Primal

In December I had one of the best dining experiences at Primal. Staff was excellent and the meal lives in my head rent free. We did the 5 course meal and I was so happy with each dish. The beet salad was refreshing and the pasta dish lived up to the hype. I know next time I am in Saskatoon I will be making another reservation for this dining experience.

Let me preface this by saying: the food here is *good*. Seriously, the pasta is fresh, the sauces are vibrant. But good lord, this place is an experience. First, the lighting. I swear, they're trying to recreate the Black Hole of Calcutta. You practically need night vision goggles to read the menu. Second, the prices. I felt like I was dining in a Michelin-starred cave. But hey, if you're looking for an "authentic" (read: dimly lit and overpriced) Italian dining experience, and your date doesn't mind whispering their order across the table, then this place is for you.

Went for the 5 course meal here! The food was good, but for the price the meals were not consistent throughout the 5 courses. Some dishes were salty and very rich! I would still like to go back to try more pasta dishes since the pasta was very good! The servers were great, very fast and attentive! The seating was close together and I found it to be loud to have conversations.

Loved it! Seriously, the bread is to die for, and the mains? Delicious! They've got this knack for using high-end culinary techniques that just make everything taste incredible. And don't even get me started on the desserts – so original and downright yummy. The service was really good. You won't ever feel like you're fighting to get attention here. The staff is on point, making sure you're taken care of every step of the way. Solid 100% recommended for anyone looking for very good dining.

Amazing service and food! Went to celebrate my 21st birthday and am so glad we chose Primal. Thanks for a great night :)

The food is awesome here. I had the pork agnolotti and it was amazing. It was rich and comforting, the chilli breadcrumbs added a nice crunch. The carrot ravioli was refreshing. The burrata lemon spaghetti was rich and well balanced with the lemon. Will definitely be back.

Went here for our 5-year anniversary, the food and service were amazing! We did the 5 course (I got the 20oz T-Bone - highly recommend it) and a bottle of wine to go with the food. I was delightfully surprised with each tasting and even the wine itself. Very thankful for a wonderful experience, I highly recommend this place! 🙏

One of Saskatoon's best restaurants Order: I stopped by this city for an event while on a business trip as well. My companion and I went to this restaurant as a walk in. Tried the 5 course meal. Took the dessert home. Location: 4.5/5 Heart of downtown Sask. Easy to find on main street. It isnt busy like other major cities but I can imagine parking being an issue if the city was busier. Venue: 4/5 A nice cozy atmosphere. Definitely will need to book reservations next time. We sat at the bar but that is expected. Will make for a nice night out. Service: 5/5 We were greeted by a very friendly gentleman at the bar and the manager who was working is wonderful. She made excellent recommendations. The staff elevated my dining experience. Food: 4/5 Beetroot Salad: very tart, fresh and vibrant flavors to kick start the taste buds. Lovely way to start the meal. The candied pistachios were a great complement to the acidity of the dish. My date had a Caesar salad. I tasted it. Unremarkable. Fried bread: phenomenal. It reminds me of a savory funnel cake but lighter. Bison carpaccio: I like the idea of the bison carpaccio. Typically this is my favorite Italian appetizer. This underdelivered unfortunately. It was very standard. It isnt bad. Just not memorable. tagliatelle with pork and beef heart bolognese. Pasta cooked al dente. Sauce was flavorful and bold. The smaller portion definitely tantilized my taste buds leaving a craving for more. Excellent. I tried my partner's spaghetti and meat balls. I think it was not fair to rate because I had mine first. Beef dish. The rotating cut was sirloin cap. This was the best dish of the night. The potatoes ruined French fries and Hash browns for me. This will leave a positive lasting impression of Saskatoon cuisine. Pavlova dessert was light, airy and as if I was eating a cloud with a sweet and sour citrus punch. It was a lovely way to end my night. Overall 4.5/5: great restaurant in Saskatoon. I will come back again when I'm in town. Next time I will know what to order and bring more friends.

One of my favorite places to go.. I always recommend this to some of my customers if they're in from out of town.. Oysters on a 1/2 shell, so good... And the Pasta is fresh and delicious.. Great service always.. Good choices of wine. It's dark And kind of sexy. Great place for a date.

I was excited to take my son there for his 16th birthday, but it was not a good meal or service. I ordered the beef, fried potato, parsnip purée, mushrooms, Diane sauce but could not eat it. The cut of beef was so tough the steak knife couldn't cut through it. When I mentioned it to the server they apologized and said they would return to the table shortly. We waited for over 30 min and nobody returned. We then decided to go and the only thing Primal did, was not charge for the meal I could not eat. There are far better restaurants in the city, I would not recommend Primal.

A rare 5 star. What a fantastic restaurant. Two of us came for a late supper and wow. Absolutely fantastic . Ordered two dishes to share; a rigatoni, goat cheese, mushrooms, tomatoes, greens with truffle oil and a spaghetti carbonara, pancetta, pecorino, pepper with a slow egg. We had this with the house made fried bread. The pasta was made inhouse from Saskatchewan ancient grains and melted in your mouth. It was some of the best pasta I have ever had. Our server was amazing and everything was just a wonderful experience. Highly recommend.

