Block Kitchen + Bar

We spent 5 days in Banff and this was our last dinner — the perfect ending to our trip. The food was delicious and authentically made (even as a Korean American, everything tasted spot-on!). The vibe was cozy and intimate, just the right size for anyone wanting to avoid the big, crowded pubs. Staff were warm and friendly, which made the experience even better. We’ll definitely be revisiting! Highly recommend.

My husband and I had dinner at Block on our recent trip to Banff and WOW was it amazing! We've been coming to Banff for 10 years and I cannot believe this was the first time we tried it. Everything was so delicious from the karaage chicken to the lettuce wraps to the dumplings and even the dessert. We also got a side of the in house kimchi and it was 10/10. Our server was also wonderful and treated us so well! I would highly recommend block the next time you're in Banff, especially if you like tappas style food!

Saw the reviews about the ramen curry and had to try it. It was incredible! There were a lot of toppings in it, so much flavor and it was a good portion. My bf got the thai curry mussels w pita bread. He said they might have been the best mussels hes ever had and cleaned the bowl 😅 We both agreed we could have gone without the tiramisu brownie dessert. The top has caramelized sugar, middle is a tiramisu cream layer, and the bottom is brownie. It was unique but not amazing. The service was good, the waitress always came by at a good time. This place is so small, it probably seats aorund 20 people at once. Super cool place! Wish I could have tried more things cause everything sounded so good.

Initially came here to try out their duck poutine and curry ramen but unfortunately it was only available on their lunch menu and we came for dinner. Luckily the two dishes we got instead were really good. To fill our duck craving we got their duck spring rolls rich had the perfect crunch paired with an incredible dipping sauce that I’ve never had with spring rolls before. Extra points for the presentation! My girlfriend has never had bison before so we went with the smoked bison & pesto flat bread. We both enjoyed it and I think every ingredient on it was great and worked well together. If I’m ever back in Banff I’ll be sure to come back and try their lunch menu.

Our server was one of the most attentive servers ever! Amy maybe? She was On top of it! Nice high-top outside on a beautiful afternoon. Had a bottle of the Montrose Rose ($58) paired with Three Dips & Nann ($14) that was a tasty treat and delicious! Hard to choose a favorite. Next were the Wagyu Beef Gyozas ($17) and the beef was so tender inside. Fantastic! Finished with a Vegan Bao ($8.75). Never had one before and jury is still out on the Bao but it was packed nicely and veggies were fresh and tasty. Make this a stop! You won't be sorry.

Great experience overall, with couple items falling short but the rest carried. Loved the ahi tuna, nice light entree with a great slaw. The bone marrow and the fried chicken app should not be skipped either. Chicken was crispy and moist, and sauce it was tossed in good. The creme brullee dessert was absolutely fantastic, we ordered a second one after finishing the first. Rilletes and ribs not so great, would pass on those. Tokyo fries delicious to share. Small restaurant so there can be a wait.

Nice small restaurant in the heart of downtown Banff. Very good food and friendly staff. Prices are a bit high but it’s worth. Food was delicious and portions were big.

Had a fantastic meal at Block Kitchen! The food was fresh, flavorful, and beautifully presented. I highly recommend the Bison flatbread- it was packed with flavor and cooked to perfection. The service was friendly and attentive, and the cozy atmosphere made the whole experience even better. Will definitely be coming back!

Eclectic, cool vibe with amazinggg food. Experience and the food was just out of the world. We had their salad, special red curry shrimp - even the side kimchi was soo flavorful and tiramisu brownie brûlée - for dessert not your every day brûlée. The drinks were great with great service- overall must go!!

A unique tapas style restaurant with a beautiful outdoor seating area with views of the town and the mountains! I came here with the intention of trying all the bison dishes I could, since the menu had many interesting options for bison. Food (bison) highlights: one of the specials was bison tartare with bone marrow! It came with a mini salad as well as baguette slices and it was a surprisingly large portion for a very reasonable price. One of the most interesting dishes I tried during my stay in Banff. My table also got the smoked bison flatbread, which also had caramelized onions and pesto. This was also absolutely delicious. Friendly service: our server gave us some good recommendations of things to see around the town. Party of 4 had a 20 minute wait time before being seated, and service during the meal was good.

