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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
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.
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.
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.
Omg this was quite possibly the best stroganoff I have ever had.... And it was vegan and gluten free. WHAT?!?!?!? You could tell that the mushrooms were super fresh straight from the ground and not canned or frozen. The wild rice was so good and paired well with tiny crunchy pieces of seeds and some sort of barley. The service here is a little slow, but I think they may have just been really busy. We also got amazing seats which have us a great view of the mountains. They have an outdoor patio which is also a nice option if it's not cold. Do they have more than one entree that is vegetarian? No. But I still wouldn't let that deter you because the one entree they had was so good! read more
1 year ago
Great food here! I made a reservation weeks prior to my arrival in the Banff area. Good thing I did, cause there was super long wait times for people who tried to do a walk in to the restaurant - approx 1.5-2 hours. I absolutely loved the vibe of the restaurant and the customer service and the food! Food was fantastic and tasted really good. We ordered the 3 bison platter- AMAZING. It's a open concept kitchen as well, so you're able to see the chef putting their hard work on each order. This is a highly recommended restaurant to visit if you're in the Banff area! read more
My sister wanted to check out The Bison Restaurant for some early birthday celebrations. They're part of the Banff Hospitality Collective group. We dropped in on a Monday evening (with 7:30pm reservations). Service was friendly and accommodating with our parties dietary restrictions. Appreciate that they're upfront about the 18% gratuity tip for large groups. - Sunshine meadow ($18.50 2oz) - Roasted broccoli ($17.00) - nice char to the broccoli but such a minuscule portion. - Yellowtail crudo ($25.00) - yellowtail was fresh but heavy on the chili oil. Didn't let the fish shine. - Fire roasted octopus ($29.00) - everyone's favourite of the appetizer. Octopus was cooked perfectly. - Beef tartare ($27.00) - came with thinly sliced chips. Tartare was good but salty. - Bison short rib ($49.00) - roasted cauliflower underneath was tasty but wanted more. Short rib was somewhat succulent. Potatoes were creamy. - Pan seared Atlantic cod ($44.00) - cod was okay, but not worth the price point. Gai lan was an interesting choice. - Alberta bison tomahawk ($185.00 for 30oz) - menu says serves 2, but closer to 3 people. Excellently cooked to a medium rare. Bison wasn't gamey, mushroom jus was tasty. - 12oz Alberta beef striploin ($59.00) - O didn't love it. Said the bison tomahawk was significantly better. Decent food at TBR but that's about it. read more
1 year ago
3 years ago
This beet salad is perfection. Re-creation would be difficult. Earthy, herbaceous, crisp. Smashing success of a combination ended with a delightfully rich crunch of pistachio. Don't miss this one! Bison served is tendered to assure you a flavor to supersede lite cuts of beef. Wife and I crushed the locally sourced bison tomahawk, served aside a porcini demiglace. This fine dining escape serves many walks, but for those needing a bloody rich experience are in for local discovery! I will not remove a star, but the smallest comment would request sharper steak knives. This should not deter anyone!!! read more
It was our first dinner in Banff, and it was my sister's birthday, so we decided to find a nice restaurant. Before coming to Banff, we had already searched the most recommended restaurant, and The Bison Restaurant was one of them, so we made sure we made a reservation which is a must as the place is indeed fully booked. We saw some walk-ins turned away or have to wait hours to be seated. As soon as we entered, I was already in awe of the ambiance and stunning vibes the place had; Chelsea, our server, greeted us, which was adequately very helpful in recommending dishes from the main, desserts, wine and even activities to do around Banff since it was our first time to be there. We had; Bison Trio (129) - this was scrumptious, perfectly cooked, all the flavours were a savoury and perfect combination. Fired Carrots ($18)- it is the most expensive carrots that I have ever had, but it was as well the most delicious carrot that I have ever tasted; we were amazed how that carrot turned out so good. Chocolate cake ($10) Panna Cotta ($10) Sorbet ($10) - all their desserts were delectable, pretty plated, flavoursome yet not that sweet; the sorbet comes in different flavours depending on what's in season. Gray Monk Rose ($60) - a perfect drink for the night, smooth, fruity smell and had a hint of lively and fresh sweetness. Overall, this restaurant deserves five out of five stars for its fantastic service, well-detailed dishes and stunning atmosphere. read more
