The Gamekeeper

We celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary with the Gamekeeper this past weekend. Everything was perfect from the call I received to confirm the reservation to the greeter (no Valet with COVID) who thanked us for coming. We received a nice call a couple days prior to confirm reservation and asked if we were celebrating a special occasion. The night we arrived we were greeted by a wave and I’m sure a smiling face under his mask. He apologized thar due to COVID they could not offer valet and also took our temperature. Solid safety protocols. When we entered the Gamekeeper we were greeted again and thanked us for celebrating our anniversary there. We were given a nice corner table adjacent to bar area. There was only one other table in the room and a couple was sat there shortly after us. They were celebrating their 50th anniversary. Only 20 more to go for us. Ha ha. Service was great and not rushed. I apologize I do not remember our servers name. He wore an APP Stare mask and also handled bar duties. Very knowledgeable and friendly. We did decide on the Mixed Grill appetizer and a nice bottle of Merlot. We’ve had this appetizer our last two times as well and it did not disappoint. Bison, duck and camel and wild boar sausages with multiple sauces was a perfect start. Because we were able to sample all these we decided to have two different meats with dinner. My wife had the Emu and I had the Elk. Both done medium rare. Steak knifes were given but not needed. Both meats were so tender and seasoned well. The fresh vegetables were also cooked perfectly. When asked about desserts we unfortunately had to say if it was “Man vs Food, Food won”. My wife even had leftovers. Hope to be back before the holiday. Thank you for a special night. The Rainey’s.

Fantastic! Absolutely fantastic! This was one of the best meals I have ever had. It was an amazing experience from start to finish.

I would recommend it for a very special occasion.

We had an excellent evening, from the gentleman that checked us in on the lower level to everyone we encountered in the restaurant. Our server, Jonathan, was wonderful. We all had different cocktails that were inventive and delicious. Osso Bucco was on the menu that night and is always a favorite. We also had the trout, and it was great too. Dessert and chocolate martinis finished the meal. Don't forget to order the mixed game platter on the front end for the appetizer.
On handling Covid-19 protocols, they did a great job. Took your temperature on arrival, tables were well spaced out, and the new decking and entry ramp made things much less cozy than before.
Another great experience!

If you are anywhere near this restaurant.. please make an effort to eat there. The food was fantastic. The bartender made the best lemon drop martini I have had in a long time. The Bread Pudding is to die for. Awesome experience. Try the Elk for sure if it is on the menu.

Exceptional food and service. Special shout out to our waiter Jonathan!

Delicious food and Knowledgeable staff. Our out of town guests were in awe of the setting. We will be back.

Both our meals were excellently prepared per our requests, of high quality, and very tasty. The menu is quite unusual and well worth going. We certainly recommend the Gamekeeper!

Worth the drive up the mountain. We were given a friendly greeting along with a temperature check on the forehead. A party of 4, we were seated in a wide open area with the room to ourselves. There were also outside seating options available. Our waiter, Andy, was excellent. My husband raved over the elk. I'm not a meat eater so I went with the trout, which I loved. The salads were fresh and sides delicious. Make sure to call ahead for reservations. Seating is limited. We felt totally safe dining here. They had strong Covid precautions which they followed.

Great food, great service, a little pricey for what you get, but overall very nice.

Very lovely!! My bf and I love coming here when we are in town!

It’s was unique. One of the best dining experience I have ever had. The service was perfect, starting with the valet parking, the hostess, barman, Matre D, waiter and the kitchen. All perfect. Then the food, again perfect. An amazing experience. I would recommend to anyone. We will be back.

Service was very nice...ambiance/atmosphere was cozy and warm...which was nice with snow on the ground outside. The food was outstanding! CANNOT say a single negative thing about this experience..though the menu is a bit 'pricey', the entire experience is something superb.
Thank you for a wonderful evening!

The staff was exceptional in terms of service, attitude and pride in both their appearance and professionalism.

I have lived in NYC, San Francisco, Chicago and now Chapel Hill NC...the Gamekeeper is on a par with the best of the best in my opinion.

Gerry Dudzik

This is one of our go to restaurants in the area. The food on was excellent and service also. As a side note, my wife had recently broken her ankle and was in a cast. The 2 young men valet parking could not have been nicer and any more help getting her up the ramp and into the dining room - in the snow and ice.
Can't go wrong here.

