We just went in for drinks but regretted that we didn't get to eat lunch or dinner here.. Great service & amazing view. If we come back here, will make sure to reserve time for a meal. A very lovely place!!! read more

If you go to Banff, this is a must see/do experience. The gondola ride alone is amazing, but let's talk food and dining experience. Drinks were top notch and well curated! I got a smoked OF, and the wife got a mocktail that was amazing. Food selection was very very good as well, the waiter helped me decide on my steak cut, and I went for the bison as it's more unique to Canada. Next would be the vibes and views. Wow. Cannot say enough about it. We sat one row away from The window and it was breath taking. Highly recommend, highly recommend getting a reservation. read more

Sky Bistro - Old fashioned. - Canadian (New) Near Me - Banff, Alberta

We had great hospitality here with our server, Jorge! He provided really good recommendations, and he also took the time to share with us what to do after lunch! I had a dairy lactose intolerant situation and he was very helpful. We ordered the duck wings as our appetizer, and this blew my wife's mind because she never was into duck, but this dish changed the game for her. Very well prepared and it was super crispy and the presentation was everything. It had a chili Asian crisp taste to it. Our next dish was the vegetable Wellington! Surprisingly, this was really good for something that was vegan. Not that I'm a vegan person, but I just want to try something that was non-dairy. It paired really well with the sauce. The squash and mushroom hit it off. We also ordered some white prawns, and that was really fresh as well! And the most important thing was the view! Try to get an opportunity to sit next to the window because you have an awesome view of the mountains. What better way to enjoy lunch or dinner with the view. read more

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Such an amazing view. The food was okay. Our server was wonderful. We made reservations in advance. A bit spendy when you add up parking, gondola ride and the meal. read more

Sky Bistro - Canadian (New) Near Me - Banff, Alberta

Delicious food, breathtaking scenery, friendly service! Enjoyed celebrating my birthday here! We got the beet salad to start- very tasty! For mains- we got duck frites and beef short rib- short rib was so tender and flavorful! For dessert, we got the haskap berry pastry- the crust was fantastic! We enjoyed our mocktails as well! read more

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So the view is a given. And what a view! Then I was pleasantly surprised that the food was quite good. We didn't get past the smaller plates, but had a nice assortment. Favorites were the Bison Carpaccio and the Mushroom Pate. The Roe and Chips were also tasty. The cocktails were creative, but we noticed that the bar got pretty backed up quickly. We appreciated our server's honesty about some dishes and the bar and kitchen issues, so all was good. A relaxing and enjoyable experience! read more

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We dined at 7:45 and they were out of so many food and beverage options. I enjoyed the alpine Caesar and the tagliatelle but would not recommend the roe chips as an appetizer since the chips were slightly chewy. Overall, the experience did not match the high prices. read more

Sky Bistro - Tagliatelle - Canadian (New) Near Me - Banff, Alberta

We went to Banff for a family vacation to celebrate our son's graduation from college. We went to Sky Bistro for the celebration dinner and it did not disappoint in any area. Getting there was easy. The gondola line ran smoothly. The restaurant was ready for us at our reservation time (we went early to enjoy the sights and climb up to the watch tower). Our waiter, Conor, was fantastic. Every recommendation he made was spot on for the diner. They greeted us with Prosecco to toast the accomplishment. The mixed drinks were great, steaks were awesome, lamb was the best I've ever had, appetizers, and short-lived dessert were delicious. I've dined at Michelin starred restaurants and none have matched the atmosphere, service, or quality of food. It was the dining highlight of the entire vacation. Thanks to all the staff who made such a great memory for my son and our family. read more

