Review Pigeonhole - Calgary

Came for a bachelorette party dinner and it was perfect! Delicious food and amazing staff. The drinks were a little pricey but the foods are worth it. I haven't had beef tartar for sooo long and I loved it!!! Definity bringing my girl friends here!!

Had an amazing experience here! The food is a bit pricey, but the flavors are superb and the service was amazing. This is meant to be a shared plate dining experience which is always cool. We started with the scallop appetizer and it was bright and refreshing, lots of flavors going on that contrasted beautifully to the mild scallops. Secondly we had the burrata toast, the pesto on the toast was *amazing*. Finally the sourdough schnitzel with a Dijon hollandaise (it was a little watery but tasted amazing). We also had a bottle of Rosé which was a great pairing with them all. I highly recommend checking them out! It's a lovely ambiance and a staff member even held the door for me when I wanted to go to the bathroom, so cool

Tried pigeonhole for the first time and was really impressed. Some great veg options. There is also a nice selection of cocktails, wine, and craft beer but the food was definitely the star of the show. Would highly recommend the mushroom croquettes, beets with whipped feta, and the burrata. The crab toast and waygu beef tartare were also excellent. We don't usually get dessert but so glad we did, the Mille Feuille was so delicious- a truly joyful meal everything was so good. The washrooms were also private single and gender neutral.

Came here for a birthday dinner on Friday night. At 915 pm they were surprisingly packed and every table was seated. It was really dark inside so I didn’t get to take too many photos. We started with the beef tartare, foie gras and the buratta. All stunning dishes. The foie gras was my favourite… it was so rich and creamy. For mains, we got the steak frites and the crab melt. Steak was cooked a tad under medium rare but still delicious. The shoestring fries were the star of that dish, just the right amount of crispy and salty. Everything was very flavourful. To finish, we got the chocolate puddin’ and the mille-feuille. These two desserts didn’t really stand out to me. The chocolate puddin’ tasted like peanut butter out of the jar and there wasn’t enough chocolate, so that was kind of a let down. Our server of the night was very nice, but she seemed quite distracted. The service and drink times were a little on the slow side. Overall, we had a very lovely evening.

Had one of the best experiences in yyc at Pigeon hole. First time ever.. From start to finish it was an experience I will never forget. Gabriel our server was on point and recommended drinks and food that complimented each other and even when he was busy other servers supported him. Never once was i without a drink or water topped up. Now the food wow is all I got. Started with caviar which was delicious. Little iffy on the lays chips that came with it but it did compliment followed by the scallop, crab melt, broccolinni, trout and finished off a beautiful mille-feuile dessert. Experience and food was impeccable. Thank you to the Pigeon hole team.

My first time going here with my friends and it was a nice dining experience. We initially wanted to drink some coffee and pair it with some breads or pancakes. We had to ask our waiter for some recommendations and we didn't regret our decision. Our food were very delicious and amazing. Every bite is so good. Their service is good too, very quick and efficient in any way.

We had the most wonderful meal in Pigeonhole! What a night to remember :) It was exponentially improved by our amazing waiter Justin! He went above and beyond- took a minute to talk to us, understood exactly what we were looking for and gave us the BEST recommendations for wine and food, perfect pairing too. He recommended the mushroom sharable, which was THE surprise of the meal- don't skip it! Justin knows what he's talking about :) Next time we'll go there, I'll make sure its a night Justin is working.

It's always nice to go to a restaurant where the servers remember your face, even though it's been a while since you've been in. Justin is that person at Pigeonhole. Great service. Wonderful food. And expertise at wine pairing that goes on forever. Pigeonhole is always one of our favourite restaurants in Calgary because it's consistently fresh in its approach to food.

Super tasty, amazing food, great variety in dishes, and perfect portion sizes for sharing! The kitchen found it we were visiting from out of town and gave us the corn dish as a gift. So incredibly kind! So happy to have eaten here on our last night in Canada. Great way to end a trip!

First timer. Liked the decor, the waiter. The food is inventive and good (the spring peas & foie gras is stunning). But , too bad, oversalted for the beef tartare, could not finish it. Not handled properly by staff.

Good. Not great. But service is good. Most of the dishes were over salted. (Like burned your mouth). The eggplant is a must if you have to come here. Very expensive when comparing to food quality. Our first time. Won't be coming back anytime soon. Great decor in the interior. They need to fix air circulation it smelled like an old dirty mouldy bathroom....

I never have an issue with the food or drinks, the arrogance and ignorance of the staff is my consistent issue. They treat you as though you are lucky to allow them to serve you and you should be thankful. All this time going did is reconfirm why I will not go to Pigeon Hole, Model Milk or any of their restaurants again.

So good! Really delicious food and wine. Very friendly to those avoiding gluten. Sarah was an outstanding server, gave great advice and was a lot of fun.

My friend and I made a last minute reservation, showed up a bit early and were seated right away. The service was outstanding. Our server made excellent recommendations based on my food allergies. Everything we ordered was amazing, but the rose sugar madeleines at the end were unbelievable. Would definitely go back!

Service was awesome! Sara was our server and ahe was absolutely delightful! The food was phenomenal!!

Awesome place. Great drinks and awesome food. Charred Cabbage is a total hit.

