The service is great. The food is even better. This last visit I had the Tender 501 - a tenderloin medallion sandwich with caramelized onions with Sriracha aioli along with spicy french fries. It was absolutely excellent! The steak was tender, and with the onions and aioli was just a perfect combo. The fries were crisp and incredibly tasty.
There's a reason I eat at the Iron Horse every time I come through Missoula.
Husband and I had a craving for Nachos and someone recommended this place. Nachos were ok but I also ordered a sirloin salad. The sirloin was raw, looked like it had just been braised for a short period of time. Told the waitress I could not eat it because it was not cooked. She says that she will see what she can do. Comes back to the table and offers me a free drink, NOT how about I fix your food or not charge you for the salad but a free drink. Wont return !!
Review Source:Always enjoy the Ironhorse! Â The service is stellar and the beer is cold. Â I ordered for my wife and I think it startled the server. Is that a lost art? He took it in stride and our date night evening was enjoyable. Â Yep, we'll be back. Â The martinis are excellent! Â I usually balk at martini prices but not on date night.
Review Source:They have two of my plates in Missoula...
#1- Baja Taco- cannot go wrong here. Absolutely amazing, made to perfection each time
#2- Tender 501- this is their famous sanwhich and it's as good as everyone says!
..They also have a great atmosphere/seating area during the summer..With that being said- the servers aren't always the nicest/most attentive..Several times I have had really bad experiences with service, but because I love their food so much- I keep going. ALSO, I ordered the tuna sandwich ONCE and I will never get it again. It was terrible, soggy, and the sprouts tasted like dishwater..even though I complained and tried to send it back- nothing was done about it..Meh, back to the baja taco.
Great beer selection with a lot of locals on tap. Came here with apps in mind so we had the wings and gravy fries. Very tasty buffalo wings (all drums actually) but they were cooked perfect, not soggy or too crunchy, and had really good sauce that didn't taste like it was just doctored up Frank's like most places get away with. The gravy fries were a little indulgent but wow were they good. Nice thick fries covered in a house brown gravy with jack cheese and green onion. Got halfway through these and thought I couldn't eat anymore... but finished the plate. Didnt get to try any entrees but everything sounded good.
Very nice server also.
The only downside for us was that it was a Broncos football night and it was getting pretty loud there.
What a find! I happened upon this place while passing through. Killer outdoor seating, great food (try the tandoor chicken salad), great beer, and phenomenal service (Justin, who selected my beers, gave me awesome food advice, and never let a glass go empty.) can't recommend it enough.
Review Source:On a trip through montana and i i thought i would get a feel for their college life by stopping at iron horse. We had the chicken waffle, tender 501 samdwich, burbon street pulled pork, and shrimp andouie pasta shells. The slider appatizer is fantastic. The chicken waffle had a lot of herbs but tasted great nontheless. My tender 501 was amazing with perfect grilled onions tenderloin, and siracha sauce that was to die for. The burbon street pulled pork was so spicy and delicious. Great beer selection and wine as well. Fun atmospher and packed to the brim. Severely underated.
Review Source:I visited Missoula for the first time this year on a business trip. I arrived at the Iron Horse with a group of 7 and we were only able to find one table next to the entrance. However, it was a Saturday afternoon; I can understand a place getting busy on the weekends.
I ordered the media noche sandwich and had two Stella's. The sandwich was alright. Definitely no where near the best media noche sandwich I've had, but it hit the spot. Rating is for average service, decent food, lack of seating, and the waitress' semi-rude personality.
Had a pretty good dinner here when passing through town last May. Â Great beer selection with good pub comfort food. Â A place with sweet potato fries is always a plus in my book too.
We both had burgers I am pretty sure. I had the Grizzly burger and she had a bacon burger. Â The burger were pretty good but the bun kind of feel apart. Â It definitely wasn't a memorable visit and I probably would not seek this place out is all. Â But if I just wanted a beer and a burger while watching sports, then is place fits the bill.
The IHBP is a popular Missoula hangout with an interesting and lively history, so it was somehow appropriate that my first visit here was with a group of locals who were every bit as lively and interesting as the location itself. I came on the invitation of Missoula Yelper, Judy W. (<a href="http://www.yelp.com/user_details?userid=W1hEYZDcG4zHYLaENL3S-Q">http://www.yelp.com/user…</a>), a well-regarded author, educator, motivational speaker, and life coach (and mother of 6). It was her way of welcoming me, a recent Yelp transplant, into the community. I enjoyed the afternoon out immensely, not just because of the quality of the company but also because of the niceness of the setting.