I love this place!! The food is so yummy and comforting. It feels like home but with better food and wine :)

Decent Italian wine selection. We had mushroom truffle risotto and eggplant parmigiana with white from Puglia. Staff can talk about wine. The risotto was full of flavour and generous truffle flakes. Eggplant was lightly breaded and rich flavour but not too heavy. Such a pleasant place for great dining.

My fondness for Primal has grown through the years. Their food is very good and is made with local ingredients. The specials are usually very interests. I like the dark ambiance. We often go here for special date nights.

This is an excellent spot for that meal you want to make a real treat. Located in the up-and-coming Riversdale area, this restaurant is nestled in a rather unassuming and ugly looking brick building. Walking in, however, the mood transforms into a classy boho vibe, with dark and moody lighting, wall mounted wine displays, and stools sporting faux-fur seats. The menu is compact, and the food is quality, crafted from local produce. For starters, we had the bison carpaccio, which was a marvelous earthy blend of grated parmesan, succulent meat, and lightly crisped artichoke. We made a point to include all the components in each and every bite. I went on to enjoy the tagliatelle with pork and beef-heart bolognaise, a rich meaty sauce coating perfectly cooked wide noodles. I was recommended the Tenuta del Portale Basilicata Starsa red, which matched wonderfully with my main as well as the appetizer. I also really enjoyed my partner's choice of the truffle spaghetti: A simple yet stunningly delicious combination of buttery pasta coated with truffle oil and thinly sliced truffle. The price of this place is not trivial, and with drinks will run you at around $50-60 a person. Definitely 100% worth it for the high quality of food. And what a pleasure to have this dining option in Saskatoon! I'm sure this place will be our top pick for special occasions many more times in the future.

This is a wonderful restaurant but not tonight. The hangar steak was tough and the side of kale was was just too chewy! The pork was dry and awful. It was only edible because I had BBQ sauce in my fridge. Sadly our meal this time was a total waste of money. I'm sure it will be better next time.

Primal is possibly one of my favourite restaurants ever. I die for their homemade pasta. I love that they keep their menu small and seasonal. They also update their menu regularly and offering different specials each time. I like the price point of the food, not too expensive, but high enough to maintain the quality of their food (and ingredients) and the labour that goes into it. Service here has always been great. Very attentive and friendly staff do make a difference in a dining experience. The two pastas I've had here have been their take on Mac and cheese and their carbonara. The Mac and cheese was so divine. Perfect cheese sauce and the fresh noodles made it to die for. I'm just slightly mad that my portion wasn't larger because I inhaled it. The first time I came here I ordered the carbonara which was also delicious. Splitting that egg on top made me feel like an Iron Chef America judge. My only complaint was it was lacking pepper (for my tastes). But the second time I came back my boyfriend ordered the carbonara and it was perfectly peppered so I'm not going to hold that against them. One frustrating thing is how they close for random staff breaks. (But I totally understand this because I love watching the Food Network and know how stressful having a restaurant can be). Because pasta-loving me doesn't always check the website before I head down here and am ultimately heart broken when they are closed. I would eat here every single day of the week if I could! You have my heart Primal.

Great price point, perfect for dates, groups of four or more as they have a long community bar style table. No reservations policy however not a problem getting a table. Make sure you sample the cocktail specials, wine and starters. Also end with the chocolate truffle for a small taste of sweetness to end your meal. Or share the potato donut complete with a shot of espresso and vanilla ice cream. Everything on the menu is great. The Saskatchewan flair makes the atmosphere feel like home.

Excellent food and service. A perfectly paced meal. Nice atmosphere and conducive to conversation. We will definitely return.

Went out for a Birthday Dinner. Did the four course tasting menu with a nice bottle of Merlot. Food and service were both excellent - highly recommend!!

What a treat! Beautiful decor, quality food, and friendly service. The rigatoni with truffle oil, arugula, and sundried tomatoes was perfect. The tiramisu was airy and fluffy, and it was a giant portion. Delicious aperol spritz. No complaints at all, this was probably one of the best meals I've had in Saskatoon. Wish I went sooner!

The spaghetti was amazing the special salad was small, 1/2 a tomato and a couple of chunks of green pepper with cheese, but the service was not to the caliber you would expect at restaurant with this price point. I didn't have liquor so my sever did the bare minimum as compared to the guest sitting beside me who ordered drinks including a bread roll that they raved about.

Primal is a great restaurant with amazing atmosphere and exceptional service. My favourite dish is the tagliatelle Bolognese but there are many great entrees to choose from and their specials are always phenomenal. The house red wine is always a good match but there are some great wines on the list including a lovely Chianti.

Pasta is on point. Flavours are excellent. Portions can be a little small, but not tiny. Price is appropriate.