I'm shocked by the mediocre reviews! We've been a few times now. The drinks are always top-notch, and the dinner specials have never disappointed. Once, there was some sort of meatloaf and gravy dish ... I made fun of my husband for ordering it, but it was incredible. We also have never forgotten the trout dip. I like the tuna pita for a nice lunch out. There were ducks once that came to visit us outside. It's always been lovely for a leisurely meal out!
(5)
Chris N.
Not bad, not be best. Definitely gets points for decor and comfort, but the food isn't something to call home about. Highlights: Roomy, cool layout, high ceilings, good beer/liquor selection, friendly staff, open later than usual. Cons: Food is average, but on the tasty side. Good spot for a date, I'm sure, as I'm not really from this area either. However I did notice a lot of blind date type vibes happening. Ready to bet that this is the go-to place for quick, classy, and sorta cheap dining.
(3)
Hannah L.
The sign said to seat ourselves, so we did. I'm from out of town and my friend wanted to take me somewhere good and with gluten free options. After being sat for a minute or two a young man can by swiftly, set two ice waters down loudly and walked away. Apparently family and possibly a girlfriend came in, because he hugged and kissed them. Weird, but forgivable. I went to the bathroom and sat back down before anyone came with menus. We were able to review all the menus and sat for sometime before being addressed by anyone. We decided to leave. It's too bad because the only positive I can say, the menu did look enjoyable.
(2)
Kellie O.
I want to love this place, but I don't. I keep coming back in hopes that my unpleasant dining experience was a fluke, but it is a consistently bad experience. I think they need to cut down their menu significantly and make a few things great instead of 100 things just okay. Service is very hit and miss, food is not good, but drinks are great. Its also super loud and I feel like I have to yell at the people I'm out with.
(2)
Casey A.
I like this place. It's always busy and the service can be extremely slow but the food is always outstanding along with the drinks.
(3)
Carrie S.
Eaten there several times and the food is less than stellar and our last visit the server was beyond rude. It's a good place for a drink and to sit outside, but definitely won't eat there again.
(1)
Amber C.
The food at this restaurant is excellent. It does sometimes take time to get to you but the food is worth the wait. I will eat here if I can sit out on the patio but I don't like to eat inside as it is too loud. During the time of year the patio is closed I will either call my order in and pick it up or stop by and get my order to go but I must say they do also serve great drinks here.
(4)
Oscar G.
We have been to Bardenay several times since it opened and the food and service is usually good. However, that all depends on when you go. 1. The sign when you walk in that's says "seat yourself" really means " depending on where you sit you might not get waited on. 2. Their main problem is a lack of consistent wait staff procedures. On the busy days they have their "A" team on duty and are extremely attentive. However on those slow days during a work day... Forget it. We have walked out twice when no one would even bring us a menu, even though we sat 3 ft away from 2 bartenders and a waitress all talking to each other. Not even a glance our way to tell us they would be there soon. I don't mean to appear snotty but when I'm paying money for a nice lunch I'd appreciate at a minimum a menu to order from. We packed up and left. As a side note we went to Azteca and had an awesome lunch with a great waiter. The female waitress who blew us off at Bardenay walked in to Azteca to see her boyfriend.... Who was our waiter! We left him a $20 tip.
(3)
Mary W.
We were very surprised by the "please seat yourself" sign, but it worked out. Our waitress was wonderful, keeping our drinks fresh and checking on us often. Due to my food allergy, I wasn't able to have my first choice, but I was very happy with what I got (Spinach/Pear salad with salmon). The alcohol menu was vast and varied; the dessert menu was pretty standard, except for the booze ice creams. The setting and atmosphere was fun and friendly.
(5)
Paul B.
All of our meals were perfect when they came out and the only thing that could top the food was their house brand vodka. Our server Michaela was outstanding and took excellent care of us including giving this out-of-towner directions to pick up a bottle of said vodka since they can't sell it there.
(4)
Tina C.
I've been here several times for both lunch and dinner. My most recent experience was a large group for lunch out on the patio. Our waiter was not thrilled to be working, or serving us, or I don't know. There were no warm fuzzies and we seemed to irritate him. And we were all very nice to him. Maybe he was having a bad day. This place makes me nervous for just an hour lunch. Usually, the service is too slow for this. We let our waiter know right away we were under a time constraint. All this being said, he may not have been the nicest waiter, but he did a great job. We wanted for nothing and we DID get out on time. Usually the food here is good. Their menu hasn't changed much since they opened. So, I tend to get the same thing-Asian chicken salad. It's consistently ok. When we were leaving from our most recent lunch experience, a baby duck had gotten stuck in the large netting they have tied to the deck railing. This netting is meant to stop the ducks from entering the patio and disrupting diners. The netting is too large however, and the baby ducks get trapped in the squares and can't get out. I called to inform them. The girl who answered was very nice and thanked me for letting them know, however, almost a month later, nothing has been changed. Overall, I wouldn't say this place is outstanding with food or service, but if others in the group we are with want to go, I will go.
(2)
Brianne T.
I have never been to a restaurant where the waitress interrupted our prayer until my family came here. We always pray before our meal, and when she came over with our food, she called out, "okay, here is your..." And we lifted our heads and stared at her. I tried not to be rude. I kept my mouth shut, but then I tasted the food. I don't know how you screw up couscous...but the kitchen did. That's twice they've been subpar with their huge menu. I've only been here three times. Once for lunch (overly complicated plates), once for dinner (another overly complicated meal), and once for drinks. Bartender was nice and my rum n coke was fine. They should stick with their spirits not food. I'm thoroughly disappointed in Gordon Ramsay for praising this place. He should preach to them what he practices, since his menus are simple and short. I think he saw a show and not the real place, like what the Navy did when I worked in the galley, and some admiral or inspector was passing through. Check yourself, Ramsay. The place you should be praising is Greenbriar. Not this restaurant.
(1)
Spencer D.
While the food was great and not horribly priced the service was something to be desired of, they advertise self seating but when you sit no one comes to you for 10 minutes and they were so slow when we had given our drink order we ran out of conversation topics. Then they messed up our order, although they gave us a free version of the messed up order. Overall the service was not very good and dissapointed us
(2)
Janine W.
If I could give a rating of minus a few stars, I would give it here. My husband and I both had the cioppino. Cioppino is supposed to be a fish stew...with fish in it. We were served bowls of tomato sauce garnished with two wimpy slices of bread. There was one teeny tiny shrimp, a small piece of bell pepper and a microscopic piece of squid. If there was any fish in it, we didn't taste it or see it. My glass of Sauvignon Blanc was served in a glass less than half full with a pour mark on it and was not even chilled. This is a place to drink cocktails and to see and be seen, but NOT to eat.
(1)
Olesya N.
Great space, love the fireplace and the seating options along with the pretty lake view. Been here a couple of times, always very friendly service as well as great drinks and yummy food (we enjoyed everything we'd ordered!). Don't mind the self-seating and the prices are reasonable (great deal on the drinks!)... my only qualm is the fact that this place is full of loud children some nights. Yes, nights. And yes, this IS technically a bar/distillery. Very strange, not sure who'd bring screaming kids to a distillery and at night to boot, but yes, this does happen here. Not the restaurant's fault, I suppose; but a star off for this, nonetheless.
(4)
Alyssa N.
The location of this place is perfect. It's absolutely beautiful and they have patio seating for the summer months. I had chicken noodle soup and it was delicious. Also, my server Claire was so sweet. I had my wisdom teeth taken out a few days ago and I asked her for some ice and she was more than happy to get it for me. She also got me an extra cloth to wrap around it. Claire was so polite and patient plus the food is delicious. Overall I am very pleased with my experience there :)
(5)
Ian W.
Nice atmosphere, okay food, and most of the staff went out of their way to help. Unfortunately I didn't get a chance to try the alcohol. A couple downsides: they don't take reservations, so anyone who needs seats has to play a game of arriving 1+ hour early and holding tables. On the night I was there, I was trying to get 20 seats, and two other separate groups were trying to get another 20 seats each. So there were 60 seats all being held at the same time for over an hour before anyone arrived, just because they don't take reservations. Our waiter was terrible. He was continually chatting with friends/co-workers instead of helping us. He took half of our group's order and then disappeared for so long to socialize that they received their food before he even came back to get everyone else's order. I also had a pregnant friend who wanted fry sauce, which is essentially ketchup and mayo. He said they didn't have it, so she asked for ketchup and mayo and made it herself at the table. He could have easily done the same thing, which is the kind of thing waiters will often do if they want a good tip. Was her need of fry sauce a huge issue? Not to him, but her pregnancy-induced cravings said otherwise.
(3)
Lindsey C.
This location is SO much better then the Boise one! The food was good, and the service was FANTASTIC! she was quick, had a great sense of humor, and was totally intuitive! It was a great experience. Does feel a little chain esq because of the mall style location
(4)
Bonnie B.
Great place. Had half Ruben sandwich with sweet potato fries. Great waterfront patio. Clean, attractive restaurant.
(5)
Kitty Kat D.
I want to give this 5 stars, because the location is just awesome. We've been coming to CDA every summer for about 6 years. We stop here every summer in hopes that the food and service has improved. We are usually let down. Sit on the patio, and order drinks. The views are great. The drinks are good. I'd go elsewhere for food. The menu looks and sounds amazing, but what you actually get just doesn't live up to expectations. And good luck getting a refill or condiment. Service has been spotty. We've had some decent, and a lot bad. I honestly have no idea how this place is still in business. I want it to be great, I really do! Something needs to change.
(2)
Jill P.
5 stars for the alcohol, 4 for the food... I really can't complain about the food, everything I tried was great, not something I will find myself craving, but still very good. I had the Kobe steak sandwich, which was more of a French dip, but a fantastic French dip! It had cheese and a horseradish spread with rosemary au jus. We shared a chocolate peanut butter cake and homemade ice cream for desert and again all very delicious, but nothing I would fly back for. Service was adequate, and ambiance was typical brewery (distillery), although more kids then I would have expected. I stopped at 2 drinks when I would have normally liked one or two more. Speaking of drinks... The gin!... I went to the closest liquor store and bought a bottle to take home with me! (Apparently although they make it, law says they cannot sell it, weird) SO smooth... I'm going to have to demand my grocery store back home get some!
(4)
Garrett W.
The selection of house distilled Vodka, Gin, and Rum are great. The gnats?? Not so much. Luckily baby flies only infest this place during the summer months...so they say.
(3)
Steve K.
Tonight my wife and I took two of the kids to this Resturaunt. We've eaten here before and have mixed experiences. Tonight the service was slow and the food was mediocre at best. I remember the food being much better during past visits but the level of service remains consistent. Maybe they have a new chef, I don't know. The noise level was high and we found it to be very difficult to carry on a normal conversation. It'll probably be a while before we give them another shot.
(2)
Samantha J.
Just came here for a business lunch with some colleagues from Europe. We were discussing two star restaurants in Germany (apparently they rank out of three stars so a two star is IMPRESSIVE) and I'm ashamed to have brought them here. The food was fine, don't get me wrong, but we waited almost an hour for our appetizers and had to ask for refills on our drinks (even after I asked they only refilled two of the four empty glasses at the table. WTF?). Then the entrees came out maybe five minutes after the appetizers and the girl had no idea who ordered what, so she just started jamming plates into the empty spaces on the table. That said, beautiful outdoor patio and the food was great. I would give this place one more shot to see if we were unlucky enough to get an inexperienced server before I write this place off completely.
(2)
Alex J.
Why do I keep coming to this place? Let's start with the service, no host at the entrance. Every time I came here the service is bad... Just bad, servers trying to be nice but you just can see they are not doing their job. I been here for happy hour, dinner and lunch. I gave this place two stars because of their happy hour, good drinks and good appetizer. Dinner and lunch has been a disappointment the pear salad, the sandwich and the panzella salad (with the soggy croutons). I don't think I will go back, ever. The building the environment seems great but the service and food is not worth it...
(2)
Shannon R.
My husband and I visited Coeur d'Alene and Bardenay's was recommended by our hotel. I don't know if it was an "off" night but I have to give it 3 stars. We sat waiting to be acknowledged by any of the servers and finally had to ask who was serving our area? It wasn't very busy so no excuse. All we needed was a hello and to order our drinks so we could sit and chat before dinner. We weren't in a hurry but would like to have a drink at least while waiting. The food was alright but nothing special. They need a lesson in plating - people eat with their eyes before they even touch their food. Don't just throw food on the plate. All in all an okay experience. Beautiful setting and interior although very echo-y and hard to chat with someone only a foot away. They could use some soft materials to absorb sound in that building - too much concrete and wood. They are missing an opportunity to be great, and I think they could be with a few improvements. The highlight was meeting a nice couple at the next table -people are friendly in Idaho!
(2)
Eric P.
After posting my brunch review, the manager (Peter) contacted me asking if I would give Bardenay a second chance - and offered a gift card to pay for the meal. I have to say that I admire his effort and professionalism. My wife and I returned and ordered the exact same meal - and we both were pleasantly surprised! The eggs benedict were cooked perfectly and the scramble that I had ordered the previous visit was actually 3 eggs and looked freshly prepared. We were both pleased with the food, service this time around. Nice save Bardenay!
(3)
Bobby B.
Been here twice and my order was messed up both times. I have celiacs and order from the gluten free choices. I put a lot of trust in my wait staff and take care to communicate with them clearly so that I won't get sick. My first visit resulted in a dish contaminated with soy sauce. Apparently NO ONE was paying attention. The second visit resulted in a Chicken Caesar instead of the Salmon Caesar I ordered. Again, NO ONE paying attention. Each visit was 6 months apart. The first time shame on you. The second time shame on me. There won't be a third time.
(1)
Charles P.
