The restaurant is huge, and beautiful, with lovely patio dining overlooking the valley. This was by far the best meal we've had on the trip. The Ahi tuna had a fennel and cumin crust that was stellar, and was served with a smoked wine reduction. The grilled cheese on their fresh baked and toasted focaccia was also wonderful. It's cherry season, and having passed a hundred cherry fruit stands I had to try the cherry salad with radicchio and goat cheese. It did not disappoint. With lunch I had a flight of their library wines.The winery has been around since the 1990s, making it among the oldest in the area, so they have a very deep library. The 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon was very memorable. at $145 Cdn on the very extensive wine list (which has exclusively Burrowing Owl Wines) I would be tempted to order a bottle of this next time. read more

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Cuisine: 6 Service: 7 Decor: 9 Value: 4 Overall: 6 Looking to celebrate some friends' anniversary last week, we chose this restaurant for its elegant decor and stunning views of the Osoyoos landscape. One thing is for sure, the sun setting over the lush greens of the winery was absolutely beautiful to see. As for food and service, they were both good, but nothing spectacular. The Duck Breast and Charcuterie were probably two of the better items for the evening. However, the prices were definitely high, which made the meal less enjoyable. Therefore, a small piece of meat like the Grilled Beef Striploin for $56 felt very underwhelming. Most of the other things we ordered were just okay, but once again, it all seemed a tad expensive. Bottom line, don't focus on the food, come here for the magnificent views and expect to pay a premium for that experience. read more

We had lunch here, service excellent, the ambiance was amazing as was the view. Had some tomato soup that's were well very tasty. We had a special that had chicken and quinoa, large portion and well seasoned, tasty. Also had a Prawn risotto lots of prawn but Risotto bit overcooked for my taste read more

Have been here twice for lunch over the last year and we have always had a beautiful meal and experience. We love how the menu rotates and is seasonal. This recent time we got the butternut squash soup and squash salad. While the salad was smaller than we expected, it was still delicious and filling enough. Would come back again! read more

The Sonora Room - Wine Bars Near Me - Oliver, British Columbia

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Service was excellent. Wine choices were top notch of course, with a wide selection beyond Burrowing Owl. For food, we had the Charcuterie, Albacore Tuna, Grilled Cheese, and Beef Burger. The charcuterie had a nice selection of meats, and the cheeses were from Upper Bench (so good, we went and bought some for ourselves), though it could've done without the cereal/granola. The rest of the food was good, though can't say it was outstanding. Really nice space, with a very enjoyable view. If you're in the area, it's a solid choice for a meal. read more

Great food and great view. The hamburger is amazingly delicious. There is always a soup of the day, and it has the taste of homemade.

The Sonora Room's menu is on the limited side, but it makes up for in taste. We had the side salad, bread, foie gras and Arctic Char. Everything was fantastic and I looked up an actual picture of the Arctic Char from another review, but to my surprise it changed with different ingredients. It was exactly to my liking. Unfortunately, we weren't able to sit on the patio due to the smoke and they weren't serving martinis (only wine and cocktails) due to Covid19. Prices were on the higher side and that's expected for restaurant wineries. read more

It has been almost 10 years since I was last here. The quality in food and excellent service remains the same. Came in for lunch and was greeted promptly by the host. Our server was friendly and professional. We shared the squid risotto which was delicious. Portion size was on the smaller size, but presentation was beautiful and it was delicious! My duck confit was perfectly done. The stand-alone lavender creme brûlée was visually exquisite and tasted amazing. There was some fruit purée that I didn't care for but otherwise it was still a nice dessert. For $12 it was a nice dessert to share. This meal was the highlight of my trip to the okanagon. It's a must visit if you enjoy great food and service. read more

