I wish I could give more than 5 stars. Our whole meal was fantastic, probably one of the best dinning experiences I've ever had. Our server was attentive and welcoming, and the food was fantastic. When booking our reservation I mentioned we were celebrating our engagement and everyone that came to our table congratulated us and they gave us free desert. We will definitely be back. read more

This is one of the best restaurants I have ever been to! It was an amazing experience from start to finish and an incredible way to celebrate my husband and I's anniversary! We enjoyed the trout for dinner and the "life changing" bread pudding for dessert! Our waiter was such a joy to interact with and we can't wait to come back the next time we visit the area! This restaurant is a must if you are looking for a fine dining experience without an ounce of pretentiousness! It is abundantly clear why this restaurant has received so many wonderful reviews! Can't wait to come back! read more

The Gamekeeper - New American Near Me - Boone, North Carolina

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A huge shout out to these guys. They had to close the night we made reservations, on a Thursday, for my boyfriends birthday due to plumbing issues (wouldn't be a huge deal- but we drove out from Belews Creek in the Triad). We were a little disappointed but ended up coming in the following day, Friday, with an early reservation since we had to drive back home that evening, and only had overnight accommodations for Thursday. We came in and they were incredibly apologetic and had a happy birthday sign for my boyfriend. The waiter, Ryan, and a manager (?) Kappa were incredibly attentive and they ended up comping our round of drinks and dinner, as well as sending over some incredibly yummy creamed mushrooms for us to try. Kappa then came over with a candle in the cake he ordered and sang a beautiful birthday song to him. I'm a customer service manager myself, and they went above and beyond to makeup for a situation out of their control. I am beyond grateful for everything you guys did for us! Incredible service and incredible food. We will be back! read more

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Wow. Wow. Wow. From start to finish it was awesome. Greeted by friendly valet staff. Greeted by friendly hostess. Then my wife and I greeted by Taylor. So friendly and knowledgeable of all the meals. We started with a Riesling and I had a Boonshine tropical. Both were enjoyed. We also had someone filling our water glasses every few minutes. For appetizers we chose the seafood fritters. They were like a moist funnel cake with sweet seafood. It was plated with a couple sauces that complimented them well. For dinner my wife chose the Elk and I chose the Duck. Again, both fabulous and as Taylor promised not gamey at all. My wife's Elk was cooked medium and incredibly tender. No A1, salt, pepper needed. Perfectly seasoned with seasonal root veggies and some pasta. My Duck was also delicious. The outside still had the crunchy skin on and again seasonal veggies and Duck was plated over a sweet potato. It was a hit. We shared with each other and nothing was leftover. We did save room and split an Oreo caramel cheesecake with some caramel. Perfect ending. All we could say is we wish we came sooner. Fantastic night. read more

Went there for my Birthday dinner. Yum yum! We live close by and this was our first try. We will be going back for another special occasion. (Not the kind of place you can go grab a quick bite to eat) but loved it! read more

Absolutely the most spectacular food ever! The service unparalleled. Give yourself the gift of visiting this place! You will be happy you did! read more

Very delightful experience for my anniversary. We heard from many locals that this was the spot to go and the reservation book echoed similar. The atmosphere is fantastic, very rustic interior and a great mountain setting. The food was delicious, well prepared and the proteins well high lighted. The service was mediocre... I'm actually writing this review while waiting for our waitress to clear out entree plates so we can order the much talked about bread pudding. My wife gave this 4/5 stars.... I'm a 3/5 guy, myself. read more

This place was definitely over priced, but we went there knowingly so we didn't care as much. However, with that being said, If you are charging these prices, I expect great service. Don't keep me waiting for my bread, my food, check, etc. we waited over 10 minutes for our check and our server did not have many tables. And when handing us our check, all he said was 'thanks. Come again.' On the up side, the food was great. We ordered the sampler and we were not disappointed. The portions were small, so don't expect to share or take leftovers home. We walked out paying $150 for 2 drinks, 1 app, and 2 entrees, and dessert was included for me Bc I ordered a 3 course meal. Don't think you have to be dressed up Bc I saw people in dressy clothes and some in workout clothes. Make a reservation during the weekend because it was definitely busy the night we went. I would recommend this place to others for sure ~ YOLO :) read more

The Gamekeeper - Our sampler appetizer $26 - New American Near Me - Boone, North Carolina