Our daughter is a culinary arts student at SAIT, she highly recommended and took us here for our 30th anniversary. It’s a cool spot with some unique eats, it’s a great spot for an adventurous palette. Very nice wine and cocktail selection, the Pigeon Hole is a dining experience, not just dinner.

Great concept, food and service....many stars. My family loved it and we shall return.

The rockstar service was impeccable from start to finish and the food was next level. We couldn't have asked for a better experience and made our evening extra special with all the little above and beyonds the staff did. Thanks again, we will be back!

Seriously delicious food. Great wines and the best service from Sarah!!! We will be back again as soon as we are back in Calgary!!

Glad things ended avec pot du creme while the bar manager interrupted and hovered over us to pay our $$$$$ bill. According to an interview.... This was the sort of place conducive to 15 minute snacks or 4 hours of eating and sharing....... actions speak louder than words. The 2/3 of us that ate the veal were sick. Cute and kitschy cups and saucers don't make things taste better. Taught our server that the squash had nuts in it - sounded delicious on paper.... (seriously ick, like I said, actions>words). Never again. $200 literally down the toilet

Good was excellent and so was service! I recommend the trout so fresh melts in your mouth

Excellent, from beginning to end. The food and bevies were super and the service was outstanding. We will definitely return.

Hmmmmm...great food, great staff....and that Cabbage!!!

Food was good, however overpriced for the size of portions - very loud atmosphere - very good service

Amazing! This is my new favourite restaurant in Calgary! Service and food was excellent! A must try is the cod! Will go back every time I'm in Calgary.

Fabulous experience- food was exceptional and service top notch. I look forward to returning!

Wow. Went for dinner with two friends. Great place for sharing. Started with the caviar. Had the beet salad and roasted cabbage salad. Then the 24oz steak. BEST steak I’ve had in a very very long time. Make a reservation.  Apparernly the regulars have favourite spots at the bar.  We were told that we had two hours before the reservation arrive, They were great about just moving us down a few seats.  We were forwarned so was definately not an issue for us

Loved everything we tried (& the eclectic dinnerware!). Service was excellent - server knew food & wine menus well. Only complaint was that the music was too loud & the room was too dark! (4.5/5)

This place is similar to so many other newer restaurants in the city. There are a litany of choices on the menu, but virtually none of them are appealing - we almost walked out after perusing the choices, but we foolishly decided to give a few dishes a try. The first three dishes we attempted to order, we were told they were all out of. So to start, we had the artisan sourdough bread which came out cold and was salty, it was nothing special. The Keg serves way better bread and it's complimentary. Next, chicken skewers which was the best dish we tried, yet bland. Then came the charred cabbage with what looked like grated cheddar atop, nasty. Finally, pork slices which were very fatty, but not very tasty. Perhaps the worst part were the extremely uncomfortable chairs on the patio digging into our backs. Therefore, I can't even recommend this place for just drinks. These chefs designing weird menus need to go back to basics.

I wish I didn’t have such a bad experience and could give this place another try based off everyone else’s reviews. The beef tartare tasted like ground beef straight from the grocery store and portions were tiny! We waited half an hour for our bill before flagging the hostess down. “I’m not your server” was the response we got. Half an hour later I had to wave my credit card at our server, who had three other tables as far as I can tell. She finally brought over the bill without the machine. Had to wait another half an hour before we got the machine. Wasn’t it a given when she saw my credit card? Total time it took for dinner on a Tuesday night took 4 hours. Definitely not worth coming back

My friend and I decided to try pigeonhole for big taste this year. I'm so glad we did. The ambiance was nice and romantic. Our server was awesome and helped us with excellent choices of food and wine for our meal. The grilled cabbage was the best! I will be back the next time I'm in Calgary.

The decor is very nice, we went there after reading about it a lot in the media. We found the menu to be kind of limited and too specific, the portions are very small too, we only had starters and chose to have a meal somewhere else. But no doubt the quality and taste were great! But the portions are a bit girly... I was there with my boyfriend.

Really cool place. Love the vibe and the look! The food is delicious. The perfect spot to share a couple plates with friends. Good selection of wines and beers. Gotta check it out.

I recently checked out Pigeonhole's shared plate menu for Summer Feast and tried some of their most popular dishes, including the crowd-pleasing charred cabbage with grated mimolette cheese and jalapeno cream. I highly recommend coming here for a large group, double dates, dinner with parents or really with anyone so you can try more dishes!

On Friday evening, L and dropped by Pigeonhole for some wine and cheese. I wasn’t aware that Pigeonhole offers 50% off all bottles of rosé from Monday to Friday, 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm and 9:00 pm till close. I asked L if he would share a bottle with me. He said that rosé was a bit too feminine for him but he would do it for me.

Half good half bad. Very small portions, delivered much too far apart for how not busy the restaurant was. Some were good some were very mediocre and some hilariously overpriced.. like $4 per piece of mushroom... get outta here. We walked down the road and grabbed more food from one of our more favourite restos after because we were still hungry. Shouldn't have to spend over $100 for 2 with 1 drink each and leave hungry. Not really impressed - typical "Calgary" BS where you charge exorbitant amounts for run of the mill ingredients and people pay it. This resto wouldn't last anywhere else.

I have to agree with most of the previous reviews that it is overpriced and I found the quality inconsistent. Half of our dishes were exceptional and the other half were disappointing. I would go again just to get the cauliflower and a cocktail but wouldn't go for a whole meal.

