Great place and in a beautiful setting! Enjoyed the food immensely! The only regret is the fondu, don't waste your time or stomach space for too much bread and ok cheese sauce. But our main dishes were delicious! read more

This was one of my favorite meals during our time in Banff. My boyfriend and I were staying at the Fairmont Banff Springs and I was excited to see they had a German restaurant onsite. My boyfriend referenced that he wanted to get fondue during some point on our trip (apparently there are more places than one in Banff!), so I was happy to see that the fondue is a main menu item here. We made reservations on Open Table and were seated right away at 6p. We both knew without question that we wanted the Waldhaus Fondue Experience ($95 CAD per guest). Luckily for us, coming from the States meant that it's really only $73/person. ;) The fondue experience comes with an appetizer of cheese fondue with bread, pickles, and apples for dipping. The pickles were SO GOOD! You also get one choice of an entree (either Schnitzel, Veal Chop or Pickerel). My boyfriend went with the chop and I got the schnitzel. And then of course, it's topped off with a chocolate fondue for dessert with fruit, brownies, cakes and marshmallows. We had such a great time here. I also ordered a flight of beers as we dined and my boyfriend got a non-alcoholic beer. I enjoyed sipping my beers and the Schofferhofer Grapefruit Radler was my absolute fave (for those of you familiar with the Germany pavilion at Epcot in DisneyWorld, it's the same amazing beer they have there!) The schnitzel was AMAZING!!!! I actually have only ever had schnitzel twice in my life. My German grandma made it for me as a kid and I surprisingly enjoyed it. So I was excited to try it out again. It honestly was the best schnitzel I've ever had (apologies to my grandma). They offer three ways of ordering it and I got it Jager style (with mushroom cream sauce). It was so good that I'm honestly nervous to order schnitzel when I'm in Germany in a few months because I doubt it can top this experience at Waldhaus. Even my boyfriend took a bite and was jealous he didn't order that instead. But the time the dessert came around, we were pretty stuffed, but we did some damage to the chocolate fondue. The chocolate is more thick and it's not exactly milk chocolate. I personally have had better chocolate fondue than they have here (but that may be the way Germans do it!). The sweets for dipping were really good. I personally loved the pistachio cake and the housemade strawberry marshmallows. Service is nice and friendly as well. All told, it would be great to come back on a future trip. Really enjoyed our meal here. Prost! read more

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Charming restaurant just off the Bow River Trail. It was a pretty walk from downtown. We tried the fondue, which was fantastic, as was the service. read more

WALDHAUS - Classic fondue - Pubs Near Me - Banff, Alberta

I took 4 years of German in High School but I don't think any of the workers here understand German. The fondue was fun, both the cheese and chocolate. But the wind blew out the candle to the chocolate fondue right after it was lit and we couldn't flag down anyone to relight it. It's like everyone had just disappeared and for a long time. By the time we finally saw someone return to the patio the kids had already eaten it all. The hostess was very nice as was the waiter. But he could've really been a much better server. For example, a fly fell into my water right after I got it. The waiter saw me trying to pick it out and even asked if there was a fly in my water. I said yes. But he didn't even offer or bring me a new glass of water! Boo. My kid also got a fly in her water later on and I asked another waiter if they could bring her a new cup because of the fly. The waiter said yes but never came back with a new cup even after we had received our food for a long while. Eventually I had to ask someone else. The Waldhaus cheeseburger has some kick to it so my kid couldn't eat it unfortunately. Would've been nice if the server had offered to substitute it. The Spatzle is difficult to eat because it's just so heavy and thick and not in a good way. I call myself the human garbage disposal and can eat just about everything. I just couldn't stomach more than a few bites. The waiter saw we hadn't touched it and explained what it was. A good restaurant , at least in America, would've offered to substitute it for something seeing their customer didn't like the food. But not here. Maybe it's a Canadian thing. And I understand there may be cultural differences in Canada from where I come from. But still. This restaurant just doesn't seem to fit the mold of the rest of the resort in terms of general customer service. Poutine was very very meh. Salty too. I saw a video from a Canadian couple online who had said the same thing about it being less than average for poutine and I should've listened to them. But the description on the menu sounded so intriguing that curiosity got the better of me. Another dish barely touched. Some of the other kids in our group got lemonade. Don't know if the lemonade is refillable but it never once got refilled. So overall a bit disappointing. Great views on the patio though. I can't really recommend this place but for some drinks on the patio and maybe a pretzel which by the way was good albeit pricey. read more

