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River Café, Calgary, AB

River Café

4.6
4.6
4462 Reviews
CAN$31 to CAN$50
Canadian
Top tags:
An extraordinary dining experience is to embark on a journey. We have created a beautiful place in an extraordinary setting and have tended to the details that make you feel at home: staff who care, chefs who are passionate about quality and the regional seasonal ingredients that bring to your palate a taste of place.

Getting to River Cafe is just a walk in the park.

Access River Café on Prince's Island Park from:
1. North side crossing the Bow River and Memorial Drive at the Calgary Curling Club.
2. South East end of the island at the 2nd street SW bridge, directly East of Eau Claire Market.
3. South West end of the island at 6th Street SW and Eau Claire Way near the Peace Bridge.

Eau Claire Plaza is currently closed for construction.
Parking is available on the street in the Eau Claire area, underground at Eau Claire Market or North of Memorial Drive.

Thank you for choosing to dine with us.

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 p.m.
Booked 27 times today
Experiences are available.

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Price
    CAN$31 to CAN$50
  • Cuisines
    Canadian, Farm-to-table, Contemporary Canadian
  • Hours of Operation
    Brunch & Dinner Sat, Sun 10:00 am–10:00 pm Lunch & Dinner Wed–Fri 11:00 am–10:00 pm
  • Phone number
    (403) 261-7670
  • Website
    http://www.river-cafe.com/
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress Code
    Casual Dress
  • Executive Chef
    Scott MacKenzie
  • Catering
    Enjoy an exclusive cocktail party or dinner in your home presented and prepared by River Café. Our accomplished culinary team will prepare an exquisite menu tailored specifically to your event, executed by our professional service team. Experience a culinary journey presented with the elegance, beauty, and professional service. You and your guests can relax while we look after all of the details.
  • Private party facilities
    For an intimate gathering of 8 guests or a stylish cocktail party reception of 250, we are pleased to cater to your every need. Private and semi-private events are available. Please contact our Event Manager for more information, events@river-cafe.com
  • Private party contact
    June Doan: (403) 261-7670
  • Location
    Prince's Island Park, 25 Prince's Island Park SW, Calgary, AB T2P 0R1
  • Neighbourhood
    Calgary
  • Parking Details
    Paid parking is available on the street during the day and no charge after 6pm. Free street parking on Sundays. Heated underground parking at Eau Claire Market for a $5 flat rate evenings and weekends. Calgary Parking Authority lot near the Calgary Curling Club across memorial drive.
  • Additional
    Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Indoor Fireplace, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, View, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Featured in

Experiences

  • Chef's Tasting Menu

    $130.00 per person

    Multiple dates available
    Let the Chef take you on a 5 course culinary journey. An ever changing showcase of Canada's best organic, seasonal ingredients including Oceanwise seafood and Alberta grass fed beef.
    Chef's Tasting Menu photo

  • Valentine's Day

    $130.00 per person

    Feb 14, 2024 only
    Join us for a special Valentine's Day five course Chef’s Tasting Menu with your sweetheart or loved ones. Vegetarian Tasting Menu also available. $130 per person + gst. Optional Standard Wine Pairing, Premium Wine Pairing or 0-Proof Cocktail Pairing. All parties have 2 hours to dine with us.
    Valentine's Day photo

What 4,462 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.6
4.6 based on recent ratings
  • 4.6Food
  • 4.6Service
  • 4.7Ambience
  • 4.2Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

  • Calgary

    Great for outdoor dining

  • Calgary

    Great for scenic views

  • Calgary

    Canadian

4,462 Reviews

  1. NWCalgaryFoodie

    Calgary

    4 reviews

    4.0

    4 reviews

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The food and service is always great, and the ambiance was fantastic: a fresh snowfall covered the ground and the surrounding greenery. The only issue I have with the River Cafe is how loud it is. We took my mom, who has hearing aids, and we couldn't have a conversation without yelling.

