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| - I've only been to The Garage on two occasions - both during the Calgary Folk Music Festival. Both times, it's been a welcome reprieve from the weather and the crowds.
I'm basing my entire review on two separate occasions being here, a year apart, in the late afternoon. Eau Claire isn't really my typical stomping grounds.
Atmosphere here is about what you'd expect - it's a billiards-based bar in an aging mall. The corners of the pub get that dark, under-lit feeling, and it feels like the sort of place you'd go where everyone knows your name, or if you're trying to hide from your wife. Both times I've been here, the service could also have used a bit of help too - it wasn't overly busy, but just too busy for two waitresses and a single bartender to tend to all the people in the pub. The most recent time, we sat down and waited for about 10 minutes before getting service.
The food at the pub is pretty decent - typical pub fare, and downtown priced. There werent' really any exceptional deals on the menu, but since we were coming from Folk Fest, anything under $20 for a plate of food was acceptable. Likewise, the beer selection was passable, but nothing extensive - it's a sports bar, not The National, after all.
For a quick escape near the riverfront, The Garage makes for a pretty good place. A bit dingy, service was definitely left wanting, but for a cold drink and a roof over your head at Folk Fest, it does the trick.
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