The Gamekeeper

4.8 (3577)

$50 and over

American

3005 Shull's Mill Road, Boone, NC 28607

Make a booking

The Gamekeeper

4.8

$50 and over

American

Boone

Make a booking

2 people

20 Sept 2026

19:00

Booked 26 times today

About this restaurant

Good for special occasions
Charming
Great for outdoor dining

You haven't fully experienced the Blowing Rock, NC region until you've dined at The Gamekeeper. It's a true gourmet restaurant with an engaging blend of upscale elegance and mountain charm.

Famous for an evolving menu that blends the traditional with the exotic, The Gamekeeper features a selection of perfectly prepared game plus a range of continental and American entrees.

Acclaimed chef and owner Ken Gordon brings tremendous warmth and skill to the table treating you more as friends than guests. You'll experience a meal to remember that includes fine wines, decadent desserts, and a generous serving of personal attention. You'll leave happy and impressed with a desire to return soon!

Dining areas

Additional information

Dining style
Fine Dining
Price
$50 and over
Cuisines
American, Wild Game, Contemporary American
Hours of Operation
Dinner Thu–Sun 17:00–21:00
Phone number
(828) 963-7400
Website
http://www.gamekeeper-nc.com/
Payment Options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress Code
Business Casual
Executive chef
Tyler Smith
Private party facilities
We have a private dining room that very comfortably seats 25 guests.

Location
3005 Shull's Mill Road, Boone, NC 28607
Area
Boone
Cross street
100 yards up Shulls Mill Rd from the entrance to Yonahlossee
Parking Details
Valet
Additional
Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Indoor Fireplace, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Vegan, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Concierge
AI Beta

Our AI assistant, Concierge, is here to answer your questions about this restaurant.

Mixed Game GrillUS$39.00
Featuring chef's choice of grilled game* & sausages with dipping sauces*, fries
Beef TartareUS$24.00
minced beef* hanging tenderloin, crispy shallots, pickled seasonal vegetables, capers, egg yolk, chives, tamari, pickled mustard seed, toasted baguette
Fish CakesUS$19.00
chilean seabass, lump crab, mixed greens, corn puree, peruvian bechamel

First Course

Burrata SaladUS$18.00
arugula, burrata, prosciutto, marinated cherry tomatoes, pickled beets roasted bell peppers, balsamic vinaigrette, spiced lavosh
Bleu SaladUS$16.00
Bibb lettuce, apple vinaigrette, buttermilk bleu cheese, granny smith apples, red onion confit, spiced pecans, dried cranberries
Tomato BisqueUS$16.00
creamy tomato bisque, goat cheese, chive oil
Potato SoupUS$14.00
bacon, chives, GK spice, chive oil

Entrees

Patagonian ToothfishUS$67.00
seared chilean seabass, collard greens, grilled corn, roasted fingerling potatoes, poblano crema
Sriracha Squash CurryUS$39.00
grilled tofu, roasted brussels sprouts, forbidden rice, butternut squash, mushrooms, sriracha curry
Turkey Pot PieUS$41.00
flaky cheddar & pimiento crust, turkey confit, peas, pearl onions, grilled broccolini
Alligator BucatiniUS$39.00
ramp pesto, alligator, crawfish, beech mushrooms, zucchini, parmesan

From the Grill

Elk Denver LegUS$74.00
grilled elk* denver leg, shiitake mushroom jus, asparagus, baby carrots, potato pavé
Beef Hanging TenderloinUS$67.00
grilled prime beef* hanging tenderloin, garlic mashed potatoes, horseradish demi-glace, seasonal vegetables
Bison Short RibUS$64.00
merlot-braised bison short rib, spinach risotto, sauce bordelaise, roasted seasonal vegetables

Dessert

Caramel Bourbon Bread PuddingUS$19.00
traditional bread pudding with bourbon, topped with a pecan crumble, caramel sauce, and whipped cream
- + a la mode VanillaUS$6.00
BeignetsUS$15.00
cinnamon sugar beignets, lemon curd, fresh fruit, mint
German Chocolate CheesecakeUS$19.00
german chocolate cheesecake with coconut and pecan frosting, frnech pastry cream, pecan tuile

Reviews

OpenTable reviews from verified diners

Reviews from people who have dined at The Gamekeeper.

4.8

(3577)

4.8Food
4.8Service
4.9Ambience
4.3Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

Asheville / Western North Carolina
Best Food
Asheville / Western North Carolina
Best Ambience
Asheville / Western North Carolina
Innovative
Asheville / Western North Carolina
American
Boone / Banner Elk
Best Overall
Boone / Banner Elk
Best Food
Boone / Banner Elk
Best Service
Boone / Banner Elk
Best Ambience
Boone / Banner Elk
Best Value
Boone / Banner Elk
Innovative
Boone / Banner Elk
Healthy
Boone / Banner Elk
Neighbourhood gem
Boone / Banner Elk
Great for fine wines
Boone / Banner Elk
Good for special occasions
Boone / Banner Elk
Lively
Boone / Banner Elk
Most Booked

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Gamekeeper Restaurant offers a "fantastic dining experience" with a unique menu featuring expertly prepared wild game dishes like elk, bison, and boar. Guests rave about the "outstanding service" and "beautiful atmosphere" surrounded by nature. The mixed game grill appetizer and bread pudding dessert are highly recommended. A perfect spot for "special occasions" or a memorable evening out.