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We stopped in here for snacks and to catch some of the oilers game and I'm so glad we did! The food is incredible, the drinks are delightful (albeit expensive), service is great, and it was just a lovely way to spend a cozy afternoon. read more

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Overall: over priced, over hyped restaurant. You are paying for the location and historic building. We ordered wine and beer. The beer was good, wine not so much. We had ordered 2 appetizers (salmon and the flatbread). The flatbread was good, salmon not so much. Then we saw everyone ordering the cheese fondue, so we followed suit. That was a mistake, the cheese tasted like bad Swiss cheese. The bread would be better if it was a day old. Would not recommend the fondue. Also as a note, you park below the restaurant and walk up the driveway. The service was great. For dinner we had the trout and the Schnitzel. The trout tasted alright but the sauce underneath had no taste. The schnitzel by itself had no flavor. The mushroom sauce was also very bland. The schnitzel would have been better with ketchup. Would not recommend this restaurant. read more

Went for an early dinner to the Waldhaus Pub. Ate inside, but they have a nice patio area. Pub/Restaurant is up the stairs from Bow Falls, and a short walk from the main Fairmont Hotel. We asked to have a golf cart take us to/from the hotel to the Pub. Complimentary, but we tipped the driver (not required) I wanted Poutine, and saw it was an appetizer. But nobody wanted to share. I then saw that if I got Bratwurst on Pretzel bun with sauerkraut and mustard, I could upgrade the side of fries to poutine for $5 CDN. Which is exactly what I did! Both were excellent. I also got a flight of 6 5-oz beers (5 German beers and one IPA), recommended by the server. These were great too. Finished with their excellent strudel with ice cream. Spouse had a bacon cheeseburger - said it was the best Burger she's ever had! read more

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My family stayed at the Fairmount while my husband and I stayed at another hotel in town. On our last night together we decided to do a fancy dinner here and it was WONDERFUL. A couple of us did the prix fixe fondue dinner and it was SO much food. There was more than enough fondue for all 4 of us even though only two of us went with that particular prix fixe meal (it's a minimum of two people per table to order it) and they were really nice about letting all of us split it. The cheese fondue was delicious and the accompaniments were generous. For my main entree I got the mushroom schnitzel with the spatzen and OMG it was so good. I ate to the point of discomfort. My husband went a la carte and got the pork chop, which I sampled, and it was also excellent. My aunt enjoyed the short rib and it was also quite tasty. But my schnitzel was my favorite. Our meal came with the chocolate fondue and it was the perfect end to the meal. My husband is a sucker for apple strudel so he ordered it in addition to the fondue and it was also excellent. Service was fantastic and the restaurant is tucked away on the Fairmount property. It's a bit of a walk from the main property and they were nice enough to give us a ride back on the shuttle after dinner, which was good since we were SO painfully full walking was difficult. read more

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Unfortunately we went down to the Pub after having a really nice time in the upstairs dining area! We started on the patio first people there but were told in no uncertain terms where to sit! Then our food arrived another disappointment, we ordered the Wurst Plate wit's a side of Sauerkraut Slaw which was just sauerkraut no slaw about it and potato salad which was just salad with a bit of mustard, very under whelming! the sausages were disappointing as well! It then rained and everyone rushed indoors including their dogs which were welcomed inside and no these were not service dogs! Shame downstairs let down upstairs read more

Great atmosphere, experienced servers, excellent wine list, and fantastic food in a historic location... need I say more!? read more

WALDHAUS - Veal Chop... - Pubs Near Me - Banff, Alberta

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Highly recommend the Waldhaus after a visit to Bow River Falls. Walk up the staircase, take a brief walk through the woods then relax on the outdoor patio. Check out the menu~we enjoyed the pub menu selections with the brews. The view over to golf course and up to the mountains completes the ambience. We've dined & relaxed here many times over the years and always have a great time! read more

