I feel genuinely sad having to write this review. I’ve visited this restaurant twice before and had fantastic experiences, which is why last night was so disappointing. My partner and I were celebrating our 3rd anniversary and had mentioned it when making our reservation.
Upon arrival, we were greeted warmly by the owner, who acknowledged our anniversary and seated us at a lovely table by the window. We started with two appetizers: the mussels and beet salad, both of which were phenomenal, along with drinks that were also excellent. Naturally, our expectations for the main courses were high. My partner ordered the lamb, and I ordered the chicken with white wine cream sauce, mushrooms, and mashed potatoes.
When our entrees arrived, I was shocked to see two very dry pieces of chicken with a dark brown sauce, no mushrooms, and no mashed potatoes. I immediately mentioned it to our waitress. She spoke with the kitchen and returned, insisting that it was in fact the dish I had ordered, but that the vegetables had simply been swapped for “seasonal vegetables.”
Reluctantly, I started eating. After a few minutes, the waitress returned with freshly sautéed mushrooms — so clearly, mushrooms were available after all. I thanked her and tried to continue, but I double-checked the menu and confirmed that the dish I received was completely different from what I had ordered — the only thing in common was the chicken.
I asked for clarification, and the waitress went back to the kitchen. She returned and explained that the dish was different due to a “menu changeover.” Honestly, I was shocked — why was this not communicated to the staff, and more importantly, why did I have to find out this way?
I ended up sending the dish back, expecting a full refund, since I had barely eaten any of it. After a while, the waitress came back reluctantly to explain that the owner would not provide a full refund and would only offer 50% off because “half of the food was eaten” which was not true.
My partner and I didn’t want to let this ruin our evening, so we begrudgingly accepted. It would have been nice if I had at least been offered a replacement dish, as I still wanted to enjoy dinner.
Our waitress did everything she could. She was attentive and professional, but she had no idea it was our anniversary until we mentioned at the end. Clearly, there’s a communication issue among the staff.
At the end of the evening, she did offer us complimentary tea and coffee, which we appreciated. I just don’t feel comfortable supporting a business that isn’t willing to commit to going above and beyond for paying customers.
When we left the restaurant, the owner had his jacket and hoodie on and didn’t bother to turn around and say goodbye to us. A bit of humility would have been greatly appreciated.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 2
Service: 3
Jason Clevett
Had a wonderful night. Service was attentive. Had the 3 course dinner which was really good. If you've ever wanted to try a 650 bottle of wine without buying the bottle they have that option. I'll go back again to try some other dishes. Creme brulee was a highlight.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Amy MacKinnon
My review is unique as Sage had some tea that I purchase regularly. I live 3 hours away so it’s a bit of a trek for tea. But we usually go to the Canmore area every 6 months or so, and it works out to refill my tea containers. It’s my favorite tea, and I drink it daily. I have a toddler who does not travel (or sleep) well, so we have not made it out there for a while and I was out of tea (a catastrophe for anyone who has a kid waking them up a lot at night). Todd was so gracious to mail me the tea! They also did this during the pandemic as well, and I’m extremely grateful they are willing to go above and beyond for a sleep deprived prairie dweller :)
Food: 5
Service: 5
John Rahman
Our experience at Sage Bistro was outstanding. The salad was perfect and delicately dressed. The French Onion soup was amazing and the lamb (recommended by your new chef, who is top shelf) was sublime. The flight of reds worked perfectly with each dish. Have already recommended the Sage Bistro to friends!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Gerrit Bos (Wigbold)
Season break until November 14, 2025, but open according to Google Maps
David
Very nice place and Ellie was absolutely amazing. Unfortunately whoever owns the place had her as the absolute sole waitstaff for a restaurant with around 8 tables full of customers. Very poor way to run a restaurant, much less an upscale one. Took the better share of 2 hours to get our order in and have food served. Ellie worked very hard to keep the place going and was great at maintaining an upbeat and positive attitude. Food itself was decent. We felt well fed. Owner: Get your act together please.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Ken King
Its always a great dining experience when we go to Sage!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Kassara Remillard
My partner and I went here for my birthday dinner. We arrived at 5 pm and we were the only ones there for about 45 min. We went on the patio which had nice views of the mountain but the inside looked gorgeous too. We ordered the “rare wines” selection which was delicious and my partner had probably the best drink we’ve ever had- it’s called the legacy trail smash. We ordered the mushroom risotto which was delicious. And my partner got the lamb shank which was the best lamb I’ve ever had (if you like lamb that doesn’t taste too lamby if you know what I mean) and the portions were perfect! We left full. We got the crème brûlée for desert which was perfect sweetness. Our server was really great and we got to chat with him for a bit. It was a perfect place for a special meal I’m so glad we came! Away from the hustle and bustle of downtown
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Trevor Tomanik
Terrible customer service. The place was half empty, and only one guy was working. Told us they were not accepting anymore tables as he was the one on. He told us we “should just get fast food and drive to Calgary”. Seriously? We ended up down the street at “The Blake Brewhouse”, they were fully staffed, and service was great.
