Beautiful restaurant and even better patio. The staff was awesome. Our waitress helped us choose two phenomenal desserts. My wife kept talking about the coffee and how great it was. Those shortbread cookies melted in our mouths. The personal touch on service was what made this place extremely memorable. We asked our waitress about Saskatoon berries and although they did not have them quite yet. She was able to get one of the kitchen members to go out front and harvest some for us so we could sample them. That is true service in my book. This city is so cool, I cannot wait to return and eat at this establishment again. read more

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Great spot in the park! Love the ambience, food, drinks, service ...everything. The host took care of us very well. Food arrived on a timely manner. Love the outdoor area. Keep up good work! read more

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You cannot get a better location for fine dinning in Calgary. Right next to the turquoise Bow River on Prince's Island Park, you are nestled right in beautiful picturesque Calgary landscape - and Calgary is not the prettiest of cities to visit in Canada. So come here if you are a tourist if you're wanting to experience the best of Calgary! I've dined here a couple times now. After perusing Instagram for the best brunch spots in Calgary, I decided to come here for their weekend brunch this time. I ordered their hog wild boar ham, which is a poached duck egg dish accompanied by asparagus, and a large portion of boar ham. A nice exotic twist on a traditional dish. The cuisine here is generally pretty creative. Everything I have tried here is yummy. If you're a foodie definitely bookmark this place and visit for on a nice snowy or sunny day (sit on their patio). You'll feel super outdoorsy and fancy at the same time. read more

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Had supper here for my one year anniversary with my partner. We had a lovely server and got an awesome spot on the patio, unfortunately some parkade alarm was going off near Eau Claire which was quite irritating but obviously not the restaurants fault or under their control. The selection of cocktails and the food menu was very limited especially for someone who cannot drink wine. We ordered the charcuterie board for an appetizer, this was delicious. I had the tenderloin and my partner had the bison, unfortunately both proteins were cooked incorrectly. Our broccoli was burnt as well. However, the potato was done beautifully. I just wish that the kitchen would ensure that meals were done perfectly as this is a pricey dinner place, likely will not return. read more

I was lucky enough to be taken to River Cafe on my birthday. It was a wonderful birthday lunch with delicious food and a gorgeous setting. They have a lovely patio which lets you really enjoy all the beauty of Prince's Island Park. The inside is just as nice as the outside and has the perfect ambiance for this upscale restaurant. The staff members are all very professional and meet the standards of this posh restaurant. The service is fast and memorable. Our waiter was patient with us while we made our decisions and even made a few recommendations for us obvious newbie's! I don't think I would visit here on a regular basis, but was happy to be taken on my birthday. River Cafe seems to be a place for special occasions... or for the rich. Their menu items are actually quite pricey. That being said, they quality of food meets its price. It's delicious and different. I enjoyed a platter of many different meats including salmon and rabbit. I was unsure about the rabbit at first, but it was actually quite tasty, and I would definitely try it again! River Cafe is a great way to spend an afternoon. It meets the expectations of a high class restaurant, but is sure to put a dent in your bank account. read more

River Café - *photo credit where.ca - Canadian (New) Near Me - Calgary, Alberta

Great environment for a tasty meal. We arrived for a lunch on a Monday and was seated outside with a nice view of the river. We split the guanciale and English pea flatbread, along with the beef tartare, as starters, both of which were well prepared and had good flavor. We had the rainbow trout and the burger as entrees, the latter of which was a touch overcooked but seasoned well, while the trout was fresh and tasty. The service was fairly attentive and the outdoor seating pleasant--it's a nice place to enjoy a tasty meal when the weather is nice. read more

I love how this place looks in the middle of the park. Perfect for walking around before or after your meal. I've only been for brunch and the food was pretty good. The little pastry basket was good for sharing. The eggs benedict was good, except that I asked for my egg to be soft and one came out completely hard. The server apologized though and service was amazing. Tiramisu was good but nothing amazing that I would go back for. The chocolate tart was good, and the fruit sorbet was so refreshing, I would recommend. The drinks were refreshing and nice on the patio, but nothing to write home about. Mixed feelings about the food depending on the dish, but I would definitely be willing to go back and try for dinner. $2 parking underground at Eau Claire on the weekends if you are having trouble finding street parking for free :) read more