What could be better than dining atop a beautiful mountain in the heart of Alberta Canada? During our trip to Banff National Park, I surprised my man with a gondola ride up Sulphur Mountain and a tasty lunch at this bistro that comes with phenomenal views. Reservations are a must and make sure you book way in advance. We were there in late September so the season was shifting. Our day up here weather wise was overcast and a little chilly but we had a great time. Ok, let's talk about the food and drink. We started with a loaded Sky Caesar. This drink was perfect to share and it got our taste buds going. To begin our meal, we ordered the Caesar salad which was so light but really good. Next we enjoyed the Canadian Chowder, the beef burger (with delicious Alberta meat), and the Tagliatelle. We really loved our meal and trying the Canadian Chowder was fun. Service was great and our view was panoramic from every angle. I really love the huge windows that allow you to view the gorgeous Canadian Rockies. It was a perfect way to spend our last day here and I highly recommend should you take the gondola up to the top. A great date place! read more

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Despite the smoke haze from nearby fires, the ceiling to floor windows overlooking Banff atop Sulfur Mountain was still amazing (even with the haze)! Moreover, the food was top notch. Sure, it came with a price, but it was far better than most top of the mountain foods I've crossed paths with in recent history. I ordered the smoked salmon which was served layered atop and in between potato pancakes. Dill cream cheese, roe, and some pickled onions also added bites of creaminess, richness, and acidity that made the dish very very tasty. My friends ordered a variety of other dishes including the bangers and mash, fried chicken, and a very plant forward pasta. Out of all of those, I do think the bangers and mash were my favorite. We also ordered some drinks and there was a Saskatoon cider that was super tasty! All in all, great experience! Get a reservation if you want a seat closer to the window to enjoy the views. You can take the gondola to this restaurant if you don't want to ascend the 2400m on foot, but my friends and I? We exercise to eat! read more

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Would not do lunch there again. It was the first days of reopening since the remodel, but the service was insanely slow. It took forever to get our simple meal of one salad and one pasta. The food was not very flavorful and very expensive considering you've already paid a ton of money to even get to the location. The drinks were not great. Don't waste your money.... read more

We got super lucky! No reservation. Just took a chance and walked in. We were willing to go back down the mountain and find something in town but thought what the heck... let's ask. I think we hit the timing 'just right'. Folks were leaving as we walked in. Plus, we were only 2 people. If you had more than 2... that'was more of a challenge and a long wait. The bar seating is first come, first serve. Of course, there are only like 5 seats at the small bar, and we would have sat there as it looked like people were finishing up, but the hostess said she had a table for 2 open up. Service was very good as was the food. The surprise of the night.... Pistachio Pate. I wanted to give it a try because it sounded different but really was not expecting it to be as good as it was. I mean... you don't even miss the 'meat'. It's rich and creamy and the pickled veg really help cut the richness. It's a creative... innovative dish that really is a delight. My duck was quite tasty although I wish the skin was a bit more cooked ... seared more. It was a bit too chewy. The husband ordered the Bison and it was rich and tender. Quite delicious! All in all... a lovely dinner and experience. If this is someplace you really really want to dine at... highly recommend a reservation. If you want to wing it like we did, I hope it works out as well for you as it did for us. read more

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The views and ambiance-8/10 very beautiful, I recommend to get a reservation if you can Food-4/10 overpriced obviously, but if the quality was good I wouldn't mind. My burger came out well done even tho I told them medium rare....it took 100 years to get too. Service was sooooooo slow. Service -2/10. I understand if ur busy, but when people who came AFtER you get their food before you that is just ridiculous. And I'm expecting the food to be top notch if I wait a million years. The chowder soup we got was very good but it was lukewarm! It tasted like it had been sitting out! So disappointed. read more

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The restaurant is located at the top of the gondola ride on the third floor of the building. We made reservations weeks in advanced. When we showed up 10-minutes early there was a couple in front of us that didn't have a reservation and they were given a shaded window seat with a view of Banff National Park. We, with reservations made weeks prior, were given seats with the sun beating on us and a gorgeous view of the their solar panels on their lower roof. This was upsetting to say the least. What was the point of making a reservation then? We ordered the smoked salmon and short rib beef tartine. The short rib beef tartine was solid, but I wasn't impressed by the "smoked" salmon. It was nothing special, the salmon didn't taste smoked at all. Would not recommend that dish to anyone. We also ordered the Apple mule zero-proof cocktail. This was fine. Our server, Makiko, was awesome. She talked through the menu and answered our questions. She heard that we're going down to Canmore tomorrow and recommended their farmers market. She was a rare bright spot in our dining experience. read more

