Wonderland Cafe & Lodge

My husband and I decided to stop in before heading back to our hotel after a long day with the kids at Yellowstone. Upon arrival, the staff immediately asked if we wanted some french fries for our toddlers before we even sat. ABSOLUTELY!! It helped keep the toddlers occupied so mom and dad could relax and enjoy a meal. This was so nice for them to understand our needs before we even asked. The rest of the visit kept getting better! My husband enjoyed a great local beer and we ordered the Brussels sprouts and chili. Both were very good! But I have to say the cornbread and chili is one of the best I have ever had! This is my comfort food and it was so good after a long day in the cold. Unique flavors that went so well together. The staff continued to be amazing throughout the visit. We couldn’t be happier that we stopped by this gem!

I had hoped for an enjoyable experience at The Wonderland Cafe unfortunately, my visit marred by a food safety issue—finding hair in my meal. On my latest visit, I ordered the ribeye. The portion was generous, and the presentation was excellent. However, midway through my meal, I discovered a hair on my plate. Upon flipping the steak over, I found yet another hair beneath it. I discreetly informed my waiter, who handled the situation professionally and promptly removed the dish. The manager, Lane, offered a replacement meal or dessert, but given the circumstances, I declined. What truly disappointed me was the restaurant’s handling of the situation. Despite my meal being compromised, I was still charged $22.50 because, as the manager put it, I had eaten half the steak. This is not the standard of customer service one would expect from a reputable establishment, where a ruined meal is typically comped as a goodwill gesture. On a positive note, the atmosphere was pleasant, and my waiter provided excellent service. I also highly recommend their root beer on tap—it’s among the best I’ve had anywhere. Overall, while The Wonderland has potential with its ambiance and beverage offerings, food safety and customer service policies need serious improvement. Until these issues are addressed, I cannot in good conscience recommend this restaurant.

The restaurant was a welcome end to a snow-filled day. The chili was outstanding although the cup doesn't come with the jalapeño cornbread, a fact unfortunately not mentioned on the menu. The beet hummus was good but needs more garlic to feel like "hummus." The flat bread was outstanding. My husband had the duck and homemade mashed potatoes and it was lovely. Our friend had the burger and it looked really good. Dessert was chocolate tart and brownies and didn't disappoint.

Absolutely delicious dinner at the cafe along with some great live music. We had the daily special Fish and Chips and the Elk Chili Mac & Cheese. Both were incredible. They have a great wine and local beer selection too. If you only eat at one place in Gardiner, it should be here. Great service too!

Came in today for lunch and coffee and it was delicious! Ended up having a cold beer also and doing some work on a day that crappy things happened and Wonderland helped get through it 😊 my caldera burger was fresh and hot and the bun was perfectly crispy and it was all just the right amount of spicy. The fries were crispy and hot and salty and so good up until the last one. My latte was delicious and corona cold and yummy and the only thing I can even suggest because it is always tasty and fun when we go to Wonderland for a while but at the end the service lacks and leaves us feeling sad but we still come in whenever we can afford it😊

The Wonderland is well, simply wonderful! I love the use of recycled materials from the previous building on this site. We stayed in the Raven's Nest overnight before a trip into Yellowstone. The room was cozy and clean with a comfortable bed and bathroom. The food in the cafe is very good and the service is friendly. The cafe can get very busy. Reservations for dinner are advised. The Wonderland is in the "busy" section of Gardiner so you'll experience some noise and lights but things usually calm down around 9pm. Highly recommend!!

I am not one who leaves reviews but I had to to take a moment and leave one for this place. Stopped here to eat on our last night of vacation. This was by far the best food we have had the whole trip and we have been through 3 states in the last 2 weeks. Price was good and the taste was amazing. Absolutely hit the spot and made a perfect end to our trip. Cornbread and burgers were delicious, tater tot nachos were perfection. Absolutely will come back next time we are even close to town.

Cute & cozy establishment, warm & inviting. The food was amazing, we ordered the Ribeye and Trout and the flavors were so delicious! The waitress Lana was super helpful and friendly. So glad we found this little gem. Will come back and try the amazing coffee menu.

