I went there 4 times during my stay at lodge. 2 dinners and 2 breakfasts and in 3 out of 4 experiences, Karolina was our server. She was very kind, friendly and helpful and she was full of a contagious happy energy! :) She was also the bartender and made the best cocktails! Each one we tried was very delicious! The food was also great and delicious. The place was decorated nicely with a cozy atmosphere. Overall the our experiences were all great and I hope I go back there again. Also, Karolina made our experiences so much better. Thank you! And read more

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After our hike up to the Lower and Upper Falls, we returned and went to the bistro to have a meal and wait for our friends that kept hiking up to the Ink Pots. I had the canyon field greens salad with chicken. It was a really good salad except for the chicken. It included mixed greens, goat cheese, tomatoes, candied walnuts, carrots, and red cabbage. It was was covered with a white wine and orange vinaigrette. The chicken was completely dry and was not helpful in the salad, so I should have left it off the dish completely. Sucks that they overcooked the chicken. read more

Blackswift Bistro - Canyon Fields Green Salad - Bistros Near Me - Improvement District No. 9, Alberta

Very slow service. We waited almost an hour for our meal. When it arrived, the salmon was undercooked and we received french fries instead of the rice we had ordered. The waitress was nice, but never checked on the order and did not offer an explanation until I queried her. They did offer us a discount. read more

Gave one star only because I can't give zero. Awful service! We had a party of 5 and after we were sat at our table no one acknowledged us for over 20 minutes. Completely ignored us for some reason. We just left, no one even asked us why we were leaving. What a joke of a place, which is sad because it's a great location. read more

I thoroughly enjoyed my experience at Blackswift Bistro. It's located right at the Johnston Canyon resort so it was a no-brainer for my friend and I to stop here after our 2.5 hour hike. Hiking the canyon really worked up an appetite so we were swiftly greeted, seated and our order was taken right away. My friend ordered the burger with regular fries and I had the ahi tuna melt with sweet potatoe fries. The food was really good and the servings were large- i managed to eat almost all of mine but my friend had to take half of her burger to go. Our server was a darling young lady who took the time to chat with us about the history of the lodge. Apparently, it's one of the oldest (if not the oldest and only) family owned business in the Banff Nation Park system. Really cool story considering the government owns and controls the entire park system. The ambiance had old school cabin vibes with a retro jukebox and popcorn machine to add to the decor. The bathrooms, thankfully were updated and very clean. read more

Free wifi. Very good coffee or snacks for fuel for your hike to upper or lower canyon. Plenty of seating available outside and bar seating inside. Always a must stop when I'm at johnstons canyon. Which is about 20 min drive from banff town. There's also a roam bus stop here which does 90 min trip and transfers for $5. They used to be free parking. But now it's pay after 7pm so before that it's $20. I prefer this place in evening or early morning because that's when it's less crowded. But basically expect a crowd everytime you visit read more

Blackswift Bistro - Chai latte for $6.75 - Bistros Near Me - Improvement District No. 9, Alberta

My wife and I stopped in at the Blackswift Bistro for lunch after hiking Johnston Canyon to Ink Pots. We were quite hungry and this place was just what we needed (and in the right location - right next to the end of the trail/beginning of the trail). There was about a 15 minute wait, but once they got us seated, the server was very attentive and answered our questions. The special of the day was fish tacos so I ordered that. My wife got the crispy chicken Caesar wrap. We also ordered a side of poutine. I have to say that the fish tacos were among the best I have had. The batter was crispy, fresh, and delicious. The crema on the tacos was so flavorful. The salads that came with our meals were beautiful and fresh. My wife thought there was too much sauce on the wrap, but for those who like a lot of sauce (like me), it would be fine. We had the gravy on the side for the poutine. That worked well. The fries were crisp and the cheese curds were good. Really enjoyed our visit here. We were pleasantly surprised to find this restaurant and the quality of this restaurant after a long and tiring hike. read more

A perfectly placed bistro for lunch after walking around Johnston Canyon. The service was very friendly and helpful. The Rock Creek cider was delicious and local! The poutine was just okay all around. The curds were decent, but fries were soft and the gravy was just okay. The chicken tenders were great and well breaded and seasoned. They had a slight cajun flavor. The plum sauce was something different and a great dipping sauce! The caesar salad was my favorite. It was a bit heavy on the dressing but had the perfect crunch from the bacon, croutons, and fried capers. read more

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for service ambience! had delicious breakfast and dinner there this week and maddie was an awesome helpful server!