    Is this helpful?

  2. TamiB

    Calgary

    16 reviews

    vip
    3.0

    16 reviews

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 4
    I brought business partners from out of town here for lunch . River Cafe is always my go to . I found the service very slow and food came late. The staff provided another appetizer to apologize for the delay, which was very nice. Not sure if they were short staffed? We had honestly 3 different waiters assisting us ? Just was not the same experience as in the past .

    Is this helpful?

  3. CalgaryPa

    Manitoba

    9 reviews

    5.0

    9 reviews

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Delicious food. Outstanding service. Beautiful location. What more could you want?

    Is this helpful?

  4. GrantP

    Calgary

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We enjoyed great food, great, attentive service.

    Is this helpful?

  5. StephenB

    Edmonton

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on December 2, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Very classy place. Five star the entire way. One of Calgary’s top restaurants.

    Is this helpful?

  6. OpenTable Diner

    Calgary

    1 review

    3.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 30, 2023

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    Really good place to have a meal with your loved ones, however very limited (only 1) option for vegetarian main course during lunch hours. 3 of my guests ended up having cauliflower for lunch 😂😂😂😂

    Is this helpful?

  7. AlanC

    Calgary

    6 reviews

    5.0

    6 reviews

    Dined on November 29, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Unique, interesting, delicious dishes. Careful waiters and chefs regarding food intolerances. Our favourite dish is the smoked sablefish.

    Is this helpful?

  8. OpenTable Diner

    Vancouver

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 29, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The service, food and atmosphere was absolutely perfect.

    Is this helpful?

  9. OpenTable Diner

    Hawaii

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 28, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great spot for a delicious meal! Ambience was lovely.

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  10. DaveW

    Calgary

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on November 27, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The food was outstanding. The service was very attentive without being at all intrusive. A great dining experience which is what we are accustomed to here.

    Is this helpful?

  11. OpenTable Diner

    Calgary

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on November 27, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The service was exceptional and the woof was good quality and very delicious

    Is this helpful?

  12. Bingbong

    Calgary

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 26, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The river cafe is the perfect place for a lovely meal with those you love.

    Is this helpful?

  13. LynelS

    Calgary

    4 reviews

    4.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on November 26, 2023

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The wait for the meal was a bit longer than last time but all in all a good experience again.

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  14. Lesley

    Calgary

    2 reviews

    4.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on November 26, 2023

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Loved our experience. Nice vibes. The bread to start was great, the halloumi to start was surprisingly excellent. For our mains, we loved the pork belly. The duck was a bit tough to chew and the side wasn't our favorite, but not bad. Our server was pleasant and attentive. We stayed and chatted for a long time so was happy with the pace of service.

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  15. OpenTable Diner

    Calgary

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on November 25, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We travelled to Calgary from Red Deer for a weekend getaway, and booked a table for 2 for brunch at the River Cafe at 10:30am on November 25th, 2023. This place is quite unique, has a wonderful rustic cabin designed interior, and came highly recommended. They focus on fresh, local ingredients whenever possible, and take pride in creating dishes that are delightful and bursting with flavour. Kevin was our Waiter and was very friendly, attentive, and extremely knowledgable about the menu items and the restaurants focus on fresh, locally sourced ingredients. He was an absolute pleasure to talk to! We began with the Island Fizz drinks, which were very refreshing. Followed those with a Cappuccino and a Baileys and coffee which were much appreciated after the walk to the restaurant in some brisk cold weather that morning. To start, we asked for the Pastry Trio, which was marvellous and made fresh every morning! The Zucchini chocolate muffin was amazing and my personal favourite, but all 3 were delectable. We ordered both the Man’s farm eggs with Hillview Heritage Farm Honey Ham, and the Braised Beef Short Rib and Caremelized Onion Eggs Benedict which were amazing (the eggs were done to perfection), and the Poplar Bluff potato hash was sooooo good! The River Cafe is amazing, and we can’t wait to visit in the Summer time to dine outdoors! Thanks again Kevin and the rest of the River Cafe staff for the wonderful service and superb brunch, we will definitely be back!! 10/10 all the way!!