Had a great evening here, everything good from salad to fish. Only the dessert was a little too much for me as the chocolate tart was a little chewy. Some of the ingredients are unusual, but the mixture is controlled and nothing overpowers. For example, I don't like sundried tomatoes but they were used cleverly. On a recent visit was not so great, many dishes just average. It felt like the "B" team showed up. Also, this is weird but the music got on my nerves. It was all Motown that I have heard a million times before and even though this is my generation I can't take oldies from the 60's even if they are classics. I got the feeling they were pandering to baby boomers and I hate that feeling. Also a lot of clomping around me that was not controlled. I will give them the benefit of the doubt but was not a great showing. Heard the expression "spoiled by success"? That was my impression. Also, the salad was served pre made from the fridge on a cold plate. One of my favorite places does this I one can forgive but not a great way to go. read more

If you're reading this, the answer is yes--go to The Gamekeeper. Everything (elk, venison, appetizer of boar, rabbit, bison, emu) was absolutely delicious and quite tender. Cute and cozy atmosphere with a scenic location. read more

We've come here every time we vacation in Boone and it never disappoints! The Gamekeeper is consistently delicious. We started off with a split blue cheese bibb lettuce salad. Perfect size to split and still have plenty of room leftover for your entree. All of the menu items are customizable, if you want to swap out sides and such. I had the emu, which tasted like the most delicious cut of steak I've ever had! Order it medium rare. It was served with spinach risotto and a wonderful array of veggies: roasted carrots, parsnips, pickled red cabbage, roasted (?) indian-spiced chick peas, and tangy greens. So many flavors, all on one plate! We sipped on a barolo wine, which was a nice compliment to the red meat. Finished the meal with the flourless chocolate cake - mmmm! This is a great place for a memorable, special occasion dinner. The service is always wonderful and the food can't be beaten. read more

We celebrated New Years at Gamekeeper. The service was great. From the hostess to the bartender to the waitress. The bartender was the only one behind the bar and he left the bar to show my girlfriend where the bathroom was. They had a special menu for New Years-- a 7-course meal for $75 a person with champagne (a nice buttery champagne). The food was out of this world. The dishes were very creative, the ingredients professionally combined, and the taste proved it. They started us off with a compliment from the chef, a tuna tartare dish. Our favorite courses were the crawfish bisque with cilantro oil, oyster with pancetta pieces, scallops with prosciutto, the ostrich filet (tasted similar to a filet mignon but with a nice twist), and the chocolate creme pot. Finally, the restaurant's location is incredibly tucked away in the Blue Ridge mountains. Its ambience, service and cuisine makes this restaurant a highly recommended one. read more

Top notch! Unparalleled food options, Unique dishes with thoughtful and expert preparation. Cozy atmosphere, quiet location off the beaten path but less than 5 miles from downtown Blowing Rock and less than 10 miles from Boone. A Must Visit for locals and visitors - this is a dining experience fit for the most discerning foodies!! read more

A nice experience. The cocktails were good but a little pricey. We all enjoyed our meals. I had the trout and it was average but the sides were very good. Our disappointment was dessert. We were celebrating a birthday so I called ahead to ask if we could bring a cake or would it be better to have dessert there. They said oh yes bring a cake and we will be glad to cut it for you. When we got the bill there was a $17.50 cake cutting charge. Very pricey and unexpected because I called ahead and no one said a word about this ridiculous fee. It would have been nice if they were honest with us. The overall food bill was very high and overpriced. Nice time but we have been there done that. No need to return. read more

If you have time and money, this is an awesome opportunity. The food is locally sourced and the meat selection is hard to beat on this area. The service is super and the menu is delicious. My husband and I visit here every time we are in town and visit on our anniversary each year. Everything we have had is delicious, other than one solitary miss last summer with a boar chop. And when that the flavor was delicious, but the particular boar was too tough. They removed it from the menu immediately and comped the dinner. It's just a great indulgence. Do visit. read more

I love Gamekeeper! They are perfect for date nights, celebrations, or if you're just looking for a fantastic dinner. The food never disappoints and the staff is so friendly. Lizzie was our server tonight and she is so accommodating and knowledgeable. 10/10 would recommend The Gamekeeper! read more

