est.1864 Noir Bar & Restaurant — Restaurant in Bozeman

It was a busy evening downtown so glad we had made reservations in advance. Otherwise it would have been an hour and a half wait.

Despite being super busy, we were seated at our table a bit before our reservation time which also allowed us to get in a last minute Happy Hour order. HH Old Fashioned was a bit too sweet and way short on a full shot. HH margarita was also a bit heavy on sugar but wasn’t bad.

Atmosphere was great; they’ve put a lot of effort into creating a restaurant with character. Especially considering they had to convert it from the very confused Korean/Chinese/Japanese/Thai KTV restaurant/cafeteria type-something that it was before this.

For service, I think the restaurant was simply overwhelmed with the crowd so service was very slow. Drinks took ~15 minutes to arrive each time we ordered them and getting attention to order them was 10 minutes in front of that. Food was oddly fast so the kitchen wasn’t overwhelmed.

Feta salad was really good. Bread was crispy and warm on the outside but refrigerator cold in the middle. Normally we’d have eaten it but for the $9 charged for bread service, we asked them to warm it up properly. They served another loaf (on the house) but that was also cold in the middle. Good bread and sizeable, but cold in the middle. We ordered the beet carpaccio but when they served the other appetizers, they informed us they were out of beet carpaccio. Again, understood as the night was incredibly busy due to the Christmas Walk on Main Street.

Entrees came; gnocchi was pretty good; a puttanesca sauce with lamb neck. Shrimp and grits weren’t bad but putting at least one more shrimp in it (to bring the total to 3 smalls) wouldn’t kill anyone and would give a much better perception of value. Grits were a bit clumpy but not surprising for being so far outside the South. The star of the whole show, the short rib, was incredible. Perfectly cooked and great flavor. Wish there was a little bit more of the ‘gravy’ served with it as it was also really good but just not enough to have with all the bites of the beef. The carrots were heavily, heavily charred on the outside so I assumed they would be bad, but were actually really, really good.

The cheesecake was also great.

Overall, we love that there are new concept restaurants coming to Bozeman beyond another bar/burger/chickenwing type place.

We also appreciated that the staff recognized, without us telling them, that our experience came up a good bit short and offered acknowledgement and a dessert on the house.

I do wish they had more steak options rather than just a sirloin and elk-something something. Price-wise, I don’t think they are unreasonable but the bread situation should be reviewed and not sure why they charge for each refill of Coca-Cola off the gun. But that’s small potatoes; overall mostly good value perception for the quality of the food.

It was good enough that we’ll...

Fair warning - I'm a tourist, not a local.... but my husband and I LOVED this place!

We found this place accidentally at the start of a trip to Montana. The food was excellent and the Noir atmosphere was fun. After spending a week and a half being disappointed by the restaurants we visited in the tourist town of Big Sky, we returned to Bozeman at the end of our trip to enjoy a second dinner at Noir Bar.

The cocktails are fun and the hands down best of the ones we tried was the "Boss Of The Plains". If you like the licorice taste of Absinthe you will definitely enjoy this cocktail.

The roasted rainbow carrots are an amazing appetizer. I was so blown away by the depth of flavor that I asked our server how they were prepared. Spoiler alert - it's a three step process involving blanching, frying and charring on an open flame - soooooooo good served on a homemade mayonnaise with Calabrian chilies, parsley and toasted sunflower seeds. Outstanding!!!!! Such a beautiful way to elevate such humble ingredients.

The steelhead trout is a delicious entree - perfectly executed with crispy skin and well balanced with a side of earthy root/tuber puree and bitter rapini.

We also tried the short rib which was delicious and the mushroom pasta which was very good.

We only tried one dessert, the goat cheese cheese cake with rye crust. It was yummy, beautifully balanced and the chef took the time to roast the strawberries in the topping. That is the kind of attention to detail that goes into dishes at this restaurant.

The atmosphere is a fun, causal, noir - speakeasy vibe, deliberately dimly lit to play up the noir. The chef/owner is serving well executed, high quality fare in a playful and relaxed setting. Prices are fair for the amount of thinking, planning and work that clearly go into each dish on the menu. Service was friendly and appropriately attentive on both of our visits. Staff members are well trained and work as a cohesive team.

If this restaurant were in the SF Bay Area, CA (our primary home), it would be impossible to get a table!

This place is a hidden gem in Bozeman, MT. Definitely...

During a 10-hour drive, I stumbled upon this restaurant on Google Maps while searching for a good spot for dinner. As I read the menu to my family, I came across "Tartar!" and we instantly decided to go. My 9-year-old son, however, had his heart set on "meatballs!" and that sealed the deal. To our delight, the beef tartare turned out to be the best I've ever tasted. Meticulously crafted with prime beef, aromatic herbs, and spices, each bite was a symphony of flavors that showcased the chef's culinary mastery. The addition of shiso leaves (I had to google this name, but I think those “Japanese leaves were shiso ones?) provided a refreshing and herbaceous note, while a subtle citrus note added a bright and tangy element that took the beef to new heights. It was evident that the taste was crafted by a chef with Michelin restaurant experience. In fact, the expertise and finesse of the chef shone through in every dish we ordered. From the impeccable presentation to the extraordinary flavors, every aspect of the meal was a testament to the chef's skill. One aspect that stood out was the exceptional service. The staff provided attentive and friendly service. What truly impressed me was when both owners took the time to ask for our opinion on the food we ordered. It was clear that they genuinely cared about each guest's experience. Although coffee options were not listed on the menu, when I inquired about a cappuccino, the owner personally made one for me. This small gesture demonstrated the management's dedication and willingness to go above and beyond for their customers. Despite being just a passing stranger, they graciously accommodated my request. This restaurant is a must-try for food enthusiasts seeking an extraordinary dining experience that showcases the artistry and expertise of a true culinary maestro. For my family, it is a definite must-stop whenever we find ourselves driving through...