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  16. DayanaraT

    Las Vegas

    2 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on November 25, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great food and service, beautiful setting for any occasion.

    Is this helpful?

  17. YankeeCanuck

    Calgary

    6 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    6 reviews

    Dined on November 23, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Always a special occasion place, even if you’re not celebrating one! Chloe our server was knowledgeable, friendly and efficient. Great food and gorgeous Canadiana atmosphere. Eat here - you will be glad you did!

    Is this helpful?

  18. SteveF

    Houston

    10 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    10 reviews

    Dined on November 22, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Excellent food, service and ambiance across the board

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  19. OpenTable Diner

    Calgary

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on November 22, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Easy to see why the River Cafe in Calgary was acknowledged by La Liste as one of the best restaurants in the world.

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  20. Slay

    Calgary

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 21, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The best meal! I ordered the arctic char and my partner ordered the bison and they were both 5/5.

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  21. JeffG

    Calgary

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on November 20, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    Great value with the tasting menu . Was a little tough to access the restaurant due to construction in the area

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  22. ElizabethC

    Exclusive

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 19, 2023

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Our food was served quickly, hot, and delicious! A very enjoyable brunch experience.

    Is this helpful?

  23. Matt

    Calgary

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 18, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Ordered Eggs Benedict with Beef Rib for a Saturday brunch. Presentation was excellent and also cooked to perfection.

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  24. Matthijs

    Calgary

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on November 16, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    Amazing food in an amazing atmosphere. We had the five-course tasting menu and we all agreed it was Michelin star worthy. Wine pairings with each course were excellent, though a bit pricy.

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  25. JonM

    Calgary

    5 reviews

    5.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on November 13, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Consistently great food. Many happy memories at the River Cafe!

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  26. OpenTable Diner

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 12, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Fantastic as usual! One of our favorite places to Dine in Calgary.

    Is this helpful?

  27. OpenTable Diner

    Edmonton

    2 reviews

    1.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on November 12, 2023

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Food was not as good as past visits.

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  28. Gps1378

    Hawaii

    7 reviews

    5.0

    7 reviews

    Dined on November 12, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 3
    Really good service. Dishes were really well prepared. Enjoyed the very well thought out flavours and perfect pacing of the courses. The Cactus Club atmosphere with the Dean House decor was a little odd.

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  29. KellyL

    Calgary

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on November 8, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    As also, the food and service were outstanding, the best in the city.

    Is this helpful?

  30. DavidW

    Calgary

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on November 7, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    I love this beautiful oasis, just blocks from downtown. The ambiance is warm, particularly if seated near the fireplace (think cabin/chateau in the woods), and the service excellent. The food is different enough to be special (interesting combinations of local flora and fauna), without being too unusual for "meat and potatoes" diehards to enjoy.

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  31. GabrielB

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 5, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We took the 5 course dinner and every plate was awesome. Service was courteous.

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  32. OpenTable Diner

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 5, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The food and wine was really good. I liked it.

    1 person found this helpful

  33. KenR

    Calgary

    19 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    19 reviews

    Dined on November 5, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Beautiful room and amazing food. Not an every week occurrence but that’s good; definitely makes each visit special. Some great value wines too!

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  34. OpenTable Diner

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 5, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Wonderful. Beautiful place. Excellent food and service.

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  35. LiudmilaT

    1 review

    2.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 5, 2023

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 3
    The food was horrible. I ordered lamb. I was served with entire plate of lamb grease sprinkled with burnt greasy kale. Fancy, and absolutely uneatable. Some soggy Saskatoon berries and cheap tomato paste rolled chunks of zucchini. I basically left everything on the plate. And for this kind of food my husband had to pay 54 dollars to treat me on my birthday. My last visit to this pretentious place. The server was very nice.

