The Banff bar where sports fans watch games with mountain views

Globe and Mail

7 days ago

From playoff fever to summer showdowns, it's the season of coming together. This series dives into the bars across Canada where sports aren't just watched – they're felt, shared and celebrated with full hearts. In these unforgettable spaces, the screens glow, the drinks flow and every seat has a story.
For NFL fans, there's no better seat than a prime stadium location for watching game-day action. But those supporters would likely be challenged to find a prettier viewing perch than the setup on the rooftop patio of Banff's Elk & Oarsman for one fall contest between the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks.
'I wanted it to be the coolest place you think you could watch sports – having two 75-inch TVs with mountains in the background at sunset and fires going. It was pretty epic,' says Kricket Taylor, the venue's events manager.
While that alfresco viewing party was a special event, the deck, with its panoramic views of the Rockies, is always a draw. Inside, the Elk, as it's known, features 28 large-screen TVs and warm timber-and-stone décor accented with vintage memorabilia.
Along with showing all the major North American leagues, the Elk offers Premier League and Champions League soccer, Six Nations Rugby and Australian Football League matches.
The menu of games reflects the wide range of nationalities that visit the restaurant, reflecting Banff's status as a destination for global travelers.
The staff add to an international flavour. 'Every season we get a new group of people, especially from Australia and the U.K., which is great because we play so much Premier League and rugby, and they love those sports,' says Brady Allen, the Elk's general manager. 'They're excited to be here and see the mountains, so their energy just goes to the guests as well.'
The restaurant's system is equipped to play up to eight game feeds simultaneously. Taylor says the staff will search for games on request, and can control the volume in different sections of the space. So people looking for a quieter experience can be seated in the back room, where the volume is usually lower.
Craig Paton and two partners opened the establishment in 2005 in a second-floor spaceon Banff Avenue that was formerly a steakhouse. Paton now co-owns the Elk with his sister, Lori, and he's also a partner in the town's St. James's Gate pub.
The inspiration to make it a sports bar was to fill a void in Banff that would appeal to locals and tourists alike, says Allen. 'They wanted to cater to international sports, and not just the traditional ones watched in North America.'
For customers wanting to participate as well as spectate, the Elk recently added the 180 Club, an interactive darts experience with digital scoring.
Kurt Bagnell, a regular since the Elk opened, enjoys the mix of locals and visitors at the U-shaped bar near the restaurant's entrance.
'You often end up sitting with someone from overseas or the U.S., so we turn into ambassadors for our town, telling people about places to check out they may not get in the official brochures. We become part of the ambience of the place,' says Bagnell, now semi-retired and the former manager of presentations at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity.
He often stops by on Tuesday nights with his two adult children to enjoy the weekly $12 steak-sandwich special and watch a game. Tuesdays are consistently among the Elk's busiest days thanks to the special, with diners often lined up the stairs to the entrance waiting to be seated.
In a nod to its name, the restaurant also serves several dishes featuring elk meat. The elk burger is the bestseller.
While the Elk has an elevated take on sports-bar staples, the restaurant excels the most at being a meeting place where people can connect over a shared love of sport. Bagnell was there with friends while watching a do-or-die men's world juniors hockey game between Canada and Sweden. His group ended up in some friendly yet competitive banter with six young Swedes.
'Canada did win, and these guys kindly ordered us a round of beer and joined us. I don't know if they learned English from us or we learned Swedish from them but we found a universal language. That's the kind of thing that goes on there.'