My husband and I decided to try out Ruth Chris on our date night. WOW! We had the most amazing experience. We were a little worried about finding it, and parking downtown, but it was really easy. There is a parkade right next to the Calgary tower, just follow the signage to the tower, then go to the second floor. When you walk in you are greeted by a front desk, and then you round the corner to a beautiful resturant. The service was outstanding and food was the best meal we have had in a while. They have a great date night on Wednesday, for $99 you get a glass of wine each, an entree (you have to have the steak!) and desert. Yes the rest of the menu looked pricey, but from what we exprienced well worth it. I could not have been happier and we can not wait to go back.

MISSSS THEIR LAMB dish!!!!
... but service was super friendlyand quick.... oysters were fresh, loved the fish in a rock bowl dish, and the rice was sweet! Definitely recommend this place on a cold snowy day/night!

I thought the service was wonderful. The meals weren't worth the cost. I have been to many other "fine dining" restaurants with better food.

Absolutely delicious! The way the steak comes sizzling to my table is amazing. I am like a kid with every sizzle that I hear, hoping that this steak is mine and the savoury smell of steak and butter is mouth watering. Best steak in Calgary. I can't wait to go back.

I've been a fan of their food for years (yummy & reasonably priced), but their service has been going downhill for years, and I've finally had enough.

The food is not worth the aggrivation.The lunchtime rush downtown is always madness, so I expect service to be a bit slower. Some venues handle the rush better than others, and at OP...it is consistantly absolute chaos. They have only one cranky lady greeting/seating customers. Frazzled serving staff dart past in all directions. The entire entrance is crowded with confused customers, and there is nothing resembling a line, so you have no idea whether you're cutting in front of 20 people when you try to let them know you've arrived for your reservation (don't even THINK about getting a table without one). Once you've finally been whisked away from the madness at the entrance, my advice is to have your food order ready for when they take your drink order, or you'll be waiting a lot longer in between. At the end, you'll be lucky if you can request your bill, receive it, and pay it in under 20 minutes. Be prepared.

All this is just part of the fun of dining out for lunch downtown, so up until now, I've let it go. Today, I had a lunch reservation. I called yesterday and asked "May I make a lunch reservation for tomorrow at 12?" She replied, "Sure, for 12. How many people?" So she confirmed, that she heard 12. Today, I arrive for lunch, and the snarky seating hostess informed me that my lunch reservation was for 11:45am and she gave my table away, and there are none available now. I told her that on the phone I was told 12. She replied, "Well, she WROTE 11:45. I should have something else available in 20-25 minutes."

The sad thing is, this exact thing has happened to me before with these guys. I've had enough. I will not be going again. As I said, the food is pretty good. If you can get at it. If you want to make a try for it, I'd advise you to a) make a reservation, and b) have them repeat the time about 5 times. Not that it will help you if they write down something else...

My new favourite. Everything about this place is wonderful. If you are looking to impress a client or a date, take them here. Execellent Food, Service and Ambiance.

A girlfriend and I went for dinner and drinks. The service was good but the food was only ok. The mussels smelled bad fishy and were on the rubbery side. I remember the ambiance being better, but with the windows open for summer you loose a bit of the intimacy of the space.

Had lunch on patio yesterday. After being seated at table for 4 on patio and ordered a pint the owner told me that you cannot save tables on the patio. My collegues were on the way. 2nd guest shows up and she says we have to give away the other table as can only sit goups if they are all there. 3rd person arrives (all within 10 minutes of my arrival) and we are now grudgingly 'allowed' to stay. Never heard of this type of policy before but I will be urging all my fellow oil patch collegues to avoid this place in the future. Too bad for them as our lunch bill was in close to $300.00 and I am sure we would have returned at leaset once a week....Food was OK but $9.00 for a pint is a little pricy....

Blink has a lovely atmosphere, but really not much to offer past that. We asked the waiter for suggestions or what was the best or most popular dish. We were told "that's what the menu is for". We got the impression he really didn't know the menu well and was just an order taker. We ordered the beef carpaccio. Is was bland with no seasoning to speak of. The Horseradish sauce was very bland and it was buried under a sea of non descript greens. The main's were no better with the waiter barely appearing to ask if things were ok after so long period of time, our meals were done. Really the food and staff barely rate a 6 out of 10. We could not recommend this place and would not return.

I have been going here since I was a little girl. I've only ever had the Baxey sandwich, its the best breakfast sandwich out there. The ladies are great, one of the best parts is I've had the same server for over 20 yrs!

I had heard for a long time that the Chophouse was overpriced and overrated. Then, in the past year or so, the tone changed and the feedback and word of mouth was almost entirely positive. So, I decided to check it out for myself, and I am very glad I did.

The food was tremendous, and the service was prompt, knowledgable and passionate about the food. The entire experience was a wonderful one, and in chatting with our server and then the manager over the course of the evening, it became clear that the entire experience from food to service to atmosphere changed with a change of ownership about a year ago.

Do yourself a favour and check it out--you won't regret it!

I always had a great time there, great food, nachos are awesome by the way. Friendly people, great place to visit for a beer.

We were a group of four and don't eat starch or gluten at all. We heard that this was a great place for Korean.
This is a friendly little place and the owner/chef was very helpful. The food was perfect, flavorful and just the way that we asked. As a matter of fact, everything we asked for they met with enthusiasm.
We all had a great time and I would highly recommend that you try this place out.

Nice place Yummie food with larg portions, price well - Upscale Pub - will be back for sure.

We elected to enjoy the 7 course paired tasting. A fantastic experience. The chef and waiter selected wines pair beautifully with the food.

Of all the dishes the only complaint I had was the desert cake was a bit dry. Beyond that the food tasted as fine as the presentations looked.

