Betty Lou's Library — Restaurant in Calgary

In brief, if you're looking for a venue with a jazzy atmosphere and exquisite (if completely overpriced) cocktails, Betty Lou's is great. Certainly eat before you go, because the food servings make airliners look generous. And if anything goes wrong, don't expect customer service to do anything about it. This speakeasy is good at many things, but service and communication are certainly not among them.

As I precursor to the rest of my review, I want to highlight the fact that Betty Lou's Library has served as a haven of many wonderful memories over the past few years—a place where my sisters and dear friends have gone to enjoy time away from the pressures of life and love. Until recently, every time I've gone has been wonderful and almost complaint free.

My experience last week was somewhat different, and this owing to a rather terrible miscommunication on the part of Betty Lou's. When I made my reservation, my cart and my invoice both clearly stated "Jazz Show Reservation." As is the case for every other venue in Calgary, it was my natural assumption that this meant I was placing a downpayment for a reservation. I was surprised, then, when this was not reflected on my bill the next day. When I inquired about this with my waitress, she informed me that the payment was not for the reservation at all, but rather for tickets to the show. I was, and still am, shocked. The mention of "tickets," after all, appears neither on the reservation site nor on my invoice. When I am paying for tickets, I fully expect to be informed of that fact. And when I am paying for a "reservation," I expect the payment to be applied to my bill.

In brief, the wording used on Betty Lou's reservation page is misleading, and my experience has left me feeling unsettled and, frankly, a little defrauded. While I'm sure this is not what Betty Lou's intended, it is nonetheless the result of a poorly worded reservation system. Exacerbating my experience, when I raised this concern in an email to Betty Lou's, seeking to provide the opportunity for them to set things right before I reverted to using Google Reviews to make my complaints known (which is never my first line of attack), I received no response at all, let alone an apology. The atmosphere may be classy, but the customer service is...

I have been to Betty Lou's several times now, and can honestly say that I have never been disappointed by my time here.

To enter the establishment you must descend a flight of stairs into the basement of an otherwise unmarked, and unassuming building. There you will find an antique telephone, which you must pick up, and then give your reservation password to the person on the other end.

Once you've done this, a host appears as if by magic from behind a bookcase that serves as a hidden door.

Once you're inside your senses will be greeted by the lovely scent of Cherrywood smoke from one of their custom creation cocktails, and your ears will be filled with the sounds of their carefully curated playlist of early 1900's jazz, and delightful modern electro swing.

The room is made warm, and inviting by the lowered lighting, and gorgeous antique furnishings, and early cartoons, and films play in the background on a projection screen.

All of the staff are warm, friendly, and appropriately dressed for the 1920's theme that the establishment aspires to cultivate. They also speak using phrases, and language that is very appropriate for the theme.

The cocktails are delightfully whimsical, and show a masterful understanding of the art of mixology. If you tell them your preferred flavours, and spirits, they will even custom create a cocktail just for you. I chose this option, and was delighted by the bright, and citrusy concoction of gin, and champagne that was presented to me.

Betty Lou's is a true treasure in the heart of downtown Calgary, and I would strongly recommend stopping in to enjoy the great drinks, and atmosphere.

Honestly the only complaint I have regarding Betty Lou's, is the seeming complete lack of a dress code for entry. Which is honestly the only blight on the otherwise perfectly curated...

5 star experience on every level! From the incredible ambience, music, and burlesque performance to the over-the-top service, food quality, and incredible artistic drinks...this place has me SWOONING!! I have been reminiscing on my experience and I am convinced that I will need to come back again and again. It is worth the hype!

We went on a burlesque night and were surprised and ecstatic at the high quality performances of the dancers. They interact with the guests, have spicy outfits, and their rehearsals sure pay off because they sure know how to move their bodies to the music! 🔥 I loved how the lights change through the performances highlighting areas and delighting our senses as the music "hypnotized" us in awe. Seriously ladies, you killed it!!

It is worth every scent from the cover charge to the pricey drinks (my mocktails were unparalleled to other restaurants)! There are no meals served, but the appetizers are rich in flavour and surprisingly filling. Since the desserts are quite sweet, I loved the smaller portions. If you are looking for a meal, I would suggest eating before you come.

Booking a reservation ensures that you have a 2 hour slotted time, however they let our group stay for over an hour longer until we were done (Thank you for that!). The employees seem thrilled to work there and they make you feel quite special when celebrating an occasion. Our server, Jo, was a delight to interact with!

The entrance includes stairs (did not see an elevator) and it is beautiful as you step down into the speakeasy realm. Calling on the old telephone and stating the password had us feeling giddy!

This is now at the top of my recommendation list for Calgary...