The Bison Restaurant

This place definitely has a mouth-watering menu and after seeing the picture of the bison burger on the website, my partner and I were sold. We started off with Escargot in a Bone ($18.00), which was very good. More surprisingly however, is the amount of escargot that was being served as an appetizer. I'm used to getting the quintessential appetizer that gives you 6 escargot in garlic and butter for the same price, but The Bison served up, what felt like, 6 scoops! We were very impressed...

From there we both ordered the Bison Burger as our entree and I hate to say it, but we were both sadly disappointed. For starters, it looked nothing like the picture on their website (and yes I understand there is a difference between marketing and real-life). The website burger was a thing of beauty, stacked impossibly high and shimmering with all the juiciness in the world. It looked like it was going to be a mess to eat, and if you know anything about burgers, a messy burger is a delicious burger. When the real-life burger showed up, it was just so... 6 escargot when you're on the edge of your seat and eagerly waiting for 6 scoops. One look and I knew my hands were not going to get as messy as I was hoping they would. The tomato jam was good enough and you can't go wrong with arugula, but the meat, which should be the star of the show, looked like a pre-formed frozen patty (a high-end pre-formed frozen patty, but none the less) that gave up before the gates even opened. And then there was the "poutine"... the boiled-baby-potatoes-served-whole-with-no t-enough-sauce-and-no-where-near-enough- flavour-poutine. To sum it up, if I had to describe the Bison Burger and poutine using one word, that word would be Eeyore.

On the bright side, the service was fantastic and I would definitely go back to try the other appetizers on the menu, but the so-so $25.00 burger has left me a little gun-shy to go any further than that.

A great fine dining experience! My fiancé and I started with the Gnocchi Poutine which was absolutely mouthwatering. For dinner we had the Halibut and the Bison Ribeye, super filling and delicious. Not only was the food outstanding but so were the staff, very personable and professional! The one thing I would change would be the entrance to the restaurant. Since it was connected with a tavern a lady at the front had to call for both the tavern and restaurant to check for available seats. It didn’t ruin our night out but it would have been better if we didn’t have to awkwardly stand there while she called to see how many seats are available.

Great food, great views, and absolutely the best Old Fashion I’ve ever had. This place was quaint and cozy and food served was proportionate to price. I would eat here again for sure. Servers and staff were outstanding. Well done!!

I don't have anything negative to say about this restaurant at all. Phenomenal food and exceptional service. The food may seem expensive, but it is totally worth it. All the dishes my friend and I tried were superb.

For dinner, I had the Braised Bison Short Ribs which was beautifully plated as well as rich, tender, flavorful and filling. I had the Baked Alaska for dessert and it was as delicious as it was stunning on the plate. For a drink, I had the Mountain Moose which was delightful. My friend tried the seared scallops, gnocchi pouting and the white chocolate mousse and she raved about her meal too.

Additional tip: The restaurant is situated on the second floor above The Tavern. Sit outside if you can, it can feel a little bit warm inside.

Long story short - I would definitely recommend this place and I will absolutely return.

I was bit surprised by their price at first, but after the free bread, I had to admit their price was really fair. Probably the best poutine I ever had and will have. Amazing food with great service!

Absolutely delicious. Mouth watering meals and better ambiance. Sit outside if its nice!

Wonderful food, professional services and very helpful staff. Halibut was my favorite dish, so delicious. Drinks were good also, nice restaurant with open kitchen, just a little bit of smoke if you sit inside. Pricey but worth a try 😀

We came here with no reservation on a Friday but was still able to get a table. The atmosphere is really nice, service was great and they have a fairly impressive drink selection. All their ingredients are from Canadian farms which is neat. This place has a mouth-watering menu that tastes even better than it sounds!

Well thought out restaurant; quality food, excellent service.
Although on the pricey side (even for Banff), you will get a very well thought out dining experience.

Food is great. Small portions. Seriously, the scallop appetizer is like over 15 bucks and its 2 little pieces. Its good but come on. Get the venison.

Its on Bear st at second floor. very delicious food. friendly service.
Menu is not big but great food.

Excellent food. Music was a little too loud and seating was too far apart for our romantic date. However, our server was really nice and we got a window seat with a few to an outdoor fire pit. Overall, good experience!