Red Lodge Cafe in Wyoming

Cafe Dining in the West

Last fall, Don and I ate lunch at the Red Lodge Cafe. It was during our road trip, traveling to lots of National Parks and staying at some pretty iconic rustic lodges. So, the cafe was not part of a real lodge... it was just a little old cafe in the town of Red Lodge. 

But it did have a mighty fine neon sign!

Getting There

We left Yellowstone Park that morning.  It was a fun drive with some buffalo in the road and then some breathtaking views along the Beartooth Highway.  By the time we finished that drive, (The road looked like an endless squiggly rubber band on the map) it was time for a late lunch.
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Flower Baskets and Brick

We pulled into Red Lodge about 1:30 and the little town looked picture perfect, with colorful flower baskets and charming storefronts.

Red Lodge Cafe

We are always ready for a small town cafe and this one was hard to beat, with the red teepee sign.

We walked up to the door and noticed the CLOSED sign.  My watch said 1:45, but the cafe still had a lot of diners. Sometimes you just pretend you don't know how to read and you open the door, if it's unlocked.

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In We Go

A somewhat weary waitress approached us from the back of the room.  "I'm sorry, we're closed." She spoke with just a hint of a question in her tone.  I tried my overly enthused, rather than demanding tone.  "Oh! I'm sorry, I thought you were open till 2:00. "  She fidgeted nervously and I continued.  "Oh, I'm just so disappointed, we were so eager to eat here! I really love those murals!"  She looked back towards the kitchen and said she would see if the cook would change his mind. "Oh tell him we'll order something easy and we'll eat fast!" I chimed in.  

Familiar Sights 

While we waited I had quite a good time studying the murals. They were signed and dated 1962.  The images looked just like the views I had photographed from the car window while driving the Beartooth Highway.
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Taking it In

​As we waited by the counter, I busily took in the scene... in case we didn't get to stay.

We were so obviously first-timers as we pivoted around, checking out the totem pole inspired carvings and the murals.  The place was just curious.  Even the old-timers sipping their coffee at a nearby table, seemed sort of interesting.  

Our Table

There were quite a few available tables, clean and ready.   But when our tired server returned, she announced with a sigh that she would clear a table for us.  We waited with eager smiles as she bused a cluttered table near the wall.  She swished a dripping rag over the top and plopped two paper mats down.  

Before we had a chance to check out the menu she turned Don's coffee mug up and seemed surprised when we both said "No thanks."  Another waitress came over and saw the upturned cup and tried to give Don a fill.  He explained that he wasn't having coffee and she clunked that mug down in it's proper "No Coffee" position.  Whew, it helps to know the rules.

Quick Order

Our menus were covered with a crackly layer of plastic, so it was kind of hard to see the nighttime image of motorcycles 

lined up outside the cafe.  But I could read the note in the corner. "Due to Avian bird flu, all breakfasts will have an increase of 25 cents per egg."  The mention of flu on the menu should have made me loose my appetite.  But I was so distracted by my surroundings I cheerily ordered, " A half egg salad sandwich and cup of beef and barely soup, please."  What was I thinking? That was an egg thing.  But, I was never charged 25 cents extra and I didn't come down with Avian bird flu.  And hopefully the cook appreciated how I ordered something speedy.  
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More to See

I'm guessing my soup was from a can and Don's tuna sandwich wasn't all that exciting either, but we enjoyed everything around us.  The opposite wall had a carved structure holding mirrors ( that reflected the murals) and old wooden skis and some Native American figures.  

Topo- Map

The topographic map mounted on the wall, made me kind of feel like I was in a classroom. But we actually had fun with it, retracing our travels in the last few days.

 Gotta Love the Wheels

You can be sure there wasn't another diner in the place, taking notice of the wagon wheel light fixture or the yellow, pressed tin ceiling.  And you can be even more sure that other no diners took out cameras to capture the images of the cafe.

We Weren't Last

There were two tables lingering over coffee by the time we were ready to check out.  We had to stand at the counter a while to pay our bill.  I so wish I could have done a little magic and cheered our waitress a bit.  She never quite warmed up to us and that's okay.  Maybe it was the cook who had made her a little grouchy.  We'll never know. Chances are we'll never be back. But I am glad we had our Red Lodge experience.