I went here on New Years with a group of six and all the dishes we got were amazing! The kitchen is open so you can see the chefs cooking right in front of you

I tried Pigeonhole for the first time during the 2017 Big Taste. They served items off their regular menu at the same portion size. It was a fantastic deal. The food was fresh with lots of layers of flavours. We shared the lamb tartar and ricotta dumplings to start and both were amazing! For our mains, we shared the Octopus and pork chops, and we enjoyed them as much as our starters. For dessert, we had their aerated cheesecake. It too was tasty. Although I prefer a denser version, I still enjoyed it. Pigeonhole is on the pricier side when it is not the Big Taste, but the food merits the price tag. I highly recommend it.

Most of the dishes were over salted. (Like so salty it burned your mouth). The eggplant is a must if you have to come here. Very expensive when comparing to food quality. Our first time. Won't be coming back anytime soon. Great decor in the interior. They need to fix air circulation it smelled like an old dirty mouldy bathroom....

This is an amazing place to eat! The food is incredible, the servers are so enthusiastic and the atmosphere is perfect! I am excited for next time!

Leaving Model Milk on Saturday night it was difficult to shake the feeling that I’d be missing out by not also visiting Pigeonhole next door, Justin Leboe’s Wine and Snack Bar which was said to be just as good as his acclaimed first Restaurant subsequently welcoming me back for an early dinner on Tuesday thanks to a Social Media conversation plus a mutual friend.  <br/><br/>Arriving just after four o’clock, the space empty then but near-full by 5:30, it was with greetings from the hostess that I was led to a windowside table where Leboe would later greet me, the Chef speaking passionately about dining in Western Canada with a keen eye for goings-on elsewhere as he described his restaurant concepts and the staff with proud, fatherly words.<br/><br/>Spread laterally across two levels, a significant departure from Model Milk which runs long from door to back, diners at Pigeonhole are presented with a varied but well-culled menu created by Leboe and chef de cuisine Garrett Martin, the general idea based on natural flavors honed during a stage in Copenhagen with a focus on Canadian ingredients.<br/><br/>Every bit as trendy as Model Milk, though servers here seem better trained in the art of casual courtesy, it was with seven plates selected plus two offered from the kitchen that the meal progressed fluidly, opening bites of skewered Mushrooms balancing brine with bright acidity and pungent Scallions while the brilliant orange Squash seemed almost too bright to be real amidst creamy housemade Burrata and just a touch of Honey.<br/><br/>Happy to see Sweet Potato on this menu, the version next door a stunner, Chef Martin’s version sees the Tuber softened over embers from a wood grill with amidst Huckleberries and Sheep Feta, that same wood Grill responsible for the smoke-imbued slab of Pork Neck that harkens a backyard Barbecue while three pool-ball sized orbs of Meat bathed in a thin yet complex sauce that featured both booze and a bit of heat.<br/><br/>Anticipating the makeshift Risotto from the moment I first looked at the online menu, Candy Cap Mushrooms used to lightly sweeten thinly diced Potatoes perfumed in Truffles, Pigeonhole’s Confit Duck fell just short of the dry-aged version seen just three nights prior, though that speaks more to the quality of that version than of any issues with this one as the tender chunks of Turnip were a fancy counterpoint to the sour Berries of Sea Buckthorn.<br/><br/>Happy to see a few desserts offered, the online menu devoid of that information, both the Aerated Cheesecake and Meyer Lemon Cream are presented as exploitations of expectations with a focus on texture, the former putting a base of caramelized Apples beneath a cloud dusted in Hazelnuts while the latter is a dense Pudding a la Pot de Crème with sweet Meyer Lemons finding balance in grassy Olive Oil Crumble and Cucumber Cream.

I spent half a week's salary just to bring my out of town guest to eat here, and it was the pits. We were both hungry afterwards, shame on this place for being a rip off. On a lighter note, the tuna was tasty. But didn't want to shell out more for any more food! Come on, yo! At least give me a little more portion size.

First time I went, I felt like it would be worth going back. But upon second visit, it wasn't as good. I tried different dishes during second visit, which is probably why. My biggest complaint was cost to portion ratio. Some of the dishes are just way too small, and when ordering enough to feed four, it becomes a hefty bill. We had to make two additional orders just to satisfy ourselves, and even then it wasn't full. The asparagus dish was really good, but would need four orders of it in order to really enjoy it. This place is more of a tasting meal, not a meal itself.<br/> <br/><br/>And why is this place so dark? I want to be able to see where I'm going when I head to the restroom!

Ultimately, this is a good restaurant, but it just doesn't live up to the hype around it or the awards that it has won. We were expecting spectacular, and only got mediocre food. The only outwardly negative part of our experience was that even though we'd reserved a spot, we were seated near the window, despite there being a few open tables. They could've at least offered us those tables with a time limit. Aside from that, our server was great. The ambience of the restaurant is ok, but it's very dark (as you can see in our photos). For the price you pay, you can get better food elsewhere. They serve tapas style food (think duck confit, charred cabbage, etc). Even though we ordered the recommended number of plates for two people, we were still a little bit hungry. We probably won't be back.

Pigeonhole is Model Milk’s twin sister with an eclectic twist towards small shareable plates. They’ve made quite a name for themselves (ranked #16 on Canada’s 2016 100 Best Restaurants) already despite only being open for a year. The entrance isn’t where you’d expect it to be but that’s part of the charm.

