The Juniper Bistro
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We dined on a Thursday night. The restaurant is inside the hotel. It has a quiet, serene vibe--a perfect way to end the evening after a long day on the slopes! There were a good amount of gluten free options-- We had the bbq bison short rib, fried chicken over kimchi, and a radicchio salad. Everything was perfection, tasty, unique. Service was wonderful. Restaurant was clean and beautiful. Will be back!
If you don't want to shell out hundreds for a sky dining experience or somewhere nice with views, this place is it. While still pricy in comparison to a handful of restaurants in Banff and especially in Calgary, this is one of the better valued places that offer beautiful views of the rockies. We did not make a reservation since OpenTable says outdoor patio is first come first served, so we walked in and chanced at the waitlist. We were initially seated further from the mountains so we requested the table directly overlooking the mountains, and they lied that there were reservations coming (I take off 1 star for the dishonesty). With a minimal wait of 2 min, we eventually got seated at a nice table directly overlooking the mountains, so what "reservation" haha We got the Juniper benny trio and chose bison short rib, salmon, and mushroom. 3 for 33 CAD is pricy for very tiny eggs benedict but you are kind of paying for the view. We also got a pot of tea for 10 CAD which was pretty good - we asked for milk and honey that was included in the price. The bennies were good - I liked the bison short rib as it is fairly unique, and the others were good but did not stand out as much. Overall, okay pricing but good value for a restaurant with a view (as long as you can sit outside), with solid food options.
This is an AWFUL, AWFUL place to start your vacation, because after this, all other places will pale in consideration. We ordered the Baked Gooseberry Brie, Tarragon Tzatziki Dip, Bison Short Rib, Steelhead Trout, Double-Layered Pistachio Cake, and Grilled Peach & Dark Chocolate Mousse. We were a party of 6 and we had our meal family style, since the server had said these were "meals to share" or something like that. More on that later. Our favorite dish was the steelhead trout - it was melt in your mouth buttery. No weird fish flavors, just goodness. The brie was also good. The tzatziki dip was the most disappointing - it had a nice presentation, but it didn't taste like anything special. I couldn't taste the rose flavoring in the pistachio cake, but it was a well-made, moist cake anyway. The peach was OK too, but it was hard to discriminate the "ancho pepper powder - a spice that adds a complex umami flavor with hints of sweetness, bitterness, acidity, and saltiness". Overall though, the food was very good and was the baseline for Alberta vacation. We did order other fish dishes on our trip, and the trout dish was by far the best. Maybe even #1 of all dishes I had. The host and server were both professional and friendly. I think a different server even came by the table because he recognized some of the other members in the party from a year ago. What I didn't like was that although the meals were advertised or encouraged by the server as "meals to share", they really aren't. They're really designed to be enjoyed by a single person. No serve ware was provided and I was too lazy to put in the effort to ask for extra serve ware. The dishes are also hard to divvy up, so it really doesn't make any sense. On our vacation, I did notice a lot of Asian groups who are traditionally more accustomed to "Family style" dining where meals are shared for the whole table. So I wonder if the businesses are adapting to their customers, especially because other restaurants of similar ilk offered the same thing (they provided serve ware, but the meals really aren't made for sharing). Or is this some new fad? So if you want to be chic or hip or whatever is the new word to describe that, you say "meals to share". Or maybe this is a Canadian thing. I don't know, but if restaurants are going to encourage this, they should make the meals easy to break apart and provide the proper flatware for the patrons to do so.
Stopped for breakfast and really enjoyed it overall. I had the waffle and a vanilla latte -- both were good and beautifully presented. The food took a little while to come out. There were plenty of great savory options on the menu too. Our server was very funny and made the experience even better, and the views from the restaurant were absolutely beautiful. Would come back to dinner nextime
The price was exorbitant for the flavors presented. The freshness of the food itself was good, but the bland taste was difficult to elude. Sauces were abundant, almost as if the dish relied on the sauce to cover from the lack of seasonings. The old fashioned was not an old fashioned. This seems to be a common theme in the area though. I had asked for a different whiskey and it wasn't until the end while paying that I was informed that I get charged double for using a different whiskey, turning a $16 old fashioned into a $39 random charge for a glass of whiskey and some syrup. Had also ordered the 20 day dry aged Ribeye mid rare, but what I received was eerily close to a New York strip that was medium to medium well, chewy, no marbling, no different from a cut of steak you could procure from a local chain and cook the same day. Hope others have a better experience than I, but if you're looking for a recommendation, stick to BlueBird Steakhouse.
