Rustica Steakhouse and Traders Lounge at Eagle Ranch Resort

This was our second year in a row visiting Rustica for our anniversary dinner. Last year we had a phenomenal night, this year, however, was a different story.

In 2022, every staff member went above and beyond by wishing us a happy anniversary (there is an option through online booking to select an anniversary as the occasion), providing a complimentary glass of sparkling wine, our server when quizzed was very knowledgeable about the different types of steak and the food was fantastic. Sitting outside was a beautiful experience with the amazing view over the valley. Overall we were made to feel very special and all involved went above and beyond. Given this experience, we decided to come back this year to celebrate our special day once again.

In 2023, the menu was smaller, not one staff member wished us a happy anniversary (despite booking the same way as last year), and our server stood behind us instead of in front of us which made it awkward to communicate. On top of this, we each ordered a $60 steak and although the flavor was good, the steak came out lukewarm (not cool enough to send back, but not great either). We decided to sit inside this year due to it being a little chilly, and although we had about the best view possible from inside the restaurant, there were a few details that could easily be taken care of. The table cloth had a hole in it, the chairs are outdated, there were several dead flies around, the windows are noticeably dirty.

Overall, the experience in 2023 was not what we had come to expect from 2022. With a few alterations, we feel this could be back to what it was.

While on a week long road trip across BC and Alberta, we ended up staying at the Headwaters by chance when a forest fire cancelled our plans in Cranbrook. We got the Stay and Dine deal and we are sure glad we did. Our server was Rob and he is a stand out of our trip, and we have been in a lot of restaurants this last week. He was enthusiastic, kind and helpful. He has a great demeanor and we appreciated his gentle sense of humor. The food was really great and we loved the Sirloin and pasta that we had.

The view is amazing and the service was great. The food was fresh but under seasoned. We came for the wagyu and it felt like a normal piece of steak, it wasn’t the most tender and the vegetables were cooked well just needed a little seasoning other than that it really is a great place with a nice drive into the restaurant and again the view is amazing.