This is probably closer to a 3 1/2, but I'll round up :).
I went here with a group of 7 after a long day of snowboarding (so we were all famished). Everyone had a hard time choosing something from the menu... only because it all looked so good... from the acorn squash stuffed rainbow trout to the 24oz bison prime rib. We shared a bunch of appetizers to start (mussels, venison carpaccio, baked brie, and the game and cheese plate) and there wasn't a crumb left on a single plate when we were done. The main courses were just as delicious! In fact the only reason why I'm taking away a half star is because the drinks were so inconsistent. First round there was a dirty vodka martini ordered and a mai tia along w/ a bottle of wine. Second round, more of the same... except the mai tia tasted like it had a weird ingredient  and the "dirty" martini had zero olive juice in it (it was crystal clear). We explained this to the waiter who quickly got the bartender to make a new mai tai and add olive juice to the martini. This would be no bid deal except the waiter came back and said, "the bartender did make the it dirty, but he added more." Okay buddy. Just fix the drink, don't tell us we're wrong. The waiter was pretty insistent about the bartender making it right and that it left a bad taste in our mouths (which was quickly rectified by dessert).
After pondering the weird drink situation over yet another bottle of wine, we came to the conclusion that the bartender put the olive juice in the mai tai. The moral of this story is... wine solves all problems.
Easily one of my top five worst meals ever, and I grew up in Utah.
If we hadn't brought our own wine, there would have been no redemption, yet even that lovely vintage was besmirched by the "ambiance" of this resort purgatory. From the app special to the elk medallions, it was all just embarrassing, extravagantly overpriced food. I understand that dining on the mountain is tough, but do not eat here. In fact, do not even think about the Cabin while eating anywhere else.
For Big Sky, this place gets four stars, but I have to give it three. I keep referencing in my reviews that it's difficult to compare ski town restaurants to what you may find in a city or other populated areas, trying to keep it fair here.
BF and I went on a Wednesday night, only two or three other tables so it was quiet. BF had the bison steak and I had the walleye, both enjoyed our dishes. Polenta, veggies, and crab meat were a good addition to the walleye, which seemed to be of good quality (wasn't fishy). BF made the comment that a "fine dining" restaurant should have electronic candles, maybe he's right but again perhaps Montana has some weird fire code we don't know about. BF had strong manhattans and I had two glass of the Heron pinot noir, hit the spot. A little pricy but food is good quality, ski town dining can be adventurous.
Good service, typical Montana decor (log cabin, taxidermy, etc.).
Ate here on a recent trip to Big Sky, food was great, view was *almost* great, did get a bit noisy but this is a family oriented ski area so that comes with the territory.
My wife had the Walleye which being from the West Coast was a first for us and she loved it. Â I had the braised Elk Shank which was excellent. Â Service was super friendly and prompt, cocktails were perfect, a very good choice if you don't want to drive down to the lower villages.
Only complaints/suggestions would be:
1. Noise: Â Large, vaulted ceiling tended to reverberate the noise and some kind of panels or noise buffers would go a long way in tempering that. Â
2. View: Part of the view up and across the ski hill is nice but the view is dominated by the steam and air-conditioning stacks behind the Summit Hotel. Â I know snow is an issue but some potted evergreens and/or some low fencing would help hide these.
We got there at 7.30 on a Monday night having made reservations. Â They were already out of the Elk, Pheasant and Cowboy Bison Steak. Â These are all three of their signature dishes and it was not even a late serving. Â Instead they offered Beef Steak and Pork Chops, of which they only had 3 portions left!. Â I could go anywhere, anywhere in the country and eat Beef or Pork. Â The other options on the menu and the alternatives were not great. Â No Vegetables were available to order.
On the plus side there was a good selection of beers even if they needed to be sent back to get a full pour not an inch of head on the top of the 'pint'.
Servers were mostly friendly but one guy seemed a bit frazzled and snippy. Â He brought the cheese platter to the table and was asked by the other server to present it and describe the contents and snapped back 'I don't know what the content is'.
That experience led to a $100 check. Â Not worth $100 for two.
Finally, the dining room is very bright, and while the animal heads lend it some charm, it doesn't all come together- there is no ambiance to speak of
I've tried most places in Big Sky, and I haven't found anyplace that I wanted to return to. But because there aren't too many places, you have little choice.
Tonight I got the Bison Cowboy Steak, which came with 3 Tbsp of mashed potatoes and a few sauteed carrots & squash pieces (no gravy or anything). There was a single fried onion ring atop the steak. That plate cost $49.50 before tax & tip, and with no beverage -- just water. I got it because I had never tried a bison steak before. It tasted a lot like beef, thought a tad gamier. It wasn't bad, but it was nothing special.
Oh -- I also got the chocolate mousse for dessert ($6). The mousse was sweet -- milk chocolate -- and tasty. It was a decent size portion for the price.
Service was exceptionally friendly and prompt. This place is just way too costly for the portion size and quality, even at a ski resort.
We were recommended to dine here by some of the staff at Moonlight Lodge...since we had already dined there many times...
Great recommendation as far as food. Â Ambiance is the reason I gave it 3 stars. Â Pretty loud and reverberant room...not really setup as a restaurant...more like a large cafe. Â The owner was super cool and the bartender, Clint, was just great. Â Unfortunately not my idea of a great restaurant as far as location/decor, etc. Â I give the food 5 stars though...
Oh, there are tons of large families that come to this place so it gets really loud. Â Not recommended for couples or smaller groups looking to have a conversation.
Three words: Twin Petite Filets. Order them medium rare, you won't be sorry. We have been coming here for years for lunch and dinner and this is a longstanding staple on their menu. I order other menu items, and am always happy, but still look longingly at my husband as he shoveling in the beautiful meaty bits covered in bernaise. If you are there for lunch, order the fish sandwich and a bloody mary. We moved to Denver a few months ago and these are the top three things we will miss.
Review Source:Surprisingly probably the best food I had while in Big Sky. I wasn't starving but when the guys wanted to take a break to grab lunch I decided to head in with them.
JP ordered the bison/elk burger and I am oh so glad he did. It was heaven in a bun. Compared to the bison burger we both ordered the night before at Lone Peak Brewery, the Cabin's burger was head and shoulders above it. The flavor, the patty, the juiciness so good!
I ordered a cup of the bison/elk chili which was warm and satisfying. I nibbled some fries off of our friend's plate and my god, they were the best seasoned fries I've had in a long time and they were perfectly cooked. Yes, I just said that about french fries.
The Cabin has a full bar and a small TV so we were able to catch part of the AFC Championship before heading back out to the slopes. Since it was our first time to Big Sky I can't really compare this to other places to grab food on the mountain, but it was good and we were able to grab a table easily which is always a plus when you want to get back out to enjoy the snow quickly.