Great food but a little pricey for tiny portions.

We have been here twice during our holiday in Canada. Stumbled on it by chance the first time, made a reservation the second time to be sure we could taste even more of the delicious shared plates! The food here is wonderful and the chefs really showcase their versatility in flavors and textures....

Had an amazing dinner here tonight. The charred cabbage really is as good as they say it is. Service was fantastic! Every plate was perfect and each dish had layers of flavour. Can't wait to go back and try more dishes!!

All the plates and cocktails are so yummy!! Such a posh and elegant venue. This place is definitely one of the best cocktails bars I have been to in Calgary and their plates are delicious. I recommend coming here with 2-3 friends so you can try several dishes and a couple cocktails without spending too much money. I went with a couple friends and we shared 4 dishes and had two cocktails each and with tip our total was about $70.00 - not bad for gourmet cuisine and very good cocktails.<br/><br/>My favourite dish was the charred cabbage. This is one of those creative dishes where chefs prove they can make anything taste delicious with the right ingredients and cooking. Well done chefs. Well done.<br/><br/>The ricotta dumplings were a close second favourite. If you are a "cheese person" you'll love them. The rabbit roulade and grilled duck leg were also very good. You really can't go wrong. Order whatever you're in the mood for and you'll probably be pretty pleased.<br/><br/>The earl grey martini was also yum. All around a beautiful new Calgary venue with epic tapas =)

Came here tonight for girls dinner club tonight.  I decided on this place since it was rated the top new restaurant of 2015.  It is located right beside Model Milk, the one complaint i had about this place was the entrance is a pain in the butt.  There is no visible sign and everyone had trouble looking for the door.  The door is actually on the side by the cross fit gym.  They should have arrows on the front windows directing people, this is really inconvenient.  We had a smaller group of 5 tonight and we got sat right by the kitchen.  Since it was all our first time there it was exciting watching the chefs prepare the food and seeing what looks good to try.  Restaurant is family style based and they are smaller plates.  The waitress recommended 10-15 dishes to share.  One of my friends and I got 2 dishes each and we were satisfied while the other 3 girls ordered a bunch and shared.  I got the charred cabbage with mimolette cheese and yummy jalapeno cream dressing.  It sounds so simple but it was delicious and i would recommend this to anybody.  The chicken liver mousse was rich and smooth but could less salty.  I asked for more bread to finish the rest of it The other girls raved about the osoyoss asparagus and the mayo sauce that came with it and the crunchy croutons. Another dish that stood out was the 23 oz bone in short rib san choy bao for $58 big enough to share with 3 ppl- it came with lettuce wraps, roti, peanuts, cilantro.   The short rib was nicely marinaded and braised and was fall apart tender.   Our waitress advised that the chef was not satisfied with the size of portion that we were given and made us an second portion to go with it.  So awesome! So much food already, the other dishes we ordered was: beef tartare, ricotta dumplings, deviled eggs, rabbit &bacon pate, salted cod, nori crumpets, pot de creme and earl grey Madeleine.  Too many to review each dish but wanted to highlight our favourites.  They have seasonal menus which change constantly to ensure they are serving the freshest ingredient with what is in season.  We all left full and content. I can see why there were top new restaurant last year.

The food here is simply amazing!<br/>The service however was not that great. Our server was disengaged and didn't seem to be interested in assisting us. We had an issue with some dirty dishes, while he rectified the problem no apology was given.<br/>I felt as if we had inconvenienced him greatly.

I don't give a 4.5 often, but the creativity of dishes, diversity, textures, colours, flavours and combos are excellent. And the prices are low! Tomatoes were excellent. Patee smooth and tasty. Ricotta dumplings were fresh and original. The steak was just alright. I will be going back.

Pigeonhole was amazing. Small sharing plates that were flavourful and satisfying. The menu leaves opportunity to try so many items. The restaurant is well decorated and comfortable. Our server Andrew made sure that our meal was presented in excellent combination and made great recommendations. We love model milk and this has demonstrated their ability to do more than one thing well!

I was mostly impressed by the great service. Our server was warm and genuine and very knowledgeable about the menu and how we should enjoy each dish. The kitchen also easily accommodated us for a member of the party who is allergic to nuts. The dishes varied in quality and taste - most were very good, some exceptional, and others, like the chicken and sweet polenta, not to my taste at all and felt cheap on the tongue. Best dish ordered was the angus steak with incredible tomato relish and shallot aioli pairings, quickly followed by the ricotta dumplings and the halloumi and endive salad (so savoury yet refreshing!). <br/><br/>It is expensive, and I wasn't really full at the end, so not somewhere I'd go frequently, but I enjoyed my experience. Definitely a beautiful setting.

