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    Boxcar Bistro

    4.5 (72 reviews)
    Closed 4:00 pm - 9:00 PM

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    Raw meat

    An alleged "medium rare" burger. Priced at $24.00. A talented veterinarian could bring this cow back to life. I don't know how a restaurant could serve a burger this raw, it was basically a beef-based ceviche. I got halfway through it before I realized how raw it was and it started making me sick.

    Duck Confit
    Carmen L.

    We started our vacation here and ended here. The food is sooo AMAZING and the service is great! This was a random find for us while traveling to the national park, and it turns out to be a remarkable experience! We had the duck confit and steak with surprisingly delicious dessert "the bread pudding". If you are in the area, must try as many as you can. I almost wanted to move across street to be able eat here whenever I want. It's that good

    Encourage reservations
    Randy P.

    Cute little Bistro, great decor with chandeliers, wine bar, and a cool arrangement of seating. Sorry should have taken more pictures. There is a nice selection of food to choose from. What I appreciate is that there is verity but yet not too many selections. Wine was delicious, appetizers was awesome and the owner paired it with a Sherry which really drew out the flavors, Tenderloin cooked beautifully, desert was a great compliment to the dinner and night with friends. First time having Foie gras, it was delicious. It had this sear on it which really added to the taste.

    Bread pudding
    Ariel B.

    We checked out Boxcar Bistro last night just for dessert and I'm really excited to check it out again for a full meal. The place is cozy, classy, and affordable. It's not a big space but they were pretty full when we arrived. We sat at the bar and had a great chat with the gentleman behind the bar who gave us the full story behind the bistro and how they came up with the concept and menu. The food we saw looked delicious and the staff really sold us on coming back. They are still working on their menu, adding new items as they try thing out. Duck Confit or Escargot? Just added to the menu today! The desserts were pretty good. They're still perfecting some of their recipes. The flavor of the creme brûlée was great but the consistency wasn't quite there. The bread pudding was pretty good. Good texture and consistency but not quite sweet enough for me, but the caramel sauce they added was a little too sweet lol. Happy we are trying them in their infancy (they've been open 2 weeks) and looking forward to coming back on my next visit to see how their items have changed or developed. All their menu items were under $30 which was so surprising considering the finer dining feel to the place and their menu options. Will report back after trying the full menu.

    David H.

    Food quality / price (value) rating: 10. The atmosphere is neo-classical, with chandeliers, textures and colors brought together by a talented designer. There is a cute outdoor seating area as well. One typically needs to make reservations well in advance for this restaurant for good reasons. The Chef, Rachel, is the main reason for this. She should be made a partner NOW to prevent losing her! Her extraordinary palette and artistic talent joins together to create a very rare and exceptional gastro-experience. We concluded our Montana vacation on the highest note possible by having our final dinner here. We started with the Fromage Board, a wonderful mix of rare and unusual cheeses, crackers, olives, nuts, seeds, pickles, honeycomb, jelly, dried apricots and figs, and a hot mustard. Incredible! For an entree, I had the Double Cut Pork Chop. The presentation was one of the most beautiful I've ever seen, one that would make any artist envious. The photo speaks for itself. It was the most tender pork I've ever had the pleasure of eating, so tender that the WEIGHT OF THE KNIFE WAS ENOUGH TO CUT IT - I am not kidding! The mixture of textures and flavors was a true Meistro's symphony. You must read the description on the menu, as I am not enough of a poet to properly enshrine it's splendor. The wife had the Herb Roasted Chicken, where again, one must read the description on the menu to appreciate the ingredients and their place in the universe. We split a Bread Pudding ala mode, where the vanilla ice cream was super high quality. A couple of cappuccinos and we were finally satiated. Our server, Jewel, was very attentive without being imposing, and made our visit everything it could be. They have a wine and beer license only, so have your martini beforehand. Check out the photos, and look no further for the best food experience you can have in Missoula.....and possibly Montana.

    Quail
    Courtney K.

    Yumminess!! This was an excellent dinner out and very special experience. My husband has the quail and loved it. My risotto was yummy although the portion was overwhelming. Service and wine were great. The only concern was my 13 year old daughter had difficulty finding something she wanted. She was happy eventually with her steak - and I concede that 13 year olds are not the target clientele - but it will be hard to go back as a family option. But it is a definite date night favorite.

    Appetizers: Steak Tartare and Warm Raclette
    Ashlyn S.