In fact, now that I think about it, Judy W. and I may well have hosted the first UYE in Missoula history. If this is indeed the case (and I have not idea how I could ever confirm this), then the Iron Horse was the perfect spot for it. It has all the telltale signs of a local landmark that surely can get rockin' wild from time to time, but what impressed me on the day we visited was how relaxing and downright comfortable it was. That kind of atmosphere is hard to fake, so when you find it, you know.
We came for lunch midweek and snagged a corner table for 4 +1 by a cast iron fireplace at the far end of a glassed-in winter patio. It was a great location, one that allowed us to get acquainted and swap stories without shouting at each other, which made the whole meal pleasant from start to finish. While the "Horse" transforms itself at night and during Grizzly football games into a rowdy sports bar filled with UM alumni and students, the atmosphere when we visited was more like an Oxford pub than an American Western watering hole. Instead of cask-conditioned English ales there were fresh beers on tap from Missoula's own Big Sky Brewing, including their excellent Scapegoat pale ale and the creatively-named Moose Drool brown ale. Instead of fish and chips and mushy peas, we feasted on savory sweet potato fries, an extravagantly baconed BLT (more like a BBBLT, I would say), a creamy Dungeness crab and artichoke dip, a pulled pork BBQ sandwich, and a really nice cup of Spanish tortilla soup.
While the food and drink were very good, the conversation was probably even better. I found myself feeling like a local right away. That is a priceless experience for anyone who has recently relocated from one place to another. As I have occasionally remarked in the past, food and drink are only two parts of a complex equation when it comes to eating out. The intangibles are harder to rank on a scale of 1 to 5. How can a restaurant owner possibly prepare for every contingency and make each minute of the day as satisfying as the next? It's an impossible task, and it shouldn't be expected, either. It takes a lot of teamwork to make a place like this click, and there are bound to be some days that are better than others.
But I got lucky, I guess. On the day that I came, the Horse was having a good day. Things were definitely clicking, and that deserves Yelping about. Judy W. and her friends had something to do with this, of course, but so did those sweet potato fries.
+4: I love the sweet potato fries - om nom! Â I had a 1/2 gyro salad on my last visit. Â The meat was a bit on the dry side but everything else was spot on. Â I really appreciated the sauce coming on the side so I could take home leftover salad without the soggy factor.
-1: The portions here are way too large for an average person to eat in one sitting - even the kid's sizes are gargantuan!
The Iron Horse Brew Pub is one of my favorite places in town. Great drinks, great food and good times! My favorite thing about the Iron Horse is the wonderful outdoor patio on the third floor. There's nothing like having a meal or a few drinks out there in the summer time.
As for my reasons for not giving a 5 star review:
-The food and drinks are a tad expensive. If I didn't love the Strawberry Sex drink so much, I may not return as much as I do.
-The service is hit or miss. Most of the time, the wait staff lacks on the personality side. I'm usually a decent tipper but if the waiter/waitress acts like they hate their job and is rude, I start docking the tip.
-I'm not a fan of the average I-ho night crowd. Most of the people there are wealthy alumni-types or fall into the "frat-boy/sorority girl" subtype. That being said, I prefer to go there for lunch or perch myself on the aforementioned 3rd story patio.
This place just doesn't give me enough bang for my buck. Â The food is ok. Â But the ambiance isn't my style--usually it's full of rich UM alumni and money-wielding college kids. Â Don't think about going there on game day unless you mean business! Â Not to mention it's kind of on the expensive side.
They get the third star solely for their fabulous patio!
Tangent alert: Â I've had some not-so-nice interactions with their owner from my time working food service. Â She doesn't tip! Â Sorry, but it does color my opinion of your establishment.
Better than nothing if the strip clubs won't hire you if you are unemployed barstaff.
The outdoor patio is nice during summer. The bathrooms are clean, and its centrally located. Go here for a cheap lunch or eye opener before walking around old town. give the post 8pm crowd a miss unless you dig "Jersey Shore: Montana cowpunching contest"
Stopped in to grab a couple brews and some lunch while visiting family. They have a really good selection of beers and the bar is stocked with just about anything you would want.
