The food quality has got significantly worse compared to the last time I visit. Meat was burnt (literally) and all the sauce was extreme (e.g., too salty, too sour). Totally ruined the anniversary date with my wife. We left the place on a $100 bill+ being confused and devastated. It certainly was not worth it. The only thing brighter than the dim lights there was the waiter who was very nice and quick to serve us. Probably will never come back.
Aimee Evans
Chill vibes with great food. The service was impeccable and food a delight. Amazing rose for happy hour ? Thank you all for the amazing dining experience!
ClaudiaL
I've been to A1 Cafe twice now and it's been nothing but surprises with how amazing the food and the service was. This family-style restaurant offers a wide variety of gluten-free options while still delivering such flavorful dishes. The portions from appetizers to main courses are big enough to share so you get a taste of everything and it is definitely affordable!
JohnS
First time to A1 Cafe, and we weren't disappointed. We started off with a few tasty cocktails, which is a must, because the list is so good. We had brought our own bottle of wine and the CAFE were ok with that, as they have a simple corkage fee. Then, because the dinner menu is based around sharing, we had are beautiful waitress help us with selecting and then timing of the food to our table. But the greatest part of the night was getting to know our waitress at a friendly level, Allegra (if that's the correct spelling) She was very professional, has great experiences to share and represented the restaurant well. We wish you well Allegra, go explore. We truly recommend this Cafe to dine with friends, i don't think you'll be disappointed either. (they even have a coat check) that's a key for me. Cheers Kim and John
AndrewP
Food was great, service decent but they were really busy with the hockey game rush. Caught up by the time we left. Drinks are phenomenal, well thought up and expertly crafted. Food portions are not big at all, but everything was very tasty
Sasha Ivanov
I recently had my 35 person birthday party at A1 Cafe and it was an amazing experience! The staff was incredibly kind and accommodating, as we booked out a large section of the venue for the event. The food was delicious and the custom menu for the party was a great touch. Everyone had a great time, and the staff went above and beyond to make sure the party was a success. I would highly recommend A1 Cafe for any event. Five stars!Tip: Be sure to try their slushies on the cocktail menu!
DavidL
Good value as menu items are very reasonably priced. Food is full of high quality items that offer some unique flavours and soul warming dishes. Service was mediocre, got really busy and the young lady had too many tables to manage and service suffered because of it. On the high side for noise but all part of the atmosphere just not a place for a quiet dinner - more lively and active, which was good for us.
Comfrey
Food was great. Maggie our server had great recommendations that paired well with the wine we ordered. The only thing that I would improve was that the high top stools were pretty uncomfortable - to the point where all the high top tables pulled the bar stools over and sat on those. The Tataki was on point - the mackerel was fantastic as well.
We absolutely loved our experience! The dishes were all fabulous and packed with so much flavour! Was the best diner we've had in ages! The maple pork dish was my favourite of the night, it was as rich and tender as butter. Service was friendly, accommodating and knowledgeable. Looking forward to our next visit!
Grace
Food was amazing. We had the crispy potatoes, the tomato basil bocconcini “fatbread”, and the pork belly. Everything tasted delicious. The service was ok, it was very busy when we were there so it took a while for the server to attend to us but she was extremely nice so that made up for it. Only note I would like to make is to be aware that when you book a reservation here through open table it doesn't place you at a table—we originally had to sit at the bar before requesting a switch, and were informed that the empty tables were being “saved for people with reservations” which made no sense because we had made a reservation. After that hiccup everything was great though. Would highly recommend.
One of Calgary's top restaurants. Great food with a rotating menu; the chef takes a lot of pride in and is creative with their menus and it shows. Front of house is attentive and charming! If you haven't checked it out you should!
KateF
I have to say that the food was exceptional - however the pork rib dish was a bit too satly - would be nice if paired with a potato of some sort. Just my opinion :) - always a a great time at A1!
HeatherW
We had an early reservation after a show at Theatre Calgary. The family style dining was great for us--we got to try lots of different things and hit the Happy Hour which was great. Our favourites were the Burrata Flatbread and the tuna.
Steve
the food was fine but way overpriced. we got a 1/4 of a burrata and 3 slices of prosciutto for $28 which is absurd. it was good but entirely not worth the price. The potato's were good albeit some tasted like charcoal as they were burnt. The pork belly was good but again we got 4 pieces that wouldn't be out of place on a Costco sampler, for $26 again just not worth the price.
wino
Used to really enjoy coming here but now not so much. When we arrived I asked if I could hang my cat and was told no. Next table came in and they were asked if their coats could be hung up... Our server was very good, she noticed that we were not enjoying the cauliflower (it says Tahini but it is mayonnaise which I don't like) and offered to replace it. It also took 30 minutes to get the cauliflower and when it arrived is was mostly cold. I had the happy hour pizza, it was seriously under seasoned, but the crust was good.
