Great Restaurants in Bozeman, Montana

Find a Variety of Dining Options in this Active Mountain Town

Aug 30, 2009

Bozeman attracts visitors year round for recreation including fly-fishing, skiing, rafting and hiking. This small university town presents a variety of dining options, other than your typical highway access/chain restaurants. Most of the dining is well situated on Main Street in vibrant downtown Bozeman which offers a great evening stroll, cocktail, and meal after your day on the hill or river.

Casual Dinning Restaurants in Bozeman

Montana Ale Works is a Bozeman establishment. The large and lively restaurant has over 40 beers on tap, a fantastic wine list and a creative menu that includes such delights as Asian noodle salad, mahi-mahi fish tacos, and chicken gorgonzola pasta. They change a few items seasonally and regularly prepare dishes with locally provided produce and meat. There is usually a small wait during peak dinner hours but their bar is spacious and there are banquet tables in the back near a few pool tables. The food is always consistent and the staff is top notch. If waiting for a table, you will rarely have an empty glass. If going in the winter, be sure to try their macaroni and cheese with the bacon addition. It is hard to find better.

The Pour House is a bar/tavern that was remodeled in 2009 that has a sophisticated yet casual environment. The spacious venue has is a flat panel viewable from any seat and centers around dark wood bar. They have specials nightly and Friday night is always a steak or prime rib. The Pour House has taken typical bar fare and made it unique. In addition to steaks, sandwiches and endless salads, you can try the shark tacos and compliment any dish with their garlic fries. The wait staff and bartenders are the best in town; most of them work at some of the other happening bars in Bozeman. In addition to great food, the staff has their customers dialed in.

This Mexican restaurant is fairly recent to the Bozeman scene. 18 Miles to the Border remodeled and expanded in 2009 making it festive, welcoming, but not corny. They offer typical Mexican entrees, but the recommendation is to order tacos. Choose from chicken, carne asada, pork, veggie or salmon. Their showcase is the salsa bar. Mounds of condiments including cilantro, cabbage, onions and homemade salsas of every heat and color wait for your choosing. They also have a beer and wine license and offer some great Montana beers on tap. But for those who want to stay true to the south of the border flavor, they have Dos Equis Amber on draft. The bright and comfortable setting makes this a perfect place to take the family. If you are in Bozeman during the summer be sure to take advantage of their terrace seating with prime Main Street views.

Fine Dining Restaurants in Bozeman

Bozeman, like most mountain and western towns, is casual. You will find that even at the finest establishments most patrons are in jeans. Though the following restaurants have higher end menus and reservations are recommended (required on weekends), you will fit in just fine sporting your favorite Levis.

This romantically lighted venue has the largest fine dining menu in town – steaks, lamb, fish and amazing chicken dishes. They have an extensive wine and cocktail list to compliment any meal. The restaurant has dinning room seating, a small cocktail bar but also, Jadra’s Sushi Bar. If you are eating in the dining room you can start with a sushi appetizer. You might find it odd to eat sushi in Montana, but this fish delicious and the chefs serve hardy pieces. The sushi chefs frequently invent new rolls and are kind about making custom rolls for the shy or apprehensive. If ordering from Looie’s dinner menu all plates are also generously portioned with artistic presentation. Be sure to save room for dessert for their tray offers about 8 choices.

Yes, it is a chain, but it is savory, unfailing, and Ted Turner has a heck of a lot of land in Montana, so it should get a mention. Tucked inside the historic Baxter Hotel, the entrees range from burgers, steaks, fish and chicken dishes. They have about 20 spins on the chicken sandwich as well. Truly you can find something for everyone at Ted’s. The restaurant is large and packs it in nightly, lending to its boisterous ambiance. Everything is made fresh and their side dishes are also just as choice. For the vegetarians in the crowd, they offer the side trio allowing you to pick 3 side dishes as your entrée. Don’t miss out on the squash casserole or parmesan creamed spinach sides.

This jewel of a bistro is nestled in the Emerson Cultural Center, 2 blocks south of Main Street. It has about 12 tables setting a very intimate and refined scene. The fare is fine Italian and is true to its motto of being “deliciously affordable”. Savor a glass of Barolo, have some mixed antipasto, and enjoy a locally raised pork shop or steak. The menu changes regularly and proudly serves local produce, cheese and meat. Be sure to take some time to stroll the halls and galleries of the Emerson Cultural Center for it houses a collection of local artists' work in a variety of media.

The copyright of the article Great Restaurants in Bozeman, Montana in Montana Travel is owned by Becky Warren. Permission to republish Great Restaurants in Bozeman, Montana in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Aug 31, 2009 12:55 PM

Guest :

There's a good video on 18 Miles to the Border that will really make you hungry! Just Google search "18 Miles to the Border" and you'll see it on the video website ThisIsBozeman.com. Or, visit http://www.thisisbozeman.com/detail/bon-appetit-18-miles-to-the-border/

There's another good restaurant worth mentioning: Over the Tapas. They serve Spanish-style appetizers that are very savory and delicious. I've never had appetizers like theirs! The wine selection is outstanding. Over the Tapas has a video as well. Just Google search "Over the Tapas" or visit http://www.thisisbozeman.com/detail/over-the-tapas-restaurant/