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River Cafe
Category: Restaurants Canadian (New) Canadian (New) [Edit]
25 Prince's Island ParkCalgary, AB T2P 0R1
(403) 261-7670
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 11 am - 3 pm
Mon-Sun 5 pm - 10 pm
Sat-Sun 10 am - 3 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner, Brunch
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
33 reviews for River Cafe
Review Highlights
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"Fish & Game platter is fun to try but I've had better." In 3 reviews -
"They have a lovely patio which lets you really enjoy all..." In 7 reviews -
"everything is better with duck fat." In 5 reviews
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33 reviews in English
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Review from chris M.
Calgary, AB
The cellar has a great selection and the way the beef is prepared; so tender it can be cut with a fork. The service was just okay, did not feel it enhanced the fine dining experience. This was definately, the my highest bill to date for fine dining, which is okay as the food and ambience and time spent, met our expectation.
Try to book a window seat so as to gaze out on Princess Island. (Do So in Winter/Sping and Fall.) I have been told that people say window seats are cold, we were warm. During the summer season, your experience is more memorable if seated on the patio. Post meal, go for a skate on the canal or take a stroll through the park. -
Review from Terrence L.
Calgary, AB
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. -
Review from Missy D.
Calgary, AB
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. -
Review from Tristan B.
Calgary, AB
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. -
Review from Vishal M.
Calgary, AB
I shouldn't leave dinner still hungry but that's the feeling I walked out with. The food quality is high but don't expect large portions. My carrot "3 ways" appeared to be on a diet.
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Review from Lauren H.
I've been wanting to go here for awhile (almost 5 years? LOL). I met up with someone here to talk about a business plan for brunch. We shared the fish and game platter-very unique and tasty. The rest of the menu and the plates I saw walk by over the course of the morning looked wonderful and require me to come back to try more menu items. The servers are highly professional which really does enhance the dining experience. The patio is beautiful and inside is rustic, cozy and charming.
The River Cafe has a simple elegance that makes it a great sport to lunch with friends, have a romantic meal or celebrate with family (oh and business brunches too). It isn't the cheapest but it is worth the little extra you pay. I think this will become a favourite spot for me and its a great place to bring visitors as well. -
Review from Kathryn D.
I have been here four times and it is consistently good. That's the mark of a great restaurant - consistency! I have tried several different appetizers and entrees - mostly fish - and have really enjoyed every morsel.
The atmosphere is charming and comfortable and the service is pleasant and attentive.
I particularly enjoy their own water. For $1 you can have unlimited still or sparkling water - their own - to help save on environmental issues from plastic or glass bottles.
Wish some other Calgary institutions would take a lesson from River Cafe. -
Review from A. L.
Calgary, AB
Been here a few times. The service is always amazing but the food leaves a lot to be desired. I would go back just because of the location.
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Review from Stephanie C.
Calgary, AB
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. -
Review from Marc K.
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. -
Review from lyn c.
Calgary, AB
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. -
Review from josh j.
Calgary, AB
Up The River... - River Cafe is perplexing, it has a wonderful location and setting. The cuisine is sometimes innovative and almost always very good. The service, however, is so inconsistent, leaning way more often toward bad than good. The servers there appear aloof and arrogant; as if it's YOUR PRIVILEGE to be SERVED BY THEM. Perhaps it is the uniqueness and solitary honor of being the only restaurant in Prince's Island Park that engenders this deplorable attitude. You'd think they were serving at Tavern On The Green in Central Park. That bastion of NYC dining, however, has even closed, so smarten up River Cafe or you may be headed for the same fate.
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Review from Caitlyn t.
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. -
Review from Victor P.
Dinner at 830 Saturday evening 06 Aug 2011, and once again we were not disappointed. To start, we shared the fish and game board, which in this month's version included boar paté and bison prosciutto; for mains my son ordered the pork chop, my wife chose the sablefish, and I asked for the steelhead trout. For desserts we tried the apricot cake (wife), panna cotta (me), and fresh peaches on vanilla bean gelato (son). All good. Our server suggested a wine we'd never had before, a biodynamically-grown chenin blanc from the Loire -- 2009 sec Domaine Huet Vouvray Le Haut Lieu, which paired well with the sablefish and trout -- starting off-dry and trailing with a subtle acidity. River Cafe previously introduced us to wines that have become some of our favourites -- another reason we love the place so. Yes, it's on the spendy side, but we were (belatedly) celebrating our anniversary. Worth it.
