The Snake Pit

Love the Snakepit so much! The new owners have put a lot of work into making the place less cluttered while maintaining the original look and feel. We went to try the new prime rib dinner. It was cooked perfectly, the green beans and mashed potatoes were delicious! The plate was huge and the service was great. Also, had the huckleberry bread pudding. It was amazing! Can’t wait to go again!

Went to the new snake pit and the food was wonderful!! There was a little wait but not bad. The girls got us our table pretty quick. Everything was delicious!! My son ordered the clams and those were absolutely amazing!! I love their signature fries but the sweet potato fries were good as well. When we went I was told the owner was cooking. He had a large group prior to us but is wasn’t too long ago of a wait. He did an amazing job and our waitress was very sweet. She took good care of us. We will definitely be back.

We had the most amazing dining experience. Our server was perfect in every way Quite funny and accommodating. I didn't get her name but she had the awesome hair with pink in it. We were with a pretty large group and we all received our food at the same time and perfectly cooked.

If you’re looking for great food, history and amazing staff, then stop into the snake pit. This historic restaurant is a must as a local or visitor. Had the brisket sandwich and tots which was delicious. Super friendly staff. Highly recommended!

A group of friends and I have been going to Kingston, Idaho to go camping and floating for a few years. Each and every time we drive by The Snake Pit, on our way to the campground, we say “next year we need to try that place.” Well, this was the year! We were able to try it on two different days (Friday and Sunday). 𝐅𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐲, on our way to the campground, we made a quick stop and just had a few beverages at the bar. The bartender was friendly and efficient. She made our drinks and got them to us quickly. That was great, because we still needed to get everything setup at the campsite. Their prices for the cocktails were really reasonable. 𝐒𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐲, on our way back to Spokane we left later than we normally do and decided to give them a try for lunch. When we walked in Sunday shortly after opening, at about 11:15, we were quickly greeted and sat at our table. It was probably 10-15 minutes before our server came over and brought us some waters. While waiting to order, I ran out to my car to get a long sleeve shirt, because it was a little chilly where I was sitting. When I came back in, my friend informed me she overheard the hostess tell some other potential customers that it would be (about) a 15 minute wait for a table and probably 40 minutes to get food after you order. This was not communicated to us directly, but we made the decision to wait (total time at the restaurant was about an hour and a half). If you’re in a hurry, you may not want to stop here. If you have time, then it’s a neat place. I ordered their Trout Po’Boy with a side salad and it was wonderful. Something you don’t get everywhere and made the wait worth it. The side salad was nice, but it came tossed in the dressing, so if you don’t want that, you’ll want to ask that they put the dressing on the side. My friend ordered a 1/4 pound cheese burger and added sautéed mushrooms and onions. She also ordered French Fries as her side. She said the fries were tasty and their fry sauce was nice. They did forget the mayo on her burger, but she was able to improvise with the fry sauce.

I've been dying to eat here. What a disappointment. There were not many customers so I don't know why I got my food an hour later then after 15 minutes had to walk over to the counter to ask for silverware. I tried to catch the waitress's eye but I think they practice the belief "if you don't look at them they can't see you". I ordered fish and chips. They were soaked in grease..awful. But, the food was hot, so that was a good thing. When I was finished, the waitress asked if I needed a to-go cup for the ice tea. That was nice, but, it never arrived. I heard before covid, the Snake Pit was "the best". I found it to be mediocre at best. The people at the bar seemed to be enjoying themselves, though. Ok, so here's an update. Today, Sept 12, I went as a group to eat here, a month and a half later. I ordered a Snake burger. It tasted good but couldn't pick it up like a regular hamburger. I had to cut it up with my knife and fork because the bun was too soggy. I was served a good serving of fries, and the burger was a real 1/4 pounder, cooked through, with plenty of lettuce, pickles, and onions. (I don't like raw meat in the middle). But, the coffee didn't arrive, I had to ask the girl to bring it, and the lady across the table from me had to ask for her drink also. We still had to get our own silverware. I'm thinking maybe that is what we are suppose to do? I'm not sure. But don't let my negative Nellies stop you from going....it has a nice ambience, fireplace, coziness, friendly.