I took a date to the UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT Quincys, Ummm, except new table clothes nothing else seems new.
I ordered a 8 oz steak sandwich. Its not a sirloin. It tasted like some stewing beef off the grocery store.
My date ordered the foie gras burger. She is a professional chef. She said it tasted like some cheap stuff
with panko in it and the burger was burnt and it had the wrong cheese. I am sorry to find my self going
there again and again. I guess because of its location. too bad, some other genuinely good restaurants
closed down in the neighbourhood

What a sweet place. Went in and they have wonderful people working down there. The drink menu is "wow" over 100 martinis. The food was great too. I really enjoy going down there. Vicious Circle offers great DJ's. My favorite night to go is Wednesday nights. Its not over packed but the music is great.

Our group thought that the steaks were all very, very good. The soup and salads and toast were a looking a little tired and not inspiring, but all in all still good. Great service and I thought the price was reasonable considering what one got for the money.

We have been to quite a few indian restaurants in Calgary, but this is always our favorite. They have the best butter chicken, nice and spicey if that is what you like. Authentic atmosphere, and friendly service. Our second favorite is the Baingan Bharta roasted eggplant dish. They are very knowledgable about gluten allergies, just a select few things on the menu are on the black list like nanns, samosas, and some desserts. They raised their prices a few years ago which we felt was over doing it with the economy and all. So we don't go as often as we used to because of the prices.

Went for lunch with a friend and enjoyed the time there. The food was awesome, as always, and the service was great. We never felt rushed and the server was there for us. Great wine too!

A small group of us were here for a birthday dinner on a Friday night. Food was ok but what prompted me to write this review was the horrible service from our waitress "S-Andrew". I had to ask for my drink 3 times before getting it, our table was cluttered with dirty dishes and glasses that weren't taken away. We even had to resort to drinking water by refilling our own water glasses. After complaining to the manager the first time, she must've asked other wait staff to clear our table. The poor guy had his tray full of dishes and glasses, we counted he came around 5 times...and he wasn't even done. We asked for our bill and it took "S-Andrew" exactly 49 mins to bring it with the 18% automatic gratuity tacked in. So now we are forced to pay a tip on the most horrible service we've ever received in Calgary, because we were under the guidelines of parties 8 or over - even though we were 7 adults and 1 baby in an empty restaurant?! My friend flagged down the manager the second time to voice his concerns on the auto tip for the lack of service we received and how we waited 49 mins for the bill. She blamed it on how the computer system is not capable of splitting the bill and she will waive the auto 18% tip. No apologies on why we didn't receive any service in an empty restaurant, and how long we had to wait for the bill after asking for it. None of us will ever go back, despite the fact that half of us used this restaurant for business lunches on a regular basis with subpar service. But this hideous experience is just beyond belief.

This location is a favorite among everyone who works downtown. Went there today with a girlfriend and ordered their clam chowder soup and caesar sald combo. For $16 I received a soup with no clams. The manager came by after we were all finished asking how things were. Told her my experience with the soup and she apologized saying she'll get me another bowl of soup. Right .... like I can eat another bowl. Never offered to give a discount on bill. She did however say she would mention to the chef to stir up the soup before serving .... hello! What simple minded chefs do we have? Never seen the server after our food. Had to ask for the bill. Had to look for the server to pay. What's with this!!!

One of the worst dining experiences I have ever come across. Service was slow and when questioned about it the server immediately blamed it on the kitchen. When asked to speak with management they were "too busy" to solve our problems, we were sitting by the host desk and it was obvious the manager was preoccupied with his cellphone. Our server seemed to only have a moments with us and whenever they came around it was fleeting and seemed more of a chore. There were so few servers on for a Saturday night for such a large restaurant, you would think that a restaurant of this size would have more staff for such a busy night. The hassle was not worth the sub par food.

First time eating here - kind of a small joint, make a reservation beforehand. Had the quiche and nicoise salad (the dressing was fantastic the quiche was decent - very garlicky and hand a bit too many mushrooms for me) overall, great place to dine on a budget! lattes are fabulous too. 2 meals 1 latte and desert all under 40$.

Went to Divino the first time during lunch hour - make a reservation, this place gets busy. Seating is a bit small - not suggested for a big crowd. Server was great, very attentive. A bit pricey for the meal (got their green salad and it was 15$)

Setting aside the price I really enjoyed the meal and the atmosphere was nice to be in during lunch. Appetizers were nice too, the olivers and pomme frittes were great! Cooked the scallops great and had a good menu variety

I would suggest Divino for any lunch occasion - haven't tried any dinners.

You will never find better service anywhere else. They were perfect. And the food was perfect, too. I had pork tenderloin that was amazing, and every course was just right. The portions were not too big, so it made the multi-course meal really enjoyable. If you're looking for a great place to splurge, you'll find amazing food here.

We are new to Calgary and have been checking all the places to eat.......well this place just got the first .....WE WILL BE BACK!

The service was amazing but we were a little early so there were not a lot of people there yet.

Bottom line we felt like they wanted to us to be welcomed and the food was great!

To many choices so we had a hard time deciding, and our server pointed us the way and to be honest we are happy we listened.......great job, great place.....and we feel we have to go back.....hats off many thanks....

Good place to go for pub food. Sometimes the service can be rather slow. They nickle and dime you with sauces, etc., and the server never tells you it is extra.
Pizza is good!
The only bad thing about this restaurant is that they turn up the music so loud you can't hear what your company is saying.

