Second time the Gamekeeper. Everything was prepared well and taste delicious. No complaints.
Our second visit, and we will keep coming back! Went for my birthday dinner. A carnivore's heaven! Creative appetizers and salads, too. Bread pudding is to die for!
Wonderfully unique restaurant in the mountains with great food and a great view. I highly recommend it if you are in the Boone/Blowing Rock area
Loved our meal...bison and stuffed trout, oysters, salad and bread pudding
I just wanted to take my son out for a nice break during finals. This place is amazing. From the valet to the bartender and server. Wow!
Always a great meal. Dishes are creative and the presentation is always nice. Great selection of wines as usual.
We hadn't been for quite some time and how lucky we were to experience "Paris in April"! The food was fabulous, especially the lightly fried oysters with key lime vinaigrette. We are already looking forward to our next trip to the mountains and another dining experience at The Gamekeeper...
Gamekeeper was an exquisite place to dine. The dinner menu was very unique and delicious. I would highly recommend Gamekeeper to anyone wanting a great dinning experience.
We made a special trip just to have the Gamekeeper's April French menu. Both the oyster appetizer and the grilled emu were outstanding! We always love the creative ways they prepare different kinds of game here. We paired wines with both courses and they were perfect as well! You'll never have anything but a great meal here.
Unique restaurant with equally unique dishes. We've been trying to get over to the Game Keeper for months. Finally got a good reservation time on a Saturday night. The restaurant itself is unique, set in a rustic mountain cabin environment. The real fireplace in the dining room was also a really nice touch. The wait staff, wine list and food choices were excellent. We had a really good time here and will definitely be back.
The Gamekeeper is certainly a keeper! Went to AppState and never got around to trying it out in the 4 years I lived in Boone - I was definitely missing out! Went for the first time with my boyfriend this past weekend - the food was so good - creative and different. As major foodies we thoroughly enjoyed our experience - had the Emu and the Elk tenderloin, which were awesome. The bread pudding was on another level. Even though it was foggy that day... and cold... and rainy (typical mountain weather) we had a great time!
April in Paris. April 6 happened to be the time of our last adventure but The Gamekeeper is always special. We read the reviews especially the worst reviews and we review the reviews. Look, this is a special place. You can't get this kind of cuisine from a drive through are a chain. This place is a one of a kind. The menu and the way it's prepared is what make it special. Elk, Emu, Bison and a host of other unique menu items prepared with absolute perfection. The ambience is what it is. We love it and would never second guess an establishments decor or feel. The service is superb. Lynn, Laura and Kim. Way above what you should expect especially if you are us. I'm not sure I would like to have to serve US. They absolutely made our evening special and one that will be remembered forever. The drinks, the wine and the food were absolutely amazing. There is absolutely nothing not to like. As long as they have their doors open we will always be loyal patrons. We wish we could rate this place a 10 star.
"The Gamekeeper" has an intimate feel to it. Especially when you have a reservation that will bleed into the sunset. You can watch as the sun sets behind the mountains while having an extraordinary dinner. The wait staff/service of "GK" is remarkable - they are attentive and have several people making sure that drinks are never empty and you are updated on the status of your order.
The food is exemplary. Each main course is masterfully paired with a side. The flavor pairing between entree and side compliments one another. We made room to share a dessert. The "Ultra Rich Chocolate Cake" is aptly named - it's ultra-rich and heavy on the chocolate. It was more of "dark chocolate" (bittersweet) taste paired with a bitter/tarty sauce. Cocktails were beautifully crafted and designed in a way that packs a punch but won't knock you out of your seat, either (unless you have several).
I would recommend "The Gamekeeper" (GK) to anyone in the Blowing Rock/Boone area of North Carolina; either for a special occassion for tourists (or locals) or for foodies who want to try something upscale and unique. GK has its own ambience and feel. The "upscale" adjective may not resonate with someone who has spend an excessive amount of time in New York or the West Coast - it's upscale in presentation but the restaurant itself is rustic and "down to earth" (as in the building - tables, wait staff, and food presentation are all in-tune with the standard verbiage of "upscale").
A stellar experience! Thank you to all for a Wonderful evening in which we will never forget.
We live in North East Tennessee, a Cousin from Mississippi had bee at the Gamekeeper, between Boone and Blowing Rock, suggested we go. Great all around. I would highly recomend this experience.