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  36. TeamCY

    Calgary

    2 reviews

    4.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on November 5, 2023

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 5
    Tasting Menu and Ambience were 8/10. Service was 6/10. Server went thru the motions but seemed disinterested. Also 2 of 5 courses came before the wine. Very little info on wines paired with food (wasn’t told the price before hand) and wine pairing cost as much as the food. Value 6/10

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  37. Kino

    Calgary

    2 reviews

    3.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on November 4, 2023

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 4
    The food was outstanding. The service however was slow and absent. We had reservations at 6:00 PM. The restaurant was empty at that time. Only a few tables were filled. As the night progressed the restaurant filled. The first couple courses came out at a reasonable pace but the middle 2 took about 30 mins after we were done. It took 2 hours to get through the 5 course tasting menu. There was no effort to soften the wait by bringing bread or offering some type of amuse bouche. At this level, I expect more. I expect, not having to ask, but the server to read the table. Yes, you are held to a higher standard as the River Cafe. Despite serving great food and being a great venu it was my experience that the River Cafe need to work on their hospitality.

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  38. MeghanS

    Seattle

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on November 3, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The service was spectacular! The hummus was also amazing. We found the tartare a bit off and wouldn’t order again.

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  39. OpenTable Diner

    Toronto

    8 reviews

    5.0

    8 reviews

    Dined on October 30, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Jared was the best server, extremely receptive, accommodating, sharp and patient. His level of service was something every server should aspire to reach. I have dined in Michelin starred restaurants, and have not enjoyed this level of service in any of them. Easily my top 3 servers I have ever had the pleasure of dealing with. The food was amazing as well, with the Tenderloin being the best thing I have ever tasted. The view was gorgeous and the decor was warm and inviting. Absolutely deserves every accolade it has received and more!!

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  40. StefanG

    Calgary

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on October 29, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Amazing ambiance. Great food with a sufficient vegetarian options. Service friendly professional albeit bit slow - and it wasn't crowded.

    Is this helpful?

Safety precautions

  • Cleaning & sanitising

    • Surfaces sanitised between seatings
    • Common areas deep-cleaned daily
    • Sanitiser or wipes provided for customers
    • Contactless payment available

  • Screening

    • Sick staff prohibited in the workplace

FAQs

River Café is rated 4.6 stars by 4462 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 p.m.
Booked 27 times today
Experiences are available.
Google Map for River Café

Prince's Island Park, 25 Prince's Island Park SW, Calgary, AB T2P 0R1

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Neighbourhood
    Calgary
  • Hours of Operation
    Brunch & Dinner Sat, Sun 10:00 am–10:00 pm Lunch & Dinner Wed–Fri 11:00 am–10:00 pm
  • Price
    CAN$31 to CAN$50
  • Cuisines
    Canadian, Farm-to-table, Contemporary Canadian
  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Dress Code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking Details
    Paid parking is available on the street during the day and no charge after 6pm. Free street parking on Sundays. Heated underground parking at Eau Claire Market for a $5 flat rate evenings and weekends. Calgary Parking Authority lot near the Calgary Curling Club across memorial drive.
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive Chef
    Scott MacKenzie
  • Additional
    Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Indoor Fireplace, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, View, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Website
    http://www.river-cafe.com/
  • Phone number
    (403) 261-7670
  • Catering
    Enjoy an exclusive cocktail party or dinner in your home presented and prepared by River Café. Our accomplished culinary team will prepare an exquisite menu tailored specifically to your event, executed by our professional service team. Experience a culinary journey presented with the elegance, beauty, and professional service. You and your guests can relax while we look after all of the details.
  • Private party facilities
    For an intimate gathering of 8 guests or a stylish cocktail party reception of 250, we are pleased to cater to your every need. Private and semi-private events are available. Please contact our Event Manager for more information, events@river-cafe.com
  • Private party contact
    June Doan: (403) 261-7670

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