Service: 1
Charles Léonard
The staff was great! There was practically no one in the restaurant. The food was ok nothing more. My wife had her 2nd worst dish of our road trip.
We had the most amazing meal and a great server, Bianca. This restaurant never disappoints. Thank you! We love stopping here on our way home from our weekends away.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Katie Hendon
Absolutely amazing! I had the trout and it was one of the best dishes I've had. Highly recommend.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Mariane Marin
One of the best place I have been to eat in Canmore and Banff! You won’t be disappointed!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Completely Civil
Good service. The food was okay but overpriced
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 2
Service: 5
Saint George
Sad end to a formerly good restaurant. Tried to have dinner here 2 days ago. Food literally took more than 1 hour to be served, 3 of 6 meals were inedible (meat was terribly overcooked), waitress was both in over her head and rude, and we watched numerous other parties struggle with the same experience.
Have been here several times over the years and not sure what happened … new owners perhaps? Stay away now …
I feel genuinely sad having to write this review. I’ve visited this restaurant twice before and had fantastic experiences, which is why last night was so disappointing. My partner and I were celebrating our 3rd anniversary and had mentioned it when making our reservation.
Upon arrival, we were greeted warmly by the owner, who acknowledged our anniversary and seated us at a lovely table by the window. We started with two appetizers: the mussels and beet salad, both of which were phenomenal, along with drinks that were also excellent. Naturally, our expectations for the main courses were high. My partner ordered the lamb, and I ordered the chicken with white wine cream sauce, mushrooms, and mashed potatoes.
When our entrees arrived, I was shocked to see two very dry pieces of chicken with a dark brown sauce, no mushrooms, and no mashed potatoes. I immediately mentioned it to our waitress. She spoke with the kitchen and returned, insisting that it was in fact the dish I had ordered, but that the vegetables had simply been swapped for “seasonal vegetables.”
Reluctantly, I started eating. After a few minutes, the waitress returned with freshly sautéed mushrooms — so clearly, mushrooms were available after all. I thanked her and tried to continue, but I double-checked the menu and confirmed that the dish I received was completely different from what I had ordered — the only thing in common was the chicken.
I asked for clarification, and the waitress went back to the kitchen. She returned and explained that the dish was different due to a “menu changeover.” Honestly, I was shocked — why was this not communicated to the staff, and more importantly, why did I have to find out this way?
I ended up sending the dish back, expecting a full refund, since I had barely eaten any of it. After a while, the waitress came back reluctantly to explain that the owner would not provide a full refund and would only offer 50% off because “half of the food was eaten” which was not true.
My partner and I didn’t want to let this ruin our evening, so we begrudgingly accepted. It would have been nice if I had at least been offered a replacement dish, as I still wanted to enjoy dinner.