River Café - Mixed berry sorbet. - Canadian (New) Near Me - Calgary, Alberta

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Looking at this place online explains itself. Beautiful decor, great staff and although it's pricey, the food is very good. I had lamb and was not disappointed. The portions feel small initially however they serve the perfect amount of food to make you leave very satisfied. Great date place or nice dinner out! read more

First time visiting River cafe, passed it many times walking through the park but never tried it. But today's the day! My only regret is I hadn't made the decision earlier. Stopping in for brunch today I found the dishes to be elegant, well priced, and absolutely delicious! I'm a huge fan of a well executed eggs Benedict, but this one is phenomenal. I will say hands down, the best in the city by far ! read more

River Café - Canadian (New) Near Me - Calgary, Alberta

Appetizers Smoked albacore tuna with Wildboar prosciutto, apple, citrus gel pumpkin seeds $14. Nice starter with a delicious mix of flavours. White Gold Burrata - confit carrots, garlic cream, pickled garlic scape, Crostini $14. Enjoyed by my wife. Confit carrots were especially good. Fish and game board - Bison Breseola, candied salmon, steelhead lox, Wildboar Ciccioli, Bison chorizo, Wild boar prosciutto, Old West ranch buffalo mozzarella, chicken liver pate, Edgar farm asparagus, birch syrup marinated olives, house made crackers $30. Interesting starter but not my favourite. Candied salmon was very good. Red lentils hummus - canola seed flatbread, roasted garlic, preserved tomato $14. The flatbread is fluffy similar to Naan bread. My favourite appetizer. The roasted garlic blended nicely with the fresh Hummus. Grilled Humboldt squid and pork belly with kimchi Aioli, roast potato $21 The squid was moderate. It goes well with the kimchi aioli. The pork belly was very good. Broccolini was nicely cooked. Small Wonder Squash with onion Brulée, Swiss chard, chanterelle and hazelnut $19 My wife thought it was pretty good, but not superb. The hazelnuts were nice. Good flavour to the squash. Service Very good service. Always attentive and happy to take our photo. Value Fair value for the food or service. read more

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Our hotel recommended this place. We wanted somewhere nice with atmosphere to celebrate my birthday. We made reservations. This restaraunt has great open windows and an outdoor seating area overlooking the river. However, reservations are worthless and they will seat you in the worst seats of the place. Making reservations is pointless and so Im giving 2 stars since it was a main reason I chose this place. I had no intention of sitting and making my child wait at a restaraunt, so we made reservations. Waits are one thing. Waits with reservations shouldn't be more then 10 minutes in my world. We haven't tried the food yet, but may have to give up sooner than later on the restaraunt. I'll update to a 3 star if the food makes up for the 2 stars. When we finally sat down they are out of items on the menu. They don't have small child size options except cheese pizza. Why would I go to a nice restaurant for pizza? Let me add that this isn't a pizza restaraunt. They have a shrimp appetizer but it's served only partially cooked. And I waitress was rude, unaccomadating with bad attidue. A restarauny of this scale should be able to provide a dish where they cook the shrimp done by request. And an attitude at any price is never necessary . read more

Fine dinning . . . . I'm still not tasting it. We've been here a few and so far they seem to be lacking something. For these kind of prices the food should be something that makes me want to keep going back. Something so tasty I don't mind spending the extra money. It's not happening. Come on; 21 dollars for a bison burger and a salad! It should be a spectacular burger and salad for that much, but it's not. The service could be better too, the wait staff are fairly arrogant probably because the restaurant is so full of itself. Try a little humility. Can't beat the location too bad about the situation. read more

We went to enjoy a brunch at this great location. Unfortunately service was not on the track. Food schedule between tables mixed up and late. Had an unfriendly server, seems not like her job. Almost ruined our relax time on a Saturday. Before we always had a really good experience at the River Cafe. read more

Had an excellent early bird dinner on a relaxing Sunday night at this Calgary institution. Service was excellent even though I was a small check. Their complementary house made sourdough bread is exceptional. The hummus and flatbread was solid and had a unique twist unique lentils in place of chickpeas. The trout with peas, potatoes and buttermilk was delicious. All in all a highly recommended place in Calgary for anyone who loves great terroir driven cuisine read more