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I've heard that it's worth it to stop by for a meal at this spot but I have to admit that I was a bit skeptical due to it being in a tourist attraction. I'm glad I was wrong! This was one of the best experiences I had in Banff. The food was amazing, and actually reasonably priced for the premium meats/seafood you are getting. The short rib dish was incredible and the seafood chowder was loaded and delicious. And we really appreciated the service here and that they tried to seat my wife and I at the windows. It was a great lunch with absolutely spectacular views! read more

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Our hosts brought us to the top of Sulphur mountain to enjoy some snowy views and planned for a lunch at Sky Bistro. It was completely foggy and snowy outside, which made it feel like we were dining in the clouds. The main dining area feels cozy and inviting, with great service from all the staff. The lunch came with a soup or salad and an entrée, I ended up getting the seafood chowder and the rancher's pie. The seafood chowder was really good, filled with tender clams, snappy shrimp, and smoky bacon without being overly heavy or thick. The topping of tobiko was really unique, it added a nice texture and brightness to the soup. The rancher's pie was a huge portion and came with a little side salad. The mashed potatoes were creamy and flavorful, and I appreciated the time they took to pipe it on top. The braised short rib below was so tender, with bits of delicious thick-cut bacon in the mix too. We got to enjoy conversation after lunch too, we weren't rushed in any regard. Overall, this was such a great meal, from the ambiance to the service to the food. Best meal I had in Alberta by far! read more

Sky Bistro - Canadian (New) Near Me - Banff, Alberta

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Love, love love this place! Not just for the view, but the food that I ordered was really delicious as well! I had the short rib, beef, tartine, and my mom had the tagliatelle, both delicious. Make reservations right away in advance and also make sure you have reservations for the Banff gondola as it's at the top and you have to have gondola tickets in order to get up there. If you're going to the number one destination in Banff, you might as well make a reservation at sky bistro as well! If you're in a group of two, you can get right by the window, but if you're in a bigger party more than likely, you will not be by the window so if you need to split up, I would do it. The service here is really nice as well. read more

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Apparently not an easy reservation to get, but the Fairmont concierge hooked up us months before our trip. When we arrived in Banff we discovered we didn't have Gondola tickets, but fortunately they were able to get the day before. We took the 140pm Gondola up (crowded, but the lines moved fast) and enjoyed the stunning views for a few minutes before our 2:15pm reservation at Sky Bistro. We were lucky to get seated next to a window and the view from our table was by far the best part of this restaurant. That being said the food was pretty tasty as well. 2:15pm was a late lunch for us after a long morning of biking/hiking so i had already indulged in a snack so wasn't that hungry. I opted for a caesar salad and added some fish for some protein. And my husband went for a bowl of gazpacho. I didn't expect much from a touristy restuarant, but it was pretty tasty! The concierge had booked us a 4:30pm gondola back because figured we would need that much time for lunch, but we were done well before 3pm. We enjoyed the view some more and walked from one side to another, which was a lot of steps. It looks far, but really only takes about 10 minutes. We were ready to head back to the hotel by 3:30pm and fortunately the nice people at the gondola window let us trade in our tickets for an earlier time. I had heard from friends who visited that the gondola was overrated. I do think you get amazing views from everywhere you go in Banff so no need to visit it, but it was a nice activity paired with this lovely lunch at Sky Bistro. read more

I made our lunch reservation through OpenTable about a month in advance for the day of our visit. If you want to save a few bucks, lunch entrees are cheaper than dinner. We were initially seated at a table with the sun shining directly on our faces, but our wonderful server kindly offered to move us once the neighboring party left, and the new table had a much better view of Sulphur Mountain. Note that all the tables by the window are only for party of 2. We shared the seafood chowder, braised short rib, and tagliatelle pasta with added chicken. I also enjoyed a Pineapple Breeze, which was super refreshing. Between the warm service, delicious food, and breathtaking window views, Sky Bistro truly delivered a five-star experience. read more