Reprehensible behavior by a crappy barmaid that felt she was above helping a patron who's mouth was on fire! She proved over and over she didn't care about the patron! Avoid this bar! Food was just ok - they should warn the kimchi is Thai HOT!

Small place, and the estimated wait was ~40 minutes but we ended up getting seated in half that time. It's very cozy inside and we came after seeing the high reviews on Yelp. There is quite an extensive menu, and we chose an assortment of items to share amongst the 4 of us. The korean fried chicken was by far the best thing, but didn't really taste like kfc. The duck rolls were okay, the short ribs were decent, and the fries were also pretty good. I also got the pork bao which I thought wasn't anything special. I don't think anything was that worth coming for, but it did the dinner fix.

If you like a tapas style dinner this is a great spot to check out, the food is very good! Our server had a pretty bad attitude and seemed like she really didn't want to serve us which was odd and kinda ruined the experience. Restaurant is very small so I'd imagine when it's busy it'll be hard to get a table! Worth the visit for some good small plates, hopefully you have a nicer server than we did as the food is the only thing that made this a 3 star!

Good food. Tapas style. Service was excellent. Very casual walk in restaurant and albeit small in size they accommodated our family of 9. There is indoor and outdoor door seating. Chicken Karaage: 3.5 stars. Comes with spicy dip. Chicken was a little spicy so may not be great for little ones. Soft shell crab Bao bun: 3.5 stars. Crab was good but with the bun it lacked a little flavor. Tokyo fries: 5 stars. Crispy, well seasoned with takoyaki sauce and mayo, bonito flakes and nori. Bison burger: 4 stars. Decent flavors not gamey. Hubby thoroughly enjoyed. Red Devil calamari: 3.5 stars. Thick chunks of breaded calamari steak drenched in the red sauce. The calamari was seasoned with sauce it self and flavored as well. Good flavors. Too much sauce and breading. Not sure how the katsu curry bowl was but my brother in law devoured it. Quite a bit of drink selection but it was too early for me.

Amazing food the server dude was awesome great all around experience we got the ramen 10/10 salad 10/10 Poutine Fires 10/10 .. Service 10/10 oh and the lettuce wraps Epic Xavi times 10

Cozy, chic Japanese vibe. Very cool! Friendly, fast service. The food was beautiful and very tasty. Love the location in the heart of tiny but very mighty Banff.

This is a unique restaurant as it is tapas style but Asian influenced food! Due to some roadwork there's no patio currently and the interior is small but we lucked out and got the last open table right away. My friend and I split the duck spring rolls and I got the beef gyozas - both were great. A lot of the menu items sounded good but were too spicy for me sadly. Our waitress was really helpful in giving recommendations.

Really impressed with this place! A tapas place with kind of an Asian twist, and so delicious! They apparently change their menu up every so often but here's what we had: The block fries are a MUST! They were the perfect crispness to potato ratio like McDonald's except even better because they were dusted with nori flakes. And the accompanying spicy mayo sauce makes you forget all about ketchup. Definitely our favorite thing we ordered. The special of duck drumettes were also very good. Perfectly fried and crisp on the outside but still moist and perfectly cooked on the inside. The Korean beef short ribs were really good, too! Had some of that grilled smoky flavor and I loved the accompanying pickles and kimchi for a little bit of acidity and lettuce to provide a bit of crunch. The cold ramen salad was probably our least favorite thing (not that it was bad, the other dishes were just so good). The broth had great flavor and the noodles were perfectly cooked but there were just a few too many toppings for my liking and I think I prefer my ramen hot! Overall, so delicious though. Oh, and I also really appreciate that each plate is a respectable amount of food (unlike at some other tapas places I've been to).

Walked in on a whim because every other restaurant in Banff was already closed at 9 pm! Thank goodness I did bc they stay open late. It's a beautiful restaurant-I sat at the bar -had a smoked old fashioned and a delicious summer salad and pork and apples. It was impeccable and the bartender kept me laughing! What a perfect spot for dinner! Check it out if you're visiting!