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Enjoying a summer lunch in Southern Okanagan overlooking undulating fields of terraced grapevines with high desert mountains jutting out in the background is not a bad place to be. Not by a long shot. We enjoyed the full, bright reds at Burrowing Owl and the view at their restaurant, the Sonora Room, along with some good food makes this a good stop for a splurge. The combination of food, wine and view at the Sonora Room is enviable, and while the food scene here in Okanagan is still emerging, this is one of the better stops. The soup and sandwich at $20 were a questionable value, but certainly tasty. Arguably this is not the easiest sandwich in the world to eat. It is incredibly thin and piled on a thick baguette and knife and picking it apart are the only real ways to get at it. The accompanying carrot soup was smooth, creamy and savory. There is a small kids menu, with about three options, but it seems sadly that kids want the same three foods at every meal. Or perhaps I am just a parenting failure, sigh. Anyway, our meaty beef cheek pasta dish with fresh cherry tomatoes and mint pesto was tasty and very hearty. The red wines here are warmed in the Oosoyos desert and a few get a very full, robust flavor, and are favorably comparable to some of our favorite Washington wines. The view and the wine are the two best things about this place. While the wine is enjoyable in the Okanagan, above average dining options are harder to find. Its still working towards that in my opinion, although I admit my benchmark is the Northern California wine country. The winery here does have good food and wine options. and a beautiful little hotel & infinity pool facing erraced grapevines, which I imagine would make for a very memorable stay. We recommend the wine and the location for a splurge lunch in the Okanagan. read more

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I have always loved my delicious visits to the Sonora Room. We celebrated our 4 year anniversary here and it was by far the best restaurant for the occasion. The service was excellent from beginning to end. I had the cured salmon as an appetizer and the herbs and pickled red onions complimented it beautifully. I was very happy with this dish. The presentation on a mason jar was a little unusual. My main was seared scallops with pork belly and spicy popcorn. The scallops were seared to perfection and deliciously sweet. Dessert was a winner. The lemon and blueberry combo was light and delicious. I highly recommend this restaurant for a romantic date or any special occasion. By far a classic must visit when in wine country. read more

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We had an amazing dinner here on the patio overlooking the black sage bench a few weeks ago. We came on a Sunday night and it wasn't too busy. Try to get a spot on the patio to take in that view as you enjoy your dinner. Be careful At dusk though when the mosquitos come out. This was the only night I got bit and I left with several We weren't starving on these evening as we had a late lunch at Black Hills. We ordered the duck confit and salmon special entree, followed by the creme brûlée for dessert. The server suggested merlot for wine to complement everything we had. Prior to dinner we were served an amuse bouche. I'm sure they had it all pre-prepared as the bread under the topping was a bit soggy. However both entrees were delicious. The creme brûlée was not served in a ramekin and was presented beautifully. I couldn't stop eating it! The service was also stellar. Attentive but not overbearing. Beautiful spot and I would love to return the next time we are in town. read more

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If you are not staying at the Burrowing Owl Guest House, good luck finding the Burrowing Owl Estate Winery in the dark. Give yourself extra time to drive back and forth on Hwy 97 as you try to locate Road 22. We really didn't think we were ever going to find it. Obviously, we eventually did. We started with the salmon platter appetizer. It was quite good, especially the salmon pate. I was disappointed in the lack of vegetarian and fish options for entrees. Salmon was the one fish entree and mushroom risotto was the veggie entree. I went with the risotto, but wasn't really impressed by it. My wife had the duck comfit appetizer as her main course and thought it was very good. I enjoyed a lovely glass of Burrowing Owl Gerwertztraminer with my dinner. I highly recommend it. For dessert we shared an apple tartine that was very good. Service was very good, though our waitress often mixed up her words when describing things to us. For example, saying macaroons instead of meringue. Overall, it was a very pleasant experience. If there were a few more options for pescatarians and vegetarians, I'd give them another star, but I think meat eaters will be very happy here. read more

The Sonora Room - Wine Bars Near Me - Oliver, British Columbia

One of the best meals I've had in months. We had the seared scallops, Arctic char, and a grilled peach Salad with blueberries and cheddar. All were absolutely delicious. And being a part of a winery, they have a number of good wines by the glass. There are a few tables outside that have a nice view. Service was friendly and efficient. read more