Only reason I can give it a two stars is because of the food. The burger was really good, and so was the humus plate. Meatloaf sandwich with mashed potatoes and gravy was ok. The scenery outside was great. I came in right around sunset, and it was really nice. Nice little pond with a fountain, and ducks quack in the background. So first impression was off to a good start. Our waiter came quickly. Honestly the review is about our Waiter. This guy acted like he was better then everyone. Totally felt like he looked down upon us. Made us feel like we were weirdos for wanting to order bloody marys at dinner time. I dunno, maybe I'm off or something, but everyone knows that feeling. Anyways he didn't even bring us our humus plate (I know that happens a lot with other places) , never brought us our drinks, never brought us our dinner. We asked for Ketchup from two different people, never got it. He never came and gave us refills for our water (no one did), never asked of we wanted another drink until we were completely done with our meal. Never came and checked up on us. The service here sucks more then I've ever seen. If you don't want to take care of people get out of the Hospitality field. I can't imagine that the manager or owner of this company would allow such horrible Hospitality. And looking around I wasn't the only table having these issues. NO ONE was getting service. Pros- Nice background, good food. Cool that they are their own distillery. Cons- SERVICE is crap. Worse I've ever had. Will not go back.
(2)
Kay H.
So we were driving through Coeur D'Alene and we were starving. With two kids in tow, your options usually dwindle. We didn't want to go to a restaurant we could go to back home. We finally settled on this place. We were not disappointed. Amazing drinks, service, and food. If we're ever in the area again we will head back here.
(5)
Marina H.
This outing was exactly average. There were some things that were great (the setting, the prices) and some things that were below par (the food). My grandpa ordered the lunch special that was only $5 and came with half a sandwich and a side of soup. For that price, it's hard to complain, but his bread was old and the soup was served cold. I had the grilled portobello mushroom sandwich and it was just okay. Served with too much bread, though. But my side of garlic mash was good! Service was a little slow, but we weren't in a hurry and our waitress was sweet. I would go back to see if a second time would be better, but I'm definitely not in a hurry
(3)
Bryant R.
My absolute favorite restaurant. I always get the Pear Spinach salad with salmon and on a good night a nice scotch to go with it.
(5)
Todd C.
No hostess, this makes it difficult to find seating. This place is busy enough to hire one. Dirty martinis were great, but the bartender used profanity at another employee in front of customers. Not a problem for me personally, but unprofessional none the less. The koby beef tacos were delicious. My wife had the shrimp fettuccine it was lacking in flavor. Overall the vodka made in house is spectacular, but the food was only ok, and the lack of a hostess made this overall a 3 star rating for me.
(3)
Jamieleigh W.
I went with my family and my grandma specifically asked if things were spicy, like the soup, because she can't handle hot spice and the waiter still let her order some sandwich with super spice inside it without saying anything. I wanted to get the fish tacos but they were out and the waiter told me he would have talked me out of them anyway - I ended up with the clams or whatever and was so less than impressed. Our waiter acted like a know it all even though he wasn't a chef and kept saying how much he didn't like the food and how much things needed certain changes and others didn't go well together. It was a total turn off and I will really avoid returning.
(2)
Erin S.
Yet another UPDATE: Well, they're lack-luster service is back. I've ventured back here several times after my last review and all those times the servers seemed either annoyed that we took too long (watched a game) OR the fact that we were there and they had to do their job. That being said, the management needs to reevaluate their customer service or eliminate the surly employees, if they want to keep people coming back. As for me, it will be quite awhile for me to warm-up to the idea of dining here again.
(3)
Kayla S.
I love Bardenays! Especially in the summer! Always meet up with friends to catch up and eat. Good prices drinks. Love the blt sandwich and their Caesar salad is awesome! Always clean but usually kind of an older middle age crowd.
(5)
Andi W.
We have been long time fans of Bardenay, since they opened, actually. It has been the perfect place to go for both business and pleasure, as there is something for everyone, and the service is usually perfect. Tonight, however, was a complete fail. We were famished when we arrived, so we ordered an appetizer that didn't require cooking at the first opportunity. Apparently it wasn't put in, as it took three requests for us to receive it. (The gentleman next to us ordered two dishes that required cooking after we ordered our appetizer, and both his dishes came out before ours.) They have changed their fries (not for the better), the chicken in the chicken sandwich was totally bland, and the satays we ordered were WAY over seasoned. On top of all that, the service was a bitter disappointment. My cocktail was the only thing that was good. I'm not sure I'll be back again anytime soon. At least not for food, anyway.
(1)
Reva G.
My girlfriend and I visited Spokane recently (May 2014), and we lunched in nearby Coeur d'Alene, Idaho (15 minutes east). I was told by locals that Bardenay was good if you want a fish taco and a good blackberry lemon drop martini. You are NOT kidding! It was a GREAT drink, an excellent salmon taco, ducks wandering the deck overlooking the lake (which I could feed and no one cared!) where we were sitting in the sun. An altogether very pleasant lunch. Want to take my husband there. Our waiter was knowledgable and a bit of a tease, which was nice. My only reason for giving 4 stars is that some people around me had to wait too long for their food. Also, fake swans on the lake kinda tacky LOL
(4)
Gary M.
Ordered burger Well done came out raw ummmm I sent back not going to Bardenay again the wait person was nice and according to him he told the cook Well done I was told the cook failed to check the burger oh well easy come easy go
(1)
Tyler B.
Their food is alright, a few interesting menu choices, but nothing spectacular. Drinks are pretty good, average price for what they are and their happy hour is nice because they have some appetizer items ranging around $5 or so for a nice small lunch. The service, I honestly haven't had too many issues with, maybe a bad server once or twice. I wish the building design was different, sitting inside can be deafening when they're busier.
(3)
Mel N.
Well the best thing about this place was the cocktails. The huckleberry lemon drop was very tasty. Service was mediocre and felt like they were in a hurry to get us out of here. The food was ok but not great. I also did not like the fact that my starter salad was served at the same time as my entree. The deck seating was nice but did not make up for the service or the ok food. I would not rush back to this place unless this was my only option.
(2)
Tom D.
If you don't care about walking into a restaurant and seating yourself while many staff walk by not acknowledging your existence, well then this place is just for you. Walk in, find a table and cross your fingers that a waiter will now server you! Most don't say hi or even look your way. Well enough of the lame start....I was with my son and finally the hardest worker there Nate stopped by with menu's and got our order going. Cool guy! The Cesar salad was awesome with chicken. My son had the pork sandwich which was tasty. The Stone IPA was awesome like always! We had the lava cake and home made vanilla ice cream, awesome!! Thanks!
(4)
Jersey H.
Love Bardenay. My wife and I have never had a bad experience here. The porch is fantastic in the summer for drinks and appetizers. Try their Cod and Chips. The Oriental and Shrimp Salads are a must. Usually a fairly decent selection of beers on tap, and the mixed drinks are always splendid.
(5)
Matthew D.
We went back during an off hour when the restaurant was quiet. Our server mentioned it was his first week and didn't know the menu very well, nor the beers...he was a very nice guy and attentive. It was happy hour and our table ordered a hummus platter which for $4 was amazing. It would have been a great value at twice the price. If mgmt. at Bardenays reads this, don't change the price. It's great. I had a quinoa burger with a salad. One thing that really resonates with me is a good salad as a side, without the up charge. I know that it at times can cost the business more than just fries or chips but I really appreciate when businesses recognize something like that is a cost of doing business rather than nickel and dine the menu. This experience made up for last time.
(3)
Tim G.
We were looking for a place with a variety of gluten free options. This had a fairly extensive menu. Overall a good place, great drinks and multiple options for gluten free.
(4)
Kristen J.
This was within walking distance from our hotel, and I was pleasantly surprised to find an expansive menu and really affordable prices! It's in a beautiful location, and the interior is really nicely done. Husband had trout, which was good, and I had the pear salad. The kids enjoyed their meals, and the drinks were good. It was loud inside, but it looks like a great place to meet up with your peeps to grab a drink and eat!
(4)
Amanda M.
Atmosphere was clean and comfortable, prices where not steep and very welcoming! Everyone was very approachable, we had an awesome waitress. So many choices on the menu I narrowed it down to the Ruban Sandwich, it was delicious!
(5)
Scott J.
Bad experience. They were out of almost everything we wanted to order. After trying to order 3 different items we finally found some generic items they had.The waiter could not describe anything on the menu, but at least he was friendly. The lava cake was horrible, it was like a dried up bunt cake with cold Hershey's chocolate poured on top.
(1)
K S.
I've never had a bad drink here! It's a beautiful restaurant and I love looking out at the pond. Their quinoa burger is so delicious, I highly recommend! Only complaint I have is, last time I was sitting outside someone from the city was spraying pesticide all over the plants right next to my table. The wind was blowing it on my food and I talked to the server but he said outside the fence is city property so they can't do anything. I'll be calling the city to see if they can spray early in the morning and not in the afternoon while people are eating.
(4)
Megan H.
Great place to meet for drinks and possibly an appetizer. Their wine selection is fabulous. However, their food is never quality.
(3)
Jack B.
Just returned to CdA & ate at Bardenay again. I love this place. It seems like some reviewers are put off by the fact that you grab a seat when you enter & there is no official "host" to seat you. Big deal. I can select my own table. It's not that hard. What is important is the food (*****), the service (*****), and the cocktails(*****), which are made in the still that sits in the middle of the restaurant. The pork loin sandwich was perfect!
(5)
Jessica R.
Love the fresh made salads & dressings. It's always delicious with a garlic Satay. I have yet to have a bad experience here. Drinks are great as well.
(4)
Justin M.
Atmosphere was lacking, be it from the snooty crowd that seemed to look down upon my group upon entry (I didn't feel in appropriately dressed for a "casual bar" as described) or the group of ducks that continually visited the patio leaving "presents" in their wake. My group was visiting on vacation from out of state so I don't know if this is the norm in CDA. The food was good but heavily over peppered (both my Mediterranean pita and Caesar salad) to the point I did not finish the dish for fear of taste buds dying. The service was poor. Waitress did not seem to know or care to find out more information on dishes/drinks when asked or be able to provide recommendations. Waitress seemed aloof and annoyed by us the whole time. When ordering she did not seem to hear me even though she was looking at me the entire time as I spoke and walked over to the other side of the table and asked me again what I wanted to order. I thought she was playing a trick on me like the police saying "meow" in the movie Super Troopers. Overall I would not return. It felt like I had entered the Twilight Zone by the time I left.
(1)
Sarah B.
Bardenay is one of my favorite places to eat. The calamari is always tender and has cumin in the light breading. I frequently have lunch meetings there and have always received excellent customer service.
(5)
Gary J.
Rita's service and positive attitude stepped up my rating from a 3 to 4 stars. The drinks and happy hour food were good; but, sometimes it is all just better when the server has a nice smile and is willing to have a conversation. Bardenay's distills their own vodka and I must say it was very good. The wings were tasty too. Interestingly drinks are not discounted for happy hour which we found strange. Know one in our part could recall ever being to a happy hour without happy being included with special pricing. The location and decor is outstanding. These people spent some serious bucks building a place of northwest flavor with a modern feel. The dis tilling can be viewed from glass windows. Ask for Rita to be your server.
(4)
Rabbit F.
Horrible food, Friendly staff, Cool building My parents live within walking distance to this place so we were hoping it would be good. The inside of the building is nice. Open space with beam work above, plenty of seating. Outside there are many tables over looking the pond at Riverstone. Restaurant was less than busy when we arrived for lunch and I noticed many employes all over the restaurant. One employe seated us, one brought us water and we waited for our menus. The male server was friendly and polite. We ordered the fish tacos, calamari appetizer and a burger with salad and soup side. This is just another restaurant that looks fancy and has Terrible food. Fish tacos were horrid. Do not order these! The calamari was burnt and also tasted very bad. It was overly greasy and just awful tasting. The burger was dry and flavorless like maybe it was a low quality frozen patty. The soup was bland. Like I said before, we were hoping for the best because of the convenient location but this is just a fancy looking place with foul food. Go for a drink and look out over the pond but don't wast your money to eat here. I don't give more than one star if it's a restaurant and the food is NOT good.
(1)
Riyah M.
Best atmosphere in town. Really good mixed drinks. I suggest getting mixed drinks made with their liquior. Food was good and no real complaints, but nothing super awsome.
(4)
Sarah T.
gross. The gentleman next to me at the bar went out of his way to come warn me of how disappointing his meal was. I should have just left then. Very bright and shiny restaurant- too bad the food is lackluster.
(2)
Grant C.
Such a let down. First, let me be clear about the fact that I don't drink alcohol. This restaurant may be known for its alcoholic beverages and I can't rate according to that. I have visited this restaurant on three separate occasions.The first time, I ordered the pear spinach salad. It was okay but the pears were not ripe and very hard. In subsequent visits, I had the fish tacos. I was excited about this option because the fishes grilled not fried. Unfortunately, the fish and the corn tortilla were tough like jerky. In addition, the sauce for the fish tacos was not very good. I have also ordered the club sandwich whichoffered very little meat and cheese in the middle of the sandwich. It was toasted and seemed like I was just eating two pieces of toast smashed together.The chips with pico de gallo were extremely bland and tasteless. The bruschetta appetizer was the best thing we had on the menu.if you want good food, go to Max at Mirabeau Park or Hay Jay's bistro.
(2)
Mike A.
Every time I'm in town I must come here. Most of the reason I stay at the Hampton Inn next door. The food is great. The service is awesome. The prices are outstanding. And most of all... The drinks. Great selection of beers. The homemade vodka w fresh squeezed juices is incredible.
(5)
Andrew T.
Most of the food was good however I think they went a bit overboard with their pepper grinder. The blue cheese and bacon cold slaw had almost no trace of blue cheese and had so much black pepper it burnt the mouth. The meatloaf sandwich was very good. Juicy and full of flavor. The mixed drinks were good however their beer selection was small. The wait staff and service was a disappointment. We asked for a drink menu when we sat down and were told by the guy who showed us to our seats that he was not old enough to hand us a menu. When our waitress came around to give us or menus and take our drink order she seamed annoyed that we didn't know what we wanted right away. Our waitress was also put off when we asked her where one of their beers were from. Her answer was "I don't know, I guess I could ask if you need me too". The we ordered one final round after dinner and we never received those drinks.
(2)
Mitch K.