WALDHAUS - Bratwurst on a pretzel bun with fries - Pubs Near Me - Banff, Alberta

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Great food I got the special and my husband got steak.great drink options very nice atmosphere! Would definitely go back

Hidden restaurant above the falls and on the backside of the Fairmont Hotel. The pub restaurant is part of the hotel. Patio has great views. You have to walk up a hill to access it. Staff were friendly. Inside decore is Tudor style. Beers and food is expensive which is on par with the Fairmont. But worth a visit in the summer. Cheese tray was excellent and beers good. Views exceptional. read more

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Oh. Em. Gee. This place is like a fair tale. Yeah, you're gonna pay a premium to eat here but you're also not going to be in a rush and it's going to be darn good. The wild boar eggs benny served a top a traditional german potato pancake was to DIE for. The fondue is exactly what you'd hope for - true to Swiss heritage (bread, pickled veggies, sasuages, and apples). Mmm... Apples are always my favourite in a emmenthal and gruyere fondue! And don't be shy - ask them for more of whatever your favourite is! The view is breathtaking overlooking the Bow River and Mountains all around! The history here is cray cray and the servers know their stuff. So ask them to tell you about the property and what their favourite thing is about the Waldhous. There's a guest suite a top the Waldhaus that Banff Springs upper management stays in while looking for permanent housing in the area (that was my neat tid bit I learned from our server). Next time I must try the Baileys Chocolate fondue I'm reading about in the other Yelpers' reviews! read more

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Would I return? ABSOLUTELY Food: 4/5 We ordered..... -Appetizer: Scallops -Entree: Weiner Schnitzel -Side: Spaetzle -Dessert: Apple Strudel Scallops were large and cooked perfectly. The pickled cauliflower was a nice and unexpected pairing. Would order again. Weiner schnitzel was a little dry for me. The salad and potatoes that came with it were delicious. The spaetzle was just like the way it's made in Germany - amazing taste. The apple strudel was one of the best I've ever had. Flaky crust, fresh chunks of apple with ice cream. Can't go wrong! Ambiance: 5/5 So German and so nostalgic. From the chairs to the trim on the windows, it feels like your in Germany in a German restaurant. Dimly lit and nice background music. Service: 5/5 Incredible. Our server was Julie. She was both professional and warm. Hostess and greeters were kind. Server arranged for a drive to our car bc it was so cold. Overall: DAS IST GUT!! The drive up the river is so nice and taking the walk up to the restaurant there was an elk a few feet from us. It made for a beautiful evening. Perfect for: romantic dinner, family dinner, or large group. read more

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We ate in the restaurant one evening and then at the downstairs Pub for lunch the following day. I preferred the menu at the Pub, more choices. read more

If you're nearby then you're already doing well because you're in Banff. But you could do better. Much better. You could be at the Waldhaus Pub & Patio. Doubly so when Melina is there. What's so great? First, the view. Just look and soak it in. Second, the food. Our nachos were fantastic, the burger was huge and delicious, and even the beet salad made a great impression. For pub food and any kind of comfort food, it's all kinds of tasty. Of course, it's a pub and fortunately the beer and cocktails are on point. Beers are mainly German and local, and cocktails are surprisingly well-crafted. You could spend many happy hours drinking here. And then there's Melina. If you want fun, if you want friendly, if you want a server who'll make you feel welcome as if you're family, then you want seated in Melina's section. Just ask and if you're lucky enough, well, you're welcome. Have a great night :) read more

WALDHAUS - View from the patio. Epic. - Pubs Near Me - Banff, Alberta

Came here for dinner twice during our 5 night stay. Solid pub food - boar ricelette with pickled green beans, onions and cornichons, wurst plate with soft pretzel, spatzle and cheese, baked onion and beer soup, apple strudel and drunkle ice cream with chocolate, caramel and pretzel. The apple strudel is delicious! Lots of big chunks of sweet, tart, crisp apples. The caramel and rum sauces with raisins is delightful and pares so perfectly and if course cold vanilla ice cream brings it all together. In other words, save room and get this! The wurst plate is wonderful though the sausage offering does change regularly. The wiener schnitzel is a must order and you can choose between 3 sauces. My family loves the mushroom gravy, but I prefer fresh lemon squeezed over breaded, fried pork. The baked onion and beer soup is also really good - rich beef broth, loaded with onions and a thick, gooey layer of cheese. Beers are a must too. Let your server know what you like and take his / her advice :) read more