In one word, meh. If it was maybe half of the price, I wouldn't be writing this review. To sum it up, the experience is not worth the price to dine here. The service was good and our waitress was lovely. The lamb chop and the lamb ribs were fantastic. If you come, order the lamb. Duck wings were okay. Everything else we had was bland. Really bland. Cooked well but tasteless. The chips and dip, short rib pasta, short rib meal, sablefish, the blush 75 cocktail, and the shrub cocktail. All very underwhelming when it comes to flavor. And the fact that you have to drop $350 for 5 people to get up there makes you expect much more than you get. Again, things were cooked well, but it's like they're afraid of salt and spices. For 2 older adults and 3 young adults, with the gondola ride, it was about $675 USD. Not worth it. read more

We went a few days after they reopened for renovations. Drinks were amazing and appetizers were delicious. We got the roe and bison appetizers and ribs for the entree. The ribs were flavorful but quite dry. read more

This restaurant was once a big part of our Banff trips yearly. Some of our all time favourite items came from dining here. The brisket burger for example, was probably the tastiest burger made anywhere in the world. I would put that burger up against any Gordon Ramsay burger any day. But Alas, they removed it. Among other family favourite items. And, they renovated it to suit an extremely over luxurious dining crowd (in a mountain hiking atmosphere nonetheless), by removing great items for pretentious items and the service went down hill. Slow and disinterested is the name of it. It always hurts to watch great places ruin what made them great in the first place. Change for the sake of change isn't always best. read more

Sky Bistro was an incredible dining experience from start to finish. The atmosphere was stunning, and having a reservation made everything smooth. The menu was refreshingly unique-- I had the smoked salmon, which was beautifully presented and absolutely delicious. Our server, Bam, was outstanding--friendly, knowledgeable, and gave great insight into both the menu and the local area. This spot is a must if you're taking the gondola to the top--well worth it for the view and the food! read more

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What a memorable experience!! I took my husband here to celebrate his birthday. It was a surprise, and he had no idea. He was very impressed, especially with the views. We were lucky to be placed at a table right next to the window as it is first come first serve. My personal favorites of that day were pretty much everything we ordered. The pork chops were tender, perfectly complimented by a sweet glaze. The pistachio pate was quite interesting. It is completely vegan. I loved the creamy texture and how buttery it was. It was definitely a very decadent meal. The birthday cake was on the house, although it did not taste great and was dry, but we definitely appreciated the thought. It was also beautifully decorated. The staff were super sweet and accommodating. They really took the time to explain the menu. This experience is a must if you are visiting Banff for the first time and celebrating something special. It can be quite pricey, especially you also have to pay for the gondola ride up to the restaurant. read more

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We ate at Sky Bistro after hiking up Sulphur Mountain. We were seated by the windows, overlooking the mountains. We started with a glass of Prosecco, and enjoyed the incredible view. I ordered the duck with Alberta grain, apple butter and endive. The duck had a smokey, yet salty flavour to it and the apple butter complemented it perfectly. The Alberta grain was cooked al dente and was a bit chewy. My friend ordered the short rib, which was very tender and flavourful. The food was very enjoyable, however I wish the portion sizes were larger. The service at the Sky Bistro was great; the hostess took our coats at the entrance and our waitress was friendly and attentive. read more

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Wish I can add a few more stars to this place. Nothing but positive feedback. We walked in with no reservation but they were so kind to sit us down right away and we were able to get a window seat as I've heard(everybody's dream) the views are spectacular. Carla our waitress was the sweetest and make our visit even more enjoyable. If we had questions she didn't hesitate and was very well informed. We ordered some drinks, Beet salad & Minestrone to start off. I've been in the look out for Beet's salads everywhere I go and Man oh man.. this one I will remember. The flavors were out of this world and every bite had me going back for more. We ordered their Brisket Burger as well and that was delicious as well she was so kind as well to have them cut in half cause we're sharing. Our drinks were just epic I had the coconut fizz(no alcohol) but was till delicious and we also tried their passionfruit sour and that was mind blowing. Our experience here was fantastic. You have to come with an opened mind, you will pay for the view and drinks and experience for sure but well worth it in my opinion. When we left there were many people waiting outside. Do yourself a favor and make a reservation so can dine way up here it's an experience you will never forget. read more