The food quality has got significantly worse compared to the last time I visit. Meat was burnt (literally) and all the sauce was extreme (e.g., too salty, too sour). Totally ruined the anniversary date with my wife. We left the place on a $100 bill+ being confused and devastated. It certainly was not worth it. The only thing brighter than the dim lights there was the waiter who was very nice and quick to serve us. Probably will never come back.
Chill vibes with great food. The service was impeccable and food a delight. Amazing rose for happy hour ? Thank you all for the amazing dining experience!
I've been to A1 Cafe twice now and it's been nothing but surprises with how amazing the food and the service was. This family-style restaurant offers a wide variety of gluten-free options while still delivering such flavorful dishes. The portions from appetizers to main courses are big enough to share so you get a taste of everything and it is definitely affordable!
First time to A1 Cafe, and we weren't disappointed. We started off with a few tasty cocktails, which is a must, because the list is so good. We had brought our own bottle of wine and the CAFE were ok with that, as they have a simple corkage fee. Then, because the dinner menu is based around sharing, we had are beautiful waitress help us with selecting and then timing of the food to our table. But the greatest part of the night was getting to know our waitress at a friendly level, Allegra (if that's the correct spelling) She was very professional, has great experiences to share and represented the restaurant well. We wish you well Allegra, go explore. We truly recommend this Cafe to dine with friends, i don't think you'll be disappointed either. (they even have a coat check) that's a key for me. Cheers Kim and John
Food was great, service decent but they were really busy with the hockey game rush. Caught up by the time we left. Drinks are phenomenal, well thought up and expertly crafted. Food portions are not big at all, but everything was very tasty
I recently had my 35 person birthday party at A1 Cafe and it was an amazing experience! The staff was incredibly kind and accommodating, as we booked out a large section of the venue for the event. The food was delicious and the custom menu for the party was a great touch. Everyone had a great time, and the staff went above and beyond to make sure the party was a success. I would highly recommend A1 Cafe for any event. Five stars!Tip: Be sure to try their slushies on the cocktail menu!
Good value as menu items are very reasonably priced. Food is full of high quality items that offer some unique flavours and soul warming dishes. Service was mediocre, got really busy and the young lady had too many tables to manage and service suffered because of it. On the high side for noise but all part of the atmosphere just not a place for a quiet dinner - more lively and active, which was good for us.
Food was great. Maggie our server had great recommendations that paired well with the wine we ordered. The only thing that I would improve was that the high top stools were pretty uncomfortable - to the point where all the high top tables pulled the bar stools over and sat on those. The Tataki was on point - the mackerel was fantastic as well.
We absolutely loved our experience! The dishes were all fabulous and packed with so much flavour! Was the best diner we've had in ages! The maple pork dish was my favourite of the night, it was as rich and tender as butter. Service was friendly, accommodating and knowledgeable. Looking forward to our next visit!
Food was amazing. We had the crispy potatoes, the tomato basil bocconcini “fatbread”, and the pork belly. Everything tasted delicious. The service was ok, it was very busy when we were there so it took a while for the server to attend to us but she was extremely nice so that made up for it. Only note I would like to make is to be aware that when you book a reservation here through open table it doesn't place you at a table—we originally had to sit at the bar before requesting a switch, and were informed that the empty tables were being “saved for people with reservations” which made no sense because we had made a reservation. After that hiccup everything was great though. Would highly recommend.
Restaurantji Recommends
One of Calgary's top restaurants. Great food with a rotating menu; the chef takes a lot of pride in and is creative with their menus and it shows. Front of house is attentive and charming! If you haven't checked it out you should!
I have to say that the food was exceptional - however the pork rib dish was a bit too satly - would be nice if paired with a potato of some sort. Just my opinion :) - always a a great time at A1!
We had an early reservation after a show at Theatre Calgary. The family style dining was great for us--we got to try lots of different things and hit the Happy Hour which was great. Our favourites were the Burrata Flatbread and the tuna.
the food was fine but way overpriced. we got a 1/4 of a burrata and 3 slices of prosciutto for $28 which is absurd. it was good but entirely not worth the price. The potato's were good albeit some tasted like charcoal as they were burnt. The pork belly was good but again we got 4 pieces that wouldn't be out of place on a Costco sampler, for $26 again just not worth the price.
Used to really enjoy coming here but now not so much. When we arrived I asked if I could hang my cat and was told no. Next table came in and they were asked if their coats could be hung up... Our server was very good, she noticed that we were not enjoying the cauliflower (it says Tahini but it is mayonnaise which I don't like) and offered to replace it. It also took 30 minutes to get the cauliflower and when it arrived is was mostly cold. I had the happy hour pizza, it was seriously under seasoned, but the crust was good.