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Omg!! This place is the cutest!! On an island in the middle of the park along the river. Our server was friendly and had lots of patience for our indecisiveness. We ended up with the fish and game board out of sheer curiosity! It was yummy! The jam with the different meats was perfect. We then opted to skip dinner and go straight to dessert with dessert wine pairings and it was so good! We had something with marshmallow on it and I loved it!
Lovely restaurant with excellent service in a beautiful setting. I dined outside on a lovely night and it was quite nice. My food was good.but not the cacophony of flavors I enjoyed at some other top Calgary restaurants. I started with the tomatoes, which were nice and fresh. The buffalo ribeye was also cooked perfectly but I found it a little dull. Overall a great experience but the food was only very good.
We visited the River Café after being recommended it by locals countless times. We have never had the privilege of dining at a restaurant specializing in Canadian fare. We had absolutely zero idea of what to expect, but we were blown away. The River Café is an adorable restaurant that you do not just take a car to get to, and we loved that. The outdoor seating feels like a fairytale, and the food only accompanies that feeling. Every menu item is a beautiful dish that highlights locally sourced ingredients. This eatery effortlessly embodies the harmony of a beautiful sense of community and perfect freshness. The food was full of so much love that it felt as if my Canadian grandma just called me inside for brunch. And I don't even have a Canadian grandma. From locally sourced salmon, to fresh fruits, and even hand picked garnishes, the River Café deserves to be mentioned on the list of some of the best restaurants in the world. We have had the honor to dine at some of the finest restaurants globally, and this eatery is now high up on our list of favorites. A reservation is highly recommended. We made one, and we were so happy to get in. The entire restaurant was full, and there was a line out the door. The service was impeccable. Our lovely waitress, Amily, was the cherry on top of our experience. She was well-versed in the menu, and told us where all of the food came from. She recommended the Halibut Cakes, and it was a dish that could easily be enjoyed every day. It was stunning. Perfectly balanced, embodying Canada's beautiful cuisine. We nearly ordered the full menu. The fish and game board is well worth trying, everything pairs effortlessly and of course staying true to it's tune, highlights local fare. The pastry trio was mind-blowing. Three of the best pastries ever, all in their own unique ways. The Croque Madame was an exquisite sandwich, but extremely filling. We ate too much. Haha! We do not typically eat sweet foods, which is why their buttermilk pancakes with chocolate sauce and local preserves were perfect. Not overly sweet. The pricing was so fairly priced. There are so many amazing dishes to try at the River Café. The plating was gorgeous and eclectic. Even the drinks were exquisite. Fair trade hot chocolate that had an adorable design. Local cranberry juice. Local apple cider. Fantastic. Every aspect of the menu was flawlessly executed. We HIGHLY recommend it to anyone visiting Calgary. Thank you for such a beautiful experience.
Found a photo jam at the end of the park and a friend highly recommended it. The staff was very sweet, our server was excellent. I love that there was a coat check, and every drink was delicious. In my opinion, the home fries look a little weird with the Benedict but it tasted amazing. Overall, this is a very cute and casual but could be a date vibe.
Visited this place on the Bow River and it didn't disappoint. Waiter was very polite, a young Ukrainian waiter. He did an excellent job. Kids enjoyed a burger, and the steak tartare I had was fabulous!
I recently went to the River Cafe and we ordered the Croque Madam, the kids one egg & toast, kids pancake, Saskatoon Lemonade and a latte. The food took a long time - 40 minutes - to come out, but it was worth the wait. I highly recommend getting the kids pancake: a buttermilk pancake with hazelnut whipped cream and maple syrup. It's not your ordinary pancake; it's a very fluffy griddle cake. The pancake is slightly sweetened by the maple syrup and then topped off with a hazelnut cream that is buttery and crunchy. The Croque Madam was served with salad. The one egg & toast came with a side of bacon that added a salty taste and crunchy texture. The Croque Madam and one egg & toast tasted good, but the toast used for both was too crunchy for my liking and made it kinda hard to bite through. The last thing we got was the Saskatoon Lemonade. I liked it because the lemonade doesn't over power the taste of the berry. It was fun to look at too! The lemonade was purple! I didn't know what a Saskatoon berry even was, but it was delicious, kinda like a blueberry in taste.
