afterEIGHT — Restaurant in Calgary

Atmosphere: 8/10 Located in Calgary’s East Village, afterEIGHT is a hidden speakeasy tucked behind the EIGHT restaurant inside the Alt Hotel. Entry involves finding a discreet phone and dialing “8” to be escorted into an intimate, eight-seat bar. The space features 15-foot vaulted ceilings adorned with 10-karat gold leaf, creating a warm and ethereal ambiance. The minimalist design, cherry adobo wood bar, and hand-blown Kimura stemware contribute to a refined setting. The atmosphere is serene, with music at a comfortable volume that complements the intimate vibe. The backbar is minimal, with a small selection of higher-tier spirits and some pre-batched ingredients — fitting the tight concept, but worth noting.

Drinks: 7.5/10 Recommendation: – The menu is thoughtfully curated, presented in a minimalist Japanese-inspired style. While the selection showcases creative recipes and ingredients, the descriptions focus more on storytelling, making it challenging to discern the exact flavors and components of each cocktail. Drinks are measured by weight, reflecting meticulous Japanese craftsmanship. Served in high-quality glassware with nice coasters, the presentation is basic and garnishes are not used. Afterlife #2, an inventive take on the Corpse Reviver #2, showed creativity but leaned heavily on sour notes — the flavor felt unbalanced and slightly overpowering.

Service: 6/10 The staff is professional and friendly, providing attentive service throughout the experience. However, no water was offered upon arrival, which is a notable oversight. The bar also enforces a strict no-photography policy, a rule inherited from the EIGHT restaurant. While the intention is to maintain an immersive atmosphere, this restriction feels outdated and unnecessarily limits guests’ ability to capture and share their experience. In a bar setting, where the dynamics differ from a multi-course dining experience, such a rule feels misplaced and detracts from the...

Very disappointing, booked a reservation 2 weeks in advance to celebrate my girlfriends birthday, arrived a bit early so went for a couple drinks at Nupo and got a text message a half hour early saying our table was ready press 1 to confirm, so went pounded our drinks at Nupo and paid our bill, went to the phone to check in and was told we were early and would have to wait till 10:30 so we sat down and waited, at 10:30 we were told that the dinner guests from eight had chosen to stay and as per their policy we would have to change our reservation or wait another 45mins. Such a disappointing experience, ended up going to Shelter and had great drinks. Be forewarned reservations at After eight doesn’t mean you have...

Really cool experience with fantastic service. Only reason the atmosphere was docked a bit was because there was a young lady (another customer) who was a bit obnoxious and giving us some unsavoury looks along with making some mildly rude comments to the bartender. Can't really blame an establishment that has made itself around an intimate atmosphere when someone comes in that you don't jive with well. What can I say, a pretty girl isn't always beautiful.

The drinks were great, and that's why we came here. Bartender had an interesting story to tell about each cocktail. My wife and I will come back, maybe try to bring some friends with us to avoid some other...