Magpie and Stump (The), Banff

My brother was visiting me and my boyfriend from Victoria for three days and got a bad case of food poisoning from this restaurant. After a day of riding we went in to the Magpie and Stump hoping for a good meal. He ordered the chicken enchiladas and within 4 hours he was violently ill. We had all eaten the same things that day as we had spent the day together, and my boyfriend and I were fine. The food was over priced, luke warm, and disappointing. We ordered Sangria, and I'm pretty sure it was out of a box. Service was average. Had to wait quite a while for drinks and payment even though there were only two other tables in the restaurant. I called the restaurant to report this case of food poisoning, and the way my complaint was handled only fuelled my disappointment in the restaurant. I was told that it was the "spices" they use which might have disagreed with him...??? Also, that because we were the only complaint it probably wasn't them. Overall, the General Manager couldn't care less about my brother’s health and his indifference and defensiveness towards the issue only proves that he has had many of these complaints in the past. Do not ever eat here.

My girlfriend and I ordered in and we wanted Nachos that supposedly came with cheese, sausage,chillis, jalapenos, the piquante. Also we ordered the salad with home made dressing. First off the nachos did not have chillis, nor sausage, and the cheese was very scarce. The salsa and the salad were very bland. We ordered from TOGO, and our bill was unsatisfactory for the value. We don't mind spending money for a good meal but this was not that time. It was unfortunate because we were really looking forward to a great meal to top off a great day. I guess that's the risk you take when ordering in.

Food is only mediocre,if you sit near the front door it is very cold. Does not accomodate parties larger than 4. Manager himself said they are not set up for groups larger than 4 so our party of 5 was out of luck. We went there because of the gluten free menu but the staff were not very knowledgeable. Hostess did not know how to seat people and waitress was more interested in gossiping than looking after her table. would not reccomend this place to anyone.

My husband and I were in Banff for our 1st honeymoon, and wanted to try a place for lunch that wasn't familiar, like the Keg or Chili's. So we found this place and went inside to find a super cool place with an awesome vibe. It was very relaxed. We both never really had authentic tex-mex so we were excited. We ordered a couple dishes to share and snacked on peanuts tossing the shells on the floor while we waited. When our food arrived, we dug in, it was so good! Everything tasted fresh and it was just wonderful. Lunch for the two of us with drinks was like $30. Not bad at all, especially for Banff. I wish this place was closer to where we live, because we would definetly be regulars if it was! What a great experience to add to our 1st anniversary!

We LOVED the atmosphere at Magpie and Stump (friendly locals, un-shelled peanuts to munch on, good music, great bartender (Hunty), and cheap drinks) We were just there for drinks as we'd already eaten supper but the food smelled really good. When we go back to Banff, we'll be stopping by the Magpie and Stump again for sure!

This all wooden building oozes character and charm. Set 1 street over from Banff avenue the Magpie (as locals know it) has been running for 30 yrs in one of the oldest buildings in Banff. The Food was certainly not gourmet, but when was Tex-mex ever considered as such. In fact, their menu had everything from burritos/nachos/fajitas to steak/salmon/bbq chicken and pizza. The service from the intenational staff was friendy and fast and after 9 or 10 it's a great place to try the 20 or so margaritas served in jam jars or just a conveniant pit-stop before heading somewhere else in town. We'll be back for sure!

One thing we figured out on our trip pretty quick that Banff is a little more pricey then other places, but Magpie and Stump was even higher. The food was decent, nothing out of the ordinary. The margaritas was very weak on alcohol, and the Sangria was just not good. I think you can find other places that would be better and a little cheaper. Service was very friendly, though it was a little slow. When I say pricey I would say expect to pay $15 of more for a burrito.

I've always thought the food provided within towns like Banff were substandard. I mean, let's face it. Banff is a town which caters to the tourists - which arrive by the busloads every hour. Repeat customers aren't exactly a necessity. As long as they're able to lure a customer into their seats, they're job is pretty much complete. I've tried many places in Banff and although they weren't horrible, I always felt that they paled in comparison to the city equivalents. With that being said, I actually liked the Magpie and Stump and could see myself going there again. The food was definitely above average and the atmosphere was very western like. We even had some cowboys sitting next to us - not the posers but the locals since they smelled like horses. :)

Loved the food and the atmosphere. The glasses were a bit strange but added to occasion! Service bit slow and staff only seemed capable on one role! What happened to customer service??