Me and my family had both brunch and dinner at this restaurant since it was the closest to the Johnson Canyon Lodge and Bungalows. The food that we ordered was phenomenal, especially the beef medallions, which were one of the best meals I've ever had. Aside from the food, the service was amazing. From the waitresses that served us from brunch and dinner, they both went above and beyond to give us the best experience not only in the restaurant, but beyond as well. During brunch, our waitress gave us a list of nearby attractions while being friendly, welcoming and fun! For dinner, our waitress, Hannah, was no different, we all talked together and had a great time. She gave us excellent service by explaining our dishes all while providing over the top service. To us, it felt like as if we were visiting a good friends home. I'd say give this place a try! It is well worth it! read more

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Staff is very nice but service is extremely slow. Burger was good but chicken was horrible.

Good restaurant outside of Johnston Canyon to grab food. Their dinner menu is limited but they have the basics so you'll probably find something you like. I ordered the Bison Burger and it was okay. The meat was pretty dense and tough, not much flavor. Also the burger was supposed to have BBQ sauce, but I barely had any, that I had to look to see if it was even there. Bacon strips on top were crispy and tasty. The meal also comes with coleslaw and fries or a salad. The fries were nicely seasoned and crisp; and the coleslaw was pretty good too. Our waitress was very nice and attentive to our table, making sure we had everything we needed and refilled our waters regularly. Prices aren't too bad for the area too. read more

Blackswift Bistro - Bison Burger and Fries - Bistros Near Me - Improvement District No. 9, Alberta

We ate here twice during our time around Banff. The food was great and the location at Johnston Creek was very convenient for us. The staff was kept busy, and weren't super-fast, but they were courteous and hard-working. The ribs (both rack and short ribs) and fish'n' chips were delicious. Being adjacent (or actually IN) the park - with a choice of indoor or outdoor seating - was delightful. The adjacent pay parking is free after 6:00pm, by the way. read more

LOCATION: 5/5 = What a fantastic location! Right at the entrance of beautiful Johnston Canyon, it's a cute little cabin restaurant to get a quick bite, get a drink or sit down for a meal. FOOD: 2/5 = Went for breakfast before exploring Johnston Canyon and felt that the food was very average. The "Breakfast Sandwich" was dry made up of very simple ingredients. Unfortunately the toast for "Toast and Jam" were brunt on the inside and felt that it was expensive for 2 little pieces. The hash browns were super delicious though! Highlight of the meal. PRICE: 2/5 = I felt that the prices were a little expensive for the quality and quantity of what you get. I would probably just grab a coffee next time or just pack own food to have after exploring Johnston Canyon! BREAKDOWN OF THE ORDER: Breakfast Sandwich ($14.00): fried egg, lettuce, tomato, bacon on toast with a side of hash browns and fruit Toast and Jam ($4.00): two slices of toast with jam read more

Blackswift Bistro - Breakfast Menu - Bistros Near Me - Improvement District No. 9, Alberta

