Waldhaus Pub & Biergarten Burger Review – Banff, AB
Waldhaus Pub & Biergarten Burger Review – Banff, AB
I took my Gold Medal Burger quest to the Rockies with a stop at the Waldhaus, the German restaurant and pub at the Banff Springs Hotel in Banff, Alberta. It set a new quest record for price, and it was also the best burger I found in Alberta. The Waldhaus scores an 8.9, good for #12 out of 140 burgers on my rankings.
A boys' trip
Robyn wasn't on this trip, so the camera was in the hands of Hofstede, the man who supplies my steaks. He lives in Calgary and came out to Banff to meet up.
My order
Getting the Gold Medal Burger took some work. The house burger is a cheeseburger with bacon and more, and lettuce doesn't come standard, but the kitchen made it happen: lettuce, onion and pickle only. With COVID restrictions in place they wanted it eaten inside. I took it outside anyway. It also came with onion rings I didn't want but was charged for, so I left them on the table.
The bill was $28 plus GST, $29.40 in total, the most expensive burger on the quest so far.
First bite
Inside the box: a pretzel bun, lettuce, a homemade-looking patty, bread and butter pickles and caramelized onions, plus extra pickles on the side. One bite, everybody knows the rules, and it was the best first bite I'd had in Alberta. I won't say it's as good as Hofstede beef, but it was close.
The breakdown
- Bun: I liked the pretzel bun, but it was a touch too big for the burger.
- Patty: Homemade, delicious and a little sweet.
- Toppings: Bread and butter pickles, caramelized onions and lettuce. The extra pickles on the side had some punch.
- Value: $29.40 is steep, but you're eating in front of the Rocky Mountains.
The beef man's score
Hofstede took a bite and went higher than me, with a 9.2. I kept my score at 8.9. The only thing keeping this burger out of the nines was the oversized bun.
My verdict
Is it $29.40 good? I've paid a lot more for a lot less, and the mountain view and a German grapefruit beer make the trip. $29 can't replace the memories. If you're in Banff and willing to spend a bit, this is the best burger I found there.
Find Waldhaus Pub & Biergarten
Banff, AB