I'm excited to go back to the River Cafe for lunch or dinner. It was a hot day while we were walking through Prince's Island Park, so we swung in for a beverage. The berry iced tea is a flavorful and refreshing combination. I could pull out blackberry and sage. I had a tasty IPA and others in my party enjoyed a latte and a non-alcoholic gin and tonic with cucumber. The decor is warm and inviting with a boat against the back wall of the bar and a large stone fireplace. It feels like you are walking into a mountain lodge upon arrival. The restrooms are clean and the sinks are really cool with faucets created from copper tubing and valves.
You might want to put on walking shoes to come here as the walk may be far for someone who doesn't like walking. The location next to the river was nice and service was great. The patio area was very cute. But the food was overpriced for being just Ok. We started with 2 dozen oysters, it was $30 per half dozen so $120CAD for 2 dozen oysters is super over priced. Maybe because Calgary is middle instead of by any coast? The Steak was decent but so small. The pasta was a little too Al dente for me. The flavor on the duck was ok but super dry which is weird because duck is very fattening. The fish was crispy but bland, the salad it says on top of was also bland. It is a cute location to have a small bite and drink just to enjoy the patio.
This restaurant location is very good , we sit in out , the environment were nice and the service also was good, but the food were ok , lower than my expectations with its price tag . The two side dishes were good, the bison meat is not as good as I ate in other places
Had dinner here with a friend I hadnt seen in over a decade. We had the red lentil hummus to start and it was some of the best hummus I had ever had. We each chose a main - duck, halibut and tenderloin. All were phenomenal! Service was great and overall it didn't disappoint. It was a bit loud and sometimes hard to hear each other. Also to get to this restaurant you have to walk onto Prince's island (pedestrian only) so keep that in mind if you have anyone who is mobility challenged it could be an issue.
We were staying at a nearby hotel and I decided to book this restaurant for dinner at it was walking distance and scenic. Due to construction in the area, we had to make a small detour to find our way onto the island as Google Maps did not reflect the road blocks. The stroll to the restaurant was quite nice in the sunset. We had made reservations and turned out they were behind and restaurant was packed. The hostess offered for us to sit in the bar section and wait. We declined the offer as we had a child with us. We did manage to get seated after a 10 minute wait. We ordered our drinks, appetizers and mains right away. Drinks, bread and appetizers were dropped off within 15-25 minutes of ordering. They were kind enough to make my child's linguini and butter order first and it arrived the same time as the appetizers. We were finished our appetizers 50 minutes into seating and then had to wait another 45 minutes for the mains to arrive. By then, it was 9:45 pm and they lost out on an opportunity for us to order dessert. The food itself was delicious and beautifully prepared and presented. The fish and game board was an interesting take on a charcuterie board. It was my first experience trying clarified halibut butter. It was fishy tasting. I did not mind as I found it to be very unique. The pork pate and pickled zucchini were tasty too. The sliced deli meats and smoked salmon were standard. I have had my fair share of smoked salmon living on the West Coast. The beef tartare was a great addition for sharing amongst a small group. My duck breast main entree was slightly on the saltier side. The duck was tender and seasoned well. I am used to a high tolerance of salt, but I can see how some people can find this a tad too salty. Our server was fantastic. He interacted with my child and checked in on us frequently to refill water, offered to take more drink orders and clear plates. He did give us updates on our mains as he can tell we were anticipating our meal. I think the restaurant should either hire more kitchen staff or not take so many reservations. It was a full house when we arrived. I am happy I was able to try this restaurant finally during my visit to Calgary.
River cafe is situated in Prince Island park. It's a great area and it's by the river. It's about a 15 min walk from parking at Lot59. We read many good reviews online and had high expectations. We are a party of 8 and after we were seated, no servers came to take our order after 20 mins. This is unacceptable. I had to ask for someone to get our server 2 times until he came. He is nice but is a soft spoken gentleman. He seems to be a server in training to me. Anyways service was slow and but then it got a bit better afterwards. Below average service. Food is great. Grass fed beef burger is a 10/10. From getting the table to getting food on the table is about 1 hour. This is unacceptable to my standards.