Disappointing experience as service to my table was forced and insincere. I came during late lunch with plenty of open tables. Once settled in our table, the waiter quickly gave us the menus then provided still water without saying anything. Same with taking our orders, the waiter seemed to be rushing us and kept trying to leave without us finishing saying our orders. When he brought our food to the table, he literally dropped my plate in front of me which made me jump because it was placed so loudly. As other groups came in, I noticed his personality change when talking to them. He introduced himself, asked for still or sparking water, and had great enthusiasm throughout their meal. Food was ok but not worth coming back with the weird service.
We used the OpenTable app to make reservations for four weeks in advance. We read wonderful reviews about this Michelin chef and understand that the views here can't be beat. Claes our waiter from Denmark was on point. We started with wine & appetizers. We shared crab croquettes & butternut squash pesto. For an entree we shared roast duck & a berry compote meringue dessert. Everything was delicious. The carrots were like candy, they were delicious, but my brussels sprouts are better.
Breath taking views and peaceful brunch. We came for a birthday brunch and enjoyed the make your own mimosas and eggs. Highly recommend the mimosas for the value and fun of making your mix! The short ribs eggs Benedict was very good. Tender short rib topped with a poached egg. The egg portion is not that large, mostly potatoes but overall would recommend. The staff is super friendly and helpful. They are more than happy to snap some group photos of your table to take advantage of the amazing view from the patio. I would definitely recommend this spot to escape the hustle and bustle of downtown Banff and enjoy a quality meal with an amazing view!
The main reason we came here was because of the amazing dishes that were posted on Yelp. But be warned, the menu changes daily and we must have been unfortunate to come on a day with some boring options on the menu. My children are well-versed in fine dining, but they really didn't care for anything on the menu. I think the best feature of this place was the view of the mountains which was gorgeous. It is located a bit north of the main town so you probably need a car to get there. It is located inside the hotel which was very rustic and dated. The servers clearly tried to be helpful, but they were somehow lacking in fine dining skills that accompany the prices of this establishment. Also, be forewarned: I order a dish called King scallops on the menu, but didn't see that was supposed to be a vegan option. I wish the server had pointed that out when I ordered it. So you can imagine my surprise when the dish came out and it was mushrooms. Also, if they were trying to imitated King scallops, those suckers were not even close...more like bay scallops. I suppose it is great they offer the vegan options, but those would have been some $40 mushrooms and way overpriced in my opinion. I was really hoping to enjoy this place, but it was ultimately disappointing. I won't say that we got food poisoning there, but all of us had stomach pains for a couple days after eating here. Too bad. I had such high hopes from previous reviews.
Loved this place! We stayed a few nights here and had breakfast and dinner. Great location away from the madness of downtown. We returned from a long day of hiking and didn't make a reservation. They were booked for the evening and we ended up sitting at the bar and loved our meals and conversation with bartender. The staff are so pleasant and helpful. I look forward to coming back here and highly recommend this place! read more
2 years ago
4 years ago
Beautiful view and vibe and definitely one of the most memorable places in Banff. Food and tea was absolutely devious. Highly recommend the Juniper Benny with braised rabbit and juniper berry. read more
I'm from Toronto and spent 7 days in Banff. Honestly, I was not impressed about the AAA steaks and other restaurant food until we found this place. I have to say, it easily ranked top 3 Canadian food restaurant I've been including those pricey ones in Toronto. Every dish we ordered were perfect!!!! All the sides that accompany the main meat item were also extremely tasty, such as the roasted potatoes in my beef tenderloin dish was heavenly. Not to mention the beautiful sceneries surrounding the restaurant. I would highly recommend anyone travel to Banff trying out this Bistro for its brunch (probably more popular) and dinner (definitely going to be a great experience). read more