2 years ago
ONE OF THE WORSE BISON I HAVE EVER TASTED. I don't remember the exact price but I remember it being around $200. I literally could not feel my head after chewing a piece of this. My brain was about to explode from the amount of chews I had to take in order to swallow that one piece of meat read more
1 year ago
2 years ago
We had an amazing meal here. The appetizers and main courses were both delicious and the service was friendly. read more
3 years ago
The Bison did not disappoint. My wife and I had an amazing night out. The service, food and ambience is spot on. Form the burrata, to the salmon and then tomahawk steak each one was prepared perfectly. Thanks to the kitchen and from of house staff for making it a special night. read more
2 years ago
3 years ago
It was my first time visiting Canada and Banff and what a great spot to grab dinner. The drinks were delicious. We got the octopus, and a very tender bison short rib and beef dish. They knocked it out of the park. I highly recommend to anyone visiting. Service was very good and the atmosphere was very cool. read more
3 years ago
High class food! No dress code which was a huge help, we had packed for all outdoors and hiking not considering we would go out for a nice dinner. The service was fantastic, we made reservations the day before and still got a spot, but it was the beginning of "season" so try to get a reservation as soon as you can! Drinks are superb, food is to die for. Tomato salad and the striploin were favorites! read more
Hands down my favorite meal during my 10 day trip through the Canadian Rockies. Great flavors and some fun creative creations. Favorites were bison ragu gnocchi, tempura Maitaki mushrooms & a beet and roasted peach salad, and the bison tomahawk steak (it's huge!). read more
4 years ago
Very good! We had the roasted squash salad surprising and delicious combo of flavors. And the off menu Bison trio, lots of food. We split it, are good eaters and still couldn't finish it all. It was fantastic! Loved having a very Canadian meal perfectly made. And too the lady who said she would leave a bad review because they asked her to wear a mask. She was being loud and obnoxious about it, the staff was beyond courteous. I think masks are stupid too, get mad at government that requires this of businesses, don't get mad at the business that is just trying to not be shut down. This is a must eat while in Banff! 5 stars to the staff, cook, atmosphere and food! read more
4 years ago
I loved this restaurant! I wish we could have tried more of the small plates, as everything sounded incredible. The star of the show was truly the beef carpaccio - the berries, mushrooms and aioli complemented the dish perfectly. The golden beet salad and seared scallops were also delicious! The bison ribeye was good but my fiancé expected it to be better. It was a bit tougher and dryer than we had imagined it would be. All in all I definitely recommend stopping here on your trip to Banff! It was the perfect place to start off our vacation. read more
3 years ago
The wait staff was great! The food was excellent and the staff were very friendly. This will be a go to spot for me every time I visit Banff! read more
This is no doubt the best meal I've had in recent memory, probably the best of any place I've ever reviewed on Yelp! Every bite was deliciously seasoned. The braised short ribs, seared tuna, and bison burger were all top notch. Even the fried cauliflower was really good. We ordered the daily special which allowed us to try a platter with several different dishes. I liked that you can see the chefs and cooks preparing the food. Service was excellent as well. If you're traveling to Banff, I highly recommend making a reservation here! read more
3 years ago
One of the best Caesar salads I have ever had! They put pickled anchovies on top of the salad which may not be everyone's preference but added a delicious authentic edge to the dish. The bison bolognese was also delicious with pasta cooked al dente. The bison short rib was a bit on the tougher side but that is just the nature of bison meat, but just be aware. Excellent friendly service and really lovely ambience. A must visit for a slightly more upscale dinner in Banff! read more
