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I'd say this is probably one of the must-try restaurant in downtown Banff! The hamachi crisp, bison short rib and cucumber salad are all 10/10!! The warm vibe with snowing sightseeing were very welcoming!
What a great experience! Today was our first day in Banff and we are so happy we picked The Bison to be our first meal here. The restaurant is a modern vibe with gorgeous Mountain View's. The food here was elevated - beautiful presentation but also tasted as good as it looked! We had the roasted duck and the pistachio crusted bison short rib. The Ricotta toast - oh my goodness so good. Service was so friendly and attentive, we never had to wait for anything we needed. The drinks were also incredible. Highly recommend the Wild Rose Sour! We're here all week, there's a high chance we come back again!
The dishes were good, but it wasn't mind blowing amazing. We had the beet salad, bison, duck and beef tartare.
The Bison was, far and away, the best meal we had in the Banff area. Every dish we ordered was superb, but the bison tartare was for sure the standout. The grapefruit cocktail also was one of the better cocktails we've had in a really long time. The tomato tarts were perfect, and so was the burrata. The staff were super friendly and charming, and made the whole experience wonderful. Couldn't recommend enough!
I have had bison before but when in Alberta, why not? Reservations were not too hard as we made one right after we finished hiking one of the trails of Lake Louise, for a reservation 2 hrs later, for Saturday dinner. It is interesting they close at 9 but they have reservations at 9, so maybe the last seating is at 9. In any case, we snagged a spot at the counter for the ambience and space to take pictures, while some of the standard table seating offers some views of Banff town, depending on availability. We got the bison tomahawk for 2 which was MP but they said it was 210 CAD which is fairly pricy. We also got a large glass of wine to share (which they willingly split the large glass into 2 smaller ones) to pair with the tomahawk. The bison tomahawk was huge, with a good amount of fat in some parts and there were some tendons in other parts. We got the tomahawk medium rare but it was too rare so they went back to recook it a bit more, making it less chewy. The chimichurri is delicious and the fixings (potatoes and broccolini) make this a complete meal. We were stuffed from just that so that is all we got. Service is okay - water refills were present and they check up on us, though it is not stellar for the caliber of the restaurant.
Hands down the BEST dinner we had in banff. We ended up starting with the scallops and getting the wood fired duck and venison tenderloin for our main courses. We were so impressed we also got the butternut squash gnocchi so we could try more dishes haha. Our waiter was laughing with us at how much we were ordering, but it was so good! Honestly, for the quality, it's definitely worth the price. Would come back 10/10. I would recommend getting a reservation as it was pretty packed when we got there
Top 10 Canadian fine dining. Wow. I came in with so much expectation. Unfortunately, every dish I order was mid. - The tartare was surprisingly oily for such a lean meat like bison. - The beet salad was strangely salty, as if the salt sprinkle was only for half of the plate. - The duck confit was a lesson on a bad combination of textures. The shredded duck was again so salty and oily. The duck breast was tough. The worst of all, the bed of crispy rice hurts my gum. The beautiful presentation and the fine dining look cannot explain why no dish makes sense. The drinks were great, I will give them that. Maybe I didn't like the food at all because I am not from the region. But the flavors here were, at best, a premium American restaurant, not top 10 in my opinion.
Made a reservation here after we e biked from Canmore to Banff. Great overall experience and we're very satisfied with what we ordered. Pricier cocktails, but all very good. We were in between the tomahawk for two meal and getting a few things and settled on this.... Venison tenderloin (5/5) -- perfectly cooked, not gamey, 4 pieces, we loved the carrot puree and farro it came with. Bison Tartare (5/5)- I will always and forever order a tartare and this was delicious. It comes with bread pieces. Bison Caesar (5/5)-- lovvvvvved this. Not too anchovy despite this chunks on top. One of the better Caesar salads I've had in a while. I will say the tomahawk meal is pricier (210 at this time) but it comes with a good amount of food and large portion. I have read nothing but good things. I wish we had an additional night to go back and get this bc "When in Banff..." They have a somewhat covered patio but not covered enough if it rains so keep in mind when making a reservation. Great atmosphere upstairs with the bar and had a friendly and informative waitress.