Food and ambiance was amazing!
Gamekeeper is always on there game (pun intended). Ken and Windy do a great job with their food and staff. We always enjoy it.
If you are in the area, you have got to eat here. My wife (who normally avoids game food) and I had rabbit, boar, elk, bison, and emu. My wife loved it all. Her favorite was the emu. The service we received from Taylor and the rest of the staff was outstanding. We will be back!
Excellent food, nicely prepared, incomparable service that was hardly noticeable. Specialties are game foods--don't miss the mixed grill appetizer, which served five nicely. Pheasant delightful, Bison also, two elk dishes, but Osso Buco preferred. Good wine list. Deserves its very good reputation.
service was exquisit! food choices unique and delicious!
Perfect date night. We enjoying going for a birthday or anniversary. The food is always so great and the service is too. It's amazing how all the food pairs so nicely. Save room for dessert, because the bread pudding is a must.
The Gamekeeper never disappoints. Ken and Wendy continue to be innovative in their offerings while staying true to the traditional fare that has earned the GK repeat visits by so many regular customers. Enough can't be said about the staff as well...from the valets to the hostess station to the bartenders to the servers to the kitchen staff...they all work well together to coordinate an experience that is memorable...every time!
My wife and I ate at the Gamekeeper while on vacation in the Banner Elk, NC area. It was a wonderful and unique dinning experience. The food, service and atmosphere was excellent.
Our server Tay was the best in history. Will request her when we return '
The Gamekeeper is, quite simply, an outstanding restaurant in our area.
We were attracted to the Gamekeeper by all the positive reviews. Unfortunately, our experience was contrary to that of most reviewers. Service and setting were fine however, the entrees (elk, trout, flounder and veggie) were a disappointment.
Great game and Wine was terrific would recommend to people whom like wild game
Outstanding food! This is the place for things you won't find in other restaurants. Elk tenderloin and crawdads is a twist on the traditional surf and turf [they call it Field and Stream] and it is . My wife had the duck which was tender and cooked to perfection. The only thing I would change is that tables are a bit close if there is a noisy party nearby, but I certainly wouldn't let that stop me from going back. Very friendly staff, attentive without being intrusive.
Recommended for a foray into creative dining and a nice place to take a date.
As usual, the food was amazing. Highly recommend this restaurant if you are in the Boone area.
The food was excellent and the ambiance even better.
The menu is so inviting it made experimenting with new flavors and wild game meats I intimidating. Learned that I love Emu at least as it is prepared here at Gamekeepers!
This is the 2nd time I've been to The Gamekeeper - it doesn't disappoint. I highly recommend this restaurant.
If you plan to drink; get a car service to take you and pick you up!
The food was fantastic, the wait staff was friendly, knowlegable and efficient. I was eating alone, they made me feel very much at home. My waitress Taylor was a gem.
Excellent, unique food. We tried Elk, Emu, Rabbit, Alligator, Pheasant and Bison. All were outstanding. The Emu was our absolute favorite!
We thoroughly enjoyed the atmosphere and the food...so much so that we’re already planning a return visit for the 10th of March!
This was hands down the best meal my wife and I have ever had. It was the most expensive meal we've ever had, but worth every penny. The drinks were perfect, the game sampler appetizer allowed us to taste meats we never would have tried. And my elk Denver leg roast was cooked to perfection. My wife's flounder was amazing as well. The vegetables that came with the meal were fresh, flavorful, and unusual. We like trying new foods, so it was everything we were looking for. May I recommend the emu? Our server knew the menu like the back of her hand, and made some fantastic suggestions for drinks to accompany the food based on our taste (my wife was looking a cocktail that was not sweet and wine that was dry, I just like whiskey.) Unfortunately we were too full to try the desserts, however the table next to us ordered a cheesecake of some sort that looked to die for. If it was anything like the rest of the food, o wish I had saved some room for it.
Everything was AMAZING except the music. It was So loud and it was surfer type music. It made me feel like I should be eatting over priced chicken fingers in Typhoon Lagoon and not the lovely and wonderful food that I was.
Great menu and specials. One of the best restaurants in the area
One of the highlights of our year. We try to go every Valentine's weekend. It's my wife favorite place. It's always exceptional.
The best date I’ve ever gotten to take my girlfriend on for a very special occasion will definitely be back!