Best Mexican food I've ever had!…read more Mariachi Love was so good--fresh, flavorful, and honestly the best Mexican I've tasted. Everything was delicious. The vibe is fun and inviting, and the staff are super friendly. Good portions, fair prices, and the place is really clean. Highly recommend! I'll definitely be back.

Finally got to try Mariachi Love on a weekday around lunchtime. We had popped in previously but…read morethe wait was 45 minutes plus. First off, I LOVE Mexican food! I grew up in Seattle and am accustomed to good authentic tix Mexican food from the coast. The menu here tells you off the hop that it's going to be authentic and EXPLODING with flavour. Prices are great with lots of small shareable plates. My teen and I ordered the beet salad (bursting with flavour and of course authentic cotija cheese), chicken quesadilla (so good with sautéed peppers but I forgot to take a pic), and molletes (traditional open faced Mexican sandwich with beans, cheese, and pico). We also tried to order the Jamaica hibiscus water but it wasn't ready and was still being boiled. Will definitely try it next time! They are still awaiting their liquor license so no review on cocktails or authentic margaritas, just yet ;-) The beet salad (beet tiradito) was OUTSTANDING and I will probably order that every single time I come! Thinly sliced roasted chilled beets, arugula, cotija cheese, grape tomatoes and housemade orange honey dressing! TO DIE FOR! I love that the salad was small enough that I can still order a single taco or appy with it! Next up was the molletes appy - opened faced sandwich with melted cheese, beans, pico and sour cream. Unfortunately the pico didn't sit right with me - all I could taste was onions. I prefer a pico that isn't mostly onions and one where the raw onions have sat a bit in the juices of the tomatoes and citrus. I brought the sandwich home for hubs (who surprisingly said he could t eat it because it tasted like an onion sandwich rather than the pico being a topping). So if you LOVE raw onions, this may be the sandwich for you. Next up was the quesadilla with chicken and lime crema. Oh. Em. Gee. That was seriously the BEST quesadilla I have ever had in Alberta. It puts all the other places I've tried here to SHAME. The sautéed peppers, corn, and beans inside were heavenly and cooked to perfection. There was a hefty amount of pico on top which my teen mostly picked off (also found it too strong on the onion today). The lime crema was OUTSTANDING. I seriously cannot wait to come back even if the pico wasn't my fave. Also the restaurant is super cute - and they've really given it a cantina vibe despise the small strip mall location. I will definitely do an update when we return and I have a sneaky suspicion the rating mag bump to 5 stars ;-)

Located along the Sturgeon River in a gorgeous Victorian-style house in St. Albert sits Riverbank…read moreBistro. Known for classic Canadian fare with a modern twist, this restaurant has been around since 2017 and has been St. Albert's most coveted date night spot ever since. Chef and owner Dan Ducharme has been in the game for a long time and his culinary vision is allowed to shine within Riverbank's historic walls. Using ingredients from the best local producers; such as seafood from Effing Seafoods (Rob is everyone's favourite fishmonger), whatever sparks inspiration at the St. Albert Farmers' Market, and of course beef and cheese from a producer that requires no introduction; Lakeside Farmstead, the plates at Riverbank Bistro promise fresh comfort food with an elevated air. In fact, it was Jeff Nonay (a name synonymous with quality) of Lakeside Farmstead who arranged for my dinner and I couldn't have been more excited to taste his famed products, prepared under Chef Ducharme's expertise. I visited on a Saturday evening and you certainly cannot miss the iconic building that Riverbank Bistro resides in. With its burgundy exterior and dramatic spires, this converted estate now contains several businesses, one of them being the restaurant. Perched along the river, you will be treated to idyllic views to accompany your meal. The inside of the dining room is refreshed and modern while carefully maintaining the original character that makes the building so special. Expect charcoal-wrapped banquettes, rustic wood, and statement lighting. Whisked to our comfortable table, it wasn't long before each and every other seat within view was occupied and the room was filled with the din of happy diners. Our server was exceedingly prompt and professional, revealing that we would be treated to a special five-course chef's table experience. I absolutely could not wait to get started. Chef Ducharme himself made the time to greet us at our table, narrowly escaping the intensity of his busy kitchen. He managed to personally deliver our dishes, describing each one and its ingredients with care. What a unique privilege! I'm a cocktail girl and had to begin my adventure with a Strawberry Vanilla Mojito (Fresh strawberries, Bumbu rum, vanilla liqueur, mint, lime - $16.00), prepared by the skilled barstaff. Perfect to sip on while reminiscing on the summer that just was, I enjoyed this fresh and fruity take on a classic. Muddled strawberries and mint leaves mixed playfully with the flavours of vanilla and lime. Just my kind of drink! The first course to arrive was a showstopper; Quahog Clams sourced by St. Albert's own Effing Seafoods. Served in a kimchi broth that was made with sun-dried tomato and saffron then dotted with emerald-coloured chive oil, this dish was bursting with big umami flavour! The portion consisted of a generous number of clams, each one large and juicy. However, it was the perfectly executed broth that I could have lived in. The provided triangles of sourdough were necessary for sopping up every last delicious drop. Next to arrive was a beautiful Fall Risotto, showcasing the best ingredients of the season. This unique risotto was made with a grain similar to barley or farro instead of traditional Arborio rice. Not only did this create an innovative and Canadian twist on a classic dish but the larger grains delivered a rustic plate. Each bite was chewy and nutty which was highlighted perfectly by the bright orange pieces of tender kabocha squash throughout. Mustard and sunflower seed added texture, while the housemade chicken jus (inspired!) brought decadence. The pickled components went a far way to achieve balance. Delicate curls of greens sat atop it all along with a sprinkling of Alpine cheese from Lakeside Farmstead. Each bite was rich and delicious, taking the concept of a warm fall comfort dish and elevating it to something thoughtful and elegant. Truly autumn in Alberta on a plate. The third course consisted of a Strawberry Sorbet palate cleanser which was a great way to pause and refresh the meal after the starter courses. Served with lemon zest and basil, the perfectly spherical scoop was sitting in a small pool of extra virgin olive oil. Beautifully fragrant, this sorbet was ultra creamy with very few ice crystals. A perfect match to my Strawberry Vanilla Mojito cocktail as well! Then it was time for the main dishes and they were more than what we could have wished for! Two gorgeous, high-quality, well-marbled, Nonay Strip Loin Steaks, each cooked to a medium-rare perfection. Each plate was accompanied by Lakeside Farmstead Fromage Blanc mash (their beef and cheese on one plate - chef's kiss!), sautéed spinach and mushrooms, and a black garlic jus. The really cool part was that each steak had been dry-aged for a different amount of time and it was very neat to taste and compare the difference that 40 days makes. First up is the 80 Day Dry-Aged Strip Loin Steak. Visually, it was very evident that this

