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Reserve a table
2
Wed, 10-04
20:00

Ratings and reviews

RATINGS
Food
Service
Value
Atmosphere

Details

CUISINES
Canadian, American, Steakhouse
Meals
Lunch, Dinner, After-hours, Drinks
FEATURES
Reservations, Seating, Wheelchair Accessible, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, Table Service
Reviews (117)
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116 results
Traveller rating
55
35
17
7
2
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Time of year
LanguageEnglish
Traveller rating
55
35
17
7
2
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Reviewed July 6, 2023 via mobile

Absolutely sensational! The lamb rack was definitely one of the best we have ever had! The wine was amazing and the ambience and service were outstanding! We will certainly be back as many times as possible before we leave

Date of visit: July 2023
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Reviewed January 28, 2023 via mobile

We finally got to try this family run place, and it did not disappoint. We went for drinks and snacks. They have a great selection of whiskey and gin. Next time, we will try the dinner menu. Service was great as well.

Date of visit: January 2023
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Reviewed September 7, 2022 via mobile

What a terrific place for lunch in a great location. Our server was really great and we had a good chat about our visits to Canada and he had some great tips on future travels. Lovely atmosphere, excellent fresh food and very generous portions. Loved...it.More

Date of visit: September 2022
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Reviewed July 24, 2022

Dined at Buchanan's for the first time in 1993 and we return every few years for a special celebration. Our group of 6 celebrated a birthday & anniversary last night. The prices are steep but the food quality is outstanding. Our meal began with 3...starters: dumplings, bruschetta & bacon wrapped scallops. All excellent & orders sized up so we each had a taste. Mains were fillet, halibut, salmon & seafood pasta. No one left anything on their plates! The decor is more casual than the menu prices suggest but the food is worth it (which may be why the prices seem steep to me). Phenomenal selection of whiskey as well. Lots of people on the patio enjoying drinks and appys.More

Date of visit: July 2022
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Reviewed February 4, 2022

The atmosphere is welcoming and warm. The people are friendly and enjoy having their customers in. They do everything they can to make sure you’re happy with food and drink and service.

Date of visit: February 2022
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Reviewed December 9, 2021 via mobile

Nice little place to grab a beer or a whiskey if it’s your thing! We took the bacon cheeseburger and it was a nice dish to go along with either their craft beer or a good steam whistle! Mike was extremely nice and give us...some recommandations on things to do or where to go since we are not from Calgary! Plus, we learn at the end that our food was half price cause it was happy hour! Lol So all in all, a nice pleasant lunch!More

Date of visit: December 2021
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Reviewed September 6, 2020

We have tried quite a few times over the last couple of years to love this restaurant, because it is in our neighbourhood. Even before Covid, they were resting on their laurels, on lunch business downtown, and likely on loyal customers who have known the...owners for years. The food/menu was very tired and in need of a serious upgrade. Not a complete change, because to be fair there are a couple of gems on the menu, like the wasabi Caesar salad, and their house burger. Other items like the popcorn shrimp (a ton of breading on tiny shrimp), and the charcuterie board, really need to go. The charcuterie board is an insult. A few jarred preserves, and when I ordered it, a few pieces of run of the mill, Safeway-style cold cut and cheese (a slice of corned beef??) - that is not charcuterie! Unfortunately a recent visit makes me think they will be closing soon. They were out of quite a few basics at the start of the weekend. Many of the regular staff did not seem to be around. Covid has been the death knell for many great restaurants, but I wonder if an update to their menu way before this, might have gotten a broader clientele interested? It is very sad because our experience with their service has been excellent, and we have always received a warm welcome. The surroundings are “old steakhouse” and the charm of the interior is terrific and really doesn’t need to change. Too much reliance on a formula that worked 30 years ago, plus some real apathy and resistance to shaking up the menu now and then ( while keeping the real winners), is what brought Buchanan’s to this point. To the owners I say, if you make it through this, please, please take a hard look at your menu, because if you don’t, I don’t think many other people will either.More

Date of visit: September 2020
Helpful?1  
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed September 5, 2020 via mobile

Pretty good - better steak joints in YYC. Portions small for price and a-typical meal and veggie sides. Nothing to write about.