The service is impeccable! We decided to share appetizers such as the Bison Tartare, Hamachi Crudo, and more! All were fantastic! The Alberta Bison Tomahawk stole the show with a whopping 30oz steak meant to feed two! Cooked to a perfect medium rare as ordered- we all couldn't resist a bite.
4.5/5 stars. We made a reservation here for dinner. For appetizers, we got the bison tartare ($31) and the tomato tartlet ($11.50). The bison tartare came with four pieces of bread and a good amount of tartare. The tartare was soft and flavorful. The tomato tartlets were so cute and yummy - crispy and lightly cheesy. For entrees, we got the venison tenderloin ($64) and bison short rib ($72). The venison was so tender and wasn't too gamey. The short ribs were flavorful and mostly tender, although some parts were drier. The pasta that came with the short ribs were tasty. Overall, a nice ambiance for dinner with enjoyable food, although on the pricey side
Loved the energy and open kitchen, but I felt the food and some aspect of the service was lacking since the restaurant says they're fine dining and proud to be farm to table. Out of the three dishes we ordered, I liked the escargot the best. The shell was already removed and was cooked nicely with the rest of the ingredients. At first I did like the fried garlic on top of the dish, but the gnocci also had fried garlic on top which I felt made the dishes lazy. You can't go wrong with fried garlic and it makes me wonder how many other dishes are topped the same. The gnocci had inconsistent texture, some being chewy and others pillowy soft. The duck dish was delicious. It had duck breast and some shredded crispy duck leg. With a bit of everything, the eggplant, duck, crispy rice, and broth, it made for the perfect bite. Our waitress was friendly and was well versed on the menu and specials. The staff was attentive, stopping by to ask how we are and filling up our cups, but when food was delivered to our table I was expecting them to describe the dishes and where the ingredients come from. For the escargot, the staff did a bit by saying what's in the dish but nothing for the mains. I understand they have a map on the first page of the menu that says where they get their ingredients but it would be nice to connect it with the orders in front of us.
Let just say this experience was phenomenal. Their accolades are well deserved as the food is amazing, drinks tastes great, and they have the amazing view of the Canadian Rockies. It's on the pricy side, but I guarantee you it's worth the splurge, especially since you're on vacation right?!? I tried their Maple Old Fashioned ($19 CAD). Made with park maple rye, lot 40 rye, black walnut bitters. Seems like the Canadians really do like their flavored maple everything. We started off with the Cucumber Herb Salad ($19 CAD), which consist of baby cucumbers, tahini, miso, and herbs. A refreshing dish to balance out all of the meat dishes. For appetizer, we got the Escargot ($26 CAD) comes without the shell, so makes eating this a lot easier. It's soaked in bone marrow, which gives it a unique flavor compared to typical butter. It comes with mushrooms, gruyère cheese on top, and sourdough. For entrees, we ordered the Wood Fired Duck ($49 CAD). Very well prepared with crispy fat rice, carnitas, thai curry sauce, eggplant, peppers. The main star of the show was of course the Alberta Bison Tomahawk ($199 CAD). This comes with chef's selection of garnishes. Needless to say, this was devoured.
The food was great. Orders 2 glasses of a Merlot. The special Bison ribeye with accompanying sides. The service even better
14 days ago
appy with the meal. Bison restaurant takes it a notch higher with extremely good food. The chef makes a point to have every dish prepared and presented in a fashion that makes it irresistible. I took a salmon, she took short ribs and both were absolutely flavorful and delicious. The chef did not stop there but added a succession of flavor. I have a bad memory so I can't always account for my culinary experience but this salmon was one of the best I ever had. I would be one sided if I did not mention the excellent cocktail as well as the very warm and efficient waiters. Thank you for the experience. read more
1 month ago
2 months ago
What a wonderful location for a big celebration. My 50th. Great eats. Excellent service. I was hoping for a candle in my dessert. read more
5 months ago
I'd say this is probably one of the must-try restaurant in downtown Banff! The hamachi crisp, bison short rib and cucumber salad are all 10/10!! The warm vibe with snowing sightseeing were very welcoming! read more
3 months ago
What a great experience! Today was our first day in Banff and we are so happy we picked The Bison to be our first meal here. The restaurant is a modern vibe with gorgeous Mountain View's. The food here was elevated - beautiful presentation but also tasted as good as it looked! We had the roasted duck and the pistachio crusted bison short rib. The Ricotta toast - oh my goodness so good. Service was so friendly and attentive, we never had to wait for anything we needed. The drinks were also incredible. Highly recommend the Wild Rose Sour! We're here all week, there's a high chance we come back again! read more
