The food is good and the p
An error has occurred! Please try again in a few minutes