4 /5 M.Stuebe: The ARC – Fairmont Waterfront (Breakfast & Dinner)
Breakfast at The ARC was included with our Chase booking, and at $65 per person, it genuinely impressed.
What makes this buffet stand out is the made-to-order menu paired with unlimited self-serve stations. You can order fresh items from the menu while also building your plate from stations featuring fruit, bread, spreads, cheeses, and a hot bar.
The hot bar was excellent—especially the sausage (well-seasoned and moist), the eggs (easily the best buffet eggs I’ve had), and the oats, which were perfectly cooked—neither watery nor dry. Portions from the menu were thoughtfully sized: not overly large, which made it possible to try multiple items if you were hungry.
The drip coffee was surprisingly good, and they provided a personal pitcher so you could refill at your own pace. The berry smoothie was fresh, delicious, and a great healthy way to start the day.
A few notes:
• The muesli wasn’t for me due to the coconut, but coconut lovers will likely enjoy it.
• The lemon cake was fragrant with visible lemon pieces and great flavor, though it could have been slightly more moist.
• The salmon Benedict would have benefited from fresh herbs or toppings like dill, capers, onions, or cucumbers.
• The hollandaise sauce could have been more flavorful.
Dinner was just as impressive.
We tried the steak tenderloin, and somehow they managed to make a medium-well steak incredibly moist and juicy—no easy feat. My partner can’t eat steak medium or below, so this was especially impressive. The pairing with the mashed potatoes was phenomenal and beautifully balanced.
Is it worth $65 per person?
If you have a solid appetite and/or can at least enjoy three menu items plus a drink, absolutely. If not, you may struggle to get full value.
That said, this was still the best breakfast buffet I’ve ever had. With a few small tweaks, it would easily be a five-star experience.
Service was friendly and welcoming, and the atmosphere was bright, clean, lively, and spacious. A thoughtful touch: complimentary cookies while waiting for our table.