Tight on the trail. Lots of History and wood burls to look at. I got the salad wrap with cheese added. It was very good. The use green lettuce, not iceburg.

Great awesome Place recommend everyone to stop in and see a piece of history Great food! Awesome staff! Atmosphere and property is beautiful!

Coolest atmosphere, friendly staff, terrible food . If you're looking for a super cool interesting place with super expensive food that doesn't taste good , then you've found the place. Seeing it from the outside, I knew we had to stop. What' a cool rustic place! Has like an old fashion cabin decor with interesting pieces. The service was ok. Nothing to write home about. The food ... large portions but overpriced and bland. The nachos by themselves could have fed an entire family and would still have leftovers at the end. The portion sizes did not disappoint. The dilemma was that there was no flavor. So even though my family was starving. We hardly touched it. The burger was large, but yet again, very bland. Ordered the Mac n cheese. Everyone literally took one bite and we threw the rest away. The whole family hardly touched their food. And we the rest way. Not even worth bagging up. I actually brought her the nachos and mac n cheese because I couldn't stand paying all that money and wasn't touched. I came home and gave it to my brother without saying anything. He said he ended up tossing it because it was terrible. Our entire family was extremely dissapointed. Driving through , it's totally worth it to stop and walk thru because it's so cool. But do yourself a favor and order your food somewhere else.

A group of friends and I have been going to Kingston, Idaho to go camping and floating for a few years. Each and every time we drive by The Snake Pit, on our way to the campground, we say "next year we need to try that place." Well, this was the year! We were able to try it on two different days (Friday and Sunday). , on our way to the campground, we made a quick stop and just had a few beverages at the bar. The bartender was friendly and efficient. She made our drinks and got them to us quickly. That was great, because we still needed to get everything setup at the campsite. Their prices for the cocktails were really reasonable. , on our way back to Spokane we left later than we normally do and decided to give them a try for lunch. When we walked in Sunday shortly after opening, at about 11:15, we were quickly greeted and sat at our table. It was probably 10-15 minutes before our server came over and brought us some waters. While waiting to order, I ran out to my car to get a long sleeve shirt, because it was a little chilly where I was sitting. When I came back in, my friend informed me she overheard the hostess tell some other potential customers that it would be (about) a 15 minute wait for a table and probably 40 minutes to get food after you order. This was not communicated to us directly, but we made the decision to wait (total time at the restaurant was about an hour and a half). If you're in a hurry, you may not want to stop here. If you have time, then it's a neat place. I ordered their Trout Po'Boy with a side salad and it was wonderful. Something you don't get everywhere and made the wait worth it. The side salad was nice, but it came tossed in the dressing, so if you don't want that, you'll want to ask that they put the dressing on the side. My friend ordered a 1/4 pound cheese burger and added sautéed mushrooms and onions. She also ordered French Fries as her side. She said the fries were tasty and their fry sauce was nice. They did forget the mayo on her burger, but she was able to improvise with the fry sauce.

Though it's a bit off of the freeway (maybe 8-10 minutes) The Snake Pit is well worth the stop. It's a little rustic and a little off the beaten path but the food was spectacular! My husband had the trout po'boy (fantastic) and I had the burger with the bacon and jalapeno jam. Be warned, the jalapeno jam is SPICY, but so delicious. The bacon is chopped and then cooked so you get some in every bite! I would maybe avoid the onion rings, they were a little doughy, but the fries were spectacular. Even on a week day at 2:30 in the afternoon this place was reasonably busy. The waitress was super efficient and really sweet. Our bill was not expensive at all and we were really glad that we told the time to stop here.

It was a pleasant surprise to return to the snake pit after many years. The last time we were there, the service and food was terrible. This time, however we found the restaurant clean the staff very friendly. The food was delicious. All four of us loved our choices. Large portions for a very good value. We will definitely be back more often now.