Nothing but great things to say about this restaurant. Beautiful location and decor, with tons of tasty, innovative dishes. My go-to spot for gourmet dinners in Boone. read more

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This place is one of the most unique restaurants that you must try if you're in North Carolina. They are very famous for they're variety of different meats. From Rabbit to Bison to Elk to Venison. All the meat is mouth watering and delicious. I recommend the Elk Osso Dish and the appetizer that is a must is the mixed game grill. This dish has a variety of different meats boar,rabbit,elk and bison. The service is topnotch I was very please with this restaurant and would recommend it to anyone. The best bread pudding you will ever have is here you have to try it. It is absolutely amazing! It's pricey but the food is worth every penny. read more

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The service was great and the food was really good. Had the duck which was delicious with a recommended wine pairing from the waiter. Delightfully quirky and delicious. read more

If you want to splurge this is the place to go! Definitely worth the money! Can't beat the view. Food choices are not like other places and will blow your mind. Just be sure to call ahead and make a reservation! Drinks, food and atmosphere was amazing!!! Just go and see for yourself! read more

The Gamekeeper - New American Near Me - Boone, North Carolina

This is our second visit. It was even better than the first time. I made a mistake with our reservation and it was actually for next week‍. No shaming, no rudeness. The food was great, service was great! I got too brave and had a flight of 4 scotches. So glad I had a DD. Blueberry cobbler w ice cream was yum with French Press coffee read more

This place was amazing. Wonderful game meats expertly prepared! If you are a game meat novice I highly recommend getting the mixed grill appetizer to get a sampling of the meats available. The have a great beverage selection as well. We had our 5 year old with us and even he liked the food! A couple of cautions: The road to get there is quite steep and curvy. Their driveway and parking lot are tricky. The steepness of the drive there is only an introduction to how steep three bill is at the end of the meal.... well worth it, but if you are on a budget this is not the restraunt for you. read more

We celebrated our 28th Anniversary and enjoyed the atmosphere, staff and delicious outstanding meal. We selected the Elk entree and the meat appetizer. Most definitely will be going back! read more

Awesome!!! Love it! It is my favorite restaurant! Delicious food and beautiful atmosphere. Great service too.I highly recommend it!Game Grill read more

The charcuterie is fantastic, particularly the salami. My husband enjoyed the elk and I had the emu, which was incredible. They made my husbands birthday incredibly special and sent us home with dessert because we were too full to eat it there. This was a fantastic experience! read more

This restaurant was absolutely delicious and everyone was so sweet! We went for our 1 year wedding anniversary. They created a little sign, made sure that we had a romantic table, and they were very covid safe! They did charge us extra for splitting our plate which we thought was a little weird, but it was still delicious. We had the Venison Osso Bucco and it was soo tender! Definitely will go again when we're back in the area! read more

This might be my 3rd review of Gamekeeper over the years and this is probably my best experience in many years. Honestly I've been coming to Gamekeeper since I was in college at Appalachian State. I've loved the Gamekeeper over the years - even thru 'the dark years' - the years where the food quality dropped, but I stayed for the cabin in the woods with the excellent fireplace. But I can say with conviction- those days are OVER!!! I was thrilled with our dinner this evening. We had the potato soup which was simple and fabulous to start. Then I had the elk Osso Bucco and my husband had the bison steak. They've gone back to simple hearty dishes with season available sides like root vegetables and collards. Thank you for getting back to excellent!!!! read more

This restaurant was amazing ! My husband and I have been to a few restaurants lately but none of them is impressive, this one had different things on the menu and was able to surprise and impress us, we ordered the arugula salad to share and it was great. As entree I ordered the crusted trout and it had a buttery soft flavor, additional to the sides that were spectacular ! My husband ordered the beef tenderloin and it was so so soft and flavorful that his tasting buds were jumping excited. Please do yourself a favor and come eat here. read more

My precious friend and I just had not only the most amazing dinner but experienced service beyond compare! Harmony is beyond words welcoming, knowledgeable, friendly ... She made us feel so comfortable and "at home" from the moment she greeted us. I'm pretty sure the food tasted better because of her. read more