The Bison was, far and away, the best meal we had in the Banff area. Every dish we ordered was superb, but the bison tartare was for sure the standout. The grapefruit cocktail also was one of the better cocktails we've had in a really long time. The tomato tarts were perfect, and so was the burrata. The staff were super friendly and charming, and made the whole experience wonderful. Couldn't recommend enough! read more
I have had bison before but when in Alberta, why not? Reservations were not too hard as we made one right after we finished hiking one of the trails of Lake Louise, for a reservation 2 hrs later, for Saturday dinner. It is interesting they close at 9 but they have reservations at 9, so maybe the last seating is at 9. In any case, we snagged a spot at the counter for the ambience and space to take pictures, while some of the standard table seating offers some views of Banff town, depending on availability. We got the bison tomahawk for 2 which was MP but they said it was 210 CAD which is fairly pricy. We also got a large glass of wine to share (which they willingly split the large glass into 2 smaller ones) to pair with the tomahawk. The bison tomahawk was huge, with a good amount of fat in some parts and there were some tendons in other parts. We got the tomahawk medium rare but it was too rare so they went back to recook it a bit more, making it less chewy. The chimichurri is delicious and the fixings (potatoes and broccolini) make this a complete meal. We were stuffed from just that so that is all we got. Service is okay - water refills were present and they check up on us, though it is not stellar for the caliber of the restaurant. read more
7 months ago
Hands down the BEST dinner we had in banff. We ended up starting with the scallops and getting the wood fired duck and venison tenderloin for our main courses. We were so impressed we also got the butternut squash gnocchi so we could try more dishes haha. Our waiter was laughing with us at how much we were ordering, but it was so good! Honestly, for the quality, it's definitely worth the price. Would come back 10/10. I would recommend getting a reservation as it was pretty packed when we got there read more
Top 10 Canadian fine dining. Wow. I came in with so much expectation. Unfortunately, every dish I order was mid. - The tartare was surprisingly oily for such a lean meat like bison. - The beet salad was strangely salty, as if the salt sprinkle was only for half of the plate. - The duck confit was a lesson on a bad combination of textures. The shredded duck was again so salty and oily. The duck breast was tough. The worst of all, the bed of crispy rice hurts my gum. The beautiful presentation and the fine dining look cannot explain why no dish makes sense. The drinks were great, I will give them that. Maybe I didn't like the food at all because I am not from the region. But the flavors here were, at best, a premium American restaurant, not top 10 in my opinion. read more
Made a reservation here after we e biked from Canmore to Banff. Great overall experience and we're very satisfied with what we ordered. Pricier cocktails, but all very good. We were in between the tomahawk for two meal and getting a few things and settled on this.... Venison tenderloin (5/5) -- perfectly cooked, not gamey, 4 pieces, we loved the carrot puree and farro it came with. Bison Tartare (5/5)- I will always and forever order a tartare and this was delicious. It comes with bread pieces. Bison Caesar (5/5)-- lovvvvvved this. Not too anchovy despite this chunks on top. One of the better Caesar salads I've had in a while. I will say the tomahawk meal is pricier (210 at this time) but it comes with a good amount of food and large portion. I have read nothing but good things. I wish we had an additional night to go back and get this bc "When in Banff..." They have a somewhat covered patio but not covered enough if it rains so keep in mind when making a reservation. Great atmosphere upstairs with the bar and had a friendly and informative waitress. read more
1 year ago
The service is impeccable! We decided to share appetizers such as the Bison Tartare, Hamachi Crudo, and more! All were fantastic! The Alberta Bison Tomahawk stole the show with a whopping 30oz steak meant to feed two! Cooked to a perfect medium rare as ordered- we all couldn't resist a bite. read more
22 days ago
1 month ago
1 year ago
4.5/5 stars. We made a reservation here for dinner. For appetizers, we got the bison tartare ($31) and the tomato tartlet ($11.50). The bison tartare came with four pieces of bread and a good amount of tartare. The tartare was soft and flavorful. The tomato tartlets were so cute and yummy - crispy and lightly cheesy. For entrees, we got the venison tenderloin ($64) and bison short rib ($72). The venison was so tender and wasn't too gamey. The short ribs were flavorful and mostly tender, although some parts were drier. The pasta that came with the short ribs were tasty. Overall, a nice ambiance for dinner with enjoyable food, although on the pricey side read more