4 months ago
Wonderful meal here! The halibut was perfectly prepared. Light salad was basic, and fresh. The agnolotti was really rich so was glad I had that as my main and the Angel food cake with rhubarb was spectacular. Quality service, and glorious setting. Just idyllic! read more
This place came highly recommended and I couldn't wait to try it. Walking up, it's situated right off the river which makes sense given its name. There was a music festival so the area was a bit chaotic but the restaurant had plenty of seating available. I ordered the chefs tasting menu. The food pacing was all over the map. There was a large party so I can understand it being a bit slow to start but the entire meal took 2 hours for 5 courses. It was prob about 15-20 min for the first course and then another 30 min for the second course. I did say something and they apologized and they sped it up for the next courses but I could also see the large party was finished anyways. The food itself was delicious. I really couldn't tell u specifically what each dish was since there wasn't a menu but it started with a beef tartare which set a high bar. The fried tempura-like veggies were unexpected and fresh but their wait time did not make sense. The lamb with peas and the duck were both cooked perfectly and paired nicely with the accompaniments. The dessert was unique. It's clear that the chefs take great care in their work and the creativity of presentation and flavor profiles undoubtedly comes through. Food = 4, Service = 3, vibes and location = 3.5 read more
10 days ago
Omg!! This place is the cutest!! On an island in the middle of the park along the river. Our server was friendly and had lots of patience for our indecisiveness. We ended up with the fish and game board out of sheer curiosity! It was yummy! The jam with the different meats was perfect. We then opted to skip dinner and go straight to dessert with dessert wine pairings and it was so good! We had something with marshmallow on it and I loved it! read more
Lovely restaurant with excellent service in a beautiful setting. I dined outside on a lovely night and it was quite nice. My food was good.but not the cacophony of flavors I enjoyed at some other top Calgary restaurants. I started with the tomatoes, which were nice and fresh. The buffalo ribeye was also cooked perfectly but I found it a little dull. Overall a great experience but the food was only very good. read more
1 year ago
1 year ago
We visited the River Café after being recommended it by locals countless times. We have never had the privilege of dining at a restaurant specializing in Canadian fare. We had absolutely zero idea of what to expect, but we were blown away. The River Café is an adorable restaurant that you do not just take a car to get to, and we loved that. The outdoor seating feels like a fairytale, and the food only accompanies that feeling. Every menu item is a beautiful dish that highlights locally sourced ingredients. This eatery effortlessly embodies the harmony of a beautiful sense of community and perfect freshness. The food was full of so much love that it felt as if my Canadian grandma just called me inside for brunch. And I don't even have a Canadian grandma. From locally sourced salmon, to fresh fruits, and even hand picked garnishes, the River Café deserves to be mentioned on the list of some of the best restaurants in the world. We have had the honor to dine at some of the finest restaurants globally, and this eatery is now high up on our list of favorites. A reservation is highly recommended. We made one, and we were so happy to get in. The entire restaurant was full, and there was a line out the door. The service was impeccable. Our lovely waitress, Amily, was the cherry on top of our experience. She was well-versed in the menu, and told us where all of the food came from. She recommended the Halibut Cakes, and it was a dish that could easily be enjoyed every day. It was stunning. Perfectly balanced, embodying Canada's beautiful cuisine. We nearly ordered the full menu. The fish and game board is well worth trying, everything pairs effortlessly and of course staying true to it's tune, highlights local fare. The pastry trio was mind-blowing. Three of the best pastries ever, all in their own unique ways. The Croque Madame was an exquisite sandwich, but extremely filling. We ate too much. Haha! We do not typically eat sweet foods, which is why their buttermilk pancakes with chocolate sauce and local preserves were perfect. Not overly sweet. The pricing was so fairly priced. There are so many amazing dishes to try at the River Café. The plating was gorgeous and eclectic. Even the drinks were exquisite. Fair trade hot chocolate that had an adorable design. Local cranberry juice. Local apple cider. Fantastic. Every aspect of the menu was flawlessly executed. We HIGHLY recommend it to anyone visiting Calgary. Thank you for such a beautiful experience. read more