Love this place. Been three times and it is my favorite in the high country. The mixed game grill appetizer is a great way to start. You get to sample the bison, ostrich and usually a rattlesnake and rabbit sausage. From there, you can decide your choice of entree. They typically serve bison, ostrich and a fish dish. I love it all. Sides are nicely presented and are great compliments to the entrees. The desserts i've had there have been amazing. I've had bread pudding and a rum soaked berry cobbler with ice cream. WIne list is nice. When you go, bring your appetite, your wallet and a designated driver. The road to the restaurant is very curvy and twisty. read more

I have dined here frequently over the past few years and always been very pleased. This time the quality seemed to have slipped a tad. Perhaps it was my choice of entree which was fried chicken. I figured if they did bison, ostrich, etc so well, their chicken would be awesome. It was mediocre to say the least. My favorite has always been ostrich which having been missing for awhile is now back on the menu but at $41 a little too pricey for me. I will be back based on wonderful meals there in the past. read more

We showed up on a Saturday night without reservations, and they found a place for us near the bar even though they were at capacity for the night. Food was delicious. We had the "sampler" appetizer of emu, ostrich, bison and venison, and the Emu steak for our main course. Jon Michael took excellent care of us, even making custom drinks for my wife. Will certainly return when we are in town again. read more

The fella and I made a 7:30 reservation through Open Table, but when our plans ended early, we decided to show up around 6:30 to either get seated early or have a drink at the bar. The valet greeted us and took our car, and we headed up the stairs to the main restaurant. They weren't ready to seat us, so we headed to the bar. The bar itself only has about 5 stools, and they were all empty thankfully. (There are a few tables in the bar area, but I couldn't tell if they were first come, first served.) We wound up ordering a bottle of wine and talking to the bartenders; the bar itself had some funky, interesting decor.. not quite the "fancy" ambiance I was expecting. To that point, I had on a dress and the fella had on slacks, but the dress code definitely felt like anything goes. Finally at 7:30 we were seated, and I noticed that 75% of the restaurant was empty - odd that it took so long to get seated. We decided to split the meat sampler, which included bison, rabbit sausage, wild boar sausage, and emu - it was all delicious! There were fries, too, and a few sauces, but the meat didn't need any sauce. For the entree, we split the emu (you can never have too much emu). I think they very generously gave us double the veggies and risotto, and the risotto was divine. We were too stuffed for desserts or an after-dinner drink. For the bottle of wine, appetizer, and entree, we spent $150 - not too shabby. read more

Honest review. Staff and servers are very friendly. Ambience...ahhh. Obviously an old stately home that's been refurbished. We had reservations and arrived early. From then on it felt like they were trying to "catch " up with us. Had to ask for menus, no lighting at our table and after ordering they brought over a cute sign acknowledging our anniversary that had to later be hung on a chair because it wouldn't stand up. The food was good but not a Wow. Wine selection good. Food selection good. Worth $200 with tip, not really. There are other restaurants in the area that we've frequented that offer more atmosphere and a menu selection and price that are better. Special occasion was worth the visit but not likely to return. read more

We were 3 couples and everyone left very satisfied. This place gets 5 stars for service, drinks and food. I recommend the mix grill, Elk and Bread pudding. Others had the Bison, Duck and Tooth fish, and were raving. read more

So so so good a bit pricey but so worth it. I've eaten a lot of different stuff there all was great. read more

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Some of the best food we've ever eaten!! The menu was hard to choose from because everything sounded so good, but our choices, guided by our wonderful server Kappa, were perfect. From appetizers to dessert, every dish was spot on. The valets, the host staff, the bartenders, servers and owner could not have been more hospitable and provided us with one of the most enjoyable evenings we've spent in a while. You can't miss The Gamekeeper if you are nearby. Thank you for a fabulous meal!! read more

This place is our go-to for a perfect night out. Incredible menu, great service, awesome pairings... this place is like a perfect chef's playground! Highly recommend. read more