How do we find these places? Bardenay is a vodka distillery that serves food! I just have to chuckle, but not about the place, drink or food. This large place looks like a sports bar and is, kinda, with TVs on the perimeter. It is large and open, so appears to be cold, but is comfortable. They have a drink menu that I think is a collectors item that you could put on a coffee table for a conversation piece as well as use it for a recipe book for entertaining guests with unique and interesting concoctions. Service was quick, with management working with servers to get stuff out, clean up and touch base with the customers. Kristina knew her stuff and accommodated my indecisiveness as to dips and salad dressings by giving me all of those I wanted to try. Thanks as I got to try them all. Huge bar to do the many beers and booze concoctions. Menu covered everything and had a lot of, here goes that word again, unique offerings. One section had variations of satay, the chicken or shrimp on a stick with house-made dips. Salads were huge and quite a variety. No shortage of sandwich options and then the heavier dinner entrees. Portions were more than generous, even for the sandwiches. Will give Bardenay another try and it will most likely rate a four star. We just did not give it enough of a workout to put it there now, but don't let that stop you as it is an excellent experience. Oh, and "bardenay" is a word that we used to use when sailing or at yacht clubs. One of those snooty trivia words used by a ship captain when it is time to start drinking: bardenay time. And usually a small penent is flown from the yardarm, a martini-style glass centered upon it. Let's everyone around the marina know that "the bar is open."
(3)
Zach M.
Bardenay in Coeur d' Alene was great! My biggest complains are the lack of parking and the fact that they don't accept reservations. I brought a large group from work and waited for quite a while. Once you're seated though, you're attended to quickly and the staff are helpful & knowledgeable. They've got a great bar and offer several local micro-brews including "The Men's Room Original Red" from Elysian, who donates a percentage of every sale to the V.A. Puget Sound Fisher House charity. I recommend the bacon-wrapped beef fillet. Well cooked, great flavor, good portions, nice selection of sides. While I was there I saw families, couples, business groups, etc. They've got a nice location right next to Lake Coeur d' Alene, 5 minutes from I-90. Definitely worth a try if you haven't already been.
(4)
Anna S.
Awesome! Ahi sashimi salad is fantastic. I have been here twice now on business travel and I love it. Scenery, people, food, is fantastic
(5)
Tom M.
Service is slow so you wait a long time for run of the mill food. If you go for drinks you will be going to the bar yourself because they never have enough servers working.
(3)
Jeff V.
Great space, very trendy and modern. It is a newer bar in town so everything is in great shape and looking fresh. Wish I could remember our bartender's name, she was fantastic and should get a raise. My burger was very good and the vodka they distilled there tasted better than my go to vodka, Kettle 1. If I lived here this would be where I would be a regular.
(5)
Julie M.
WORST SERVICE EVER! Even received dirty looks when we didn't eat all of our good. Food wasn't all that great but the building is beautiful. Very disappointed as I use to like coming here when I worked N ID. What's happened?!?
(1)
Werner W.
We went about 15 times since opening a few years ago,the last couple of times it was different,the food was not as good as in the past,the service was Always fair,not special,but most of times ok. Last week I realy did not like the food,I ordered Fish&Chips and was not happy about it.On the menu it was clearly stated "beer battered",but it arrived Breaded and not Cod at all.It was thin,almost like Sole. it was not properly fried,I assume it was thawed and frozen again,because On a few spots it was not fried,white spots and not fried. Server Cody told me it was Beer Batter and Cod! I was many years in the Food Business and know the difference! That Fish and Chips was a frozen product,something Sysco would sell., So,I would not recommend to eat that Dish!
(2)
P Lynn P.
The setting is nice and new but the inside is a little loud with music. The outdoor patio is pleasant but breezy. The waitstaff seem over worked and rushed so there is some wait to order and for the food to come. I ordered the steamed clams and I specifically asked if they were spicy and the waiter said they were not but they came sprinkled with red pepper flakes. On another occasion I had the pasta Alfredo and it was good. It is best for days when you are not in a hurry and just want to sit and talk and sip a glass or wine or beer.
(3)
Nathan H.
I have been here twice now and I have to say that it was just okay. I wanted to rave about this place based on everything I have heard but...I just can't. Let's start with the basics. Staff: Staff is friendly and efficient. This is a fairly large restaurant and while they are well staffed, everyone is extremely busy so you always get the feeling that they are ready run. Food: I have only tried two items off the menu here: The Calamari, which was excellent and their Pork Cutlets (chops, whatever they were called), which were just Meh. The Vegetables were cooked perfectly and the pork was actually cooked perfectly but, it tasted like they put absolutely NO seasoning on the pork...not even basic salt and pepper. It resulted in the dish tasting very bland. Might have been a bad day for the cook but it just left me wanting. Drinks: They have a solid selection of beers and booze...so no complaints here. Overall the experience as just a solid three..I wasn't blown away and it wasn't bad. It was just okay.
(3)
Bruce H.
Service too long.
(2)
Luke S.
Great place but they have always the slowest service in town. Don't expect to ever get food in a timely fashion.
(4)
Erich P.
How do you screw up a hamburger? Have the people in the kitchen at Bardenay make one for you. The meat was over cooked, the bun was cold and hard as a stone. And the cheese was like a skim coat of what was originally cheese. If you can't cook a burger... "Nice cage, no parrot"
(1)
Jaclyn H.
Love the food, drinks, atmosphere, good service, all in all one of our "go-to" places to go and bring people when they come into town.
(5)
Shane D.
Beautiful place. High beamed ceilings and a ski lodge feel. Also these folks are smart enough to embrace technology and have their wines on tap to keep air out. No, not talking box wine, actual bottles. Thus place being an actual distillery as well as a restaurant, their drink menu is prodigious and interesting. My sis had the Ginger Rum cocktail, which was great. I just had a Blue Moon (on tap, sweet!), and there was orange in the glass, like Blue Moon is supposed to have. Excellent! My sis had the Grilled Portabello Sandwich, and I went carnivore and had the Grilled Chorizo sandwich. We both had ceasar as our side so I can't report on the fries. But the ceasar salad, oh yeah, awesome. My sis loved her sandwich and I likes mine too. However, I think my sandwich got done sooner or something cuz it was a little cold. Still tasted great though, total knife and fork affair cuz their was so much good stuff on it. The service was very friendly and attentive, and we never wanted for water or anything. Speaking of the water, it comes with lemon slices. Nice extra touch. All in all, great food, great atmosphere, great service, great price. Will be back
(4)
Steve M.
On vacation, and we were looking for a place to eat. My wife said NO! We are not going to a distillery for dinner! The hotel manager said the food was good, and we gave it a shot. The food and service was great. We went two nights in a row and we will be back again. They have a good beer selection, with rotating taps. I did try their rum, and it was good on the rocks. My wife had a mixed drink and it was great also. We will look forward to this establishment again!
(5)
Le M.
A writer mentioned Coeur d'Alene as one of the whitopia cities. A place where the population is dominantly white (96%) and where some residents have a strong sentiment to keep it that way. At Bardenay, as it is with other establishments at Riverstone, the whiteness of the place cannot be more glaring. My tan sticks out like a lonesome packet of brown sugar next to packets of Splenda. It would have been fine, but unfortunately the lack of diversity manifests not only on the diners, or the archaic if not ignorant language (who uses Oriental to refer to Asians!), but on the food as well. Take for example the Mediterranean Steak Pita: yelp.com/biz_photos/iBFp… It looks like I asked for a big salad with a small side of pitiful pita. There's nothing Mediterranean about this dry, bland bread with chunky meat you'd find in a stew, sprinkled barely with feta, and with a thin spread of equally bland hummus. Service is drier and blander than the pita. My companion had soup and salad. I should have ordered the same. No ethnic culinary experience is needed to serve that plate. There's a good reason why New York, San Francisco, Seattle and other coastal cities are foodie heaven. It's the diverse population. The richness that other people and culture bring to the plate. Any foodie or those who have a more evolved palate would say nay to Bardenay. Truly two stars. Meh. I've experienced better.
(2)
Trace D.
I'm not quite sure how this place has gotten the ratings that it has considering on a Sunday it is not very busy there are many servers I see four people in the kitchen and it takes 40 minutes to get food and beverages.
(1)
Paige F.
You are losing stars bardenay. Not having your staple lunch menu items until 2 on Sundays. Being long time regulars at all of the locations for years, we have our favorites, and that is why we keep coming back. To top it off the bloody Mary's were bland.
(3)
Brad D.
Found this place while visiting via Urbanspoon. Upon first impression the patio was filled with what looked like bored housewives who want to get day drunk and compare with the other housewives who has the best bag. The place had great decor with large wooden beams supporting the raised ceiling. Didnt try their liquor, but did get the special. Lamb chili was great, but a little overspiced. The chicken penne = delish! Plus our server was nice and informative and quick on the beers! I would visit again when I am in the area, just not around lunchtime :)
(4)
Tobe H.
The entrees, liquor, and building at Bardenay are great. Stay clear of the dessert! When I am in Coeur d'Alene I eat at Bardenay. The special entrees are always amazing. I ordered lamb stew over pollenta and thoroughly enjoyed it with a glass of wine. The liquor is house made. The copper distillery tanks are beautiful. The building contains an open space with large windows. The parking lot sits next to water. The interior has a very modern wood cabin garage look. The seating can be awkward. I have had to share a long high table with strangers. This can be a good or bad experience. The desserts are a complete failure. I ordered a ginger cake, and the waitress told me it was a bad idea. I ordered a different dessert. It was awful and tasted of old fridge. The waitress gave it to me for free. I still couldn't eat it. I will never order dessert here. The best part of Bardenay is the price. Compared to downtown Spokane, it's inexpensive.
(4)
Travis M.
Wow I love this place. The staff is very professional. If there is a problem they handle it right away. I could go there everyday and never get tired. You have to try their VODKA!!
(5)
Jessica C.
The atmosphere is great and they have a decent beer selection but aside from that there isnt much Bardenay has to offer. The service is poor, the food costs to much for what is served and on more than one occasion the kitchen has lost my order and expressed it's regret with a side of salsa and chips.. come on guys!
(2)
Becky M.
I was really impressed with my cocktails, also impressed with the price, considering they distill their own spirits. My yellowfin tuna salad was delightful, and my husband didn't make any conversation during dinner, which is a good sign he liked his steak. We also destroyed a platter of their plum-glazed chicken wings...really tasty, and messy, but they thoughtfully provided wetnaps before we even asked. We tried to split a chocolate cake slice for dessert. Couldn't even finish between the two of us. I think the ambiance lacks something...I think its the tables and chairs. They seem cheap in contrast to an impressive shell of a building with beautiful views.
(4)
Jon S.
I want to love this place, great patio, great beers on tap, great service... Ok food... Bummer... and I went local Kobe sando and ceasar, tough (sando) and dry (salad). But the place is such a good spot I'll probably try it again
(3)
John S.
Affordable go to lunch spot with quick service.
(3)
Jon F.
We called the Coeur d'Alene Chamber of Commerce asking for a lunch recommendation as we passed through town on a road trip. Show us some local flavor, we asked. Maybe a place with great French fries, this being Idaho. The kind lady on the line did not seem to know of local flavor, but she recommended Bardenay for a quality and affordable lunch. I was skeptical when I saw the outside... looked like a cookie-cutter chain restaurant with predictably mediocre food. But Barneday put my fears to rest quickly. Almost everything about our meals was outstanding. We ordered a Bardenay Kobe Beef sandwich, served with horseradish mayo on foccacia bread, and au jus and a Caeser salad on the side. Best damn French dip I've ever tasted. The salad rocked too. Also we tried the lunch special, a half sandwich & soup combo. Just a ham & cheese sandwich that did not look remarkable. But it turned out to be the best ham & cheese sandwich I've ever tasted...the ham and bread were both excellent. From the kids menu we ordered a cheeseburger and fries. The burger was quality beef and perfectly flame-grilled. Luckily it was way too big for a kid to finish alone. Also I should mention our waiter was friendly and the service excellent overall. Ironically, the only food we tried at Bardenay that did not impress us were the French fries. Just your standard frozen variety completely lacking flavor. I suppose not everyone in Idaho is a potato expert. Too bad... upgrading the menu to serve hand-cut, made to order fries would make for a perfect lunch. ...Now that I've seen the other reviews, it's hard to believe I'm writing about the same restaurant. But I don't give much validity to a condescending review that lectures an establishment for being too "white". I respectfully suggest foodies put their politics aside for a moment and enjoy the food.
(5)
Brady T.
Had dinner with my parent last weekend and we all had the house vodka! To die for! Mom had the mystery drink and the banter began immediately on how to make it! Dinner was prompt and fast which was great! We sat outdoors with some nice background music as the storms started to roll in! Meat was a little over cooked on my pork sandwich but the sweet potatoe fries were among the best I've had in awhile! Will definitely go back, very affordable and irreplaceable atmosphere!
(4)
John S.
Just a grilled chicken Cesar salad for lunch...but it was good! Neat atmosphere.
(4)
Scott M.
Really good food and incredibly noisy. I have eaten breakfast, lunch, and dinner at Bardenay and unless you like noisy bar like atmosphere, the noise will deafen you. It deafens me. The food can be spectacular, particularly the dinner fare, but the noise is very off putting.
(3)
Kiira B.
My husband and I first went here on our honeymoon and have been back at every opportunity since. We've taken many people to join us and nobody has ever complained about a dish they've gotten. The menu is varied and unique - you can't go wrong! Also, their drink list is great. I'm not much of a mixed drink person, but the muddle huckleberry martini is fantastic! They also have a patio overlooking a (man-made) water feature - definitely worth it!
(5)
Patrick O.
Went to Bardenay because I heard it was great. I tried to enjoy it, but something was missing. 1. I do not like the seat yourself set-up. It simply is a set-up for failure. I like to be greeted at the door and taken to a table that is clean and for a server who is capable of handling our needs. 2. The table we were at did not work. It was very small and we all had a dish, water, and a drink. You could not fit everything on the table. We even had a spill on my end of the table. (to which nobody came by to help us clean it up) 3. The food was good. Order came as I wanted and I finished it all :) 4. Drinks, I was a bit overwhelmed with the amount that was available. We tried a variety of them, and have no complaints. I would like to return and try more. 5. The cleanliness of the restaurant was good in my opinion. I will never return to a restaurant that is dirty (can you imagine what their kitchen looks like?). I felt this place was well kept, and may need to give them a second try. Overall, the Value Perception here is ok. I paid a bit more than what I believe I received. Not totally in love with this place, but may give them a second shot in the summer!