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Easily a 4.5 star experience. We heard nothing but amazing things about the Sonora Room from all the wine tastings we did, and it definitely did not disappoint. The antipasti plate for the night was amazing and filling, full of delicious pickled veggies and some yummy chorizo. I had the flat iron steak and it was hands down, the best steak I've ever had. The restaurant itself is very quaint, and I would recommend making a reservation early as it fills up quickly. This is one of those places that you can't miss when you're in Osoyoos. read more

The Sonora Room - Antipasti Platter ($24) - Wine Bars Near Me - Oliver, British Columbia

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The Sonora Room restaurant is open! June 1 to June 30 (open 7 days a week) Lunch: 12 pm - 3 pm Closed: 3 pm - 5 pm Dinner: 5 pm - 8 pm (7pm last seating) July 1 - October 12 (open 7 days a week) Lunch: Mon - Fri: 12 pm - 3:30 pm, Sat & Sun: 11 am - 3:30 pm Tapas: 3:30 pm - 4:30 pm daily Dinner: 5 pm - 11 pm (9 pm last seating) October 13 - December 12 (open Thurs - Sun) Lunch: Friday - Sunday, 12 pm - 3:30 pm Tapas: Friday - Sunday, 3:30 pm - 4:30 pm Dinner: Thursday - Sunday, 5 pm - 8 pm read more

It was a birthday event and we had a chance to stay at the burrowing owl. Sonora Room highly recommend. We decided to dine in. The service was excellent. The food was very good and the ambiance was good. Quiet room. Very easy to converse. Tables are nicely apart so you do not have people looking over your table while you are having a nice and quiet time with your love one. Appetizers were Marinated Olives, beer salad, crispy pork belly, Lingua Tonnato and Charcuterie for 2 All were good and tasty. Entrees Duck Confit, sous Vide Chicken, duo Beef and Pork Chop. Presentations were very good, taste was good and creativity was very good. For dessert we tried the chocolate cake, lemon lemon varieties of sweets. And those were fabulous. The Executive Chef and brigade did a great job. And the pastry Chef was very good the creativity and flavour and presentation is awesome. read more

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The food is great, presentation especially. Service was good - our server introduced herself and went through the menu briefly with us before we ordered. The restaurant itself is very quiet which is nice we went during the summer so we enjoyed the view and the weather in peace and quiet. After a long hot car ride from Vancouver it was nice to be away from city noise. We had the happy goat cheese salad - light and simple and good portions (not too cheap with the cheese or shortcutting with too much salad) The pulled pork sandwich was delicious! a little too much sauce but I guess that's expected of pulled pork. They had these awesome little stainless steel salt and pepper shakers that you could purchase I think they're $25 or so pretty pricey..... You should make a reservation if you're planning to sit outside - they are great seats but they usually have them booked up ahead of time. We sat inside but no complaints we still enjoyed ourselves. After the meal we walked up their stairwell to the viewing balcony and read all the posters with information about the winery and their processes pretty cool. The little terrace at the top gives you an amazing view of the vineyards (great for pictures). read more

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Sloppy. I hate to give bad review, but it was mediocre. The setting was five stars, the staff was five starts. But the actual lunch plates where very mediocre and average at best. The salad starter was limp, over dressed and the amount of greens on the plate you could count each leaf. It's a salad, really can it be that hard? The cheese plate was better, but not put together very nicely. For the price not worth it. I would stay at the guest rooms and order out next time. Wines are great, food is not. read more

