Paper Lantern
Chinatown, Calgary
Bar in Calgary, Canada
Book with PearlThe Read
Vietnamese Tiki Speakeasy
Why go
Paper Lantern works for a cocktails-first night in Calgary, especially if the plan calls for a darker, more social basement-bar setting rather than a formal dining room. Its Canada's 100 Best Bars #33 ranking for 2026 gives it credible bar-specific pull, but smaller groups and date-night plans are the safer fit.
About Paper Lantern
Paper Lantern is a Calgary venue with two clearly verified planning details for guests: the dress code is smart casual, Canada's 100 Best Bars placed Paper Lantern at #33 for 2026. Beyond those facts, guests should not treat details such as a specific address, neighbourhood, room layout, menu, service format, or booking policy as verified here.
That makes the safest verdict direct: consider Paper Lantern when you want a Calgary night out with a recognized venue on the shortlist, use the smart-casual dress code as the clearest practical cue. If your decision depends on exact seating, group capacity, food format, hours, or reservation rules, confirm those details directly before making plans.
Book it for a recognized Calgary venue, not for unverified specifics
Paper Lantern's strongest verified signal is its Canada's 100 Best Bars #33 ranking for 2026. That is enough to make it relevant for guests comparing higher-profile Calgary options, but it does not verify a particular style of room, menu, drink list, price point, or occasion fit.
If you want to compare the tone of the night, Major Tom Bar and 33 Acres Brewing Company Calgary are other Calgary options to consider. Keep the comparison practical: choose based on the confirmed details that matter to your group, rather than assuming Paper Lantern has a particular layout, format, or service model.
How to decide if it fits your Calgary night
Shortlist Paper Lantern when a smart-casual Calgary venue with confirmed national bar recognition fits the brief. Look elsewhere, or confirm directly, if the plan depends on a full dinner format, a specific seating arrangement, a particular menu, or detailed accessibility and allergy information. For a broader scan before choosing, use Our full Calgary bars guide; if the night is expanding beyond drinks, Our full Calgary restaurants guide, Our full Calgary hotels guide, Our full Calgary wineries guide, Our full Calgary experiences guide are better planning tools.
Planning details
- Location
- 115 2 Ave SE Basement, Calgary, AB T2G 0B2
- Website
- paperlantern.ca
- Phone
- +1 403-457-7765
The take
The Take
The Vibe
Paper Lantern lives in a basement in Calgary's Chinatown and reads like a deliberate, contemporary take on tiki culture. The space leans into tropical motifs — palm-print wallpaper and tiki formats — but the real focus is on rigorous flavor work: rum-forward builds, tropical acids and layered spice that reference Pacific and Southeast Asian traditions. The bar feels like an intimate, sophisticated alternative to downtown hotel cocktail rooms; it’s quietly assertive rather than showy, and its identity comes from the drinks themselves rather than props. That seriousness gives the spot a modern, thoughtful energy within the neighbourhood.
Best For
This is a bar for people who come to drink rather than simply to be seen. Couples and small groups seeking inventive, rum-forward cocktails and a more intimate night out will find Paper Lantern appealing. It also suits adventurous diners who appreciate the pairing of cocktails with Vietnamese street-food flavors — the program explicitly draws on Southeast Asian ingredients, making it a good pick for anyone curious about a regional twist on tiki classics. The venue’s lower-level location and focused menu make it a distinctive choice for evenings centered on cocktails and conversation.
Ordering Tips
Order with curiosity: the menu repurposes classic tiki and sour formats as a framework for ingredient experimentation. Look for rum-forward builds, tropical fruit acids and spice layers; the write-up specifically cites a Pandan Pain Killer presented as a milk punch as an example of how the bar reworks canonical recipes. Expect complexity rather than cloying sweetness, and consider sharing small Vietnamese street-food plates alongside cocktails — the menu is designed to bridge those flavors with the drinks. Ask staff about cocktails that use Vietnamese or broader Southeast Asian components if you want the most distinctive pours.
Planning details
Location
Recognition and awards
Also consider
Where to go if this is not the right fit
Pick Major Tom Bar if the occasion needs a more polished room and a clearer sense of arrival. Pick 33 Acres Brewing Company Calgary if the priority is an easier, casual group hang with beer rather than cocktails.
Bar context
How Paper Lantern compares in Calgary
Paper Lantern is the better pick when the main event is cocktails and atmosphere. Major Tom Bar is stronger for a polished occasion with a bigger sense of arrival, while Paper Lantern makes more sense for a lower-lit, drinks-led night where the room can feel lively without becoming a full restaurant commitment.
For value and ease, 33 Acres Brewing Company Calgary is the simpler casual alternative. Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ and Point Sushi - Bullet Train Sushi Bar are better if the group needs food structure built into the night rather than drinks as the focus.
River Café is the cross-shop for a calmer, dining-led celebration. Choose Paper Lantern when the night should feel more bar-driven and intimate; choose River Café when conversation, pacing, dinner matter more than cocktail-bar energy.
Around this place
Discover more on Pearl
Unlock the full Paper Lantern guide in Pearl, including awards, comparisons, FAQs, planning details, and nearby places.
Compare Paper Lantern
| Venue | Location | Awards |
|---|---|---|
| Paper Lantern | Calgary | 2026 Canada's 50 Best Bars · #332025 Canada's 50 Best Bars · #24 |
| Point Sushi - Bullet Train Sushi Bar | Calgary | No published awards |
| Major Tom Bar | Calgary | No published awards |
| River Café | Calgary | No published awards |
| Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ | Calgary | No published awards |
| 33 Acres Brewing Company Calgary | Calgary | No published awards |
How Paper Lantern Calgary compares with similar nearby venues.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Paper Lantern good for groups?
Paper Lantern works for a Calgary group that wants a smart-casual venue with confirmed national bar recognition. Specific group capacity, seating format, meal service are not verified here, so confirm directly before planning around those details. For a more dinner-led group plan, River Café is another Calgary option to compare.
What is Paper Lantern known for?
Paper Lantern has confirmed recognition from Canada's 100 Best Bars, which ranked it #33 for 2026. Its verified dress code is smart casual.