    Stopped into this lovely restaurant while on vacation with my boyfriend. He currently lives in Montana and saw this restaurant was newly open. We usually pick a nice night out to end our time together before I head back home and this was the absolute best place to be. Ben and the rest of the staff (so sorry, we didn't get the other two ladies names!) were so accommodating as we didn't have a reservation. There are seats open on the patio and bar for walk-ins. They were very attentive and knowledgeable about the food and wine. While at the bar, we shared some great conversation with the rest of the diners. The best thing we had at this restaurant was the beef tartare appetizer. I've ordered this at many different French inspired restaurants and wine bars but I can happily say it was the best I've ever had and would gladly order 5 for dinner alone with a glass of wine. We ordered the chicken and steelhead for our meal which were both delicious. My boyfriend couldn't stop talking about the chicken on the drive back home! We finished off our meal with the creme brûlée which was also great and came with some heavenly whipped cream. My boyfriend has lived in Montana for most of his life and has told me about some of the restaurants he's been to in different cities. This, hands down, is one of, if not the best places he's been to. If traveling to Missoula for a day or wanting a great night out, this is a must. This puts Missoula and honestly, Montana on the map for some delicious fine dining while still being approachable and absolutely affordable. Will DEFINITELY be dining here on my next trip! Ambience, service, food 10/10!

    Salad
    Sabrina C.

    Small and local this place is a great hole in the wall. Delicious food that will leave your tastebuds extremely satisfied. Beautiful and quiet atmosphere that is perfect for a treat yourself meal or a date night. Will definitely be back here again.

    Duck confit

    While I have been to Boxcar once more after my initial review I wanted to update my first review. I recently dined at another fine dining establishment in Missoula and while not wanting to cause a ruckus or hurt anyone's feelings, Boxcar is still far and away, in my humble yet wide experience, the absolute best dining in Missoula. From beginning to end Boxcar is my go to place, period. Sorry for cheating on you Boxcar, but you know I love you best.

    Raclette appetizer
    Desiree B.

    So excited for this new restaurant in the Old Sawmill District. Excellent food, wonderful staff, beautiful space! We had the raclette, chicken chasseur, and risotto and split the bread pudding (best we've ever had!). Highly recommended! Edited: we visited again last night and it was just as delicious!

    Interior

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    6 months ago

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    5 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Amazing food....amazing service...everytime we eat there it is a fantastic experience....best place in town hands down

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    5 years ago

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    John H.

    Hi Ashlyn! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

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    4 years ago

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    1 year ago

    We have dined here several times and have enjoyed most items on their menu. Cozy, relaxed ambiance and decent service. Try it.

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    2 years ago

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    5 years ago

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    John H.

    Thanks so much Desiree! We're so excited to have you :)

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    5 years ago

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    1 year ago

    Fantastic food. Duck, sea bass and onion soup were all terrific . Intimate atmosphere. Perfect service. Highly recommend

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    2 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Staff, food, and ambiance were perfect. Beer pairing was spot on and added to the duck confit. Highly recommend!

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    4 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Best date in Missoula. Intimate atmosphere. Good food. Great wine. Definitely recommend.

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    3 years ago

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    John H.

    Thank you, Lory! Come back soon :)

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    John H.

    Hugo - Thank you! Please do come back soon!

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    5 years ago

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    John H.

    Thank you so much, Steve! We look forward to next time as well.

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    2 years ago

    Fun place to enjoy a fine meal. Cozy interior and good service. Enjoyed the beef tartare, duck, and scallops. Would recommend.

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    Page 1 of 2

    Ask the Community - Boxcar Bistro

    Is there a Dress code?

    Hi Kathy! There is not. If you like to dress nicely you won't be out of place!

    View All 2 Questions

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    They are limited options for more high-end dining in Missoula and we gave Brasserie another chance…read more This experience was very good other than a couple of significant service misses. Our server, Stella was fabulous when taking our orders. Friendly and knowledgeable. The lamb was tender and delicious. The savory bread pudding goes very well with it. Chicken Cordon Bleu was tasty with tender chicken. It could have used more sauce. The couscous side was yummy. We appreciated the compostable to-go containers. While the chocolate soufflé was delicious, the Nanaimo thunder cake was a big disappointment. The crust and middle layers were dry and frozen solid. They were inedible. We had to separate the frozen parts from the cream layers to eat part of the cake. Stella was dropping off the check and asked about the desserts. we let her know that the soufflé was delicious, but showed her that we were not able to eat the layers of the cake because they were frozen solid. Her response was that she would let the kitchen know so that it didn't happen again. We didn't say anything, but seriously? We spent $14 on a dessert and can eat less than half of it? In addition, the pour of the dessert wines was pretty short for the price. Finally, we mentioned that our dinner was to celebrate birthdays, and there was no acknowledgment at all of this during our meal. So it seems there are some areas that still need attention.

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    Main level. Bar to the right. Group table in the middle booths are to the left

    Boxcar Bistro - french - Updated May 2026

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