Awesome food and the staff was very accommodating and friendly. One of the best meals I have eaten…read morethis year and I would highly recommend trying this restaurant if you are visiting

I've been there a few times with family, and I can say for sure my expectations were far exceeded…read more The restauant is well decorated, clean, and spacious, with plenty of room to bring large parties. It's also generally quiet enough to have a nice conversation, if you're a talker like me. The service was quick and friendly, and they were very good at reccomending dishes! We found this particularly helpful for choosing what meat/protein to put in our meals, and we all agreed that they knew what was best. As for the food, it was the most absolutely wonderful and authentic Thai I have ever had. Every dish was flavourful, fairly priced, and came in a huge portion! We have never gotten a single bad thing there (and we experiment often), and we have never left without takeout containers full to the brim. The leftovers are always amazing, too. I could go on and on about how much I love this restaurant, truly. What a lovely place to dine in St Albert that I wish I had discovered so much sooner! If you're interested in what to try, my favourites are the Pad Thai with chicken, or the Pad See Eiw with chicken or tofu. I'm not a beef lover, but they make it quite well there I will say. The curries are quite good but some of them get fairly spicy, at least for me. The peanut curry is definitely my favourite! As for appetizers, they have these excellent deep-fried crab and cream cheese dumplings that I can never get enough of! Be aware though, there are lots of peanuts used in recipes, so be careful if you have an allergy.

Food is great but inconsistent with portions. Hole in the wall small location. Solid place if you…read morecan overlook minor issues. Tried this place twice about a month apart, the food is great but there's inconsistent portions and service can a bit slow as it's a mom & pop restaurant. Seating arrangements are ok but can definitely could use a deep clean/upgrade - old time hole in the wall look, feel & vibe. During our latest visit, the restaurant opened up a few minutes late as owners were running a bit late. Service was slower as there was only one person attending 6+ tables that came in about the same time. The food tasted great but again was inconsistent with portions & plating. We both ordered the same Pad Thai Tom yum at the same time & one plate completely was missing mushrooms & lacked bean sprouts while the other had an abundance. The rice curry dishes are good but could use a much bigger portion of rice.

Excellent service, great food, and big portions. Be prepared…read moreto take home leftovers. Free parking.

Outstanding flavourful food-- generous portions and fantastic service! Easily one of the best…read moreItalian restaurants in the Edmonton area!! Try their bruschetta-- you won't be disappointed-- pastas and chicken parm are rockstars! Highly recommend!

A million times yes! This little spot feels like something straight out of a rom-com, complete with…read morethe moody lighting and cozy vibe that makes you wonder if it's accidental or just pure genius. My wife and I popped in for a quick mocktail before our movie and, I swear, it was like we'd wandered into a family reunion of people we hadn't met yet. The main floor bar seats about ten-ish folks--so yes, you'll be making friends, but that's all part of the charm. The staff? They were absolute stars. Friendly, welcoming, and made us feel right at home. The whole place radiated an LGBTQ+ friendly vibe that was like a warm hug. There's no official mocktail menu, but the bartender gave us a "don't worry, we got this" nod and whipped up a passion fruit cucumber drink that tasted like summer in a glass. We paired it with their hummus and focaccia, which was everything you want on a cozy night out. This place is date-night goals, girlfriend catch-up territory, or just somewhere to hang out and feel like you belong. Cozy, welcoming, and effortlessly cool--can't wait to come back!