It was a great dinner. The meal was fantastic. The portion was enough for two and more. The price was very resonable. The wine not too expensive. But most of all, I didn't feel like I had to eat in a hurry. I felt very relaxed and enjoyed my dinner

Went to West with a girlfriend for lunch and found the restaurant to be decorated very "posh". We ordered the butter chicken quesadilla and the pad thai, both very nice dishes. I want to go back again to sample everything else on the menu. This restaurant has a different twist on the food so it is not the same humdrum food as what everyone else serves downtown.
The bad thing is they do not accept debit cards but they have an ATM. I don't care to give an extra 25% from the ATM to the restaurant for my transaction.

Visited last week and was shocked to see how terribly dirty this place was! Food scraps, chicken bones and litter all over the floor, dirty tables that were being wiped with a foul-smelling cloth, and no sanitizer/ bleach being used. The kitchen also looked in a bad way, with trays of sauces left out unrefrigerated on surfaces for the duration of our stay, and a dirty floor - I would certainly never eat there, and won't be returning for drinks, either.

Caffe Rosso has higher prices than I would like to pay for my average latte and sandwich, but I did splurge there for lunch recently and really enjoyed my food. The latte was great, and the thai coconut curry soup was also excellent. If they lowered their prices, I would eat and drink there all the time.

This is my favorite place for breakfast in Calgary. The diner is very modern and nicely decorated, creates an excellent Sunday brunch atmosphere. Food is delicious, very fresh, nice selection of all the favorite breakfast dishes as well as their own creations. Best fresh squeezed orange juice! Can be busy on the weekends but is worth the wait! Have a coffee while you wait! Food is excellent, especially considering it is around the same price as other more basic breakfast places around Calgary. Service is very good too! You can sit up at the counter or they will seat you at a table if you prefer.

I've wanted to try out this place for quite some time. It is a beautiful location. The staff are very knowledgeable and friendly. We had a large group and we were taken care of without question.
The food was outstanding and everyone said that their food was delicious! I had a mouthwatering steak and the best beets that I think, I have every tasted. Over all this was a great experience and I will be telling my friends the same thing.

Great place for lunch!! Great food and atmosphere! I'll definitely be back for the wine!! Love the caesar salad and pizza's are amazing!

They have the best martini selection in town, but expect to pay about $9 for one. They're great if you're willing to splurge - otherwise their highballs and beers are really cheap. Awesome mac and cheese, and the perogies are worth mentioning as well. Their pizzas/flatbreads/openfaced sandwiches could be improved, though. Fun, eclectic environment.

The service was fantastic. Food was delicious, though for that price it better be! The desserts were beautifully done and equally tasty. We definitely had a wonderful experience.

One of my favourite breakfast places. I prefer Avenue to other places just because of the atmosphere. The food is fantastic and keeps me coming back for more. The only downside is that sometimes the waitresses can be a bit iffy and impatience. I love the food too much to care haha!

We stopped in for a quick dinner before the movie and got just that. Our tempura was fast and hot, with four large shrimp and a nice assortment of veggies. The Sumo Boat was good, the steamed shrimp and spicy mayo rolls on the boat were our favourite, and the wasabi was hot and authentic. Some of the sashimi was dry and the edges were getting hard, but the overall meal was good. The patio was very nice too.

Another stale attempt at importing the traditional Irish pub. Sure they have Guiness available and have fish and chips on the menu but so does a thousand other sports bars in this city. Walk through the front door and your greeted with a large bar surrounded by flatscreens blaring hockey or football from the high-powered sound system.
If you're not slamming back the Guiness and just their to enjoy a meal, you might have wait awhile. The wait staff are well-trained to ignore those who aren't looking to throw away their money on a drinking binge.
The food is decent once it arrives but far from the advertised "authentic" Irish fair.

This restaurant is handy for parking after six with a great buffet for the money. All your favourite East Indian dishes are available plus desert for the amazing price of $12.95. It shouldn't be missed

This was new to us and well worth going. Nice restaurant decor and neat bar up stairs. The Korean tapas were new to us and thoroughly enjoyed. Good variety and value too. Our waitress guided us to choices and how to eat - much appreciated. Check the location on this site map as Gilchrist has it in the wrong quadrant for the GPS - it is SW. Mt husband was afraid he would not have enough to eat but was satiated. Chicken stone bowl, pancakes, ribs, all very good. We plan to go again.

You are going to get a consistently good meal here for the decent price. Service is excellent. The half portions are perfect for lunch. The kids like the food as well. In the summer the patio is great.

My team & I were at Rush for dinner last evening & everything we ate received the highest of praise from all in attendance. To quote one member at our table "that was the best meal I've had dinning out in months!".

From the black olive agnolotti, foie gras parfait, lobster & coconut bisque to the sablefish, duck breast and broek berkshire pork - - everyone thoroughly enjoyed their meal. The deserts were positively decadent. To complement the meal both red & white wines were suggested by the Sommelier which were wonderful. We all walked away very happy.

The service & attention to detail were impecable.

Love the atmosphere - a few tables could have been spaced a little further apart - but it didn't prevent us from having a wonderful time.

I know for a fact that all of us will be back to enjoy the Rush experience again - thank you!!

If there was a "zero" option for service, this is what I would have given this restaurant. I have been here twice and both times took THREE HOURS to leave. One of the times we went was Valentine's Day and they had a set menu that still took 3 hours to serve. We were unable to make our movie after dinner because of the length of time we were there.

Worst service I have ever experienced in my life. The waiter came around maybe once every hour.

Food was overpriced and not worth the wait. You can get much better food at any small North East restaurant that charges less than half as much.

The only thing this restaurant has going for it is its decor but once you've stared at it for 3 hours, for seem reason it doesn't seem as nice.

At the end of the night, when the bill arrived the server was very nice to make up for the hours he had spent ignoring us and wanted his tip.