Located next to its sister restaurant, Model Milk, Pigeonhole invites diners in for an intimate experience with an emphasis on share dishes and choice cocktails. One thing to note is that Model Milk seems to have more of a focus on a small plate dining model, and most of the portion sizes are reflective of that. With that in mind, I decided to try the rabbit bacon pate and the trout dish. I thought that the pate had a really smooth consistency, and that the flavour was really well balanced, a great mix between the rabbit meat and the bacon layer surrounding it. I also found the trout to be taste quite fresh, and paired nicely with the side sauce that it came with. I decided to try an earl grey martini, which was amazing! With an egg white mixture and a slightly sweet base, this cocktail is a definite must-try! Finally for dessert, I was able to try out the pot de creme, which was reminiscent of a chocolate truffle pudding, and quite tasty, as well as the earl grey madeleines, which were oven fresh, fluffy, and flavourful. I thought our server was quite helpful, and definitely made our dining experience a great one! One small piece of feedback I found for my experience was that the wait time for the food seemed a bit longer compared to other restaurants, so I'm not sure if it was just different for that night, but I'm definitely willing to check this place out again!

Above average service. The staff was very friendly and attentive. Very nice inside. We tried the cheese plate and the duck. I<br/>would like to see more selection on the menu. Very good over all.

Eating at a hyped-up restaurant can be dangerous. When an eatery comes highly recommended by trusted friends or has been given prestigious awards, it’s easy to come in with sky-high expectations and be disappointed when the food doesn’t quite measure up. I’d eaten at Pigeonhole prior to its Air Canada Best New Restaurant win, but our visit a couple of weeks ago was Zevi’s first time at the restaurant, and we were counting on a meal worthy of a big winner. Spoiler alert: it lived up to our expectations and then some!

Well...just perfect...service, wine list...and food!!!!! The cabbage were just amazing, thanks to the bartender you guided me perfectly I really enjoyed my diner. I ordered some VESPER, and I have to say they were the best I had for a long time. <br/>I have been there many times, and I can't wait the next opportunity to get there.

Selected by enRoute Magazine as one of Canada’s best new Restaurants in 2015, Pigeonhole has really set the bar high as it opened its door last summer. Taking up the space right next to its sister restaurant, Model Milk, Pigeonhole is a new venture from Chef Justin Leboe who continues to impress Calgarians with his magic in food. I swear, you would

Loved it! You can't go wrong with just ordering blindly from the menu. Their dishes are designed to be shared, so don't be surprised by the small portions. Their marinated calamari tostada, charred cabbage and veal breast are must-try. Don't skip through desserts, their housemade madeleines are DELICIOUS!

I was looking forward to trying this new place out, with all the hype that has been in the media and that it is related to Model Milk, which is a great restaurant. <br/>The decor is nice enough, the wallpaper is atrocious, are they going for gramma's kitchen? Some of the tables must be left over from the old Victoria's restaurant , I'm all for up-cycling , but ugly is ugly.<br/>Now to the food ... Tapas style and sharing .... They should go to Barcelona to check out what tapas culture really is. Tapas are generally cheaper, more casual and quick . The service was good, but slow and it was a Tuesday evening. Having said that, it's nice to see restaurants busy during the week. The noise level was unbearably loud, not a place for a date or a romantic evening. Unless you want to breakup in public! No one will hear you, or your partner begging to give it just one more chance.<br/>Our food took quite a while to come out. The devilled eggs were too salty. The Tuna with the puffed rice was good , minus the puffed rice, and it was overly doused in a soupy soya sauce flavour that completely drowned the Tuna, that was supposed to be the star of the dish.<br/>Then we had the ricotta dumplings, they were perfect, the haloumi with the beets, delicious , the duck was tender, three very good picks . <br/>For dessert we had the lemon. Mandelines , they were nice,light and a reasonable portion. <br/>So, we had two glasses of wine , 5 dishes, one dessert for $110.00, pre tip.<br/>You may leave Pigeonhole hungry, but you're eating like a bird after all. <br/>Even though, I didn't give a very good rating , I would still return, I do appreciate the creativity that goes into the food, and would try other options. This would not be my go to restaurant , however, when you're sitting around trying to figure out what to do and where to eat on a weekend , I might leave Pigeonhole to a weekday option.

Came in for dinner with high expectations. Sort of let down, everything was good, nothing really spectacular. The bread for the tartare and chicken liver mousse was way too thick, overpowering what should be the stars. The tundra crudo was quite good. Cabbage was meh, parts were inedible they were so burnt. Probably wouldn't be back.

I had high expectations for Pigeonhole. Many people had recommended it to me as the best new restaurant in Calgary. The space is absolutely gorgeous and the staff are awesome. The wine list is excellent and even the cocktail program is impressive. The concept at Pigeon Hole is smaller plates designed to be shared by the table. We tried the ricotta dumplings with hedgehog mushroom, grilled octopus, steak and cabbage. The ricotta dumplings were delicious but every other dish missed, significantly. Looking around at other plates at other tables, I didn't see any other dishes that inspired. A real shame as I wanted to love this place.

Overall had a really great time here. Service and atmosphere were terrific. Tried a number of things on the menu with great recommendations from our server. Calamari (not your typical fried variety) and duck leg were both delicious. Top two dishes by far were the nori crumpets and for desert the madeleines!! These items are must try if you go,

What a beautiful place.<br/><br/>Came here with a friend and we had a few dishes and some cocktails. All the food is served on the most delicate beautiful plates. We had the rabbit to start. First time I've had rabbit and it was a bit fatty for my liking, but the dish was very tasty. Second thing we ordered was the halloumi and it was DELISH! <br/><br/>Can't remember what the names of the cocktails we had but we had 6 between the two of us and all were great.