First meal in Banff! The restaurant is small and with Japanese decor. Servers are very friendly. Mushroom risotto: very curry forward flavor which was surprising and had a classic risotto texture. Not my favorite personally. Tuna tataki: tuna was very fresh and had a flavorful crust! The seaweed salad was a nice addition. Salt & pepper duck drumettes: Very juicy and the pepper was incredibly fragrant. I enjoyed the sweet dipping sauce that came with it. Bison & pesto flatbread: this was just okay. It tasted very dry overall and could've used more pesto. Bison steak and frites: My personal favorite. The bison was cooked perfectly and it was rich & slightly sweet. I loved the chimichurri sauce and the fries were solid too! Zen salad: Nothing to write home about... it was a very simple salad but it was nice to have something fresh to accompany our meal.

Great service and great food after a long hike. Karaage chicken and bon mi was the highlight along with the service!

We got the salmon special and Zen salad which are Asian fusion style and very tasty. Salmon is soft and zen salad is refreshing. The service is friendly. They served us at the bar right way without wait or reservation. The restaurant is cozy with nice vibe. Overall, very good value and experience~

We had a wonderful dinner experience at Block! We ordered a bunch of food to share including lettuce wraps, Korean beef short ribs and gyozas. The food was so good; it was fresh with a unique combination of flavours and Asian flare. The inside has mostly high top/ bar seating. It's quite small inside so I would recommend making a reservation. The service was also top notch. The owner served our meals, and kept the kitchen open for a bit longer so we could order a few more plates. He was so accommodating and friendly. Would highly recommend!

There's a first time for everything and I'm so glad my first time trying Bison steak is at this place. The steak is cooked medium rare and it was so tender, the chimichurry sauce goes so well with the steak. And while you're there, don't miss on ordering the fantastic Original 16 draft beer. Service is super awesome, very friendly and kind, I would definitely come back here when in town. There's indoor seatings and plenty of outdoor seats too.

I saw this place on Yelp when searching for places to eat, but was not too interested in what they had to offer. While walking around, we stumbled upon this and saw their specials and decided to eat here. So glad we did. The restaurant is on the small side and can only accommodate about 8 people at the bar and 15 people at the tables. We sat at the bar and that is the best place to be. You get to interact with the bartender and see him in action. We ordered the Thai curry risotto and chicken karage to start. The chicken karage was just ok, but it was a little bit oily. The Thai Curry risotto was great. The flavors worked well together, but there is a little bit of spice. The drinks tasted good and not too expensive. We would have stayed longer, but it was closing time. Definitely will bookmark this place for the next time.

Came here just for drinks. Saturday night 8PM only place was at the bar. Very small seating. These are based on Personal Preference! Ruby Tuesday. 7/10. Yuzual Suspect. 9/10 ( I liked it, boyfriend did not) Birds of Paradise. 10/10. Best drink here. Watermelon Splash. 8/10. Tastes like cucumber water, very diluted. I didn't like but boyfriend did.

I had the poutine which was delicious. The gravy was rich and tasty, the fries were crispy, the pulled duck meat was tender, and the cheese curds were nice sized and numerous. I ended up eating the entire thing, which I don't usually do with poutine since towards the end the fries get soggy. But this was so good even the soggy fries at the bottom tasted fantastic. Honestly the best poutine I've had. Would love to come back someday.

Such a Gem in Banff. It's a small place but worth the wait. Couple tables inside and a few outside as well. Their food is Beyond delicious along with their drinks that are well priced and so worth it. It's like a Tapas style menu that you can share the plates. We had the Shirt ribs, a delicious salad and the Hummus trio with warm pita bread. We devoured the food and we were amazed how much we loved it. The Ambiance was great, a bit dim and they had sports on the TV and it was a great vibe. The tables are a bit close to each other just putting that out there but that didn't bother us at all. The hostess was nice and the customer service was great, very attentive and food came out quick. If you are visiting Banff area book a reservation here you won't regret it! Get your name in the list as have a good meal!

