I have in the past been a very big fan of WIllow Creek, and have sent countless guests to the area there to dine- I am afraid no more. We drove 30-miles to go to WIllow Creek last night to arrive to a handwritten sign on the door 'Reservations only, no walk-ins,' something I have never seen before in Montana- or anywhere in the world for that matter.
Well, this just can't be for a restaurant with a bar in the middle of nowhere Montana. Especially Willow Creek where they are always so friendly. So we went in anyway (it was 7:20pm on a Sunday night, Sunday working hours posted as being 4 - 9pm). We approached the bar and asked if we could sit at the bar and order food, and the bartender responded no, it was reservations only. She offered to pour us a drink, but we drove there to get food, so thanks anyway.
While inside, I noted that the place was borderline empty with at least 10 open table, and not a soul sitting at the bar. Willow Creek also has a semi-open kitchen visible from the bar area. I couldn't see much because there were two cooks standing aimlessly in the doorway not looking very busy. I also did not see the productive energy 'mayhem' that happens in an overworked restaurant kitchen. So we left.
Outside, I called the restaurant and asked to make a reservation. The response was "No, we are full." I responded by saying '"Can we sit at one of the 10 empty tables or the empty bar I am looking at right now?", and the lady that answered the phone responded that I should talk with the manager. And I did.
I stated that we had driven a long way and hoped to eat there tonight, and were very let down to see an empty restaurant not willing to seat us and wondered why we could not give him money in exchange for food, which is of course the business he is in. His response was a very gruff and rude: "I have been working all day and I am f*&:ing tired," and then he hung up.
I am a tremendous proponent of locally owned Montana businesses and part of my business is sending visitors to places just like Willow Creek. Needless to say, I will not frequent a business that does not want my business. Nor, can I with a clear conscious, recommend to any local, or visitor, to make the drive out to Willow Creek and run the risk of not being served dependent upon the manager's whim and how tired he is.
Sadly, his actions are a direct reflection upon the entirety of the Willow Creek establishment. It is a shame that an individual's actions can mar a patron's opinion so grandly, but Willow Creek has quickly gone from one of my favorites to 'Do Not Go' status.
There are always circumstances and situations that cause a person to act a certain way. However, there is no place anywhere, let alone in small town Montana, for a prima donna restauranteur. No food, atmosphere, or location is good enough to justify being treated disprespectfully- and this certainly includes Willow Creek. Perhaps they were short staffed, someone died, or a food order did not get delivered. That is fine, but tell me the truth and with respect; not that you are 'too tired'. After all, I am the one potentially giving you money for service, not the other way around.
Further, the best part of Willow Creek has always been the friendly staff and welcoming, unique 'Montana' atmosphere- not the food. Yesterday that was completely gone. I feel sorry for the staff of Willow Creek who's wages are dependent upon serving patrons, because if this level of treatment and policy continues there will not be any patrons for them to earn money off of in the future.
In conclusion, barring some serious management attitude changes, Willow Creek is no longer worth the drive.
I encourage the manager/ owner to respond to these statements, as I very much want to give Willow Creek the benefit of the doubt to the reasoning of why they would not serve 2-guys food with an empty bar, empty tables, and idle staff. I want to support their establishment, but need to know if problems will be rectified for the future.
The prime rib was ok, but not great. My family enjoyed the ribs. The service was terrible; our server was really slow and tried to force my husband to order more food. Overall, not a dining experience that I was to repeat, but I'm glad that we tried it.
I did feel the the dishes were a little overpriced for the quality and quantity.
I rarely give 5 stars, but this place is worth the drive! Â It's old time Montana charm mixed with a modern menu that won't disapoint. Â It's all cooked right here and flavors are unique and delicious. Â I recommend the soups, and of course, the legendary ribs. Â My pardner enjoyed his steak as much as I liked the ribs, so I don't think you can go wrong here.
Review Source:I keep Willow Creek's number saved in my phone and always try to time it right so I am in their neck of the woods around dinner time. Granted, Willow Creek is off the beaten path, so I'm lucky if I can get there 1-2 times a year.
I can really only vouch for the ribs, because once you have them it's impossible to order anything else. As other reviewers have mentioned, the sauce is "the boss", with a great mustardy sweet taste that doesn't overpower the meat. The ribs themselves are super meaty, and on the best days all you have to do is stare at it hard and the meat falls off the bone! Add in their awesome fries, salad, roll with butter, and beer and you have my perfect meal. My one complaint is that they literally drown your salad in dressing, and I always forget to ask for dressing on the side.
I've had friends order other items off the menu, which they have raved about. The smoked trout appetizer is fantastic, and I always kick myself for not saving room for dessert, as they always have an interesting assortment.
A great little restaurant with charm and atmosphere; bring your out of town guests for a meal they'll never forget!
This place is awesome! It has great food, the ribs are out of this world! They have a mustard base sauce that is so delicious. The steaks and pulled pork are great too. It is well worth the drive and make sure you have reservations! It gets super busy and there is a reason why! I would recommend this place to everyone. I'm told the pasta dishes are great too. I just can't pass up the ribs to try anything else.
Review Source:I LOVE this place! Â I've tried a lot of ribs from Texas, North Carolina, Tennesse, all over the U.S., and this place is right at the top of the list. Â They use a honey-mustard sauce, which I'm not typically fond of, but for some reason it works at the Willow Creek Saloon. Not too sweet for me. The ribs are the type of ribs that have that "bark" all around and big, fat meaty ones! Â The chicken fried steak is great too, but I've only had it once there because the ribs are so good I can't bring myself to order anything else. Â Really amazing. Whenever I have out of town visitors, I always take them to the Willow Creek Saloon.
Review Source:Brought my husband here for the true Montana experience! We are both from California but I was born in Bozeman and come back often to visit family. I hadn't been to this restaurant in awhile but since it was my husband's first time in Montana, we brought him to check out the ribs.
The atmosphere is rough but fun, with real bullet holes in the ceiling, deer heads mounted to the wall and a true saloon feel.
I had a really good steak with the red potatoes and a salad with delicious huckleberry dressing.
My husband devoured his ribs- which if you haven't had them before you are missing out. He said that are among the top 3 best ribs he has ever had- and that is saying something!
Highly recommended and a fun experience for those new to Montana.
havent been in a while but without a doubt the best chicken fried steak ever.pan gravy made with your fresh poundedand breaded strip steak juices, not premade.bbq ribs damn good, hint of mustard hides in the miriad of flavors.staff is great beer cold.parents are regulars,they wouldnt be if it was so so.worth the drive,watch out for deer.
Review Source:Excellent BBQ ribs and chicken, with all the trimmings. Along with Land of Magic, this is one of the two must-visit restaurants in the Three Forks area. The town of Willow Creek is a great little town out of a history book. The restaurant is located a few hundred feet from a picturesque grain tower.
Review Source:
The 5 best restaurants in the 2015 Denver Restaurant Week
3,611 Views | Category: Denver
The complete list of 2015 Denver Restaurant Week businesses
1,972 Views | Category: Denver
The tourists' guide to Portillos: 5 must have dishes
3,318 Views | Category: Chicago
Pho = Pronounced "fuh" not "foe" for pho-king sake
2,915 Views | Category: Denver
Indulgery selected to exhibit at Collision Conference
2,987 Views | Category: Press Releases
Not Logged In
BUSINESSES
Local Businesses
Near Me
My Favorites
SOCIAL
Blog & News
MY ACCOUNT
Login
Register
Contact Us
Add Your Business
