Such a fun Irish pub. My friends and I only meant to come in for drinks, but the menu looked so phenomenal that we had to eat dinner here as well. Serving sizes are HUGE, and the food is actually really delicious. I highly recommend their pot pies (especially the chicken). Their appetizers like onion rings are really delicious. We came out of the restaurant feeling really bloated and full, but it was a great last meal in the city! read more

St James's Gate - Irish Pub Near Me - Banff, Alberta

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We stumbled upon St. James's Gate while trying to choose a lunch spot in Banff, Canada --and we're so glad we did! Sometimes luck really is on your side. The cozy, welcoming pub atmosphere made us feel right at home, and the service was friendly and attentive throughout. We enjoyed a couple of local brews: the Okanagan Springs 1516 Lager and Wild Rose Wraspberry Ale--both refreshing and a perfect match for the setting. We decided to split the fish and chips, which turned out to be an excellent choice. Crispy, flaky, and full of flavor. What really surprised us was the cabbage side dish--it caught our eye on the menu, and we're so glad we went for it. Absolutely delicious and unexpectedly memorable. Is that truffle oil seasoning it? Overall, a great find with great food, drinks, and service. Would definitely return! read more

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My Lady is sassy Irish lass and this was a must stop. I ordered a flight if whisky sampler, comes with 3. First flight was Macallan, second was Lochlomond. So good. My Lady had a Guinness or two. Ordered the appetizers shrimp scampi and mini yorkshire pudding ( roast beef with a horseradish mayo) and au jus instead of a gravy. Delicious. This was a spacious bar with plenty of seating so seating more intimate than others but great Irish pub vibe read more

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I love a good Irish pub. This one is amazing. Started off with the whiskey flight and all were solid. Moved on to the beer. I got the cream ale and it was delicious. Food- started off with the fried mushrooms, loved them, I had the beef and barley soup, also good, and finished with a genesis pie, amazing. My girlfriend had the fish and chip and said they were fire as well. Sat outside and stared at the mountains, such a beautiful day. This place would be five stars if the tartar sauce was good, and my waitress forgot our ranch for the mushrooms. read more

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One of my favorite restaurant during my visit to Banff. It has enough space for all - big groups, date night, or solo drinkers who want to sit at the bar. We came for dinner but they have a big selection of drinks for those who don't want food. Food came out hot and was filling. I ended up really enjoying the Microburst beer and got a second, then went to Townhouse liquor to pick up more for home. The sticky toffee pudding cake hit the spot and satisfied my sweet tooth. The restaurant was busy even for an early dinner and the workers were nonstop moving. They are nice enough and may not get to you as fast as they can, so be patient. I'll be back during my next visit! read more

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St. James's gate is a traditional Irish pub located in the heart of downtown Banff. It's quite a large space with many nooks and crannies and of course, lots and lots of snugs. The staff are super friendly, the decor has IRELAND written all over it. I love the space and I love what they have done to bring IRELAND to the city of Banff. They did a great job. I did not have any food here, but the menu looks fairly large with a huge variety of food. Guinness is on point.... That's all that matters really!!! If you are looking for an authentic Irish experience here in Banff, this is your spot and that's coming from an Irish person. read more

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I absolutely love the atmosphere, lots of stained glass and old books, Really cool restaurant. The lamb shank was delicious, literally fall off the bone good. I will say our waitress was not very impressive but even with the service the food is worth the return. read more

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My friends and I stopped in here for drinks and it was a really solid Irish pub. I had a Raging Red ale which wasn't the best ale I've ever had but at least I tried it. It was a busy pub, and they did a good job checking in on us. Everyone at our table liked their drinks. It's a great casual spot to grab a drink and some pub food. read more

I had the fish & chips and my wife had the macaroni & cheese. The fish was as expected; fries were so-so. I thought the Mac & cheese was a bit bland. Overall , it was OK. read more

Wonderful lunch break outside on the patio. I was a little disappointed that the chips were not English style, the cod was very light and refreshing. Not greasy. Bangers and mash the best I've had outside of Belfast. The rigatoni had lots of chicken which had been grilled and added so it was nicely prepared. Well done. Service was spot on very polite attentive and punctual read more