Date of visit: September 2020
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Reviewed September 1, 2020

quick and easy through the restaurant and seated on the Patio. The server was there promptly (but never did introduce herself or tell me of the fish or soup specials - though I digress) . The beer and wine list is quite nice - giving...a good selection of beverages that would go with the different food options. I tried the Seafood Bowl - excellent - nicely cooked rice covered with an amazing curry sauce and lots of perfectly cooked seafood. Though there was not much lobster it was tender and flavourful and the other parts - scallops, mussels, etc. - again cooked properly. All arrived hot to the table a very nice lunchMore

Date of visit: September 2020
Helpful?3  
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed June 28, 2020

We very much enjoyed the patio experience on a warm Friday evening. The servers , all approtriately masked tried very hard to make the dining expersience as "normal" as possible. We had the house beer and whit wine - both quite tasty and inexpensive. Then...we moved to two appetizers and one entrée; which we split. The bruschetta was a mix of tomatoes, garlic, basil, olive oil and (surprisingly ) raisins served on crispy bread. The chicken wings that we ordered (Phil’s Hong Kong hot wings) were a new experience - not too hot but the addition of fried star anise was great. We finished the evening with the seafood bowl - everything cooked to perfection and served hot (scallop, prawns & mussels with Thai red curry sauce & jasmine rice). i could have eaten the sauce by itself so flavourful.More

Date of visit: June 2020
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Reviewed December 17, 2019

Back in the day, Buchanan's was one of the best business lunch (and dinner!) places to go downtown. A great selection of dishes, awesome whiskeys, and the ineffable Carol or Michael serving up great chops, pasta and salads. Alas, those days are no more as...we discovered on a recent well-deserved business lunch. The place was overly packed and rather noisy - even some Muzak would have been nice. Service was punctual and friendly. A couple of people at the table selected salads or lobster bisque and were satisfied, although the price for the bisque was a bit over the top for a mere cup'o'soup at lunch. Mains of salmon were well-sized, but slightly overcooked. My meatloaf special, was not even close to warm and some of the veggies were overcooked. The days of rock shrimp and Stilton salad are no more and the menu is turning into the usual ho-hum. But at least the place is still open where many restaurants in Cowtown have been forced to close, what with the outrageous downtown taxes and diminished expense accounts. I am hoping that this so-so meal was just an exception, but it certainly was not worth the hundreds we paid with the wines.More

Date of visit: December 2019
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Reviewed December 12, 2019

Great Bar, friendlystaff, and Fantastic Dinner... Rack of Lamb and an Old Pulteney hit the spot Bartenders knew their whisky and its still and old school family run little spot. Hidden Gem!

Date of visit: November 2019
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Reviewed November 17, 2019

A few friends went out for dinner. I go to this restaurant often and almost always have one the burgers, which are terrific.But this night I was tempted by the short rib and was not disappointed! The portion is HUGE, the meat is just perfectly...done (doesn't even need the sauce, it's so flavourful), and the bacon cheddar mac and cheese is a nice touch rather than just having some sort of potatoes. I'll definitely be ordering that again in the future!More

Date of visit: November 2019
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Reviewed July 14, 2019 via mobile

Went for a wonderful dinner with Special guests and we were not disappointed. We were surprised the place was not packed! Service was pleasant. The drinks were spectacular. The food was delicious with great menu options.

Date of visit: July 2019
Helpful?1  
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed June 27, 2019

Homey ambience, great food and attentive service. I had the best tomato and basil bisque ever! The seafood bowl was excellent.

Date of visit: June 2019
Helpful?1  
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Erick C
May 24, 2018|
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Response from mansfial | Reviewed this property |
Didn't think so as I didn't see tha Amex logo up
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BUCHANAN'S CHOP HOUSE & WHISKY BAR, Calgary - Downtown - Updated 2023 Restaurant Reviews, Photos & Reservations - Tripadvisor

Frequently Asked Questions about Buchanan's Chop House & Whisky Bar

Buchanan's Chop House & Whisky Bar is rated accordingly in the following categories by Tripadvisor travellers:
  • Food: 4.5
  • Service: 4
  • Value: 4
  • Atmosphere: 4