Enjoyed a nice meal here last night. The wine suggestion from the server was good, as were all the plates. My only criticism would be the chicken dish had thighs and drum sticks... I would prefer to have better cuts of meat, even if it means paying extra. <br/><br/>I still prefer Model Milk and Model Citizen based mainly on their atmosphere, but this was a nice change and I will definitely come back.

After weeks of planning with 4 crazy schedules, we finally got a date. This time there was 4 of us food bloggers! Sharron of La Petitte Shar , Lisa of Lemon Lime Lisa , Kim of Journey of Wellness  and I decided to try Pigeonhole. Pigeonhole happened to be named Canada’s Best New Restaurant by Air Canada enRoute magazine. Whether this is true to its title, we decided to give it a try.

Yummy! Finally got to try this place with Jenny Kimmy W and Lisa Nguyen! Foodie 4 some hit pigeonhole ordering 8 plates. We chose 2 plates each and that was enough to satisfy us. Each dish was very unique with all the ingredients meshing well. My favourite dish was the calamari - light and refreshing. The spaghetti squash was second. The restaurant itself was packed on a Tuesday night. I definitely want to come back and try some more dishes. The price is pretty reasonable as the dishes are tapa style and geared towards sharing.

Made reservations for this place and would recommend doing so if you plan to visit. The door is a little weird and tricky to find, it's on the side instead of in front on the sidewalk.<br/><br/>Everything is like tapas style where you can order lots of different dishes and share. We had a group of 5 and I thought it was amazing that everything some how worked out in portion, but then realized on the bill later that they just added more to the dish to match the number of people we had at the table.. Would have been nice if they notified us of the extra chargers before we started ordering things. It added up to become a quite expensive dinner and the prices on the menu meant nothing.<br/><br/>Other than my complaint about lack of mentioning of prices by the server, the food was actually all really good and unique. Definitely worth a try, but make sure your wallet is full when you come.

Forgot to make reso's and it was busy but managed to get a spot at the bar. Service was amazing. We were well taken care of by three gentlemen (2 bartenders and a server). <br/><br/>Tapa style restaurant. We had: spag squash, tuna (one of my faves; so light and refreshing with the whipped yogurt), calamari (I liked the tostada); nori crumpets (one of my other faves; especially with the shrimp butter... Mmmmm), beef (so tender and juicy and topped with some aoli and tomato jam), the ricotta dumplings (nice but kinda rich for me). <br/><br/>Then we finished the meal with the panna cotta and pot de creme. The pot de creme was my favorite. The chocolate was smooth but not too rich. Will be back!

It only took 65 MINUTES to get the server's attention, 70 minutes to get my first (and last) glass of water, 95 minutes to get my food, and 100 minutes to get my first (and last) drink. The food was phenomenal, but no good food can compensate for the complete LACK OF SERVICE. Do yourself a service, take your money elsewhere.

Finally got to check out this place and I have to say that I loved my experience here! I came here last Friday around 5pm, right before it started to get busy. The ambiance is very quaint and lovely inside.<br/><br/>While looking at the menu, there were so many dishes that I wanted to try! Unfortunately, we didn't get to try absolutely everything because we weren't that hungry. My recommendations would be the: Eggplant Baba Ghanoush (something light and to get the taste buds stirring), Halloumi Cheese (it's goat cheese.. and although sheep/goat is something I tend to stray away from due to its gamey-ness, I couldn't taste the strong scent and returned to this dish for seconds.. and even thirds...), and the ricotta dumplings (something different and unique)! Though our server did mention that they change up the menu quite often, so I'll have to make sure I return soon enough to ensure my fav. dishes are still there and also so I can try the things I missed this time around.<br/><br/>Our server Andrew was very attentive and informative. He was very approachable and even went on to explain how all the China's that Pigeonhole used were bought individually, as there was no duplication of the same plates (cute!). While being friendly, he was not overbearing and made sure that we were still able to enjoy our conversation uninterrupted.<br/><br/>I will definitely return! The only downside to this tapas restaurant is that you have to ensure you don't come super hungry. You'll have to drop a number of bills before you can get full.

Air Canada has recently released their Best New Restaurants list for 2015 and I was excited to hear that Pigeonhole from Calgary made it on the prestigious list. Opening up earlier this year, Pigeonhole is a great new restaurant addition to 17th Ave perfect for those who love tapa styled dishes coupled with some great wine!Atmosphere: Modern dining area coupled with an old school flare reminiscent of a grand British tea room.Food & Wine: With so many amazing dishes on the menu it was hard to pick and choose what we wanted to try. Luckily some of my friends had already been and insisted that we order the Nori Crumpets. It looks like a simple dish however the flavours truly blow you away. The butter is the star due to the blast of shrimp flavour when you bite in to it. The dish is decadent without being overwhelming and was probably one of my favorites that night.

