Deer + Almond

We were really looking forward to dining here, especially given its reputation as one of the top-rated restaurants in Canada. Unfortunately, our experience was deeply disappointing — especially for a place of this caliber. We had noted a gluten-free dietary restriction on our reservation, as the restaurant specifically requests this in advance. Despite that, when we arrived, it was clear no one had read or prepared for it. Our server was unsure which dishes were gluten-free and had to check with the kitchen multiple times — which might have been understandable at a casual place, but for a restaurant with this reputation, it felt disorganized and inattentive. It’s a four-course tasting menu, and I was shocked at the lack of flexibility. The first course had only one option (bison), which I don’t eat, and the final course had no gluten-free options at all. The server showed no interest in trying to accommodate us and didn’t offer any alternatives or substitutions. While he didn’t say it outright, the attitude was essentially: not my problem. The only redeeming part of the experience was the drinks — they were excellent. But unfortunately, that’s all we ended up having before we left hungry and disappointed. We wanted to love this place, and maybe others have had a better experience, but ours fell far below expectations, especially when it comes to hospitality and accommodating dietary needs. I hope they take feedback like this to heart — because right now, the experience doesn’t match the hype.

An amazing experience! I am currently on a dairy free & gluten free adventure but wanted to treat my friend to a birthday dinner at a local legend. I wasn't sure if I would be able to have a full dinner experience or not; to my surprise, they were able to provide an experience entirely tailored to my dietary restrictions (including creating meal options not even on their menu). The biggest thank you for helping me and my friend enjoy a phenomenal dining experience in Winnipeg 💛