The Mixed Review

Sunday morning after the wedding of our son Randy, we find ourselves driving around Great Falls, Montana looking for a good non fast food place for breakfast, one obvious choice we had eaten at the day before so this was a no go because we are out of town and need to try different places.

The night before one of the bridesmaids had mentioned a great place to eat down on the river, she described it as “kind of a dive, you know an old mom and pop place but with good food as long as you aren’t looking for a really nice place”

OK I’m game but no one can remember the name of the restaurant, and the people we called to ask who were with us couldn’t remember the conversation.

Missouri River is in the name I recall, Cindy adds that this sounds right, so it had to be something like Missouri River Restaurant, she asks Tim what was the name of the restaurant that bridesmaid told us to try, Tim adds “I wasn't talking to no bridesmaid”

“Navigate me to Missouri Restaurant”, “Navigate me to Missouri River Restaurant”, “Navigate me to Restaurant by the river”, "Navigate me to restaurants in Great Falls" no matter where Tim asked his smart phone to navigate us to, only confused the phone more than we were already confused.

I remember once upon a time when we could stop and look at a phonebook, aren't you glad we've progressed past that inconvenience....

So we called Casey, a young man we adopted who was in the Air Force and stationed in the same town we lived in back when we were still New Mexicans, well we weren’t new anythings but we lived in New Mexico and Casey was another son to us.

Casey happens to now live in Great Falls and was actually in Randy’s wedding so we got to catch up with him while we were there.

Cindy asks “Hey Casey, that bridesmaid last night told us about a restaurant we should try for breakfast, but we can't find it” Casey replies “OK what was the name of it?” that’s another thing she adds “We are not sure, it’s either Missouri something or Missouri River something, something like that, you were sitting right there when she was telling us.” Casey replies, “I don't remember talking to a bridesmaid”

Oh OK I know what you are looking for it’s called the Missouri River Diner, it’s over on River Road and it’s kind of a dive, you know an old mom and pop place but with good food as long as you aren’t looking for a really nice place, that has to be it I conclude and Tim speaks into his smart phone “Navigate me to Missouri River Diner” to which we hear “Navigating to Missouri River Diner, make a U Turn and continue straight to River Road”

I have to admit this place did look like a dive, we were the only car in the parking lot other than a 60’s model Ford pick up truck with a snow plow attached to the front bumper, and a black SUV parked next to it appearing to be a workers car.

I jump out ready to go inside while Cindy and Tim hold back, I'm looking out over the river while they are looking at the restaurant from inside the car, I think they were waiting on Banjo music or something to begin, had Dueling Banjos started playing they would have locked the car doors leaving me trapped outside.

Inside Missouri River Diner (Source)

I like these types of restaurants, this one was old and looked it, the furnishings were old and looked it, everything was old and looked it except for our waitress who was ten years old if she were a day, she was really sweet and worked hard to make sure we were taken care of, she must have been someone's granddaughter who worked there, but I guarantee you she kept herself busy and we never wanted for anything.

Cindy has always talked of traveling the country and reviewing restaurants, I suggested we do this beginning with this very restaurant, we evidently had different opinions.

Cindy said she was starving and couldn't wait to eat, I wasn't really hungry but really needed to eat (since it was our breakfast time)

We both ordered Pancakes and eggs, I thought the pancakes were grilled perfectly and had a good flavor, Cindy thought they were gummy and tasted burnt.

I thought the restaurant had a home style feel, Cindy thought it needed updated.

I thought the staff was friendly but quiet, Cindy thought the staff was rude because the little girl was working and they hardly talked.

I thought the restaurant was an excellent place to go for it's view of the river and convenient location, Cindy said she thought it evidently not a good  choice because we were the only ones there.

I gave the place 5 stars and would recommend it with no problem, Cindy gave the little girl 5 dollars and said she wouldn't go back.

Now to be fair to The Missouri River Diner we were the only customers at that time, but when we passed by a short time later the parking lot was completely packed, that says a lot for them in my opinion.

A packed parking lot at meal time is the sign of a good restaurant, and us being the only customers at the time only says that we were ahead of the crowd.

Ok Ok Cindy says to tell you that her pancakes were still gummy, mine were perfect though and this is Jimmy's Opinion.....Right?