Worth a Visit! Award Winning Restaurant Delivers!<br/>Chef: Justin Leboe and his team recently won prestigious Air Canada EnRoute Magazine Best New Restaurant 2015<br/><br/>* Overall: Highly Recommend. Delicious! Tasty Tapas.<br/>* Reservations: Yes!<br/>* Service: Friendly, knowledgeable, and personable staff. Attentive without being intrusive. Helpful to offer suggestions on menu, pairings with wine, descriptions of items brought to the table. Special thanks to Hanna.<br/>* Decor: Tables close together. A little tight in some places.. Did lend itself to chatting with people at nearby tables. <br/><br/>* Menu: bite size appetizers to share. Suggested 5 - 6 items for couple. $10-$15 per item.<br/>* Wine: Great selection of organic wines. Glass and bottle.<br/>* Favorites: Charred Cabbage (house specialty), Salted cod crepes, Ricotta Dumplings, Grass Fed Beef. Delicious. <br/>Calamari - unusual and tasty. Good but would not order again.<br/>* Desserts - Mmm! Chocolate Pot de Creme. <br/><br/>Note:<br/>Noise: Previous reviews mentioned quite noisy plus music. Heads up was helpful.<br/>Wish List: decaffeinated coffee. Mentioned to manager. If more people mention perhaps will add to menu<br/>                 Minor: hook in bathroom for purses.<br/><br/>A very enjoyable evening. Highly recommend it.

After being recently named Canada's best new restaurant, I thought I would give this place a shot. First impressions: the interior is beautiful, romantic, and lively & the hostess/managers greeted us warmly. The waitress serving us was great, she was friendly, helpful, and very genuine. Delicious is even an understatement to describe the food here, it was absolutely amazing. I would recommend the duck leg, the lamb tartare, and the salted cod crepes. The only thing I could say (if anything) is the restaurant is loud - but because that's out of their control it really has no other flaws in our dining experience. This place is very busy, so booking a reservation would be recommended!

My Minkoff and I checked out Pigeonhole this weekend. Just named Best New Restaurant in Canada for 2015 by Air Canada’s enRoute magazine, I had to give Justin Leboe’s new place a go. Conveniently located right next door to his other award-winning restaurant, Model Milk, his new eatery adds to his edible empire.

Went there with my hubby and another couple. The 4 of us really enjoyed it. We like this restaurant, it is different than original fancy dinning. Been to many great restaurant in the city, this one definitely is a surprise. It is a tapas style but the food are special and different. Really enjoyed it. Service are great too.

Not a fan. Disappointed in a few areas. Wine list: it is all organic, which is fine, but many of the wines were unknown to us and they refused to allow tastings. At up to $44 per glass, that seems somewhat arrogant. Some of the tables are quite small for four people. The restaurant is incredibly loud. They do the whole small plates to share thing which is starting to get old. They really really push the charred cabbage. I love cabbage....and it was ok....I guess.... The service was that combination of arrogant and ignorant that I loathe. We actually opted to leave after we finished our dinner/small plates and headed down the block to Cilantro where we had coffee and dessert in a far more pleasant atmosphere. If you do go, the cauliflower was the best dish we tried.

One of the best tapas places I've been to, namely because they have really mastered the idea of simple, yet delicious food. It's almost like eating at your grandma's place, if she were a world renowned chef. <br/><br/>Best plates we had were the charred cabbage and the ricotta dumplings. So simple, but very very complex flavours that were absolutely delicious. Every dish was a hit, which is sometimes rare at tapas restaurants. <br/><br/>The only big downfall, for myself personally, is the price. Because they are sharing plates, you only really get one or two bites of some truly delicious food (which leaves my tastebuds sad) for a price that would typically get you a full meal. However, the food is so exceptional I really didn't mind the price; well worth it once in a while. <br/><br/>Servers were also very friendly. We arrived a little early for our reservation and our table wasn't yet ready. They asked us to wait at the bar and were extremely attentive, helping us order drinks and even food before we moved to the table. That way when we were seated, food streamed out pretty quickly. The staff were also well informed about their menus and had great suggestions. <br/><br/>Can't wait to go back!

One of the best meals I've had this year. Partner and I had seven plates: watermelon with smoked tofu, cauliflower, ricotta dumplings, crepes stuffed with cod, veal, octopus, and cabbage. Each was masterfully complex and not one wasn't delicious, but if I had to pick ones I'd order again they'd be the cauliflower (one of the best treatments of one of my favourite vegetables), the cod crepes and the cabbage... but ask me again if the menu shakes things up. Service was absolutely perfect, smart, friendly, and the pacing of the dishes was very impressive given how complex managing this format is. So SEVEN shared plates, two glasses of wine and one excellent Village Kölsch were $120. Stunning deal, beautiful experience all around.

Amazing food and service! Each dish is interesting and flavourful. Should have a much higher score! The patio is small but great for people watching. This may be my new favourite Calgary restaurant

Great food! We had the cabbage dish which I wouldn't have thought to order but was very good, lamb tartar, alberta morels and dumplings - all great! The caprese was meh but I feel like most caprese salads are....waiting for a new not so salad salad trend to come. The wine list is great too! Definitely a place where you could just tell the staff to bring you whatever they feel like and you would be very happy!

I cannot wait to go back. Chef Leboe has done it again and creates delightful twists on otherwise basic plates, producing ultimate masterpieces. I had the Chewy Beets, Trout, Charred Cabbage, and Morels. All were bang on.

My friend and I ate at this restaurant on Friday July 24th and service was excellent.  The food was very good too... So we thought. We changed our minds pretty quick when we both woke up with food poisoning the next morning.  We did indulge in some raw food (halibut ceviche, tuna, and lamb tartar).  I realize that there are risks of eating raw food however I eat raw food all the time, and have never got sick from it.  I'm not sure which of the three dishes were contaminated, however we were both extremely sick for 24 hours after.  As a result, we willl not be going back.

