Yellow Door Bistro

Yellow Door Bistro reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Review summary

1. B

   Byron

   Edmonton6 reviews

   4.0

   Dined 5 days ago

   1. Overall 4
   2. Food 4
   3. Service 4
   4. Ambience 4

   Wonderful Easter brunch. Definitely would come again.
   

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2. C

   Carol

   Calgary1 review

   5.0

   Dined on March 29, 2025

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Our first time at the Yellow Door for Saturday brunch. Very impressed with the variety and the quality of the food. New and unusual delights along with familiar brunch items. We lingered for almost two hours. Conversation was great as we could all hear each other. Loved the big horse lamp!! Desserts were excellent. Server was wonderful. Will come back again!
   

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3. V

   Valerie VIP

   Calgary2 reviews

   2.0

   Dined on March 28, 2025

   1. Overall 2
   2. Food 1
   3. Service 1
   4. Ambience 3

   We did the YYC EXP. Having dined here many times previously, I expected a certain level of quality... it was far from met. Upon seating, we didn't receive water for 20 minutes. 2 in our party were 10 minutes behind, but none of us got water until 10 minutes after our entire party arrived. The first course was scallop, and you could smell how fishy it was immediately as they were serving it. It was definitely past fresh. The second course seemed a bit better (charred squid) and we hoped the scallop was perhaps an unfortunate one-off. We were immediately proved wrong by the 3rd course, which were dumplings served cold, with incredibly thick dumpling skin. Next was a lamb dish, which was also served at room temp - the meat was nice and tender, but the bed of chickpeas it was on had absolutely zero flavour. At this point somebody who wasn't our server asked if we were enjoying our meal...we hesitantly said it was fine to be polite... he must have sensed our hesitation as he asked if we had any criticisms. We mentioned that the scallops did not seem fresh and probably shouldn't be served to future guests (but did not go on to list the rest of our displeasure) he apologized, but we never saw him again. Finally, dessert - I had been looking forward to this matcha cheesecake, but it was so dry, didn't taste any matcha, and for some reason quite salty? I could not believe how consistently disappointing every single dish was. And to add insult to injury, we had the most terrible service. I counted more FOH staff than tables, but it took us 45+ minutes after dessert to get the bill. We booked at 6pm and didn't leave until 845 and not because we were having a good time chatting. The YYCEXP is supposed to be an opportunity to showcase a good example of what your restaurant can offer, and I embarrassingly convinced 4 other people to come spend their money on what was listed as a 'gourmet' meal. It was abysmal.
   

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4. M

   Michael VIP

   Calgary2 reviews

   2.0

   Dined on March 25, 2025

   1. Overall 2
   2. Food 3
   3. Service 2
   4. Ambience 1

   The service was terrible. Our server was inattentive….more interested in chattering with her colleagues. Food was terrible. I’m in the oil and gas industry and am at restaurants multiple times per day. I would intentionally avoid and discourage people from spending any time or money at Yellow Door Bistro.
   

   Yellow Door BistroResponded on April 4, 2025

   Hello Michael. I am sorry to hear that your recent experience fell short regarding service. Our server did try to offer a complementary round of beverages but the offer was declined. I encourage you to email me directly with any additional feedback so we can better understand what we could have done to make the experience better for you rgordon@hotelarts.ca
   

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5. T

   Taryn

   Las Vegas6 reviews

   1.0

   Dined on March 24, 2025

   1. Overall 1
   2. Food 1
   3. Service 2
   4. Ambience 2

   I am thoroughly shocked at how horrible this experience was from start to finish. We dined at the Yellow Door Bistro for the YYC food expo as the 5 course menu sounded fantastic and creative, but the food was horrible. It was truly shocking that course after course the food didn't improve. The first course was fishy, lukewarm scallops that looked like they had been microwaved. Supposedly a carpaccio, but zero sear on the outside. Pickled fingerling potato was slices of raw baby red potato with no apparent pickled taste and the garlic scape was no where to be found. Salt? They haven't heard of it here. The second course was Humboldt squid and goopy mayonnaise. Green beans substituted for asparagus, as if no one would notice, and mystery peanuts that dominated the dish. An acid component? Absolutely not, it must have been somewhere else, maybe hanging out with the salt they also didn't think to use in this dish. The third course had some promise, the consomme was light and fragrant and well clarified, but the dough on the pasta was beyond al dente and once you cut into the agnolotti you were completely overwhelmed by garlic. The main was passable but the lamb was poorly trimmed and exceptionally fatty. The lentils were cooked properly and likely the highlight of the dish once I found a salt shaker and seasoned my own plate. Dessert was a failure. Matcha cheesecake sounded delightful but the whey sorbet overpowered the dish and left us with a horrible taste in our mouths. I'm not usually one to make this complaint either, but 5 full servings of wine for the pairings? This can't be right for $55. Service was not up to the standard it should have been. Flood pants on some, white running shoes, pants hanging off the butts of others, people speaking so quietly you can't hear a word they're saying, our server seemed to not understand us, and somehow they thought it wast was ok to drop the mains while my husband was in the washroom. A complete waste of $270.
   

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6. R

   Robert

   Calgary2 reviews

   5.0

   Dined on March 23, 2025

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   We ordered brunch off the menu and everyone (4 persons) enjoyed the flavours, portions and presentation of their food. Cocktails and mocktails were exotic and yummy. Michael served us like a pro, explaining the menu and the typical wait times when not using the brunch buffet. Would not hesitate to recommend The Yellow Door to friends and family for a relaxed brunch.
   

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7. J

   Julie

   Calgary1 review

   2.0

   Dined on March 22, 2025

   1. Overall 2
   2. Food 2
   3. Service 2
   4. Ambience 3

   Was very disapointed in the "buffet" breakfast. Gor 36$ so 175$ for 4 people, no omelette bar, no décent fruit, chocolat fondue. Was worth 20$ max!!!
   

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8. S

   Susan VIP

   Calgary5 reviews

   5.0

   Dined on March 19, 2025

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 4
   3. Service 4
   4. Ambience 4

   Attentive service, good food & a very unique interior made for a lovely lunch.
   

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9. D

   Dalek VIP

   Calgary26 reviews

   4.0

   Dined on March 15, 2025

   1. Overall 4
   2. Food 4
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 4

   What a bonus to have ‘Sunday brunch buffet’ on a Saturday, but because it wasn’t as busy it felt like the food didn’t turnover as quickly. Probably better to attend earlier on a Saturday. Free parking is included, so I hope more people start attending on Saturday.
   

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10. A

    Alberto

    Calgary1 review

    5.0

    Dined on March 15, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5

    We had an amazing experience at Open Door Bistro in Calgary for their Saturday brunch buffet. From the moment we walked in, the atmosphere was warm and inviting, with a cozy yet modern touch. The buffet selection was impressive, offering a great variety of fresh and flavorful dishes. The eggs benedict were perfectly cooked, the pastries were fresh and delicious, and the coffee was excellent. The service was outstanding—friendly, attentive, and welcoming. The staff made sure our coffee cups were never empty and that we had everything we needed. It’s clear they take pride in providing a great dining experience. Overall, Open Door Bistro is a fantastic spot for brunch, whether you’re looking for a relaxing weekend meal or a place to gather with friends. Highly recommended, and we’ll definitely be back!
    

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