There are a lot of things I like about this restaurant. However the stairs to get to it is not one…read moreof them. I have mobility issues and I was very thankful it was nice outside and we could sit on the patio as much as the hard benches were. I would not recommend this place if you have issues with stairs. A small but mighty menu mostly focusing on veg options. Which I actually like but I wouldn't bring my meatatarian husband here. Luckily I was there with my friend and not my husband and we decided to split a bunch of things. We tried the fried foccacia with hummus, the tom yum garlic scapes, the braised lentils and the dark chocolate tahini truffles. Our favourites were the hummus, thick and creamy and paired well with the fluffy foccacia. Also the dessert the tahini truffles were really unique and delicous. Everything else was fine but I probably wouldn't order it again. Server was friendly and knowledgeable.

This was one of the highlights of our year! We came here for our anniversary…read more The atmosphere was sophisticated. The staff were friendly and attentive. And the food was absolutely amazing. I ordered the farro salad with chicken, it was hands down the best salad I have ever had! Every bite was different and you would think that too many items would make it confusing but it all worked together. Clearly an expert chef put that one together. Hubs had the black cod spaghetti with curry cream sauce, it was also amazing. It was definitely Asian fusion but it really worked! Our desserts were delicious, the butter cake was delicious and I'm not really a fan of cake. My creme brule was also good, standard vanilla, nothing exceptional but still good. All together a really wonderful experience and I would come back here in a heartbeat.

Ever wanted to feel like a prisoner? You know a place to get bad food? Maybe have some undeserved…read moreshame thrown at you and be held under duress?? Well, there is need to break the law! Just make your way to XIX. We went in on a Thursday evening and were seated in the lounge. The salad we ordered to share as an appie was good. Drinks were delicious. We ordered the Coconut Atlantic Salmon and the Tenderloin Steak medium rare. The salmon was good, but the steak was cooked beyond well done - so much so that it was chewy. I asked to have the steak sent back and ordered the Harvest Salad instead. After a little while, my partner was almost done their meal and my salad had not arrived, so I asked to have the order cancelled. The server said she would cancel it, then came back 5-10 minutes later to say that it was almost ready and asked if I still wanted it. By this point my partner was almost done with their meal. I said I'd still like it cancelled and ordered a dessert to take home. The server arrived after about another 5 minutes with a box. Thinking it was the dessert, I was about to ask for the bill, but she said it was the salad and I could take it or leave it. I told her I did not want it, she said she would leave it, and repeated that I could leave it if I wanted. The dessert came soon after along with the bill. The salad was still on the bill. I asked to have it removed and the server said she could not. She called over the manager who said they were not going to take it off the bill because I took too long to cancel it. I explained that I cancelled it, at least 5 minutes passed before it was "almost ready," and then it arrived another 5-10 minutes after that, so I did not want it, nor did I want to pay for it. She said they had already "comped" the steak so I had to pay for the salad. I told her there was nothing to "comp." The steak was inedible (I had one bite out of it and returned it), so not something to comp. It was an awful meal that no one should have to pay for. I had asked for the salad to be canceled, so again, I was not asking to have anything for free. My night was ruined, I was upset, and just wanted to leave. At this point, I didn't even care anymore, I told her I'd pay for the salad and wanted to go home. The manager said she'd ask the chef if he would take it off the bill. Again, I said no and asked for the bill with the salad so I could just leave, but she left anyway. What felt like at least another 10 minutes passed before she came back. This time she said the chef had taken the drinks off, but I had to pay for the salad. The whole experience was terrible, but the last bit felt like I was being held hostage. I wanted to pay and leave, but couldn't because they wouldn't give me the bill. We took our boxes and left. I still don't know what the point of all this was. Sure they don't want to loose money. Then why offer a steak you don't know how to cook? And, comp? Do they know what that means? There is nothing complementary about having inedible food you cannot eat taken off your bill. I ordered the salad and cancelled. I don't know how their kitchen works, even if I had taken too long to cancel, I did not deserve to be kept there after I agreed to pay for it. They took the drinks off and not the salad? I think the difference what $8. Does the $8 matter that much to them? Was it some deranged power move?? ... like a "haha, we won't let you have your way!" Oookay, you guys win! Guess I shouldn't argue with a guy who can't cook a steak. He must know better than me.

The food was delicious. Everything was very good. The…read moreservice was outstanding and the restaurant was very clean and appealing. The

My family and I have been coming here for years . We haven't been back in a long time …read more Everything is exactly how I remember it.. the decor and menu hasn't changed. Hey why mess with a good thing . We have always enjoyed the food . Cajun Louisiana style is simply put..heaven for your taste buds . I usually got the pasta jambalaya but opted this time for the combo plate ( see photo ). It's got jambalaya, shrimp Creole , red beans and sausage. . Fantastic . Crab cakes to die for too . The chef was trained in New Orleans so he really knows how to cook it.. so it's about as authentic as it gets . I'm writing this review about 5 hours after we ate .. still feeling full.. you get a good portion. If you crave some true Louisiana cooking.. this is as close as it gets .. Highly recommended.