New owners made a good place GREAT! Went for lunch and came back for dinner and everything was perfect. Big fan of the ambiance and casual dining experience. Food is top notch under the new ownership

I've never been a huge fan of the Snake Pit, my husband likes it so I give in, but was hoping for a better experience since I heard they had new owners. The menu was similar and the food was the same. Nothing spectacular and the prices, as with most places now, are high. The waitress was ok, drinks were empty often and food took a bit to come out. I think my biggest annoyance is no kids menu. They have a $6 small Mac n cheese and a $12 burger and everything else is pretty much $15-$25 so expect to pay a premium for your littles to take one bite of something and leave it . They sell burgers and chicken so why not offer a smaller portion for kids? Anyhow, it's much the same which is just mediocre....

My husband and I stopped by on our way back from Montana We split the Rueben sandwich with fries. And it was plenty $3 beer and a very decorated Bloody Mary, onion, olive,pickled Green bean and pickled carrot I think the prices are very reasonable and the staff was super We will be back

How about being open for dinner on a Sunday night? You're a long ways away and you could be capitalizing on Wolf Lodges tragedy. But no. You're not serving after 5;30??? We are not the only ones turned away and it's not our first time. You lose

Funkiest of the funky. My wife and I stop here occasionally when coming home from Lookout Pass ski area. The food is usually good, and the staff is, well, N. Idaho people. We took our daughter and grand kids, from San Diego there after skiing at Silver to let them have a cultural experience. The grand kids did not know what to think when I told them we were going to The Snake Pit for dinner. The had a blast looking at all of the artifacts hanging in the place. A true N. Idaho experience, the way N. Idaho used to be. Oh, yeah, everyone thought their food was fine.

Hours posted on this site are wrong and there aren't signs on the doors. They aren't open until 11am.

The staff was so friendly and their food was great! I ordered their bbq and some sides, they were super yummy! My husband ordered the country fried steak and it was probably one of the best I've tasted! The inside of the restaurant is really cool and cozy, definitely will be back!

I had high hopes for the new owners since they are already successful restaurant owners but it was a huge letdown. We waited an hour and a half for a couple of sandwiches, which were lousy and the fries were cold. I got a river dip which was supposed to have horseradish on it but didn't. My wife got the cheese steak which was greasy and the onions were raw. The waitress walked past me 20 times with my empty ice tea glass sitting on the edge and never said a word. Then it took forever to get the check. I'm a local and I really hoped new management would fix that place, since it has sucked for many years, but nothing changed. I won't be back and neither will anybody I know.

Finally tried the oldest resto in Idaho. Breakfast was great. A bit unique, too, because their signature Buffalo Chips are something I've never tried before. Think a cross between a cottage fry and a potato chip. I was first, 'wha-what the h***?,' but after my obligatory splashes of tabasco verde, the addiction began. Had to fight off my Wifey for the entire meal. However, she had to fight me off her biscuits and gravy, so... Plenty of cream and sugar on your table for your coffee. Our waitress was a pro, and prices were good. Another one of those places where you wish it was closer to home, but cool to only visit on random leisure travels...

We heard so many great things about this restaurant and it surely did not disappoint! Great historic building, waitress even shared some history. My husband got the Rocky Mountain oysters. Super delicious and the green beans were cooked to perfection!

About my 5th or 6th time there. Always get a burger and they are delicious. The regular fries a very yummy with a tasty batter on them. The wait staff is wonderful and so very nice.

This was the go to when we were in the area!!! Service was friendly and we ordered the massive $80 snake tray. The four of us were ravishing and expected to clear the plate but boy were we wrong! This meal ended up servicing us for 2 leftover dinners!! The brisket was deliciously tender, pulled pork juicy, sausage perfectly seasoned. The sides were a bit lackluster, would've liked a larger serving of the Mac and cheese and baked beans but the tater tots were nice and crispy! Fluffy biscuits, the green beans were a bit on the soggy side though. Overall a great bang for your buck.

So disappointing. Website and yelp said open 7 days a week. Not true this place says temporarily closed. Middle of summer busiest time. Go figure. We drop from Athol to have lunch. SO CALL BEFORE GOING.