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Go for a stroll to get to this super romantic place for a special dinner with a love one. Celebrated my husband's birthday here and it was the first time we tried this place. It's very warm and rustic inside with the right amount of lighting. What I liked was it wasn't too loud like many places so you can actually here the person in front of you. The service was great. It's seasonal cuisine so it's not an extensive menu. We had appetizers to start, the bison tartare and the fish & game board. Great combination of cured meat, sausage and fish. The bison tartare was melt in your mouth and with the homemade sesame crackers, had great textures. For dinner 3 of us had the wild hog boar striploin, delicious, cooked perfection. My friend had the organic chicken and what can I say, it's chicken, nothing special other than the presentation. read more

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Absolutely FANTASTIC experience here! After wanting to try River Cafe for ages, I finally had the opportunity last weekend to celebrate my sister in law's birthday. Little did I know, it was actually a food & wine pairing, which I had never done before. Needless to say I was excited, considering how much I love both of those things! The restaurant itself is gorgeous, but that goes without saying. Situated in the middle of Prince's Island Park, you can either park near the Eau Claire shopping centre, or across Memorial in the lot. Our reservation was for 5pm, so the sun was still shining through the big, open windows and the breeze flowed through beautifully. The decor is simple, yet classy and feels upscale but not pretentious. The overall feeling is warm & cozy, as evidenced by the beautiful throw blankets set aside for guests who get chilly. Love it already! Once we arrived we were tended to by a wonderful server. I missed his name but he was fabulous - and 10 steps ahead of all of us. When someone dropped a napkin, he was there to pick it up before you even realized it fell. When you ran out of water, he was topping it up before you had the chance to ask. He was extremely polite, friendly, and knowledgeable about everything we were being served. He informed us that we would be going through 9 courses, so thank goodness I was starving! We ordered cocktails to start, I had the River Ice and it was fabulous! Light & refreshing and exactly what I was looking for. I know I won't remember any of the wines we were paired, all I know is that I had never given it much thought until this meal. The way the wine complimented every flavor in each dish was exquisite! We started with a soup - pureed vegetables with fresh cream and a piece of prosciutto on top. It was very tasty, albeit not as hot as I would prefer. Our next course was a lovely crab salad with asparagus & yellow and red tomatoes. Ahhh perfection. Next we had eggplant with vine ripened tomatoes and cheese (the kind escapes me, it WAS a wine pairing after all). Once that was finished we had squid with a side of greens & toasted chickpeas. It was so delicious! When the lamb came out I was thrilled (ohgodsodamngood) it was paired with a small onion, asparagus, and crusted pork belly - mmmmm. Next was a bison tenderloin which was easily my favourite. At this point I was getting full and drunk! The desserts started coming, the first of which was a delicious ice cream sandwich with cookies, vanilla ice cream, and a delicious raspberry jam/drizzle! We finished that off with a small cheese board and finally, chocolate truffles. The presentation of each dish was well thought out and beautiful, and the wine pairings were truly beautiful and complimentary. I won't lie I loved every single thing we had and I ate everything off each plate. It was decadent and everyone in the group really loved it - not just the food, but the entire experience. It was such a special evening and one I wont soon forget. The food along with the amazing service ensured I will DEFINITELY be back, and I can't wait - that beautiful patio is a must! read more

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Just had a fabulous lunch on the patio at the River Café. What a great location, patio, staff - winner all the way around. The food is really nicely presented and the flavors are delicious. I took the waiter's suggestion of the pot pie and it was so flavorful! A nice grainy mustard based stew filled with chicken, pork belly, potatoes and veggies all topped with a crispy fried crust. Very filling. And the prices here are pretty good, including for bottled beer - they rival any brewhouse or chain restaurant for beer prices for sure and they have an awesome selection. No Molson here! Thanks for a great afternoon RC! read more