I would not recommend this restaurant unless you have ample time to spare and want to pay a lot of money to sit there and be ignored for 3 hours except to bring out your food.

Not handicap friendly! There are unavoidable steps in to the dining room and a long walk to get to them. The food was very disappointing. The salad was bitter, but the bisque was not bad. The halibut itself was fine, but the "risotto" was more like green oatmeal. It was awful. The
portion sizes for the appetizer and meal were passable, but the deserts were *tiny*. The "chocolate trio" in particular. The pecorino fries and bread were delicious at least.

The dining room is a little too small (the tables are too close
together), but otherwise it is nice. The service was excellent,
including the valet parking.

But a restaurant is all about the food, and at this price (not cheap), I won't be going back. Too bad. I had high hopes.

Went to Caesars for the first time ever, at Willow Park Village location. Had a gift certificate from Willow Park and thought a great opportunity to try Caesars. The interior is very dated. The "garlic/cheese bread" was Texas toast and diner-ish in quality. The "salad" that came before our steak was a bagged lettuce variety, not a single vegetable in it other than lettuce. The steak was very good, the potato also. When paying I gave the waiter the gift certificate that was valid for all shops at Willow Park Village. He returned later with the owner in tow who said how were they supposed to get their money from this gift certificate? The owner was unbelievably rude and walked away from us. We ended up paying by credit card. A huge disappointment given all the good things I had heard about Caesars. The food (other than the steak and potato) was a let down but the behaviour of the owner was downright appaling. Needless to say I will not be recommending the restaurant and will be sharing this surprisingly negative story.

Wow. I have only tried the salad, but what a DEAL! this salmon burger is only $15?? I'll be back with more people next time! Need I say more?

I ran across Rush one day after a late night at work. Had already had some boardroom food. Yum. (there really should be a sarcasm font).

Anyhow, my colleague and I just wanted a martini, to sit back and relax. ooh, and an appy menu. How can one resist? Especially at $5 a pop?

Tuna tartare. Everybody does it. But definitely, not everybody does it like Rush. mmmm..

Mushroom tempura. mmmm...

Lamb Ravioli ... great sauce. but the other 2 were definitely better.

Should we order more ..?

Yes! cheese platter. Well it's a cheese platter. I think it's the same everywhere, no?

Where are we at? $36 or so? Really??

okay, I went back for lunch and it definitely got more expensive.

But Lounge? oh yes. Please.

oh, and if you've read this far - the rating is an average overall between the lounge and lunch experience.

This is the place to order it.

Always a pleasant experience, Ruths definitely serves it up! Appetizers like the buffalo mozzarella on tomato, escargot, and sides like potato au gratin make my mouth water just thinking about it. And those giant onion rings!

Oh wait, yes the Steaks. Simple. Sizzling. No Sauce other than wine needed. :)

Pricey. Yes. Not for everyday. Every once in a while though, one should indulge in a Ruth's steak experience.

Great single espresso and cappuccino. The barista (owner/manager?) had great knowledge and understanding of the beans they use. Great service and the panini was well priced and really hit the spot!

Great choice of menu and wines with excellent service.

The fist time I have eaten my starter with my desert, on the a metal tray with separate compartments!!

Won't be doing that again!

May be I chose badly, but I thought the house special would be more impressive.

If you are looking for service DO NOT go to Mango Shiva! We had a 7:30 reservation last night and after being ignored by ALL the staff that walked by us by the front door for 15 minutes, we were tempted to walk right back out and would have done if we weren't meeting friends there.

The service did not improve after we were finally seated. Having to ask for the same glass of wine 3 times is not my idea of good service. At least my second glass of wine we only had to ask for twice. Our mains sat in front of us for at least 5 minutes without rice, naan and cutlery.

The food was ok, but honestly the service was so poor that it took away from any positives.

I wish Calgary restaurants would pay less attention to the decor and more attention to the customers who keep them in business. I'm fed up with paying for crap service and mediocre food in this city.

The waiter knew we were unhappy with him when we had to flag another waiter over to finally take our main course order.

The most attention he paid to us was at the end of the evening when he dropped off the cheque and clearly was trying to save face in order to influence us at the time of tipping. Don't get me wrong I'm all for giving good tips when the service warrants it, but the fact that you are expected to tip when the service is crap infuriates me!

Don't waste your time and money on this place!

The oysters and sauces that come with them are to die for. If you are smart you know how to get the special oyster menu. There are sometimes dozens more types you can get if you know how. The only down side is if you eat the food from the menu in the oyster bar. You have to go upstairs to the restaurant to get the good food. It cost a little bit more but believe me it is worth it. The food in the oyster bar is bland while the food upstairs is perfection and the service is too.

Next time you go make a reservation and eat in the upstairs restaurant. You can still get all the oysters from the oyster bar but your taste buds will thank you for the rest of your food choices.

The service ranges between great and decent, we have never been disappointed but never been "WOW'd" either. The mushroom soup is to die for, I would highly recommend it. Their wine list is also quite affordable and most of their wines are under 50$ which I find to be cheaper than most restaurants of its class.

Most of the steak on the menu is Angus Beef from America, but what was nice about the Ruth's here they had an Alberta Beef Choices too. The appetizers were fantastic and so was the wine that the waitress recommended.
The steak was good and was cooked perfect but lacked the flavor I am used to with Alberta beef, also the sides were quite tasteless. Its a nice place to go for a romantic dinner.

I was hungry and had finally decided to check out the newest location of Caffe Rosso. I have heard good things and wanted to try it out. The description of the meatloaf sandwich was tempting. It was so tender, juicy and tasty! I nearly forgot to get my caffine fix before my next meeting. Try this new location. I'm so glad that there is more options on this end of 8th Ave now.

