Market on Front — Restaurant in Missoula

Out of concern it is that I write this review. As a former employee at the Den my expectations with quality of food with service I received were far less than what I was trained or received here at the Market on Front. At first I was as comfortable with 5 employees being behind the cafe counter taking orders, making coffee, taking phone calls or doing not much of anything. 4 employees apparently running the back food counter based on only the ones I see as I sat at the 1 of 2 unstable stool tables that was rocking back needing a repair. Thinking “good they are well staffed this won’t take long”. First, I entered when there was no line being the sole customer in the lobby at the counter. Meanwhile there are 9 orders up on the wall including the prep counter where the employee was looking back and forth between who knows how many other orders attempting to put a meal together as more and more tickets are pinned up. She is constantly looking back and forth. Between which ticket and which order is she making? That is time consuming trying to keep track and redirect your eyes and thought as you prepare food with accommodations per order. No wonder customers are reporting not getting the correct item (s) in their order. The cook and the employees are losing track! All the while a flood of customers in this time = +10 more tickets! There is one employee at the prep counter prepping 20 orders?!! I ordered the famous breakfast burrito a simple prep item with a couple expectations 1.That it would not take more than 10 minutes. (We sand bagged them at the Den.) Okay I’m patiently waiting. 23 minutes later I go to the customer counter to report I was waiting 20 minutes. Her response was you could go to the back counter to see if they have it! “Umm excuse me?” I am thinking. Thus, I requested a refund. That was a whole fiasco in itself not getting it! By the time I was ready to walk out 28 minutes later there’s my burrito. 2. The same burrito I loved and craved which I hadn’t had in 9 months was unfortunately a disappointment. The size was half what it used to be in almost length with the same 2” thickness. However, it wasn’t the size that disappointed me as I anticipated the delicious blend of flavors delivered with ingredients. Unfortunately, another let down with dry potato browns along with I suspect a lack of peppers, onions and chipotle aoli. This saddened me as had referred several of my ride-share passengers to this location for breakfast. What a sorry never stop for breakfast morning. Keeping’ it simple...

I so badly want to write an outstanding review for Market on Front. Many an early winter morning I have found myself at MoF, wanting nothing more than a breakfast burrito and hot latte. It’s amazing how some warm food and friendly service can set the tone for your day. When they’re good, they are indeed outstanding.

However. When they’re off their A-game, they skip straight down to an F. I don’t mind being spendy for good food and excellent coffee, but when wait times are 40-90 minutes and then the food is sub-par, it’s hard not to regret my choices in life. Furthermore, when ordering multiple items that all get wrapped the same way, I at least expect my food to be labeled appropriately so as to not cross-contaminate with my group’s food choices or needs. This is what I mean when I say they skip straight to F’s: if the eggs are going to be dry, fine, but at least get the easy points by labeling which burrito is vegetarian. I’d rather not make my friends burrito roulette their food ethics.

MoF has so much good going for it, including it’s prime location that centers food as much as it does community — one of the best parts of Missoula. MoF could be a treasured third space in Missoula, but somehow the hang-out-ability of MoF is undercut by their use of space. The tables in the back behind the counter are a decent use of space for community, but it’s unclear what the atrocity is up front. Anyone who exists in life enjoying shared space, and particularly avid readers of Priya Parker will know that the negative space in Market on Front does very little to promote a sense of welcome closeness amid market-goers.

Instead, the environment feels overly-curated, an unfortunate trend in Missoula these days. It borders on kitschy in a way that feels orthogonal to Missoula.

Overall, if you can get them early in the morning or close to closing when wait times are low, I recommend. Get the breakfast burrito or the avocado BLT. But otherwise, Market on Front is a bit pretentious for what it is: a food joint cosplaying an epicenter of “keep Missoula weird” that ultimately falls flat on...

I have been in Missoula for years and admit, I love Market on Front's food. However, time and time again I, and many of my friends and peers, have felt like we were on "the last straw" with MOF after leaving the restaurant unimpressed and/or disappointed. Repeatedly poor customer service, insane wait times, or just the general feeling that the FOH/kitchen staff is annoyed that you want to spend money there. Still, I'd justify the 10-minute-turned-30-minute-or-longer wait times to get my hands on the (delicious) MOF breakfast burritos or sandwiches. Yet, my last visit was my last straw. I called ahead inquiring about whether MOF offers deli meat and cheese, as I saw it mentioned on their website. The individual I spoke wasn't sure, yet kindly confirmed that they do. Upon coming in that evening, the staff then wasn't sure whether they offered it or not. They told me they would have to confirm prices with a superior before they could sell it to me and recommended that I come back or wait. I happily obliged, as I was in no hurry, and told them that I would take a seat. Having worked in restaurants, I understand that the staff is busy and dealing with other things/customers than myself. After 20 minutes, I asked the staff if they had any update. They had since forgotten what I was was there for. Had I not asked, I'm sure I would have continued to wait in the corner. They hadn't heard any update about pricing and apologetically said they couldn't do sell me meat and cheese with a shrug and said I could maybe come back and get a different answer. Not the end of the world– sure. But a simple yes or no would have sufficed when I first entered. I wasn't looking for answers to the world's problems. I just wanted to purchase lunch meat! More disappointing was the fact that it felt like nobody there cared if I was taken care of or left with said meat and cheese or not... Unfortunately this experience, coupled with other subpar experiences at MOF, needed to be addressed so that MOF can make...