James Joyce Irish Pub Calgary
• 114 8th Ave. SW | Calgary, AB | T2P 1B3
Average User Rating:
6.64/10
6.64/10
Recommended by:
64%
64%
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"Nice ... but pricey"
Marta
December 2011 — "I work in downtown Calgary and my co workers and I often head to the James Joyce for beer and food after work. We typically go on a Thursday at 4:30 and man oh man, is it ever packed. It's a fight for a table, but we usually manage to find out in the back.
The pub has a good atmosphere and it has a nice, sleek decor (though it's not like any real Irish pub I've ever been too, it's much too fancy for that) but unfortunately, the thing that comes to mind first when I think of the Jame Joyce is the prices. Its expensive, as in $9 or more for a pint. True Irishmen would be outraged -- good thing it's only Calgary yuppies at this pub. Their food is also expensive, but it's good -- for a snack item, I highly recommend the potatoe nachos. They sound weird, but they're awesome ... and I don't even like potatoes.
All in all, it's not a bad spot, but you can find the same beer for a much cheaper price at the pub next door.But the service is usually RUBBISH, so you might want to order two drinks at once ... it can take the waitress an hour to come back to your table. "
User Rating
7.17/10
7.17/10
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"Great Atmosphere and Pub Fare"
Henry
April 2011 — "James Joyce Irish Pub is a bar and restaurant located in the trendy 4th Street district of Calgary just a few blocks off 17th Ave SW. It is owned by the Jameson's Pub Group which also operates two other popular Jameson's Pubs in NE Calgary (Sunridge) and also in the NW in Brentwood just a few blocks from the University. Like the other popular Jameson's Pubs the James Joyce Pub on 4th Ave offers patrons a cozy and relaxing atmosphere to stop by for a happy hour drink after work or the weekend. There are specials for nearly every night of the week so there is always something decently priced on the menu. This pub is also popular during UFC fight nights, typically on Saturday's, when a $10 admission is mandatory but includes a voucher certificate for the same value which can be applied to your bill at the end of the night. Great atmosphere for drinks any day of the week."
User Rating
8.17/10
8.17/10
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"Not the Best for Breakfast"
Denny
August 2010 — "Early on a Saturday morning, we headed to the James Joyce on 4th to have some breakfast. I'm not exactly sure why we ended up here, but it was the first place that we saw that was open and was serving breakfast. It was pretty dead inside, maybe three tables. The server greeted us and took our tea order, but we had to ask for breakfast menus. I chose the Irish Omelette I believe it was called. It had mashed potatoes in it and a bunch of other things. It was just OK. It was very, very salty. My wife got the eggs benny and she did not like it much either and when I tried it I had to agree. The hollandaise was barely existent and everything just tasted like rubber. I'm a big fan of breakfast food, but in the case of this establishment, I believe we should have perhaps ordered pub grub. The only good thing was that it was a $20 meal. Cheap!"
User Rating
5.67/10
5.67/10
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"Nice Patio"
Denny
July 2010 — "On a recent Sunday afternoon my wife and I decided to head down to Stephens Ave to see what was going on since the Stampede is on. We came across the James Joyce and I have never eaten there so decided to try it out. My wife had eaten there and said the menu had a ton of delicious things on the menu. We were seated at a table where we could really people watch and see all the entertainers. The menu was not the usual one though, they had a special one for Stampede. It did not disappoint. I got the two-piece Halibut fish and chips meal with fries and the server suggested curry dip so I got some of that too. My wife had the steak salad with blue cheese and dijon dressing. I really enjoyed my fish. It was fresh and very tasty and the tartar sauce it came with was delicious. However, I wasn't a big fan of the curry dip! The service was good and the food was good so I will likely eat there again."
User Rating
8.17/10
8.17/10
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"Just Boring"Keith
July 2009 — "There's really only a couple of reasons to go to the James Joyce, and the fact they've gotten lazy at producing these things and/or charge more for them, make for just a boring and altogether unenthusiastic experience.
I usually come here knowing exactly what I'm going to order; a pint of Kilkenny, potato nachos and some stew.
What can I tell you...
The potato nachos were disgusting. It may have been due to our poor service, but the nachos certainly didn't come to our table immediately after being prepared. The potatoes were hard to find and when you did find one they were soggy and tasted like old grease.
The stew was full of salt and nothing more.
and the Kilkenny was fine, except for the ridiculous cost of a pint.
To make matters worse, our server was in the habit of not using a pen and paper and taking ONE drink order at a time! This equated to it taking 20 minutes for our table to get their full complement of drinks.
Boring, expensive, ridiculous."
User Rating
3.50/10
3.50/10
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"Traditional Irish Cuisine"
Tanya
July 2009 — "Walking into the James Joyce pub, you feel like you could be walking into a pub in the middle of Dublin. Everything about this pub has the traditional Irish feel to it, although the servers don't have that fantastic Irish accent.
It was a warm evening so we opted to sit outside on the patio looking onto 4th street. They have a great selection of beer here, including (of course!) Guiness. Although their pints are a bit pricey, it's worth it for the charming Irish atmosphere. We ordered the Irish Potato Nachos to start. They didn't have quite enough cheese on them for me but they were really good. Although full after the nachos, I somehow still managed to eat the Spicy Thai Chicken Penne. And yes I do realize that this is not a typical Irish dish. It was good but I was expecting and could have used a little more spice to it.
