Blink Restaurant & Bar
• 111 8th Street SW | Calgary, AB | T2P 1B4
Average User Rating:
8.68/10
8.68/10
Recommended by:
80%
80%
Sort Reviews by:
"You dont wanna close your eyes! "
Carlee
June 2011 — "My two friends and I met for Lunch at Blink Restaurant and it is sure to become one of our new faves.
The menu was refreshing to say the least from your average Moxies or Keg. If you want something new exciting with a spin on an old dish then try Blink.
The food is a little pricey and inside can be a little squishy and small, but these things can be simply overlooked and forgotten about when you see the menu and try the food!
The service great, Ambiance delightful, you don't want to blink in fear that you miss a single second of it all! The have a very notable wine list, I am not much of a wine drinker but I do love white and they have quite the selection. I had the pacific Halibut with Chips and side Salad. My fish was done to perfection. The Seafood selection is fresh and quality for sure. No doubt caught days before serving.
This is a new special place to me, and I will be going again to experience it all over again!! "
User Rating
8.83/10
8.83/10
Ambience
••••••••••
Beverages
••••••••••
Cleanliness
••••••••••
Quality of Food
••••••••••
Staff Service
••••••••••
Value for Money
••••••••••
"Fantastic Atmosphere, Great Staff"Am
March 2011 — "Venue is central on Stephen Ave, easy to find and we were greeted by friendly staff who took our coats immediately. We were offered a choice of table and were seated comfortably in op-art chairs at dark wood, cafe/bistro dining style setup. The servers wear blue jeans with their collared shirts and ties, and it looks great! Truly Calgary!
The meal (A large portion of Articholk bisque and the Arctic Char) was immaculately presented. No frilly garnishes, very simply plated, very simple flavors. The char was fresh, and the lobster risotto had large, juicy chunks of lobster throughout. For the price ($29), the portion was great value.
We were too full for dessert, but the server recommended a beautiful French Congnac-y-ice-wine-y digestif that was sweet and smokey, and only $8.
Great value, beautiful venue, fabulous service. "
User Rating
10/10
10/10
Ambience
••••••••••
Beverages
••••••••••
Cleanliness
••••••••••
Quality of Food
••••••••••
Staff Service
••••••••••
Value for Money
••••••••••
"Best Customer Service"
JM
November 2010 — "I have dined twice at this restaurant. Once for 25 people for a late lunch and again late in the evening after the Theatre. On both occasions I found the service to be exceptional especially in this City. What a refreshing change to be served by experienced and professional staff. We were immediately greeted at the door and our every need attended to. No blank stares if we asked a question or made a special request."
User Rating
9.33/10
9.33/10
Ambience
••••••••••
Beverages
••••••••••
Cleanliness
••••••••••
Quality of Food
••••••••••
Staff Service
••••••••••
Value for Money
••••••••••
"For "eh" food "
Mary
March 2010 — "There are some restaurants that you hear about and just wonder. Finally finding some time to give it a whirl, I went to Blink with a friend for dinner because we were in the area and thought, why not. Well, I'll tell you why not. To me, the big thing was the cost of the bill that we had to fork over for really, mediocre food. I had the lamb shank while my friend had some side dishes - mac and cheese and a salad. Maybe our dishes weren't the most innovative, but the flavours were so "eh" that I was contemplating what I was doing there and whether I should even try finishing the dish at all. I still expected the wow factor to really get me, but no such luck. Even in our ice cream - a trio of beer, caramel, and earl grey flavoured where not so impressive. Expecting something different, I really left with even more of a disappointment. The only pro that I felt was the waitress we had. The head garçon or whoever he was was not that pleasant to deal with. Not worth the time, effort, and money! Sorry to say, this is one customer who won't return. "
User Rating
5.67/10
5.67/10
Ambience
••••••••••
Beverages
••••••••••
Cleanliness
••••••••••
Quality of Food
••••••••••
Staff Service
••••••••••
Value for Money
••••••••••
"Wow, a fantastic experience!"
Denny
December 2009 — "For our birthdays my wife and I usually pick an upscale restaurant to dine at. Recently, we found out that the people we often chat with while at the dog park actually own Blink - so we had to check it out. When we arrived we were seated in a window seat, which was very quiet and intimate. They provide blankets and pillows in case you get chilly, but I found it comfortable. We ordered a delicious bottle of malbec and each chose an appetizer - I had the crispy pork, which was to die for. My wife had some BC albacore tuna, kind of like sushi. For my main I couldn't resist the slow-cooked lamb shoulder. The presentation was very nice and it was served with some potatoes and cabbage. The lamb melted in my mouth - wow. My wife had the grilled beef and I tried it and also thought it was outstanding. The best part was the fries that came with my wife's beef... they were the best fries I've ever had. The server said that they cook them half way and then chill them and then cook them again. Whatever they do, they're definitely doing it right. I must say, I helped myself to quite a few of my wife's fries. For dessert we chose to have some dessert wine (red) and it was really delicious. To go with the wine we ordered a cheese platter. There were four types of cheeses with bread and it was served with actual honeycomb. Very tasty, but by the end I was too full to finish it! The prices were reasonable - entrees ranged between $30 and $40. The service was excellent and we had a very enjoyable time!"
