We ended up at Araxi thanks to their $45 four course special, and thank goodness for that, because…read morewe probably never would've gone otherwise. This place has always felt like one of those "special occasion only" restaurants that are usually out of reach. The special menu was such a steal and so wonderful!!! Every course came out looking delightful, from the bright, delicate starters to the beautifully cooked mains to desserts that made us slow down just to savor the moment. I didn't want the food to stop flowing. Service was warm without being stuffy, the vibe was lively but still intimate, and the whole night felt like we'd accidentally unlocked a VIP experience. If you've ever walked past Araxi thinking "maybe someday," this is your sign. Go when they're running the special during spring ski season!

I don't often review a place a second time, but I figured it's been long enough since my last…read morevisit, and this was maybe my 3rd or 4th visit overall. Araxi did not disappoint, though I'm disappointed in myself for missing their apres deal with a discounted fondue using cave aged gruyere! Definitely reserve ahead of time during peak season. They start you with fresh herbed ciabatta and sourdough with olive oil and butter, and both breads were great but especially so for our hungry kids. They had the most perfectly sharpened quality colored pencils and a coloring/activity sheet for the kids, which was much appreciated! Drinks: - The Cure: talisker 10, pineapple, mezcal float - Fig Jam: fig infused mezcal, apple cider, fig jam, spices - great to start They also had a good wine list, and they even had some local wines by the half bottle, which was a nice option, so we got a local Pinot. Food: - Oysters: island tide and kusshi, served with traditional mignonette and horseradish - Ricotta gnocchi: with wild mushrooms, cheesy lemon fonduta, crispy sage - a smaller portion but good for sharing as an appetizer - Pacific crab and matane shrimp cake: no fillers, perfectly seared, with a great local pear and avocado salsa verde - Seared scallops: perfectly seated, with local sunchokes, crispy prosciutto, grilled bok choy, xharred pepper romesco - Ora king salmon: similar to the kids' one but dressed up, with roasted beats, beet and ginger salsa, goat cheese arancini - House made bucatini: mentaiko style with spicy cod roe, humobldt squid, breadcrumbs. This had a nice kick, and the pasta texture was great - Kids' fish: seared salmon with risotto and bok choy - a generous portion of perfectly seared salmon! Dessert: - Valrhona chocolate fondant: warm gooey chocolate cake with tahitian vanilla bean ice cream and chocolate crisps Service was great and very kid friendly (including copper mule cups for their water!). We ordered a lot of food for 2 adults and 2 young kids, but everything was so great - every item was a hit. There's a reason why we keep coming back to Araxi!

Came to this location again and it is a MUST when in town. (Is exceptional in service, flavour,…read moreatmosphere and aesthetic compared to the Vancouver locations.) When you walk in you're promptly greeted by the hosts. We came mid week and tried their spring menu which was 4 courses for 33 before tax and tip. The server was prompt and attentive with a sincere, friendly demeanour. They were out of the tomato soup so we got the chowder and some chips and salsa (not pictured). Both were so delicious. The chips were ultra thick and reminded me of eating bugles as a kid, but way higher class. The salmon and chicken were way larger portions than we had expect , and done to perfection. Chicken is a little spicy but this is the type of service and cooking I liiiiive for! If you've ever had any other Earls scratch that out of your mind because when you come here, this is literally the place to be. Sticky toffee pudding also wonderful. It's not like a pudding more like a mini chocolate cake with toffee, vanilla ice cream and this almond florentine style cookie. Recommend to anyone even vegetarian / vegan as they have a plentiful plant based menu as well. This place is vibes for friends, dates, or a family dinner.

Earls normally great. But let me say this. The server was great. She did an amazing job. The…read morehostess clearing off a table broke a glass. And it took her 15 mins trying to broom it up. She didn't know how to work a broom which isn't the problem but this girl was inebriated if you guys want to fight me on anything I'll post the video I'm trying to keep the peace by not making this girl get fired. But man this was garbage. She then started arguing with my girlfriend and saying the glass wasn't there. And made a face to the staff about it. Our server stayed there and made sure she got it all it wasn't for us. But what if a kid stepped on it. All I will say it earls do better.

Located inside Pan Pacific Whistler Village Centre. I wanted to come here for happy hour and to see…read moretheir Halloween décor, which was truly impressive. They also had a Halloween cocktail list. The hostess was friendly, but our server killed our experience. Her words were friendly but her facial expressions and body language revealed how much she disliked serving us. My husband and I spoke after, we both felt she was probably racist. Their happy hour menu had a big selection of food items but no drinks. Everything was pretty expensive for happy hour. We tried the raw Albertan elk tartare and potato puffs. We enjoyed both dishes and the portions were big. As much as we enjoyed the food, we probably won't return due to the slow and uncomfortable service.

We have been here three times, first time fantastic, second was great, third was for me a definite…read moremeh and with all the fantastic restaurants in Whistler, there is no compelling reason to return . Though the restaurant was largely empty when we arrived, we were sat at a booth that at best sat 4 and was not enough for the 5 in our group. We tend to eat lots of appetizers rather than one big meal so I knew the table would not work - we asked to be moved and the server was quite confrontational - she eventually agreed to move us to one of two larger tables that was available the whole time we were there! But it was a weird start and had we not already ordered drinks and it been a Saturday night with most places booked - I would have walked as I don't ever recall been talked to like that in a restaurant and my guess is they moved us in time to stop us leaving. She also told us that she would stagger courses appropriately- that never happened. Pretty much everything arrived at once which I wondered if it was an attempt to flip the table quickly for other large parties - who were not exactly lining up in abundance. The other large table sat empty even after we left. It arrived so, so fast I would guess that a lot of it was pre prepared and just heated up as multiple plates were brought out less than 10 minutes of ordering. Also most of the appetizers and salad arrived last so they seemingly did not know or care to course appropriately. We also ended up stacking dishes at the end of the table as they were not removed- though to be fair, they appeared to be woefully understaffed . Food had some hits and some misses .The meat eaters loved the chicken, the shishito peppers were excellent, , watermelon salad was good, potatoes croquettes were a shadow of their former selves and needed more flavor , mussels were okay and the Creme brûlée was gritty! Weird vibe, mediocre service, food was just okay - much better places to eat in the Village so I wont go back.

I visited Balam while on vacation, and it was so good that we ended up going back a second time…read more Balam offers a unique fusion of Peruvian, Colombian, Brazilian, and Asian-inspired dishes, and they absolutely nail it. We tried a variety of dishes across both visits, and every single one was fantastic. The balance of flavors and the way different cultures are blended together is seriously impressive. Some standout dishes: the truffle ceviche was incredible, and the black tiger prawn causa had a sauce that was absolutely fantastic. The tallarín de marisco is a must-order, we loved it so much we ordered it twice. We also had the salmon anticucho and Colombian arepa, and everything was fire. Everything tasted fresh, well thought out, and perfectly executed. You can tell a lot of care goes into each dish. If you're visiting Whistler, Balam is a must-visit. It was easily one of the best restaurants on our trip to Whistler.

Music too too loud Asked to turn it down and they did and…read moreas soon as we ordered drinks They turned it up