The Wolf’s Den — Restaurant in Golden

I recently had the pleasure of dining at this restaurant, and I must say it turned out to be one of the most memorable dining experiences I’ve had in Canada so far. I have tried many different steakhouses and grills across the country, but this visit truly stood out for several reasons. The highlight of the evening was without a doubt the bison rib steak. It was one of the best rib steaks I have ever had. The meat was cooked perfectly to my liking juicy, tender, and full of flavor yet at the same time it was surprisingly lean, with very little fat compared to other steaks I have tried before. That balance made it not only delicious but also unique and special in its own way. It’s not every day you get to enjoy bison meat prepared at such a high standard, and I would absolutely recommend it to anyone who wants to try something beyond the usual beef steak.

The accompaniments were equally impressive. The vegetables were cooked just right not overdone, not undercooked and they had a freshness that made them a perfect complement to the richness of the steak. The mashed potatoes were excellent as well: creamy, flavorful, and served in a portion size that felt generous without being overwhelming. Everything on the plate worked together beautifully, and I felt that real care went into the preparation of the dish. This attention to detail is something that sets the restaurant apart from many others.

Out of curiosity, I also tried the burger. While it was good and definitely delivered what you would expect from a solid burger, it did not quite reach the same level as the rib steak. The burger was satisfying and enjoyable, but the bison rib simply overshadowed it with its uniqueness and quality. I would still recommend the burger for anyone who is more in the mood for something casual, but if you want the dish that truly defines the restaurant, then the rib steak is the one to go for.

As for starters and sides, the Caesar salad was quite decent as well. It came with a good balance of dressing, fresh lettuce, and toppings that made it a reliable and refreshing choice. It might not have been the most extraordinary Caesar salad I have ever had, but it was well prepared and did its job nicely as part of the overall meal.

Beyond the food itself, the atmosphere was another highlight of my visit. The restaurant has a warm and welcoming vibe that makes you want to stay a little longer. I especially enjoyed the patio seating it was comfortable, lively, and added an extra charm to the experience. During my visit, I noticed that there were travelers from both Ontario and British Columbia enjoying their meals there, which says something about the reputation this place is building across provinces. The atmosphere felt almost like a meeting spot for people from different parts of Canada to come together over good food.

Service was excellent from start to finish. The staff was attentive without being intrusive, the food arrived on time, and everything felt very well managed. It’s always refreshing when you see a team that truly takes pride in their work and values the dining experience of their guests.

Overall, I would rate this restaurant very highly. From the exceptional bison rib steak to the welcoming service and pleasant atmosphere, it all came together for an outstanding meal. I left with the feeling that this is a place worth coming back to, and I can wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone looking for a special...

Aug 24th/23 -8pm

The good: Food was very good. Bison ribs were unique, very well trimmed and extremely tender.

Wife had Elk burger. It was also very good and well balanced and good. Though I wish the wine aus joux was a little more dynamic. Garlic mashed were also very good.

Atmosphere was amazing. Lovely rustic spot, with a beautiful patio and felt "homey" and confortable inside.

The bad: Our waitress on the other hand provided a very poor experience... we ordered drinks and recieved them promptly, and submitted our food orders when she came back. My wife requested cream and sugar with her tea at that time which the waitress acknowledged she would do.

Me and my wife are both celiac/gluten free which we explained, and the waitress seemed to have zero idea what that meant for our dietary restrictions or what menu options we could have.

The waitress seemingly avoided coming to our table going forward. I attempted to make eye contact a few times while smiling hoping for her to come by, but she would look away whenever our eyes met for a half second.

She ensured she helped every other patio table, including refilling their drinks and checking up on them consistently, but did not come to ours.

After 30 minutes of waiting (not upset that good food took that amount of time, just upset the waitress never adressed us again) the food was brought to our table by someone else. I was finally able to ask this individual for the cream and sugar again, letting him know i knew it wasnt his job but our waitress had not spoken to us since taking our food order and promising to bring the cream/sugar, and he quickly obliged. Though at that point her tea was ice cold and we were both quite frustrated/embarassed we had to bug some else to help.

We finished our meal completely, and had to wait another 10 minutes with our empty dishes for the waitress to get our plates and offer desert. We had originally planned on sharing the gf brownie but after issues getting cream and sugar, the waitresses unattentivness and the wait to speak to her once getting our food from someone else, we just wanted to leave.

We still tipped the minimum amount, but only because I'd like the cooks to recieve a tip out for their amazing job. My wife and I are normally overly generous and over the top with tips when receiving excellent service as we had both worked in the industry in the past, but this was just too frustrating.

When I was paying the waitress Aldo walked around the table to stand behind me with her hand on the back of my chair watching to see what I was tipping. This seemed inappropriate for the privacy of my card, as well as just being overall awkward after doing a substandard job.

When leaving my wife started to wonder if maybe she didn't dress nice enough or we looked like we didn't have money or something. This put a real damper on an otherwise good anniversary day for us. We will not be returning.

I didn't catch the waitresses name. She had dark brown hair with a pony tail. And she was quite short with a slight accent. I hope she gets the...

I'm a lone wolf... I like to travel alone and I like to have dinner out by myself. I realize that a lot of establishments do not like to give valuable table space to single people and so I'm used to being seated by the washrooms, or the door to the kitchen, or at the little used table by the bussing station. Yes it bothers me and I know why I'm getting the worst table in the joint but I try to earn myself at least a slightly better table by eating a lot earlier than I would like to so I'm there before the rush. Today this lone wolf showed up at the Wolf's Den at 4:45. The host asked me if I would sit at the bar... I do not like bar chairs, they are uncomfortable and I do not like feeling like I need to chat with the bartender. I prefer a table and asked for one instead. The place was less than half full, the patio was even less full. She told me that unfortunately all the tables on the patio were in the sun which was not true, I scoped it out on the way in. It was almost empty and there were lots of umbrellas and shade. In any case she did not ask me if I minded the sun and would I like to try the patio. In her eyes she just wasn't putting me out there. She said, 'yeah.... I don't know.... I can't really give you a table for 4 unless you can be gone in the next 45 to an hour because our rush will start and we'll need the table'. I mean I know what you guys are thinking when single me shows up for dinner but most servers are better at hiding it. Tell me I'm a second rate citizen without telling me I'm a second rate citizen. Or in this case, just tell me I'm a second rate citizen and you don't want to seat me anywhere because I'm not a valuable enough customer to occupy your table for 4! Oh but then she remembered that she had a booth hidden away in an awkward corner by the bar she could spare for me. I almost went somewhere else at that point, I was feeling pretty humiliated and unwanted as a customer but I was hungry. It turns out the food was excellent and the service was really good. Probably because by the time I left 45 minutes later the restaurant was still only half full and I could have sat at a table for 4 without putting them out in the end anyway. The food was good but I won't be back because that server left a sour taste in my mouth. Thanks for making me...