Listed in: Dining Out
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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8/2/2010
My wife and I have dined here several times, and we chose it for our anniversary dinner this year.… Read more »
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8/2/2010
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Review from Shelli S.
For those of you who have never been to Calgary, it is a city of about 1 million people. It is a very clean and modern city of technology and oil, it is within Alberta in Canada. The wonderful thing about Canada, is it's clean untouched beauty and if you're coming from California you'll notice the water.
Calgary doesn't EVEN have places with only beer and wine (this annoys me to no end here), if they have a liqor license, that means they serve it all, no restrictions.
In Calgary you can find The Bow River heading through the city. The Bow has an island and it's called Prince's Island not to be confused with Princess (which many locals erroneously say).
On that island are cultural or even things like lilac festivals or music concerts and all kinds of amazing things. You can roller blade or bike ride along the path and you'll no doubt share them with some Canada geese (Not Canadian Geese that would be technically wrong) and ducks, but in your exploring you also may find the River Cafe.
The River Cafe is a beautiful spot to stop, it could be while you're bike riding just for a tea, or it could be dinner or lunch. The style is rustic and not fast food, but I should mention you're welcome there no matter what your attire is.
Once upon a time my attire was a bridal gown, and I got married there. It was a very special day, and it's a very special place. If you ever have the chance to dine or just sit and listen to Ella Fitzgerald on the patio there, do take it in, it's absolutely lovely.
If you ever are in for a treat, stop on by, it will be worth your time. When in Canada if you are visiting you should know one thing, we don't take life very seriously, so please just laugh with us.Listed in: My faves
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Review from Thomas S.
Calgary, AB
Good atmosphere good music (louis armstrong!!!) Good food only downfall is the small portions
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Review from James S.
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. -
Review from Yunn A.
I love the location. Many people don't realize it's also open in the winter. Definitely try it year round: in the winter it's very cozy with the fireplace roaring.
I love their seasonal menus, and the staff is tip top. I've gone for full dinners, brunch, lunch, and even just to have a hot chocolate, and all times they've treated me just as well regardless of how little or how much I've spent.
One of my favorite places in Calgary to eat. -
Review from Chad W.
Calgary, AB
I've only been here once and don't think I'll be going back. The setting is quite nice, right on Prince's Island, and the decor is exceptional. All in all, the place is quite nice to look at and offers a very warm and comfy vibe. Their patio section offers nice views in the summer months and beautiful outdoor dining. The bugs aren't even that bad.
My complaints come from the high price of the mediocre food and the service. For the price, I simply wasn't impressed. The food was good, but definitely not worth the steep prices. They have an extensive wine list, but found myself thinking it'd be a better idea to hit up a liquor store on the way home.
All in all, I dig the place. But not enough to go back. -
Review from Princess M.
I'd give it 3.5 stars. Nice patio and decent food but not particularly memorable.
The location is certainly great to enjoy a lovely day. The patio is mostly enshrouded by trees and bushes though, which is a bit of a pity considering its river-side location, if only I could've seen more of the river!
The menu for lunch is small and tries to be seasonal, with a good selection of sandwiches, a few daily specials and some regular entrees.
I tried their wood-grilled salmon. Portion size was perfect, not overly filling. The salmon was grilled to perfection, attaining a nicely crisp crust, the shards of pickled fennel and crisp haricot vert went well with the fatty fish and the creamy maitake mushrooms were a tasty and meaty side. The potato cake was rather redundant.
Overall, I would say this place has good service, passable food and a nice patio. -
Review from Sarah B.
Don't wear sky-high heels, as it's a bit of a hike from wherever you parked.
The food here is "fusion" so it's a bit interesting. But good! It's probably not for people who just want hamburgers, which is usually me.
I ordered the "Blini," which was a fluffy pancake with peaches on top. I liked it, but didn't end up SUPER stuffed afterwards.
