We are here twice and had wildly different experiences. Our first visit here was Thursday evening and the food, service and overall experience were excellent. Our second visit here was Monday evening and the food, service and overall experience was not very good. On Thursday we were given a children's menu, on Monday none was offered. We asked for the BBQ chicken sandwich for my 1 year old, but asked for just the chicken, no bun and the sauce to be on the side. Was served exactly as we asked. On Monday it was served just as it is on the menu, we had to send it back as my baby won't eat any sauce on chicken. Which is why we wanted it on the side so we can continue to try to introduce sauce to him but also get him to eat some plain chicken. On Thursday I had the pulled pork sandwich and fries. It was great. On Monday I had the quesadilla with barbicoa beef. The meat was excellent, but the bottom side of my quesadilla was soggy, not crispy at all and wet when it was served to me. On Thursday my husband had the Dizzy buffalo burger with the cheese curds, he liked it. On Monday he had the Westerner sandwich, he said it wasn't great. He ended up only having a couple of bites. I'm not sure what the difference was, but I'll give them the benefit of the doubt that hopefully they were just having an off night. Round out the two visits at 3 stars. I'd give them another shot if we visit again since one time was a really great experience. read more

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Ahh, wish I would have checked the reviews before deciding to pick here. Staffing is tough in this area, so because of that.. there was only table service inside. If you wanted to sit outside, you had to order Togo. Here's the issue, inside was uncomfortably warm... and if you want to go with outside and take the food Togo, they block off certain menu items, like the Mac and cheese. We ordered the burrito, which was a great item to split. They put the cheese on top of the burrito.. and were out of knives, so in order to eat it... we had to pry it apart with the plastic spoon and forks that we got. The chili was a complete disappointment.. I was really looking forward to it.. there was ONE block of meat... again, no knives so you couldn't really try and cut it apart and enjoy it in a few bites either.. The place has a great presentation, but the food and rules in general were a huge let down. read more

The Cowboy's Grille - American Near Me - Gardiner, Montana

Dont go there for breakfast 1. 45 minutes for the wrong order. Under staffed? Maybe. But they weren't apologetic. 2. Bacon was burnt slivers. Its like they torn a single piece of bacon into thirds, and called it 4 slices. 3.The scrambled eggs were under done. 4. Also, microwave the sausage a bit more, please. 5. Coffee was lukewarm and flavorless. 6. All the silverware was on the table. More than just for the seating, but enough for the day. Nice way to share germs, and ensure no one has a clean fork. Have I had a worse breakfast? Yes. Dehydrated eggs in boy scouts. But they some how made real eggs (I could tell by the shell) taste like bad powdered eggs. I'm still trying to identify the after taste. Maple maybe? I won't be back there. I'm sure I can find better food elsewhere, there at least two other places near it that serve breakfast, and the market sells protein bars. This is the kind of touristy place that gives a town a bad rap. Overcharging for bad food and hoping to get away with it. read more

Bison Burger & Fries - Juicy, flavorful, and honestly not too different from a classic beef burger (in the best way). Also serve with crispy fries on the side. Hunter's Pie - A hearty, comforting dish with slow-cooked pulled pork, tender veggies, and a savory gravy, all topped with creamy mashed potatoes. Served with warm, garlicky bread. First time trying it, and it was such a delicious surprise! read more

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Wild game chili is super! If you like guns , this is your place. Great ambiance and located right downtown Gardner! read more

The Cowboy's Grille - Ceiling lined with guns! - American Near Me - Gardiner, Montana

Honestly, there are not many food options, so we took a risk. The service we got was really good. The food we got was anything but good. All four of our dishes tasted like microwaved food with zero seasoning. I would not go back. (3 stars is extremely generous) read more

The Cowboy's Grille - American Near Me - Gardiner, Montana

Had a great meal! We walked in just as the place got slammed and Mike, our waiter, was taking care of everyone. We started with rodeo fries, which are delicious. Think bean nachos but with fries instead of tortilla chips. The kids liked the chicken strips and fries quite a lot. I loved the bison burger, and was glad I ordered it cowboy style with bacon and grilled onions. The hunters pie (like a shepherds pie but with green beans, mashed potatoes, pulled pork, bacon and cheddar cheese) was also really good. Very cute cowboy decor and nice classic country music playing. It was fun. read more

