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| - The Palomino occupies the corner of Calgary's "skid row", one of the sketchiest streets in Calgary. That being said, a night at the Pal will provide you with a better cross-section of Calgary's diverse population than just about any other venue. This is the place where construction workers rub shoulders with CEOs. It is also home to some really great live shows, and so also plays host to the young, hip, weird crowd.
We had a Stampede Lunch here for work, and the BBQ is fabulous. The pulled pork was pretty flavorful and delicious, and the fries are awesome. They have decent drink specials too. It was fully in the spirit of stampeder - very cowboyish.
The Pal has two levels, which include the main bar/restaurant area and the large open spaced basement. The shows usually take place in the basement which has decent sound and a full bar. It also has a distinct lack of tables, so they can squeeze in a ton of people. They showcase many different genres - punk, country, rockabilly. If the genre features in the alternascene it will probably play here.
Show or not, the upstairs is a big open space with high ceilings and plenty of tables. They sometimes feature live music here too. Take a moment to talk with the bar staff in the big circle bar in the middle. They've got plenty of stories of the denizens who pass through. And the locals tend to be both funny and friendly, so you might just leave with a few friends.
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