Allow me to paint you a picture... It is a crisp Saturday morning, not a lot of people are out, there is snow in Prince's Island Park, the sun is shining and I am enjoying the company of a new friend going for a walk. Everything is lovely, despite the cold, so we decide to head to the River Cafe - now, I have never been here for brunch, so I am entirely unsure of what to expect, my new found friend has never been here, ever. Let me fill in another part of the picture... a picturesque cafe, nestled in a lovely park, looks like a cabin, and is extremely homey... Until you tell them you are just enjoying coffee and pastries. I know, I know, the River Cafe, coffee and pastries? Must be insane right? That was what our server thought, apparently. Service was fantastic at the start, we ordered coffee and their pastry basket... Out comes the lovely Kicking Horse organic coffee, out come the delightful pastries (I could have eaten ten of the fantastic apple cinnamon danishes); we talk, we laugh, we enjoy the coffee, the pastries and the atmosphere. As we finish up the pastries, our waitress looks positively puzzled as we say "No, just some more coffee, thank you"... She tops up our coffee and our bottomless water without leaving the second bottle (funny how that works), and proceeds to leave us to our conversation... For TWENTY minutes... Empty water glasses, empty coffee cups... We were ready to go anyway, but to wait 20 minutes, and to have the waitress presumptuously bring us the bill? Apparently I was wrong about this place... They weren't at all busy, and I have never been pushed out the door when I have a big bill... Such disappointing service at the end. Oh, and I particularly loved the host NOT getting our jackets from the coat check for us. That was the icing on the cake. All in all - good food, good service until they realize you are not dropping $100. I will NOT be back any time soon. read more

This is such a beautiful, quaint little restaurant is such a picturesque location. We found this place whilst staying at the Sheraton and I'm so glad we did. We decided to go for the weekend brunch as the menu sounded good. It was really busy on a Saturday late morning, we were lucky to get a table. They had an open fire which made it feel really cosy, it's very open so you can sit back and look out at the park. The food was delicious, slightly fine dining but the portions were a good size. Service was good, they offer you the choice of still or sparkling water which I thought was a nice touch. Overall it was a great experience and would definitely return if I was staying in the area. read more

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I used to love River Cafe, gorgeous location on the river and close to where I worked. But the past two times I have gone, it has been sub-par. The last time we did brunch for the hubs birthday with my parents. The place wasn't busy, yet we barely saw our server. When we did see him, he repeatedly knocked over this metal bucket they had placed to collect water that was leaking from the roof. There was nothing gluten free, which surprised me, as they pride themselves on natural, local etc etc. And for the portion size, the prices were quite high. Needless to say, it will be a long time for before I return. read more

I came here with my parents for father's day. The restaurant was about three-quarters full. We ordered appetizers, including the beet salad and the duck risotto. Both appetizers were very good. However, this is where things fell apart. After our appetizers were taken away, we waited over a full hour for the mains to be served. After 45 minutes, we started asking why it was taking so long and learned that apparently the kitchen was backed up. On father's day, with a less than full restaurant. Things went from bad to worse. When the meal showed up, my mom's short rib was cold. I don't mean it was room temperature; the outside was, but the inside was the temperature of a refrigerator. Clearly, they had taken it out of the refrigerator, either not microwaved it long enough or simply forgot to cook it, and put it on the plate. My dad had ordered the lamb tourtiere, which is essentially a meat pie. When it arrived, we noticed that the side of the pie facing up (not the top part, which was crusted as it should be) had totally dried out, parts of the meat were crunchy. Obviously, it had been sitting under the heat lamb for a very long period of time. I had the salmon and it was quite good, so I guess that's one out of three. Some caveats: our server was very nice and the restaurant did take steps to rectify the meal. Indeed, the service was actually quite good and managed to salvage the second star you see above. Regardless, you don't expect to pay $45 for an entree to have meat straight out of a refrigerator or food that has dried out underneath a heat lamp; nor do you expect to wait 1 hour plus for this pleasure when the restaurant is not even full. read more

Despite horrendous flood damage, River Cafe is back and is good as it ever was. Before the summer passes, get down there and dine on their patio. Beautiful seafood creations like oysters on the half shell, calamari appetizers and halibut tempt the palate and glasses of Rose Cava keep it clean. Service is good and the staff are just getting back into the swing of things. A worthy splurge. Go back and support this fine Calgary business read more

Love this little spot in the island. Pricey but it was perfect for our afternoon break from bike riding. The ice tea party may be the best cocktail I've ever had. read more

Overpriced in our opinion. 21 dollars for a burger with a greasy bun and soggy lettuce and a very dry crouton side dish......what was that? Four dollars for a side of syrup for the French toast and a dollar for water. I don't mind paying for great food, but this was average at best. Won't return for weekend lunch/brunch. read more