Excellent lunch buffet experience, aptly prices at $12.95, lots of varieties including south indian food. love this place.

What can I say - the oyster bar at the Catch is one of my favourite places in Calgary! The service is always amazing; the oysters top notch; a great wine list; and lots of other options on the menu for those not into oysters (however, I do have to admit - I need to be convinced to order beyond the oysters).

Rush is by far my favorite restaurant. Super food and wonderful service.

I've been to the Velvet Restaurant several times for lunches and a couple of times before a show at the Grand Theater. The servers are top notch and allow you to have time to enjoy the food and conversation without being bothered, yet they are on top of your every need.

The food is wonderful from the delectable lamb popsicles to the risoto, every dish I have had is tasty and presented with a flare.

I would highly reccomend the Velvet Restauarant as it is a hidden gem in Calgary's downtown.

So if anyone is looking for a true Japanese experience here it is. Make a reservation for the sushi bar and be prepared for a treat. Talk to the guys over the counter, ask for their recommendations - don't even bother looking at a menu. Ask for something unusual and you shall get it. Traditional Japanese restaurants run a little differently - the servers do not come to you to check up on you - you call for them when you need something. So if your glass is empty, call a waitress that is walking by and she'll get you another. If you're in a tatami room in the back, call out "Sumimasen" which is "excuse me" in Japanese - trust me this is not rude at all.

Lets talk food. Traditional sushi does not consist of dynamite rolls, kamakaze rolls, or dragon rolls. These are north americanized creations. In Japan there are basically four rolls, Kappa (cucumber), Tekka (tuna), Negi Toro (Belly of tuna and green onions) and Futomaki (large roll with egg, gourd and vegetables). So when thinking of sushi, shift your focus away from the roll, and experiment with the different varieties of fish. Sushi Hiro carries the widest variety of fresh fish that i have ever seen in north america. Try some Aji, Kampachi, Kohada, Kinmedai, Awabi, and anything else that you have never heard of - its well worth the experience!

Sushi Hiro is a true traditional Japanese restaurant - the best and only one of its kind in Calgary!

I loved the tapas here. The best yam fries in town! The rice rolls were also unexpectedly delicious. Can't wait to go back. I'd highly recommend this place if youre looking to try something new.

Great new video, very cool idea!

Watching that Tower of Seafood being built is amazing, always love ordering it with my buddies after work with Stellas.

I know Artigiano well from my Vancouver days was extremely excited to see it open up doors in Calgary last year. The Calgary location seems to line up back to the door every half hour between 8-10am and again from 1:30-3pm on weekdays, so I always have the best luck there on the 15s and at lunch. They have a nice selection of sandwiches for lunch (the lamb is a personal fave), and you can usually find a table more easily than in any of the jam-packed food courts. As far as coffee goes: somewhere right below deVille, and miles above the thousands of packed Starbucks littering the rest of downtown.

Nice to see that the standards are still high...excelent food and service...

I had some meetings last week with some members of the Arts Community and dropped into this gem located in the old Burns Building across from City Hall and the Olympic Plaza.
This place does a booming business...and for good reason! The lattes are fantastic.
I'm going to make it a priority to host informal meetings on Stephen Avenue at Insomnia just so that I can get my fix of their great brew.
Nice setting, friendly staff, cool and eclectic crowd.

Had Veggie Korma with mom (lunch), who had some type of chicken dish, probably Butter Chicken (she's not too adventurous). The Korma was excellent, warm and quite spicy. The textures (type) of veggies were my favorite, small and crunchy. Definately order some nan to go with this dish. Mostly work lunch crowd there for buffet, which is reasonable. Menu is reasonable.

Very busy, be prepared to stand in line and wait up to an hour to be seated, but the food is good. Definately a breakfast stop, wholesome, warm, good quality food. Good atmosphere, but full and not too much room. Was able to take a young child, but was nervous about the glass slab on top of the tablecloth (unsecured to the tables), a little dangerous with an impatient toddler! I went back a few months ago with Torontonians for brunch and they gave it an approval as well.

Insomnia is in a gorgeous space, a sunny corner of the Burns Building- it could be a coffeehouse in Vienna or Buenos Aires, the sort of room that one rarely finds in too-modern Calgary. But the appeal here isn't just the lovely setting; coffee is top notch, with espresso beans sourced from Calgary's own Fratello Coffee (Insomnia uses the "competition blend," which is Fratello's top-drawer, boutique espresso) and delicious home-made baked goods (best cupcakes in town!), soups and panini.

I get a coffee and a sugar cookie from Insomnia almost every morning and it's a most pleasant start to the day.

Their coffee is french pressed and wonderful. Their sugar cookies are equally as great and go perfectly with the coffee. They change up the selection of baked goods regularly (If you're on twitter you can follow them and find out what's coming out of the oven!) The majority of the time the baked goods are so on point, although I have had a couple that missed the mark a bit (a bit bland or dry.)

They offer a very cheap and delicious lunch soup that usually changes every day.

I don't get the pleasure of sitting inside the coffee shop, but it's a well kept, high end impressive looking place with a welcoming atmosphere.

Support the independent family run businesses, especially when they make coffee as good as Insomnia!

The owner of Centini must have written the last review. The restaurant has a great environment, the service is ok, but the food is average to low; food is tasteless and it relies only on presentation. I know food comes first through your eyes but it has to end in your mouth and my mouth wasn't impress. Centini is a restaurant where, if you don't spend $200 on a bottle of wine, your service would be tardy.
On this website it shows that Cenitni's is a $20-$30 dollar range restaurant, maybe for a coffee and dessert. Pastas are about $30 and main courses go for $55 and up. My dessert was $12 and it was just like a dessert out of a supermarket, my fiance had profiterols and those were store bought, even though the waiter said they were not; my fiance and I are sure that Centini's buys them from Cosco. You cannot have a good meal for less than a $100. This place is overpriced and not worth a second visit.

