The Gold Mine Grill - Saloon - Hotel — Restaurant in Idaho City

Stopped by to eat while we were up hunting.

BLUF: The service was some of the worst I've experienced and the food was overcooked, frozen, from-the-Walmart-freezer-section quality.

I had the cod - three very small pieces that were overcooked and the fries were half the amount McDonalds gives you and barely cooked - floppy, almost raw and definitely out of a frozen bag.

I've eaten at the Gold Mine many times over the years and this current ownership pales in comparison to what it used to be. The inside has improved significantly but very little else from the waitress to the cook(s).

If you want overpriced, grocery freezer section food, the Gold Mine Grill is for you! I'll go across the street to Trudy's until the Gold Mine has another new set of owners. At least the food and service have always been excellent at Trudy’s, even if it’s overpriced.

Edit (response to Steve): I've never met you and have no personal issue with you, just my experience in your establishment. The waitress couldn't do her job (she forgot she even had a table and food was ready for us until someone else asked her about the food waiting) and the food was simply poorly cooked. The cod (frozen and tiny just like I’d find in the Walmart freezer section) were over cooked and the fries were severely undercooked - I don't have an issue that they were frozen but if your cook doesn’t know how to cook fries, then that cook probably should be in a different line of work.

My review is my review. I don't much care about others reviews as those are their experiences. Mine happens to differ, significantly apparently than your buddies. Maybe take some constructive criticism and make improvements instead of deciding to take things personally when I didn't attack you or your restaurant, just sharing my experience with the food and the service - things that you can improve upon - and then invite me back instead of tell me not to return. Odd response but no worries, I won't be coming back. As I said originally, there have been improvements to the establishment but you should focus more on the quality of the food and the help. I'm surprised with your advice to "simply not return" but rest assured, I have no plans on returning while you...

I was quite excited about stopping in after a day of playing in the snow celebrating my daughter. 2ish years ago they had by far the best bacon cheeseburger a person could ever ask for! I bragged to everyone about the burgers. Bonus, when we walked in there was there was a young man singin. Woo-hoo! Live band! Growing up in Idaho City in the 70s & 80s this was quite common, but something I hadn't seen in awhile, my kids never had seen anything like it though. They brought menus to us, started going downhill from there. No bacon cheese burger? Okay, there usually was a soup or a special that was comparable 😳 No soup, no special? Actually, the menu was about 1/3 the options we were always had before and no garden burger either for my vegetarian person. Okay, finger steaks it was. It was a safe option since they were obviously the same as any Sysco supplied restaurant, at least the cocktail sauce was good, also probably from a supplier. The young man did a few popular songs, finished his set, we got our food, ate without complaints, it was ordinary. The next gentleman got up, started singing his own original songs, had a good voice. I mean, it wasn't terrible... then I'm listening to the words, it's all political? Not like fun political like the greats that no matter what party you belong, you sing along. Disappointing. I doubt we will go back.

Response: Yes! I would recommend educating the waitstaff (who was fantastic by the way) and customers alike. Looking at the menu again, still do not see a garden burger, or the various ways to have a burger. I would have loved that bacon cheeseburger I was dreaming of all day. I looked again, I now see Seasonal Soup, my mistake.

You might be a tad bit right, since I was going to dinner and not a political rally. I guess that did have a little something to do it with it. Next time I'm interested in a rally I'll come by, but when I go to have dinner, I'll probably end up at Trudy's or I'll try Diamond...

This place has changed their food in the last year, and I can't personally say its for the better. We spent way more money than the food was worth for sure. The food is brought out in what looks like a small aluminum sheet lined with paper, which adds to the charm of the place. My grilled chicken came out in a paper boat that you find in gas stations, and that made it a little hard to cut into, but it was cooked very well. The fries were a major disappointment to my group. They were flat and very thin, almost like rectangular chips, pretty crunchy. Other than the cute little tray, the presentation of the food is poor, everything looks overcooked and unappetizing, though for the most part it tastes pretty good. The servers were crazy busy while we were there, understandably making it hard for them to visit the tables. My server forgot to bring me any cutlery, and we waited for several minutes to see if she'd return, but she never made it back. I got up to find someone to ask, but there were no servers on the floor and I found myself at the entrance to the kitchens. I asked a man from the doorway if I could have some silverware, and he kept telling me he didn't understand what I was asking. I actually had to break down that I needed a fork and knife. He snapped at me that "they're right in front of you" and turned away. He'd indicated a counter where the servers grab the silverware for the customers. This is not a self-serving establishment, but he wanted me to put my own hands inside the silverware to get my own. Lucky for the other customers, I wash my hands before eating. I definitely did not appreciate how...