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A liked the scenery, food and service. The restaurant needs a bit of updating with new carpet, paint and cleaning. The trout was more like a salmon dish but still good. Fondue was very good with large portions. read more

Grossly overpriced, and painfully slow. 38.00 for one piece of Schnitzel, a few potatoes and some kraut that isn't good. Dingy basement vibes, dirty carpet. The only reason they got 3 stars is because the waitress we had was very pleasant and attentive. I know it's a Pub but it needs work. read more

This restaurant has a very limited and flavorless items on the menu. Cheese founde tastes like melted Swiss cheese from the local grocery store (no flavor of Gruyère) served with a soft baguette with no crunch to it. Salmon appetizer has interesting texture but again, it doesn't taste fresh. Trout looks like salmon and tastes like paper and the sauce is quickly prepared béchamel where tou can still taste the raw flour. The servers are nice and attentive but they don't seem to know how items on the menu taste. Restaurant is beautiful inside but with how uneventful and expensive the food is, I wouldn't recommend coming here and wasting your money. read more

Waldhaus is a cozy restaurant tucked away in the woods behind the Fairmont Springs Hotel. We opted to hang at the more casual biergarten patio, but there is also a more formal indoor restaurant. To get to the restaurant it's a bit of a journey, you'll need to climb down a bunch of stairs and then take a short hike through the woods. That was probably the best part though. I loved how this biergarten was so off the beaten path! The views from the patio are breathtaking. This biergarten is smack dab in the middle of the rockies and you can sip on a beer while taking in mountains, rolling green hills and a river. Because this restaurant is located at the Fairmont prices are very high, hence the reason for four and not five stars. I totally get high prices, especially for a scenic bar at an upscale hotel. I just thought that a twenty dollar order of poutine seemed a bit extreme. In any case, despite high prices Waldhaus is totally worth at least one visit for the views. And at least for that high price tag the food is pretty damn tasty. They have a huge selection of beer and offer glasses in various sizes. You can even go crazy and opt to have your beer in a boot! We shared a sausage plate and a cheese plate. The sausage plate came with two different types of sausages, kraut and spatzel and was coated in a tangy dijon sauce. The cheese plate came with a variety of cheeses, meats, crackers and pickled veggies. This was the perfect share for two and we left absolutely stuffed! I really wanted cheese fondue but couldn't justify the 55 dollar price tag... sigh. Downtown Banff has a ton of amazing restaurants, but Waldhaus is worth at least one trip during your stay. Even if just for a patio beer. Nothing beats enjoying some outdoor beers and eats with incredible views of the rockies and the Fairmont Hotel. read more

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This place is FABULOUS!! Great wine recommendations for local Canada wine. Cheese fondue is tasty, we had the Fondue experience with the veal chops & chocolate fondue. Service was spot on...Lauren was very attentive & helpful. Ambiance was top notch. Felt like we were back in the Swiss read more

The food in the pub was disappointing, maybe the restaurant is better (don't know). I ordered a schnitzel sandwich and my wife ordered spaetzle, both were nowhere near as flavorful as the same dishes at Biermarkt (which I've found to be consistently good across the country). Didn't bother with beer because the prices were really overinflated. The service was fine, and the scenery is out of this world, but the food doesn't offer good value for money when compared to other restaurants in Banff, which isn't a cheap place to visit. read more

We sat in the turret room, which is so charming. The farm eggs are fantastic, as are the hashbrowns and salad. Mimosas are pretty awesome too. Smoked trout is delicious and eggs are perfectly medium poached. Expensive, but worth it for a treat. Decor is charming German rustic here in the pub. Colouring page and crayons were provided for our busy toddler. Service was excellent - very polite and accommodating. Definitely recommend. read more