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Excellent food and beverages. Outstanding service Incredible view You take a gondola ride to get here which adds to the experience. Yes, it's pricey but it's worth it read more

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As it's not inexpensive to get to the summit, unless it's the dead of winter, I'd strongly advise you to skip the overpriced restaurants at the top of the summit and just take the time to thoroughly explore the summit. If you were reallyyyyyyyyyy inclined to eat at the summit, Northern Lights Alpine Kitchen -- the buffet across the way -- appears to be a better time management option with better views of the valley and better value. Plus, you could always toss any items you don't like and get something else (wasteful, I know, but you've done it too. It's an option we wish was available to us). The ambiance at Sky Bistro was nice. I ordered the bangers and mash, which were slightly underwhelming but edible. The brown gravy could be jazzed up some. My friend's linguine was horribly dry, flavorless, and inedible. It was like they completely forgot the olive oil and lemon! How does a nice restaurant mess up a basic pasta!? I had a bite of the pasta, downed my glass of water, and had difficulty flagging someone down for a refill. I made comments about the extremely disappointing pasta to the server in hopes of redeeming the touristy experience some but she was not at all sympathetic. In hindsight, maybe we should've gotten the brisket burgers. I'd only recommend items that they don't make in-house. Like the highly marked up ice wine. read more

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Harry C here, if you follow me you know I try and give me honest opinion anywhere I go. Sky Bistro has breathtaking views and a very unique menu. The service is exceptional. Try new things when you visit here, unique menu so try it out. We had Salmon Eggs, Bison Carpaccio, and the Ribeye. It did not disappoint. read more

Why 5 stars? Because you'd think the food would be disappointing, but it wasn't! --- --- --- I read about 100 reviews from former colleagues saying that Sky Bistro has 5-star views and 3-star food, so that's exactly where my expectations were. I have to say, the food ended up being quite a pleasant surprise! The one thing we didn't love were the fries, only because they were so thick that some of them weren't really even cooked all the way through. But other than that, we shared a Greek Salad and each ordered some Seafood Chowder. Both of these things were ideal. I kept wondering how much trouble these restaurants must go through to get all of their supplies, but they somehow pull it off quite nicely. I also read reviews about slow service, but didn't really have that experience. The service was totally fine for us. Plus, we wouldn't have wanted to be rushed anyway, when the reason to come to Sky Bistro is just to stare out at the beauty. I'd definitely recommend getting reservations here if you are taking the gondola up! read more

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We loved the view, the service and the food. It was one of the best dining experiences we've ever had! Make sure you reserve in advance. Our server, Matt, helped us to decide what to order. The pork chop was amazing! We also loved the heirloom tomato salad and seafood chowder. The short rib was tasty, but the pork was memorable! It was a great way to "launch" our Banff visit! read more

Sky Bistro - Short Rib - Canadian (New) Near Me - Banff, Alberta

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It's first come first serve, unless you're a person of color. I advise not coming here if you're a Latino. We tried to reserve a table with a view and were told that if we get there early and a table comes available near the window that we would get first pick. Two white couples came after us and I heard the waitress ensure them that they would give them a table with the view although we were told it was first come first serve. I overheard that their reservation time was the same as ours as well. They ended up seating us in a less than desirable spot but gave those other couples the window tables even though we were there first. When we talked to the manager and waitress they said "too bad so sad". I will not be back and this was the biggest disrespect we've encountered in Canada. Such a shame. read more

Seemed unnecessarily fussy process for timeline up/down the gondola and the price exorbitant - but our lunch and the hospitality of our server Tori made the experience special and memorable! Thank you Tori! And the views are spectacular read more

