Babb and St. Mary are not that far from Many Glacier. I would recommend considering Two Sisters (located between Babb and St. Mary) and/or Johnson's at St. Mary. Really depends on where you want to eat and what you want to eat. I believe the Many Glacier Hotel dining room is the only place in the area that has a pergola for those who like that sort of thing.
It is a nice drive between Many Glacier and Babb/St. Mary and offers a nice chance to see wildlife esp. in the evening.
My choices would be Many Glacier for great ambience and semi-gourmet food, Swiftcurrent for Italian american stuff, Babb Supper Club for steaks, Two Sisters for good food and an energized atmosphere, Johnson's for home style cooking in a log cabin, St Mary for over priced, but good food. Now, things have changed with Xanterra now owning and managing MG, St Mary and Swift so this is a year of change! Also the best pie in the park area is no longer available at the Park Cafe. We checked out the Duck Lake lodge last Summer, don't think I would eat there, (cigarette smoke). I would without a doubt go sit on the deck at Many Glacier and have a beer or icecream cone, really special! The dining room was remodeled to the original style last year and is something special, you will want to eat there just for the view, chicken noodle soup would do just fine!
Many Glacier hotel serves a very nice meal. I wouldn't personally recommend swiftcurrent inn's food. Cattle Baron Supper Club in Babb is pretty good. Two sisters (near babb) and johnsons (in st. mary) are great family owned/operated cafe's and are my two favorite places to eat on the east side.
My restaurent choices were listed by distance from Many Glacier, not necessarily by order of best to worst. Don't go to Johnson's with high expectations. I love the place and camp and eat there frequently but the cooking is "like Mom used to make." Food is served family style, the mashed potatoes are instant, but the mile high huckleberry pie is to die for! There is alot of good food on the East side if you are hungry after a long day on the trail. I don't think we will know about several of the places with the change in management, hopefully for the good.
Thank you all for the info! This is new to me, not sure on how to answer you each individually, (do I click on "Quote?") Many Glacier dining, Johnsons, Two Sisters, and I believe it was called the Barron Cattle Supper Club all sound good. Will definitely check them out. Thanks again for your help, I am very excited for my trip!
YCornelius wrote:Thank you all for the info! This is new to me, not sure on how to answer you each individually, (do I click on "Quote?") Many Glacier dining, Johnsons, Two Sisters, and I believe it was called the Barron Cattle Supper Club all sound good. Will definitely check them out. Thanks again for your help, I am very excited for my trip!
Yes to answer an individual post you can click quote and then post your response to that post.
You might wish to review some of the earlier reviews in the restaurant section although as has been noted some places have changed hands this past year and earlier reviews may not be that helpful.
My recollection is that the Cattle Baron traditionally receives the most inconsistent reviews - reviews are either effusively glowing or horrid.
As this summer's season progresses I hope people will remember to post current reviews esp. for those places that have changed ownership.
I've only had "so-so" experiences at Many Glacier Hotel, at least with food and service. But you can't beat the view/ambiance so it's usually worth it. I am one of the chatters who LOVES the Cattle Baron...it's pricey but we split things and that helps and it's too much food otherwise. I love it...we've had great food and service and the atmosphere is so unique. The Swiftcurrent Motor Inn isn't gourmet but I've rarely had a "bad" meal there. Maybe nothing special, but usually it's pretty good. You can't go wrong with their pizza. Have a great trip!
Tara wrote:I've only had "so-so" experiences at Many Glacier Hotel, at least with food and service. But you can't beat the view/ambiance so it's usually worth it. I am one of the chatters who LOVES the Cattle Baron...it's pricey but we split things and that helps and it's too much food otherwise. I love it...we've had great food and service and the atmosphere is so unique. The Swiftcurrent Motor Inn isn't gourmet but I've rarely had a "bad" meal there. Maybe nothing special, but usually it's pretty good. You can't go wrong with their pizza. Have a great trip!
I'd echo all of the above from Tara and add Two Sisters (as others have indicated) as well. Our 'standard' is the Many Glacier Hotel for a huckleberry daiquiri and to soak in the atmosphere, and then off to Two Sisters or The Cattle Baron (or sometimes the cafe across the street from Thronson's) for chow.
"You never really leave a place you love....part of it you take with you, leaving a part of yourself behind."
So....Live well. - Laugh often. - Love much.----And get to Glacier as often as you can!
I would say the food in the bar is so-so (leaning more toward overpriced and not very good) but the most recent meal I had in the Many Glacier dining room (2010?) was excellent.
Along Kathy's lines if I had to put a number to where we typically eat the breakdown would be:
60% two sisters
30% Johnsons
10% All others (cattle baron, park cafe, etc)
My wife won't let us visit the east side of the park without at least 1 visit to two sisters every trip (unless its prior to June or in October when they are closed). Its definitely our favorite of the bunch.