Where to even begin with this review, this used to be a great place to go. I realize that we all have bad days but what my wife and I experienced today was epic. Although we were seated quickly by our hostess, that was the only highlight of our visit. Our waitress took our food & drink order but our drinks arrived over 25 minutes later. We were never giving any silverware, had to ask another server for it and she seemed irritated that I even had asked for it. When our food finally arrived it was cold and it was delivered to us by someone from the kitchen. Our server was nowhere to be found because she was too busy arguing with another member of the staff because there were problems with another table she was serving. She never once during our hour & half stay stop by our table to refill our water, ask how we were doing or how the food was. After waiting for over half an hour to order another cocktail my wife finally walked up to the bar to order another round. The bartender was noticeably irritated when the order was placed. Another 20 minutes later the Caesars arrived but were not garnished. When I was able to wave down our server to inform her, she took the drinks back to the bar and the bartender proceeded to snap at our server and inform her that they were 'supposedly' out of all the items to garnish a Caesar. It appeared to us that NO ONE working wanted to be there which in turn gave the place a bad vibe. They spent too time arguing and/or chatting with each other. We work hard too for our money to spend at an establishment and treated like this. It will be a LONG time before, if ever we visit the Windbag again. read more

Food and atmosphere is good. Cool vibe in the place. Service was great one time and horrible the next. Will go back though.

Great meal in a historic building. We had beef brisket and a taco salad that were yummy. Service was fast! Dustin was our server and gave us some history info on the building. Glad we stopped in while on a bus tour. read more

Large place in nice downtown walking area, close to other stores and shops. Large menu to choose from, I had the bone-in chicken wings, and they were great. We had a very attentive and friendly server. read more

We visit Helena once a year and look forward to visiting The Windbag. Unfortunately we will not be back until there are huge improvements made. It was a Saturday and we were prepared to wait for a table, so we thought we'd order a couple drinks while we waited. Two Bloody Mary's never materialized , but the bartender assured us they would be sent to our table. We even told the server we had Two Bloody Mary's coming and again these elusive drinks never appeared as we watched folks at the bar receive refills. We placed our food order and waited some more. I want to add that this was the first day of College Football season, busy yet there appeared to be no one in charge to run the floor. My advice to this restaurant and a few others in town is to conduct some on the job training with their staff. Bring in a professional in to oversee the operation to improve quality of service. read more

Very fun place! Apparently I'm not the only one who's noticed! Great historic area. Handicapped accessible/clean restrooms/friendly waitstaff. A good mix of hipsters, parents, and several people were celebrating their birthdays and the purchase of a new home! I'd certainly try and arrive prior to the dinner rush as we did. The balcony is fun for people watching and chit chatting. Our waitress was Paige, who was a delight! The prices are reasonable for the food. I'd have enjoyed more low carb options... A LOT. Decent alcohol selection. Missing a star because there's no seat covers in the well decorated and spacious restrooms. I'll return. read more

Windbag Saloon - Burgers Near Me - Helena, Montana

Absolutely no complaints. Food was great. Service was amazing. Drinks were good. Price was just a tad higher than what I would have expected but doable for night out on the town at a iconic spot like Windbag. Chicken sandwich was great! BLT was great! Decent whiskey selection. Watched a football game there on a Sunday night and the staff never rushed us or pushed us to order anything extra. The funnel fries are to die for!!! Seriously, those were amazing. Me, my wife and teen daughter loved this place. Will absolutely return again! read more

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA NASH IS COOL! No seriously, he puts up with so much crap from customers... I know because I'm one of those costumers that gives him crap. He has such a great attitude and he does a really great job! He needs a raise and big hug from the boss Also this place is just a great place overall, food, music, decor, everything. I love it here! ~From those annoying costumers that sit in front of the entrance read more

Windbag Saloon - We made him take this photo... This is just proof of how amazing he is! - Burgers Near Me - Helena, Montana

The Windbag has been renovated, so it feels more sports bar than saloon. Tons of space, upbeat atmosphere, but who cares? The food was great! Really, really good wings. We couldn't decide on flavors, so the waitress suggested we get them dry and then have sauces on the side. They were perfectly cooked, crispy wings. Three of us slammed through 18 without any issue. But my favorite thing is the fish "and chips". The quotes are because it's really beer battered fried fish and a side. The chips aren't automatic. Anyway, the fish is amazing: moist, tender, and flaky on the inside, crisp and flavorful on the outside. I happily went two days in a row and ate that fish. Drinks are good too, but, for me, it was all about the wings and fish. read more

