1886 Buffalo Cafe

Cute little place with lots of squandered potential. Ordered Ed’s Benedict which is just eggs with shredded cheddar cheese and tomatoes. Food was on par with what I would whip up at home, nothing special. Server was quite rude and unfriendly. Potatoes were way too salty, some overcooked and some way undercooked. Toast was soggy (how?!) and eggs were well… they were eggs. Much too expensive for what we got.

wanted to really really love it and just ended up thinking it was very good. I think the potatoes are over-​seasoned or something because wow the sodium content seemed very high.…
Anyway, the potatoes are real, which makes it one of the best breakfasts in Canada (LOL) the eggs were cooked correctly, the toast was wonderful and I enjoyed the theatre of watching some ridiculous American complain about the way the bill was put together. He was indeed incorrect, but blustered enough to be a total spectacle. Dinner and a show!
Anyway, there is a bit of a guarantee that there will be tourists there, but no guarantee of a show.
Maybe a bit pricey, but it was well above average.

Over priced for the quality of food you receive. The atmosphere was the only appealing quality.

Country feel in the big city. Great breakfast and free coffee that kept getting refilled. What more could I want on a lazy Saturday morning?

Stopped by today at 10 AM because I hadn’t been there in a couple of years. The group I usually went with are either retired or laid off, but I had the day off so went to have breaky and coffee. Walked in and there was only 1 table taken, but got a weird vibe from the waitress, like she was really busy. Anyways, whatever, went and took a table in the side room and ordered the Eggs with toast and hashbrowns and added bacon. Still the same quantity and quality as always, that has not changed. But the hashbrowns, which were unbelievably good before, was a little off today. Dryer than before and not as tasty. Then there’s the $ 4.25 coffee — which is nothing special, but the price is definitely up there. Think what was throwing me off was that the buzz and vibe is totally different from two years ago. It’s definitely quieter than before when oil was over $ 100 and deals were made over breakfast. Not sure I’ll be back, there are so many more breakfast cafes in Calgary now to experience.

I almost walked out when I realized my juice and coffee were each 4.25 $!!! I asked what kind of coffee it was and the waitress said «just a colombian blend» and I asked why it was 4.25 $ and the waitress rolled her eyes and said «ugh, I know… I recommend getting lots and lots of refills». EVEN THE STAFF are rolling their eyes at the expensive menu.
Steak and eggs is 22 $
Omelette starts at 11.75 $ and goes up 1.75 $ per tiny bit of ingredients you put into it. LOL! Imagine getting an omelette with 4 ingredients and paying almost 20 $.
And it’s not like the food or ingredients are any better for the price… The coffee is awful. The juice is just President’s Choice concentrate orange juice.
My boyfriend’s theory is that their rent must be very high.
Oh well.

There is a really unique feeling you get when eating a good breakfast while sitting in a log cabin. This is a small place, so I don’t suggest going in a big group, but it has great food, good prices, and a really unique atmosphere. Super Canadian :)

Food is very good. Service how ever is lacking. Waited over five minutes for hostess to come by and greet us. Another few minutes for them to clean off a table and seat us. Once seated we were rushed to order. They weren’t THAT busy. Cute place, good food, service by an Asian women who didn’t know how to smile or interact with customers.

Had the Blaisey Boy omelette — excellent hearty, spicy omelette, with just the right amount of heat. Great breakfast, and wonderful atmosphere.

First time to Calgary and not sure where to eat. Asked the front desk and they gave us two or three suggestions. We decided to try this one and i sure did not regret it. Don’t let the run down building fool you. This was one of the best breakfasts I’ve had in a long time. Coffee was good and the toast is great along with the sausage and eggs. Also had a fruit cup and it was yummy and the fruit ripe… even the blackberries.

We ended up at 1886 Buffalo Café on Victoria Day by accident. A couple friends were visiting from out of town and we wanted to do a non-​franchise restaurant brunch so they could experience something unique to Calgary. Our top choices were either closed or too busy because of the holiday, so I ended up driving to odd places I knew including The Bow River Barley Mill in Eau Claire where I’ve had a couple memorable and solid brunches. Unfortunately they too were closed, but we noticed that 1886 Buffalo Café next door was indeed open and didn’t look overly busy. Their sign read «Restaurant Coffee Bar» and a quick online search confirmed they specialize in «Authentic Homestyle Breakfast» with an average 80% review rate. Sounded good to us!
Much like The Barley Mill where we intended to visit, 1886 Buffalo Café resides in a historic Calgarian Building. At over 100 years old and former home to the Bow River Lumber Company there is a ton of history here. It’s cool that they’ve kept the history in tact with the décor and fixtures, and added a lot of other historical items including pictures and information. You can even find some interesting information on the menu about the company’s founder Peter A. Prince. The appeal of this place is really the character it offers as it still stands strong amongst the modern day buildings near by.
The appeal of this historic gem really didn’t extend into our food or service unfortunately. Unless people were rude in the 1800s and the food was average/​overpriced, then they definitely got it on spot on and I failed to see the historical accuracy of it! I know that’s not the case though… To explain further, our server was not accommodating whatsoever: no refills, no checkups, no how are you, no anything! She wasn’t friendly at all and coasted through the whole experience beyond the absolute minimum of taking our orders, bringing it out and billing us.
As for the food it did have a bit of a «homestyle» feel to it, but overall it was pretty plain and nothing that made my taste buds jump for joy. I had the «Eggs any Style» with a side of Bacon; the eggs and toast were plain as could be and completely average. The hashbrowns were better and made with real whole potatoes, not too heavy and seasoned light. The bacon was good and crispy but definitely not worth the add-​on price. This brings me to my next point, pricing… 1886 Buffalo Café is priced through the roof for what they offer, I can live with the $ 9.95 for 2 eggs + toast + hashbrowns but this was cheapest item on the menu! Most of their items are in the $ 15 – 18 range and don’t offer much more. My side of bacon… an extra $ 5.25! Their basic coffee $ 4.25!!! These prices are insane, might as well go to an all-​you-​can-​eat brunch buffet at the prices they charge… The portions are small and completely average. You’d get the equivalent of what we got here at about 40−60% less cost at most restaurants. If you look at the kitchen though you do have to cut the Chef some slack for pulling it off in the small work space.
Beyond the character and history behind this place it was a pretty disappointing visit, it could be a charming and cozy place if they step up their service and either lower their prices or increase their portions. Until I hear of some sort of a change I won’t come back.