(3)
Fresh M.
Cocktails were awesome and the hummus med. Plate one of the best in the area!
(5)
JARED T.
When planning on a meal and/or drinks before a movie at the Riverstone theater, this is my choice. No need for Red Robin, or Azteca when a place like Bardenay is right across the street. I've always enjoyed the food here, and I like getting cocktails made from a spirit out of their own distillery, which also happens to be right there in the same building. A friend turned me on to their mojito, but made with gin instead of rum. I'm not a gin person at all, but I liked it mixed up like that. I will usually order that when I'm there, and the wait staff acts like people order it all the time. Maybe that's their thing, not sure, pretty good though. They serve a really nice bloody mary too, and they have a nice brunch menu, which is always good to know if you don't feel like waiting in line at Garnet Cafe. If you're just popping in for a snack, I suggest ordering the mediterranean platter. Delicious!
(4)
Mark B.
Great atmosphere, oh what I could do with this place! Consistently TERRIBLE service, hit and miss food quality and not cheap. Good place for a drink (at the bar), but even bar service is lacking. We have been here maybe 10 times, in total denial, hoping, just hoping it would get better. Nope. The Boise store is much better. Pass.
(2)
Patrick J.
I had expected something rather high-end but the menu is affordably casual and bar-appropriate rather than gourmet. Still, they offer some truly unique options, such as their selection of Satays, which are basically Indian shish kabobs, with dipping sauce. I finally decided on the , which was just the right amount of spicy and grilled to a perfect moistness, and came with one of my favorite dips, Peanut Sauce. The presentation was delightful, served atop a colorful slaw of garnish veggies. The order came with two large, delicious skewers for a mere $6.95, and I accompanied it with a mixed green salad with lime honey mustard dressing. It was a step beyond ordinary, thanks to the addition of flavorful red peppers and zesty home-made croutons. The dressing itself married the sour of the lime and the sweetness of the honey mustard to create a completely fresh taste. read full review here: getoutnorthidaho.blogspo…
(4)
P S.
Pretty nice place - sat on deck and there was some breeze that was uncomfortable, but when no breeze it was very pleasant. Service was good, not overly attentive and needed a reminder to refill coffee, but timing was good and she was very pleasant. I had steamer clams sans chorizo and it was quite good. Very nice, flavorful sauce that I nearly finished sopping up with the somewhat stale bread. Overall a pleasant meal for a decent price.
(3)
J. C.
This place ROCKS! It is seat yourself and very relaxed. Great restaurant and bar, they are even a distilery...they make their own gin, rum and vodka! They have plenty to order from their vegetarian chimichanga to their Rum steak, all is superb! Wine selection is good as well! The service is good but of course relaxed, so dont get your panties in a wad, they are busy and since it is seat yourself they can get over sat quick!!! This is my favorite restaurant! Tip good too cuz in Idaho they only get paid $3.25 an hour, they live on their tips!
(5)
Mei-Lu M.
They're aren't that many restaurants in CDA that offer a full bar - Bardenay fills that gap with a corporatey, upscaley restaurant-bar hybrid. It's actually a good place to come with friends or family if you want to have a proper cocktail with maybe an appetizer or two. Plus: they have a great selection of higher-end spirits, including whiskeys and tequilas, if you want to skip the middle man and just have the grown up, expensive version of a shot. The menu is exactly what you'd expect - slightly fancified versions of bar food standards (fish and chips, hamburgers, etc), with the addition of lots of salads for the more health conscious. It's a really pleasant setting, right on the river, light and airy. Honestly, the food is really mediocre. But I can see coming here again for a drink with my parents when they're in town. That way, my Dad and I can enjoy a scotch together in a pleasant, open environment. (Though we'd have to come on an off-night - all the hard surfaces mean that this place gets really, really loud when it's busy, and my Dad is hard of hearing.) Or if I was going out for brunch with a group of people, or meeting someone I don't know very well. It's one of those places that sort of generally meets everyone's needs (including celiacs - they have a gluten-free menu). Sometimes being an average, inoffensive, not-too-terribly-expensive place is a good thing.
(3)
L. D.
The Panzanella Bruschetta Salad with sirloin added, champagne vinaigrette dressing was the best entree salad that I have had in a long time. Would definitely visit this place again for carry out. P.S. There was a pretty spectacular sunset that lit up the sky like orange/red fire right behind the restaurant.
(4)
Whitney P.
Great location & building. I've been a fan of bardenay since their early days in Boise, but the night I visited (during the week) they must have had the "c" team on staff. Arrived between 9-9:30 and they were trying to close the place down, didn't seem to interested in serving and the staff was just socializing amongst themselves . . . .SORRY to try to give you some money (that will end up in your pockets) in exchange for some desperately needed beverages!
(4)
Myk C.
Not a fan of the 'seat yourself' plan especially during busy Friday nights. Kind of a pain and unorganized. Food was decent. Service was commendable. Great atmosphere. Looking forward to going back in the summertime and sit outside on the patio overlooking the pond. Tried some Bardenay vodka and it was ok. I need to go back and sample some of their gin and rum as well.
(3)
Karen S.
We went to this restaurant on the advice from the manager of the Hampton Inn across the street. Being from Seattle, we're lucky to have a lot of amazing restaurants to choose from. This place ranks amongst the best. The food was fresh, the drinks were outstanding, and our waiters were great. We had two tables that were served by different guys, and they combined the tab (and the tip) to make it easier for us. All with great humor and professionalism. Would go back tomorrow if we were still in town.
(5)
Andrea B.
Nice people. Good food.
(3)
Kim O.
I was skeptical about this place because of some of the poor reviews, but we really enjoyed it. We ended up eating dinner there on both of the two nights that we spent in CDA. We shared a few appetizers. The first night we got the shrimp satay, the calamari, and the mussels with chorizo. Everything was great and reasonably priced, especially the drinks! I was surprised that you could get a martini with house-distilled vodka or gin for around six dollars. The second night, we got the calamari again, the bruschetta, and the wings. The bruschetta was not like any that I've had before. The bread was thick and very cheesy. It was quite filling, and if we had known how big the order was, we probably would not have gotten the wings! It was delicious, just not what I expected. The wings were tasty and fresh (Asian spicy plum sauce). I would preferred them to be a bit more spicy and less sweet, but they were still very good. Overall, we thought the place was great. Outdoor dining with a great view and walking distance from the Hampton! :)
(5)
Richard P.
Went Mother's Day. The place was not remotely full - now wait - got seating on the deck immediately. Despite the large amount of empty tables the very first thing the waiter said was that food will take a minimum of an hour to get out of the kitchen. ARE YOU KIDDING ME???? It's Mother's Day. ...and HOUR????? Crappy service, understaffed, the kitchen was a disaster, food and slop all over the floor visible by customers, a single, lone person at the bar and drinks took forever. Go figure. One would think the owners would be prepared on such a day.
(1)
Paul A.
Service is great. Drinks are very well prepared and reasonably priced. Didn't eat. Just wanted booze
(4)
Scott C.
Decent food but the service is horrible! The only reason to go is because it is close. They always ruin your order, they never come fill your drinks and you always end up asking for everything you need because they just don't understand what service is. The restaurant is also very noisy.
(1)
Ann T.
Great food good atmosphere. Can't beat a beautiful building right on the water!!! And I LOVE their satay dishes...light and delicious!
(4)
Gary W.
My take is it is a "bar" that serves organic/natural/trendy food. Its got a great feel to it, if you don't expect it to be fine dinning.
(4)
Tricia S.
my subsequent visits have led me to realize that the pours are short (and I'm a lightwieght!) and the food is mediocre. Still, the prices are good...but you get what you pay for, as they say.
(3)
Mike B.
This is one of the best restaurants in Coeur d' Alene. The food is consistent, warm and tastes very good. The chef cares. The service is also very good. You can sit outside in the summer. Great atmosphere.
(4)
Tawni B.
The first time I went here, I was lured by their cheese platter(the BEST thing on the menu). I had a grilled pork chop, which was decent. I've made better myself. But the next several times I ate, I was literally sick. The meatloaf and mashed potato plate was GIGANTIC. I will give them that. I ate the leftovers for two more meals(I don't like to waste leftovers). However, it also made me incredibly sick. The meatloaf tasted good at first, then it slowly crept on me how sweet and sugary it was. By the end I couldn't even have dessert because it was disgustingly sweet. It literally tasted like a cup of sugar went into my one slice. The next time I went, it was with my sister, mom, and grandmother. My sister and I had taken them for a relaxing lunch after a familiy emergency. Mother ordered a salad, and the only thing she could eat was the bread. She actually asked for more of their bread on the salad cause that was all that was good!!! Grandma said that the fish & chips was okay, but kinda soggy. My chipotle chicken sandwich thing was decent. It was kinda funky. And it made me sick for 2 days. My sister....well, she's a vegetarian. So she asked about everything on the menu that looked good. She was nice about it and just stated she wanted something with no meat. The waitress pointed out salads(which as a vegetarian, my sister hates that that is all people think of). My sister asked about the grilled cheese and specialty tomato soup. Sounded innocent. The waitress assured her there was no meat. It wasn't even "made with broth." As my sister got to the end of her soup, which she had thought had a bizarre taste anyways, she found several large chunks of TURKEY. Turkey was not in the ingredients, wasn't even listed on the chefs board that we could see because we were right next to the kitchen. We showed the waitress and she didn't even care! The management did absolutely nothing for her, not even an apology. We paid our large bill, no tip, and left. My sister was sick, because after not eating meat for over 4 years, her body couldn't process it. She emailed the general manager for all the Bardenay's and he profusely apologized and sent her a $25 gift certificate. Like we really wanted to eat there AGAIN. We used it on her beer(apparently their brew isn't too bad) and I had a steak sandwich that I picked through(it was FAR overcooked, deader than dead, but it didn't give me food poisoning). In the end of this very long review, I would never come here unless I really want good cheese(which now Season's of Coeur d'Alene has an even better tray). The food is decently priced, but I'm not into paying $10-$15 for food poisoning.
(1)
customer s.
Everytime I travel to this area, I must go here! Great service, good food, and great drinks. I like the seat yourself option that they have now. I ordered the tuna salad and it was perfect! Plenty of feta cheese, lots of calamata olives, and the tuna was very rare and just lightly seared (perfect). The tuna could have been a little bit better quality, but with the huge portion they give you it would cost twice as much. It was still delish. I had the reuben last year and it was also perfect. I'm a fan of the Arnaud martini! We need one of these places in Austin please :)
(4)
C T.
Fantastic experience! We had lunch on the patio and the weather was perfect. I love salad and I had a hard time choosing which salad from the menu I wanted to eat - there were so many delicious choices! I chose the Ahi Tuna salad and also ordered the tomato beer cheese soup. The soup was a nice twist on the traditional beer cheese soup. I would definitely recommend this place.
(4)
Wendy D.
We arrived at 6pm, Friday night. I do not care for "seat yourself". We thought maybe a waiter would acknowledge us and point out a table, but no. We did find a table. The service was terrible, almost like there were no assigned sections for the waiters, it was just whoever happened to show up at our table first. I had marlin and it was very yummy. The waiter, older man, did not come to check on us until we were almost done eating, at which time we had to ask for more water- he acted surprised that our water glasses were empty. We notice other tables were also having a hard time getting service. We ran into someone we knew and they even commented on the terrible service. Not so sure we'll make a special trip back.
(3)
Mike T.
Bardenay features its own distillery and serves its own brand of Vodka, Gin and other spirits. The restaurant is situated on the pond at Riverstone and has very reasonably priced food that tastes ok and is best used to absord the alcohol. A distillery is sort of a cool concept. Its a perfect spot for groups. The web site does not have info about the Coeur d'Alene location yet as they just opened.
(3)
shelly z.
I am a fan because: The food is pretty good and very reasonably priced for the quality and quantity. I usually get the pork tenderloin sandwich with a light fruity bbq sauce & some slaw-type dressing. Comes with a choice of several sides but usually go with the house salad that is REALLY big and yummy. I have also done "girls' night out" and for about $20 per person we ate and drank ourselves into a happy frenzy. We had 3 different satays - beef, pork & chicken that were all great, the BEST hummus & pita (and the waitress was happy to bring us more pita wedges at no extra charge), chips & salsa, and....maybe that was it. Anyway, it was delicious & filling. Great cactus pear margarita and my friend had this really spicy bloody mary thing that was good too (and I don't typically like bloody marys). Why I don't like it: It's big and loud. Not very intimate, and I think a big group would go deaf. We've had some great wait staff, but there are a couple of older gals who are..how do I say... older? and they do that thing where they are perfectly pleasant but you kind of feel like you're putting them out. Overall it's a thumbs up.
(4)
BRANDY S.
We went last night and we both enjoyed our meals. I had the steak sandwich with roasted green chile's and mashed potatoes & gravy & my husband had the bacon cheese burger with fries, we both had 2 cocktails each (we couldn't decide on just one) which tasted as good as they looked. The service was just right, attentive without feeling like we were a party of three. We will definitely be back. It says above that they don't offer takeout but we asked for it & had no problems.
(4)
Daryl C.
Four of us rode our bikes 15 miles today to go have lunch at Bardenay, we shouldnt have bothered! We sat ourselves, the restaurant was about half full. Our table was dirty, we thought someone would acknowledge us and come clear it, wrong! After 5 or 10 minutes we cleared it ourselves. Still waiting to be acknowledged, eventually after 15 minutes a waitress came over and we asked for menus and water. 5 minutes later she came back with menus and silverware and dumped them in the middle of the table! She said "what is this, a holiday?" And stomped off, the restaurant was even less busy at this time than when we got there. We waited a few more minutes, still with no water, which would have been really nice since we had biked to get there! Finally we said forget it, we dont want to give anyone business that isnt happy to have us there, as we were leaving we saw our waitress bringing out our water glasses, so we stopped and told her we were leaving since it had been so long since we got there and had no service, she said "ok" and we biked to Post Falls and ate a delicious lunch at The White House Grill where we had excellant service!
