Vern’s Tavern

Calgary, Alberta

Field Note

Vern’s Tavern in Calgary’s downtown district may be the perfect urban dive bar thanks to a subterranean location and complete lack of signage requiring a fair amount of faith when pulling on the bar’s door for the first time. While Calgary buzzes with foot traffic and activity above ground, something hidden lies at the end of the short, cymbal-lined staircase that transports those brave enough to seek it out into a completely different world.

The stark contrast between stoic, nondescript exterior and lush dive bar environment takes only a handful of steps but can feel like a bit of a shock when the only indication that a bar exists here comes in the form of a slender sign posted in the narrow window of a heavy, industrial ground-level door. After opening in the mid-1990s, Vern’s hopped around downtown Calgary before settling into its current 8th Avenue location, bringing to every stop an appreciation for live music that has made the bar a staple venue for up & coming bands from and visiting Calgary.

The Vern’s Tavern space lives two lives, creating vastly different experiences on days with live music and days without. The quintessential Vern’s Tavern experience is no doubt during a show when the space fills with fans of small, largely independent bands that tend to lean into the metal and punk genres. While Vern’s was one of the first Calgary venues to book metal acts and enjoys an understandable reputation for supporting its music scene, there are no sacred genres here and all types of bands have and continue to play here.

The owner, bartender, booker and overall engine behind Vern’s Tavern is Clint Pike, notorious for his enforcement of the use of “please” and “thank you” when ordering a drink. Pike served a stint as part time bartender at the nearby Unicorn Pub before parlaying $15,000 in credit card debt into the what eventually turned into Vern’s. Supported by friends and family donating furniture, painting services and time, Pike opened the first incarnation of Vern’s during the mid-1990s.

The signature visual element inside Vern’s Tavern is no doubt the wall of cymbals that serves as both backdrop to the bar’s stage as well as sporadic decoration throughout the entirety of the Calgary dive bar. Not long after Vern’s Tavern opened, a band broke a cymbal, signed it and gave it to Pike as a memento. The tradition quickly gained momentum, resulting in dozens of signed cymbals displayed inside Vern’s. The fact that signed cymbals are the first element seen from the bar’s staircase is a fitting introduction to the ambiance to be discovered.

As a bar, Vern’s Tavern is a must-see Calgary attraction whether a live show is taking place or not. The beer selection here is deeper than it might seem at first glance, a set of eight taps available in addition to multiple refrigerators holding a wide array of beer choices. Because the space was envisioned with live shows in mind, there is plenty of space at Vern’s, allowing groups to command the kitchen table-like furniture with ease. A pool table and foosball table offer additional diversion and of course, Vern’s Tavern is cash only, so prepare accordingly.