The Black Dog Freehouse

You want to pub it in Edmonton? There's only one choice. Old-school. Good people. Decent prices. Vibe-a-licious.

We went to get into the bar tonight 07/19 at around 12:25 am and our friend wasn’t allowed in because he was ”there 20 minutes ago and got kicked out” he wasn’t; he was with us the whole night downtown (at least from 9:45 pm up until we went to whyte). When my friend pointed that out and said that must have been another black man the bouncer got upset and said that we were all wrong. Our friend was in fact sober and our dd; he would never cause issues with the bar but I know this was just plain racism. This is really disappointing from a bar that claims to be inclusive but does not monitor their bouncers bias’. I’m also pretty sure he was not sober because he kept saying he would remember what we were saying. I know he’s worked there for a while, he is older and has long brown hair. If you are a darker skinned POC I would not recommend this bar because they do not monitor any bias. I would appreciate an investigation into this so that this does not happen to anyone else.

I have went to black dog often over the past 10 years and just recently went back. It's the same as ever with a very comfortable easy going setting. Comedy nights on Thursday, patio upstairs and darts on the main floor. Great place to stop for a pint for all ages.

Maybe it was just a bad night but the Black Dog seems to have fallen on hard times since its heyday. No servers so you need to go to the bar for drinks. Selection was okay but felt pretty focussed on Seachange varieties. We tried to go to the rooftop but the music was playing so loud that we couldn't hear ourselves think. We tried to go in the bar but when we realized that no one was coming to take our drink orders we noticed the back alley patio. This was good as the music wasn't as loud and there were plenty of seats available. We never saw a menu so no idea of there is food available. Honestly it felt kinda sad and run down. Again, maybe Tuesday night isnt the best time to go. I hope they can bounce back as it's a fixture of Whyte ave that deserves better.

I came here expecting an inclusive, welcoming environment based on the reputation this place has, but my experience was the complete opposite. From the moment I walked in, the atmosphere felt very cliquey and judgmental. While the community here often talks about acceptance, diversity, and inclusion, I personally didn't feel any of those things. Instead, I felt like I was being judged simply for not fitting into the crowd. What stood out to me was how homogeneous the clientele seemed, and it felt ironic given the bar's image of embracing diversity. In my experience, it came across as a place that promotes inclusivity in theory but doesn't necessarily make everyone feel welcome in practice. Everyone deserves to feel comfortable walking into a bar, regardless of their background, appearance, or beliefs. Unfortunately, that wasn't my experience here. I left feeling uncomfortable and out of place, and I won't be returning.