Elk & Oarsman Pub & Restaurant
• 119 Banff Ave | Banff, AB
Average User Rating:
7.46/10
7.46/10
Recommended by:
75%
75%
Sort Reviews by:
"Good, comfortable and cheery"
Deanna
August 2010 — "We had the smoked salmon, cheese, fruit and cracker plate. it was wonderful! Also the calamari which is some of the best i have had. Sat at the bar and had great service and conversation."
User Rating
1.33/10
1.33/10
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"Fake Potatoes, Great Calamari"
Nic
February 2009 — "Went here due to some good reveiws. Ambience was a little generic and disappointing (not what we had expected, expected it to be rustic and darker).
We ordered the Calamari to start, very very tasty. I then had the bison on 'mashed garlic potato'. The potato was either a) sythetic (ie. from powder) or b) just plain horrible. Either of which is pretty unacceptable for whatever price you're paying, mash potato is the easiest thing to get right.
This is a great place to get a quick bite but it's not upscale so don't try anything too fancy (if you can even call mash potato fancy). Beer was great, good temperature and our server was very helpful and polite.
Another server had split a glass of water over our coats and scarves which he didn't come back to clean up. Initially I thought he'd split it on the floor so wasn't too bothered. However, leaving the restuarant with wet clothes in -15c is not that great....
Think the place has great potential, it just needs to make a bit more of an effort or drop it's prices in line with the package it offers. "
User Rating
6.50/10
6.50/10
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"Nicely Presented Food"
Zoey
September 2008 — "There were six people at my table at the Elk & Oarsman and I must admit everyone's plate looked really tasty. The restaurant does very well with their presentation. I ordered the crispy chicken wrap with Caesar salad and fries. The fries were crispy and felt like they were melting in your mouth. The only complaint I have is that there was a really bad cold draft while we were eating our meals. We ended up keeping our jackets on the entire time we were there."
User Rating
8.17/10
8.17/10
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"Western style pub and bar"
Sally
June 2008 — "This cozy little restaurant has some pretty good food and considering there are a huge number of restaurants in Banff to choose from, this was a great pick! The elk burger had been recommended to me and it was very good. My dining partners had among other things, fish and chips, which they also really enjoyed.
The large pub style place is up a flight of stairs and has a big bar with booths and open tables. We opted for a booth and it seemed like there was a TV visible from almost every spot in the place. There were many black and white photos decorating the walls which showed times past in Banff. The waitress who served us was very friendly and helpful with suggestions from the menu and she kept us informed on the progress of our food. I thoroughly enjoyed the dining experience and would recommend it to visitors to Banff.
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User Rating
8.50/10
8.50/10
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"a great night out"lee
March 2008 — "A great burger and a great pitch of beer ! We are going back next year ! See you there."
User Rating
10/10
10/10
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"great weekly bar specails"
dave
February 2008 — "Banff bar food
The Elk and Oarsman has been around for a few years in this version. For anyone who has not been to Banff in a few years they will remember the “Barbary coast”. This is the same place, with a few small changes to the concept, and no more bin of free peanuts. The St games gate owners bought it, did some renos and re-opened as the Elk.
This is a great place for burgers, appies, or a beer. Nothing to high end, with most plates going for $8-15, and most nights have a special going on too. Some nights you get pizza special, some nights a steak sandwich special, some nights 2 for 1 appies. Just keep your eyes on the local newspapers to see what is going on that night.
So the food is not that high end, but great bar food. The Burger options are great, each come with 2 small side dishes, and a small pot of dipping sauce. Options include Bison, beef, chicken, fish, elk, etc. And the sides range from salads, soup, sweet potato fries or regular fries.
The beer list is not that huge (compared to the Elk’s sister bar the St games gate) but covers all the basics with both beer on tap and bottle.
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User Rating
7.33/10
7.33/10
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"Great pub food in Banff!"
Kathy
November 2007 — "Banff appears to have no shortage of restaurants and probably many good ones, but the Elk & Oarsman Pub not only had excellent food but seemed a local favourite too. We were after a casual, laid back place with good food and got exactly that. Practically everything on the menu looked enticing and when our selections came (there were five of us), all of us commented on how good the dishes/big the burgers/yummy the extras were. If in Banff, definitely head for the Elk & Oarsman - we will!"
User Rating
8.33/10
8.33/10
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"Yummy nachos!"Joanne
February 2007 — "Went to the Elk & Oarsman after skiing one weekend. Sunshine Village season passholders get a 15% discount on food, so that was our motivation to try it out and I was really impressed. The beer was cold and tasty and the nachos were exceptional. They came with sour cream, salsa AND guacamole. The salsa and guac tasted home made to me, as they were really flavourful and fresh. And they layered the cheese throughout the nachos, so every chip had stuff on it. The large nacho plate fed 3 of us and we were so full from it that we didn't even need to order dinner."
User Rating
9.50/10
9.50/10
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DescriptionThis popular sports bar and restaurant was established in 2005 and features a characteristic and inviting Rocky Mountain interior with cozy fireplace, and a rooftop patio with 360-degree mountain views. Featuring daily specials, live entertainment, 12 draft selections and a robust menu of Canadian favourites and international influences, from pizzas to burgers and steak to seafood. Open daily from 11am to 1am.
Location Information119 Banff Ave
Banff
AB
Elk & Oarsman Pub & Restaurant