Block's dishes are all great. We tried bison short ribs, lettuce cups with boneless ribs, Korean fried chicken, and the tuna tataki The bison short ribs were very tender and cooked perfectly. It's rare to find bison ribs. These didn't disappoint. With the lettuce cups, add some of the peanut sauce and Kim chi to the mix. You won't be sorry. The Korean fried chicken was very crispy. The sauce was a little spicy. This is a do over for sure. Tuna tataki was probably the 4th favorite but still very good. The salad that came with the tuna is one of the best I've had.

I came here on a Thursday night and was seated right away. The service was excellent, and the restaurant had a small, cozy atmosphere. My favorite dishes of the night were the duck drumettes and the Alberta bison steak. Both were standout dishes and definite must-tries!

The best food we had while in Banff! This place is really small so either go early or be willing to wait. You will be seated in tight quarters and I would not recommend for a big group The food was amazing! Everything we ordered from their tapas style menu was delicious and more than enough to share. We ordered off of the specials board and were not disappointed. Bar tenders were both great and very friendly.

Went for a lunch in downtown Banff. Parking was pretty tough but we did manage to find a spot in the free lot and walked to the restaurant. Other parking was street/paid. There was no wait when we went although the place was already packed with others. Service was average. Food came out in about 20min. 7/10 Ramen chicken MP - Average ramen in terms of broth and noodles. Flavor is just ok, noodles were not overcooked, toppings were ok, and chicken was good. 4/10 Tofu wrap $16 - Would not recommend. Tofu is plain and portion is very small. Mostly will be just lettuce and sauce. 7/10 Bbq pork wrap $19 - Pork was good but again very little protein. 5/10 Tofu bowl $20 - Mid tofu protein bowl. This bowl has soft tofu and there was not that much flavor. 8/10 Medley flatbread $23 - The best thing they had. Crust was well made with cristy edges and thin soft interior. Very cheesy and generous toppings. Could use a bit more seasoning on the toppings. 7/10 Korean fried chicken $16 - Solid sweet and savory flavor. Chicken to breading ratio was good, but not that crispy. As far as KFC goes, this is average. 7/10 Passionfruit mocktail $9 - Pretty refreshing especially after hiking in Banff, but could use more passionfruit flavor.

We loved everything we ordered. Love the food and vibes. Definitely would like to come back again to try everything else on the menu!

Overall drinks and food were good, but we were more impressed with the craft cocktails. The food was not as good as the foodie places in California, but it satisfied our appetite.

Caveat that I did NOT eat here. This is about how I was treated. I called and was told over the phone it was a 1 hr wait for a party of 7. Four mins later I walk over to put our name down. The lady looks perplexed and leaves for a moment. Then someone, I assume the manager, comes out, to explain it's now at least 90-120 mins. I asked what changed in 4 mins? Response, well we can't put your name down until you show. It was 4 mins. Still hasn't put my name down. Don't understand why there is a back and forth. Forget it. Left. Won't come back for our week in town. How you talk to customers and treat them should be important. Appears from my experience it's not

we were looking for a quick place to eat and this place was pretty good! got 3 appetizers - the dumplings, chicken karage, and the fries. the atmosphere was pretty nice too. the service was very friendly and the placed was pretty filled. we should've probably gotten one of the main meals like the galbi but enjoyed it still.

This place is amazing. Super small, and doesn't take reservations, but we were seated at the bar with no wait, even on a Saturday night. Music was a bit loud, but we settled in to a very cool, hip vibe. Ordered all tapas, and while we were eyeing the entree menu, we were stuffed after 4 tapas. Fried chicken was the best!!! Also totally enjoyed the Bao, pork and shrimp. Salmon tartar was very good. Only minor disappointment was the Potato Bravas w/ Chorizo. The sauce was a bit heavy handed, and it somewhat smothered the crispiness of the potatoes, but the flavor was still good. Drinks were fun, varied and excellent. Super intimate place with outstanding food.