Regional cuisine in a lovely spot on Prince's Island. Sunday brunch delight: Fish & Game Board, including Duck Prosciutto, Candied Trout, Salt Cured Bison, Sylvan Star Gouda, Duck Paté, Ling Cod Lox, House Pickles, Brassica Mustard, House Made Crackers (serves 2) Or, if you're having a miserable day, and the weather's a disappointment, sit inside looking out at the park, enjoying a glass of port or something new from their extensive wine list. read more

I've tried this place 3 times and every time I hope that it would blow me away, but alas, not the case. I went there for dinner the day before Valentine's Day. We were seated by the window, which was kind of cold so I kept my jacket with me. It took us a solid 5 mins to go through the wine binder and consult with the waiter before deciding on a gamay. When it showed up, we were told the wine is a bit cold. I had to warm it up in my hands. Ordered the food, appetizers were promising, carrot soup and mussels, good stuff. But sometimes its the little things that add up, like cold hard butter with bread. They brought around candles for all the tables, so we warmed up the butter on a knife over the the open flame. Main course, I ordered the roasted lamb medium, the meat was lukewarm, it had that dry look on top, like it had sat for some time and it was chewy. Normally I would send it back, but I guess this being the 3rd time there, it just wasn't worth the hassle. Ditto on the temperature for the beef striploin. Dessert was ok, maple creme brule and apple pie with vanilla yogurt, cappucino and tea, nothing really crazy here, ok. The thing that did it was overhearing a waiter tell another table that the special was shortribs at the end of our meal, I love short ribs and would have ordered it, if I had known there was a special. I really have tried to like this place, but there are just so many other restaurants I'd rather eat at, especially at this price. read more

Canadian Local Fare that emphasizes seasonal ingredients. It is now reopened! It has been open for a week now since the flooding and we went to show our support, even if only for drinks. I am glad we only had drinks as I fear had we ordered any food, we would still be sitting there many hours later. *Service was terrible*. Unfriendly, super slow and it was not at all busy, even on the patio. 15 minutes to order a drink , half hour to get our drinks...zzzzzzzzzzzz. Let's face it, you are paying for the amazing location, in the park, along the water. Such a nice spot. A martini is $11, a glass of wine is $10, beer is $6.75 and be aware, they lost their kegs for now so you can only have bottled beer at the moment (for all the draft beer drinkers). An average meal is $38-$48 for an entree. We may come back for a special occasion as the restaurant itself was adorable. Very cozy, rustic and clean. Would make for a great date-spot. read more

This place is gorgeous. Rustic, homey and quintessentially Canadian. The issue that I find with a lot of restaurants set in nice locations is that their food is mediocre given that they are riding on their nice location to bring customers in. Not so with River Cafe. We came by after the lunch hour on a weekend and were situated in a perfect spot next to the windows. My girlfriend ordered the french toast, which was perfectly fluffy and delicious. I ordered the Bison burger, which was equally as tasty. Can't wait to be back again. Maybe for desserts or even on a patio as Dale E. had suggested. read more

Ok, I'd like to give this place a better review. Hell, for awhile, this WAS my go-impress-the-gal resto that I would bring a first date to as my way of impressing her. One of my co-workers actually created the memorable ad campaign that River Cafe has used for the last 8 years. It's still one of the better places to go for wild game cuisine, and it's well rated for the food. Boar and Bison figure highly in the menu, and it's imaginative and unique. The wine selection is absolutely wonderful and various, but more importantly, the decor and atmosphere is absolutely romantic and intimate. But... while I can see why most people would rate this all as a 4 and 5 star, I just can't. Food that is supposed to not only wow, shock and awe. But somehow, it just doesn't have that especial touch that I experienced at Rouge or Charcut. I'm just not wowed at all as the flavour is decent, but just not dreamy and stunning. So I would say this is more of a 3.5 rating, for the place itself, but as I am not overly impressed despite the game meat elements, it's worth it for an good impression I suppose, but not necessarily a stunning one. The only other resto in town I would say the same about where the environment trumps the food would probably be Sky360 on top of the Calgary Tower. read more

Really nice ambience is what sets this restaurant apart. It's expensive but the food is good. We went there twice during a short stay in Calgary we liked it so much. Lunch is served until 5 PM so you can save some money by getting there before 5. read more

