Garden House European Restaurant — Restaurant in Penticton

Our 2nd time dining here. Our first was about a year ago and wasn't a great experience, but we kept hearing great things and reading all the 5-star reviews, so figured we'd give it another try.

First the positives: patio atmosphere is lovely - shaded, quaint, peaceful our server (who I believe is also the owner) was lovely! She was very welcoming and friendly beers on tap were ice cold and delicious wine options were small, but good as far as our meals go, the proteins were pretty good. Lamb chops were cooked nicely, seasoned perfectly, and were very tasty. Schnitzel was a bit small and thin, but was tasty and cooked well. Mushroom sauce with the shnitzel was a bit under seasoned but otherwise pretty good. Chicken cordon-bleu was tasty, cooked nicely and well seasoned.

Now sadly the negatives: For some bizarre reason, the chicken cordon-bleu was served with tartar sauce!?!?! When we asked the server if that was just a mistake, she told us that's what they served it with. She did seem to agree that it was odd, and offered us a mustard sauce instead (which we accepted) but that turned out to just be a plain dollop of mustard (not a "sauce" at all). But really? Tartar sauce with cordon-bleu? Makes no sense at all.... The vegetables are very obviously previously frozen, and served overcooked and mushy. Middle of the summer here in the Okanagan with ENDLESS supplies of fresh fruits and veggies at our doorstep, and this restaurant chooses to reheat some frozen bagged veggies. potatoes tasted old, not fresh .. like maybe they were cooked a few days ago and kept in the fridge, then reheated. We were told that they were fresh pan-fried potatoes, but they definitely were not. Pretty easy to tell when potatoes are fresh versus when they taste like old refrigerator... lamb chops were described on the menu as being served with saffron rice.... rice was overcooked and mushy and there was no saffron on them at all, just a tiny bit of yellow sauce drizzled on top which tasted nothing like saffron. Luckily the sauce from the lamb was delicious and helped flavor the rice spaetzle served with the shnitzel was greasy, under-seasoned and very small portion

I give this place a 3-star because the atmosphere is nice, the server was pleasant, and the proteins were mostly quite good. Sadly the sides served with the meats ruined what otherwise could have been a lovely dinner. I'd expect reheated frozen veggies and potatoes at a truck stop diner, but not at a place like the Garden House Bistro. Seems like an easy thing to fix and i...

My wife and I just came back from an amazing Birthday dinner at Garden House. I made reservations for 6pm, early for sure, but, you know....we're old and I get pretty hangry waiting much later than that to eat dinner. What a treat from start to finish! Apparently parking is free after 6pm, and we were able to park right at the front entrance....so yay for us!!

We entered as another group was leaving, the outdoor patio area is BEAUTIFUL and a wonderful segway to the indoor dining area. Upon entering we were warmly greeted by the Hostess/Owner and promptly seated.

To our surprise, we were the only guests at that moment in time, and it created a wonderfully intimate and relaxed experience, and allowed some time to get to know the owners, and a bit of the history of Garden House.

We ordered garlic bread and Bruscetto appies, 2 orders of the Hunters Schnitzel with the fresh made german pasta, and an order of lamb chops. EVERYTHING was delicious, including the red cabbage, every bite was savoured...Honestly, I've been trying to get my wife to try Lamb for YEARS to no avail, but when she seen those lamb chops, she couldn't resist, and as no surprise to ME, she absolutely loved them! The Owners are very welcoming, their food is delicious, the atmosphere is warm and inviting, and I couldn't have chosen a better establishment to share my wifes special day. Thank you for the wonderful...

Willkommen in Deutschland! Reminiscent of quaint hillside stubes (bistro/chalets) in the idyllic rural setting of Germany offering locals and travellers a perfect place to congregate for après-ski/work/cycle/hike night of delicious dinners, fresh beers and delicate wines.

Chef and restauranteur Sam spent decades honing his skills and seeking the best recipes to delight his guests in Germany and recently North Vancouver. Relocating to the Okanagan, Sam and his wonderful wife Tara offer an authentic German experience with a refreshing menu of traditional specialties and international flavours (Persian, Turkish, Greek, Indian, French, Spanish). It’s a tapestry of the world in one beautiful spot!

Scratch homemade menu, locally sourced ingredients and the genuine hospitality truly transports you to a Garden House nestled in the German country side here in the stunning Okanagan!

In European custom, I trust outdoor enthusiasts and cyclists will make this a “MUST STOP” for cold local beers/wines, refuel for the next lag or a place impress their friends. 🏆❤️🇩🇪🥂🍷🍇🍺

It’s one of our favourite Germanic restaurants in the entire valley! Absolutely amazing schnitzel, Kebab and can’t wait to try...