Legendz Diner — Restaurant in Golden

Review Date: July 13th, 2015

It’s time to start talking aboot my trip through Canada. What a LEGENDary and craZy time that was.

50 hours from start to finish. That was our drive from our home area to our destination in Canada. Of course, that was just the drive time and didn’t account for the stops along the way. Most of the stops were legendary but not as legendary as the Z.

We were coming to the end of our drive to Nakusp, BC and we needed to fuel up for the last few hours of our drive. I was hungry. The kids were hungry. My cousin and his wife were hungry. It was the perfect time to stop. We quickly used google to look at what was near us and I can’t remember who stumbled upon LegendZ as a place to eat but after a round of votes, it was the one we ended up visiting.

Weary and road-lagged, we walked in and were greeted with that friendly Canadian attitude we’ve quickly come to appreciate. The feeding grounds of choice was a table due to the number of us. As we were seated and given menus, I looked around and couldn’t even begin to digest the 50’s American culture that was present. LegendZ felt like it belonged on Route 66 somewhere.

As we adjusted to the diner seats from the van seats, we cracked open the menu and started looking it over. All of us quickly noticed that the offerings were very similar to what you would find in a diner in America. Cheap and greasy food offerings with a touch of hometown/local flair. There was your standard burgers and sandwiches. Your usual all-day breakfast items. Poutine (which I hadn’t had at this point in the trip). A big variety for a small place.

Orders were placed and within maybe 15 minutes, our food was brought out to us. Kind staff and fast cooking for a table of 5. Not too shabby. I ordered a Bacon Cheeseburger with french fries as I needed something that would pack a punch since we still had 8 hours of driving to go. When the food, we all kind of smiled that exhausted smile that comes after such an arduous trip. What I was expecting was nothing like I got. My expectations were a bit low due to being tired and wore out. I thought it would be your run-of-the-mill food where it doens’t blow your socks off but doens’t leave you wanting more.

That first bite in to my sandwich, I knew we made the right choice. The bacon was thick and semi-crispy, just how I like it. The burger patty was juicy and seeping in flavor. The combination of those two things plus the toppings and condiments made for a heavenly taste. It came with french fries, which were crinkle cut and alright. It’s hard to make fries exciting and these were standard fare.

Being the last stop before we hit Nakusp, BC… I am not sure if it was pure exhaustion or what but LegendZ was loved by us all. At this point, we had been on the road for maybe 45 hours and still had 8 hours to go. Maybe that factored in to the food tasting extra delicious Maybe it was delicious on it’s own. All I know is that it was just one of our many stops in our epic two-week cross...

We waited easily 20 mins for someone to come to our table. The waitress seemed annoyed that she had to work. The place is cool to look at but grimy at best. Milkshake was amazing. Kids chicken nuggets were average. Monte cristo was fantastic. Hot turkey sandwich was mediocre-we question if it was turkey or beef gravy on top, absolutely no flavour to it -had to add a bunch of salt and pepper to make it edible. The fries for all meals were bland, and not hot/crispy. Now for the absolute nasty part-the cheeseburger was disgusting. The patty was not homemade, very clearly looked processed, the meat didn’t even look like real meat. Our teenage son couldn’t choke down more than 2 bites. He was instantly nauseated and pushed the plate to the side. My husband thinking he was being over dramatic after 4 weeks away at cadet camp decided to try to burger. He took one bite and said the meat didn’t taste like meat. It had a weird rubbery not chewable texture. No waitresses came by to see how things were until they dropped the bill off telling us to pay at the front. That’s when they were informed of how disgusting the burger was, she appeared mad that we had said something, but did go and have it removed from the bill. Definitely was a one and done place to go. Skip this place and hit somewhere else with probably better prices where you’ll get fresh and tasty food. The only thing putting this place at 2 stars is the milkshake. The entire facility is dirty and you can feel the filth. Seats dirty with hard and sticky substances, the whole place felt grimy. The bathrooms are disgusting, blood on the garbage in the women’s bathroom, pad wrappers on the floor, water all over the sink counter, hand soap is extremely watery (are they adding water to the container to stretch the product out?). Husband said men’s bathroom looked like a bomb went off and while he was in there a female employee entered and started to clean it without making her presence known. I wish I had thought to take pictures but we just wanted to get back in the road and complete our 8...

Having worked in the food industry—as a a bus boy, waiter, kitchen help, bar back cook, sous chef, chef in food recovery, and through running a non-profit—I’ve come to realize that for me, it’s not just about the food. What truly makes an experience memorable is the service and hospitality, especially when people go above and beyond without being asked.

On my way back from Alberta, I was passing through Golden when traffic came to a halt due to an accident. I decided it was the perfect time to stop & top of gas Next to the Petrol Station was Time to Eat Legenz. Reluctant but positive I decided to try the plane out.

From the moment I walked in, the service stood out. My server was warm, attentive, and genuinely caring. When I mentioned I was craving some soul food—something heartfelt and not just “cookie-cutter”—she took it upon herself to ask the owner if they could do something special. Even though being hesitant under her recommendation I had ordered a burger, while waiting and having a smoke she came out & said that they can make a unique, off-menu dish tailored just for me.

Within minutes, I had an incredible meal in front of me. The gesture itself spoke volumes. It is not about food but about the hospitality, kindness, and willingness to make a guest feel valued. That’s the kind of service you can’t put a price on.

So, while I can’t fully review the menu itself, I can absolutely give this place a five-star review for the hospitality and human connection they provided.

To the team at Time to Eat Legendz: keep up the amazing work. You’ve earned a loyal customer, and the next time I pass through Golden, I’ll be sure to...