Small place but we didn't have a wait at 145 pm lunch time. Combo of small plates and large ones. Kid ate karaage which was delicious and we have Korean fried chicken sandwiche and special pork nori rice dish which was filling and refreshing. They had a variety of spicy sauces which all had a nice kick . We subbed regular fries for Tokyo fries which was overkill. I didn't like the fishy flavor or bonito flakes and the sauce was sweet. Didn't try sumac fries but that sounds more savory .

I still think about this restaurant! I visited Banff about 2 years ago and the food at this restaurant blew me away! It's a cozy and unassuming spot but it is a MUST try. The vibe is chill and cool, good music too. The owners and staff are also super welcoming! For the food? I had to take a pause after every bite because of how tasty it was. The massaman Thai prawn curry was delicious, and the chicken karrage was as well! I will definitely eat here again the next time I visit!!

We had the bao buns - pork belly and boneless beef rib, wagyu gyoza and chicken karate! Everything was so delicious! We went in based on the reviews and I can see why it's highly rated.

Sweet Potato Soup 3 spicy, flavorful SMOKED BISON & PESTO FLATBREAD 3 pumpkin seed pesto, onion compote, goat cheese, bread slightly dry, cold cut bison slightly dry, medium flavorful PIG, DUCK & FIG RILLETTES 4 chutney, crostinis, flavorful, refreshing, slightly sweet PULLED DUCK POUTINE 3 fries, pulled duck, cheese curds, demi-glace sauce, super salty

What a surprising find! My friends and I stopped by for a late lunch after hiking nearby and were amazed by the food! The 6 of us got seated inside by the window next to the bar and honestly it was a bit cramped. My boyfriend and I got the duck poutine(7/10), asian lettuce wrap (8.5/10) and the karaage crispy chicken sandwich (10/10). The duck poutine was good but it gets really heavy after awhile. The Asian lettuce wrap was yummy and the different sauces were nice but the portion is smaller than I thought. I loved the karaage crispy chicken sandwich! The chicken was marinated and crispy. It was extremely delicious. I would highly recommend this place.

This is a cozy quirky little restaurant in downtown banff that serves up foodie quality concoctions that all are equally as tasty as they are creative. It's an Asian fusion spot so expect thing from ramen to tobiko laden karage chicken. Get reservations because it gets filled quickly. Service staff were super duper friendly, helpful and personable. The karage, Korean fried chicken were both different and excellently juicy and crispy bat same time . The bao were filled with meat and goodness about the size of the palm of your hand. Capable of being split. The shrimp were cooked to perfection

We got to sit outside and it was very nice. Our server was wonderful. Drinks were amazing & food was served hot & fast!

Great food, the best we found in Banff. Great atmosphere despite the very intimate setting. Service was fantastic and the bartender was so attentive. Highly recommend.

Great food! We had burgers with an Asian flair to them. Small, intimate restaurant. Shantell took really good care of us. We'll be back!

Sooooooo good, I had to go twice during my short visit in Banff! Small intimate place with great staff! Now let's touch on the food! Let's just say finger licking good! So good and I was so excited to eat everything, I forgot to take pictures. But I had the Korean friend chicken, gyoza, soft shell crab and beef rib boa bun, fries, poke bowl and everything except for the gyoza, I would order again, and I did! Highly recommend!!

Steak bao bun was easily the best thing we tried and the majority of the reason for this rating. The shoestring fries with spicy mayo were also so well spiced and extremely good. The Alberta burger was a standard burger (I'd get something else if we go back) and naanwich was also pretty standard. Outdoor patio was AWESOME.

Very friendly staff, they were extremely accommodating. We picked up a few sandwiches and ate at the park down the street. We got the non-sandwich and the spicy fried Korean chicken sandwich with fries and salad and everything was delicious!