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Pub crawled a little bit in Banff for my Birthday weekend in September 2019! It's part of the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel and is quaint Bavarian style pub with a few choices of beer, and pub food. We decided on going with the kettle chips that were smeared with a smokey gravy sauce with a side of creamy buttermilk dip, as well as the soft baked pretzels with mustard butter, beer mustard & some beer and cheddar dip. The pretzels were hot and soft and such a traditional treat to get the evening started!! I will say it was a little bit hidden in the back on the hotel and was hard to find at first however staff gave a great vibe to the atmosphere and were very helpful in their recommendations! I'm not a huge beer person but the server recommended getting a spin of a margarita with their chilli pepper salt rim, so good!! read more

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What a little gem. Hidden off the 15th hole of the Springs golf course, this place is special. The views alone are a 10! Add pub style greasy food in an upscale manner, a sure winner. The schnitzel (gf) were winners amongst my family. I tried the salad. Don't go for salad. Indulge. Salad isn't meant to be at the Waldhaus. They still get a 5 because the cozy vibe and mountain retreat rocks. read more

Great patio views, fun atmosphere inside. Chocolate fondue was delicious!

Ordered the lamb striploin, good but not the best I've had. Ordered it medium rare and could have been more rare. The potatoes several with it were very good! The pretzel rolls served at the dinner table were delicious, especially with the grainy spicy mustard! The Bailey's Chocolate Fondue was very tasty! Loved that they served it with banana bread for dipping. read more

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Having lived in Germany for many years, we were excited when we made reservations at the Waldhaus. On arrival, we found there was no where to park. I approached the hostess while my husband waited in our car. She very rudely said we had to drive back down to the Bow Falls parking area and walk up. When I suggested they tell people of this or post signage, she was again very unpleasant. She then seated us at a table overlooking "the mechanicals" in a nearly empty restaurant with lovely views from the other unoccupied tables. The food was what one would expect for a German restaurant in western Canada and the wait staff was sweet. Just that we got off to a very unpleasant start and a bad last night in Banff. read more

I would hope one would have to travel a great distance (Eastern Mongolia perhaps?) to find a schnitzel as bad as the one I attempted to eat here. Although the beautiful outdoor setting appears to be Bavarian the food is anything but. The two things worse than the attempt at food were the expensive price and the (apparently no) customer service. Not only did I have to ask for menus while sitting in the pub the server got the order wrong and never checked back in with us. So... bad food, no customer service, expensive price. Was hoping for a better dinning experience with a restaurant associated with the Fairmont. read more

Food was ok, not great. Service was very good and the scenery from the patio is excellent. Had a squirrel that would not be deterred even after we chased it off a couple of times and the wait staff chased it off as well. It lepton the table ran up to my wife's plate and took off with a French Fry before we could even react. read more

We were told we could not get seated right away because the restaurant was so busy and too full, even though half of the tables were empty. No one else even came in after us. The food was okay but definitely not worth the price. We tried a few other restaurants at the Fairmont Banff and had great experiences, but were really disappointed in this one. read more

Great location and view. Food and beer were very good. Service was fine, but our server was not very knowledgeable of the menu, perhaps she was new. She confirmed, when I asked, that the side of spaetzle was prepared the same as the entree, but it was not, as we ordered both at our table. Side spaetzle was nothing special. I would come back if in the area. read more

The Waldhaus is a little cabin the woods accessible via a short walk or shuttle ride from the Banff Springs Hotel. We had made a reservation ahead of time and requested a table by the fireplace. There is nothing like the sound of a crackling fire while you eat fondue and drink beer. We started with an appetizer traditional cheese fondue. It was perfect and not overly greasy or heavy. Great for dipping the mound of baguette we received plus the apples and pickled veggies. You can upgrade to some other options to dip charcuterie, but my husband wanted to try the schnitzel so we were trying not to fill up. I, on the other hand, felt extremely full from all of the unhealthy food I'd been eating for the past 3 days and decided to get the kale salad. Schnitzel: delicious and not as rich as expected. The breading was crunchy and the chicken was tender inside. Kale salad: exactly what I needed. It was light and refreshing and had a great variety of texture and flavor to brighten up my meal. Our server, Julie, was friendly and very attentive throughout the meal. This was my favorite meal of the trip. Would definitely recommend! read more