The atmosphere is great- it smells wonderful in there too- I think they have a wood burning stove. The service is top notch. Our waiter was knowledgeable, attentive, and never in the way. The food is pretty good. Not great though. My cauliflower soup was bland. And the flavors in my fish didn't complement each other as well as they should have. The hummus was ok- nothing to write home about. Almost everything could have used some lemon juice, some pepper or some vinegar. The dessert we ordered was fantastic though- a peach cobbler with ice cream. For the price I was paying, I would say the food was not worth it. Each of us dropped $100 CAD on an entrée, an appetizer, some shared dessert and some wine. I've had cheaper and more delicious meals at comparable establishments in New York City. The huge windows overlooking the park and the river make it better though. In short- you seem to be paying more for the experience of eating in the park than for quality food. read more

This restaurant is the epitome of comfortable upscale dining. I have never felt uncomfortable while dining here and the food sets the bar very high. The staff at the River Cafe are meticulous and dedicated to customer satisfaction. The flavours are very savoury. Each time I visit, I order the fish and I am never disappointed. The flavours are rich and balanced, and my tastebuds are left tantalized. I always walk away satisfied, full and ready to go back soon after. The atmosphere is quiet and formal, which I appreciate after a long day. You never see children, so this is a suitable place for a mom and dad's night out or a date night for young adults. I always recommend this restaurant as a dining experience for friends who are visiting from out of country or even out of town. The resilience of the restaurant and staff shown after the horrendous flooding of the Bow River in 2013 is just a true show of what a strong competitiveness is held here. This establishment is respected for a reason, and will always have me as a returning customer. read more

I'm a total foodie and love to indulge in a nice fine dining experience here and there. I was pretty disappointed with my brunch experience at River Cafe. I ordered the yogurt and granola and also the bison bacon Benedict. The yogurt and granola was ok. I prefer greek yogurt to the soupy yogurt they served. The portion was tiny and the granola lacked the "crunch" I prefer. They served it with thinly sliced plum or nectarine wedges. It was hard to tell which because they were clearly under-ripe and very tart. Not adding a lot of sweetness to the plain yogurt. I prefer plain, unsweetened yogurt because I try to avoid sugar. However, I like to add fresh fruit...their underripe selections did little to offset the tartness. The Benedict was interesting. It was served on a biscuit which I thought lacked tender, buttery flakiness that I look for. I can bake a better biscuit than I had here. The bacon was delicious. The hollandaise was delicious and tart from the lemon. The side of potatoes were un-browed and undercooked. They weren't hard...just lacking and crust and flavor punch. I asked to have them re-served and she got me a fresh plate of browned potato hash that WAS delicious....I just don't feel like I should have to ask. The eggs were poached and cooked medium. I wonder if they actually poach their eggs in boiling water or if they use some other device....not sure on that one. But I've had better poached eggs than that. The coffee was TERRIBLE.....I could barely drink it. Overall, overpriced, meh experience. Fine dining is expensive and I'm ok with that, but only if I eat food of unsurpassed quality. I felt the value, quality and attention to detail here was lacking. I won't be back. Service was ok. Ambiance in the park is beautiful....but the interior chairs and tables leave a lot to be desired. read more

A great place to go for a special evening. The River Cafe is a restaurant to go if you want to enjoy food. Expect to spend some more money but you will get delicious cuisine. Try the Rosemary Lemonade... Affordable parking I available at Memorial Drive. Just cross the pedestrian bridge which is right at the parking lot - it is a 5 minute walk only. read more

Went there for brunch, eggs Benedict with the scallion pancakes were great, so was the spinach mushroom tart. French toast was super fluffy which is how I like it. One of the best brunches I've had read more

You take one of the most gorgeous pieces of land in Calgary and then pair it with top notch local food, fine service, a lush patio and a strong dash of that classic Canadian cottage look and then you somehow can the kitsch and keep it tasteful, - You've got yourself the River Café. While the interior is really quite comfortable, warm with plenty of wood, log framed chairs and half-canoe shelves giving it and unmistakably Canadian feel, what really shines at the River Café is the patio. If you catch Calgary on that rare occasion where the ground isn't frozen, the wind isn't blowing, or the whole island isn't underwater (not to make light, I'm beyond impressed at your resilience, River Café, and I'm beyond happy to have you a part of Calgary again.) make sure you get a spot out side. Look around you! You're on an incredible island park in the middle of a skyscraper clad city and then you get to immerse yourself in the wild garden feel of a stone patio with log railings, plenty of plants and blankets ready for you if you get a chill. Enjoy this inner-city wilderness retreat. Breathe. Sip some wine and savour the really top notch food. I find the prices fair and the food worthy of any restaurant. While yes, the scenery is gorgeous, I believe River Café stands on its own. While yes, she's gorgeous, she's got the smarts and the personality to back it all up. River Café is one fine patio pick for corporate lunches, tourist expeditions and also for locals to meet up with good friends over a tasty meal. I can't wait to show another person what they've got to offer. Check them out. read more