(1)
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Address :1710 W Riverstone Dr
Coeur d'Alene, ID, 83814
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Loud Music : Background Good For Dancing : No Alcohol : Full Bar Happy Hour : Yes Best Nights : Fri, Sat, Sun Coat Check : No Smoking : No Outdoor Seating : Yes Has TV : Yes
Brianna C.
I'm shocked by the mediocre reviews! We've been a few times now. The drinks are always top-notch, and the dinner specials have never disappointed. Once, there was some sort of meatloaf and gravy dish ... I made fun of my husband for ordering it, but it was incredible. We also have never forgotten the trout dip. I like the tuna pita for a nice lunch out. There were ducks once that came to visit us outside. It's always been lovely for a leisurely meal out!
(5)Chris N.
Not bad, not be best. Definitely gets points for decor and comfort, but the food isn't something to call home about. Highlights: Roomy, cool layout, high ceilings, good beer/liquor selection, friendly staff, open later than usual. Cons: Food is average, but on the tasty side. Good spot for a date, I'm sure, as I'm not really from this area either. However I did notice a lot of blind date type vibes happening. Ready to bet that this is the go-to place for quick, classy, and sorta cheap dining.
(3)Hannah L.
The sign said to seat ourselves, so we did. I'm from out of town and my friend wanted to take me somewhere good and with gluten free options. After being sat for a minute or two a young man can by swiftly, set two ice waters down loudly and walked away. Apparently family and possibly a girlfriend came in, because he hugged and kissed them. Weird, but forgivable. I went to the bathroom and sat back down before anyone came with menus. We were able to review all the menus and sat for sometime before being addressed by anyone. We decided to leave. It's too bad because the only positive I can say, the menu did look enjoyable.
(2)Kellie O.
I want to love this place, but I don't. I keep coming back in hopes that my unpleasant dining experience was a fluke, but it is a consistently bad experience. I think they need to cut down their menu significantly and make a few things great instead of 100 things just okay. Service is very hit and miss, food is not good, but drinks are great. Its also super loud and I feel like I have to yell at the people I'm out with.
(2)Casey A.
I like this place. It's always busy and the service can be extremely slow but the food is always outstanding along with the drinks.
(3)Carrie S.
Eaten there several times and the food is less than stellar and our last visit the server was beyond rude. It's a good place for a drink and to sit outside, but definitely won't eat there again.
(1)Amber C.
The food at this restaurant is excellent. It does sometimes take time to get to you but the food is worth the wait. I will eat here if I can sit out on the patio but I don't like to eat inside as it is too loud. During the time of year the patio is closed I will either call my order in and pick it up or stop by and get my order to go but I must say they do also serve great drinks here.
(4)Oscar G.
We have been to Bardenay several times since it opened and the food and service is usually good. However, that all depends on when you go. 1. The sign when you walk in that's says "seat yourself" really means " depending on where you sit you might not get waited on. 2. Their main problem is a lack of consistent wait staff procedures. On the busy days they have their "A" team on duty and are extremely attentive. However on those slow days during a work day... Forget it. We have walked out twice when no one would even bring us a menu, even though we sat 3 ft away from 2 bartenders and a waitress all talking to each other. Not even a glance our way to tell us they would be there soon. I don't mean to appear snotty but when I'm paying money for a nice lunch I'd appreciate at a minimum a menu to order from. We packed up and left. As a side note we went to Azteca and had an awesome lunch with a great waiter. The female waitress who blew us off at Bardenay walked in to Azteca to see her boyfriend.... Who was our waiter! We left him a $20 tip.
(3)Mary W.
We were very surprised by the "please seat yourself" sign, but it worked out. Our waitress was wonderful, keeping our drinks fresh and checking on us often. Due to my food allergy, I wasn't able to have my first choice, but I was very happy with what I got (Spinach/Pear salad with salmon). The alcohol menu was vast and varied; the dessert menu was pretty standard, except for the booze ice creams. The setting and atmosphere was fun and friendly.
(5)Paul B.
All of our meals were perfect when they came out and the only thing that could top the food was their house brand vodka. Our server Michaela was outstanding and took excellent care of us including giving this out-of-towner directions to pick up a bottle of said vodka since they can't sell it there.
(4)Tina C.
I've been here several times for both lunch and dinner. My most recent experience was a large group for lunch out on the patio. Our waiter was not thrilled to be working, or serving us, or I don't know. There were no warm fuzzies and we seemed to irritate him. And we were all very nice to him. Maybe he was having a bad day. This place makes me nervous for just an hour lunch. Usually, the service is too slow for this. We let our waiter know right away we were under a time constraint. All this being said, he may not have been the nicest waiter, but he did a great job. We wanted for nothing and we DID get out on time. Usually the food here is good. Their menu hasn't changed much since they opened. So, I tend to get the same thing-Asian chicken salad. It's consistently ok. When we were leaving from our most recent lunch experience, a baby duck had gotten stuck in the large netting they have tied to the deck railing. This netting is meant to stop the ducks from entering the patio and disrupting diners. The netting is too large however, and the baby ducks get trapped in the squares and can't get out. I called to inform them. The girl who answered was very nice and thanked me for letting them know, however, almost a month later, nothing has been changed. Overall, I wouldn't say this place is outstanding with food or service, but if others in the group we are with want to go, I will go.
(2)Brianne T.
I have never been to a restaurant where the waitress interrupted our prayer until my family came here. We always pray before our meal, and when she came over with our food, she called out, "okay, here is your..." And we lifted our heads and stared at her. I tried not to be rude. I kept my mouth shut, but then I tasted the food. I don't know how you screw up couscous...but the kitchen did. That's twice they've been subpar with their huge menu. I've only been here three times. Once for lunch (overly complicated plates), once for dinner (another overly complicated meal), and once for drinks. Bartender was nice and my rum n coke was fine. They should stick with their spirits not food. I'm thoroughly disappointed in Gordon Ramsay for praising this place. He should preach to them what he practices, since his menus are simple and short. I think he saw a show and not the real place, like what the Navy did when I worked in the galley, and some admiral or inspector was passing through. Check yourself, Ramsay. The place you should be praising is Greenbriar. Not this restaurant.
(1)Spencer D.
While the food was great and not horribly priced the service was something to be desired of, they advertise self seating but when you sit no one comes to you for 10 minutes and they were so slow when we had given our drink order we ran out of conversation topics. Then they messed up our order, although they gave us a free version of the messed up order. Overall the service was not very good and dissapointed us
(2)Janine W.
If I could give a rating of minus a few stars, I would give it here. My husband and I both had the cioppino. Cioppino is supposed to be a fish stew...with fish in it. We were served bowls of tomato sauce garnished with two wimpy slices of bread. There was one teeny tiny shrimp, a small piece of bell pepper and a microscopic piece of squid. If there was any fish in it, we didn't taste it or see it. My glass of Sauvignon Blanc was served in a glass less than half full with a pour mark on it and was not even chilled. This is a place to drink cocktails and to see and be seen, but NOT to eat.
(1)Olesya N.
Great space, love the fireplace and the seating options along with the pretty lake view. Been here a couple of times, always very friendly service as well as great drinks and yummy food (we enjoyed everything we'd ordered!). Don't mind the self-seating and the prices are reasonable (great deal on the drinks!)... my only qualm is the fact that this place is full of loud children some nights. Yes, nights. And yes, this IS technically a bar/distillery. Very strange, not sure who'd bring screaming kids to a distillery and at night to boot, but yes, this does happen here. Not the restaurant's fault, I suppose; but a star off for this, nonetheless.
(4)Alyssa N.
The location of this place is perfect. It's absolutely beautiful and they have patio seating for the summer months. I had chicken noodle soup and it was delicious. Also, my server Claire was so sweet. I had my wisdom teeth taken out a few days ago and I asked her for some ice and she was more than happy to get it for me. She also got me an extra cloth to wrap around it. Claire was so polite and patient plus the food is delicious. Overall I am very pleased with my experience there :)
(5)Ian W.
Nice atmosphere, okay food, and most of the staff went out of their way to help. Unfortunately I didn't get a chance to try the alcohol. A couple downsides: they don't take reservations, so anyone who needs seats has to play a game of arriving 1+ hour early and holding tables. On the night I was there, I was trying to get 20 seats, and two other separate groups were trying to get another 20 seats each. So there were 60 seats all being held at the same time for over an hour before anyone arrived, just because they don't take reservations. Our waiter was terrible. He was continually chatting with friends/co-workers instead of helping us. He took half of our group's order and then disappeared for so long to socialize that they received their food before he even came back to get everyone else's order. I also had a pregnant friend who wanted fry sauce, which is essentially ketchup and mayo. He said they didn't have it, so she asked for ketchup and mayo and made it herself at the table. He could have easily done the same thing, which is the kind of thing waiters will often do if they want a good tip. Was her need of fry sauce a huge issue? Not to him, but her pregnancy-induced cravings said otherwise.
(3)Lindsey C.
This location is SO much better then the Boise one! The food was good, and the service was FANTASTIC! she was quick, had a great sense of humor, and was totally intuitive! It was a great experience. Does feel a little chain esq because of the mall style location
(4)Bonnie B.
Great place. Had half Ruben sandwich with sweet potato fries. Great waterfront patio. Clean, attractive restaurant.
(5)Kitty Kat D.
I want to give this 5 stars, because the location is just awesome. We've been coming to CDA every summer for about 6 years. We stop here every summer in hopes that the food and service has improved. We are usually let down. Sit on the patio, and order drinks. The views are great. The drinks are good. I'd go elsewhere for food. The menu looks and sounds amazing, but what you actually get just doesn't live up to expectations. And good luck getting a refill or condiment. Service has been spotty. We've had some decent, and a lot bad. I honestly have no idea how this place is still in business. I want it to be great, I really do! Something needs to change.
(2)Jill P.
5 stars for the alcohol, 4 for the food... I really can't complain about the food, everything I tried was great, not something I will find myself craving, but still very good. I had the Kobe steak sandwich, which was more of a French dip, but a fantastic French dip! It had cheese and a horseradish spread with rosemary au jus. We shared a chocolate peanut butter cake and homemade ice cream for desert and again all very delicious, but nothing I would fly back for. Service was adequate, and ambiance was typical brewery (distillery), although more kids then I would have expected. I stopped at 2 drinks when I would have normally liked one or two more. Speaking of drinks... The gin!... I went to the closest liquor store and bought a bottle to take home with me! (Apparently although they make it, law says they cannot sell it, weird) SO smooth... I'm going to have to demand my grocery store back home get some!
(4)Garrett W.
The selection of house distilled Vodka, Gin, and Rum are great. The gnats?? Not so much. Luckily baby flies only infest this place during the summer months...so they say.
(3)Steve K.
Tonight my wife and I took two of the kids to this Resturaunt. We've eaten here before and have mixed experiences. Tonight the service was slow and the food was mediocre at best. I remember the food being much better during past visits but the level of service remains consistent. Maybe they have a new chef, I don't know. The noise level was high and we found it to be very difficult to carry on a normal conversation. It'll probably be a while before we give them another shot.
(2)Samantha J.
Just came here for a business lunch with some colleagues from Europe. We were discussing two star restaurants in Germany (apparently they rank out of three stars so a two star is IMPRESSIVE) and I'm ashamed to have brought them here. The food was fine, don't get me wrong, but we waited almost an hour for our appetizers and had to ask for refills on our drinks (even after I asked they only refilled two of the four empty glasses at the table. WTF?). Then the entrees came out maybe five minutes after the appetizers and the girl had no idea who ordered what, so she just started jamming plates into the empty spaces on the table. That said, beautiful outdoor patio and the food was great. I would give this place one more shot to see if we were unlucky enough to get an inexperienced server before I write this place off completely.
(2)Alex J.
Why do I keep coming to this place? Let's start with the service, no host at the entrance. Every time I came here the service is bad... Just bad, servers trying to be nice but you just can see they are not doing their job. I been here for happy hour, dinner and lunch. I gave this place two stars because of their happy hour, good drinks and good appetizer. Dinner and lunch has been a disappointment the pear salad, the sandwich and the panzella salad (with the soggy croutons). I don't think I will go back, ever. The building the environment seems great but the service and food is not worth it...
(2)Shannon R.
My husband and I visited Coeur d'Alene and Bardenay's was recommended by our hotel. I don't know if it was an "off" night but I have to give it 3 stars. We sat waiting to be acknowledged by any of the servers and finally had to ask who was serving our area? It wasn't very busy so no excuse. All we needed was a hello and to order our drinks so we could sit and chat before dinner. We weren't in a hurry but would like to have a drink at least while waiting. The food was alright but nothing special. They need a lesson in plating - people eat with their eyes before they even touch their food. Don't just throw food on the plate. All in all an okay experience. Beautiful setting and interior although very echo-y and hard to chat with someone only a foot away. They could use some soft materials to absorb sound in that building - too much concrete and wood. They are missing an opportunity to be great, and I think they could be with a few improvements. The highlight was meeting a nice couple at the next table -people are friendly in Idaho!
(2)Eric P.
After posting my brunch review, the manager (Peter) contacted me asking if I would give Bardenay a second chance - and offered a gift card to pay for the meal. I have to say that I admire his effort and professionalism. My wife and I returned and ordered the exact same meal - and we both were pleasantly surprised! The eggs benedict were cooked perfectly and the scramble that I had ordered the previous visit was actually 3 eggs and looked freshly prepared. We were both pleased with the food, service this time around. Nice save Bardenay!
(3)Bobby B.
Been here twice and my order was messed up both times. I have celiacs and order from the gluten free choices. I put a lot of trust in my wait staff and take care to communicate with them clearly so that I won't get sick. My first visit resulted in a dish contaminated with soy sauce. Apparently NO ONE was paying attention. The second visit resulted in a Chicken Caesar instead of the Salmon Caesar I ordered. Again, NO ONE paying attention. Each visit was 6 months apart. The first time shame on you. The second time shame on me. There won't be a third time.
(1)Charles P.