It's a little pricier, so I don't recommend just "popping in" here. The dress code seemed to be dressy casual.
The staff here are EXCELLENT. This is how service should be performed. Our server was genuinely nice and knew everything about the menu and had great recommendations.
My friend went to the washroom and a server unrelated to our table stopped and folded her napkin on her chair and continued on his way. Great great service makes all the difference! -
Review from Lindsay K.
Halifax, NS
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. -
Review from Jason K.
just stopped in today for a late lunch on a gorgeous sunny day. i was dining alone, and there was just enough space on the deck to accomodate me.
the ambiance is beautiful. rustic, but not log-cabin-ny. my server definately knew the menu inside and out, including the wine menu.
i ended up going with the duck rilette sandwich served with the lightest homeade purple chips. oh man. everything is better with duck fat. this sandwich was eloquantly done with arugula, brie, a little bit of honey, and some in-house baked artisan bread. dang. i think they even brushed the inside of the bread with the duck fat, and let that puppy lightly toast on the wood grill.
would definately stop in again. -
Review from Kathy J.
Calgary, AB
I've had dinner at the River Cafe twice. Both times I've left thinking the place was just ok, but at the same time I'd recommend the place, mainly because of its setting.
The atmosphere is excellent. The restaurant is set in Prince's Island Park, a picturesque park right off the downtown core. We parked our vehicle in Kensington, a small community on the other side of the river and had a great walk along the river on our way to dinner. The decor is rustic and hip, with shelves made out of canoes, snowshoes on the wall (I think), and tall ceilings with big wooden beams all through the restaurant. It's very "Canadian-chic," if that's even a term.
The menu - I'm not a big wine person, but from what I could tell the wine list was quite long. Lots to choose from. The food menu was a bit limited for me because I'm not a big seafood eater, but what we ordered was delicious (yummy steaks).
The service is where I found a couple of flaws. My husband and I were celebrating our wedding anniversary and had made a reservation for the patio. We had to wait about twenty minutes, which wasn't a huge deal, but it did make an impression on me. As well, at the end of our meal we felt like the server forgot we were there. Our plates sat in front of us for over a half an hour. We decided to skip dessert because of the bad service and ended up going to another restaurant to finish celebrating.
I feel like they have some great servers on their staff, but they've also got some amateurs who, while they look the part, seem to have forgotten or never learned how to provide excellent service.
Just my two cents. -
Review from Tammy L.
I was in for business from out of town, so I've only dined at River Cafe once. I had just gotten out of a slightly stressful meeting and had a long drive, so I was tired and hungry. After a very nice walk through the park, I was about to turn around and settle for some unremarkable food, when I happened upon River Cafe. I didn't know anything about it, so I took a look at the menu. It is very expensive, but I decided to treat myself after a rather rough day. :)
I sat at the bar since I was dining alone. I ordered the cauliflower soup, which was terrific and flavorful on a chilly day. I loved the olive salt and crunchy croutons, which were such a nice contrast to the very smooth and delicate soup. For my entree, I ordered the black cod. Oh my, it was cooked to absolute perfection. Black cod is probably my favorite fish ever. It was accompanied by different colors of roasted cauliflower, which were delicious. My only complaint was that the roasted potatoes were too salty, but that's ok--the fish and cauliflower were more than enough to eat. The bread that they serve is absolutely fantastic and made in-house. Yum. I tried a sparkling wine from BC (Blue Mountain), which isn't exported to the US. It was delightful. Not like true champagne, of course, but very good in its own right. I only regret that I was too stuffed to order dessert. I guess I'm not a huge eater, but some folks have complained about small portions here. I definitely did not find that at all. I've certainly visited other fine dining places with miniscule portions, even for a smaller eater like me. There was a good amount of food here! Just wish the US dollar were stronger so that it wouldn't have been quite so pricey. But still, I loved it.
The atmosphere is cozy and relaxed, which I absolutely loved. The setting in the park is wonderful, of course. The service was very professional and friendly. As an aside, it just so happened that the two businessmen who were sitting next to me were from Illinois--one even lives in the town where I work! Tiny world. -
Review from Starsia E.