Loved the energy and open kitchen, but I felt the food and some aspect of the service was lacking since the restaurant says they're fine dining and proud to be farm to table. Out of the three dishes we ordered, I liked the escargot the best. The shell was already removed and was cooked nicely with the rest of the ingredients. At first I did like the fried garlic on top of the dish, but the gnocci also had fried garlic on top which I felt made the dishes lazy. You can't go wrong with fried garlic and it makes me wonder how many other dishes are topped the same. The gnocci had inconsistent texture, some being chewy and others pillowy soft. The duck dish was delicious. It had duck breast and some shredded crispy duck leg. With a bit of everything, the eggplant, duck, crispy rice, and broth, it made for the perfect bite. Our waitress was friendly and was well versed on the menu and specials. The staff was attentive, stopping by to ask how we are and filling up our cups, but when food was delivered to our table I was expecting them to describe the dishes and where the ingredients come from. For the escargot, the staff did a bit by saying what's in the dish but nothing for the mains. I understand they have a map on the first page of the menu that says where they get their ingredients but it would be nice to connect it with the orders in front of us. read more
Let just say this experience was phenomenal. Their accolades are well deserved as the food is amazing, drinks tastes great, and they have the amazing view of the Canadian Rockies. It's on the pricy side, but I guarantee you it's worth the splurge, especially since you're on vacation right?!? I tried their Maple Old Fashioned ($19 CAD). Made with park maple rye, lot 40 rye, black walnut bitters. Seems like the Canadians really do like their flavored maple everything. We started off with the Cucumber Herb Salad ($19 CAD), which consist of baby cucumbers, tahini, miso, and herbs. A refreshing dish to balance out all of the meat dishes. For appetizer, we got the Escargot ($26 CAD) comes without the shell, so makes eating this a lot easier. It's soaked in bone marrow, which gives it a unique flavor compared to typical butter. It comes with mushrooms, gruyère cheese on top, and sourdough. For entrees, we ordered the Wood Fired Duck ($49 CAD). Very well prepared with crispy fat rice, carnitas, thai curry sauce, eggplant, peppers. The main star of the show was of course the Alberta Bison Tomahawk ($199 CAD). This comes with chef's selection of garnishes. Needless to say, this was devoured. read more
1 year ago
10 months ago
The food was great. Orders 2 glasses of a Merlot. The special Bison ribeye with accompanying sides. The service even better read more
Good place to visit for dinner in the area! Pricey but worth it. Service was friendly and timely. Beautiful bar area as well; we were seated near it. 1. Crudo - Fresh, delicious, tangerine made it citrus 2. Burger - Tender and juicy, good portion as well 3. Striploin - Not the best steak I've had but was delicious nonetheless. Comes with veggies. Overall, a solid restaurant to visit for dinner in the area. read more
Delicious food, probably the best we've had in Banff! Quite pricey, but definitely worth it. We were seated outdoors and it was perfect with the fireplace next to us. We got the bison tomahawk, and it was so worth it even though it was very pricey (199). It came with 3 sides with tomatoes, chimmichurri and veggies. Portion sizes are big though, so we split a couple entrees and apps between us. We also got the duck and a couple starters (tomatoes and octopus), as well as the dessert. Everything was delicious -- would definitely recommend coming! read more
1 year ago
The Bison in Banff was a fantastic experience from start to finish. The place looks great, with a warm and stylish atmosphere. We started the evening with a few cocktails before dinner, all of which were delicious and well-crafted. For the appetizer, we had the bison tartare, which was full of flavor. Then we both went for the famous bison spaghetti and it absolutely lived up to the hype. Rich, satisfying, and perfectly done. There was also some really nice live music in the background and the service was completely on point throughout the night. read more
11 months ago
Swung by the Bison after a hard hike in the Rocky Mountains. We ordered the bison tartare, scallops, cauliflower, and blue cheese tartlets as appetizers. Table favorite: cauliflower I had the bison short rib for dinner. Wow! It was the perfect thing to eat on a cold, fall night. Lastly, our waiter took great care of us and was a lot of fun. Definitely will return when I am back in Banff. read more
2 years ago
1 year ago