I don't know if it's 'bad'.. but it just didn't come together. They have a GREAT view in the balcony/terrace area.. it's amazing during sunset.. but that's not really the restaurant, it's the area. you can stand outside the restaurant and it's the same beautiful view of. The place itself feels like it wants to be white linen high end with amuse bouche, and little petite fours (two actually) at the end etc.. but the food is just busy, over thought, and too many conflicting flavors.. Salad Appy - i want a salad, but this one has a massive scoop of a creamy cheese.. it dominates the plate and u barely notice it's a salad.. Ordered the Lamb loin, came with purple potatoes, some sweet fruit, 2 sauces, some alfalfa greens, and some shaving on top.. just so busy.. and medium rare was more like rare.. Also got the Duck confit. Same problem. comes with multiple sides, sauce, shavings, toppings, etc. just confusing. All in all it's not enjoyabe, and by far the most expensive restaurant. not worth going. read more

We had a lovely dinner at the Sonoma room. We started off with duck confit and charcuterie plate. The duck was nice but the slaw which accompanied it was mediocre at best. The charcuterie plate was nothing to write home about. But things got better with the Rockfish and the organic wild rice with sun dried tomatoes. Very nice dish and well balanced yet amazing flavor profile. We then had a cheese plate and dessert. The cheeses were from Vancouver Island and very nicely presented. Desert was surprisingly good, why I say that, because with my European background I find that most North American restaurants have too sweet of desserts. The chocolate parfait was creamy and tasty so was the hazelnut parfait. All wine parings were good and well chosen. A nice place but for what it was should have a different price structure. read more

Two of us went for dinner and sat on the patio. The views were amazing, some of the best in the Okanagan. Getting to watch the sunset over the hills was incredible. Service was right on. Lovely eastern European lady was our server and she was attentive without hovering. Funny without lowering service level. Well Done. Food was very good. Both mains were a little over-cooked/dry (Halibut & Lamb), but the flavors and creativity was excellent. The 1st course and dessert was great. Decor inside is a little old & dated, wouldn't have wanted to dine inside, but the patio was magnificent. We most definitely will be back! read more

Good food, wine and view. The service was slightly put-off-ish compared to other winery restaurants in the area. Remember to bring insect repellent, especially if you plan on sitting on the patio around dusk! read more

Best dinner and dessert ever! Duck was amazing and the chocolate ganache was the best. Really! We came from Vancouver and tried 17 different wineries... burrowing owl is the best for food and wine. You have to try for yourself ! If heaven exists, this must be Heaven. read more

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From our vantage, we could see the giant pool of the attached villa, making us curious how timid the residents would be knowing half a restaurant could watch them. It was empty this afternoon, and we noticed the adorable owl mural at the bottom of the pool. I'm honestly surprised no one was swimming given it was over 30 degrees this early August. As result, no one wasted any time inside the magnificent looking dining area. Most everyone on the deck, overlooking the aforementioned villa and vineyards. We joined them, and honestly, what more can say beyond it was transcendent. I hope the concept of visiting wineries and enjoying their restaurants never get old. This was the first day of a week-long wine tour, visiting 60 wineries from Osoyoos to Kelowna, and the last one as just as amazing as the first. The Sonora Room was our first meal after arriving. We still had our luggage in the car. The options were limited and not cheap. Since I was (and still am) on a charcuterie binge, I opted for that. Alongside, we also ordered the saffron crusted Albacore tuna with pear & fennel slaw, black olive dressing, and prawn crackers. Altogether a memorable experience. Like the transformer Devastator, combining The Sonora Room with the whole of Burrowing Owl, what remains is superior than the sum of its parts. From the tasting room, the tours, the view, and the restaurant, I can see why this location is one of the premiere tourist spots in the province. Why the hell have I been spending so much money traveling outside the country? I've been living in Prince George my whole life and knowing places like this are nearby...I have a lot of catch-up to do. To think there are even more waiting for us ahead. If there is anything negative to take, it would be...umm.... it's a long walk to the next winery. I guess. Yes, the prices are a little steep, but that's to be expected. And admittedly, there are better wineries in the region, but that's like saying arguable that "Empire" is better than "Star Wars"--there's a logical fallacy hiding around there somewhere. The point is Burrowing Owl, and more specifically the Sonora Room (which I keep having to retype after entering Sonorama), is a fantastic restaurant in a fantastic winery, a mandatory visit to damn near everyone in the area. By the way, my PC kept telling me Sonora was spelled correctly, so I had to check that it was actually a word. Turns out it means "pleasant sounding" in Spanish, and thankfully that's not ironic. However, a spellchecker flags words out of language--it's also a federal entity (related to state) in Mexico, once again confirming my suspicions that the whole region wants to emulate that country. Don't believe me, check out Osoyoos. Food: 5/5 Service: 4/5 Presentation: 5/5 Value: 4/5 Recommendation: 5/5 read more