We stopped here on our way through town. We love to support and try local but this place doesn't want business. We had our dog so sat outside on the patio. We went in to order at the bar...we could order drinks but were told the patio was closed due to lack of servers. We asked to order to go or if we could order at the bar and eat outside...denied. There were two servers and a bartender for 3 tables. The menu looked great and we were looking forward to trying the oldest restaurant in ID but had our beverage and went to find another place willing to serve us.

Great atmosphere. Live music. Always delicious shredded pork tacos. Servers always hard working , and friendly. Enjoy the time and money spent at this local eatery!

Mary and I stopped in here for the first time Saturday afternoon. This place has rustic charm amide the eclectic décor; continuously operating since 1880. We were greeted by friendly staff and seated, we ordered tasty beverages that came right out. Mary had a bacon cheeseburger with cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickles, and sauce. The bun was very fresh and lightly toasted, the meat patty was hot and juice, this was a delicious sandwich; the fries were hot, salty, and tasty. I had the Brisket sandwich, the brisket was tender and flavorful with a light Smokey taste, the bun was very fresh and lightly toasted, there was pickles, onion, and a mild BBQ sauce, a very good sandwich. I had the house buffalo chips as a side, hot, lightly crisped, salted, and delicious. The slaw was standard. Give this place a try.

August 2020. Verdict: ok if you have no other choice, but I should've gone back to The Relic Smokehouse in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho instead of trying this place (the Snakepit) The Snakepit in Kingston, Idaho was one of the few restaurants open near Kellogg where I stayed. This establishment has no respect for protecting others by wearing masks. The server was young but unfriendly and unresponsive despite our patience in waiting to be served. Gourmet prices with mediocre quality food... for 16oz ribeye steak for $30 and beer battered cod fillets. Tasted amber and porter beers from the tap: ok aroma but disappointingly bland tasting, ended up getting a glass of Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon for $5 each which was the best choice to go with the steak.

I ordered the pulled pork sandwich which came with slaw and tots. I also got a side salad. The pulled pork was yummy, tots were nice a toasty, apple slaw and side salad was mid. We ordered the salmon but unfortunately it was over cooked. The brisket sandwich was sadly tasteless and the battered fish from the fish and chips tasted and looked like it was store bought (maybe Gordon's?). The atmosphere was fun (lots of stuff on the walls to look at). Also our waitress was super nice.

It was awesome! Loved the food and the service was great. The seat was super uncomfortable, but otherwise awesome place to take the fam.

We went here about two years ago now, and the place was sooo good, unique and great atmosphere and friendly servers. This time, we went, for a dinner, celebrating my husbands birthday. I informed the waitress of this and was hoping she would bring a little dessert, after dinner for him, since she said they had great pie. Well, our dinner was HORRIBLE, and the two waitresses were not really into working or being friendly but were more interested in standing around chatting. The waitress never did bring my husband pie. The place was empty, only two other people. Either they changed owners or this place is going out of business after 100 years! We were very disapointed. We bought some nice beer glasses there, and we wont go back again. I would NOT recommend this place at all!!!

Cool atmosphere as always. Both the brown and white gravy tasted like the cheap canned garbage. A place like this in the backwoods ought to know how to do gravy right. This also makes the chicken fried steak and mashed potatoes suck. The actual ribeye steaks were great. The side salads were an overly tiny portion of the cheapest bagged iceburg lettuce you can buy, which was turning brown & had a rotten tomato on it. We paid good money for our meals. There are a lot of loyal patrons who have kept this business alive that deserve better. Not worth the money.

Lots of history, great burgers and fries. A truly unique experience. Service was good and the food comes out pretty fast.

Took my wife there for lunch service was pretty slow, finally got our food we had hamburgers they weren't very good and the tots were pretty dried out the bill was over 50 dollars way to high for what we got, I recommend you save your money and go somewhere else, we won't go again, pretty much a rippoff

Wonderful old world charm. Food was really good ! Perfectly cooked salmon and green beans. Wonderful bluegrass band. Owner sat and talked to us about history of the restaurant and the area. Waitress was efficient and helpful. I can't think what could have been better!

