Dining Recommendations for West side & Waterton

[Dano]

Hey Guys- Coming back to the park again this year. Usually when my wife and I come we're mostly in the back country and do not eat out, or I guess I should say, do not eat at resturants a lot. This will not be the case this year as we will have my in-laws ( 1st timer's, so excited for them) and our 1 year old son (1st timer OTW- outside the womb) We like to say he's got 1 trip out already 2 yrs ago, eventhough he was about the size of a grape, in my wife's belly. As a three year employee up at Swift, i have the MG Valley & St. Mary's area dialed in for dining options. However, would like to get some input on other areas of the park that we will be visiting. the meals that i need suggestions on will be; Lunch one day on the West side. Dinner one night in Waterton. And possibly Dinner one night in East Glacier. Any input would be greatly appreciated.

Side note- Anybody visited the park with a toddler and have some pointers/tips/warnings that they learned while there would be greatly appreciated. Thanks guys, Dano

[Dano]

Oh yeah, I'll be out the 2nd week of July if that matters, Thanks, Dano

[July Guy]

For Lunch on the westside, I would say Lake McDonald Lodge. The setting, the atmosphere, just beautiful. Considering your in-laws are first timers, that's what I would recommend. I've never had a bad meal there, some better than others. Eddie's in Apgar gets mixed reviews, but I'll always eat there. Avoid Jammer Joe's (behind the Lodge). IMO the food is pretty bad, and the service...actually last time we were there we got no service. We were seated, ignored, and left.

The Belton is nice too, fancy-ish for glacier, but is right across the road from the Historical Society, which may interest your group.

Haven't been to Waterton in years, others may have suggestions.

Oh, have had great meals at East Glacier Lodge and the service has always been super.

[llholmes1948]

However, would like to get some input on other areas of the park that we will be visiting. the meals that i need suggestions on will be; Lunch one day on the West side. Dinner one night in Waterton. And possibly Dinner one night in East Glacier. Any input would be greatly appreciated.

The only place I have recent personal knowledge of on the West side is the Glacier Highland and in my opinion the food there is very good and adequate and the service is reasonably fast. There have been one or two negative comments on the Glacier Highland but as I recall most reviews have been positive.

Probably the best (most upscale) place at West Glacier would be the Belton Chalet and I assume it is open for lunch (perhaps the tap room anyway).

http://www.beltonchalet.com/index.php

There have also been good reviews of the West Glacier restaurant in downtown West Glacier and there have been good reviews of pizza at the Glacier Grill a few miles west at Coram. As July Guy has indicated, there have also been good reviews of the dining room at Lake McDonald Lodge as I recall but the reviews of Jammer Joe's at Lake McDonald have not been very good. There have also been poor reviews of Eddie's at Apgar last year. Obviously things can change quite dramatically at these seasonal restaurants from year to year with changes in personnel, etc.

However, I think the best choice would be to drop everything and head for the Back Room in Columbia Falls for dinner (it is not open for lunch). Now we are really talking!

http://backroom.dropzite.com/

The only place where we have eaten at Waterton is at Subway (which was very adequate) so I will leave it to others to recommend other places.

The only advice I have about travelling with a toddler is that you have to find restaurants that serve food fast and you need to get in and out of restaurants fast. Most toddlers do care for leisurely dining unless they fall asleep.

Hope this helps and hope you have a great trip. I hope you will also post a report of your trip with you advice.

Lyman

[toddnick]

Last September, the "tap room" at Belton opened at 3PM (and I had 2 good meals from the bar menu....much cheaper than the dining room menu)....the dining room opened a few hours later....not sure about July though....

[Jen]

I gotta go with The Firebrand for East Glacier Dining. 3 miles south of East Glacier park on US 2.

Great food, great service, great beer selection.

[Dano]

Thanks for the info guys. If any of you are out in July, keep an eye out for me. I'll be the guy with the 30lb 1 year old on his back. - Dano

[trevbo]

In waterton, zum's is not bad for a quick bite. Vimy's lounge (the restaurant lounge of waterton lakes lodge) is also good (tried the bison burger), they allow you to bring babies even though it's a restaurant bar... Wateron lakes lodge is owned by the same group that owned kilmorey lodge (a great joint that unfortunately burned down a couple of years ago)

[Hockey Ref]

There's a Subway in Waterton.

[llholmes1948]

There's a Subway in Waterton.

As I recall in either 1975 or 1977 there was a Kentucky Fried Chicken take out in Waterton and I ate there once. It was on a side street connected to a gas station. I don't think it is there now.

I beiieve there was also a Subway in East Glacier a few years back. Maybe someone has further information about that.

Lyman

[elscout198]

Might enjoy the Discovery cabin at Apgar with the little one

http://www.nps.gov/glac/forkids/discovery-cabin.htm

[brindledog]

I am not a fan of Eddie's due to the service. The food is OK. Otherwise, most food is OK at most places in and around the park in my experience. I think the breakfast at West Glacier restaurant is darn good - maybe it's just that I usually eat there after my morning run, when I am extra hungry. Or maybe it's the greasy, crispy hash browns. We have been to Belton for dinner with our toddlers. My advice is to go early so you are not feeling self-conscious if there are some "moments" with the little one. At 1, you can probably sneak him or her in during nap time without incident. I think Luna's in East Glacier is swell!

My two pieces of advice for visiting Glacier with toddlers:
1. If you don't have or use hiking poles, get a pair and use them. They transform the experience of hiking with a child on your back.
2. Buy plenty of Children's Tylenol. It is not uncommon for the wee ones to have fevers here and there, and there is no Rx store to go to at 10 pm, or when your 5 miles into a hike. Take it with you wherever you go.

You may also want to bring a bathing suit. We never spent time on the shores of Lake McDonald until we had children. They enjoy wading out at the end of the day, after dinner. If your little one is not yet walking, he/she will still probably enjoy splashing in the shallow water.