This breakfast joint has been around since I can remember; our waitress proudly stated she has just celebrated 26 years at
The café! I don’t know how she does it, staying upbeat, energetic and Über-​friendly everyday; but I am glad I am sipping on some of the same coffee that she serves and drinks too!
The food is amazing from eggs, omelettes and pancakes to oat meal, yogurt or just plain fruit. The cozy ambiance is woodsy with a lot of history and Character; definitively a must-​stop when in the Eau-​Claire area.

Woke up and was hungry for some good olé western cowboy chow for breakfast. Problem was, I was staying near Chinatown without a car so sadly it was looking like nothing but Chow Mein was in the cards for me. But google maps to the rescue and before I knew it, just a block from me was a tiny little1886 building that serves delicious cowboy fare and has certainly hosted its fair share of cowboys over time.
1886 Buffalo Café, see pics, is an historic outpost in the middle of modern Calgary. Surrounded by modern office buildings, malls, hotels, Chinatown, etc. It’s small, cozy retains the original tin ceilings, clapboard construction and other original features of the day. A pair of large nameless buffalo heads over the main entrance and in the main dining area both greet and ominously watch diners chomping on their food.
The omelet was fresh, hot and tasty. The Canadians like to put mayonnaise on everything and the omelet was not spared, but surprisingly didn’t interfere with the taste. Maybe they are into something with this whole mayonnaise thing! The heaping portion of roasted potatoes excellent. Service, fast and professional.
Didn’t see any shoot out bullet holes in the walls or ceiling but wouldn’t surprise me if I did.

I can’t believe how terrific this place is!
The food is perfect! Always cooked to perfection. The eggs are fluffy, hot — great work.
I go 1−2/week for lunch. What a gem!

Nice breakfast menu, good food, but rather on the pricier side for what you get, I think. Staff was friendly.
Really cool thing about the place is the ambiance. The furniture and style is really cool and kind of takes you back to a calgary of some past time.
It is worth a visit.

This place is super cute, I love coming here occasionally when I’m in the mood for a hearty breakfast. Everything on the menu is hearty, there are not a ton of breakfast options like French toast, or pancakes. More like steak and eggs, and massive huge omlets. Although the food is delicious it is also very expensive, at the end «eggs any style with bacon» and hashbrown scrambler with sausage, one coffee and one juice the bill was $ 45. And the service is so-​so.
But unlike many many breakfast spots, I’ve never had to wait in a line here to get in.

One of the oldest Cafes I have seen in Calgary, this place has a history and character from the old days of lumber mills to the modern brunch cafes.
We have tried it a few times for brunch and have never been disappointed!

How often can you have breakfast in a 400 year old shanty shack that looks just like it did during the gold rush?
Well, okay it might not be exactly 400 years old and not even close to where there was a gold rush, but the nostalgia abounds in this lovely old space. I was charmed the moment I walked in the door, greeted by a lovely server who offered me piping hot coffee on this snowy morning.
I met up with an old acquaintance and the hours lazed by as we ate cheese scrambled eggs as well as sausage and egg burritos, while having our coffee topped up time and time again. Tasty, hot old fashioned breakfast.
This place at 7:00AM was filled with business types having business type meetings. It’s a good spot for a good but not exactly cheap breakfast.
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Good breakfast place, antique 18^th Century Cabin full of same era memorabilia .
— Staff: pleasant and hard working.
— food: ample portions tasty on a menu full of great selections. I tried the Eggs Benedict, not your standard fare but really good.
I visited on Sunday morning and the place was packed but was less than 4 minutes before I was seated and offered a coffee which was very smooth.

Our work team had Breakfast for Lunch here at the 1886 Buffalo Café. It was a Friday afternoon (after the Lunch Hour) in Downtown in Calgary and this place was the only Eau Claire area place that we could have Lunch without a wait. Weren’t these people supposed to be at work or like us did a hard-​earned meal just come late after a hard morning’s work? The scene also reminded me of early career days when our Office would head out on Friday for a long lunch (including adult beverages) and then come back to work around 3 PM (or so) and just long enough to pack up our things and go home.
This Café is named for the year American entrepreneur Isaac Kerr of Eau Claire, Wisconsin, founded his lumber mill on the banks of the Bow River in Calgary. This place was also made moderately famous by a Visa ad made for the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics. It’s a cool historical building, authentic inside and out, including the clapboard construction on the outside and rustic wood décor and wall history on the inside. A few days later as I walked by, I peaked inside and discovered that there’s also a basement. Another interesting realization is that the café was here first, while the City built up around it.
I had a delicious Blaisey Boy Sandwich which was more than one person could eat, but I did anyway. Table service was quick, but the speed from the Kitchen was a bit slower. I had a direct view into that one-​man operation, enjoyed watching him meticulously prepare the individual dishes and didn’t mind the wait at all.