Only reason I can give it a two stars is because of the food. The burger was really good, and so was the humus plate. Meatloaf sandwich with mashed potatoes and gravy was ok. The scenery outside was great. I came in right around sunset, and it was really nice. Nice little pond with a fountain, and ducks quack in the background. So first impression was off to a good start. Our waiter came quickly. Honestly the review is about our Waiter. This guy acted like he was better then everyone. Totally felt like he looked down upon us. Made us feel like we were weirdos for wanting to order bloody marys at dinner time. I dunno, maybe I'm off or something, but everyone knows that feeling. Anyways he didn't even bring us our humus plate (I know that happens a lot with other places) , never brought us our drinks, never brought us our dinner. We asked for Ketchup from two different people, never got it. He never came and gave us refills for our water (no one did), never asked of we wanted another drink until we were completely done with our meal. Never came and checked up on us. The service here sucks more then I've ever seen. If you don't want to take care of people get out of the Hospitality field. I can't imagine that the manager or owner of this company would allow such horrible Hospitality. And looking around I wasn't the only table having these issues. NO ONE was getting service. Pros- Nice background, good food. Cool that they are their own distillery. Cons- SERVICE is crap. Worse I've ever had. Will not go back.
(2)Kay H.
So we were driving through Coeur D'Alene and we were starving. With two kids in tow, your options usually dwindle. We didn't want to go to a restaurant we could go to back home. We finally settled on this place. We were not disappointed. Amazing drinks, service, and food. If we're ever in the area again we will head back here.
(5)Marina H.
This outing was exactly average. There were some things that were great (the setting, the prices) and some things that were below par (the food). My grandpa ordered the lunch special that was only $5 and came with half a sandwich and a side of soup. For that price, it's hard to complain, but his bread was old and the soup was served cold. I had the grilled portobello mushroom sandwich and it was just okay. Served with too much bread, though. But my side of garlic mash was good! Service was a little slow, but we weren't in a hurry and our waitress was sweet. I would go back to see if a second time would be better, but I'm definitely not in a hurry
(3)Bryant R.
My absolute favorite restaurant. I always get the Pear Spinach salad with salmon and on a good night a nice scotch to go with it.
(5)Todd C.
No hostess, this makes it difficult to find seating. This place is busy enough to hire one. Dirty martinis were great, but the bartender used profanity at another employee in front of customers. Not a problem for me personally, but unprofessional none the less. The koby beef tacos were delicious. My wife had the shrimp fettuccine it was lacking in flavor. Overall the vodka made in house is spectacular, but the food was only ok, and the lack of a hostess made this overall a 3 star rating for me.
(3)Jamieleigh W.
I went with my family and my grandma specifically asked if things were spicy, like the soup, because she can't handle hot spice and the waiter still let her order some sandwich with super spice inside it without saying anything. I wanted to get the fish tacos but they were out and the waiter told me he would have talked me out of them anyway - I ended up with the clams or whatever and was so less than impressed. Our waiter acted like a know it all even though he wasn't a chef and kept saying how much he didn't like the food and how much things needed certain changes and others didn't go well together. It was a total turn off and I will really avoid returning.
(2)Erin S.
Yet another UPDATE: Well, they're lack-luster service is back. I've ventured back here several times after my last review and all those times the servers seemed either annoyed that we took too long (watched a game) OR the fact that we were there and they had to do their job. That being said, the management needs to reevaluate their customer service or eliminate the surly employees, if they want to keep people coming back. As for me, it will be quite awhile for me to warm-up to the idea of dining here again.
(3)Kayla S.
I love Bardenays! Especially in the summer! Always meet up with friends to catch up and eat. Good prices drinks. Love the blt sandwich and their Caesar salad is awesome! Always clean but usually kind of an older middle age crowd.
(5)Andi W.
We have been long time fans of Bardenay, since they opened, actually. It has been the perfect place to go for both business and pleasure, as there is something for everyone, and the service is usually perfect. Tonight, however, was a complete fail. We were famished when we arrived, so we ordered an appetizer that didn't require cooking at the first opportunity. Apparently it wasn't put in, as it took three requests for us to receive it. (The gentleman next to us ordered two dishes that required cooking after we ordered our appetizer, and both his dishes came out before ours.) They have changed their fries (not for the better), the chicken in the chicken sandwich was totally bland, and the satays we ordered were WAY over seasoned. On top of all that, the service was a bitter disappointment. My cocktail was the only thing that was good. I'm not sure I'll be back again anytime soon. At least not for food, anyway.
(1)Reva G.
My girlfriend and I visited Spokane recently (May 2014), and we lunched in nearby Coeur d'Alene, Idaho (15 minutes east). I was told by locals that Bardenay was good if you want a fish taco and a good blackberry lemon drop martini. You are NOT kidding! It was a GREAT drink, an excellent salmon taco, ducks wandering the deck overlooking the lake (which I could feed and no one cared!) where we were sitting in the sun. An altogether very pleasant lunch. Want to take my husband there. Our waiter was knowledgable and a bit of a tease, which was nice. My only reason for giving 4 stars is that some people around me had to wait too long for their food. Also, fake swans on the lake kinda tacky LOL
(4)Gary M.
Ordered burger Well done came out raw ummmm I sent back not going to Bardenay again the wait person was nice and according to him he told the cook Well done I was told the cook failed to check the burger oh well easy come easy go
(1)Tyler B.
Their food is alright, a few interesting menu choices, but nothing spectacular. Drinks are pretty good, average price for what they are and their happy hour is nice because they have some appetizer items ranging around $5 or so for a nice small lunch. The service, I honestly haven't had too many issues with, maybe a bad server once or twice. I wish the building design was different, sitting inside can be deafening when they're busier.
(3)Mel N.
Well the best thing about this place was the cocktails. The huckleberry lemon drop was very tasty. Service was mediocre and felt like they were in a hurry to get us out of here. The food was ok but not great. I also did not like the fact that my starter salad was served at the same time as my entree. The deck seating was nice but did not make up for the service or the ok food. I would not rush back to this place unless this was my only option.
(2)Tom D.
If you don't care about walking into a restaurant and seating yourself while many staff walk by not acknowledging your existence, well then this place is just for you. Walk in, find a table and cross your fingers that a waiter will now server you! Most don't say hi or even look your way. Well enough of the lame start....I was with my son and finally the hardest worker there Nate stopped by with menu's and got our order going. Cool guy! The Cesar salad was awesome with chicken. My son had the pork sandwich which was tasty. The Stone IPA was awesome like always! We had the lava cake and home made vanilla ice cream, awesome!! Thanks!
(4)Jersey H.
Love Bardenay. My wife and I have never had a bad experience here. The porch is fantastic in the summer for drinks and appetizers. Try their Cod and Chips. The Oriental and Shrimp Salads are a must. Usually a fairly decent selection of beers on tap, and the mixed drinks are always splendid.
(5)Matthew D.
We went back during an off hour when the restaurant was quiet. Our server mentioned it was his first week and didn't know the menu very well, nor the beers...he was a very nice guy and attentive. It was happy hour and our table ordered a hummus platter which for $4 was amazing. It would have been a great value at twice the price. If mgmt. at Bardenays reads this, don't change the price. It's great. I had a quinoa burger with a salad. One thing that really resonates with me is a good salad as a side, without the up charge. I know that it at times can cost the business more than just fries or chips but I really appreciate when businesses recognize something like that is a cost of doing business rather than nickel and dine the menu. This experience made up for last time.
(3)Tim G.
We were looking for a place with a variety of gluten free options. This had a fairly extensive menu. Overall a good place, great drinks and multiple options for gluten free.
(4)Kristen J.
This was within walking distance from our hotel, and I was pleasantly surprised to find an expansive menu and really affordable prices! It's in a beautiful location, and the interior is really nicely done. Husband had trout, which was good, and I had the pear salad. The kids enjoyed their meals, and the drinks were good. It was loud inside, but it looks like a great place to meet up with your peeps to grab a drink and eat!
(4)Amanda M.
Atmosphere was clean and comfortable, prices where not steep and very welcoming! Everyone was very approachable, we had an awesome waitress. So many choices on the menu I narrowed it down to the Ruban Sandwich, it was delicious!
(5)Scott J.
Bad experience. They were out of almost everything we wanted to order. After trying to order 3 different items we finally found some generic items they had.The waiter could not describe anything on the menu, but at least he was friendly. The lava cake was horrible, it was like a dried up bunt cake with cold Hershey's chocolate poured on top.
(1)K S.
I've never had a bad drink here! It's a beautiful restaurant and I love looking out at the pond. Their quinoa burger is so delicious, I highly recommend! Only complaint I have is, last time I was sitting outside someone from the city was spraying pesticide all over the plants right next to my table. The wind was blowing it on my food and I talked to the server but he said outside the fence is city property so they can't do anything. I'll be calling the city to see if they can spray early in the morning and not in the afternoon while people are eating.
(4)Megan H.
Great place to meet for drinks and possibly an appetizer. Their wine selection is fabulous. However, their food is never quality.
(3)Jack B.
Just returned to CdA & ate at Bardenay again. I love this place. It seems like some reviewers are put off by the fact that you grab a seat when you enter & there is no official "host" to seat you. Big deal. I can select my own table. It's not that hard. What is important is the food (*****), the service (*****), and the cocktails(*****), which are made in the still that sits in the middle of the restaurant. The pork loin sandwich was perfect!
(5)Jessica R.
Love the fresh made salads & dressings. It's always delicious with a garlic Satay. I have yet to have a bad experience here. Drinks are great as well.
(4)Justin M.
Atmosphere was lacking, be it from the snooty crowd that seemed to look down upon my group upon entry (I didn't feel in appropriately dressed for a "casual bar" as described) or the group of ducks that continually visited the patio leaving "presents" in their wake. My group was visiting on vacation from out of state so I don't know if this is the norm in CDA. The food was good but heavily over peppered (both my Mediterranean pita and Caesar salad) to the point I did not finish the dish for fear of taste buds dying. The service was poor. Waitress did not seem to know or care to find out more information on dishes/drinks when asked or be able to provide recommendations. Waitress seemed aloof and annoyed by us the whole time. When ordering she did not seem to hear me even though she was looking at me the entire time as I spoke and walked over to the other side of the table and asked me again what I wanted to order. I thought she was playing a trick on me like the police saying "meow" in the movie Super Troopers. Overall I would not return. It felt like I had entered the Twilight Zone by the time I left.
(1)Sarah B.
Bardenay is one of my favorite places to eat. The calamari is always tender and has cumin in the light breading. I frequently have lunch meetings there and have always received excellent customer service.
(5)Gary J.
Rita's service and positive attitude stepped up my rating from a 3 to 4 stars. The drinks and happy hour food were good; but, sometimes it is all just better when the server has a nice smile and is willing to have a conversation. Bardenay's distills their own vodka and I must say it was very good. The wings were tasty too. Interestingly drinks are not discounted for happy hour which we found strange. Know one in our part could recall ever being to a happy hour without happy being included with special pricing. The location and decor is outstanding. These people spent some serious bucks building a place of northwest flavor with a modern feel. The dis tilling can be viewed from glass windows. Ask for Rita to be your server.
(4)Rabbit F.
Horrible food, Friendly staff, Cool building My parents live within walking distance to this place so we were hoping it would be good. The inside of the building is nice. Open space with beam work above, plenty of seating. Outside there are many tables over looking the pond at Riverstone. Restaurant was less than busy when we arrived for lunch and I noticed many employes all over the restaurant. One employe seated us, one brought us water and we waited for our menus. The male server was friendly and polite. We ordered the fish tacos, calamari appetizer and a burger with salad and soup side. This is just another restaurant that looks fancy and has Terrible food. Fish tacos were horrid. Do not order these! The calamari was burnt and also tasted very bad. It was overly greasy and just awful tasting. The burger was dry and flavorless like maybe it was a low quality frozen patty. The soup was bland. Like I said before, we were hoping for the best because of the convenient location but this is just a fancy looking place with foul food. Go for a drink and look out over the pond but don't wast your money to eat here. I don't give more than one star if it's a restaurant and the food is NOT good.
(1)Riyah M.
Best atmosphere in town. Really good mixed drinks. I suggest getting mixed drinks made with their liquior. Food was good and no real complaints, but nothing super awsome.
(4)Sarah T.
gross. The gentleman next to me at the bar went out of his way to come warn me of how disappointing his meal was. I should have just left then. Very bright and shiny restaurant- too bad the food is lackluster.
(2)Grant C.
Such a let down. First, let me be clear about the fact that I don't drink alcohol. This restaurant may be known for its alcoholic beverages and I can't rate according to that. I have visited this restaurant on three separate occasions.The first time, I ordered the pear spinach salad. It was okay but the pears were not ripe and very hard. In subsequent visits, I had the fish tacos. I was excited about this option because the fishes grilled not fried. Unfortunately, the fish and the corn tortilla were tough like jerky. In addition, the sauce for the fish tacos was not very good. I have also ordered the club sandwich whichoffered very little meat and cheese in the middle of the sandwich. It was toasted and seemed like I was just eating two pieces of toast smashed together.The chips with pico de gallo were extremely bland and tasteless. The bruschetta appetizer was the best thing we had on the menu.if you want good food, go to Max at Mirabeau Park or Hay Jay's bistro.
(2)Mike A.
Every time I'm in town I must come here. Most of the reason I stay at the Hampton Inn next door. The food is great. The service is awesome. The prices are outstanding. And most of all... The drinks. Great selection of beers. The homemade vodka w fresh squeezed juices is incredible.
(5)Andrew T.
Most of the food was good however I think they went a bit overboard with their pepper grinder. The blue cheese and bacon cold slaw had almost no trace of blue cheese and had so much black pepper it burnt the mouth. The meatloaf sandwich was very good. Juicy and full of flavor. The mixed drinks were good however their beer selection was small. The wait staff and service was a disappointment. We asked for a drink menu when we sat down and were told by the guy who showed us to our seats that he was not old enough to hand us a menu. When our waitress came around to give us or menus and take our drink order she seamed annoyed that we didn't know what we wanted right away. Our waitress was also put off when we asked her where one of their beers were from. Her answer was "I don't know, I guess I could ask if you need me too". The we ordered one final round after dinner and we never received those drinks.
(2)Mitch K.