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Came in to St James because few of the other breweries we had in banff were pretty mediocre. Honestly, I was pretty surprised how awesome St James is. Highly recommend! FOOD The food here is pretty solid. We had little Yorkies and cottage pie. It was my first time having both of these and honestly it was pretty good! It paired with my beer really well. Not sure if it's the food, the vibe, or the combination of both that just made me keep on eating!!! SERVICE The service here is absolutely perfect. Our waitress (forgot her name but she had blonde hair but looked she's of Asian decent) was the friendliest waitress I've ever met. She was patient with us, explained these new dishes to us and made her recommendations as well. ALL IN ALL, St James is a low key gem in the area and honestly can't wait to come back next time for another pint and these finger foods! read more

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First stop in Banff and I was a little worried because some reviews I read said service is a little lacking. Well they were right. We were seated and after no one saying a thing to us for about 10 minutes we hopped up to the bar and sat there to order. Our bartender was friendly. We ordered hot toddy's. They were terrible. It was hot water with a shot of whiskey, and I squeezed lemon. A cinnamon stick, and the honey caked to the bottom of the glass. Pretty disappointing. The food however hit the spot. Nothing too mind blowing, but really solid and tasty for a warm meal. I got the lamb stew which I thoroughly enjoyed (although I wished the side of soda bread it came with was toasted and not just cold). Boyfriend got the chicken boxty which was really tasty. We ordered pickle backs. Can't really mess that up. All in all the food was a good solid warm meal after a long day of travel, but I don't think I'd come back unless I wanted to grab a beer or take a shot. Or if I was really craving a lamb stew. read more

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Visiting Banff from the US, this place was actually on my dinner list because I had eaten here years ago. I'm not sure why it only has 4/5 stars because everything we had was so good we came back 2 more times! The beer list is broad enough that everyone can find something you like. The atmosphere is warm and cozy without being dark. The service was excellent and the wait staff so kind. I overheard them giving recommendations for hikes and sights to several other tables. The fish and chips was hot, crispy and not greasy-just perfect after a long day of hiking. I only took one photo because I dove in and devoured it too quickly. My husband had the beef barley stew which was amazing. We never had to wait for a table, nor service. The drinks and food came out really quickly, but we were also not rushed to vacate the table. It was my favorite place for some delicious hot food and cold beer in Banff read more

St James's Gate - Fish and chips - Irish Pub Near Me - Banff, Alberta

Don't believe the great service ratings here. RUDE! Asked if we could get help when available... we were hit with "I'm serving someone already " and walks away. Needless to say, we walked right out after that. read more

Came here for lunch and it wasn't busy inside. I was seated immediately at the bar and there were so few folks that service was quick. Inside the vibe was your standard pub atmosphere, which wasn't out of the ordinary. The poutine was pretty good but this was my first time trying it so I wouldn't be able to compare it to anything. The burger was solid for a burger since it's a bit hard to mess that up but the beer and fries were easily my favorite part of the meal. read more

St James's Gate - Wild Rose Wraspberry Ale and poutine - Irish Pub Near Me - Banff, Alberta

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Love popping in here when on Banff. Great atmosphere, great staff, solid drinks. Shout out to our server Finn for excellent drinks!!

This was our first stop for a drink and we loved it! Was not busy at all and our bartender was chill. I'm particular about how my old fashioned is made and not a fan of it being served with regular ice cubes because it waters down the drink quicker but the drink was still good. I also ordered the cold brew cocktail which was DANGEROUS! My gf got the penicillin which id probably get as n alternative drink too because it was pretty good. Loved the classic feel of this Irish bar. I could imagine how much of a blast it would be to come here on st pattys day! read more

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Probably one of our favourite pubs to come to whenever we're in Banff. They have consistently delicious and authentic Irish food, and amazing Irish beer. The staff are extremely friendly and very knowledgeable of the menu and can help make great recommendations. A great place to stop in for a meal or just a casual drink. read more

St James's Gate - a table full of beer and food - Irish Pub Near Me - Banff, Alberta

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Fantastic atmosphere! Great steak and Guinness pie. Server was awesome--will come back and highly recommend!