1 year ago
Found a photo jam at the end of the park and a friend highly recommended it. The staff was very sweet, our server was excellent. I love that there was a coat check, and every drink was delicious. In my opinion, the home fries look a little weird with the Benedict but it tasted amazing. Overall, this is a very cute and casual but could be a date vibe. read more
10 months ago
1 year ago
Visited this place on the Bow River and it didn't disappoint. Waiter was very polite, a young Ukrainian waiter. He did an excellent job. Kids enjoyed a burger, and the steak tartare I had was fabulous! read more
1 year ago
I recently went to the River Cafe and we ordered the Croque Madam, the kids one egg & toast, kids pancake, Saskatoon Lemonade and a latte. The food took a long time - 40 minutes - to come out, but it was worth the wait. I highly recommend getting the kids pancake: a buttermilk pancake with hazelnut whipped cream and maple syrup. It's not your ordinary pancake; it's a very fluffy griddle cake. The pancake is slightly sweetened by the maple syrup and then topped off with a hazelnut cream that is buttery and crunchy. The Croque Madam was served with salad. The one egg & toast came with a side of bacon that added a salty taste and crunchy texture. The Croque Madam and one egg & toast tasted good, but the toast used for both was too crunchy for my liking and made it kinda hard to bite through. The last thing we got was the Saskatoon Lemonade. I liked it because the lemonade doesn't over power the taste of the berry. It was fun to look at too! The lemonade was purple! I didn't know what a Saskatoon berry even was, but it was delicious, kinda like a blueberry in taste. read more
10 months ago
1 year ago
I'm excited to go back to the River Cafe for lunch or dinner. It was a hot day while we were walking through Prince's Island Park, so we swung in for a beverage. The berry iced tea is a flavorful and refreshing combination. I could pull out blackberry and sage. I had a tasty IPA and others in my party enjoyed a latte and a non-alcoholic gin and tonic with cucumber. The decor is warm and inviting with a boat against the back wall of the bar and a large stone fireplace. It feels like you are walking into a mountain lodge upon arrival. The restrooms are clean and the sinks are really cool with faucets created from copper tubing and valves. read more
You might want to put on walking shoes to come here as the walk may be far for someone who doesn't like walking. The location next to the river was nice and service was great. The patio area was very cute. But the food was overpriced for being just Ok. We started with 2 dozen oysters, it was $30 per half dozen so $120CAD for 2 dozen oysters is super over priced. Maybe because Calgary is middle instead of by any coast? The Steak was decent but so small. The pasta was a little too Al dente for me. The flavor on the duck was ok but super dry which is weird because duck is very fattening. The fish was crispy but bland, the salad it says on top of was also bland. It is a cute location to have a small bite and drink just to enjoy the patio. read more
2 years ago
This restaurant location is very good , we sit in out , the environment were nice and the service also was good, but the food were ok , lower than my expectations with its price tag . The two side dishes were good, the bison meat is not as good as I ate in other places read more
1 year ago
Had dinner here with a friend I hadnt seen in over a decade. We had the red lentil hummus to start and it was some of the best hummus I had ever had. We each chose a main - duck, halibut and tenderloin. All were phenomenal! Service was great and overall it didn't disappoint. It was a bit loud and sometimes hard to hear each other. Also to get to this restaurant you have to walk onto Prince's island (pedestrian only) so keep that in mind if you have anyone who is mobility challenged it could be an issue. read more
2 years ago
We were staying at a nearby hotel and I decided to book this restaurant for dinner at it was walking distance and scenic. Due to construction in the area, we had to make a small detour to find our way onto the island as Google Maps did not reflect the road blocks. The stroll to the restaurant was quite nice in the sunset. We had made reservations and turned out they were behind and restaurant was packed. The hostess offered for us to sit in the bar section and wait. We declined the offer as we had a child with us. We did manage to get seated after a 10 minute wait. We ordered our drinks, appetizers and mains right away. Drinks, bread and appetizers were dropped off within 15-25 minutes of ordering. They were kind enough to make my child's linguini and butter order first and it arrived the same time as the appetizers. We were finished our appetizers 50 minutes into seating and then had to wait another 45 minutes for the mains to arrive. By then, it was 9:45 pm and they