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I made a reservation here after reading that it was one of the only ways we could drive to the parking lot of Johnston Canyon. It's of course a great location because of that, and as our schedule was a bit tight I very much appreciated being able to drive up. However, the food here was just some of the plainest food I could imagine. We had breakfast and I got the omelette which had peppers, ham and I think American cheese in it. It was the highlight for sure but it was a bit under-seasoned. My husband had the breakfast sandwich which was just a hamburger bun with a slice of cheese, an egg and a breakfast meat that I can't remember. A bit dry and unremarkable. I LOVE breakfast potatoes but... as my husband said "these are the worst breakfast potatoes I've ever had." I don't know if I would say they're the worst per se, but they were not very good. Kind of weirdly dry and had a strange seasoned-salt flavor. I didn't finish mine. The fruit was not sweet and it was strange that I got my tea without a plate for my tea bag. It was also quite expensive for what it was. The omelette was I think $17. Anyway the server was very nice and the location can't be beat. It did the job of feeding us and giving us a parking space, but I wouldn't go back for the food for sure. read more

Blackswift Bistro - omelette and tea - Bistros Near Me - Improvement District No. 9, Alberta

We ate here for both dinner and breakfast (staying at the Johnston Canyon Cabins xxxx next door). Dinner wasn't that great. The kids hamburger was over cooked, charred on one side and really dry. The kids grilled cheese sandwich was also only so so, small and basic, with a small slice of cheese. We had the fish and chips, which was good. You could tell the fish was frozen/out of a box, but it had fried well. Fries were alright, not soggy, but not nice and crispy either. Final dish was the trout which was sautéed in butter. I did not try it, but was told that it was pretty good. If we had just eaten dinner there, I would have given them two stars. Breakfast was a little nicer. We had the three egg omelet, our version came with cheese, bacon, sausage, and ham. It also came with homefries and toast. Well made and tasty. It sounds like the omelet varies by day, so the add-ins may be different. We also had the French toast, 6 thick slices of white bread, some whipped cream, jam, and syrup on the side. Not my favourite batter, but well cooked and had a good taste. The wait staff was nice both meals. Due to the location, the prices are a bit high, but an okay place to stop if you're in the area and need some grub. read more

Blackswift Bistro - Dinner menu - Bistros Near Me - Improvement District No. 9, Alberta

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Pretty good food for being so secluded. Our server was very friendly and over all it was a very enjoyable meal after the hike.

Hiked round trip and down from Ink Pots and found this restaurant. 1.30 pm. Empty on Sept 29. Wow, the vegetable stew was tasty and hearty. With buttered sourdough toast. Server Leisa was so helpful and friendly. Even ran after us with the backpack and bear spray can we'd left behind. Thanks Leisa! read more

Service was extremely friendly which helped make up for food that was ok. Steak sandwich was over cooked and no special flavor. Veggie burger was average. Bison burger was ok. Spicy chicken was tasty. read more

After a long hike to the Ink Pots, my friend and I wanted to eat a quick lunch to replenish on some nutrients before leaving Johnston Canyon trail. This cafe had pretty good food - the bison burger was nice and juicy, and the side garden salad had seasonal berries and cucumber! The salad vinaigrette and the burger sauce both complemented the items well. This isn't a five-star place because the restaurant was short-staffed, making it quite a mess to place our order, get the correct bill, and pay. We spent a good 20 min just waiting around because they were short staffed, so I would not recommend if you are in the rush. read more

This review is for takeout only. This review only has 3 stars because despite how good the food is, the restaurant was not wheelchair accessible. We were excited that there was a restaurant on site after our amazing Johnston Canyon hike, because we were starving. I had to order inside while my girlfriend sat outside in the rain. It was fairly quick, and the people were friendly. We had to eat in the car because there weren't tables that we could access. We ordered the Canyon burger and the Chicken burger. They were both VERY tasty, and the sweet potato fries were perfectly crispy. It's too bad that there's not even a ramp going up to their patio so that we could've eaten this delicious meal more comfortably. Normally I wouldn't give 3 stars to a restaurant we couldn't access, but the food was good and location and convenience made it worthy. read more

Good spot...great location present at the start/finish of beautiful johnston canyan...after a long hike, ideal spot to have lunch...the salt and pepper wings were excellent...soft serve ice cream was yummy...but 6 dollars for a cone...come on...it was delicious though...taking one star away for the ridiculous price of cone..otherwise recommended... read more