How do we find these places? Bardenay is a vodka distillery that serves food! I just have to chuckle, but not about the place, drink or food. This large place looks like a sports bar and is, kinda, with TVs on the perimeter. It is large and open, so appears to be cold, but is comfortable. They have a drink menu that I think is a collectors item that you could put on a coffee table for a conversation piece as well as use it for a recipe book for entertaining guests with unique and interesting concoctions. Service was quick, with management working with servers to get stuff out, clean up and touch base with the customers. Kristina knew her stuff and accommodated my indecisiveness as to dips and salad dressings by giving me all of those I wanted to try. Thanks as I got to try them all. Huge bar to do the many beers and booze concoctions. Menu covered everything and had a lot of, here goes that word again, unique offerings. One section had variations of satay, the chicken or shrimp on a stick with house-made dips. Salads were huge and quite a variety. No shortage of sandwich options and then the heavier dinner entrees. Portions were more than generous, even for the sandwiches. Will give Bardenay another try and it will most likely rate a four star. We just did not give it enough of a workout to put it there now, but don't let that stop you as it is an excellent experience. Oh, and "bardenay" is a word that we used to use when sailing or at yacht clubs. One of those snooty trivia words used by a ship captain when it is time to start drinking: bardenay time. And usually a small penent is flown from the yardarm, a martini-style glass centered upon it. Let's everyone around the marina know that "the bar is open."
(3)Zach M.
Bardenay in Coeur d' Alene was great! My biggest complains are the lack of parking and the fact that they don't accept reservations. I brought a large group from work and waited for quite a while. Once you're seated though, you're attended to quickly and the staff are helpful & knowledgeable. They've got a great bar and offer several local micro-brews including "The Men's Room Original Red" from Elysian, who donates a percentage of every sale to the V.A. Puget Sound Fisher House charity. I recommend the bacon-wrapped beef fillet. Well cooked, great flavor, good portions, nice selection of sides. While I was there I saw families, couples, business groups, etc. They've got a nice location right next to Lake Coeur d' Alene, 5 minutes from I-90. Definitely worth a try if you haven't already been.
(4)Anna S.
Awesome! Ahi sashimi salad is fantastic. I have been here twice now on business travel and I love it. Scenery, people, food, is fantastic
(5)Tom M.
Service is slow so you wait a long time for run of the mill food. If you go for drinks you will be going to the bar yourself because they never have enough servers working.
(3)Jeff V.
Great space, very trendy and modern. It is a newer bar in town so everything is in great shape and looking fresh. Wish I could remember our bartender's name, she was fantastic and should get a raise. My burger was very good and the vodka they distilled there tasted better than my go to vodka, Kettle 1. If I lived here this would be where I would be a regular.
(5)Julie M.
WORST SERVICE EVER! Even received dirty looks when we didn't eat all of our good. Food wasn't all that great but the building is beautiful. Very disappointed as I use to like coming here when I worked N ID. What's happened?!?
(1)Werner W.
We went about 15 times since opening a few years ago,the last couple of times it was different,the food was not as good as in the past,the service was Always fair,not special,but most of times ok. Last week I realy did not like the food,I ordered Fish&Chips and was not happy about it.On the menu it was clearly stated "beer battered",but it arrived Breaded and not Cod at all.It was thin,almost like Sole. it was not properly fried,I assume it was thawed and frozen again,because On a few spots it was not fried,white spots and not fried. Server Cody told me it was Beer Batter and Cod! I was many years in the Food Business and know the difference! That Fish and Chips was a frozen product,something Sysco would sell., So,I would not recommend to eat that Dish!
(2)P Lynn P.
The setting is nice and new but the inside is a little loud with music. The outdoor patio is pleasant but breezy. The waitstaff seem over worked and rushed so there is some wait to order and for the food to come. I ordered the steamed clams and I specifically asked if they were spicy and the waiter said they were not but they came sprinkled with red pepper flakes. On another occasion I had the pasta Alfredo and it was good. It is best for days when you are not in a hurry and just want to sit and talk and sip a glass or wine or beer.
(3)Nathan H.
I have been here twice now and I have to say that it was just okay. I wanted to rave about this place based on everything I have heard but...I just can't. Let's start with the basics. Staff: Staff is friendly and efficient. This is a fairly large restaurant and while they are well staffed, everyone is extremely busy so you always get the feeling that they are ready run. Food: I have only tried two items off the menu here: The Calamari, which was excellent and their Pork Cutlets (chops, whatever they were called), which were just Meh. The Vegetables were cooked perfectly and the pork was actually cooked perfectly but, it tasted like they put absolutely NO seasoning on the pork...not even basic salt and pepper. It resulted in the dish tasting very bland. Might have been a bad day for the cook but it just left me wanting. Drinks: They have a solid selection of beers and booze...so no complaints here. Overall the experience as just a solid three..I wasn't blown away and it wasn't bad. It was just okay.
(3)Bruce H.
Service too long.
(2)Luke S.
Great place but they have always the slowest service in town. Don't expect to ever get food in a timely fashion.
(4)Erich P.
How do you screw up a hamburger? Have the people in the kitchen at Bardenay make one for you. The meat was over cooked, the bun was cold and hard as a stone. And the cheese was like a skim coat of what was originally cheese. If you can't cook a burger... "Nice cage, no parrot"
(1)Jaclyn H.
Love the food, drinks, atmosphere, good service, all in all one of our "go-to" places to go and bring people when they come into town.
(5)Shane D.
Beautiful place. High beamed ceilings and a ski lodge feel. Also these folks are smart enough to embrace technology and have their wines on tap to keep air out. No, not talking box wine, actual bottles. Thus place being an actual distillery as well as a restaurant, their drink menu is prodigious and interesting. My sis had the Ginger Rum cocktail, which was great. I just had a Blue Moon (on tap, sweet!), and there was orange in the glass, like Blue Moon is supposed to have. Excellent! My sis had the Grilled Portabello Sandwich, and I went carnivore and had the Grilled Chorizo sandwich. We both had ceasar as our side so I can't report on the fries. But the ceasar salad, oh yeah, awesome. My sis loved her sandwich and I likes mine too. However, I think my sandwich got done sooner or something cuz it was a little cold. Still tasted great though, total knife and fork affair cuz their was so much good stuff on it. The service was very friendly and attentive, and we never wanted for water or anything. Speaking of the water, it comes with lemon slices. Nice extra touch. All in all, great food, great atmosphere, great service, great price. Will be back
(4)Steve M.
On vacation, and we were looking for a place to eat. My wife said NO! We are not going to a distillery for dinner! The hotel manager said the food was good, and we gave it a shot. The food and service was great. We went two nights in a row and we will be back again. They have a good beer selection, with rotating taps. I did try their rum, and it was good on the rocks. My wife had a mixed drink and it was great also. We will look forward to this establishment again!
(5)Le M.
A writer mentioned Coeur d'Alene as one of the whitopia cities. A place where the population is dominantly white (96%) and where some residents have a strong sentiment to keep it that way. At Bardenay, as it is with other establishments at Riverstone, the whiteness of the place cannot be more glaring. My tan sticks out like a lonesome packet of brown sugar next to packets of Splenda. It would have been fine, but unfortunately the lack of diversity manifests not only on the diners, or the archaic if not ignorant language (who uses Oriental to refer to Asians!), but on the food as well. Take for example the Mediterranean Steak Pita: yelp.com/biz_photos/iBFp… It looks like I asked for a big salad with a small side of pitiful pita. There's nothing Mediterranean about this dry, bland bread with chunky meat you'd find in a stew, sprinkled barely with feta, and with a thin spread of equally bland hummus. Service is drier and blander than the pita. My companion had soup and salad. I should have ordered the same. No ethnic culinary experience is needed to serve that plate. There's a good reason why New York, San Francisco, Seattle and other coastal cities are foodie heaven. It's the diverse population. The richness that other people and culture bring to the plate. Any foodie or those who have a more evolved palate would say nay to Bardenay. Truly two stars. Meh. I've experienced better.
(2)Trace D.
I'm not quite sure how this place has gotten the ratings that it has considering on a Sunday it is not very busy there are many servers I see four people in the kitchen and it takes 40 minutes to get food and beverages.
(1)Paige F.
You are losing stars bardenay. Not having your staple lunch menu items until 2 on Sundays. Being long time regulars at all of the locations for years, we have our favorites, and that is why we keep coming back. To top it off the bloody Mary's were bland.
(3)Brad D.
Found this place while visiting via Urbanspoon. Upon first impression the patio was filled with what looked like bored housewives who want to get day drunk and compare with the other housewives who has the best bag. The place had great decor with large wooden beams supporting the raised ceiling. Didnt try their liquor, but did get the special. Lamb chili was great, but a little overspiced. The chicken penne = delish! Plus our server was nice and informative and quick on the beers! I would visit again when I am in the area, just not around lunchtime :)
(4)Tobe H.
The entrees, liquor, and building at Bardenay are great. Stay clear of the dessert! When I am in Coeur d'Alene I eat at Bardenay. The special entrees are always amazing. I ordered lamb stew over pollenta and thoroughly enjoyed it with a glass of wine. The liquor is house made. The copper distillery tanks are beautiful. The building contains an open space with large windows. The parking lot sits next to water. The interior has a very modern wood cabin garage look. The seating can be awkward. I have had to share a long high table with strangers. This can be a good or bad experience. The desserts are a complete failure. I ordered a ginger cake, and the waitress told me it was a bad idea. I ordered a different dessert. It was awful and tasted of old fridge. The waitress gave it to me for free. I still couldn't eat it. I will never order dessert here. The best part of Bardenay is the price. Compared to downtown Spokane, it's inexpensive.
(4)Travis M.
Wow I love this place. The staff is very professional. If there is a problem they handle it right away. I could go there everyday and never get tired. You have to try their VODKA!!
(5)Jessica C.
The atmosphere is great and they have a decent beer selection but aside from that there isnt much Bardenay has to offer. The service is poor, the food costs to much for what is served and on more than one occasion the kitchen has lost my order and expressed it's regret with a side of salsa and chips.. come on guys!
(2)Becky M.
I was really impressed with my cocktails, also impressed with the price, considering they distill their own spirits. My yellowfin tuna salad was delightful, and my husband didn't make any conversation during dinner, which is a good sign he liked his steak. We also destroyed a platter of their plum-glazed chicken wings...really tasty, and messy, but they thoughtfully provided wetnaps before we even asked. We tried to split a chocolate cake slice for dessert. Couldn't even finish between the two of us. I think the ambiance lacks something...I think its the tables and chairs. They seem cheap in contrast to an impressive shell of a building with beautiful views.
(4)Jon S.
I want to love this place, great patio, great beers on tap, great service... Ok food... Bummer... and I went local Kobe sando and ceasar, tough (sando) and dry (salad). But the place is such a good spot I'll probably try it again
(3)John S.
Affordable go to lunch spot with quick service.
(3)Jon F.
We called the Coeur d'Alene Chamber of Commerce asking for a lunch recommendation as we passed through town on a road trip. Show us some local flavor, we asked. Maybe a place with great French fries, this being Idaho. The kind lady on the line did not seem to know of local flavor, but she recommended Bardenay for a quality and affordable lunch. I was skeptical when I saw the outside... looked like a cookie-cutter chain restaurant with predictably mediocre food. But Barneday put my fears to rest quickly. Almost everything about our meals was outstanding. We ordered a Bardenay Kobe Beef sandwich, served with horseradish mayo on foccacia bread, and au jus and a Caeser salad on the side. Best damn French dip I've ever tasted. The salad rocked too. Also we tried the lunch special, a half sandwich & soup combo. Just a ham & cheese sandwich that did not look remarkable. But it turned out to be the best ham & cheese sandwich I've ever tasted...the ham and bread were both excellent. From the kids menu we ordered a cheeseburger and fries. The burger was quality beef and perfectly flame-grilled. Luckily it was way too big for a kid to finish alone. Also I should mention our waiter was friendly and the service excellent overall. Ironically, the only food we tried at Bardenay that did not impress us were the French fries. Just your standard frozen variety completely lacking flavor. I suppose not everyone in Idaho is a potato expert. Too bad... upgrading the menu to serve hand-cut, made to order fries would make for a perfect lunch. ...Now that I've seen the other reviews, it's hard to believe I'm writing about the same restaurant. But I don't give much validity to a condescending review that lectures an establishment for being too "white". I respectfully suggest foodies put their politics aside for a moment and enjoy the food.
(5)Brady T.
Had dinner with my parent last weekend and we all had the house vodka! To die for! Mom had the mystery drink and the banter began immediately on how to make it! Dinner was prompt and fast which was great! We sat outdoors with some nice background music as the storms started to roll in! Meat was a little over cooked on my pork sandwich but the sweet potatoe fries were among the best I've had in awhile! Will definitely go back, very affordable and irreplaceable atmosphere!
(4)John S.
Just a grilled chicken Cesar salad for lunch...but it was good! Neat atmosphere.
(4)Scott M.
Really good food and incredibly noisy. I have eaten breakfast, lunch, and dinner at Bardenay and unless you like noisy bar like atmosphere, the noise will deafen you. It deafens me. The food can be spectacular, particularly the dinner fare, but the noise is very off putting.
(3)Kiira B.
My husband and I first went here on our honeymoon and have been back at every opportunity since. We've taken many people to join us and nobody has ever complained about a dish they've gotten. The menu is varied and unique - you can't go wrong! Also, their drink list is great. I'm not much of a mixed drink person, but the muddle huckleberry martini is fantastic! They also have a patio overlooking a (man-made) water feature - definitely worth it!
(5)Patrick O.
Went to Bardenay because I heard it was great. I tried to enjoy it, but something was missing. 1. I do not like the seat yourself set-up. It simply is a set-up for failure. I like to be greeted at the door and taken to a table that is clean and for a server who is capable of handling our needs. 2. The table we were at did not work. It was very small and we all had a dish, water, and a drink. You could not fit everything on the table. We even had a spill on my end of the table. (to which nobody came by to help us clean it up) 3. The food was good. Order came as I wanted and I finished it all :) 4. Drinks, I was a bit overwhelmed with the amount that was available. We tried a variety of them, and have no complaints. I would like to return and try more. 5. The cleanliness of the restaurant was good in my opinion. I will never return to a restaurant that is dirty (can you imagine what their kitchen looks like?). I felt this place was well kept, and may need to give them a second try. Overall, the Value Perception here is ok. I paid a bit more than what I believe I received. Not totally in love with this place, but may give them a second shot in the summer!
