Swiss Lounge - Babb

The Swiss Lounge is the more casual dining area at the Many Glacier Hotel. The food was good. The staff was good. It was nothing special, but more than adequate.

I tried the Bison Chili Burger, which was decent; surprisingly, the bison patty wasn't dry, which is typically an issue with bison. However, the chili was just okay—I couldn’t really taste any jalapeños in it. Overall, it was an average burger. The Grilled Chicken Club was similarly unremarkable, with nothing noteworthy to mention, either good or bad. The sausage sampler left something to be desired; it featured some uninspiring meat slices, along with random pickles and bread. The price felt a bit steep given the quality, but that’s to be expected considering the limited choices in the area. As for service, it was quite slow. It took about 30 minutes after we ordered to receive our food, and it was a bit odd that the appetizer was served alongside the main course.

- **Rainbow Trout (4/5):** The flavors were quite good, although the fish was a tad overcooked. The pilaf and cauliflower on the side were delicious and buttery! - **Bison Braised Short Rib (4.5/5):** This dish was the highlight; the ribs were perfectly cooked—super tender and full of flavor. - **Cavatappi with Mushroom (3/5):** This dish was our least favorite; the pasta was just okay and there were very few mushrooms in it. Overall, we had a pleasant dining experience!

Terrible experience! This was the worst food I've ever had. I ordered the chicken sandwich, and it looked like a piece of rubber. The portion was so small that it barely covered half the bun. The service was awful, and everything was way too expensive. It was also really loud! I would have complained to a manager, but after waiting almost an hour for our food and witnessing a dogfight in the hallway, I just wanted to leave as quickly as possible. We dined at several other restaurants in the park and had great experiences, but I strongly advise staying away from this one!

2. The Swiss Lounge, previously known as the Interlaken Lounge, is like the supportive sidekick to the Ptarmigan at the historic Many Glaciers Hotel in Glacier National Park. 3. Dining options in this area are limited, located about 20 miles from the main section of the park on St. Mary's Road along the Going-to-the-Sun Road. 4. There's a small pizza place and another restaurant at the Swiftcurrent Motor Inn, just 2 miles down the road. Parking can be a challenge in the park, and I’m not willing to give up my spot for pizza! 5. The Ptarmigan is only open from 6:30 AM to 10:00 AM, 11:30 AM to 2:00 PM, and 5:30 PM to 9:30 PM. If you arrive outside of these hours, you’ll have to settle for the Swiss Lounge, which is open from 10:00 AM to 11:00 PM. 6. Lines at the Ptarmigan can get quite long, and they don’t take reservations. If you’re just two people, the Swiss Lounge can be your go-to option. 7. The Swiss Lounge features just 14 tables: 11 for two, 2 for four, and 1 for six. So, if your party exceeds two, you might find yourself waiting a while! 8. At the bar, you’ll find non-social types and sports enthusiasts glued to the flat-screen TV, catching the latest on ESPN or football. You were hoping for the Food Network, weren’t you? 9. If you’re unlucky enough to sit where you can't see the TV, you can pass the time looking out at the handicap parking and truck unloading area through the screened windows in front of the hotel. 10. The Swiss Lounge shares a kitchen with the Ptarmigan but features a slightly different menu. It mainly offers soups, salads, and sandwiches. 11. One of my favorites is the $14 Farmers Mixed Salad, which comes topped with mixed greens, olives, onions, diced tomatoes, blue cheese, rye croutons, green beans, sliced egg, and bacon, with your choice of dressing. 12. The portion size is generous—my wife and I shared one plate, skipping the blue cheese and croutons, and asking for the tomatoes, onions, olives, and dressing on the side. Unfortunately, the order was messed up, with the unpleasant blue cheese all over the lettuce. My wife got the tomatoes and olives, while I ended up with raw onions. Not a romantic date night, so no worries about bad breath! 13. A local favorite is the Huckleberry cream soda. Once, when they ran out of the locally produced soda, they offered me a Sprite with Huckleberry syrup instead. Why not? It tasted great, and they provided free refills. It had a flavor reminiscent of tart blueberries. 14. Another dish I enjoyed was the sausage sampler, which included three types of sausage, bread, a vegetable, and mustard on the side. The spicy jalapeño sausage was my favorite, and my wife agreed—definitely not great for kissing afterwards! 15. They also offer the $12 Glacier hamburger, which is a 1/3 lb patty served with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and pickles, just like at the Ptarmigan. 16. The Swiss Lounge doesn’t have the pricier meat and fish dishes found at the Ptarmigan, and they can't order them for you on busy nights due to limited availability—yeah, right! They’re just saving those for the Ptarmigan guests! 17. And don't miss out on the delicious dessert: apple cobbler topped with Huckleberry ice cream! 18. The tables are very close together, so I could show off my light blue strap Chako sandals. It can get quite noisy when the restaurant is full. 19. The place closes at 11 PM, which I know because I can hear rowdy customers stumbling down the hallway from my room, 137, at that hour!