Okay, so maybe eating at a food court was my first mistake. However, the Chicken Pad Thai at Thai Express was unpalatable. It was burnt and the charcoal odor it emanated was enough to make me sick. I quickly chucked the whole dish in the garbage and ordered Chubby Chicken Strips from the nearby A & W! Seriously, terrible. My boyfriend spotted another party of people throwing out their Thai Express meals as well. Awful, avoid at all costs!

Service was very poor, our waitress forgot about drinks, messed up our orders and brought out wrong items. The food was very bland and the garnish that accompanied our meals were terrible. Undercooked veg, over peppered potatoes and the worst tasting corn we have ever had. For a restaurant that prides itself in its bbq I shocked to see only four items on the bbq menu. Chicken,ribs,beef short ribs and pulled pork/chicken, I got the beef ribs, I mean rib. Thats right one rib that was half fat, pretty tough and no flavour of the smoker at all. The rest of our party had the crab and they seemed to enjoy it, but how do you mess up crab. Steam it and slather it in butter. We ordered pecan pie for dessert and got a apple tart. It was awful, the worst pie crust we have ever had. We had to cut it with a knife, it was very heavy and tasteless. The apples were dried out and flavorless. All in all I would avoid this restaurant like the H1N1 flu unless you want to go out for wings and beer.

Overall a great experience. Excellent hospitality and amazing seafood. Great enviroment. More upscale. Works well for business and dates.

First time reservation - service impeccable, food good, value for money - have to say "No." You can get as tasty a meal with equal ambiance at Da Guidos for a third of the price.

Overall a good experience. I have never had a bad meal here. Good Flavours. Nice Decor, good food, and a very pleasant location. More suited for a date than a client meeting (too far to walk from office in core)
One of the more enjoyable Seafood places in this city.

What am I missing here? I keep giving this place a try. I just cannot figure out why this place is popular.
The only thing I can say is that it is not terrible, but it is definately consistenly some of the blandest food I have eaten downtown.
Wonton crusted Prawns? Ask for extra dipping sauce because that is the only thing you will taste.
I guess the Oyster bar has some appeal? I give up.

Relatively okay Japanese, for Calgary. But absolutely everything is extremely oversalted. The Ocean Seaweed Salad is very good, but the sushi isn't very fresh and the cooked dishes are all, like I said - salty! We've been there a few times so it wasn't an isolated thing.

Centini consistently offers the best food and service in the city. We enjoy sitting at the bar or taking clients from out of town. We are always proud to show them Centini.

The atmosphere at this restaurant is excellent. The mood lighting sets a tone and the staff is extremely polite and helpful. The menu will satisfy anyone wishing to try something new and the prices are relatively reasonable. A very enjoyable dining experience.

The coffee in this place is excellent! Same with their pasteries. I have also sent friends and they too have enjoyed it very much! Alot better than starbucks.

This has become a staple for Breakfast in the area. Nothing cheap about their portion sizes. Coffee is blah, but food is worth the trade off. LOL
Burgers, Pizza, Lasagna, all great lunch or dinner meals. Overall, most of their food is rather well put together.
I recommend a side Tomato Bocconcini salad to your lunch.
OH, and the Clam Chowder is one of the better ones downtown too.

I hadn't been to Oceana since it was formerly La Caille on the Bow. For a mid-week lunch, it was a great choice. I find parking generally challenging in the downtown core so Oceana's customer parking lot was a welcome relief. My friend and I were seated in the lounge, a comfortable yet sophisticated setting. Our drinks were seen to promptly and our lunch order was taken right away (it seemed obvious to me that they must be used to the business crowd with little time to spare.) I tried the lunch special: Cajun Snapper with grilled veggies, garlic mashed potatoes, and a starter of the seafood chowder. For $18.95 I thought it was a great deal considering the quantity of food, location, and atmosphere. Lunch was great, with flavours that were pleasant yet not overpowering (the cajun and the garlic that is.) I have since then told friends about it and am happy to recommend it here on chomp.

Very authentic food. Like eating in Abruzzo ( http://abruzzi.wordpress.com ) Italy. You will not be disappointed.

Caesars is a tradition in Calgary. the cocktail of the same name was invented in Calgary but not there. However they make a great Caesar!

Steaks cooked in an open grill in the dining room adds a nice touch to your dining experience.

Goood atmosphere and food, the waiters are all older men and can be cranking so service can be tough sometimes, let them know your expectations and they seem to step up their game

I went to meet a friend that I hadn't seen for awhile. It ended up that I had to wait a bit for him to arrive and that was such a blessing!
There isn't that many things in life that are better than time sitting outside on a gorgeous day in summer, with rustling leaves and a patio setting like the River Cafe. I'm sure that everyone has experienced times like this. It is like time has stopped, even if it is just for a brief moment. It is memorable and blissful all in one.

I had time to soak up the sun as the hum of busy chatting people in the restaurant seemed to flow down the steps of the patio like the river that surrounds the island. Thank goodness he was late!
My server was busy so, Justin, really didn't mind that I wasn't interested in ordering right away.
Once my friend did get there, that little afternoon rush was waining and we ordered right away.
My friend had ordered the risotto(which I considered) and I ordered the bison burger. It sounded so interesting and sometimes you just "feel" like a burger.
One ad I remember for this place says "Just a walk in the park". This is definately not JUST anything. The food is amazing! The whole experience is heavenly and memorable!
I think that it has to be the owner's attention to detail that makes this such an escape and easy vacation from the daily grind that we tend to get caught up in. I love how conscious and deliberate all things are here. Nothing has been missed, right down to the wasp bottles so cleverly placed..
Back to the food...
My burger was a feast for the senses. It was moist and flavourful. The potatoes were delicious.
If you forget that you are in Calgary while sitting on the patio, I would forgive you, since this seems so Metropolitan. You must check it.