My out-of-state visitor who comes to Helena once a year always wants to eat at The Windbag. He ordered the bison burger which came back raw, too raw in fact to eat, but he didn't want to be "that guy" who sent food back to the kitchen. We brought it home and finished cooking it here. The waiter had not asked how he wanted it cooked. Service was very slow, and we had to ask another server to find ours so we could get a ticket, pay, and leave. Very disappointed in the experience. read more

Delicious food and cordial hostesses. I had their Monday special, the classic macaroni and cheese. I don't know how best to describe it, so look for the pic I took. It was so good. Also, my friend chose the burger. He had sautéed mushrooms put on it. He said it was very good compared to other burgers in the area (downtown). I would recommend this place, and I will be coming back for more read more

Kennedy was WONDERFUL! She made sure we had a fantastic experience and with a party of 11 that is no small feat. Food was great - definitely get the poutine to start. read more

Consistently mediocre I want to like this place. It's really difficult. The food is always, always mediocre. The server will consistently apologize for the wait for your drink or your order or for ignoring you. So few places to hang out with friends and family in town so this place keeps people coming back. read more

Came with a group. Had brisket Mac n cheese- excellent. The service was good. Nice atmosphere.

We are here with our family on Thanksgiving weekend. Food was fantastic, as was the service. Cheese curds were real, they had all advertised beer in stock. However, Last night we went back and ordered the beret battered fish fry - it was very over-cooked (dry and chewy) and our cheese curds were forgotten about by our server. Several beers weren't available. This was our first negative experience at the Windbag. We'll try them again but will avoid the fish fry. Someone in Helena has to know how to do fish correctly - just need to find them. read more

This I am torn on. I had a the Mac and Cheese burger, which was ok. My husband had the brisket macaroni, it was very good. My food came, but I had to wait for silverware. We waited and waited and my daughter, and husband's meal seemed to never come. The waitress checked on us, and asked what they ordered again. She brought out the wrong meal for both my daughter and husband. Even though it was not what he ordered, it was really good and I would recommend it. My daughter was disappointed in her meal. It wasn't what she ordered, but we just wanted to leave after waiting sooo long, so we paid our bill and left. read more

The food was very good. Service was fast and really friendly! The restaurant/bar was clean and not loud, which is always nice. The menu was limited, but the four that we had were tasty, warm, and served quickly! read more

I ordered a half Caesar salad with chicken, simple? It came out smushed in a small soup? bowl and the lettuce was doused as if it had been sitting in dressing for hours. Mushy and gross. And the TV had men fighting in some sort of MMA or ?? Never going back. read more

The Windbag is my favorite place to go in town, for a fun dinning experience. The place is filled with history and the servers are always willing to answer any questions about the place. The food is also the best pub food in town. The cheese curds, Brothel bites and Giant Pretzel are all a MUST order! read more

Great food and service! First time coming here. For a busy weekend, service was great! Food was yummy and were big portions so maybe ask how big the portion is of what you want or share if you are going with someone. read more

Windbag appears to be a popular watering hole for college kids, but I wouldn't go there for the food which is average at best. Salads are lettuce out of the bag not very fresh and not much else for high prices. My daughter liked the kids macaroni and cheese. This place use to be much better quality food! read more

Food was good, the servers were incredibly friendly and attentive, and the atmosphere outstanding. Also a great bar right in the center of everything. I suppose I could write more, but the Windbag Saloon just seems to be doing everything right. Highly recommended. read more

Ate here and it was nice. The y have a good beer selection with a lot of local options. The staff is friendly and don't mind you 'tasting' a few beers before deciding. I had the Fish and chips and the fish was really tasty. The fries where garlic part and a little 'limp', but otherwise tasty. Not very crowded and in a nice area. Worth a trip imo. Cheers read more

My husband and I's favorite night out spot! The brisket nachos are amazing (definitely share!) everything is delicious and filling. The environment is fun, staff is friendly and helpful. The place has a super interesting history that you can read about there and its a fun place to take out of town guests read more

4- stars with a caveat... This is always one of our 'go to' places when we have company in town. Fun atmosphere, rich history, pretty decent food, love the indoor/outdoor seating in hood weather. Our issue is for locals and the take out service. It's terrible. Especially with the pandemic- folks may not want to be 'out'- take out focus could be better. There are three different phone numbers listed, one has a full mail box, one is always a busy signal and one is out of service. Please try to make improvements on this as it gets frustrating, wasting time and drives us elsewhere for take out....a lot. read more

Good food. Service was slow when it wasn't even busy. Definitely pricey for the quantity you get.

One of the best spots in town! Top notch food, drinks and service!