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Stopped here on our way home as this restaurant was recommended to us. Unfortunately, we were not super impressed. Of course the view from the restaurant is gorgeous, but the food was what was underwhelming. We had a charcuterie board and shared a BBQ Appel sandwich. It's hard to mess up a charcuterie board, but the BBQ sandwich was lacking in flavor and the side of homemade (?) chicharrones were flavorless and tough. The most off-putting part of the restaurant was how dirty it was; the sound panels high on the walls and the carpeted ceiling (seriously) both had years and years of dust bunnies clinging to them!!! read more

The Sonora Room - Charcuterie board - Wine Bars Near Me - Oliver, British Columbia

Yum! I think this was my favourite restaurant on our trip to the Okanagan. Their wine was amazing, but I knew this already as this is one of my favourite wineries but the overall food was amazing. I had the duck confit which was cooked to perfection -- crispy on the outside and moist on the inside. The view is not as nice as Mission Hill or Quail's Gate, but the food and wine make up for it. read more

The Sonora Room is perhaps the best restaurant in the valley. It was our first time there and we were really impressed. First, we made reservations the same day and they accommodated us. The room and view were both fantastic. We made reservations during the end of low season. It started with great drinks, including a unique fire wine ceasar, highly recommended. My wife had a fantastic duck dish and I had a great beef special. The food was great overall. Perfectly cooked and well presented. read more

The view and drive up to Burrowing Owl is majestic. The patio, service and wine were fabulous. The Duo Lamb was small portioned and lacked flavour. The kids pasta sadly came cold. The halibut was delicious and well presented. What can I say? We just like larger portions. But appreciate the scenery and great views of the vineyards. read more

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I've been three times, in three different years, and never been disappointed - it's my go-to place for excellent food choices, and to impress visiting friends of Canada's culinary delights. The last time we had the Breads and Spreads: tapenade & carrot hummus, & the duck pate with mustard sauce for appy's, with mains of Ricotta Polenta and Seafood Cioppino shared amongst 3. If I had to be picky it would be against the carrot hummus, that was a little too sweet for my palate, but everything else was superb - looking forward to making it there more than once a year. read more

The Sonora Room - Ricotta Polenta - refreshing, and savory dish. - Wine Bars Near Me - Oliver, British Columbia

Had a bithday celebration on June 20 so we made a reservation at Burrowing Owl. Told them when reserving we were vegetarian and it was a birthday. No recognition of either were noted on arrival. in fact I had to mention to the waitress that I had specifically requested vegetarian options when making the reservation and had been told they would accommodate me. We sat on the deck which was very nice overlooking the valley and vineyards, be careful tho, late in the evening the mosquitoes do come out and the waitress quipped they were on steroids! Inside, the room is very noisy due to the high ceiling and tiled floors made worse by the awful cold blue lighting from the energy saving lamps hanging from the ceiling. Not a first class restaurant ambience in my book. Menu was very limited for the vegetarian. We started with a cheese plate consisting of 4 or 5 small wedges of local organic cheeses bread and candied hazelnuts, We then had salads with fried breaded goat cheese. We were going to have the potato leek soup but fortunately the waitress advised at the last minute that it was made with chicken stock after I asked her to double check. Then the mains, I understand the salmon was good but my friend who had the halibut ( a 2" square) and 3 prawns with pasta thought it was poor value at $29 per plate. I had a mushroom risotto (which was a side for one of the meat entrees) they concocted for me (after I had cojoled them abuot vegetarian options) and added some seasonal veg too. Points to them for that. We had a large bottle of Pellegrino ($8.95!) and a bottle of their own Pinot Gris, nice but we defintiely prefer the Hester Creek Pinot Gris (where we are staying) Finished up with Rhubarb sponge cake and sorbet and a glass of sweet late harvest wine, which was quite good. Service was casual and friendly, however there was none of the finesse which is expected in a fine dining establishment. In conculusion, the location was lovely but this was not a fine dining experience though the prices were certainly of that calibre. I doubt if I would go again. read more