Stopped by here for a nightcap while in Banff and it was perfect. We came on a Friday night around 9pm and it was so lively with live music. Super casual and fun atmosphere. They have a large selection of beers and whiskeys as well as other cocktails. We were still full but we decided to snack on some sweet potato fries and it was soooo delicious. Like probably the best sweet potato fries I've ever had. We got a side of chipotle mayo and I wish I could've taken a whole jar of that stuff home lol Service was super fast and friendly. Highly recommend this pub read more

We went two nights because our first visit went so well. Portions are very good size. I had the beef pot pie the first night and the second night my husband and I split the pasta with cream sauce and chicken. Service was good. We sat outside. There is no air conditioning inside. Canada was experiencing a very hot spell during our visit, which is unusual for them. Service was good both nights. read more

Great pub atmosphere, delicious food. Service is good and beer is cold. Awesome Happy hour deals.

Great service and I loved the bangers and mash. Just off the main street through downtown Banff, it has a nice ambience and friendly staff.

Awesome Irish pub in downtown Banff! Great place for some fun live music and Guinness. Thoroughly enjoyed stopping in here a few nights when we were in town. Service was great and there was plenty of seating for everyone. read more

Irish Pub in Downtown Banff. We came here after our hike for a snack and a beer. The bar had a great selection of Irish beers and liquor. Our bartender was super friendly and recommended the Yorkshire pudding for our snack. It was our first time trying it and it was delicious. We had a lovely time here. read more

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Gate burger was good. I'm a ranch + fries all the way kind of person, and their ranch was different but yummy different. Burger was good, server was patient and helpful. The decor was really nice...part of it reminded me of a pub I've been to in Europe read more

St James's Gate - Gate Burger, fries. Ranch - Irish Pub Near Me - Banff, Alberta

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We love this place. True authentic Irish pub ambiance, great food and drinks. Our server Shanaye was cheerful and efficient. When I asked about my favorite Irish dessert she said their Sticky Toffee was the best. Having traveled in Ireland I can say she was correct! Delicious experience read more

Nice idea; Deconstructing an actual pub in Dublin, then re-building it in Banff in 1997. Cool place to go for a beer/drink too. Very cozy feel, etc. Hard to screw up a beer right? ...But the food? Wow, what a let-down. If you're hungry, don't let the ambience of this wannabe Irish pub fool you. In Ireland and the UK, when a pub serves sub-par food, word spreads and people don't go, plain and simple. I've been in many pubs abroad, and my food experiences are generally great. They seem to put a lot more emphasis on the quality of the food served. Why can't that be the case here? Why does the St. James Irish Pub try to be something they're clearly not?? Their kitchen needs to step it up big time! I ordered the Guinness & Steak Pie at $19. I expected something similar to what I'd get somewhere in Ireland or the UK at a pub. Instead what I got was some fools lame interpretation of a meat pie. "Let's take some packaged gravy, whisk in a bit of Guinness, a skimpy amount of steak, throw a piece of cheap frozen puff pastry on top and nobody would be the wiser". Yeah, all about cutting corners for profit hoping no one will notice. Also, the meat within the pie was tough as hell (chew chew chew). Should have been braised a lot longer, and there should have been more of it. I counted four tiny squares of steak in my pie. So yeah, a shallow lasagna boat with a lame excuse for a meat pie filling, topped off with a piece of puff pastry. Haven't these people ever seen an actual meat pie?? A real meat pie is just that. Meat filling surrounded by a savory pie crust (bottom, sides, etc). The dish was supposed to come with mixed veggies. I ordered a side of mashed potatoes (as it didn't come with), and when my food arrived, there were no veggies. I guess they thought I wanted to substitute one for the other? But I was very clear when I ordered "Does the dish come with mash? No? OK, then can I please have a side of mash with gravy?" Not once did I say I wanted a substitution. Upon arrival, the mashed potatoes contained under-cooked chunks of potato within (crunch crunch crunch), and the side of gravy was clearly of the packaged variety. I can tell you that we just returned from York, England. I had a steak & ale pie at The House Of Trembling Madness that equated to the same cost of $19. The thing was massive, took me 45 minutes to consume, came with a huge portion of mashed & gravy, and mushy peas. I lost track of how many succulent tender pieces of beef were within my pie, not to mention the gravy, etc. Sublime! That being said, the St. James Irish Pub in Banff should be ashamed of themselves for presenting their over-priced crap idea of a meat pie to customers. My wife ordered the cottage pie at $19 (at least they got that right, and didn't call it shepherds pie), but it was salty as hell and unpalatable. She had all of two bites (I had one), and she left the rest behind. Doesn't the chef (presumably they have one?) ever taste his food?? In the end, we complained that we were not happy with the food. I thought at the very least they would have removed my wife's food from the bill, as it was barley touched. Nope. Our server came back and said "the manager will do his best to remove some of the cost from your bill". In the end, he removed only $4, and still charged me for the side of mashed potatoes, despite not coming with the side of veggies that it should have, Lol. I should add that our young server was very polite and sympathetic. read more