WALDHAUS - Beer in front of the fireplace. Doesn't get any better! - Pubs Near Me - Banff, Alberta

View is absolutely gorgeous. The meal was nice for someone who loves german food. We got 2 plates to share for 2 adults and 2 children and it seemed to be enough. They seem to be following all Covid regulations. Beware that a drink is about 15 dollars for a double or 19 for a scooner of beer, a plate being an average of 25 dollars, which is not cheap. Service was very average. Our server Gary seemed to be busy even though the place looked slow and there were about 5 servers around. Only came to our table twice or three times and we had to go to the bar to ask for refills and extra ketchup. Didn't really try to talk to us or stay at the table during payment. For a server who usually tips 25%, we left 15% and still felt it was a bit mucI'd recommend going in for a drink and maybe an appetizer and enjoy the view, but I don't know if for a full meal. read more

WALDHAUS - Restaurant view - Pubs Near Me - Banff, Alberta

We came to Banff to ski so we stayed at the Banff Springs Hotel and systematically tried the restaurants associated with the hotel. This was by far the worst restaurant. We started with the Haus Salad, which was quite nice. I ordered the Scweinschnitzel with mushroom sauce, which is their signature dish and got roesti substituted for the potato salad. My husband got the "kaese spaetzli" (a German pasta in a cheese sauce that tasted like Swiss fondue). The schnitzel was over- cooked and so tough I couldn't cut it with the regular knife so I had to ask for a steak knife. The sauce was thick and lumpy although it had a nice flavor. My husband's soaetzli tasted very nice but it was a massive amount with no sides such as pickles. He is a big guy but only managed to eat half of it because it was extremely heavy. Sadly, we couldn't take the remainder in an away box because if you stay at the hotel, there is a small fridge but no microwave to reheat leftovers. We were here 4 years ago and our memories of the food back then were much more positive! So sad! read more

Great restaurant, but more on that a bit later. First, most of the bad reviews are for the Waldhaus Pub, not the Waldhaus Restaurant. While the pub and restaurant share the same building, the menu and especially service are different and they have different Yelp pages. We sat in front of the huge fire place on a cold, snowy October evening. And it was a real log burning fire, not a fake gas one. Gotta have the fondue. We had the truffle fondue-heaven. Very good beat salad. Followed it up with Black Forest Tort. Food was very good. Ordered a bottle of Canadian white wine which was surprisingly good. Service was excellent. We had reservations and I'm glad we did. By 6:30p.m the restaurant was crowded. read more

The atmosphere is wonderful whether you sit inside or outside though I prefer the fresh air & waterfall sounds outside. The service, food & beer were all outstanding. Is in a bit of a hike downhill from the hotel but beautiful. And to go back to the hotel - don't worry - ask for a shuttle ride back uphill. :-) read more

Came here on our first night staying at Fairmont Banff Springs. We checked the menu first and love German style food so we decided to give it a try. No reservations were required which was nice (I think the restaurant upstairs The Waldhaus? needs reservations). The restaurant is down stairs from the main restaurant and was seat yourself. My husband and I grabbed an open table with a beautiful view right against the balcony overlooking the mountains. It was about 8pm and as I'm sure many have figured out... it gets pretty chilly at night here! I asked for a blanket and they kindly brought me one... it did help but I'm a baby when it comes to being cold so we ended up going inside. I ordered the chicken schnitzel sandwich with French fries. This was SOOO SOOO GOOD! Portion was huge (sandwich had two big pieces of white meat chicken schnitzel... I actually prefer white meat so I was pleasantly surprised!). Fried were slightly over salted, but that did not stop me from eating them lol! My husband ordered the pork schnitzel plate "jaeger" style (mushroom cream sauce on the side) with onion rings. His meal was equally delicious. Needless to say, we are basically everything served to us . Husband had a beer (big rock golden ale) which he enjoyed! Service was rather slow and it didn't appear super busy, which is the only reason why I took 1 star off of the review. Despite the "slowness", our waiter and the other waitress who also helped us were very friendly. Otherwise, 5 stars for food! read more

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