We were so incredibly disappointed considering my wife had such a lovely experience in the past Everything except the service was horrendous. The food was less than mediocre. My wife ordered duck dish. Duck was overcooked, sauce was as if it was the exact same as the soup we ordered as an appetizer. The sausage that paired with the duck was not complimentary. It was like "what happened here???" I ordered seafood chioppino which was not impressive at all because of the broth quality. The restaurant was quarter full and we were placed in a corner next to a party of eight very loud group or men. I am not sure why the restaurant couldn't place us away from the big party when it was so empty and we had a reservation. The whole experience was so bad that we didn't even finish the wine and left in a hurry. It was unfortunate since we liked Burrowing Owl and the winery visit was supposed to be our highlight of trip. We never went to the winery since the experience was so bad. There are other good places to eat in Osoyoos and hope this review helps for others. read more

The experience was nice. Beautiful facility and very attentive staff. The food was good but not spectacular. My wife had the chicken and I had the beef. Both were good, but not fantastic. The mushroom soup which we shared as a starter was exceptional. The view and the wine were outstanding. read more

Came here for dinner - amazing food, every course. Lovely server. Only thing I found a little odd was the room was so bright all night, they don't dim the lights at dinner which felt a little weird. Otherwise, no complaints. read more

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Stopped by Burrowing Owl Winery while in the Okanagan and decided to grab some lunch at the Sonora Room. Got a table with a lovely view of the vineyards and surrounding hills. Service was knowledgeable and friendly. The décor is upscale casual, very clean and comfortable. We started with the seared tuna (very nice, and well accompanied), the breads and spreads (perfect with some wine), and the antipasti platter (excellent selection of top quality local foods that also pairs perfectly with white and red wines). For the mains, I had the duck confit - a favourite of mine, and this place delivered! Not too salty, tender, unctuous meat with a golden crust - mmmmmmm. My wife had the hand made spinach and ricotta gnocchi - magnificent! Flavourful, perfectly cooked, I had to pry some away from her just to taste them. The kids tucked into the grilled chicken and bacon sandwiches, wonderful combinations of fresh grilled chicken and home-made bacon with just the right amount of toppings to enhance but not hide the flavours. I don't know if it is possible to dine here without sampling the wines, and the selection is terrific, something for every taste and mood. Looking forward to returning! read more

We had lunch at Sonora room a few days ago. I went with their duck confit and it was delicious! Duck was tender and full of flavor. Too bad we live so far away!! read more

Beyond disappointed. The views were outstanding, the prices were outstanding, so one would assume the food would be as well. Nope, not even close. I have no problem paying more for an excellent meal, but this meal failed in so many ways. Our appetizers came 70 minutes after we sat down at our reservation. I was frantically hungry by that point. The menu favours local ingredients, which is interesting. I ordered the carpaccio, which comes preplated with tuna and beef. There is no option for either/or, and the combination was strange. This dish apparently comes with prepackaged croutons and dollops of mayonnaise (sorry, aioli) and sour-tasting puréed kale. The tomato soup of the day tasted almost as good as the finest Campbell's makes. The pork was pretty good at best. The smoked octopus was so tough it was inedible. The cheapest thing on the menu was $12 (soup) and nothing was worth the price, unless you order food just for the art of it and don't plan to taste it. Go to the winery for the views and the tastings - the wines are some of the best in the Okanagan - but skip the restaurant. We left hungry and feeling ripped off. read more