lost out on an opportunity for us to order dessert. The food itself was delicious and beautifully prepared and presented. The fish and game board was an interesting take on a charcuterie board. It was my first experience trying clarified halibut butter. It was fishy tasting. I did not mind as I found it to be very unique. The pork pate and pickled zucchini were tasty too. The sliced deli meats and smoked salmon were standard. I have had my fair share of smoked salmon living on the West Coast. The beef tartare was a great addition for sharing amongst a small group. My duck breast main entree was slightly on the saltier side. The duck was tender and seasoned well. I am used to a high tolerance of salt, but I can see how some people can find this a tad too salty. Our server was fantastic. He interacted with my child and checked in on us frequently to refill water, offered to take more drink orders and clear plates. He did give us updates on our mains as he can tell we were anticipating our meal. I think the restaurant should either hire more kitchen staff or not take so many reservations. It was a full house when we arrived. I am happy I was able to try this restaurant finally during my visit to Calgary. read more
1 year ago
River cafe is situated in Prince Island park. It's a great area and it's by the river. It's about a 15 min walk from parking at Lot59. We read many good reviews online and had high expectations. We are a party of 8 and after we were seated, no servers came to take our order after 20 mins. This is unacceptable. I had to ask for someone to get our server 2 times until he came. He is nice but is a soft spoken gentleman. He seems to be a server in training to me. Anyways service was slow and but then it got a bit better afterwards. Below average service. Food is great. Grass fed beef burger is a 10/10. From getting the table to getting food on the table is about 1 hour. This is unacceptable to my standards. read more
1 year ago
2 years ago
Didn't have anything to eat...service was fabulous, ambiance was perfect. I sat outside and enjoyed the beautiful day and watch the people walk and bicycle past. read more
2 years ago
Very disappointing. Its the highest ranking restaurant on the top 100 in Calgary, so I was expecting way more. The board was okay, but the eggplant and duck were terrible. The duck looked like it had been plated yesterday, sat under a heat lamp, and then microwaved before serving to me. My guest had the eggplant and we joked that an 8 year old came up with it. The only stars it gets is for the service and great location/views. read more
2 years ago
1 year ago
Must! Wish there were more stars available! This is a wonderful restaurant! The ambiance, food, service, and location are all amazing. This isn't just dinner, it's an experience. We selected several appetizers to share for our meal. The hydragreens romaine salad was very delicious. Then the smoked Sablefish was exceptional . We finished our light meal with the game and fish board which was wonderful. The haskap berry jam on the board was the highlight! We enjoyed the haskap berry sorbet to end with. Our server Kris was very knowledgeable, friendly and prompt. She discussed the food prep and history of the cafe with us and was so friendly and welcoming. The decor as a trappers cabin was authentic. The music was perfect in style and low volume so conversation was easy. This was a special experience on our trip to Calgary. The walk to the cafe on Prince Island was fun and refreshing with great photo ops. The park surrounding the restaurant was pretty and it was nice to see so many people and pets enjoying the outdoors. Recommend early seating (5-5:30) as the evening became very busy. read more
We had read good things about this place and had actually planned to come for dinner. However, we were walking around the island and decided to go ahead and make lunch reservations for when they would just open. We ate indoors but had a lovely view of the deck and outdoors. The decor was rustic and charming. Even though we were in Calgary, we decided to order oysters an an appetizer and they were delicious with the special mignonette and sauce that accompanied them. I enjoyed the flank steak and my wife enjoyed the zucchini with hazelnuts. Our server was very pleasant and we thoroughly enjoyed the experience. read more
3 years ago
My boyfriend wanted to surprise me for my birthday and oh, boy. I was very surprised! I always wanted to come to River Café because all good things I've heard about them and I'm not disappointed. Staff is very polite and polite. The restaurant is really quaint, well-maintained and clean. The environment is very calm. The view from the restaurant to the park is very lovely, especially in a sunny day. We got a bottle of Canella Puccini (Uber recommended for a special occasion) and I got a Ham & Cheese Quiche. The Puccini was wonderful! The Quiche was magnificent. Very tasteful, flavourful and delicious. The presentation of the dish was very polished. Tip: you must book a table before showing up. It gets busy really quickly. read more