Review is for dinner. Juniper Bistro is the restaurant inside the Juniper Hotel which is in a secluded area just outside of downtown Banff. The dining area has an open kitchen and comes with a nice view if you manage to get a seat near the window. During summer or perhaps for lunch you can probably sit on the patio. The menu is smaller than lots of other restaurants we've tried in Banff/Calgary so far. However the execution of the dishes, portion size, and presentation was top notch! We were so full that we could not even make room for dessert! The carrot-coriander soup with walnuts and chili oil was very good. Coriander is one of those spices that seem mild enough to go with everything according to celebrity chef Michael Symon. Here, it helps balance the sweet pureed carrot with some citrusy flavors. Grilled Squid Salad was another great dish. Super-tender, seasoned squid pieces with plenty of lemons and lemon yogurt sauce. Along with the greens you get a little bit of bacon for smokiness and green apples for tartness. I had my first taste of 8-oz Alberta Ribeye (medium rare) and it was incredibly juicy. It came with some root veggies and a nice Mornay sauce. My wife's Bacon and Scallops was a truly eye-opening dish. Several large and very thick scallops that were seared perfectly. It also came with this very thick, ham-like bacon slab that had a nice smoky taste. All of this was served on top of some corn quinoa to provide some carbs and a little sweetness. The final touch is that grilled peach which was a great mini dessert. Definitely recommend Juniper for dinner. Its a little off the beaten path but the dinner, service, and views were outstanding! read more
7 years ago
Service, food and cocktails were all quite good, and at a much more affordable rate than other fine dining in Banff. There's also beautiful views of the mountains behind Banff, which is pretty at sunset. Loved the main dishes and cocktails, but admittedly didn't love the starting mussels. Regardless of the appy dislike, I'd rate this a five star. Food: Mussels (confused by the flavour; needed more broth; wouldn't recommend for the price), Wild Boar (recommend; not gamey and good quality cut, balanced with a delicious applesauce/red wine sauce), Steak (well cooked; one of the best we had during our trip). For dessert we had the Bananarama. It's vegan, but was fully of great flavour. Left me wanting more, as it was slightly small. Drinks: All the cocktails we had were fantastic. The Juniper Sour stood out, but cant remember the other names and online menu appears outdated. read more
My boyfriend and I went here for brunch before checking out some falls and mountains. It's is located in the Juniper Hotel on the way into Banff. The reason I chose this restaurant was because of a blog I saw about the "Foodie Guide to Banff" when I was looking up places to eat in the area. I figured if it was good enough for someone to blog about, I might as well check it out. Well, I was not disappointed! Although the hotel is very unassuming, the patio to this restaurant is a must see for eats with a view! Who doesn't want to enjoy delicious food with mountains as a backdrop? The staff was super friendly and welcoming and the food not only looked tasty but was delicious and the perfect amount of filling without overdoing it. I ordered a cappuccino and their grilled avocado with is exactly as it sounds...an avocado halved and grilled along with the perfect poached medium egg, grilled tomato, grilled corn, fresh arugula, sprinkles of goat cheese and grilled sourdough toast on the side. YUM! All of the different flavours work so well together. They even have a homemade berry jam which is a must if you have toast. The sweet and tart contrast to the fire grilled sourdough is so good. This dish is rustic meets refined. The cappuccino had the right amount of foam and steamed milk and was strong in flavour which is the only way to enjoy it! If you cannot taste the espresso then what's the point? Haha We will definitely be going back the next time we're headed to Banff. read more
Juniper Bistro is a must visit if you're ever in Banff. The views are gorgeous, the drinks are fruity and delicious, and the food is simply spectacular. This is definitely a great date night spot if you're looking to relax and just bond over some amazing food. My friends and I wanted to treat ourselves to a nice meal since it was one of our last nights in Alberta. Juniper Bistro was worth it! We ordered plenty of food including the Halibut, Ribeye Steak, Scallops, and even Wild Boar! Juniper definitely had plenty of food options and offered many exotic dishes also. Everything we ordered tasted superb and the portion sizes were perfect! The Sangria here was also delicious and so refreshing. It was the perfect drink to have while soaking in the beautiful views from the restaurant's balcony. Overall, I would love to come here again if I'm ever taking a road trip through Banff. The staff here was also really friendly and our waiter really took her time to explain the menu to us. I'm looking forward to coming back and trying their brunch menu items! read more
A quite peaceful Bistro Style Restaurant nestled between the mountains just outside Banff. Their spirits, beer and wine menu is not extensive, but it does have a variety of essentials as well as some specialty cocktails. The food menu is diverse, offering a variety of items for vegan, vegetarian and carnivores alike. There are also some gluten free options in the menu. The food portions are just right with prices on the higher side, but quality, preparation and presentation is top notch. Highly recommended if you're staying close by. read more