We wanted some local food on our way to Yellowstone Lake Lodge and this place caught our eye. Glad we stopped by. The decor was pretty cool, very old western with tons of old rifles from that time period. Lots of seating. I ordered the chicken fried dinner plate with green beans and mashed potatoes and it was delicious. My friend ordered the brisket with fries and he let me have some and it was also very tasty. I liked the sweet barbecue sauce they put on and the brisket was nicely prepared with a little burnt ends. The service was really good. Mike was so friendly. Prices were about right for the area. read more

The Cowboy's Grille - Chicken fried dinner plate with green beans and mashed potatoes - American Near Me - Gardiner, Montana

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Tried this place back in 2023 one night after a long day in Yellowstone, we were starving and the burgers were delicious but we thought it was just because how hungry we were. Two years later we wanted to try this restaurant again and so glad we did! Out of all the Bison burgers we had on our trip, theirs were the best! Juicy enough and full of flavor! My husband had one with 4 patties and bacon and was delicious! Service is good and place is awesome decorated!!! Would go again if I'm ever around the area! read more

The Cowboy's Grille - Pic from the bathroom :) - American Near Me - Gardiner, Montana

If you are in the same situation I was and had to choose between starving and eating here because learn from my mistake and starve. This is not food. It is not edible. It will make you sick. If you read this review and still choose to eat here just know I warned you. I ordered the appetizer Mac and cheese it was Kraft Mac and cheese from a box. The sad part is I would have preferred it they left it the way it came from the box but they tried to dress it up and we could not eat any of it. It was covered in grease. I got the bison burger cowboy style. It was horrendous. There's nothing cowboy about it. A cowboy would never eat here. They threw on an ungodly amount of Oscar Mayer bacon that wasn't even fully cooked and large globs of half cooked onion. Unfortunately the best thing was the fries HOWEVER these fries were cooked with oil that they've been using since they opened and you can taste it. All of it. I'm not a mean person. I like the guns they decorated with. Also the waiter was nice but he could have warned us so I guess he's not that nice. read more

Ordered a skillet breakfast. Wasn't very big, husband said it was maybe a 3. Ordered biscuits and gravy it was ok. Not alot of choices but service was great read more

I should had walked the other way when I saw Yelp manager TD's review. But I figure since we were dining in, we *should* have a better experience. And this was such a popular place, people were lining up out the door. Wrong! There's just nothing else good to eat near the Yellowstone entrance. I got the Hunter's pie which from reading the description is like Shepard's pie, but nope. Mashed potato, pulled pork, gravy, green beans, top with melted cheese. My poor friend and I both got this entree and we both regretted it. It was like frozen food swimming in a bowl of oil. The only saving grace was the garlic toast, and even then we can tell is from Pepperidge Farm's frozen section. Our other friend cannot even finish her tasteless ribs. The mac and cheese was also very depressing. It was a piece of half melted cheese on top of some macaroni. Isn't this America's most basic dish? They also ran out of ice so the soda we ordered was room temp. Luckily my husband ordered a country fried chicken salad and they did not mess that up. So just save yourself and go elsewhere. Go to Outlaw's Pizza up the road which we had a great experience. read more

The Cowboy's Grille - Mac & Cheese - American Near Me - Gardiner, Montana

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They were out of ribs and the chicken fried steak. The brisket sandwich was dry and tasted like steakums. The chicken fingers were straight from the freezer and tasted like so. Will not go back read more

If you're coming here for breakfast and enjoy coffee - then skip this place . The coffee was awful and basically tasted like dirty water.