User Rating
9.33/10
9.33/10
Ambience
••••••••••
Beverages
••••••••••
Cleanliness
••••••••••
Quality of Food
••••••••••
Staff Service
••••••••••
Value for Money
••••••••••
"WOW!!!"
lindsay
January 2009 — "Went in for dinner on a slow night in January and had the most amazing dining experience in Calgary to date. We started with the white grace souffle and beef carpaccio with black truffles on it, which was so yummy we ordered another. We had the organic chicken which was interesteringly paired with cous cous and the flat iron steak for our entrees. I have never tasted such a juicy, succulent steak! For dessert we shared the soft centred chocolate cake with homemade vanilla ice cream and cappucino's, which were absolutely perfect. The wine pairing suggested by the owner was perfect and at a great price. Thank you!"
User Rating
10/10
10/10
Ambience
••••••••••
Beverages
••••••••••
Cleanliness
••••••••••
Quality of Food
••••••••••
Staff Service
••••••••••
Value for Money
••••••••••
"Best food I've had in Calgary"annie
November 2008 — "I went in for dinner on a busy saturday night, where there were no tables available, so we sat at the bar. The bartender was an absolute delight and very knowledgeable of the food and wine. We started with the scallops and a cheese souffle. Both were phenomenal, with great flavour and texture. My wife had the vegetarian polenta and I had the double duck, which was cooked to perfection. It was nice to see vegetarian options on the menu, as there are few places in Calgary that offer veggie items, other than spinach and potatoes. The service was great, the wine well priced and the food outstanding. I definately recommend for everyone to go and eat there."
User Rating
10/10
10/10
Ambience
••••••••••
Beverages
••••••••••
Cleanliness
••••••••••
Quality of Food
••••••••••
Staff Service
••••••••••
Value for Money
••••••••••
"Hopefully they can change faster than a blink"
Rob
August 2008 — "Pros;
-great service
-nice room
-good coffee (I think it is Lilly)
-clean
Cons:
-bad, bad food
-bland food
(the review dots on the left and the overall review, I wanted to keep it low, because food is everything.)
I went here on a whim as the restaurnat next door had oven problems. Looked nice, and I just wanted to grab a quick bite. As is typical in Calgary, it was mild out and the patio was packed. Inside the dining room was dead. it was 12pm on a weekday. In retrospect it should have been a warning.
I decided to have the pasta, it was penne with chorizo sausage, and a rose sauce with a bit of a kick as I recall the waitress saying. Ok, so pretty safe and pedestrian choice, but at the second cheapest main- $17.50, I didn't feel like spending $26-29 on a main course for lunch at an unknown place.
The dish came with no presentation, no care and no life. Just a plate of pasta, with some brown sauce. Nothing here was fresh looking just some simple grated Parmesan cheese. Ok, I can take this, the chief wants to focus on the flavors.
The meat milkshake like consistency was disgusting, and I started to fish around the plate looking for the sausage, and started to realize that the sausage was ground up to a sand like consistency, and there was no kick and no flavor.
However the service was very good.
"
User Rating
1/10
1/10
Quality of Food
••••••••••
Value for Money
••••••••••
"amazing food + great atmosphere = Blink"Shannon
August 2007 — "I can't say enough good things about Blink. The food is amazing, my favourite being the macroni and cheese with wild boar bacon and the atmosphere is cozy, sophisticated and sexy. The staff are all quite friendly, happy to joke around and were patient in waiting for my Dad to make a selection off the wine list (let's just say it takes him a while). At our office we've also ordered pick up from them and the take out containers make it easy to transport and keeps the food tasting fresh and of restaurant quality"
User Rating
8.50/10
8.50/10
Ambience
••••••••••
Beverages
••••••••••
Cleanliness
••••••••••
Quality of Food
••••••••••
Staff Service
••••••••••
Value for Money
••••••••••
"Hot Room"Danni
April 2007 — "I have just been to BlinK Restaurant & supper club on Stephen Avenue. had been there a few times for lunch but decided to try it out for the "supper Club" aspect. The room at night was very sexy, great crowd & atmospher, good DJ. They have a new menu & chef since the first time I went -definetely a must try."
User Rating
9/10
9/10
Ambience
••••••••••
Beverages
••••••••••
Cleanliness
••••••••••
Quality of Food
••••••••••
Staff Service
••••••••••
Value for Money
••••••••••
DescriptionBlink is a restaurant on Stephen Avenue. With an incredible menu, wine and cocktail list, it is an added bonus that on Friday and Saturday evening while all other restaurants are winding down the evening Blink is just getting going.
Location Information111 8th Street SW
Calgary
AB
T2P 1B4