Cocktails and wine were great, as was the cheese selection.   Décor was also awesome!The tapas were good, but nothing to write home about.  They were small in size and overpriced in my opinion.  I feel that every time a new tapas restaurant opens in Calgary, they feel the need to make the portions smaller and prices higher which the food didn't really warrant in my opinion.

This review is based on an experience my wife and her friends had at this establishment and is written in her words. After hearing about their negative experience, I agreed their experience should be shared with others and to post this on their behalf:<br/><br/>"After receiving several recommendations to this restaurant I was excited to bring three of my closest friends there to enjoy a meal. While the food and service was great I will not be returning to this restaurant nor will I recommend it to others due to the appalling treatment we received. <br/><br/>My friends and I are professional women, who I will acknowledge are louder by nature. Our experience at this restaurant was cut short when an employee approached our table and asked us to lower our volume. I appreciate that at times there were bursts of laughter coming from our table but at no time were we being disruptive or using vulgar language. I cannot support nor can I recommend a restaurant that asks its patrons to refrain from laughing and talking. <br/><br/>Furthermore, I am frustrated that the owner of the restaurant was in attendance and did not have the courage to discuss this situation with us directly. Calgary is full of wonderful restaurants that treat their customers with respect and also serve great food – there is no reason to settle for being embarrassed and insulted."

One of the best rooms in Calgary with snacks and a wine list to match. Favourite stop in after work for a glass of rose accompanied by weird & wonderful vinyl.

This is a response to another reviewer. I'm just a casual diner, far from a "foodie critic", in fact this will be my first and probably only post. That said, faulting a restaurant just because of the format of its food is ridiculous. Small plates are common in many cuisines (tapas, izakaya, dim sum), some of which at well respected/michelin star restaurants.  It's an accepted format that allows the kitchen to showcase its creativity and allows the diner to experience a variety of flavors.  in my case dishes were served a perfectly fine order; caviar -> crudo -> morels/duck. The server insisted  that the caviar be finished before any other dishes to avoid overwhelming the caviar, he also noticed that the wait staff brought out a SS spoon instead of a MOP spoon and quickly made the replacement. I will argue that the restaurant places a lot of emphasis on highlighting the ingredients and you scarfing down the food is the last they want. If you don't like small plates, next time ask your server to stagger the dishes

Im disappointed, very. First off, tapas! Not family style Italian, 4 dishes on a table at once! I want to savour each dish with a glass of wine, not scarf down 4 dishes at once because u sat me down in a windy doorway and my food will be cold in 2 minutes!!! I want a dish and a drink, another dish a different drink, another dish and maybe a 4th drink. Its my one night off from the kids and macaroni and fish sticks!!! Let me enjoy it!<br/>Secondly, vanilla ice cream had more spice than most of these dishes! Rouille tends to have at least a pinch of chilli!! The only generally interesting flavour was the Halloumi, but so boring though. Pickles and olives and Halloumi?!?! Not surprising or exiting. And for pete sake add lemon or some kind of acid to the tartare! I cant stand soggy floppy toast, but burnt soggy toast to bland tartare! <br/>Lastly the order was sooo confusing! Steak in the middle?!?? It was quite tough but it had a crunch to it! <br/>Maybe I'm a tough critic, maybe i don't get the 'model-milk' model, but if i don't even want to try a dessert because I'm bored, u should know somethings missing. At Least our waiter was interesting, kind and efficient and heard our comments and made up for the experience! 17th ave has so much to offer that u should keep walking past this restaurant until it improves dramatically!

You’ll find yourself spoiled for choice with inventive snacks like salted halibut perogies (a must) and lamb tartare with goat’s butter. Pigeonhole's drink menu features a selection of natural wines that are certified organic, and we were equally impressed by the resto's chic Parisian vibe—think pressed tin ceiling, a bold chandelier and vintage dinnerware. There’s also a comfy little patio with lots of sun.

We sat at the bar, it wasn't very busy at all but i'm guessing they are pacing the reservations and walk-ins while they are in the honeymoon phase. Food was awesome, the charred cabbage was great, so were the dumplings. Loved how they re-used a lot of Victorias decor (especially the tables!). Our bartender was excellent, he made a lot of great wine suggestions and was very engaging.  The one negative would have to be the value, I thought for the amount of food, and alcohol (5oz pours) the final bill should not have been as much as it was.<br/><br/>Great experience, will be back!

Excellent. Perfect atmosphere for a few hours of conversation over interesting glasses of wine and exquisite small plates.

Drinks and small plates: excellent. The cocktails are great and the wine selection is quirky and high quality. Plates are smallish but tasty - you will need 3-4 per person but you will want to order more. Charred cabbage. Wow. Trout. Morels and dumplings. Halibut and pickled ramps. Wow wow wow. Great room. Great service. Holds to the same high standards as Model Milk next door and a bit more fun.

Good Atmosphere, Good Staff, Good Food BUT Plates are Too Small!. We had bites and drinks at this place last night. Everything was wonderful. Although the food was VERY tasty, the plates were just too small for what they cost. They're meant to be sharing plates and not meant for a full meal but even then, I left feeling hungry. Still, the service was great, restaurant was beautiful and the food that we did get was delicious! I would go back, but only after a large supper beforehand!