3 years ago
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5 years ago
Found this gem when it was first opened up for business. A local had told me that this was going to be one of those gems that few tourists would find out about because of its location. This turned out to be true for several years. During this period We got to enjoy breakfasts, lunches and especially sunset dinners on the magnificent outdoor patio. Weekend stays became a frequent getaway here for us. Absolutely breathtaking view of the mountains and the slow descent of sunlight into night was magical. Especially on a warm summer evening with a delicious wine or cocktail. The staff are amazing and service is impeccable. Engaging and attentive. Back then they were able to take the time to explain the history of the hotel and restaurant. Even Banff. The food is still very good whether it be breakfast/lunch or dinner. You have to check their hours of operation. Now with covid their operations and availability have changed. Whether you want a view from the inside or outside it is absolutely outstanding, I never get tired of the view. This restaurant has one many awards and this year won....wait for it.... (See Pic) !!! I highly recommend that you check it out and spend time here; it will be some of the best time you will spend in Banff!!! read more
7 years ago
Perfect Morning in Banff! I relished my grilled avocado, poached eggs with the perfectly buttered toast and the steak and eggs are terrific too! Thanks Juniper Bistro for adding to my spectacular Saturday read more
This restaurant is amazing. Not only are the views absolutely stunning but the food is also great. We vacate here for breakfast twice in a row. We ordered the huevos rancheros, the salmon Benedict and the steak and eggs. Each of them were delicious. No complaints. This restaurant is a must on your list so make the time to go you will not be disappointed. read more
4 years ago
3 years ago
3 years ago
7 years ago
Love. Love the views. Love the food. Love the service. Honestly the best meal we had in banff so far. Our waitress Kacee was amazing and had great hiking tips. We got the boar, gnocchi and Brussels. Incredible. I'm gluten free and to have this many options was ridiculous. The gnocchi was so amazing. I had the rose to drink which was so different and in between a rose and a Malbec. So yummy. Def make it a stop. If it says no reservations so anyways. Most likely a table read more
8 years ago
7 years ago
I'm so glad our family came to this bistro for brunch. Loved that they had special bennies with bannock and braised rabbit!! Everything was delicious as well. The French toast with stewed apple was really good. I also ordered the sage tea, which helped settle my stomach in the morning when I felt a bit nauseous waking up. Can't wait to visit again next time we come to Banff!! read more
3 years ago
9 years ago
Amazing views. It's the kind of atmosphere we're looking for when we're on vacation. Definitely recommend sitting out on the patio if you can! It doesn't seem to be busy on weekdays but you can make reservations through Opentable. I really enjoyed the Shakshuka I had, so flavourful and full of fresh ingredients. It looked like a small plate but looks can be deceiving! It's incredibly filling but for the portion. If you end up trying this dish out, you won't regret adding the chorizo. I would have liked two more slices of toast. Thankfully my boyfriend got Eggs My Way (recommend bacon over sausage!) and I snagged his toast. The only downside is that it can be a wait for the food (took about 30 min) so if you're in a rush, may not be the best choice for you. read more
4 years ago
Outrageous vegan food options on an amazing gold course drive. My fiancé and I drove the golf course route and spotted tons of elk and then went for drinks and dinner. We started off with the "sun choke salad" (sunflower shoots, confit Sunchoke, dehydrated pear, fennel, avocado, Pepita and sunflower seeds, carrot, Apple, orange and rosemary). Truly amazing. We also ordered wild B.C. mushrooms (wild mushrooms haskap berry, pine nuts, truffle, and house pickles). Those were our apps. For dinner we shared the cauliflower cashew bowl (rosemary cashew cream, roasted Brussel sprouts, sweet potato & pear). The drinks were amazing as well and much thought was put into the making of each one. read more
3 years ago
6 years ago
The Juniper Bistro, is a little off to the side town of banff. The bistro has huge glass windows that let you look out to the amazing views of the mountains. The ambiance and tables are really comfortable and the service is amazing. We stopped here twice on a trip for breakfast and the food was really good and fresh. Highly recommend this bistro when visiting banff. read more
