Reviews for Essence in Calgary, AB
We had official team lunch here. The restaurant is brighter and quieter than some other downtown restaurants around the... neighborhood. Service was somewhat slow but the food tasted fresh and nice. Read more
Food is pretty good as far hotel restaurants go. I had the crab cake benedict, which was fairly tasty (although nowhere near the... best in town). Atmosphere is decent. It's a classy 60s style place, with a simple but clean style. The biggest reason why thisplace is getting 3 stars instead of 4 is the price. It cost $60 for two people to eat breakfast! That includes $5 per person forcoffee, which seems to be one of Starbucks' restaurant blends (which is nice enough, but not $5 nice) If you're staying in theWestin, and don't mind spending a bit extra for a convenient meal, Essence is not a bad choice. I would not, however, recommendthis place for Calgarians or travelers with enough time to go to another restaurant downtown. Read more
I thought this place was a spa, because it's in the back corner of the hotel. Was pleasantly surprised to find out that it was a... restaurant. The food is delicious and the portion sizes are enough for lunch and dinner! Read more
We arrived late for breakfast and stayed for lunch. John the water's words as he brought our lunch was to prepare to unhinge... your jaws. He wasn't kidding as my wife's turkey BLT was ginormous! My choice was perhaps a little self-inflicted : a cheddarburger that was a double patty with my own addition of a sunnyside up egg. I ended up having to use a knife and fork. Besidesthe excellent food, John our waiter was excellent. He brought me honey and lemon and a big pot of hot water as I was kind ofstruggling through a cold. Much appreciated! He even sent me on my way with some extra lemon slices and honey. Great guy. Thankyou Essence for this really positive experience! Read more
Had lunch in this hidden gem. Wonderful menu, soup & sandwich or protein specials. I had the cod, French fries, salad... w/champagne dressing, and 2 delightful chocolate chip cookies to finish off the meal. Cod was great Read more
Reasonable breakfast buffet. Polite efficient staff. Seemed a bit pricey.
The slow roasted pulled halal chicken sandwich was amazing! Perfect blend of hearty chicken and creaminess coming from avocados.... Would definitely go again for the sandwich. Have also tried this fish and chips. Reminded me a little of F&C from Halifax withthe simple but crispy batter. Atmosphere has a slightly dated look. Read more
I was told the food here is amazing and that is 100% the truth. There was a very nice buffet set out but we went to the menu. ... I had the banana bread French toast while my friend had the salmon eggs Benedict. We shared our orders and both dishes weredelicious! Thank you Chef Ricky. Our server Michael made for an experience rather than just a meal. He shared select storiesfrom the past 30 years he's worked there. My favorite was the description of the world-renowned restaurant the Westin oncehosted. Some guests would fly in just for the meal. My favorite part of the whole experience was Chef Shuvie. Despite beingbusy, he came out and chatted with us and made sure we were treated well. It was his recommendation that brought usthere. Parking is an issue for outside guests as you cannot access the Westin parking lot without a code, but thankfully theJamieson building is right next store and accessing the restaurant was very easy. I would definitely recommend this place. Read more