Johnsons of St. Mary
Johnsons of St. Mary – Browning, Montana
4
JULY, 2022
Johnsons of St. Mary restaurant is a quirky place. Think ‘The Soup Nazi’ episode in the Seinfeld series! At least that was the way I viewed our dinner there in July 2022. We went to Johnsons the night before we started the July 2022 Glacier National Park hike. Prior to starting that hike we did the trifecta of iconic Glacier lodging and restaurant destinations – Lake McDonald Lodge, Many Glacier Hotel, and Johnsons of St. Mary. We had put in a whole trip’s worth of adventure before we even started hiking! Our dinner at Johnsons of St. Mary provided plenty of good food and great memories.
“We found this little gem of a restaurant on our last couple days at Glacier. The French fries were the best crispy, dark brown bites of heaven. The hamburger was magazine-worthy, so juicy and perfectly cooked. My first bite I fell in love. Big giant breakfasts too. A must visit place to eat while at St. Mary.” – Guest Review
Night before starting Glacier hike – Travis recommends Johnsons
It was early afternoon when we arrived at Many Glacier in the northeast corner of Glacier. Our day had started at the Lake McDonald Lodge and Apgar Permit Office in Glacier’s southwest corner. The Going to the Sun Road was still closed due to early season snow. Thus, it had been a long day driving around Glacier’s south side. The weather was gloomy – ominous clouds, rainy, and cold. We spent relaxing on the porch of the Many Glacier Hotel, hoping for the skies to clear. The mountain scenery at Many Glacier is epic. We talked about having dinner at Ptarmigan Dining Room at the hotel, but Travis recommended we drive to Johnsons of St. Mary. The restaurant has a long and interesting history, which you can read here. Travis had eaten there multiple times. He said Johnson’s was quirky, and the food was excellent. Sounded perfect to me.
Quirky Atmosphere at Johnsons – Soup Nazi-esque
Many Glacier is in a remote area of Glacier. There isn’t much around there, and any consideration of ‘going out’ for dinner will require a drive. From Many Glacier to the town of Browning, where Johnsons is located, took 30 minutes. It was only 5:30 PM when we arrived, but the place was already packed. There was even a short line out the door. A crowd that early was a good sign to me. As we waited in line, a waiter was ‘greeting’ a family in front of us with ‘no fries, one check… think about it’. It reminded me of the Soup Nazi scene on Seinfeld! After we got seated, that same waiter regaled us with his tale of shooting a grizzly nearby. He told us the bearskin was on a table on the lower level. We took a look and, sure enough, a bear-skin tablecloth!
Menu and Food at Johnsons of St. Mary
I wish I had taken a picture of the menu at Johnsons, but I didn’t. The food is all freshly prepared on-site and delicious. Haute cuisine would not be an accurate description. More like a family-style dinner that your non-chef Mom would prepare. The night we were there, I had meatloaf and mashed potatoes. Travis had pork chops with apples. The food was tasty, plentiful, and satisfying. If more than one person orders the same thing, they serve the entree and sides family-style (share from the same dish). The bread was homemade and excellent. Travis told us Johnsons is famous for its homemade cinnamon rolls, but they are only available in the morning. Unfortunately, our hike the following day prevented us from trying the cinnamon rolls.
Conclusion – Johnsons of St. Mary
Johnsons gets mixed reviews. Many of the poor reviews mention the ‘roughness’ of the waiters and staff. I think that is their ‘schtick’ and a bit of an act. In that sense, I see how Johnsons might be an ‘acquired taste.’ Perhaps there are better choices for out-of-town families with kids. But I loved the quirkiness. The quirkiness ‘vibe’ is consistent with the character of that part of the country. It’s a rough life there, and I believe it’s a close-knit local community. ‘Outsiders’ are their lifeblood, but they are probably annoying in some respects. The food was great, but I recommend Johnsons as much for the ‘experience’ as the food. If you go there, keep an open mind and make an effort to appreciate Johnsons for what it is.
I am a ‘content creator’ with a passion for backpacking, creating videos, photography, and writing – with a healthy dose of all things outdoors on the side!