The establishment was bright, clean and had a great atmosphere. The staff was friendly and attentive without being annoying. I had the Media Noche sandwich which was fantastic and my gf's fish taco's were great as well. Our lunch with 2 pints and a "girly" drink came to about $24 which is very reasonable, especially compared to the prices we pay at the brew pubs in Colorado.
Great experience and I will absolutely go back when I visit Missoula again.
This is a great brew pub to go to if you want a laid back atmosphere, can't decide what your hungry for, or just want to have a drink and watch the game.
It has a very broad menu with a lot of good food to choose from. I have had salads to nachos here, with meals in between. I can't complain about that.
The down side is that the pop tends to be flat and seating is very hard to come by, especially for a large group. The wait staff does not help you find a place to sit so you constantly have to be on the look-out for a table. Also the wait staff is not always attentive.
So, to wrap things up: great food but make sure your not in a hurry.
Better ravioli has never passed my lips. If it wasn't for the disappointing service I'd be giving 5 stars. My taste buds were blown away!
Fresh asparagus ravioli - hand made for The Iron Horse & imported from Seattle.
Red pepper ravioli filled with fresh asparagus & imported Italian cheeses, topped with mushrooms & asparagus tips in house pesto cream sauce. Served with garlic toast.
They have a wide selection of salad dressings. Our waitress didn't bother pointing them out so I knew what my choices were. She hastily asked, "Is blah blah dressing ok?" I felt a little rushed & very uninformed.
Locals know The Iron Horse is where the Cali girls go to hang out. I got the impression it's where the pop the collar type of guys go. We were there early enough to see all types of people, including children.
There's 1 pool table that I saw.
By the restrooms is a pretty cool fish tank.
I'm usually annoyed by places that play their music loud but the music here was super quiet. That actually bugged me because it was good music! I wanted to hear it for once, but that's just me lol
Was here last night to meet a friend on my week long return to Missoula. Loved going back- the only downfall is that it was still cold so no seating on the outdoor deck which is huge.
Staff is friendly, and attentive. Good prices on food and drinks. We got apitcher for $5 can't beat that! Love the missoula beer prices. They totally beat MA! Great huge portions that are filling. I had the buffalo chicken salad which was huge and filling and I couldn't finish. GREAT Salad! Lots of variety of food options. A must do when in Missoula!
This was the best place I've found to go out in Missoula, coming from a traveler passing through town. The drinks seemed a bit more expensive than they needed to be.
There as a mix of different people: some older looking ladies, some drunk girls, and some fratty looking guys. One of these fratty guys wanted to beat up my friend for wearing a pink polo. The bouncers escorted him out. But don't worry, that didn't negatively effect my experience.
I enjoyed sitting on the outside patio as the weather was beautiful last time I was here. My favorite part was the caution drunk crossing sign out front.
Not a fan of the crowd that gathers here after, say, 8pm. This place is also notorious for serving underage (it's not that hard and I now countless people who go there for dinner and stay a couple hours to avoid the bouncer and the inevitable ID check).
Their fries are good and they have a raw veggie appetizer, which is a nice alternative. Never had to wait for a table or stand around waiting for a spot to open up at the bar, which is a plus. If you go before the bar crowd arrives, try the Athena Greek wrap. Very yummy.
Service is a little below average. The past couple times we've gotten a waitress that makes it obvious that she hates you and her job.
Planning on avoiding this place from now on...
If you are a college 'bro' or 'sorostitute' this is apparently the place to be based on the crowd gathered on a Friday night.
Came in here because it has brew pub in the name, which implies they brew their own beer, my mistake. We were informed by the waitress that they used to brew their own beer until the old owners split thus dissolving the brewing operation and it was just easier to keep the name. Â Well then.
They did have some local beers on the menu that were ok and their salads with house made dressings were good. The crowd was like amateur hour and unappealing.
