Meadowlark Brewing — Restaurant in Billings

UPDATE: Someone from Meadowlark reached out to me on Facebook to apologize. He also mentioned that he knew their performance was below expectation the night we stopped in and invited us back to try to remedy our experience and change our opinion.

He never mentioned or asked us to edit our review - I am doing this by choice

We came back in tonight and our experience was 1000x better. We ordered different main meals than we did the first time to try out more of the menu and were not disappointed. We also got a couple of apps and beers, which were all good. Our waitress was also great!

Favorites - the fried pickles are so good and different! The Black Steer’s Tookus (beer) is also good!

We are happy to give our business to an establishment that made it obvious they care about their customers and their reputation. We will be back. :)

Original: First, I RARELY leave reviews so please know I am not a Karen.

We (a group of 4 adults, 1 toddler, and 1 baby) decided to stop here for dinner after going to the Zoo Christmas Lights. When we arrived (around 6:30pm), we were told there would be about a 20 min wait, which we were fine with. We waited and once we were seated they decided to then inform us the kitchen was slower than usual. Again, no biggie (but did think it was strange that they didn't tell us that BEFORE we waited for our table).

We started by ordering our drinks, 2 apps, and the toddler's meal because he was hangry (mac and cheese). We waited, waited, waited for our apps and the toddler meal, until finally the waitress comes back to order our main dinner (2 burgers, pork mac, and fish tacos). After, she came back and said so sorry but we're out of pasta so the pork mac isn't available. He ordered something different and she went on her way. A few minutes later she came back and said that she was sorry but the toddler mac and cheese wouldn't be available either. (Assuming she forgot to enter our apps and the Mac and cheese at this point because we still hadn't gotten them and we should have known the noodles were out before we ordered our main meal).

We waited FORRREEEEEVVVVVER for our food. It finally came out over an hour later and one person at our table received a veggie burger w a regular bun (we think?????? Never confirmed) rather than a regular burger (specifically the Classic 'Murica with tomato, lettuce, onion, and pickle, with a gluten free bun) like she ordered. We mentioned it to the waitress and she immediately responded with something along the lines of "I'm sorry but you ordered something very specific"... ????? "Would you like it remade?" Obvs we didn't have another hour to wait at this point so she just said to not worry about it and she just didn't eat it.

Once it was time for our bill, we split the ticket. The waitress didn't say anything about the mishap so we mentioned the misunderstanding and wondered if there was anything we could do about the bill (again, this is something that we NEVER do). Immediately, she says "I'm sorry, I already asked the manager and since it wasn't the kitchens fault or my fault, we can't take it off your bill". At this point, we're all very confused because we still didn't even know what type of patty was on her plate. So we said "but it's not even a burger?" And she just kept arguing. Clearly, we weren't going to win so we ended up just paying and leaving.

Sadly, the vibe of this place is nice and I thought it would have been a great location and spot to go, but none of us will be going back.

Side note- none of the other food was great and the other burger was just 2 very thin...

First time at Meadowlark Billings since they finally opened. I have been waiting for months. This place is super nice. Staff friendly and the place is super clean. Cannot wait for their patio area to open as it is huge. Would be a great place to be when Ales for Trails is happening across the street at the zoo.

I did not expect it to be so busy on a Thursday night, but to have another brewery open on the west end of town is a great thing.

You are limited to only 48 oz, so pick and choose your beers wisely. Good food selection. Little pricey, but very good. On my normal drinking buddies, Steve, was with me. He ordered the regular burger and I had the shrimp ceviche. Food came out super fast. The ceviche had the right amount of spice, but only downfall was that it came with way too many chips.

I enjoyed the Nice Marmot (their German beer). It had a nice smooth tasted. I thought this would be a bit darker as I am very familiar with a dunkle beer. Next up was the Old Gus, a nice ruby color with some sweetness to it. Third beer is the Orion, nice blonde beer that is very smooth with a slight flora/dry taste. Now all of these are 12 oz, so trying to get the maximum out of my 48 oz allowed to drink.

For those parents, they have a great kids area that the kids can play in. This is great as we can get it beer and food on while the kids tear up the play area.

Did I mention that this place is so big?once they can open up the upstairs, they are going to do even more business.

Last beer to try this evening is the Teddy Roosevelt American Badass. It's an IPA and as you all know, who read my postings, I am not a big IPA fan. Have to tr as my IPA loving friend, Kevin, needs to know if it is one he would drink or not. The verdict is it is a smooth lower IBU for an IPA. Very easy to drink, but you still know it's an IPA.

Last comments. When will the patio be open? That area is huge! To me, you would sit just as many people outside as inside. Only needs more shade to accommodate customers. Also as I have noticed with most Montana breweries, the beer needs to be service the coldest as possible!

Overall, a great addition to the Billings brewery scene. I will be back. And again support your local Montana...

Our team recently held an after-hours get-together at Meadowlark Brewing, and while we had given them a heads-up about our approximate number (around 20), we were astounded when closer to 50 people showed up! Despite this massive and unforeseen increase in our party size, the team at Meadowlark Brewing provided absolutely exceptional service.

From the moment our unexpectedly large group began arriving, the staff was incredibly accommodating. They efficiently and quickly worked to find space for everyone, and they were so helpful in allowing us to rearrange tables multiple times to better suit our ever-growing numbers. This flexibility and willingness to help us get comfortable was truly impressive.

Even with the sudden surge in customers from our group, the service for drinks and food remained remarkably efficient. Orders were taken promptly, and everything was delivered with a smile. It's clear that the staff is well-organized and handles pressure with grace.

What truly stood out was their consistently positive and helpful attitude throughout the evening. No matter how many requests we had or how crowded it got, the team remained friendly and attentive. They truly went above and beyond to ensure our large, unplanned gathering was a success.

Meadowlark Brewing has definitely earned our highest praise. Their outstanding service, especially in the face of our significant overestimation of attendees, makes them a top-notch venue. We will absolutely be back and highly recommend them for any gathering,...