It is easy to say that the Gamekeeper is now my favorite restaurant. I have been hearing about the Gamekeeper for years and have been wanting to go. We spent the weekend at our friends mountain house and went to the restaurant on Saturday night. We sat at the bar before our meal and we were entertained by the bartender. Apparently so much that we didn't realize our reservation time was for 30 minutes before. We sat down and after looking at the menu we pretty much decided we wanted one of everything. We started with their mixed game appetizer. The app came with buffalo tenderloin, ostrich, and rabbit and elk sausages. All of it was super tender and amazing. It came with three dipping sauces which I don't think they needed. In fact, we didn't try the meats with any of the sauces. Next, we all had the Grilled escarole salad. If you have ever met me or seen me you would probably know that I am not a salad guy at all. However, this was by far one of the best salads I have ever had. It was just perfect, super flavorful with a fruity, nutty, smokey bite to it. Once our entrees came we were all pretty full. There was not one thing left on any ones plate though. I had the spice rubbed ostrich with roasted garlic risotto with a sun dried tomato jus. This dish was absolutely amazing. It was my first ostrich experience and left me wondering why I had never had ostrich before. Everything on my plate was perfectly cooked. My wife had the buffalo tenderloin. The buffalo was super tender and melted in your mouth. Other than a mild gamey flavor you would probably think it was a regular fillet if you didn't know it was Buffalo. My friend had their special of the night. It was a rack of elk with mashed bananas, and two homemade pulled pork tomalles. Of coarse his dish was wonderful as well. I was lucky to steal a couple of bites. You have got to try this place. We had very high expectations and were so excited going in that anything but amazing food would have been disappointing. They surely did not disappoint. The service was top notch as well. We were talking about our food the whole way back to the mountain house and even when we woke up in the morning. read more

We arrived at 6:15 p.m. around 45 minutes prior to our reservation, heading directly to the bar for a couple of cocktails. Scott, our bartender, precisely almost surgically stuffed nuggets of blue cheese into our olives before sending them to their ice-shard laden Grey Goose graves. Vowing this would not be their final resting place, I finished two at the bar and another delivered by Scott to our table- PERFECT. By the way, Scott was anxiously waiting to hear how his wife had done on her bar exam that day, and we would like to congratulate them on their success and many more to follow! Jenny, a lovely young lady and hostess escorted us to our table opposite the fireplace and directly looking out the front near the entrance and upon a beautiful mountain view. Davis glided in to present our menus, review the specials, and inquire of any additional needs. We made several inquiries about the specials and finally settled on an appetizer affectionately known as the Game Grill. The Grill is a plate of assorted bite-size pieces of "love" that included Andouille Sausage, Rattlesnake Sausage, Rabbit, and Buffalo further accompanied with 3 different dipping-sauces and garnished with deliciously fried-potato slices. Instead of a salad (though the menu described some very tasty-sounding ensembles) we opted to share yet another appetizer, consisting of two mammoth and perfectly prepared deep-sea scallops served with a puff-pastry and garnished with a cucumber relish. We were thrilled with this selection off of the "specials" menu. The regular menu looked great and I doubt very seriously you could go wrong, but we both opted for specials again when ordering our main-courses. Rachel ordered the Panko-crusted Lamb and I required the Antelope. The meat was prepared perfectly and was extremely flavorful. The Lamb was presented with a goat-cheese polenta and roasted vegetables . The Antelope was lean, yet very tender, and served with goat-cheese fritters along with a smattering of bourbon sauce and its accouterment of delicately sliced and perfectly matched vegetables. The yellow-beet and okra were an interesting and tasty surprise. We ordered a 2007 Chilean- Pinot Noir with our main-course, and each had a glass. Deciding to take the rest of the bottle home we moved on to our desert. Celebrating my 40th Birthday, Jenny our hostess shared with us that one of our deserts would be on them. Rachel ordered the Bread-Pudding and I ordered the Blueberry Cobbler. Oh, and what the hay- box up one of your Ultra-Rich Chocolate Cakes to go. It would be completely unfair for me to describe the culinary pleasures of the Gamekeeper's desserts so I will just plagiarize from the menu when available: Bread Pudding, bourbon & caramel bread pudding baked with a crumbled nut topping & topped with chantilly cream. Ultra Rich Chocolate Cake, flourless chocolate torte with semi-sweet chocolate ganache, crème anglaise, cocoa whipped cream and espresso powder and espresso powder. My Blueberry Cobbler was baked in the perfect size dish and served with peach ice cream and a raspberry coulee. Sadly I can vouche for ALL of the desserts.. just a taste I swear! Ok, and at this point I could not help myself, already way "over-the-top" I indulged in a final treat, a 20 year Tawny Port. Though we did not meet our Chef, Mr. Sam Beasley.. he was most definitely present in spirit in each of our dishes. Thanks to our excellent and friendly staff, and Thank you, Gamekeeper! read more

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