Apparently this is the oldest operating restaurant in Idaho. It's rather off the highway, but worth finding. The food is excellent--I had a Rueben sandwich and the meat was house cured. Also good selection of beers. The atmosphere is very historic and fun...you just need to be comfortable with taxidermied animals watching you eat. I would go back.

We really enjoyed this restaurant! It is the real thing! By that I mean it's pretty indescribable. The atmosphere is quirky and eclectic with very rustic aesthetics. That is to be assumed since this is a historical restaurant. Our waitress was excellent with her service and our food was really good. We had the grilled cheese sandwich that my wife said was "a grilled cheese sandwich made for an adult". I had the homemade mushroom soup and that was really tasty.

Great rustic atmosphere. Very friendly service - nice waitress. There's not a lot of good options in this area Snake pit was basic. But the basic ness of it was enjoyable. We had the BBQ meat plate , sweet potato nachos & the smoked salmon. The best was the pulled pork& The sweet potatoes Nachos !! Yum - rest was very basic but hit the spot However. Above all. The cream pie. It must have crisco in the cream Or something. But it's so yummy. Bad very bad - but very yummmmmmmmy. Banana cream pie.

We stopped on the way back from biking after hearing this restaurant was the oldest restaurant in Idaho. The restaurant is charming, lots of memorabilia, wonderful seating area, clean and friendly staff. I ordered the potato chip nachos with brisket. Fabulous beyond words and of course my eyes were bigger than my stomach and ordered a large, way too much food and not expensive. Others in my group ordered the tacos, the barbecue sandwich and pulled pork. Rave reviews from them too. The slaw that came with their orders was also delightful with its apple cider twist. We will return again and again and highly recommend this gem of a restaurant.

Great little rustic themed restaurant. Great service , tasty food and fair prices. Supper close to a lot of campsites on the CDA river so very convenient for campers.

Unique atmosphere. Good pulled pork, though our food was cold. I wish the biscuits were fluffier. That is just a personal choice.

Fantastic food great service nice atmosphere stopped here for lunch got the western burger with tater tots absolutely delicious will definitely be back

What a fantastic place! I love the atmosphere in this little bar. It has a long and colorful history which is on display all over the walls. You can tell this is not one of those cookie cutter places where a designer has tried to make it look "olde timey" by slapping antiques all over the walls. This place is a genuine, delightful, funky, old bar. The story of the bar is a good read (they put it on the menu with pride). They have a good large selection of beers from all over the region and the barbecue is fantastic. Great food all around. The service was very good even though I came in with a large party near the end of their night. If there is any down side to this place it is that they close quite early, but it is worth coming in early for the great food!

SALTY!!! Everything so SALTY!!! The $20 Rocky Mountain Oyster dinner was a huge miss. Over breaded and over cooked. My Dad's shrimp were also over done. The place is charming as all get out and the Trumpiness is off the chart, but the goods don't deliver.

Highly recommend this place! It has coolest atmosphere, great staff, awesome food and the owner Tom came over and talked with us like we were old friends. Great place to hang out and have a great dining experience

All you can eat BBQ for $20. Damn good BBQ, I should say. The oldest restaurant in Idaho is still in operation and if they keep up what they're doing, they will be for a long time. I passed this gem on my way camping in the area last year and tucked it in the back of my head before eventually making a trip out for dinner this spring. I had the 1/3 rack of ribs which comes with a baked potato, biscuit, cole slaw, and a trip to the salad bar. It was plenty of food and a couple of the guys I was with went with the All You Can Eat option so I got to see what that was like as well. With that, you get all four meat options (ribs, brisket, sausage, and one that escapes my memory) in addition to the other sides I mentioned. Whenever you want more of one particular meat, you just ask and they will bring another serving of your choosing out for you. If you want two more meats, you can do that too. It's a pretty sweet deal. The aesthetic of the place is unbeatable. Antlers, taxidermy, old kitchen nik naks, you name it they have it hanging on the wall. Behind the bar there is a sign that says "The Lord giveth and the government taketh away". You're still in Idaho. Don't forget that, Dorothy. They did have a solid deal for beer when we were there. It was light beer (Miller and Coors if my memory serves me) for $1.50 a piece. If you can't get into the Wolf Lodge or want to save some coin and have great BBQ, this is your place.