3,577 Reviews

R
Ryan Gold
Houston12 reviews
5.0
Dined 4 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We’ve lived in the area for a year and have finally now made it over to eat at the restaurant. I’ll admit, I thought the reviews at first were overly ambivalent, but I must say the staff was so friendly and welcoming, and the food was fantastic. The ambience and the view of the Blue Ridge Mountains with the sunset made for a very memorable evening. I really liked their take on the southern classic fried green tomatoes and although I’m not vegetarian, I tried their Sriracha grill tofu which was so flavorful my wife had the beef tenderloin which was succulent and juicy, and we topped it off with their warm and delicious bread, pudding We will definitely be going back again
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s
scott
Raleigh / Durham / Chapel Hill4 reviews
5.0
Dined 4 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great service from the valet to our waitress Kale. Food is fantastic
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G
Geoff
Orlando / Central Florida East5 reviews
5.0
Dined 4 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Our server ( Name is a green veg - could be spinach or lettuce, oh wait - Kale) did an absolutely fabulous job in providing wonderful service and directed us to some wonderful choices. The menu is so unique, selections you don't expereince in many restaurants. The food was delicious - kudos the the chefs in preparing perfect food!! If you have not expereinced the Gamekeeper - you need to!!
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J
Jason
Virginia1 review
5.0
Dined 7 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great experience, just like every other time I have visited. Had to modify our reservation to include two more people last-minute, and the hostess was extremely accommodating. We brought three guests with us for their first time dining here and they were extremely pleased with the quality of service and the food. We all tried something different and were all pleasantly surprised, but I can't say enough positive comments about the servers. The best in the business, including the valet. If you're in the area, you must try this place. Before you ever tell me anything about dining in the Boone/Blowing Rock/Valle Crucis area, you have to tell me you've tried Gamekeeper, or that's exactly where I'm sending you.
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S
Sergii Gold
Raleigh / Durham / Chapel Hill2 reviews
5.0
Dined on 11 September 2026
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
One of the best places we’ve been this year. Amazing food was great service.
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D
Dennis
Tampa / Central Florida West3 reviews
5.0
Dined on 5 September 2026
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
The overall experience was fantastic!! The food was superb and Alan (our waiter) was well educated and very personable. However, the noise level was high - a bit hard to carry on a conversation at our table of four. Nevertheless, I would definitely go back and highly recommend.
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M
Mark Gold
Hawaii9 reviews
5.0
Dined on 3 September 2026
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Nice variety of meats you do often find with excellent sides and good choices of wine.
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D
Deborah Gold
Baltimore / Maryland29 reviews
5.0
Dined on 3 September 2026
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
I was visiting Boone with a few friends and had heard good things about the Gamekeeper so we decided to give it a try. It’s a beautiful setting with an interesting menu, both drinks and food. We got there a little early and had drinks outside, which was lovely. we had a nice table inside by the window for dinner. we had a great waiter who fully explained the menu and made good recommendations for us. Let brought several samples of red wine so we can choose. We shared the mixed grill appetizer which I highly recommend as it gives you a sampling of a number of the differentl meat options and a generous portion of yummy fries. We waited to order our entrées until we tried the mixed grill. One of us also ordered the mixed grill as her entrée along with a vegetable side in place of the fries. One of us had elk and I had the Boar chop, they allowed us to switch the sides, which was nice. Everything was delicious, the desserts looked great, but we had no room! If you are a meat eater and are looking for some different options prepared beautifully then I recommend this restaurant.
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R
Robert
Orlando / Central Florida East7 reviews
5.0
Dined on 2 September 2026
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great dinner, wild board chop, sea bass and tenderloin were all very good. Juliette took great care of us, she was engaging and fun to banter with. Cocktails were good although the smoked old fashioned wasn't very smokey. The martinis were great. The ambiance was great. Fun place, we'll go back.
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S
Susannah
South Carolina1 review
5.0
Dined on 2 September 2026
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Truly an amazing experience! I haven’t been back since I graduated from App a few years ago but it was as wonderful as I remembered it being. The food was stunning, the service was excellent, and the whole experience was just delightful! Absolutely will come back next time I’m in town!
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Dining areas

Additional information

Dining style
Fine Dining
Price
$50 and over
Cuisines
American, Wild Game, Contemporary American
Hours of Operation
Dinner Thu–Sun 17:00–21:00
Phone number
(828) 963-7400
Website
http://www.gamekeeper-nc.com/
Payment Options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress Code
Business Casual
Executive chef
Tyler Smith
Private party facilities
We have a private dining room that very comfortably seats 25 guests.

Location
3005 Shull's Mill Road, Boone, NC 28607
Area
Boone
Cross street
100 yards up Shulls Mill Rd from the entrance to Yonahlossee
Parking Details
Valet
Additional
Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Indoor Fireplace, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Vegan, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Make a booking

The Gamekeeper

4.8

$50 and over

American

Boone

Make a booking

2 people

20 Sept 2026

19:00

Booked 26 times today

The Gamekeeper

Make a booking

The Gamekeeper

Make a booking

About this restaurant

Dining areas

Additional information

Concierge
AI Beta

Menu

For the Table

Mixed Game GrillUS$39.00

Beef TartareUS$24.00

Fish CakesUS$19.00

First Course

Burrata SaladUS$18.00

Bleu SaladUS$16.00

Tomato BisqueUS$16.00

Potato SoupUS$14.00

Entrees

Patagonian ToothfishUS$67.00

Sriracha Squash CurryUS$39.00

Turkey Pot PieUS$41.00

Alligator BucatiniUS$39.00

From the Grill

Elk Denver LegUS$74.00

Beef Hanging TenderloinUS$67.00

Bison Short RibUS$64.00

Dessert

Caramel Bourbon Bread PuddingUS$19.00

BeignetsUS$15.00

German Chocolate CheesecakeUS$19.00

Reviews

Loved For

Review summary

Dining areas

Additional information

Make a booking

The Gamekeeper

Make a booking