Platte River Saloon — Restaurant in Fairplay

We were there recently on a weekend sitting at the bar with a clear view of the kitchen. It wasn't that the kitchen was unsanitary looking but the unsanitary habits of the cook. Not sure where to start but for one, the cook handled all food with no gloves. Several times he groomed his gray scraggly beard and mustache with his hands and then dished out lettuce and fixings for salads afterwards, touched other foods as well, never once washing his hands .... really quite gross. His mouth stays open the entire time leaning over and preparing food. He had a towel positioned on his shoulder that he kept wiping his hands on and once wipe his mouth then proceeded to use the towel to pull food from an oven or heated appliance. Once he had drop the towel on the floor, step on a portion of the towel, then picked it up off the floor back onto his shoulder for continued use. He also had another towel tucked away under his apron and undershirt near his belly area and used it to wipe food preparation areas with. The staff also used a separate towel to dry all glasses with and hung on a hook attached to the doorway into the kitchen ..... can you say cross contamination transfer from hands to towel to drinkware. The health dept would clearly shut this place down for staff food prep and sanitary training and what ever other health violations they may find. The owner was working around all these health code violations and blind to all.

Update: My intention was not to cause anyone to get fired. I believe you could have handled your situation better by retraining your cook on the importance of food handling, wearing gloves, grooming practices and cross contamination awareness. Over reacting and putting this staff member on the street was on you, not us! As an owner serving food to the public, you should blame yourself for not being aware and monitor the quality and safety of your product. After all, your the professional not your public. I was considering removing our review because your first response sounded sincere and showed a willing to correct the problems however your update places blame on us. It is hard and embarrassing to approach an owner on what we observed. Perhaps in the future, we may try first to share negative experiences on the...

After watching the entire staff take shots and eat rum soaked gummy bears they brought us the wrong food. I didn't notice we had the wrong food because they were out of the ingredients to make the food we ordered so I asked for the bartenders favorite. We did start eating the food they placed in front of us. When they brought our actual order, the bartender's favorite, I figured out what was going on, no big deal. Again we ate the food they brought us and I did eat some of the order we placed (that was also incorrect). When I asked for the tab we were charged for all the food we ordered and didn't order. We did eat out of all of the dishes so while I didn't think it was fair I paid for everything and didn't complain. I did not leave a tip. My issue is with Beth the bartender chasing my fiance and I out of the restaurant to confront us about not leaving a tip. Maybe if the staff drank less they could perform work worth tipping for. The bartender chasing us out of the restaurant, angrily demanding through slurred words, to know why I didn't leave a tip is more than enough to encourage me not to visit this place again. It's a shame because there's not many options in town. Expect slow service and...

What a gem we discovered at Platte River Saloon! From the moment we walked in, the staff made us feel like regulars with their genuine warmth and welcoming attitude. The service here goes above and beyond - attentive without being overbearing, and you can tell they take pride in creating a great dining experience.

The food is absolutely fantastic! Each dish was expertly prepared and served with care. The menu offers something for everyone, and the quality definitely exceeds what you might expect from a roadside saloon.

If you're traveling through the area, this place is worth planning a stop around. It's more than just a convenient pit stop - it's a destination in itself. The combination of outstanding service, delicious food, and welcoming atmosphere makes Platte River Saloon a standout establishment that I highly recommend to both locals and...