(3)Fresh M.
Cocktails were awesome and the hummus med. Plate one of the best in the area!
(5)JARED T.
When planning on a meal and/or drinks before a movie at the Riverstone theater, this is my choice. No need for Red Robin, or Azteca when a place like Bardenay is right across the street. I've always enjoyed the food here, and I like getting cocktails made from a spirit out of their own distillery, which also happens to be right there in the same building. A friend turned me on to their mojito, but made with gin instead of rum. I'm not a gin person at all, but I liked it mixed up like that. I will usually order that when I'm there, and the wait staff acts like people order it all the time. Maybe that's their thing, not sure, pretty good though. They serve a really nice bloody mary too, and they have a nice brunch menu, which is always good to know if you don't feel like waiting in line at Garnet Cafe. If you're just popping in for a snack, I suggest ordering the mediterranean platter. Delicious!
(4)Mark B.
Great atmosphere, oh what I could do with this place! Consistently TERRIBLE service, hit and miss food quality and not cheap. Good place for a drink (at the bar), but even bar service is lacking. We have been here maybe 10 times, in total denial, hoping, just hoping it would get better. Nope. The Boise store is much better. Pass.
(2)Patrick J.
I had expected something rather high-end but the menu is affordably casual and bar-appropriate rather than gourmet. Still, they offer some truly unique options, such as their selection of Satays, which are basically Indian shish kabobs, with dipping sauce. I finally decided on the , which was just the right amount of spicy and grilled to a perfect moistness, and came with one of my favorite dips, Peanut Sauce. The presentation was delightful, served atop a colorful slaw of garnish veggies. The order came with two large, delicious skewers for a mere $6.95, and I accompanied it with a mixed green salad with lime honey mustard dressing. It was a step beyond ordinary, thanks to the addition of flavorful red peppers and zesty home-made croutons. The dressing itself married the sour of the lime and the sweetness of the honey mustard to create a completely fresh taste. read full review here: getoutnorthidaho.blogspo…
(4)P S.
Pretty nice place - sat on deck and there was some breeze that was uncomfortable, but when no breeze it was very pleasant. Service was good, not overly attentive and needed a reminder to refill coffee, but timing was good and she was very pleasant. I had steamer clams sans chorizo and it was quite good. Very nice, flavorful sauce that I nearly finished sopping up with the somewhat stale bread. Overall a pleasant meal for a decent price.
(3)J. C.
This place ROCKS! It is seat yourself and very relaxed. Great restaurant and bar, they are even a distilery...they make their own gin, rum and vodka! They have plenty to order from their vegetarian chimichanga to their Rum steak, all is superb! Wine selection is good as well! The service is good but of course relaxed, so dont get your panties in a wad, they are busy and since it is seat yourself they can get over sat quick!!! This is my favorite restaurant! Tip good too cuz in Idaho they only get paid $3.25 an hour, they live on their tips!
(5)Mei-Lu M.
They're aren't that many restaurants in CDA that offer a full bar - Bardenay fills that gap with a corporatey, upscaley restaurant-bar hybrid. It's actually a good place to come with friends or family if you want to have a proper cocktail with maybe an appetizer or two. Plus: they have a great selection of higher-end spirits, including whiskeys and tequilas, if you want to skip the middle man and just have the grown up, expensive version of a shot. The menu is exactly what you'd expect - slightly fancified versions of bar food standards (fish and chips, hamburgers, etc), with the addition of lots of salads for the more health conscious. It's a really pleasant setting, right on the river, light and airy. Honestly, the food is really mediocre. But I can see coming here again for a drink with my parents when they're in town. That way, my Dad and I can enjoy a scotch together in a pleasant, open environment. (Though we'd have to come on an off-night - all the hard surfaces mean that this place gets really, really loud when it's busy, and my Dad is hard of hearing.) Or if I was going out for brunch with a group of people, or meeting someone I don't know very well. It's one of those places that sort of generally meets everyone's needs (including celiacs - they have a gluten-free menu). Sometimes being an average, inoffensive, not-too-terribly-expensive place is a good thing.
(3)L. D.
The Panzanella Bruschetta Salad with sirloin added, champagne vinaigrette dressing was the best entree salad that I have had in a long time. Would definitely visit this place again for carry out. P.S. There was a pretty spectacular sunset that lit up the sky like orange/red fire right behind the restaurant.
(4)Whitney P.
Great location & building. I've been a fan of bardenay since their early days in Boise, but the night I visited (during the week) they must have had the "c" team on staff. Arrived between 9-9:30 and they were trying to close the place down, didn't seem to interested in serving and the staff was just socializing amongst themselves . . . .SORRY to try to give you some money (that will end up in your pockets) in exchange for some desperately needed beverages!
(4)Myk C.
Not a fan of the 'seat yourself' plan especially during busy Friday nights. Kind of a pain and unorganized. Food was decent. Service was commendable. Great atmosphere. Looking forward to going back in the summertime and sit outside on the patio overlooking the pond. Tried some Bardenay vodka and it was ok. I need to go back and sample some of their gin and rum as well.
(3)Karen S.
We went to this restaurant on the advice from the manager of the Hampton Inn across the street. Being from Seattle, we're lucky to have a lot of amazing restaurants to choose from. This place ranks amongst the best. The food was fresh, the drinks were outstanding, and our waiters were great. We had two tables that were served by different guys, and they combined the tab (and the tip) to make it easier for us. All with great humor and professionalism. Would go back tomorrow if we were still in town.
(5)Andrea B.
Nice people. Good food.
(3)Kim O.
I was skeptical about this place because of some of the poor reviews, but we really enjoyed it. We ended up eating dinner there on both of the two nights that we spent in CDA. We shared a few appetizers. The first night we got the shrimp satay, the calamari, and the mussels with chorizo. Everything was great and reasonably priced, especially the drinks! I was surprised that you could get a martini with house-distilled vodka or gin for around six dollars. The second night, we got the calamari again, the bruschetta, and the wings. The bruschetta was not like any that I've had before. The bread was thick and very cheesy. It was quite filling, and if we had known how big the order was, we probably would not have gotten the wings! It was delicious, just not what I expected. The wings were tasty and fresh (Asian spicy plum sauce). I would preferred them to be a bit more spicy and less sweet, but they were still very good. Overall, we thought the place was great. Outdoor dining with a great view and walking distance from the Hampton! :)
(5)Richard P.
Went Mother's Day. The place was not remotely full - now wait - got seating on the deck immediately. Despite the large amount of empty tables the very first thing the waiter said was that food will take a minimum of an hour to get out of the kitchen. ARE YOU KIDDING ME???? It's Mother's Day. ...and HOUR????? Crappy service, understaffed, the kitchen was a disaster, food and slop all over the floor visible by customers, a single, lone person at the bar and drinks took forever. Go figure. One would think the owners would be prepared on such a day.
(1)Paul A.
Service is great. Drinks are very well prepared and reasonably priced. Didn't eat. Just wanted booze
(4)Scott C.
Decent food but the service is horrible! The only reason to go is because it is close. They always ruin your order, they never come fill your drinks and you always end up asking for everything you need because they just don't understand what service is. The restaurant is also very noisy.
(1)Ann T.
Great food good atmosphere. Can't beat a beautiful building right on the water!!! And I LOVE their satay dishes...light and delicious!
(4)Gary W.
My take is it is a "bar" that serves organic/natural/trendy food. Its got a great feel to it, if you don't expect it to be fine dinning.
(4)Tricia S.
my subsequent visits have led me to realize that the pours are short (and I'm a lightwieght!) and the food is mediocre. Still, the prices are good...but you get what you pay for, as they say.
(3)Mike B.
This is one of the best restaurants in Coeur d' Alene. The food is consistent, warm and tastes very good. The chef cares. The service is also very good. You can sit outside in the summer. Great atmosphere.
(4)Tawni B.
The first time I went here, I was lured by their cheese platter(the BEST thing on the menu). I had a grilled pork chop, which was decent. I've made better myself. But the next several times I ate, I was literally sick. The meatloaf and mashed potato plate was GIGANTIC. I will give them that. I ate the leftovers for two more meals(I don't like to waste leftovers). However, it also made me incredibly sick. The meatloaf tasted good at first, then it slowly crept on me how sweet and sugary it was. By the end I couldn't even have dessert because it was disgustingly sweet. It literally tasted like a cup of sugar went into my one slice. The next time I went, it was with my sister, mom, and grandmother. My sister and I had taken them for a relaxing lunch after a familiy emergency. Mother ordered a salad, and the only thing she could eat was the bread. She actually asked for more of their bread on the salad cause that was all that was good!!! Grandma said that the fish & chips was okay, but kinda soggy. My chipotle chicken sandwich thing was decent. It was kinda funky. And it made me sick for 2 days. My sister....well, she's a vegetarian. So she asked about everything on the menu that looked good. She was nice about it and just stated she wanted something with no meat. The waitress pointed out salads(which as a vegetarian, my sister hates that that is all people think of). My sister asked about the grilled cheese and specialty tomato soup. Sounded innocent. The waitress assured her there was no meat. It wasn't even "made with broth." As my sister got to the end of her soup, which she had thought had a bizarre taste anyways, she found several large chunks of TURKEY. Turkey was not in the ingredients, wasn't even listed on the chefs board that we could see because we were right next to the kitchen. We showed the waitress and she didn't even care! The management did absolutely nothing for her, not even an apology. We paid our large bill, no tip, and left. My sister was sick, because after not eating meat for over 4 years, her body couldn't process it. She emailed the general manager for all the Bardenay's and he profusely apologized and sent her a $25 gift certificate. Like we really wanted to eat there AGAIN. We used it on her beer(apparently their brew isn't too bad) and I had a steak sandwich that I picked through(it was FAR overcooked, deader than dead, but it didn't give me food poisoning). In the end of this very long review, I would never come here unless I really want good cheese(which now Season's of Coeur d'Alene has an even better tray). The food is decently priced, but I'm not into paying $10-$15 for food poisoning.
(1)customer s.
Everytime I travel to this area, I must go here! Great service, good food, and great drinks. I like the seat yourself option that they have now. I ordered the tuna salad and it was perfect! Plenty of feta cheese, lots of calamata olives, and the tuna was very rare and just lightly seared (perfect). The tuna could have been a little bit better quality, but with the huge portion they give you it would cost twice as much. It was still delish. I had the reuben last year and it was also perfect. I'm a fan of the Arnaud martini! We need one of these places in Austin please :)
(4)C T.
Fantastic experience! We had lunch on the patio and the weather was perfect. I love salad and I had a hard time choosing which salad from the menu I wanted to eat - there were so many delicious choices! I chose the Ahi Tuna salad and also ordered the tomato beer cheese soup. The soup was a nice twist on the traditional beer cheese soup. I would definitely recommend this place.
(4)Wendy D.
We arrived at 6pm, Friday night. I do not care for "seat yourself". We thought maybe a waiter would acknowledge us and point out a table, but no. We did find a table. The service was terrible, almost like there were no assigned sections for the waiters, it was just whoever happened to show up at our table first. I had marlin and it was very yummy. The waiter, older man, did not come to check on us until we were almost done eating, at which time we had to ask for more water- he acted surprised that our water glasses were empty. We notice other tables were also having a hard time getting service. We ran into someone we knew and they even commented on the terrible service. Not so sure we'll make a special trip back.
(3)Mike T.
Bardenay features its own distillery and serves its own brand of Vodka, Gin and other spirits. The restaurant is situated on the pond at Riverstone and has very reasonably priced food that tastes ok and is best used to absord the alcohol. A distillery is sort of a cool concept. Its a perfect spot for groups. The web site does not have info about the Coeur d'Alene location yet as they just opened.
(3)shelly z.
I am a fan because: The food is pretty good and very reasonably priced for the quality and quantity. I usually get the pork tenderloin sandwich with a light fruity bbq sauce & some slaw-type dressing. Comes with a choice of several sides but usually go with the house salad that is REALLY big and yummy. I have also done "girls' night out" and for about $20 per person we ate and drank ourselves into a happy frenzy. We had 3 different satays - beef, pork & chicken that were all great, the BEST hummus & pita (and the waitress was happy to bring us more pita wedges at no extra charge), chips & salsa, and....maybe that was it. Anyway, it was delicious & filling. Great cactus pear margarita and my friend had this really spicy bloody mary thing that was good too (and I don't typically like bloody marys). Why I don't like it: It's big and loud. Not very intimate, and I think a big group would go deaf. We've had some great wait staff, but there are a couple of older gals who are..how do I say... older? and they do that thing where they are perfectly pleasant but you kind of feel like you're putting them out. Overall it's a thumbs up.
(4)BRANDY S.
We went last night and we both enjoyed our meals. I had the steak sandwich with roasted green chile's and mashed potatoes & gravy & my husband had the bacon cheese burger with fries, we both had 2 cocktails each (we couldn't decide on just one) which tasted as good as they looked. The service was just right, attentive without feeling like we were a party of three. We will definitely be back. It says above that they don't offer takeout but we asked for it & had no problems.
(4)Daryl C.
Four of us rode our bikes 15 miles today to go have lunch at Bardenay, we shouldnt have bothered! We sat ourselves, the restaurant was about half full. Our table was dirty, we thought someone would acknowledge us and come clear it, wrong! After 5 or 10 minutes we cleared it ourselves. Still waiting to be acknowledged, eventually after 15 minutes a waitress came over and we asked for menus and water. 5 minutes later she came back with menus and silverware and dumped them in the middle of the table! She said "what is this, a holiday?" And stomped off, the restaurant was even less busy at this time than when we got there. We waited a few more minutes, still with no water, which would have been really nice since we had biked to get there! Finally we said forget it, we dont want to give anyone business that isnt happy to have us there, as we were leaving we saw our waitress bringing out our water glasses, so we stopped and told her we were leaving since it had been so long since we got there and had no service, she said "ok" and we biked to Post Falls and ate a delicious lunch at The White House Grill where we had excellant service!
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