Tanjo's Cafe - MILK RIVER

We stopped by at 9 am on a Saturday morning.Not only was Tanjo's closed, but it looked like it has been out of business for quite a while. Dirty windows, weeds growing up around the door, etc. We then drove through town and found 5 other restaurants, all with OPEN signs in their windows ALL CLOSED! What a strange town! Finally we stumbled across the Golf Club at the south end of town and went inside. They have casual restaurant, open to the public, and we got a huge breakfast at a very low price. It was delicious! Go to the Golf Club at the intersection of 1st Ave S and 1st St.

Funny enough, I had an amazing eating experience here, but a not-so-great dining experience here. Why 4 stars? Let me tell you all about it! We did a run down to Sweetgrass this weekend and we were hungry and looking for something more cafe like as opposed to truck shop like, and from the outside, Tanjo 's Cafe fit the bill. When you walk in, the atmostphere is inviting and it was PACKED! Every table was full (which is always a good sign of fantastic food! . They had a french toast and bacon special written on the chalk board for $7, which you can 't complain about either. So far, it 's looking like its worth the wait. Mirraculously, the wait was less than five minutes and we got a seat. We got a coffee right away, placed our order (we both got ham and cheese omelettes with lots of veggies and proceeded to chit chat while we waited for our order. After some time had passed (lots of time it was obvious that this little place was in a crisis. People who were there ahead of us still didn 't have our food, and one guy beside us started making idle chit chat with us, and revealed that he was waiting over an hour. Fast forward over 45 minutes, and we got our order. And it was FANTASTIC. What we learned, is that this was likely an isolated incident. They absolutely got slammed with customers and they were short staffed. What was cool about it, is that the girls working literally called their friends in this small town of Milk River to come and help, and once those girls arrived, tables that were piling up were cleared, so that the staff could get the orders out. And there was certainly no quality issues under the circumstances. I even overhead that some of the people who waited exceptionally long got their food on the house. Short story, I would stop here again, and I would recommend to anyone going by Milk River to stop in as well. The reality is, under the circumstances, the staff reacted, were gracious and apologetic and the food was outstanding. The only reason I even told the negative part of the experience is so that you could see how they reacted under duress and make it right with the customers there, and thought outside the box to get it resolved. If I owned that business, that is exactly the type of staff I would hope for. Further, they have free wifi and they have fax service (send or receive for $1, or free if you are dining in. This is a great little cafe and worthy of support.

This restaurant is closed; it has been rebranded as CJ's Café and has been under new ownership since February 2016.

Upon entering, the atmosphere was warm and welcoming, and the place was PACKED! Every table was occupied, which is usually a great indicator of delicious food. The chalkboard featured a French toast and bacon special for just $7—definitely a deal worth waiting for. Miraculously, our wait was under five minutes before we were seated. We ordered coffee right away and decided on the ham and cheese omelet loaded with vegetables, then chatted while waiting for our meal. However, as time passed, it became clear that the restaurant was overwhelmed. Those who arrived before us still hadn’t received their food, and a nearby patron revealed he had been waiting over an hour. After a lengthy 45-minute wait, our meals finally arrived, and they were FANTASTIC. It seemed likely this was just an isolated incident, as the staff was clearly swamped with customers and a bit short-staffed. What was commendable was how some local girls stepped in to help, and once they joined the team, the staff quickly cleared tables to get orders out more efficiently. Despite the chaos, there were no issues with the quality of the food. I even overheard that some diners who had waited exceptionally long received their meals on the house. In short, I would definitely stop by Tanjo's again and highly recommend it to anyone passing through Milk River. The staff handled a challenging situation with grace and responsiveness, and the food was top-notch. I only mentioned the delays to highlight how well they coped under pressure and creatively solved problems. If I owned this business, I would want a team just like theirs. Additionally, Tanjo's offers free Wi-Fi and fax services (send or receive for $1, or complimentary with a meal). This charming little café is definitely worth your support!

We arrived at 9:00 AM on Saturday, only to find that Tanjo was not just closed, but appeared to have been out of business for some time. The windows were dirty, and weeds were growing around the entrance, giving it a neglected look. We then drove around the city and came across five other restaurants, all with "OPEN" signs in the windows, yet they were all closed! It was quite an odd experience. Eventually, we stumbled upon the golf club at the southern end of the city and decided to check it out. To our delight, they had a casual restaurant open to the public, and we enjoyed a hearty breakfast at a very reasonable price. It was absolutely delicious! I recommend visiting the Golf Club located at the intersection of 1st Ave S and 1st St.