Love this place! Excellent food Great wait staff Excellent beer Reasonable prices Beef poppers are great read more

St james gate never disappoints. For an Irish man born and bred. It always provides a wee taste of home. Pints of harp are great. All the food is great. Decor and atmosphere are as close as you can get to home. Slainte read more

St James's Gate - Irish Pub Near Me - Banff, Alberta

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We came to St. James because of a recommendation of a friend and we were not disappointed. Our waitress (Makenzie) was fantastic and a wonderful sense of humor . The food was wonderful and beautifully plated . We will definitely visit again. read more

St James's Gate - Bangers and mash - Irish Pub Near Me - Banff, Alberta

Good food, great service, and excellent live performer the night we were there! Good ambience and fair prices. Would surely go again.

Definitely a nice Irish pub vibe. My steak and Guinness pie was awesome. It comes with a side so I ordered mashed potatoes and gravy which went perfectly with the pie. My daughter ordered cottage pie which was great as well. The Guinness pie was the best though. They must be short staffed there as I saw many people come through the front door but there was no one to greet and seat them, so they left. read more

AH the St. James! After a day of hiking and exploring around Banff - my husband and I wanted some stick to your bones, hearty food. Fish and Chips and burger with their hearty beef and barley soup. And let me tell you - it did not disappoint! Fish and Chips were amazing, crispy, fresh and they give you a HUGE piece on a bed of chips. Perfection, amazing and could not have asked for anything else. It also came with a small side of slaw and tartar sauce. The burger was DELICIOUS, as it was Alberta meat :) nothing can ever beat that. But the star of the show was the beef and barley soup that my husband ordered with his burger. The soup TRULY hit the spot, the flavor was amazing, just enough thickness, HUGE chunks of beef and lots of barley swimming in the delicious broth. Amazing and will definitely come back here. This was a true Irish pub in downtown banff - from the music, to the furniture, and to the great hospitality and service of the staff! read more

St James's Gate - Alberta Beef Burger and the beef and barley soup - Irish Pub Near Me - Banff, Alberta

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Nice pub atmosphere. Yorkie appetizer is amazing! A tempting bite of roast beef with horseradish wrapped in a fresh Yorkshire pudding. It's to die for! So perfect. The Shepherd's pie was good, rich, hot, not exceptional but good. read more

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Awesome pub with a really great staff. Went above and beyond looking for a whiskey we wanted. Overall great atmosphere and we will definitely be back! read more

This was a toss up - I had one of the best bison burgers ever, and my husband had the fish and chips which he reports was bland and greasy. The place was empty but service was slow. The bison burger and sweet potato fries were flavorful and I would definitely recommend both. read more

What a treat to find this gem hidden away in Banff. If you want authentic, delicious Irish cuisine this is your place. Also the best in an extraordinary selection of international brews. St. James's Gate is a huge Irish Pub with the best of both. Everything is traditional, right down to the space in the pub. Great layout for private parties. Each room as it's own character. The food is amazing. We had the Steak & Guiness Pie and the Bangers & Mash. The flavors were out of this world. We worked with Gavin throughout our visit. He was very kind and a huge help with the beer and menu selections. A bonus is live music on Thurs, Friday and Saturday nights. A must stop when you are in Banff! read more

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We came to this place by chance.. My friend had a craving for steak as lunch. Not a crowd place at 2 pm in early March. She ordered a steak and I ordered a sausage dish, which turned out to be OK, and the portion was huge. Her steak seemed to be better than my sausage. read more

St James's Gate - sausage dish - Irish Pub Near Me - Banff, Alberta

A little bit of Ireland in Canada! We loved this little pub, really did remind us of our time in Ireland. All the furniture inside was shipped from Ireland. A real nice touch. We had a couple of beers and tired the crab and asparagus soup and poutine. I recommend the poutine - it was really good here! I also recommend the Original 16 Copper Ale - also very good. Nice place to stop for a snack and a beer. read more