Overall I would recommend James Joyce pub. Live bands often play here on the weekends and it has a good relaxed feel to it. "
User Rating
8.17/10
8.17/10
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"Good Meal"Zoey
December 2008 — "I went to James Joyce for a lunch and really enjoyed. Their menu featured a bunch of popular Irish and British dishes. I settled for the Ploughman's lunch. It came with vegetables, cheese, grilled chicken and a fresh baguette. From that I was able to create a pretty tasty sandwich. Another thing I liked about James Joyce was the decor, it actually felt like an Irish pub. I will for sure go back. "
User Rating
7.75/10
7.75/10
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"James Joyce"
Tamara
July 2008 — "It was our first time in Calgary and we decided on an Irish pub. Which ended up being absolutely great experience. We chose a table outside, which was nicely set up. We ordered a beer taster, which included four different types of beer, loved every beer. Our waitress was courteous and recommended our entrees, which were very delicious and exactly what we wanted. I would highly recommend this pub to anybody who wants a great meal and a great atmosphere."
User Rating
8.67/10
8.67/10
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"Cool 8th Avenue Pub"Storm
November 2007 — "As long as you're prepared to pay a bit, the James Joyce on 8th Avenue is a cool place for a drink with friends. The atmosphere is much like pubs in Ireland and England with small alcoves or rooms and, while the place is nice, it is also casual and laid-back. They have a great selection of beers on tap if you're in the mood for a pint and the bartenders have always been friendly and attentive when I've been. As other reviews have pointed out, it is indeed a little pricey but completely worth it now and again for a place with a bit of character!"
User Rating
8.20/10
8.20/10
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"Worst Service - Cold Food"
S.
July 2007 — "After two visits in two months, we will not be back! Both times the service was incredibly slow. The waitress mixed up our order with the order from the table beside us, then blamed the bartender. By the time we got our first beer - 40 minutes - it arrived with our cold food. When we expressed our disappointment to the waitress, she again blamed the bartender. Stay away from this place if you're after hot food and good service!"
User Rating
1.83/10
1.83/10
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"Great atmosphere but pricey"Wendi
September 2006 — "I've been going to James Joyce for years now and it has undergone some changes over the years, especially in the food department. When they first opened, they had amazing food with dinner specials that included slow-braised lamb shanks, for example. Now, the menu is standard with what you'd expect from a pub, such as fish n' chips and shepard's pie. But there a few interesting items that remain, such as lamb burger with blue cheese. While I hadn't eaten here for at least a year because of a poor food experience, I ate here on Saturday and they had redeemed themselves. I had a stilton and walnut salad with bacon vinegrette ($10) which was amazingingly delicious. My husband's fish and chips ($12) was good too. My main concern is the prices. Value for money is not good and I am convinced this is the most expensive place downtown for a pint: $7.65. Outrageous. It is a tourist trap, I think. Either that or you are paying for the atmosphere. And in terms of atmosphere, it is my favourite in Calgary. Located in an old bank, authentic Irish decor make it feel like you really are in Ireland. I've always had good service here too."
User Rating
8/10
8/10
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"Nice, But Overpriced!"Sarah
September 2006 — "I recently went to the James Joyce Irish Pub for late-night drinks with some friends after work. We chose this pub because it isn't as busy as some of the other downtown nightspots. The restaurant had a typical pub-style atmosphere and the service was pretty good. The prices were exorbitant in my opinion. I ordered pints of Alexander Keiths and they were $7.50 each. I don't think I will go back to the James Joyce for drinks. You can get cheaper pints at pubs that are virtually next door to this overpriced one."
User Rating
6.20/10
6.20/10
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"Great People-watching Patio"Mike
August 2006 — "I just had lunch at the James Joyce on 8th Avenue. I arrived shortly after 11:30 to avoid the lunch crowd and to get a table on the patio (so much nicer than sitting inside, where it's rather dark and smoky). I ordered a pint of Kilkenny and the lunch feature (turkey sandwich on white rye, mixed green salad with raspberry vinaigrette and New England clam chowder). The food was very good, the beer was better, but the patio was the best. This is a great spot for lunch on a warm, sunny day."
User Rating
8.17/10
8.17/10
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"Worst Customer Service Ever"Danielle
June 2006 — " "This was one of the worst experiences I have ever had. Having worked in the restaurant industry myself for many years I know what to expect when it comes to good service. I went here late afternoon with a girlfriend for lunch. It started out okay, the service was a bit slow but passable. Then our entrees came. My girlfriend had the surf and turf salad and ordered her steak med rare and it was really well done. My beef and Guinness pie was cold. When the server finally came back to check on our food, which we had had maybe 2 bites of each. We told her we did not like it and had lost our appetites. Deciding to instead have a few more beers we stayed a little longer. When we got the bill the food we disliked and had not eaten was still on it! We asked the server to please take the food off the bill and she replied that management had told her they would not be taking care of the food. We asked to speak to the manager. When we then attempted to explain to him that the food was horrible and we had not eaten it, he then told us that we had to pay for the bill. Not knowing what to do my guest and I paid for the entire bill, no tip, and left. I would never go back there again, nor recommend it to anyone else."
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1/10
1/10
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DescriptionAlthough a great pub and restaurant anytime of year, the James Joyce is particularly enjoyable during the summer months when patrons can people-watch from the pub's patio on 8th Avenue (downtown). The pub features a host of Irish beers as well as a carvery-style lunch, a full dinner menu and live entertainment on Wednesdays and weekends.
Location Information114 8th Ave. SW
Calgary
AB
T2P 1B3