Lively place for Saturday! We weren't exactly sure what we were in the mood for and definitely wasn't dressed for any special occasion. Block was opened, had seats, and had a lovely vibe to it. We sat at the bar and people watched majority of the time. I spent half the time watching the bartender make pretty drinks. The food was good. My boyfriend ordered two of the bao buns and he enjoyed them. He loved the Japabao more than the Char siu. I agree, but I am bias, because I know what true char siu tastes like. Not that it's bad, just not what I'm used to. It's a mix of Chinese, Korean, and Japanese. Japabao was unique to it's own, so being a mix of Asian ingredients made sense -double smoked farmers sausage, house kimchi, takoyaki sauce, Japanese mayo, smoked bonito shavings. I think there was a kick to it, if I remembered correctly. I had the Thai mushroom risotto. This small bowl is packed with lots of flavors. Shimeji, shiitake & king oyster mushrooms, brown, red & wild organic rice, Thai curry broth. It was really good, but heavy. I couldn't finish it. My boyfriend didn't want anything to do with it as he was satisfied with his buns. Overall, cute places, good food, and chill vibes.

Holy cow! I almost forgot to review this restaurant, and what a travesty that would have been. With all the other reviews, so graciously provided by you fellow yelpers... I demanded that we eat dinner at this restaurant. Not only was our meal, outstanding, as expected... The next night several other ladies in our travel group decided to visit as well, and also had an amazing experience and dinner. Based on other reviews, I had my heart set on duck poutine... And of course, it wasn't on the dinner menu. The chef graciously agreed to make it for me anyway, and it was frigging delicious. I got to try one of the shrimp, and a piece of the Korean fried chicken... And both were absolutely delicious, my friend said the bao bun buns were equally amazing. She devoured them too quickly for anyone else to have a bite. :-) I absolutely love, crème brûlée, tiramisu, and brownies so I imagine my immense happiness to discover they have created dessert. That is all three in one, and yes, it is everything you want it to be. Don't miss this place if you have one night in Banff. It's a win all the way around.

Fabulous flavors and creative dishes and drinks!! Speedy service and nice indoor and outdoor seating.

Stopped in for a quick lunch. Menu is diverse and the food coming out looks amazing. We had the mussells and a burger and fries. The fries are absolutely incredible. Highly recommend this place for lunch.

What a gem!! The place is small but ABSOLUTELY worth the wait!!! The food was INCREDIBLE!! We got one of the special items, the prawns in a green curry and WOW. So good. We also ordered the spicy salmon tartare, wagyu beef gyoza, and tuna tataki. Everything was so yummy and fresh! The gyoza was one of the best I have had... so flavorful. The salmon and tuna were so fresh and tasty! The drinks are also delicious!! We sat at the bar and the bartender, James, was great! He chatted with us and gave great service. 10/10!!!

What an incredible gem of a restaurant! I didn't know what to expect when my friend picked this restaurant but I came out full and happy. The food was so delicious and every item we ate had so much flavor to it. Special shout out to the chefs cooking the food. Everything was made to perfection. We came here Friday night and the inside was full. We got sat outside and it was freezing cold. The employee offered us blankets which was really kind of her and made it more bearable sitting outside. If anything opened inside, she would move us in. For the food, we did family style so we could taste everything. We got the char siu bbq pork belly, karaage chicken, pan-flashed spicy prawns, tako yaki and the thai mushroom risotto. I want to start off the tako yaki, it was the best tako yaki I've ever eaten in my life. So much flavor to it. The chicken karaage was so good we ordered a second one. The pork belly, prawns and risotto were flavorful in their own way. I would 100% come back here again. We as a group couldn't stop talking about how delicious this place was. Incredible food, incredible employees and we did end up getting moved inside. The inside is small but gives out a nice vibe. The experience was amazing! Thank you so much Block Kitchen + Bar!

Gyoza, Korean fried chicken, and duck poutine were all excellent. Service was great even when they were slammed.

We went for the cocktails, per a recommendation from a local bartender. Had to try a few of the oyster specials when I saw them on the featured menu. I had the Birds of Paradise cocktail but with vodka because I can't drink Gin. It was delicious, fruity but not sweet and had a bit of tartness. The foam on top gave a unique smooth texture to the drink. I also tried the two oyster specials. Personally I thought the miso oyster was the best and transported me back to Japan which I had visited earlier this year. We only stopped by for a cocktail before dinner. However, I wish we would have eaten there as the food that was coming out the kitchen smelled so good! Be sure to get a cocktail!