4 years ago
Magical spot tucked away in a park by the river. They offer you some bread to start which is amazing, if I wasn't trying to eat less carbs I would have ordered their loaf. I loved the tomato rhubarb and goat cheese starter and the tagliatelle was very filling. Service was excellent! Note that parking is outside and you have to walk to the restaurant (my gps told me to drive but there is no parking). read more
2 years ago
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2 years ago
The food and service was fantastic! I recommend sitting outside on the patio for a date night dinner. I think this is a must try spot when you visit Calgary! read more
5 years ago
Not a good experience ..... First course have to wait 30 mins and main course waiting another 45 mins Food wasn't really impress me at all read more
As always the unique venue is really the draw: place the restaurant anywhere in Calgary except Prince Island, and I'm not sure it would remain in business more than a month. We had a late guest showing up 20 minutes after our 6 pm reservation. It took another 10 minutes for staff to offer drinks? Why not just offer before his arrival? Then drink refills seemed slow. Eventually, orders were taken. I was assured Octopus would be tender. It was rubbery, as expected in Alberta: I wondered why it was on the menu??? Pork was OK, but came with an unbalanced accompaniment of Red Fife Wheat, almost making it a breakfast cereal! I guess chef was trying to rid the kitchen of the dry, chewy stuff, but more Okanagan Pear and parsnips would have been appreciated! In a final note: I specifically asked for a QUIET table when making the reservation, and was assured that two tables were set off for just such occasions. We were seated in the middle of the restaurant, in the LOUDEST location!!?? read more
8 years ago
Every morning should start with a brunch breakfast at River Cafe! A view of the River and located right inside Prince's Island Park. This is just like being in a Cottage resort without even leaving the City. On Sunny day, be sure requested to be seated in their awesome patio! I made a reservation for 10:15 am so the early bird get to pick where to be seated! And by the time we left, the patio was packed! Fresh Shucked Oysters Eggs Benedict with Bison Chorizo with the Best Fingerling Potato Alberta Trout with Taber Corn, Roast Potato Okanagan Pressed Pear Juice Everything was cooked perfectly. The Trout has nice crispy skin and Bison Chorizo a treat for this out of towner! And their Fingerling Potato was one of the best I tasted! Highly recommend for brunch/breakfast! Especially if you want to have a taste of Canadian cuisine using local sourced ingredients! read more
Special cafe for eclectic dishes with beautifully presentation. It was a warm day in the month of October and we got seated in the paito area. The ambience is 10/10. It's located in the middle of the prince island park. It also has a tasting menu but it's not inclusive of all dietary preferences. If you are red meat eater, you prolly can try. We preferred trying out dishes from the menu. They were all so flavorful and good. Their chocolate hazelnut dessert was delicious. All in all, book this for a date night or a special night because this place is special. read more
3 years ago
We had a work dinner we were attending with customers and I could not have picked a better venue. It was light, bright, airy, super chill vibe with superb service. This was my first time there so parking was a bit odd to me. Eventually we figured it out. You park in the street or in the lots outside of condos and you walk a pretty far distance crossing a bridge in to the park. I mention this because work high heels and this walk do not go well together. Beautiful walk in the park looking at Canadian geese families were the true treat. Best tomato salad I have ever eaten with goat cheese underneath them. I also had the wild boar. (Aka pork belly)... I thought it was good but next time I will try something different on the menu just because everyone's dishes were all so vibrant with great reviews. We sat indoors near the kitchen but the have a wonderful outdoor patio area. Try to eat out there if weather permits. Our other group ate outdoors and loved it. Bring flat shoes... it's worth the little walk. read more
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More info about River Café
25 Prince's Island Park
Calgary, AB T2P 0R1
Canada
Eau Claire
Directions
(403) 261-7670
Call Now
Visit Website
http://www.river-cafe.com
Hours
Food & Alcohol
Indoor Amenities
Outdoor Amenities
Other Amenities
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Why does Yelp recommend reviews?
12 reviews that are not currently recommended
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