I grew up in Helena, but moved away. Every time I come home, I take my friends or fellow visitors…read moreto downtown to see Helena's history. And at night, I hit up the tri-fecta of bars that includes The Rialto. I love the old historic charm of this place. It's so beautiful. Liquor in Montana is super cheap, so we had an amazing time chatting with the bartender and indulging. We met some really friendly regulars who didnt mind sharing their bar with us. I love this place. That blonde bartender is a sweetheart! She let my boyfriend take her picture next to the liquor prices and everything! Thanks Rialto. See you and your gorgeous neon sign next time. P.S. I love your internet jukebox and pool table.

So I had an interesting experience here…read more I sat down at the bar and asked the bartender if they had a menu. She replied, "Lucca's is closed" referring to the Italian restaurant next door. I replied, "No, a drinks menu" to which she did not give me a menu but said, "Do you like sweet drinks?" At this point I had no idea where this conversation was going but I replied, "No.." and then she said okay and handed me a menu. I asked why and she said that she can make better drinks than what the menu says. She said she only liked a couple drinks on the menu (ginger basil martini, prairie press, and maybe the huckleberry mule and that's it) and she also does not recommend any of the wines. The brutal honesty is good for me and bad for the bar, but some saleswoman she is I guess? Who knows. I asked her if she was the only person who had these strong opinions about the menu and she said no and that all the bartenders felt the same way. If everyone feels the same way about them and they're the ones who have to serve customers then they should make a change right? It's just weird that you have that attitude towards the business and then project that toward the customers. I said I'd listen to her recommendations and ordered the ginger basil martini ($12) which was actually pretty good. It's refreshing and slightly sweet from the sugar rim. She mentioned that she made the drink less sweet because she knew that I didn't like sweet drinks and then went on that menus can't offer the same personalization as a bartender who listens. I mean I guess the intention is good that she wants to be able to personalize cocktails to the customer's taste preferences but again the attitude of going on and on about how you're a great and thoughtful bartender just rubbed me the wrong way. For my second drink I wasn't going to order off the menu so I asked if she could make a last word. She didn't know what that was and I told her how to make it. She replied, "I don't know what green chartreuse is." I said, "Okay never mind, how about a paper plane?" Again she did not know what that was and I listed the ingredients and she said, "What's amaro?" At this point I'm frustrated so I just ordered an old fashioned ($12). You go on and on about how you can get creative and make a variety of drinks but you don't even know what green chartreuse or amaro are. So you're not as knowledgeable of a bartender as you think you are. The same type of attitude and boastfulness happened after the second drink as it did the first. I seriously couldn't wait to finish my drink and get out of there which never happens. It felt like lazy bartending for not amazing cocktails for craft cocktail prices. The negativity and complaining is just not the vibe I want at a bar. Another note: the men's restroom does not lock but not just that, it does not close all the way so it's always slightly open outward and I don't know why no one has bothered to fix that. Many things are very wrong here; I don't how to fix them but it just didn't give me a good vibe and left a bad taste in my mouth.

The Hawthorne is always a good time and a great experience. There's a huge selection of wine and…read moreplenty of good food to choose from as well. The service is always Eggcellent.

Look, I love wine, but I'm no sommelier. I usually just point and say, "That one looks French!" But…read morewalking into The Hawthorn Bottle Shop and Tasting Room in Helena changed the game. This isn't one of those stuffy, velvet-rope wine bars; it's genuinely "New York chic meets Montana," which is the only atmosphere I ever want to be in. The main reason this place is magic? The staff. We had a server who was less of a server and more of a wine wizard. I told them I liked things that were "a little sassy, maybe a bit moody," and they didn't even blink. Instead, they completely crafted the perfect flight of wine flights for us to sample. It was like a personalized, four-course journey for my tastebuds. Every single pour was a winner, and the knowledge they dropped on us was actually interesting and not at all intimidating. I learned more in 30 minutes than I did in a decade of frantically googling "what is terroir?" If you're looking for an amazing wine bar where you can relax, learn something new, and taste truly incredible stuff without feeling like you need a wine degree, this is it. Go for the ambiance, stay for the wine, and definitely let their knowledgeable service steer the ship. They won't steer you wrong. Highly Recommend: Just tell your server to surprise you. It's the best way to do it.

The recently removed Rathskeller is a booming success. Although I don't like some of the design…read moredecisions, the renovated bar is smashing, and the overall vibe remains unique and old school. The cocktails are actually better. Really enjoyed a nicely balanced Old Fashioned and the expresso martini was very favorable. Prices are comparable to those of good bars in any city. Service was prompt and knowledgeable.

Pleasantly surprised that new owner trying to return this historic bar to its speakeasy past…read more Service friendly and very cocktail-savvy bartender. Interesting & small but very friendly group sipping there. Hope they continue to restore to great legacy of this basement bar in basement of historic Montana Club!

The atmosphere is awesome and the lady behind the bar is great. They have many kinds of beers and…read morehomemade root beer.

Went in to support F your phone February. Love how community-oriented they are. Robusto pizza was…read moreyummy, live music was pleasant and the conversation was engaging!

