Old Faithful Snow Lodge Obsidian Dining Room — Restaurant in West Yellowstone

TL:DR If you get sat in Jason's section ask for another server. He never showed up to the table.

This was a self-serve breakfast buffet, you get sat, busser brings water, server supposed to come by asks if you want coffee and a juice, and closes your check out, busses your table, and some side work to keep restaurant in working order. Thats it.

I showed up alone, on a road trip to Montana, the front desk said they were low on staff and set me down in Jason's section. The nice host walked me over and said Jason would bring coffee and juice. One of the bussing staff came by asked if it was just me, I mentioned it I was told it was the only table available, he picked up the card the front desk circled 1 guest on, scoffed, rolled his eyes picked up the extra glasses and silverware and left. He would glance over at me from time to time, again never coming by again. If this was Jason I'll never know.

Waited 15 minutes, nothing, I had to ask another staff member Heather, for coffee, she let him know and Jason brought coffee when I was not at the table, getting food from the buffet, when returning there was a coffee carafe, a cup filled with coffee and plenty of coffee spilled around it. Heather came by again to ask if Jason had been by.

The breakfast buffet was excellent, all the common American foods you'd expect, nothing wrong there.

After I finished I waited around another 15 minutes wondering if I had to close my check with the front desk or not, she said the server closes me out. I chose to close out with the front desk since Jason never showed up to my table. And I would not be compelled to leave him a tip. She took my card, and came back without a receipt or anything to sign. What did she charge? She said she asked him, and his excuse was he didn't know it was his table, even though he brought coffee to it. If you get sat in Jason's section ask for another server. He never showed up to the table.

All in all this wasn't a big deal, guys like him have a lot on their plate, you know with keeping coffee filled, its a big job, not everyone can handle it. Jokes aside, if you cant even handle a buffet service job there's not much you can do. Too bad service in the parks is very limited, this guy wouldn't last a day...

Monopoly leads to bad service. Since you have no other places to go, you just have to accept the worst.

Made a reservation, almost an hour later we still can't get seated. While we watched some "friends" of the reception lady just sneaked in with a reservation that is for 3 hours later.

We politely requested the reason (perhaps race related since we are not her white friends), but a very arrogant manager came out, started with "what's your problem" and essentially told us "either wait or fxxk off and starve".

At that point we were shocked, just cannot believe such words can come out of someone in hospitality business. But since he had the point - he can indeed kick us out and we would have nothing to eat - we did not continue with the conversation.

I would recommend the burger place next door before they close (we missed it unfortunately), just don't come to this place for dinner. Will pack some instant noodles next time, better than waiting here helplessly. And guess what, they don't offer to go.

Eventually after our dinner, I feel very sorry for our waitress, who did an excellent job and does not deserve this one-star rating, but because of the terrible treatment from reception and the manager, I really couldn’t rate it higher. They ruined the whole experience from the beginning.

I also feel sorry for the kitchen. The reception lady blamed the delay entirely on the kitchen (the reason she told everyone). But her behavior of letting people in earlier than their reservervation time added significant extra burden on the kitchen. I would speak for the kitchen since these hard-working people would never know what they were blamed for...

So I've been getting the impression that there is a part of this country that has just horrible food... Hard to be right with such a sweeping statement.... But the eatery of the moment is the Old Faithful Snow Lodge Obsidian.... It's towards the back to the right of facing the front. Thing to know about the area is things just friggin close early so food is hard to find at times. Happens that having that experience led to just grabbing food at Yellowstone's Old faithfull area. I believe Obsidian is the one that stays open latest. The feel of the place is as you'd expect ..lodgey....service a little slow though seating was quick. The appetizer and entrees came out at the samee time but when asked about a soup that was ordered .....🤷🏼‍♀️ But it was coming out. After the appetizers and entrees were done. I mentioned that "....I assumed there wasn't any soup coming???" Where they asked, "you ordered a soup?". They offered to check on it but I just said forget the soup we finished the the meal already but could I have another budlight.... They said ok.

I go to the bathroom and when I return I'm told that the waitress returned and ask If I wanted another beer. They weren't sure sooooo... I actually asked for the beer first...... But hey 🤷🏼‍♀️....

As for the meal.... Buffalo short ribs.... Nothing as macabre as eating the animal that they have championed....... That's just the kind of guy I am.... My thoughts... Portion was small.... Ribs a bit over cooked and unbelievably salty...,. When you are starving you will eat anything....

At least the Bud Lights...