I took my husband to Teatro for his 45th Birthday, first of all they stuck us behind a post in a corner. The Waiter did not even pretend to care about the service we received, sad to say - we will not be going to Teatro again.

Nice patio atmosphere; good food at a good price; great place for watching the Avenue crowds, but service could use some improvement

The service was terrible. My daughter had accidentally spilled her milk and the waitress wiped some of it up. I had to ask for new napkins for we had used ours to soak up the spill milk. Ontop of all that, she brought out utensils for the main course and placed it on the milk that had yet to be wipped. It was not worth my money.

Never!!! So a place like that one!!!
Staff un polite food no good at all,and specialy we found a dirty enviroment!!!Specialy washrooms

I have been there,in the restaurant,and for dancing.
In the entrance there is an old lady that she is very unpolite.
I saw the kitchen and it is very dirty,and also forget to drink in there because is very expensive and poor service...

With a large group of 26 people we received excellent service. The menu has a great selection to accomodate many. The food is amazing. The chilean seabass was cooked and seasoned to perfection. The freshness of the food is very compariable to the what you would find on the coast.

Always very consistent on high quality food, service, but mostly experience.

The worst espresso that I have ever tasted. Dark brown sludge. People give your heads a shake.

I had stumbled across this pub after work one day with a couple collegues. The atmosphere was amazing, service was one of the best that I've experienced in a pub in Calgary, and the food was great!!
We had wanted a place to relax and have a great time. We've been to other places on Stephen Ave and had never found a place that we would ever consider frequeting often. This place is now our new hang out. Beers are a little pricey but well worth it. They have a long list of beers that are offered on tap which would satisfy anyones need. Guinness is the best in the city and poured correctly. I've been to Ireland a few years back and haven't had a Guinness that's even compairable until now.
The server was great. We were just wanting a few appetizers to munch on and she recommended a few that were great! One of which were Nachos that were made with Potatoes instead of Tortilla chips!
The atmosphere is great with high vaulted ceilings, not blaring music or TV's, and a awesome bar.
I recommend all of my clients that are coming in from out of town to go there and haven't had a bad comment since!
Go to this place! It will not disappoint!!

Very nice atmosphere just out of the bustle of downtown, excellent service, and even better food! I cannot wait to go back!!!
If you are not sure about what to order ask them, I found the people who worked there to be so helpful at explaining and recommending items. We all had something different and enjoyed each every bit as much as the other. Thumbs up for the yam fries!!!

The food is good but not authentic. The service is good can't disagree with that. But for good and filling Vietnamese place, you can find somewhere else to eat for less than $10/person. I just find it ridiculous to pay almost $19 for a bowl of vermicelli and chicken!

Great food, Good looking girls, and fantastic service.
I eat here once a week at least, sometimes more.
What more could a guy ask for.

More expensive than most sushi places but large pieces, and very fresh.
Overall good experience. Try the Shrimp and Scallop Appetizer: great flavor and a little spicy.

Joey's in the Eau Claire market area is a must visit for travelers to downtown Calgary. Set near the river, it is a handy location for walkers, bikers, shoppers and diners. Normally, I don't give restaurants second visits during short trips to different cities that I travel to. Joey's was different. The service was above average, the aroma within the restaurant made your stomach growl just walking into the building and the food is not your standard restaurant/sports bar/bistro fare. While burgers and fries do show on the menu, the restaurant also features finer dining delights. Two items topped my dining list. The first evening at Joey's featured a delightful Seafood Sicilian Pesto Linguini filled with a healthy portion of shrimp and large scallops. The pesto sauce, incorporating a 200 year old Sicilian recipe, is to die for! My second night at Joey's featured a fantastic Blackened Spiced Basa (fish). This was recommended by my server, Brendan, and by chef Chris. Don't let the "blackened" scare you off- it is perfectly seasoned so the spice does not overpower the basa. The basa is served over a cumin rice and garnished with a tomato pickled ginger salsa and seasonal vegetable. I was fortunate to have asparagus, cooked to perfection. This was coupled with a fantastic glass of Kim Crawford Savignon Blanc (New Zealand) which was recommended by the General Manager Steve Hamelin, a gentleman with a true gift for matching wines with food. So, if you are looking for good food and fine wine at reasonable prices, Joey's at Eau Claire is a restaurant worth sinking your teeth into.

Bruce
Regina

OMG! Amazing food, beautiful presentation. The chef is a doll.

A MUST try for something unique and yummy!

Food was quite good, service friendly and prices reasonable. Yam fries were fantastic.

The ambiance is amazing and the food tastes great. Order the Pear Pie dessert. If you are in a rush, order it with your meal. Since it is prepared fresh it can take a while to arrive!

I only had a coffee and a beer but Johnny is quite friendly and quick to jump up to help any customers. He said that he had a DJ in on the weekend. I will have to check it out some day. I was happy to be able to watch the game, but too bad the flames just sucked so much.

omikase is unreal

I had a chance to check this place out today. Wow does it look great, the food was wonderful and priced well. They also had an excellant choice of wines. I will be back soon.

Each trip to Murrieta's is a great time. Good wine list and live music on the weekend. The atmosphere is elegant without being stuffy. Menu offers regional cuisine choices and plenty of tasty dishes.