Lovely spot for brunch with spectacular mountain views. We had dinner here as well and it was excellent but we enjoyed brunch even more because of the views. The food is a little pricey but it is fantastic. I loved the salmon egg's Benedict. It was so fresh and flavorful!! read more
6 years ago
This is our second stay at the Juniper Hotel and our second meal at the Bistro (we would get drinks almost nightly at the bar). The food is amazing, and I mean amazing!! The menu is seasonal with vegetarian and vegan options. The service is outstanding. Everyone is nice, helpful, and knowledgeable. Ben the mixologist/server made our visits exceptional. Cant wait to visit again in the fall read more
7 years ago
10 years ago
I've only recently started posting Yelp reviews, but I simply had to post a review for Juniper Bistro despite visiting here almost a year ago. In March 2015, my friend and I spent three days in Banff and ended up staying at the Juniper Hotel, which houses the Juniper Bistro. During our last night, we decided to try out the bistro, and boy were we pleasantly surprised! This place is a hidden gem!! I say "hidden" because its location is a bit out of the way for anyone staying in the Banff downtown area, but I would say it's definitely worth it. With a stunning view of the mountains and beautiful interior decor, I was excited from the moment I walked in. Although I don't remember the exact names of the items we ordered, what I do remember is that they were delicious! The soup of the day, a mushroom-based soup, was absolutely DELIGHTFUL and definitely stands out as the winner in my opinion. There was such depth to the flavour and it was unlike any other mushroom soup I'd tried. I ordered the burger for my main (I believe it was called the Juniper Burger or something similar), which was quite good, and the potato wedges that came on the side were huge! We enjoyed our dinner so much that the next morning before check-out, we couldn't help but order room service from their breakfast menu! 4 stars because we had to wait an unusually long time despite it not being too busy, and the duck appetizer was way too salty for our taste. If I could though, I would give the place 4.5/5 despite these cons. Thanks for a memorable dinner, Juniper Bistro! read more
11 years ago
Pros: Awesome killer view of the mountain ranges. Great patio settings!! Very presentable, gourmet, tasty dishes for breakfast. The meals are $14.00 on average. No addl charges for tea or coffee refills. Cons: Teapots have no lids so your tea gets cold almost right away, and it wasnt even hot to begin with. We were given re-fried hollow oily home fries/taters with our dish. When we ordered a fresh serving at additional cost, those were freshly made. Recommendations: have the berry waffle. *mmmm read more
7 years ago
While in Banff this was the best food we had. The staff is friendly & the food is excellent. The views for morning breakfast were spectacular. If you are in Banff eat here! read more
7 years ago
THIS WAS GLUTEN FREE HEAVEN!!! 10/10 with gluten free sourdough bread and gluten free crackers for our charcuterie. We then had mussels with frites and a tomato dairy based sauce that was heavenly. I asked Kendall for some bread to dip in the left over sauce and she brought us enough to finish the bowl. The prices are fair and the portions are large. The food was amazing and we will most certainly be back soon! read more
10 years ago
Is this restaurant the best restaurant in Banff as Trip Advisor ranks it to be? Maybe. Maybe not. There's a lot of fine restaurants in Banff. But after visiting I can understand why they promote themselves online. If they didn't they probably wouldn't recieve as many customers. That's because their location is off the beaten path and not mixed in with the other restaurants on Banff Avenue. You really do need to have a car and be in the know when finding this place. So I don't blame them for promoting their online exposure. Actually being away from town works to your advantage because the pace is a little slower than the in-town restaurants. The interior is nicely decorated in a very contemporary clean style. It's classy but not stuffy. The layout lets in a lot of natural sunlight and offers great views of the Vermilian Lakes area. If you look and listen hard, you'll notice the highway isn't very far away. They have three menus: breakfast in the morning, apres ski from 3-5 PM, and dinner starting at 5 PM. I opted for the apres ski menu and found the place to be empty. It was in-between seasons so I wasn't all that surprised. But it was nice because I got the bartender's undivided attention and got a chance to chat with the other staff as well. Great people. Food and drinks were top notch. No complaints there. Interestingly the only beers on their menu are craft beers from Alberta and British Columbia. You bet, I'd return again. I'll have to try their dinner menu next time. read more
4 years ago
More info about The Juniper Bistro
1 Juniper Way
Banff, AB T1L 1E1
Canada
Directions
(403) 762-2281
Call Now
Visit Website
https://thejuniper.com
Hours
Food & Alcohol
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