Came here for my sister's wedding rehearsal dinner, we had a large party of 21-23 or so, we had two tables with different servers. One table was told about the specialties and the other was not hence one table ordered the octopus and the other had no idea it was available. She had also called (weeks ahead) and tried to get reservations for 7pm which they told her 8pm would be better for our party. Once ordering apps and dinners about 9pm when we're eating the apps were asked if anyone wanted to order deserts because the kitchen would be closing soon. I thought that was odd why sit 20+ people at 8and close the kitchen at 9? So we put in desert orders right away, 9:15ish comes half are eating other half just started getting food. Shortly after that our server tells us the gondola shuts down at 10 (last call) so we're all worried and we need to hurry and finish. The groom then calls down and ask if we will get left up on the top and have to walk down because they were still eating! They say no of course not. We get desert about 9:30 and try to be mindful of the time, there's still other tables in the restaurant like 2. So once we finish everyone goes to the bathroom and then starts heading down to get on the gondola where one of the staff asks us if we were in the restaurant eating where we say yes and she apologizes to us saying she wanted to get everyone down quick it's been a long day... once we get down to the main lobby we were then kicked out to wait on the porch in the dark for our bus.. my 85 year old grandma was standing on the steps in the dark waiting about 20-30 mins for the bus.. all of us. The food was great, the service from our half of the group was great he was very polite and accommodating. The biggest issues was I felt we were being rushed. Dinner for 20+ people will take more than two hours, it was so disappointing for the gondola staff to radio up and get restaurant staff to get us to hurry up. This was a special evening for my sister and now husband and our two family's to share together, which we all felt was really rushed and then to top it off sitting on the front steps while all the staff came down off the mountain and into cars, some staff even got onto the same bus as us to go back into Banff. read more

Sky Bistro - Duck - Canadian (New) Near Me - Banff, Alberta

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Absolutely amazing! Where do I even start..?! My fiancé enjoyed our time at the sky bistro. From the delicious cocktails, amazing food, beautiful views and outstanding servers we couldn't have had a better experience. I HIGHLY recommend making a reservation prior to your arrival to the gondola or plan around your reservation as they are very popular; understandably so. read more

The food is eclectic - the green apple kohlrabi salad with a chicken breast was tasty but it is a smaller lunch plate. The fried chicken was seasoned perfectly and the dish was presented beautifully. The potato pancake was like a big moist but odd muffin. We weren't a fan. The prices are a bit high but understandable - you are at the top of a mountain and they have to gondola the food up. The wait staff was charming and attentive. The ambiance is unbelievable. Such a gem on top of sulphur mountain. We had a table next to the window and it was a glorious experience. Highly recommend - yes it is a tourist place - we loved it! read more

Sky Bistro - The view across the restaurant - Canadian (New) Near Me - Banff, Alberta

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Sky Bistro in Banff was truly an unforgettable experience. We had amazing seats right by the large window with a stunning view over the mountains, which was a real highlight of the evening. We both started with an espresso martini and steak tartare for our appetizer. Both were delicious. For mains, we had a beautiful cut of meat and duck, both perfectly prepared. We paired it with a lovely bottle of Tempranillo that really brought everything together. The service was excellent, warm and friendly. The whole experience, including the gondola ride up and the breathtaking location, made it something really special. read more

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Got the short rib beef tartine, trout, and tagliatelle pasta. Out of the three I would recommend the short rib beef tartine. The pasta was ok, it could use a little bit more flavor. Probably wouldn't order it again though. Overall paying to eat for the ambiance and nice views if you're lucky to sit next to the window. The service was good and attentive. read more

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We had dinner last night at sky bistro. The ambiance was amazing, service attentive and food off the charts. We started with the bison tartare which was so fresh and flavorful. For entrees we had the beef short rib and bison striploin. Both were absolutely perfect. We truly enjoyed the experience. Highly recommend read more

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Looked at the menu prior to coming and didn't see anything that stood out so came more for the experience than the food. Would recommend making reservations especially if you have a party of 2 and want to request to sit by the windows. Food was ok so probably wouldn't come back but glad I tried it out! read more

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