What I ordered The hostess was pleasant and the staff was understanding when we changed our minds to move inside. (There were wasps and it was hot that day). The food presentation was amazing and the chef put a lot of work into it, unfortunately I can't say the same for the taste. The waitress forgot to ring in the appetizer so we received that AFTER we finished our mains and by then it wasn't as good. The view from the restaurant is beautiful and the interior is very nice. There's a door that leads you to their observation tower, which I wish I had time to explore in depth! Miso Marinated Albacore Tuna - Bland, I couldn't tell it was marinated. It came with a very small tortilla chip and some black bean paste (which was cool to eat). Charcuterie and Cheese Sampling - Beautiful presented, but we did have a little bit of trouble picking around it cause all the bits and pieces were under/over/around each other. Roasted Game Hen - I couldn't taste the difference between a game hen or roasted chicken, but it was well cooked. The meat was nice and juicy. Spinach & Ricotta Stuffed Conchigli - It wasn't bad, but not very filling. As expected of fine dining, the portion size is smaller then what I expected. I was hoping for more flavor for the price we were paying for. I wouldn't eat here again, unless we are very hungry as Burrowing Owl is pretty far drive from most places. read more

The Sonora Room is one of the best restaurants I have been to in a long time, every thing was exceptional. First the winery setting is absolutely gorgeous only to be exceeded by the quality and presentation of the food. There were four in out party and each meal was outstanding the leek potato soup of the day exceptional as was the capressi salad and fresh crab cakes. For the dinners I had the steak accompanied with wild mushrooms, my wife had the Salmon, daughter the duck and her friend the lamb and each dish was prepared to perfection. Don't miss this place for lunch or dinner (or both) if you are in Osoyoos. read more

Amazing location, beautiful views, disappointing meal and service. Although I had been here before last August and had a lovely meal with warm service, my experience this time was less than stellar. My family arrived for dinner around 730 without reservations and were told we could not sit outside as the restaurant was full and they had contemplated not taking walk ins. I would describe our initial reception as parsimonious. There were a few table still on the balcony and the room maybe a quarter filled. We were happy to be seated inside none the less. During our visit the balcony never filled up, at best maybe a couple other tables arrived inside. Our service was perfunctory and lacking in warmth, perhaps it was that we brought our children, although they are well behaved and used to dining out. There was no curtesy extended to them in either acknowledgement or service. There had been no apparent issues with our children accompanying us last year. Our meals were uneven - from excellent flavour, preparation and presentation to mediocre. The price point was very high and the portions not very generous. We had been looking forward to returning here but it is unlikely we will return. It was notable that no one asked how our meals were nor if we were comfortable. All considered I can understand an off night but from the start we were not regarded as the valued guests we are. read more

Every time I visit the Okanagan, a highlight is having lunch at the Sonora Room at Burrowing Owl, that is, until this past weekend...wow, disappointing is an understatement at best! We were a party of 4, and each ordered a different entree, plus 2 appetizers. I have always enjoyed the salad with chevre and toasted almonds. This time, the greens were not locally grown as they have been in the past, but generic spinach and (ugh)....watercress. It seemed like they came from a bag. The taste of bacon overpowered everything else, including the dressing and although ok, was nowhere near exceptional, which it has been in the past. The potato and leek soup was not served hot and was sampled by all, as there was a curious muddy melange of flavors, of which creme fraiche and fennel/dill were prominent over leek. It turned out that fennel was prominent in all the entrees as well, including the beef on a "homemade pretzel bun", which I ordered as I wanted a glass of the the recommended Cab-sauv pairing. The only other accompaniment on the plate was a slaw, which was ok, but definitely unsatisfying. The beef tasted strongly of fennel, and was quite fatty as well as dry and chewy. No other flavors were presented to complement the plate. The bun was dry/not fresh. The chicken hot pot was not presented in a hot pot and also tasted of fennel. Probably the best dish was the crispy duck(also tasting of fennel), but it was also not exceptional. Too bad...a real come-down experience. read more