Another Missoula hot spot for me and my cohorts. Â This place is always hopping. Â Quality sports bar with 2 levels of seating and in the summers they close off the parking lot and have live bands and dancing. Â Now usually, pub food is standard fare for many of these establishments. Â But I have had some great dishes here, cooked to order (and the one time it wasn't they made it right, with no fear of kitchen retribution). Â The seared Ahi was prepared spot on med rare on the side of rare as ordered and on another occasion the beef tenderloin medallions seared med rare and were like butter. Â They carry a full line of many local brews on tap...Big Sky's Scapegoat IPA and Moose Drool being 2 favorites. Â I also had a huckleberry martini on the recommendation of one of the bartenders...not bad...
Review Source:The Iron Horse is a Missoula institution. On football weekends, this place is packed with Fans. Overall, I'm very happy with their food and I highly recommend their Nachos plate with chicken! Their sweet potato fries are also pretty good. Their drinks are on par with what is available in town and so are their prices. If you are ever in Missoula, you have to come check this place out. In the summer, they open up the Patio upstairs which is a great experience!
Review Source:When I return for a Griz game or the occasional trip to see family, the I-Ho is tops on my list of place to go for that college nostalgia experience.
The 501, a tasty prime rib sandwich with an amazing sauce, is by far the best thing on the menu, especially when you combine it with the garlic fries, not a fan of the sweet potato version. They have a great selection of local brews on tap, and, though not a true sports bar set up, there is enough TV coverage to keep up to date with what's going on in the wide world of sports.
Head upstairs for some nice balcony seating or spend some time talking the bartender up there to let you drink from the boot. It won't be easy, but if you get the chance, remember to turn the boot so the foot is on the side to keep dry.
Very pleasant place, at least in the early summer when some of the students are gone. Â Tons of seating.
The "rice cakes" appetizer is way better than its grocery-store namesake--"risotto fritters" would be a more accurate and appetizing description. Â The 9 month old I was with seemed to really enjoy the sweet potato fries that went with my blackened steak sandwich as well, though I can't give an accurate review of it as I was hungry enough to eat the table at the time.
Great selection of local breweries on tap (cheap as hell by Chicago standards), though I didn't see a house brew so are they really a brew pub? Â Shrug. Â Very friendly service as well, just like everywhere else in Missoula.
This place definitely has a "crowd" - college frat, but tame ones... or something like that. It was busy but not chaotic when a friend and I stopped in for a drink, on Sunday evening. The bartender made great drinks despite his grumpiness. I slurped- nay, I sipped, in proper ladylike fashion.... my Ultimate Russian. It was heavenly. Their list of shots was great too- it was nice to have a place list all the fun ones, like a Dirty Girl Scout and Cowboy Cocksucker ( those seemed very, um, Montanan....). Overall a good sports-pub vibe, a great prelude to the backyard campfire that followed that night.
Review Source:I've been to the Iron Horse numerous times and I've had a good time. They have a full bar with some really good beers. I've only eating here a couple times and the service and food was good, when it starts to get really busy you have to make sure the server sees you or you may be waiting a long time. It is busy mostly on the weekends and when there are things going on during the week (such as Wasted Wednesdays). It is a great place to meet with friends and hang out. They have a couple TV's behind the bar, so if it's slow, you can watch whatever is on. They have a pool table but it tends to be occupied so you may have to wait for it.
It's a great place to go with a fun and relaxed environment and I would recommend it as a place to check out when in Missoula.
I ordered an asian glazed salmon dish, which was fairly tasty salmon on a bed of rice that was completely drenched in some kind of funny-tasting teriyaki sauce. Â The vegetables were well-cooked, though. Â
We sat on the patio, which felt fun and happening, but the loud music bleeding from the bar inside was distorted and distracting. Â
Definitely a place I'd go again if nothing else were open (they roll up the sidewalks pretty early as far as Missoula restaurants go) but it was nothing to write home about.
The Iron Horse is one of the premiere hot spots in town. Â Any time I'm entertaining people from out of town, either work, family or friends, we always make it down to the Horse. Â The menu evolves every year, but old reliable is always there...the Nachos. Â If you or anyone you know can eat a full (or even a half) by themselves, then you should definitely take up competitive eating. Â They're ginormous.
Great place to hit in stride around 11:00pm on the weekend (or Tues or Thurs, or...). Â Always a good time and the outdoor seating is probably the best in town. Â Not to mention the 501 Lounge addition is a great atmosphere to chill with a few friends and several cocktails.
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