5 years ago
Atmosphere: Chic modern with open concept kitchen. Food: 5/5 - The beet salad, bison short ribs and chocolate cake are a must! Solid drinks as well. Ordered the apple sour and Caesar. Service: 5/5 - Attentive staff and quick service. Highly recommend if you're visiting Banff. Prices are high but totally worth it. read more
2 years ago
3 years ago
2 years ago
The location is right in the middle of town, but it took us some effort to locate it, the restaurant sign could be more prominent. The staffs are friendly and great. We love the new chic ambience. We ordered the Bison Mohawk, the price is reasonable but the meat is tough and chewy for a Mohawk steak, it can be better. read more
My boyfriend and I were looking for a game-y meal on our first night in Banff and came across The Bison. Although we didn't have reservations, it was off season and there were available tables in the bar area. We had to wait 5-10 mins downstairs while the hostess set it up. The restaurant is pretty with its open kitchen concept, we were tucked away in the corner of the bar area but could hear the liveliness around. Wait service was subpar for the type / cost of the place. We had no issues with the food runners or bartender, but just didn't have a good vibe for our waitress unfortunately. We were ordering drinks and my boyfriend was asking her about a stout beer and somehow she brought out a red wine tasting? After we ordered she briefly checked in once or twice but that's about it. As for food, we ended up skipping the bison tasting because the price was as wild as the meat itself! We ordered the: - gnocchi elk poutine - amazingggly melt in your mouth delicious. - bone marrow with escargot - biggest let down. Don't think there was more than a scrap of bone marrow. Was it scrapped off and given to someone else? Never before have I ordered a bone marrow with literally ZERO bone marrow. Who needs 4 pieces of bread to spread bone marrow on when you don't have any?!? - mushroom bruschetta - tasty but maybe a bit too much cheese / sauce going on - burger - good flavors, didn't enjoy the bun. The potatoes on the side were cooked well but way too salty. Overall pricey dinner option, and not sure the value is all there. read more
3 years ago
Came here for dinner with a reservation. The staff was friendly and nice. Ordered the Bison short rib and the beef tartar which were both very tasty. Their cocktails were well crafted too. read more
While visiting Banff we wanted to try Bison. They say it's good to try to make reservations but we walked in on a Friday night to see if they can accommodate a party of 4. We came in around 8 and they said they had an opening for 845 so we just shopped around before returning. Our table was ready earlier and we returned, it's located on the 2nd floor and people confuse it with the pizza place sometimes. Walking up we saw the server serving a bison platter that we knew we wanted to try and was a special. We started with a round of drinks, I got the old fashioned, the Caesar salad and bison papperdele. We devoured it after our night tour. After we got our bison platter and we ordered the fish too which we really enjoyed. The bison platter came with potatoes and a kale salad along with mushroom au jus to dip our meat in. It was a good amount to share for 4 of us. The drinks were really good too. There are plenty of places to hang your coats and it has dimly mood lighting. We were stuffed and didn't even get dessert. Glad we got to try bison, it's a Little more tough so they say don't go raw and go a little more cooked than you usually do. read more
We had a very lovely time here ! We had reservations for a group of four on a Saturday evening. It seems extremely busy I highly recommend to have a reservation. As we often do at restaurants, we relied on our servers' recommendations for dishes and she very nicely chose our entire meal. We very much appreciated her suggestions and was very helpful overall. We started with two salads and the tartare. Both salads were extremely flavorful and normally I would never eat something like tartare as I don't love meat a lot but I tried it and was pleasantly surprised ! Our mains were the beef striploin, duck carnitas and bison ribeye. Everything was seasoned nicely, unique and delicious. We had such a fun time sampling all the dishes. Overall we had a wonderful time. read more