Phenomenal. The details are amazing here. Telling you where things are sourced from. Great waitress (think her name was Abby*). Had a scallop app that was so good. I had the bison pasta and my fiancé had the fired chicken. The bison was like the best upscale pot roast you've ever had and I mean that in the best way. But the FRIED CHICKEN. That bite was the star. The sauces were amazing. We had the double chocolate dessert and an espresso martini. Just perfect. I think the price for what all we got (also a bottle of wine) is more than fair. A great place to hit when in Banff read more
3 years ago
One of my top go to restaurants in banff! If you can only go to one place in banff. I would go here. I've been coming to this place since it opened years ago and I'm a fan. So is the rest of Canada! It's rated one of the top restaurants in the world (top 50). I love the rooftop patio for beautiful views of Banff! They book up pretty fast so make a reservation at least a day in advance. I use OpenTable personally bc of how easy it is. I love the bison Ragu pasta dish. It changes seasonally and the cream based version is my favourite. Service and ambience is impeccable. And I love the live music on weekends! The food featured on menu are canadian classics with a albertan twist with fresh from farm ingredients! So good and every thing never disappoints. It is pricey though. But treat yo self! read more
3 years ago
Walked in on a Thursday night, fully booked night but managed to snag a spot from a cancellation. Really nice ambience, pretty fancy and perfect for a date night. The bucatini pasta was delicious! Everyone enjoyed their dishes, fresh and tender. I wish the mushroom stroganoff was a little more flavorful, felt like it was missing something. The service was great, our server was attentive and checked on us frequently, got all the dishes correctly and had an amazing time here! Would recommend checking out The Bison Restaurant in Banff! read more
AMAZING. We didn't order too many dishes because knew the bison tomahawk ($195) would have plenty of food for the two of us. Everything about it was perfect from the way it was cooked to the accompanying sides/chimichurri sauce. The bison bolognese was delicious too. My boyfriend loves bison caesar cocktails and said the one from here was his favorite by far. Definitely must dine here if visiting Banff! read more
Came here with a reservation, and were seated immediately. The waiter was friendly and attentive and handed our waters and menus. We were also seated by the window so we could look out at the beautiful scenery and the bustle below. The food was beautifully prepared, and each tasted divine. My favorite was the burrata and tomato salad. The tomatoes were so refreshing and juicy! My partner loved the duck dish- wasn't too overpowering and seasoned to perfection. Highly recommend if you're in Banff looking for an upscale dining experience! read more
2 years ago
Bison tomahawk was amazing, first time found one in a restaurant, would be very disappointed if didn't order this dish , just could not be better, wanted to eat one more time at the day we were leaving, but the restaurant was closed due to event; the bison short rib is good as well, but don't feel much difference from what I found in other places, the duck was very good,generally, you won't go wrong if you order a duck dish in a restaurant, but the quality and taste in this place is outstanding. Overall, very good experience, not surprised that this restaurant is rated within top 10 in Canada read more
1 year ago
This place is amazing. The view is beautiful and the service was great. I highly recommend ordering the bison tomahawk. It's a little pricey but well worth it. It was cooked and seasoned perfectly and the sides were so delicious. read more
This is a cool little spot with a rooftop bar. The drink I had was very nice with a clean finish and good flavor. I really liked how everything is sourced from the local area. We tried the bison short rib which was wonderful - sleeper hit where the mashed potatoes which were silky smooth. We also had the octopus appetizer which was delicious. They added some lamb to it making it special. The corn pancake wasn't that great... Definitely could've passed on that. We didn't try any desserts so can't speak on those. Our servers were friendly and we were impressed by the check-in process . There is a host on the main floor who helps move things along and then another one at the top who seated us once our table was cleared. read more
By far the best restaurant we had in our entire Banff trip. We wish we lived closer so we could go back sooner. The service was top notch, decor is very warm and inviting, and the food...stellar. Everything we ate was beyond our expectations. Every dish was a flavor bomb and cooked to perfection. We had the octopus, broccoli, and the tomahawk shared plate. We were so appreciative to have such a great dining experience when many other restaurants fell short. We cannot stop thinking about how much we loved The Bison. Standing ovation to the staff and especially the chef! read more
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