I have been to the Snake Pit twice the food was amazing and the atmosphere was rustic. There is so much history there that you have to come back over and over just to see everything there. I will recommend The Snake PIt to all my friends. Great food and Atmosphere.

Today we stopped while biking and had lunch. What friendly service and the food was fine! Great impossible burger and fries and a super grilled cheese. Overlook the worn sign cause this place is worth a stop!

You go for the cool atmosphere. The staff is friendly and totally unprofessional . The food is decent typical pub type fare. Nothing exciting although the homemade beef barley soup was pretty good and clearly homemade.

Before we entered the place we were greated and told we could use the side entrance..less stairs.  Staff were outstanding, friendly and professional.  Family friendly! Our waitress was amazing! I had the fish and chips (your choice of several sides in place of the typical french fries.)  I had the homeade sweet potato chips..Yumm!  Better half had the surf and turf..zero complaints, which means it was cooked and flavored wonderfully.  Great  atmosphere with history every way you look. If we lived close, it would be a frequent stop.  Kudos!!!

On the way to the cabin in the woods we always pass this rustic restaurant that turns out to be the oldest in Idaho. Since the 1880's this has been a wretched hive of prostitution and miner scum... but if you check on the business in the last 50 years you find new owners. Tweak of the menu and a movie filmed here "Dante Peak" with Piece Brosnan it gets good reviews and the food hits the spot. The food is greasy spoon standard and just dripping with home made trimming. Thick cut pepper bacon and egg sandwhich to nibble on while driving through the mountain? Hells yes!

It was 7 miles from where we were staying, hubby didn't want to drive, but he did anyway. Their menu stated, their specialty was bull's testicles, but we didn't have any. Our B&B owner told us, it's more country, and they have ribs, and so we went. I wasn't gonna go, didn't want to encounter any snakes, tonight! (We did saw their lamps had carved snakes - that was about it!) This place? Had a lot of character, starting from the view from the driveway. I sat on a bench, which was soft, but too narrow even for my small butt. You can pull the table closer if you'd like, and I really like everything about it (inside & out). I'd come back here again, just for their hot biscuits & honey (in a small plastic container). Honestly? I wasn't quite impress about their ribs! Hubby ordered the butterflied shrimp, fried and tater tots. They were excellent, the brocollini he wasn't hungry enough to eat those, and we had each a salad bar. Negative 2: We were in the middle of eating, drinking our drinks, when our waiter asked if we're done! She came to give us our receipts, while in the middle of eating (me anyway), I guess I realized now, why the rush? It was time for her break (meal), so that's one customer out of the way!

Had breakfast here (they serve breakfast 8-11 7 days). Ordered the small Chicken Fried Steak, Eggs over easy, Hashbrowns. I was amazed when the food arrived as the steak was bigger than any I've had anywhere else. It was just a tad crispy on the outside and smothered with sausage gravy. Perfect. I've eaten here a few other times and food was always great. Great job!.

Stopped by after floating the river. Saturday afternoon. Took over 20 minutes to get one drink. There were five of us. We still Haven't received the water for our designated driver. Young waiters said yeah I'm the only one outside so it will take a while. We all wanted a couple drinks and food. Decided to spend money elsewhere. Really unacceptable

We don't have a review on the food only the service. Decided to give it a try. The sign says breakfast until 11:00 am. We got there about 5 minutes before the cut off. One waitress watched us walk in and be seated. She decided to go make drinks and not get us a menu. A few minutes later another waitress came in and we asked for breakfast menu. She said that we missed it. As I got up to leave I looked at the clock it was 11:02. So yes I did miss the cut off but no fault of mine and anyway 2 minutes late just because we couldn't get waited on. I will never know how the food was but I can tell you that the staff was pathetic at best.

A bunch of us went after a fantastic side by side ride into the Bumblebee area mountains. Food was good and so was the service. Prices were normal and expected. I will always stop in after enjoying this beautiful area to explore.