I hadn't been to the Windbag since it changed ownership due to moving out of State. Recently moved home and was so disappointed in the Windbag. Food was poor quality as was the service. Definitely not the Windbag I remembered. Loud, obnoxious music made it worse. read more

Best place in Helena to eat, drink, and be merry! The menu has a lot of unique bar-food and the staff operates as a team making sure you get your food quickly and just the way you ordered it. Need something extra? They practically run to get it to you. The bartenders are some of the most interesting persons I have ever met and their mixologist is simply dazzling. The place can fill up quickly around dinner and during certain sporting events. The bartenders keep working away even if the floor manager can't recognize they need ice or additional supplies. The Windbag will deliver great drinks, great people, and great food. If they would just bring back the Prime Rib and Fried Mushrooms, I know many locals who would return. read more

Windbag Saloon - Notorious Big Dorothy who operated a brothel until 1973 at this location. Then the menu changed drastically... - Burgers Near Me - Helena, Montana

We found this place my accident and we are so glad we did. Hubby had the bison sliders and I had the chicken fried steak. Both were delectable! read more

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Food was maybe average at best. The service was definitely subpar. The ambiance and historical presence in the city is what carried my review to a 3 star. I probably would not return here again any time soon if I was in the area. They could have been having an off night though. read more

Beer selection could be wider. Cheese curds were very tasty but a bit salty. I ate the Montana Dip which was way over seasoned - my BP was definitely high after the salty curds and the salty dip. They should just make a French dip sandwich - leave the bacon off (I love bacon but it adds nothing to this sandwich). My biggest issue was the service. Bartenders walk around the bar purposely not making eye contact (I was seated at the bar) - forcing customers to be "that" person and be a nuisance and yell out "excuse me!" When I finally got someone to make eye contact (6 minutes from the time I started timing...which was already a few minutes in) I made a comment that I was happy I finally got eye contact. The bartender next to the person sniped, "we'll just yell at us! That's the best way!" I'm my experience, yelling out to a bartender to demand service is NOT the best way...it's usually met with irritation. That bartender then spent the next 30 minutes having a very personal and very loud conversation with the two people who sat a couple seats down from me. Go here if you want to be made to feel like your presence is an inconvenience to those who work here. read more

It was delicious and I had an amazing burger with pretzel bread and a very good waiter who was very helpful and informative and the history of the restaurant was amazing seeing as it is in an old saloon. Overall, an amazing restaurant in a boring city read more

Suuuuuper good food and drinks. The staff were incredibly friendly and helpful. The service was just amazing and the food came out quickly. I had a Caesar and a Jameson BBQ brisket sandwich with "truffle" fries. All of it was incredible!! I would definitely recommend this place to anyone living in or passing through Helena! read more

Windbag Saloon - House Caesar - Burgers Near Me - Helena, Montana

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Service was great and the beef brisket nachos were really delicious. Overall the food was good.

Go order the Buffalo Mac and cheese! Cheese curds and pickles didn't hit the spot, but the mac, awesome service, good local beers, and interesting atmosphere are a win! read more

Windbag Saloon - Burgers Near Me - Helena, Montana

I've always loved the idea of fish n' chips, but rarely have i loved the execution. Nevertheless, i continue to order them, hoping that one day, the reality will live up to my imagination. Well, i saw fish n' chips in the menu here, and decided to give them a shot. I was not disappointed! The batter was light and crispy, the fish perfectly cooked and moist. And, the funnel cake fries i got for dessert were delightful! Can't wait to come back! read more

Been here for lunch before. Loved their fish and chips. So.... decided to return today for lunch. It took over an hour to get our lunch. Desiree was a GREAT waitress but the manager leaves a little bit to be desired. She informed the manager that our food had taken an extremely long time. So the manager came over and offered my husband a cup of soup for his over and Hour wait. He said that if he had wanted a cup of soup, He would have ordered a cup of soup! When we received the bill, she discounted it a whole $2.72 for our, over an hour wait. What an insult!!! Plus I got to eat alone, and so did my husband because of the wait!! As you can see from the pictures it was not busy. No excuse. Not real sure if we'll ever be back. They need a new manager for sure!!! read more

Windbag Saloon - Burgers Near Me - Helena, Montana

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OUTSTANDING SERVICE. Thank you Cori E . You were amazing! Excellent suggestions on drinks and food. We were THRILLED with our food. Very busy fun fast paced place. Highly recommend this local stop in Helena. read more

The food is good. Everything else leaves a lot to be desired. Tried calling multiple times to place an order....nobody answered any of the times. Went in to order. Waited almost 20 minutes to even be acknowledged. After being told that our food would take 25-30 minutes, we waited and came back to pick it up. Then we had to wait another 20+ minutes to get our food. The food is good, but not good enough to deal with that kind of service and that long of a wait. Very frustrating afternoon. read more