River Café

Dr. Natasha Iyer MD

Feb 5, 2026

I have dined at River Café many, many times over the years and have hosted guests here. The food can be excellent, which makes this experience especially disappointing. This evening, I returned a bison dish that was sinewy and chewy despite being medium rare. . My server responded by telling me that the chef and manager were “standing by because it’s Natasha… she always sends something back.” When I raised this with the manager, rather than addressing the comment, I was told that servers feel “intimidated” by me. (I will now note that my previous visit warranted a ONE star review for the service - 20 min to get a drink and over an hour for dinner without being offered a second drink, some bread or water while people who arrived after, were eating before us! I chose not to leave a review as this is one of my favourite restaurants and I pardoned what I thought was a once off experience. I will note that the manager is not authoritative nor is he customer centric in focus. He takes a blaming approach and defends his staff regardless of the circumstances.) Following that conversation, the same server approached my table and raised his voice at me in front of my children, stating that he never wants to serve me again, he has had difficulty with me each of the 6-8 times in the past and that I am “known around the city as the most difficult person to serve.” If he had served me more than once, I would remember him. I did not recognize him so possibly his service was underwhelming, and I do not tip more than 15% for underwhelming service… which might be part of the issue. At no point was I rude or disrespectful or even annoyed. I simply stated, after being asked about my meal, that I find it chewy and pointed to the 5 chewed pieces I couldn’t swallow. I didn’t ask for it to be replaced, he literally took the plate from me! Regardless of how often a guest sends a meal back (especially given that it only comes up because they ask how the meal is!), being labeled, spoken about disparagingly, or yelled at is unacceptable at any restaurant, let alone at this price point. Never mind that this is one of my preferred restaurants that I patron fairly often. Professionalism and discretion are as important as the cuisine. It seems the team culture is to be defensive instead of being accountable. In this case, the manager on duty is a worthy mention. To add insult to injury, the server Jared, followed me to the exit and continued to yell, including that he hopes I never set foot there again. THAT, indeed is something I’m happy to comply with. Otherwise, the beef tenderloin was exquisitely prepared, and my sons enjoyed their meals thoroughly.

Sharmin Easin

Dec 31, 2025

We celebrated our Anniversary at the River Cafe. One most important thing to remember that it is located inside the Principal Island park and there are at least 3/4 entry points from where you can park and then walk over. We went on one of the coldest nights and was not 100% dressed for the very cold walk on my high heels. We parked at the Calgary public Parking lot beside the Calgary Curling Club lot, walked over the footbridge and right. We were greeted with warmth and an a anniversary card signed by the team! That followed by a really nice spot for our dinning as requested. The server knew each menu items well. We had some bread and butter to start with and had an appetizer, mains, a dessert and 3 cocktails. It was not cheap which we expected as this was no ordinary experience and we were quite happy with all of it. The price was aligned with most upscale restaurants. The lightings, decorations everything gave this place a warm, cozy and local feeling. More importantly, we could taste how fresh and wholesome each ingredients they used to make each items and cooked, presented to perfection. Whether meeting a friend, corporate gathering or celebrating something special, this place got you covered with stunning views, vibes, culture and taste all packed with style.

Gaby

Dec 23, 2025

This is one of my favourite food places in town. Service is always great, never had any complaints. I’ve had their lunch and dinner menus and both really good, food never disappoints. The atmosphere is great, always looking forward to Summer so I can go back

Jeremiah Hunter

Nov 9, 2025

Came here for lunch. For one of Canada's top 100 restaurants it was priced very well. One of the best old fashioned's that I've had in the city. I had the arctic char and very much appreciated the attention they paid to the texture in the meal - that felt unique.

Carla

Oct 23, 2025

We got the sablefish appetizer and halibut main. Both very yummy. The chocolate dessert was absolutely delicious. This is in the middle of Prince’s Island Park so it’s a bit of a (pleasant) trek from downtown parking lots.