Our waitress did everything she could. She was attentive and professional, but she had no idea it was our anniversary until we mentioned at the end. Clearly, there’s a communication issue among the staff.
At the end of the evening, she did offer us complimentary tea and coffee, which we appreciated. I just don’t feel comfortable supporting a business that isn’t willing to commit to going above and beyond for paying customers.
When we left the restaurant, the owner had his jacket and hoodie on and didn’t bother to turn around and say goodbye to us. A bit of humility would have been greatly appreciated.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 2
Service: 3
Had a wonderful night. Service was attentive. Had the 3 course dinner which was really good. If you've ever wanted to try a 650 bottle of wine without buying the bottle they have that option. I'll go back again to try some other dishes. Creme brulee was a highlight.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
My review is unique as Sage had some tea that I purchase regularly. I live 3 hours away so it’s a bit of a trek for tea. But we usually go to the Canmore area every 6 months or so, and it works out to refill my tea containers. It’s my favorite tea, and I drink it daily. I have a toddler who does not travel (or sleep) well, so we have not made it out there for a while and I was out of tea (a catastrophe for anyone who has a kid waking them up a lot at night). Todd was so gracious to mail me the tea! They also did this during the pandemic as well, and I’m extremely grateful they are willing to go above and beyond for a sleep deprived prairie dweller :)
Food: 5
Service: 5
Our experience at Sage Bistro was outstanding. The salad was perfect and delicately dressed. The French Onion soup was amazing and the lamb (recommended by your new chef, who is top shelf) was sublime. The flight of reds worked perfectly with each dish. Have already recommended the Sage Bistro to friends!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Season break until November 14, 2025, but open according to Google Maps
Very nice place and Ellie was absolutely amazing. Unfortunately whoever owns the place had her as the absolute sole waitstaff for a restaurant with around 8 tables full of customers. Very poor way to run a restaurant, much less an upscale one. Took the better share of 2 hours to get our order in and have food served. Ellie worked very hard to keep the place going and was great at maintaining an upbeat and positive attitude. Food itself was decent. We felt well fed. Owner: Get your act together please.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Its always a great dining experience when we go to Sage!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
My partner and I went here for my birthday dinner. We arrived at 5 pm and we were the only ones there for about 45 min. We went on the patio which had nice views of the mountain but the inside looked gorgeous too. We ordered the “rare wines” selection which was delicious and my partner had probably the best drink we’ve ever had- it’s called the legacy trail smash. We ordered the mushroom risotto which was delicious. And my partner got the lamb shank which was the best lamb I’ve ever had (if you like lamb that doesn’t taste too lamby if you know what I mean) and the portions were perfect! We left full. We got the crème brûlée for desert which was perfect sweetness. Our server was really great and we got to chat with him for a bit. It was a perfect place for a special meal I’m so glad we came! Away from the hustle and bustle of downtown
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Terrible customer service. The place was half empty, and only one guy was working. Told us they were not accepting anymore tables as he was the one on. He told us we “should just get fast food and drive to Calgary”. Seriously? We ended up down the street at “The Blake Brewhouse”, they were fully staffed, and service was great.
Service: 1
The staff was great! There was practically no one in the restaurant. The food was ok nothing more. My wife had her 2nd worst dish of our road trip.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 3
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
We had the most amazing meal and a great server, Bianca. This restaurant never disappoints. Thank you! We love stopping here on our way home from our weekends away.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Absolutely amazing! I had the trout and it was one of the best dishes I've had.
Highly recommend.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
One of the best place I have been to eat in Canmore and Banff! You won’t be disappointed!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Good service. The food was okay but overpriced
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 2
Service: 5
Sad end to a formerly good restaurant. Tried to have dinner here 2 days ago. Food literally took more than 1 hour to be served, 3 of 6 meals were inedible (meat was terribly overcooked), waitress was both in over her head and rude, and we watched numerous other parties struggle with the same experience.
Have been here several times over the years and not sure what happened … new owners perhaps? Stay away now …
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
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