Hit the Gamekeeper every time we go to Boone. It never disappoints. Bar is well stocked and drinks are tasty. Service is top notch and food is fantastic. Shared oysters and the mixed grill along with some Osso Buco which melted in our mouths. Will always stop here when I’m town

Food, beverages, and service were fantastic. The meal was delicious, the staff was knowledgeable and friendly. We will be dining here again.

Outstanding as always, specially their service!! They made me feel so special on my Birthday :)

Great service and great food

Our experience was very similar to others. Food was terrific AND ample - no room for dessert. Each of us had potato soup. Entrees were duck and emu. First time with emu. Very interesting flavor, cooked perfectly with nice accompanied sides. Nice table opposite fireplace on a cold night. Service is top notch from valet parking to waiters and other servers. Worth the price. A complementary birthday dessert taken home.

It was a friends birthday

This was one of the best dining experiences I have ever had. My husband and I consider ourselves food snobs and this dinner was exquisite. I want to go back to Boone just to have dinner here. I seriously walk around thinking about that Bison tenderloin.

The food and service is spectacular! For the price and the ambience they could use some updated and more comfortable seating and some white tablecloths to really make the point. I’d highly recommend this restaurant.

Hands down the most romantic and overall most phenomenal dinner experience my wife and I have ever had. From the valet parking service to the personable interactions by all team members, our visit was one to remember. Not to mention everything we ordered was made to perfection. It's no wonder why the Gamekeeper is listed as one of America's most romantic restaurants to visit. Can't wait to visit again with my wife! You definitely get what you pay for and it is well worth it!

Excellent service, Morgan was attentive during the whole process. She explained the various dishes and beamed about her job.
Driveway was extremely slick getting up other than that 99% happy

The service was very slow. The waitress was having trouble dealing with the 2 of us and a table of 4. She focused on the table of 4. Also, I have recently had knee replacement and walk with a cane. The railings were covered in snow so that made navigating the stairs an added challenge.

We celebrated our anniversary at the Gamekeeper and it was a wonderful experience. The service was great and the food was delicious

Amazing! We have been travelling from Atlanta just to eat here for over 10 years!!!

It is always a pleasure to return to The Gamekeeper, and we love taking friends for a first-time experience there. The mountain-chic ambiance is warm and inviting, and the food very satisfying. Our table enjoyed the duck (always perfect), bison, scallops, and a cornmeal crusted trout that was stellar. The service is exceptional, and special kudos to the kind waiter who served our bottle of Leviathan and took the time to explain the connection to winemaker Andy Erickson of Screaming Eagle Winery fame. It is sincerely this sort of passion that elevates a dining experience from memorable to the singular.

The food was superb. I recommend the mixed game grill and the bison tenderloin! It was not as fancy on the inside as I expected it to be. The meal was pricey, but it was worth it overall.

Outstanding and amazing dinner. My husband has not stopped talking about the bison dish he had for dinner. The atmosphere is gorgeous and staff were very attentive. Best meal we have had in a very long time.

Everything we ate was amazing. Top notch dinning experience. The bread pudding was the best dessert I have ever had.

The best restaurant ever. We drove from Florida8 hours to have dinner there.

Absolutely fantastic, as usual. We come every time we’re in Blowing Rock.

Favorite restaurant for a special dinner. The bread pudding is fabulous. Fresh and prepared perfectly.

Love this restaurant! Always accommodating, great service, fabulous food!!

We have been wanting to try out Gamekeeper for a long time, but now that we have, it will be hard to keep us away. What an interesting restaurant with lots of character, romance, and great food. Everything we had was delicious, and the service - exceptional.

Just go!!!! Amazing food but you will have to shell out the $$$$. Service is outstanding. Menu is unique. Worth the drive and worth the price.

My wife and I decided on The Gamekeeper to celebrate my birthday. The vibe is exactly as we expected; upscale rustic with exceptional service and friendliness. The food was amazing! We ordered the rabbit, elk, and bison. All were exceptionally presented and cooked to our liking. We left full and content. Will return without a doubt.

This is the best of all the restaurants in the Boone area. I have always had an amazing experience here but this time was extraordinary! It was my 50th birthday and they pulled out all of the stops. I can’t begin to express the superior service we received. Tanner treated us like we were the only people in the room. Needless to say, every bite of food was perfectly prepared and the beverages were top notch. My favorite part of the entire evening was the hostess though. She made sure everything was perfect and checked in with me often during our dinner. I want to send her a personal thank you. I’m counting the moments until our return.