Service was prompt but very few customers there. They advertise breakfast with many signs but menu seems limited. Requested only 2 eggs but still received 3 ( waiter said price would be the same) bacon and sausage very small, no hash browns, no toast selection. The place is clean with old west decor, lots of guns everywhere mounted on the walls read more

Thursday dinner - yes! We walked from our lodge to this place to grab dinner before calling it a night. They had an artist outside performing and plenty of people lounging around as they waited to be seated or at the outside bar. It gives "Montana" vibes through and through with guns decorating the walls and quirky midwestern decor of "bounty reward" posters, pictures and whatnot. We waited about 25 min to be seated. We ordered the vegetarian burger, black bear, and dizzy buffalo. We really enjoyed them, and the fries were delicious. Overall, I'd come back again. read more

The Cowboy's Grille - Inside. - American Near Me - Gardiner, Montana

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Stopped here on the way out of Yellowstone, to be very honest. The food is just okay. But it does the job.

Great service...great atmosphere...great food! Spent the day at Yellowstone and this really hit the spot read more

We are here for dinner and breakfast. Dinner: Ribs with green beans and mashed potatoes. Yummy. Then. Breakfast! The blueberry pancake was so large it took up the entire plate! Best one I have ever had. We spent 2 evenings listening to live music outside. Highly recommend this place. Atmosphere was so Montana. Great place for our vacation! read more

The Cowboy's Grille - Next to stage for live music. - American Near Me - Gardiner, Montana

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It may not look like it but they got some great breakfast scrambles. Also I've never had butter toasted biscuits but I'm taking that idea back with me. The toasted crunch with the real-deal sausage gravy are well worth it coming from a southern girl. read more

Went for lunch. Asked about the burrito and waiter suggested the pork and recommended we split one. It was huge! Very delicious - Wasn't spicy at all but had a great flavor and meat was very tender. Should have been a little hotter, temperature wise. Mike was an excellent waiter, friendly and efficient. read more

Tasty chicken fried chicken entree, cold A/C, cold soft drinks and friendly service from Hamza.

Incredible western atmosphere and delicious food, really interesting wall decorations.

Visitors have few choices and I still wouldn't choose it. Food is not made in house or doesn't taste like it. No parking so best to walk. read more

Delicious food, amazing service. Mike, our server, was very attentive and quick. The vibe was good, we stayed inside and they had great music with a quiet atmosphere. 10/10 would recommend read more

The Cowboy's Grille - Wild Game Chili - American Near Me - Gardiner, Montana

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Was passing through the area last month and had dinner at the Cowboy Grille. Loved the decor, our server was super friendly and I am still salivating over the Blackberry Jalapeno Sauce that was served over my pulled pork. It was soooooo good. Trying to find a recipe so that I can create it at home. read more

Cowboy's Grill is a decent place to visit. I am amazed with all the rifles decor. The country fried chicken was good especially the gravy and the chilli ok. read more

The Cowboy's Grille - Country fried chicken and ribs - American Near Me - Gardiner, Montana

I am usually a gracious reviewer- giving grace to busy seasons and busy times. Not this time. Location was moderately busy for a Monday. We waited about 15 minutes for a table which was great- enjoyed live music outside. One we sat- we placed drink and appetizers orders. Waited 28(ish) minutes for those to arrive. Our food was served within a minute of our apps arriving. Food was just okay. We had the cheese curds and wild game fries as apps and then bison burgers, country fried steak and bbq sandwich. It is a tourist location for sure. read more

The Cowboy's Grille - American Near Me - Gardiner, Montana

Was forewarned that the dood would take 40-50 minutes. We weren't in a hurry so we gave it a shot. Admittedly there were not too many places open on a Sunday night.There was music outside which folks seemed to like and games to keep the kiddos occupied. The food was nothing special, they were out of items. The person who served us was pleasant but had too many to take care of. read more

The Cowboy's Grille - Interesting decor - American Near Me - Gardiner, Montana

I would like to give a review on the food but we never even got seated .. we waited almost 10 minutes.. 4-5 staff members all looked directly at us multiple times .. never acknowledged us , never got seated so we walked out. Don't mind waiting for a table (there was no wait at this time) but standing there for 10 minutes and NO ONE even said "be right with you" is not ok .. read more

