Three Bears Brewery Brings the Outdoors in, and it’s Worth the Trip
Three Bears Brewery & Restaurant
205 Bear Street, PO Box 1122, Banff, Alberta T1L 1B1
What You Need to Know Before You Visit Three Bears Brewery
Price: Everything’s in Canadian Dollars, so it sounds more expensive than it is. That said, the pricing is a little on the premium side, but it’s well worth every penny (American or Canadian).
Food: The menu is diverse, fresh, and inspired. From surprisingly authentic-tasting chicharrones to elk sausage pizza. Every single bite we ate was met with oohs and ahhs, and everybody had to share at least a bite with everyone else. So. Dang. Good.
Family Friendliness: There was a kids menu that was pretty standard, and there were a handful of other families with kids in tow. This place didn’t have wide open green spaces or chalkboard walls for the kiddos, but nothing about it was anti-kids either.
Doggos: I didn’t see any dogs IN the restaurant, but there was some patio seating right out front.
Parking: It’s in the middle of a big open-air shopping district, so parking is plentiful – both free and paid. If you want to drive around in circles and save a few dollars, you can find something in the free lots for sure.
What is Three Bears Brewery Known for?
Three Bears isis known as an indoor destination for those that love the outdoors. Everything about this place screamed we’re here for the mountains. While it’s clearly a great tourist attraction, nothing about it seemed gimmicky or like a tourist trap., however, Banff is a tourist destination, so they’re also catering to those looking for the best of Banff.
“We are a craft Brewery in a National Park in a restaurant, in a forest.” That sums it up pretty dang well.
Since food’s a must, and Three Bears had a huge menu, this felt more like a restaurant that made their own beer. At first.
When I got my flight arrived, and I got my first whiff, I realized this place was truly a gem in the Canadian mountains.
What’s the Atmosphere like at Three Bears Brewery?
The host was so kind and welcoming. As Texans in Canada, I found that many people are genuinely interested in asking us questions about back home. They’ve all got a very bleak mental picture of how we all act, and when my family and I don’t align, it spurs lots of questions. While we waited for our seats, the host laid it on us with a game of 20 questions, and it was a great start.
Our server, Jana (probably butchering the spelling here, but it was pronounced Yana) was super sweet. She didn’t have all the answers, but she made for a great experience. Anytime we asked something, she’d race off to find the answer and race back with the kind of care that said, “I’m an owner, and I care about your experience more than you can measure.” It was so endearing.
The big windows were open, with mountaintop views and a gentle breeze that truly brought the outdoors in. My wife, Danielle, stole a rare pic of me enjoying my beer. with the mountains in the background. My favorite things here were the Pilsner, pale ale, and the chicken with slaw. Everything here was top notch, but those three were to die for.
Is Three Bears Brewery Worth the Travel?
If you’re going for cans, and you’re hoping to bring them home in your luggage, it’s a no. The only beer options they had available to go were growler fills which sounds like a terrible idea in my suitcase!
However, if it’s about good beer and good food, please do yourself a favor and visit this spot. I tried to get a shirt, cans, and stickers on my way out, and I was disappointed when all I could get was a sticker, but I’d STILL go back because the service, food, and beer were spot on in every way. This place is at the top of my list for all things, period. Food, beer, atmosphere, views, everything about Three Bears was absolutely worthy of the travel. I don’t think I’ve never loved a place so much.
Anthony's a Houston native, a Creative Strategist at https://ledgeloungers.com/, an adjunct instructor of Visual Communication at Lone Star College, and a UH Coog that loves good beer almost as much as he does his city. Anthony lives to help others and that's found a home helping some of the coolest breweries on earth with creative and marketing projects that can be seen on our Portfolio page. Fueled by hoppy lagers, sessionable IPAs, and gangster rap, he's ticked his way through H-Town, rocking the most unusual Nikes he can find. When he's not writing for us, he's with his family or very patiently rooting for the Rockets.
1 Comment
Michael Crist
Posted at 20:01h, 18 April
None of the bar staff know the origin of the name “three bears”. Pretty sad since they wear the shirt every day. Can’t blame them, it’s not on the website either.
[…] to bring them home in your luggage, it’s a yes. This is almost always a must for me, other than Three Bears in Banff. They’ve got a hefty cooler downstairs with a dozen or so four packs from pilsners to IPAs and […]
Michael Crist
Posted at 20:01h, 18 AprilNone of the bar staff know the origin of the name “three bears”. Pretty sad since they wear the shirt every day. Can’t blame them, it’s not on the website either.
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Posted at 16:19h, 26 April[…] to bring them home in your luggage, it’s a yes. This is almost always a must for me, other than Three Bears in Banff. They’ve got a hefty cooler downstairs with a dozen or so four packs from pilsners to IPAs and […]