What a cute and nicely decorated restaurant! I was seated at the bar as a walk in, and the bartender was very attentive to me! The view from the window was also amazing with the mountains right there! I ordered the duck breast from the bartender recommendation and it was so savory!! It came with potatoes and green peas. Yum! For dessert they had a blackberry sorbet special, you have to try it! Very refreshing. I will be back to try the other foods, banff will see you later! :D read more
Party of 2, Sunday night. We made reservations online bc it was recommended. Great service! Neat ambiance. Rocket and beet salad $16 Bison carpaccio $19 Salmon $36 Bison short ribs $48 Goat cheesecake $10 Pavlova $10 Old man winter porter Breton 10 year Canadian whiskey EVERYTHING, and I mean, everything was DELICIOUS. Rocket (arugula) salad sounds like it would be boring but it was amazing. The carpaccio was very light and wish it was a bigger portion. Salmon cooked perfectly - I hate overcooked salmon. The short rib was delicious - fell right off the bone and very tasty without being heavy. And our favorite part of the meal were the 2 desserts. Absolutely fantastic. Prices were steep but the food made up for it. read more
The Bison, voted one of the top 10 restaurants in Banff, was solid, almost 4 Stars. Once you arrive & are escorted upstairs to the beautiful open kitchen & dining space, your food adventure begins. Get the party started with delish & creative cocktails, we enjoyed the refreshing "Sunshine meadow"a riff on a Paloma with tequila & well developed citrus undertones. For starters we ordered a crunchy little gem lettuce Caesar salad drenched in dressing & cheese & crowned with a mound of addictively crispy bacon curls & whole anchovies. Now for the meat fest.... We had the wonderful Lamb sirloin atop a fab ragout of peas, chickpeas , cheese & mint ( so good I could have had just the ragout as an entree) . Our second entree was the bison bolognese & sadly it fell short of the mark. It was rather lifeless & boring. The thick, maybe too Al dente, buccatini pasta to sauce ratio was off ( not enough bolognese for that dense pasta ) & it tasted like it needed more salt & cheese. I asked for a bit more cheese ( like 1 TBLSP) & discovered they charged an additional $2 on the final bill, wow, really? In my opinion, the menu is small & could have a few different options for ex. ( how about some elk or venison)? Some more interesting desserts? We ordered a couple of BC wines by the glass from a limited offering. Its too bad most of the wines are sold by the bottle only. Overall, the ambience & service were nice, but somehow I just expected a little bit more. read more
2 years ago
Exceptional meal with family. Among us we had the bison burger, bison short ribs, and two of us split the signature tomahawk. Great wine selection. They had a nice treat available wuth a side of morel mush. Yum! read more
2 years ago
8 years ago
Make a Reservation! That's a must as I saw people being turned away as walk in. Disclaimer: I am not really into Game meat but I am willing to try and I urge you come with an open mind too! Love the cozy decor. We have a table with the view of the open kitchen. Always fun to watch how my food being prepared! Bison Carpaccio Braised Bison Tongue Carmen Creek Bison Ribeye Bison all the way! I love all the dish we ordered but the Braised Bison Tongue just AMAZING! Seared outside with melt in your mouth tenderness. Highly recommend if you want to experience Canadian game meat! read more
3 years ago
Wow. An incredible dining experience that was lovely from beginning to end. The restaurant was beautifully decorated and our table for 8 was spacious and didn't feel cramped in the slightest. Our waiter was extremely knowledgeable about the menu, for food and drinks, and was happy to offer suggestions and opinions, which we appreciated. For example as we ordered wine he recommended a different bottle for the same price that was not actually in the menu but that was his favorite. We went with his suggestion and did not regret it. The food itself was amazing as well. The appetizer beet salad was vibrant and fresh and stole the show. The grilled octopus ordered by our friends was also great. Our main entrees were all amazing as well, and the dessert was the perfect ending to a great meal. Overall a can't miss dining experience in Banff, we would love to return. read more
2 years ago
3 years ago
Definitely a must in Banff! My husband and I both ordered the striplion and it was perfection. It was cooked perfectly with caramelized onions and delicious potatoes on the side. The service was great and we even enjoyed some lovely non alcoholic drinks. So so yummy!! Nice date spot. read more
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