Quick stop for lunch before we leave Gardnier/Yellowstone. I wanted to try the Jalepeno Buffalo Burger, and I have to say it was very flavorful. The jalapeño is a jam that adds flavor and only a little heat. The meat is also lean and not greasy, which is important to me. My boyfriend had the chicken fried steak with mash, and the mashed potatoes are devine. I tried them 3 times. I had a salad with my burger. The 3 dollar up charge seemed a little much, but the mixed greens were good, and they added some bacon crumbles. It's worth a visit. They are very busy which is a good sign. read more

The Cowboy's Grille - Quick stop. Heard the burgers were great . - American Near Me - Gardiner, Montana

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Stopped in after a long day in YS with boys 8 12 plus a picky mom and dad who is from the south and adventurous eater. Everyone loved everything and plates were wiped clean! Steak fried steak was delicious. Not greasy or overly cooked with the perfect amount of seasoning. Gravy was delicious and held up to our southern standards. Boys had bison burgers and mac. Nothing crazy on the mac but the bison was flavorful and delicious. Hubs had the hunter pie which was absolutely full of veggies and amazing flavors. If you want something authentic to the area, fast and easy this is a must stop for dinner or lunch. Atmosphere was intimate yet fun and overall just a vibe. read more

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The place is very nice on the out side it has a very welcoming feeling , walked it there were two workers there one I could t really understand too much but seems like we were bothering him or something so we ordered our food and it came pretty quick. The food was good had the chilli cheese fries and some other good .. would probably go back in the future.. read more

Food and ambiance is outstanding. Chili is a perfect blend of meat and beans with spices on point. Burgers and ribs are highly recommended. read more

Service was quick, efficient, although server heard our order wrong and was quick to say what I ordered, ignoring the fact that he heard incorrectly. He eventually offered to make the correct dish. However, after trying a bite of the Cowboy Camp Skillet, it was delicious. Only negative is the one server was rushing around so much that true high quality customer service lacked. As questions were asked, he rushed off so quickly either not hearing, ignoring because he was too rushed, or simply didn't care. But if you want quick service that's better than fast food, so you can hit the park quick, this is a good place to visit. read more

We visited here in the beginning of April. We tried the fried cheese curds - AMAZING! The huckleberry habanero sauce that comes with them is so good! I got the chicken tenders and they were delicious! My boyfriend got the chicken fried steak and it was pretty decent. Not many places open until next week, but this was a good stop. read more

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This restaurant is attached to a motel. Not many choices in Gardiner. Food was good. Service was fine. Interesting decor. Went there two times during our 5 day stay visiting all of Yellowstone during the day and returning to Gardiner at night. BE PREPARED, though, for outrageous prices all through Gardiner. Though the cost of living is 5% below the national average, food and drinks here rival or exceed airport pricing! We heard all the usual fake excuses from the local shops. Perfect example. Here at Cowboy's, a no-frills 1/3 lbs. bison burger is $19 before tax and tip. The wholesale / local market price for bison is around $10/lb. (Shadeland Stock Farm list ground bison at $9.23 per pound). Wages are $14 or so. There is a family market in Gardiner (only market within 50 miles, BTW). Prices there are reasonable and it's well-stocked. read more

The wait was horrendous. I feel bad for the crew members. They're definitely short staffed. The food was so subpar. See attached photo of pork BBQ sandwich... the bbq sauce was ketchup read more

The Cowboy's Grille - Pork BBQ sandwich - American Near Me - Gardiner, Montana

Excellent breakfast. We were leaving the park after five days exploring and wanted breakfast. Saw this neat place. Apparently live music most nights during season. Breakfast was very good service quick. Definitely a good find. read more

Service a bit slow. Waited about 20 mins to be seated. Got menus in a few minutes but almost 15 more mins for order. Food came out relatively fast but while main dishes like ribs were great the side dishes were room temp. Small Green beans and small dish of mashed potatoes was fine. Service was reasonable. Prices typical of resort area. read more