Calgary, AB
I will give them five stars if they fix the wooden chairs at the tables so that they don't feel like torcher chambers. It's the only complaint that Colin and I had. The food had delicate and complimentary flavors that seemed near perfection to me. They use only local ingredients and in the summer grow their own herbs and other fresh items in the back behind the restaurant. The first time we went I had a duck procuitto that had a strong but not overpowering smoky flavor unlike any procuitto I've ever tasted. It came with a berry side that went perfectly. My favorite desert is creme brûlée and the best I ever had was at the river cafe. It was a camomile honey, creme brûlée. The menu was different every time we went which is good in some ways but bad in that you can't have your favorite again. This is a perfect date restaurant.
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Review from David T.
Calgary, AB
Great quality, but service can be a bit patchy. Walked out on them this past summer after sitting at the table we were shown to for 20 mins being ignored by various wait staff. Maybe we were in some no-man's land between table allocations.
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Review from spaniel l.
Calgary, AB
RC definitely isn't a Michelin-star restaurant but I do have to applaud them for using quality ingredients (YEAY!! for supporting local farmers) and for succeeding in creating an exceptional ambiance to dine in.
I personally like their baked goods. Maybe its the wood-fired oven ...
So for those of you who are interested in what I thought of their dishes here's a summary of them. Don't know how useful they will be because RC does tend to change their menu occasionally.
-I love their flatbread & red lentil hummus dish. My favorite flatbread in town for sure.
-The quiche was good. The crust was perfectly cooked. love their herbed potato hash.
-Fish & Game platter is fun to try but I've had better. Great as an appetizer to share with someone.
-Arctic Char was good. Fish was fresh and well cooked.
-Noble Farm duck breast was yummy - flavors were perfectly balanced
- Beef tenderloin was good too - I'm not a big fan of beef brisket though... so it was just okay for me.
-Wild boar was on the menu last year but don't think it is anymore. I really enjoyed it.
- Baked french toast is my favorite brunch item on the menu. creative and tasty dish.
- farm eggs are also one of my favorite. yes, its just eggs but their scrambled eggs are cooked to perfection every time.
- not a big fan of the freshly baked goods - except for the fact that their croissant uses the house made butter , the danish and the muffins were fresh but boring.
- House made truffles are a must. I love them. Its not too filling and a perfect way to finish your meal.
- Creme brulee (which I prefer) and the ice creams are good too.
- Black current crush and their Wildberry iced tea is my favorite drinks for brunch. Coffee & tea is okay.
RC brings character to the dining community of Calgary and will be seeing more of me in the future! -
Review from David H.
Calgary, AB
B-List overall. A - List For The Patio. Rating 3 to 4. Go for specific food choices, ambiance and service. The location is among the best in the city. The patio (with heat lamps) is superb from late spring to the golden views of fall. The chefs do a very good to outstanding job of their signature dishes. Some of the appetizers (game platter as an example) are surprisingly unimpressive. The drinks vary. The wine and specialty drinks tend to be very good. The beer I experienced was good and in smaller glasses. Better, colder beer can be found elsewhere. This would be a great place to take out-of-town guests, celebrate a special occasion or just to get away from the feeling of being in a major city. And what could be better than strolling Prince's Island Park as part of your lunch or dinner experience at the River Cafe. Expen$$$ive.
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Review from daniel w.
Fabulous. Sitting on the deck, cooling off with a nice ale, then digging into the pear flatbread was heaven. The trout entree was another winner, though just about everything on the menu had me salivating. I'll be back, for sure.
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Review from Wilbert C.
Calgary, AB
I go to this restaurant not really for the food but for the ambience. It's always worth a try if you're into a good space to be in. Gorgeous place for a special supper.
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Review from Chris N.
Very expensive, but always a memorable meal and fantastic service.
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Review from Spencer C.
Calgary, AB
I've never made it for dinner but the two times I've had lunch here all 3 courses have been outstanding. Fresh ingredients, wild game, and interesting choices combines with a nice atmosphere and location make for one of the best experiences in Calgary. The price isn't extravagant either, well worth what you get.
