I searched online for "nice" and "upscale" restaurants in Great Falls and this was one of few businesses that popped up (let's just say there weren't many to choose from). I wanted to try one final restaurant before my next morning departure back home, so my family and I opted for Dante's on the evening of 13 Aug 2024. We made reservations out of habit because living in Las Vegas (LV), it's always highly recommended that you make reservations at certain restaurants, especially the popular ones. Needless to say, we didn't really need to make reservations because when we arrived, the restaurant wasn't busy at all (probably since it was a Tuesday evening).

We were nicely greeted by the hostess that evening and quickly escorted to our table which was situated right next to the window. This seat was especially wonderful that evening because during our meal, it started raining outside which added to the tranquil atmosphere, rustic décor, and wonderful company from my family. Although I'm more of a modern décor type of person (hence why I enjoy living in LV), I did appreciate this restaurant's architecture/design; it definitely matched the historic nature of the city.

With respect to our food and drinks, we ordered the Bear Proof Huckleberry Old Fashioned, Smith and Hook Cab, and Shirley Temple for our drinks; Bacon-Wrapped Filet Mignon, Chicken Parmigiana, and New York Steak for our entrées; and the Chocolate Volcano for our dessert. I don't recall the last time I've been to a restaurant with my family and we didn't order any appetizers, but this was one of those situations and a rare moment for us - probably due to having a robust brunch session earlier in the day. The Old Fashioned was different compared to the traditional way of preparing it, but it was a good twist on the creation of the drink utilizing what appears to be the fruit staple of Great Falls...Huckleberry. I've tried the Smith and Hook Cab before and no major complaints here; and the Shirley Temple was adequate. The Filet and Chicken Parm were satisfactory, but I cannot say the same about the New York Steak. Unfortunately for me, my steak was less than adequate - it lacked flavor and was overcooked. Could I have asked the server for another steak? Yes, but I chose not to because (1) I didn't want to stay longer since we had more things to accomplish that evening; and (2) if a restaurant that identifies themselves as "fine dining" according to Google, then I shouldn't have to ask to remake another one - it should've been correctly prepared the first time. Regardless, I had enough steaks in my lifetime, so I didn't lose sleep over it. And finally, the bread and balsamic dip that arrived in the beginning, along with the dessert were good.

The service from the entire restaurant staff was wonderful and our main server, Misty, did a great job that evening. I did notice one of the servers walking around with a giant pepper grinder and was curious if that device was supposed to have made it to our table at one point. I kept forgetting to ask our server, but didn't think anything of it since I was able to adapt and overcome the pepper barrier and utilized the pepper shaker that's on every table - no issues there.

Overall, I will say that this restaurant was just ok...hence my 3-star rating. This restaurant did not fully meet my expectations, especially since I was hoping for some top of the line and exquisite culinary experience due to how this restaurant advertises their business online (kudos to their marketing team). I'm sure this restaurant is very popular with the residents in Great Falls and its surrounding cities/towns, but for me, I've had way better restaurants in and out of the United States. However, if you're visiting Great Falls or a resident, and have never tried this restaurant, I am still recommending this place to you - I hope you have a better first-time experience than I did.