If you want terrible food, and expensive drinks then this is the place for you. We had been regulars going with a fair sized group of people about once a month for about a year, and this particular day it was my husbands birthday. So I made a cake and when I entered asked if it was possible for them to put it in the fridge for me. The girl said no problem and took it away. The servers shift was over and when the next one started I asked if she could bring it out after we all had dinner (there were about 6 of us) she said sure and asked if the other waitress had told us about a "cake surcharge" a cake surcharge ?! I thought, but said no she had not, the girl explained that it was for the plates that we were going to use... so they bring the cake and the 6 plates and forks and when the bill arrives it was $25!!!! has anyone heard of such and obsurd thing?! To make matters worse when the clear plastic lid for the cake finally made its way back to the table, it had finger marks all on the inside to where previously some of the top of the cake had smeard! DISGUSTING!
Please save your self the time never go here!

The seafood and sushi is fresh and delightful. The Miso soup is by far the best thing on the menu. If you are feeling adventurous, try to beff tataki, which is the best dishes and even a few suprises!

I only knew about De Ville, because of the new location on 1st street SW. I was looking forward to getting to know 'luxury' when a friend had suggested the Art Central location to satisfy my americano addiction so I took a walk in that direction. I love the birds eye view of the construction, as I have a keen interest in development as well as coffee. I would ease into my visit with coffee first. The young man was so fast and efficient that it was ready before I got my twoony on the counter. As Paul the owner and I mused about, good coffee is not easy and so worth the effort that is required. It is unfortunate when businesses don't recognise the benefits of mastering the art, we call coffee. These people UNDERSTAND! The americano was great. Feeling a little peckish, I asked what kind of sandwiches might be available. I went for the bresaola, soppressala salami & aged cheddar focaccia for $8. I found out that the ingredients come from Saint Germain daily and wow, was it tasty. Paul made me have the leek and potato soup and it was a great combination. Nice work people. It's a small menu, but what is there seems to be luxurious in quality.

atomic is one of the best deals in the downtown core - great subs and great bubble tea! an absolute must for your weekday fix!

I was craving a REAL breakfast and these guys have the real thing!
From the best hashbrowns to amazing eggs. I had the cheese omlette and it really hit the spot. The service is always friendly and sincere. I love this place.

The combination of flawless food, impeccable service and elegantly refined surroundings creates a meal to remember. This is fine dining at it's best.

I had never tried Korean bbq before so I thought I'd give Anju a try. I had the braised bison short rib - an extremely flavorful dish. I had been to the space before when it was a coffee shop and was very impressed with the transformation of the interior - fresh and sophisticated. Service was prompt and friendly. All in all a great dining experience...I'll be back to try some of their unique cocktail offerings.

Everytime I'm in Teatro I am in awe of the service, ambiance, and food.

absolutely beautiful restaurant with great service and food. the souffle is amazing and the sticky toffee pudding was decadent! everyone should go here, best restaurant in town

This popular Vancouver coffee chain has made it's long awaited appearance in Calgary. Their espresso beverages are silky smooth and made with some of the worlds best coffee beans. They are also known for their world famous baristas who produce "latté art" on every cup. You won't find a better coffee in town.

I love breakfast anytime of day and Avenue Diner is my top pick for breakfast in Calgary. They have a wonderful menu that features everything from oats to stuffed french toast, corn beef hash and deliciously fluffy pancakes. There is also a variety of lunch items. It's a fabulous place for brunch on a weekend or stop by for lunch during the week. Service is always friendly and on the ball. Well worth the wait but go early!

The garage is a great place to play pool and enjoy some good appetizers! It has a very friendly atmosphere! You have the option of using coin operated pool tables or pay by the hour tables.

Decent chain restaurant with great portions and good eats. Feels a little Metropolitan Grill. Would be a safe bet in any major city.

Now this is a nice Earl's location! The atmosphere at this location is classy! The place definitely caters to the typical down town business crowd.

I celebrated my friend's promotion at this restaurant. Good spot for a larger crowd if needed. I really enjoyed the food and liked the artistic lighting. I don't remember the service which means that I was able to get lost in my people. Thanks.

This is definitely a family restaurant!

I lucked out with some great entertainment including a happy fiddle at this joint. The food and beverage are just what you expect to find at a pub.

They have great food and service! This location has a much less classy atmosphere compared to the Chinook and NE locations.

Started out the night out at the Unicorn recently. Great atmosphere for connecting to others and the service was very friendly. I'd go again.

This restaurant has a very nice rustic and relaxing atmosphere! The patio is also quite beautiful as this place is located right in the heart of Prince's Island park. It is on the pricier side but you are definitely getting tons of atmosphere at this little gem!

I love Chinese food and have been to many great restaurants. This place did not meet my food expectations.

I love a good breakfast and you are sure to enjoy this place. I just wish there was another across the street so that I didn't have to wait outside to get in.

I love this restaurant! It is one of my favorites! Great food, great atmosphere, great service and great value. Oh, and great appetizers! My favorites are the ribs and calamari!

The best Mac and Cheese ever!!! There is usually a line up to get in but it is definetely worth the wait the atmosphere, service and food are great. It is a nice place to go for a table for two to four. I wouldn't suggest going with a large group unless you have time to wait for a table.

I was most recently at the Unicorn for Superbowl Sunday, we had a blast!  They had drinks on special all night, a free buffet with Sloppy Joes!!!  A nice spin on the usual chili you see at a good sporting event.We were at the Unicorn for Grey Cup as well, again cheap drinks, free food, prizes, the whole bit.  It's our new spot for sporting events.  Keep it up guys!

We have been here many times. Each time we are in awe of the amazing food. I am the hugest fan of the salt and pepper squid! The shrimp is also a deal maker when it comes to my children eating! Thank you Golden Inn.