Great time with friends and family all visiting Helena for a wedding. The service is 10 stars and…read moreI'm bummed I did not get our sever's name. She was awesome and so much fun. Once I saw it on the menu I had to get the GIGANTIC PRETZEL (GP). It was gigantic and it was a pretzel. Great crispy outside and soft warm perfectly cooked inside. Get it, you won't regret it. We all loved it and the queso and hot mustard were a great match. I had the wings, buffalo sauce, and it came with fries. Both were really good. So much food I only ate 4 wings and 1/2 the fries. GP still weighing heavy in my gullet! The Wife had the Classic Mac and Cheese - nice taste but Luke warm instead of hot. Should have sent back to warm up. Her choice. The Kid had the brisket sandwich and garlic parm fries. The sandwich was so big., she ate 1/2 and hardly touched her fries. The fries were delish, as I had to sample a couple for review purposes. The Friend had a Buffalo chicken salad and The Other Friend had enchiladas. Both enjoyed their meals and had leftovers as the servings are generous. Great Time. Great Food. Great Service. Go! Eat Very Well!! HAVE FUN!!!

Great ambiance, but mid food…read more This was my second time coming here, this time for lunch. Decently crowded but seated immediately. Place is pretty cool, since it keeps so much of its history, and the service is solid, but the food isn't great. I got a half sandwich and soup of the day, which was a chicken chile verde enchilada soup. The French dip was looking like it was sitting for a while under a heat lamp and semi dried out. Soup wasn't looking much better, and the chicken almost looked like a frozen package. Place is cool and great for watching a game and getting a drink, but don't hold your breath with food quality.

First came here a year ago twice in the same day (by accident). Have been back a dozen times…read moresince. Patio for breakfast not realizing it was the place we were planning for dinner.  The egg burger was excellent but the side of potatoes fried in tallow and tossed in a house sauce were the best potatoes I've ever had and it wasn't particularly close. Service was quick, very friendly, and knowledgeable. Wood fired grill right in the middle of restaurant, vintage wood refrigerator, butcher block counters and tables all screamed that this restaurant has a soul and character. Breakfast was so good went back same night for dinner.  This was the best steak in years and the only cut available at that time.  The side of tallow fried onion chips and mushrooms were again the best preparation of fried onion I've ever had.  House sauce was great. Absolutely love coming here!

The Union in downtown Helena is a superior dining experience and a welcome addition to the city's…read morefoodie culture. Its primary selling point is local--using beef from local ranches, encouraging Montanans to eat Montana raised products. All good. The interior is spacious, especially on the mezzanine. The airy feeling and subdued colors help to set a comfy vibe. All good. My group was there for dinner although locals claim lunch is better. It's difficult to see how that could be: the starters, a huge plate of lightly battered onions and mushrooms really went well with the curated list of beers and wines. The pea Ceasar salad was creative and oh so very good, and huge. My ribeye from Helmville was so tender, packed with flavor. Others raved over the sirloin. The sides were tasty and generous too--get the smashed Yukons. All Great. However, kitchen timing was terrible. We were just into the salads when the steaks arrived. Really. If you want to be upscale, hey manage your place. All Bad.

Recommended to us by our Air B and B owners. Made a pit stop here to have a taster and grab a…read moregrowler for our post hiking "enjoy a cold one" moment. Their nitro is AMAZING; but the growler is Scottish Ale. Definitely check this place out and partake in their offerings!

Great Brewery, great staff. Indoor and outdoor seating,…read morelots of beer and food next door.

We love exploring Dive Bars when we travel. So when our flight landed in Helena, MT we searched for…read moreDive Bars and found Hap's Bar by the Train station. The place was wonderful; friendly bar tenders, fun local people, and great drinks. We loved the pickle shots!!

Only food is chips and nuts but the bartender is awesome and the place is a little hidden gem next…read moreto laundromat across from the old train station in Helena. Looks almost like a dive from outside but once you walk in they have a fantastic selection of fine spirits and a few good beers on tap along with a whole section of slots and gambling but it has a great atmosphere and feel inside. Just light enough and just dark enough and if I lived in Helena I'd be there all the time.

Tap house with Style! In a building with some colorful…read morehistory, over 125 years old, there is a Great Local Brewery! The walls are like solid concrete because this was a jailhouse back in the day! Then the owners that have it now put like a bunch of money into making it their brewery! They took a building that had " great bones" and added some " Flair" all there own! From the super huge brew cats on display and the stage for live entertainment to the addition of some real good craft pizza! Stop in, look around ,grab a brew! I recommend the Scottish Ale. Enjoy the local entertainment like "open mic night" second and fourth Tuesdays. Great place to meet up with your crew! By the way the Beer us Great too!

Lewis & Clark Brewery was long on my list for Montana breweries to try. I finally got to try their…read morebeer and my first impression was a good one! The beer that Steve and I had was the Prickly Pear which is a fruited Pale Ale. In the flavor you will certainly pick up lots of hoppiness but there is a hint of pear with some sweetness. This Pale Ale is nice and smooth and is also light bodied which makes it great in the hotter temperatures of summer.