Russell's Fireside Dining Room — Restaurant in West Glacier

I can't find the Google page for Lucke's Lounge, so I will put this review here.

Came here during my long day at Glacier National Park. We were sweaty and tired and needed some good food and beverage. We actually came to the lodge wanting to eat in their main restaurant, but the wait was immense, so we settled for a quick table we grabbed at this lounge.

Ambiance was really cool. Small, quaint, classy, with some windows looking out upon the giant lake. Really good vibes. We had an excellent server who was just a chill dude who liked to engage in real conversation. He wasn't just in server mode. You know?

As for the food, I ordered the Lamb Burger (Amaltheia Dairy Goat Cheese, Pickled Red Onion, Roasted Tomato, Microgreens, Tzatziki Sauce, Ancient Grain Bun). It was actually excellent. There are a lot of fancy adjectives in that description right there. I'm not sure if it tasted exactly like all those adjectives suggest, but it was mighty tasty and plenty lamby.

I also got to sample the Pork Belly Hoagie (Sriracha Aioli, Power Slaw, Pickled Red Onion, Cilantro, Crispy Baguette). This one was interesting. Nice pork belly covered in their kale-forward power slaw. Pickled red onion for some tang, a spicy aioli, I was really surprised by how much effort this little place put into their menu.

And of course, of course I had to end my meal with a slice of their Montana staple huckleberry pie. Warm, huckley, with an ooegy gooey crust and a huge scoop of vanilla ice cream. Just a wow way to end the meal.

Overall, for what I was thinking was the mental equivalent of an overpriced, underperforming eatery in the middle of Walt Disney World, I was surprised at the ambiance, the service, and the food at this place. Easily a five star establishment that I hope...

I ordered wine and my husband ordered milk and we ordered an app, pork shoulder, and entrees, ribeye and trout. My wine was dropped off in a hurry and milk forgotten about. Our app came. It was a large portion. Very tasty. Weird to half pork should cubed instead of shredded but it worked. Entrees arrived. Ribeye was ordered medium rare but cooked well. Husband could only eat half of it because the rest was too tough. It was cooked more like a steam than a sear. Veggies on the side were steamed or canned and then broiled. Very mushy and bland. Potatoes were under cooked. My trout was fine but the pasta was very bizarre. It did not come together well and each I gradient seemed to be added on and not cooked or stirred together. Cheese was not melted. Milk arrived during meal. It was too expensive for the quality that was served to us.

When asked in passing how things were I muttered it’s fine. Waiter didn’t not slow down to hear my answer and offered no help or chance to speak up.

Went back for breakfast because it was the only option. Much better breakfast (harder to screw up). Our breakfast server was much more attentive and helpful. Everything...

I have been to Russell’s Dining Room at Lake McDonald Lodge and the food was just ok. Nothing was bad, but nothing stood out either. For the price, I expected something a lot better. It’s not just expensive… it’s way, way, way too expensive for what you’re actually getting. The portions weren’t large, and the quality didn’t match the fine dining prices they’re charging.

That said, the atmosphere is amazing. The historic lodge setting, the woodwork, the views through the big windows—it all feels classic and cozy. It’s a beautiful place to sit down and take a break, especially after a long day on the trails. The service was good and the staff was friendly, which helped balance out the experience a little.

But when it comes down to the meal itself, you’re mostly paying for the location and ambiance. If you’re fine with that and want to enjoy the setting, it’s worth trying once. But if you’re after great food for the money, I’d look somewhere else. I’ve had better meals elsewhere in the park at half the cost. I don’t regret going, but I probably wouldn’t eat there again unless I just...