The Gamekeeper
Famous for an evolving menu that blends the traditional with the exotic, The Gamekeeper features a selection of perfectly prepared game plus a range of continental and American entrees.
Acclaimed chef Ken Gordon and wife Wendy are owners who bring tremendous warmth and skill to the table treating you more as friends than guests. You'll experience a meal to remember that includes fine wines, decadent desserts, and a generous serving of personal attention. You'll leave happy and impressed with a desire to return soon!
The food was amazing. Try the Emu, you won’t be disappointed.
Sarah was a wonderful server. The hostess was very accommodating when we called to see if we could come earlier than our 9 pm reservation. the beef medallions and cab sauv butter with garlice mash potatoes, red cabbage and green beans was outstanding. it was a great suggestion to try the sampler game platter before ordering entree. my husband enjoyed the venison. very nice valet men.
The food was superb and our waiter was incredibly helpful.
If you have a chance to go to the The Gamekeeper, do it! The food is not your average cuisine and it’s delicious.
Filet mignon and rabbit were excellent. Flourless chocolate cake was hard to cut with a fork...I would not recommend it. Live polka music was excellent!!!!!
Amazing game dishes paired with awesome veggie choices. Very surprising combinations. Delightful. Perfect for family groups and romantic dinners.
Lovely place. We had to eat in the bar area so didnt get a good overall experience, but it was still very nice. Food was good, but pricey for what you got. But with that said this,is one of those special occasion type places. Would definitely go again.
My boyfriend and I went to the Gamekeeper on Thursday, January 24th, 2019 at 7:00 p.m. for our anniversary (which we specified on the OpenTable reservation). We were greeted warmly by the hosts and they were extremely friendly. They had even set up a special booth for us with a sign that read "Happy Anniversary" on it. Throughout the entire experience, they were super sweet to us. Our server's name was Laura and she answered all of our questions well and had great food and wine suggestions. She clearly had extensive knowledge of the menu, even when they were doing a special German themed menu (with very lengthy names of dishes, might I add, not that I am complaining about this, but Laura was great at pronouncing everything). We ordered the "Jager Fleicher" that Laura recommended to us, which was a sampler of many of the meats. We loved the variety of sausages that were on the plate, though we couldn't really tell the difference between the two types that were provided. The sauces were delicious. Afterwards, we decided on ordering the duck as well as the bison entreés. Although my boyfriend agreed that he should have ordered something different (because bison was in the appetizer), both of the dishes were delicious. If it matters, I am almost positive that Jackson made our food, so kudos to him! During the meal we ordered half-off glasses of the right hand shiraz and ended the night with a "turbo coffee," which both complimented the food extremely well, as per the suggestion of our server. Overall, this dinner was clearly pricey, but absolutely worth it. We will definitely be returning to the Gamekeeper soon. Thank you!
We went to Gamekeeper for a special occasion and our reservation was for 8:30 PM. We were not seated until 9:25 PM. Around 9 PM, I confirmed that we were the next guests to be seated. However, a couple who came in after us was also upset about the wait but were more verbally annoyed. This couple got free drinks and were seated before us. This was disappointing as we had arrived first, were told we were next and we were being polite. We eventually sat down and got our food a little after 10 PM. Very disappointing that we had to wait so long despite our reservation and that we were not offered the same accommodations as the couple who came in after us but were rude.
This place is super cool! The menu has some interesting things that I would have otherwise not tried, but everything we ate was AMAZING! Our server was super knowledgeable, made great recommendations, and was overall one of the best servers we have ever experienced. Super fun/different place you have to try if you're in Boone,NC!
Perfect as always
Wonderful service & food! We had the elk and duck and they were both cooked perfectly!
Staff, exceptional
Thank you for another great experience! Delicious food, great wine, and wonderful service!
Great place for wild game type food and a change from the standard food at other restaurants. Quiet atmosphere where you can actually have a conversation with others at your table while enjoying a great, healthy meal and drink of your choice. Not cheap but well worth the cost.
This was one of the best meals I have had in many months. The elk was prepared perfectly, and the Chèvre was a great opener. Wonderful all the way around.
One of our favorite restaurants. A great to visit when vacationing in the High Country of NC
We celebrated my brother in laws birthday at Gamekeeper. He really enjoyed the experience and I would highly recommend Gamekeeper.