I've wanted to try the River Cafe for a long time for their seasonal fare and the location. The Good: The ambiance is phenomenal. It's like a little cottage nestled in the heart of the park and it's especially pretty with a winter/Christmas feel. You can't beat the location. The food was also mostly quite good. We shared the fish and game board to start (24). The housemade crackers were a nice touch and they had a delicious buttery taste. For dinner I had the Noble Farms Duck Breast (42) and my husband had the 'Bite' Beef Tenderloin (46). The dishes were all enjoyable and well-presented. The service was average. A hint of pretension but attentive service overall. Waters were kept topped off and we didn't wait too long. The Bad: It's the little details. Plates that are too big for the size of the tables so that every plate being delivered feels a bit treacherous (make sure you duck and get ready to move your cutlery). A miniscule pat of butter along with the bread to serve four people (is there a butter shortage I'm not aware of?) The Pecan Butter Tart (11) for dessert was really only so-so. It was overcooked and dry, I had a hard time breaking it into pieces with just my fork. (If you wish you had a knife, it's probably not a great tart). And finally, River Cafe, when I pay $180 for a two-person meal it'd be nice to have a mint or something along with the cheque. Even a tiny chocolate mint to sweeten the blow a little! The Ugly: This one is entirely on me, but don't wear heels. There is no parking nearby and you will have to walk about ten minutes from your car to the restaurant itself in the park. Overall, River Cafe is an experience worth having. Go with your sweetie or family for a special occasion and if the price tag is a bit much for you, skip appetizers, go for one of the delicious main meals and have a few housemade truffles (3 ea) with a hot beverage. Linger and soak up the atmosphere because it truly is a lovely restaurant with great surroundings. read more

Solid 4 star experience! Most memorable dish was the red lentil hummus starter with toasted pita---delicious!! Wild Boar and Duck Breast also very good, not stupendous and the service was a bit slow so can't give that 5th star but a very good dinner for sure and the ambiance is definitely a big plus! Check it out, you won't be sorry! read more

I'm new to Calgary, and I had to walk along Prince Island Park. I came in on the afternoon, by myself and perhaps a little underdressed. Casually. They must've been busy because I felt neglected, I would ask for tea and no milk or sugar cane with it. I had to ask. Took 20 minutes for the server to come with milk and sugar. I asked for water, every table was asked for water except me. So I had to ask for water, and it took them another 20 minutes to get water. I wasn't checked up on, and had to wave the servers down. I didn't feel welcomed. I feel like I shouldn't have come at all. The two stars are for the good weather and that the cake came at all. read more

Went there for my birthday, Nov 28 2013. First of all, it was dark, snowy and cold, walking to the island. There were no signs that we could find (as newbies to Calgary we didn't really know where we were going) so we had to ask someone else who was walking and followed them, and the footbridge across the water was pitch black. If I was on my own I may not have crossed - seriously unsafe. The restaurant is very cute - nice ambiance - I'd love to go there in the summer and sit outside on the patio for a light lunch. As for my birthday dinner, I got the 'special' which was some kind of game meat, I think elk. My review here is not specific, as it's been a while... but rather, it is to review the general feeling we had. It was very expensive, at $45-50 for each of our entrees, and we picked the cheapest bottle of wine which was still around $40. We're used to paying decent money for good food, but we were both a little disappointed in our meals... they were good, but not amazing, and the servings were small. Tiny little potatoes and a tiny amount of veggies. We had to eat two baskets of bread to get full. They brought me a nice dessert on the house with a sparkler in it for my birthday. We did have a nice experience, but we won't go back for a fancy dinner as it was too much money for what it was (especially with the wine). We will however go back for a summer lunch and enjoy the view. read more