Rise N Shine Cafe — Restaurant in Helena

I am a bit baffled. Service as usual these days i supposed? Im not sure what has happened to the Service industry but I have worked in the service industry for almost half of my life as a waitress. I haven't worked as a waitress since covid and have went on to own a very successful business of my own and I can't even imagine answering the phone and acting like this to anyone. Unfortunately this is happening all over our country where rudeness and being unhelpful as a service worker is acceptable. Tips are expected and no longer earned.

I called Steve's cafe on Montana Ave at 10:50am- in my experience a time where things finally die down a bit from the breakfast rush. A gentleman answered the phone in a very polite manner and I told him I'd like to order a couple small things to go he took my information and asked what I would like. I told him 2 grilled chicken breast's is all that I would like and he told me that lunch is not served until 11am (10 minutes away) he told me to hold on while he asks the kitchen if they are willing to cook these 2 chicken breast's early. He came back to the phone and told me that they have a big breakfast rush and that I would need to call back in 15 minutes or call the other store (lunch started in 10 minutes-not 15 and I am nowhere near the other store today) I kindly told him no problem I can wait and asked him if I could put the order in and he can wait till 11am and put it in- he said no cause he may forget. Fair enough. I told him I'd call back.

I called back at 11:10 am and the same gentleman answered and I said- yes I would like to order a couple things to pick up and he got a bit rude without asking my name again or asking what I would like to order and told me I would probably need to call the other store, I told him I am not near the other store. He then Said- then I'll have to put u on hold. He did. I hung up and called brewhouse where they had just opened their doors 10 minutes ago- sounded busy already and had no issues putting 2 grilled chicken breast's on the grill for me. They were very kind and wonderful.

Look, I understand busy and a rush. I've been 15 tables deep with 2 people on hold on the phone wanting to place To-go orders while door dash is walking through the door. I have never treated somebody like that. At the end of the day. It was 2 chicken breast. That's it.

This is just not okay....

What a lovely experience on an apparent “Manic Monday”!? We were greeted with smiles and joy and seated promptly, immediately followed by our absolutely wonderful waitress (Christina)! Ordered our food within seconds of our menus being closed prompting the ready signal for attentive restaurant staff. During delivery of our food, which was prepared in amazing time, our waitress had one of the syrup cups run away on her and slide right into her wrist then onto the floor with such viscous ferocity it immediately spread itself across the floor. The spill was immediately addressed by not only our waitress but also the manager (and/or owner Penny)! Low and behold the aforementioned “Manic Monday” ensued when a customer who appeared to be on his daily “mission” with what we concluded to most likely be his wife, asked in a very unpleasant and direct manner if Penny was the manager or owner. Penny stated that she was, he then told her that he needs to speak with her. She very calmly and politely said that she would be right with the couple as soon as she finished addressing the syrup river, helping her employee so that customers could continue to be taken care of. This unruly customer argued without merit that our waitress (which so happened to be theirs as well), didn’t wash her hands after using cleaners. Well mister not satisfied with his day, newsflash for you, there is absolutely no way that Christina had not washed her hands or used the sanitizer, after all the flowing sticky syrup was covering her hands and wrist, and when she had been relieved by Penny then returned to her customers her hands were clean and dry. Penny (bless her soul) stood up, in the most professional manner, for her employee and continued to assist. The couple stormed off (not violently but with haste) and the angry little man even complained that his walker couldn’t fit through where a disabled vets chair was just in his way taking up too much space. The follow on event I’ll leave off due to length however, we HIGHLY RECOMMEND coming into this quaint establishment just to have coffee and interact with staff but the food...

Review - Rise and Shine 4/30/2025 Otto had sworn off this restaurant forever a while ago due to an issue with a terrible meal that he was served. But I hadn’t eaten there yet so I said, “I’ve got to eat there so I can write a review.” He conceded and so we went to the Rise N Shine cafe. On entering the cafe I was a little surprised to be told that it was going to be a 10 minute wait. That is usually a good sign as it means that people like the food. I remember one time during a family retreat in Yellowstone that we drove out three cars to a restaurant at supper time and there were no cars in the parking lot and the staff was chillin’ on the front porch. (We decided not to eat there.)

Looking around the Rise N Shine I noticed that this placed was decorated exactly like many of the other family diners in the area. You know, just typical diner decor. If you didn’t know where you were, you wouldn’t know where you were.

Otto ordered the Denver omelette with hash browns - light, while I chose the Reuben with fries, (because it says right on the menu that it’s really good.)

It turns out that the menu was accurate. With my first bite I said to myself, “That really is a good Reuben!” The texture of the corned beef was perfect as was the portion size on the toasted bread. The fries were pretty good as well.

Otto enjoyed his omelette, but was unimpressed by the off-brand coffee sweetener and jelly.

It took some time to get our coffees refilled , but once our server realized we were serious coffee drinkers, she never let our cups go empty again. I could see that she was working hard to keep all her tables satisfied. I definitely give the wait staff an A. They may have been short staffed since they had a whole room of tables that they weren’t using, even though they had people waiting to get in.

Overall, it was a pretty good meal, and a nice place to take a family if you’re not in a big hurry. I’ve had much worse here in...