Wonderful food and a fantastic server. Highly recommend this unique dining experience if you’re in the Blowing Rock area.
Great food great service loved the ambience
We tried the sampler appetizer, which was wonderful. Sauces were perfect and added such a nice compliment. We both decided on the bison hanger steak for our main entre, which was phenomenal. We ended with the bread pudding and a cup of coffee, both of which were also excellent. Fabulous meal.
Food was phenomenal, staff is very friendly
off The beaten path. It was fine dining without any pretentiousness. Warm and inviting. Everything we had was excellent. Menu options were unique. I had the Emu and my husband had Elk. Specialty mixed drinks made with care. Had the best bread pudding for desert. I will definitely go back!
Love this place, it’s a hidden gem!
Great unique food and service, what else can u ask for?
As always great food and atmosphere......a bit of a wait on our table bc previous guests just didn’t want to leave! Would eat there more often but hard to get in.
First time eating at The Gamekeeper but will definitely be back!!! Food was outstanding and service was impeccable - our waitress was very knowledgeable about every dish on the menu and we even changed our order on one dish based on her description of it. The Pork Belly app was terrific, Elk and Emu were so different but so delish and the bread pudding was outstanding!!! Drinks and beer were amazing as well. If you haven’t been - you definitely need to go.
Once again, The Gamekeeper did not disappoint! Ken, Wendy and all the Staff...from the Valets to the Kitchen Staff to the Servers to the Bartenders are top notch. Highly recommend.
Wonderful and unique! From the appetizers all the way through dessert, the Gamekeeper always gets it just right!
Meticulously prepared game meats. Beautiful rustic ambiance. Excellent service.
We celebrated our first anniversary at the Gamekeeper Thursday night! It is our favorite place by far. We enjoyed a beautiful glass of wine at the bar & made some new friends (Effy & Bill). Then we sat down to dine starting with the mixed game grill. That is, in my opinion, the only appetizer to start your “wild game experience “! It has emu, wild boar sausage, & elk with the best darn French fries I’ve ever tasted piled in the middle. I opted for the trout which came perfectly cooked, accompanied by local veggies. My husband had the bison hangar steak & raved about it! We are not big dessert fans but they always offer a beautiful selection. As always, the service was excellent. Not sure we caught our server’s name but she was adorable. Can’t wait to return in the Spring or Summer when we are back in town. Thank you Gamekeeper!!
We were in town for our birthdays and what a treat Gamekeeper was! The atmosphere is so cozy, especially with snow outside! The service is top notch and there aren't even words for the food. If you're a meat lover, it's a must try! Get the mixed game plate to share at the table so you can try a few different things. Thanks for a great birthday!
Truly an exceptional dining experience. Conversational noise level in the dining room was a bit loud for me. Otherwise absolutely wonderful experience.
My wife and I have been coming here for over 5 years. The food is spectacular and the service is even better. If you get a chance, make time for dinner at this place. It is worth every penny.
So n wanted more food on his plate left hungry after eating the bison
The Gamekeeper never disappoints. Our party of four started with the mixed game grill followed by venison osso bucco, emu, elk, and bison entrees. All beautifully prepared and delicious.
Gamekeeper remains our favorite High Country restaurant
Have eaten at the Gamekeeper on many occasions and it’s always a great meal and always great service. Rabbit pot pie, fried oysters and osso bucco were fabulous.
Worth the drive and one of my favorite restaurants anywhere. A gem in an area you would not expect it. Rivals the best restaurants in any major city, but found in the unlikely mountains surrounding Boone NC. A must visit whenever we are in the area.
I chose gamekeeper because it was the nicest option that Boone had to offer. Prices were a little high for the entrée options which was no big deal if the food was going to be amazing. I ordered the elk and it was just OK. It came cold and was not what I expected. My girlfriend had the pasta which was watery and had way too much going on with ingredients. The wine list and service were A+ but I wish the food could have been better.
Most likely will not be back.
The place is located in a neat location. It was cute and really unique food options. The service was a bit slow. It took probably 10-15 minutest to just get our drink order in. While the wine list is good, I wish I had brought a bottle and paid the corkage fee. Otherwise, the place is definitely worth the trip.