We stopped at Wonderland Cafe on the way into Yellowstone's northeast entrance to get a takeout lunch for our first day of hiking in the park. We heard the food in the park was not great, so we wanted one last great meal to fuel our four day adventure. Due to staff shortages, the cafe could not support takeout service, so we sat down to an early lunch and planned to bring leftovers with us to the park. We started with hot drinks. My latte with oat milk really hit the spot, and Mary loved her chai. Fried pickles and cheese curds were a delicious appetizer, but the main course was the star. Mary had the Cortado Salad (vegan), I had the bean burger (vegan), and Ali had Mac & Cheese. Everything was delicious. I can't say enough about the burger. Chickpea based with great seasoning, and cooked perfectly. Despite the staff shortage, everyone was friendly and helpful. Our server, Madison, checked on us several times and very happily brought us take home boxes for the leftovers. As it turned out, we couldn't eat again unto a late supper, because the meal powered us through the whole day of hiking Mammoth Hot Springs and around the Canyon Lodge area. We just didn't get hungry again until evening. Unfortunately, our room does not have a microwave, but everything, even the fried cheese curds, tasted good cold later. HIGHLY recommend.

This is a cafe restaurant that is part of the lodge. I would definitely look into staying here in the future if I visit Yellowstone again. But I'm sure it's pricey being so close to the North entrance. It was a busy Thurs night and the 5 of us were informed it would be close to 45 mins wait and they were right. We did some souvenir shopping across the street and also got huckleberry ice cream while waiting. For dinner, I got the cortado salad with chicken and it was great. We were told many times to try the bison burger while in Yellowstone, however it's just not for our taste. A bit too dense and not the fault of the restaurant. Our group did enjoyed very much sharing elk chili and the fried cheese curd. Both were delicious! Our waitress refilled our water couple times and was attentive. Our friend was craving mac and cheese and was hoping to do takeout when we drove by the next day. I'm reading other reviews now due to staff shortage take out is suspended which is understandable. We would recommend Wonderland cafe to friends who are staying near Gardiner.

I was looking forward to eating at wonderland based on reviews. I will say the chili is good but my bison ravioli was a 3 - I knew it wasn't homemade but you can tell and the pasty was a bit stiff. Sauce can't hide it. Waitress was friendly but not in a hurry. Not high season but I expected a wait list. The host told me it could be 2 hours even though the wait line was short. He referred me to another cafe with less than promising reviews. We left for another cafe and received a seating notice via phone from Wonderland 20 mins later. Too late. Tried again the next night. Told 45 min wait - we were notified 20 mins later for searing. The male host is a bit saucy in general. As we were leaving after our dinner, at 7:20 with minimal people waiting, I walked past the host who was telling people that he wasn't taking any more names for the wait list. They had 2 more hours of service!!!!! Felt like he was discouraging people to eat there. Just ok.

Best dining option in Gardiner. A solid 4 stars anywhere and arguably 5 stars for Gardiner itself. Nice, wide menu and good drink options. Ambience a bit harried but not off putting. Strongest marks for the service, which was on point - friendly and attentive.

Vegetarians should avoid this place like the plague. My "veggie burger" tasted like it was cooked in beef fat, because it most likely was. It left the worst taste in my mouth. I heard this place was sketchy and it is.

This place gets very packed since they are located near one of the entrances of Yellowstone National Park, and only one of the handful of restaurants here in Gardiner MT? The service was good, and the restaurant was very cute. I ordered the huckleberry wings (appetizer) since I was not starving. The portions were generous, I'd say. Many wings to share! The huckleberry had added a unique flavor to the wings! I'd order them again!

This review is only for breakfast! Wonderland only serves coffee & pastries in the morning! I ordered a large cappuccino & a huckleberry scone. There was just one woman making the drinks and ringing up pastries when I visited, and she was smashing it. I saw for a while enjoying my food and saw the line build up throughout the morning. My cappuccino was very average, with medium-size foam bubbles and okay taking espresso. Not a huge deal, because it was only $4 for this triple shot espresso cappuccino. This is a steal for the Gardiner area, at least compared to where we went the previous day. However, the absolute best thing I ate while in Gardiner for 3 days was the huckleberry scone. It was fantastic!!! Crispy exterior with cane sugar on top, ultra moist interior with chunks of huck. Not too sweet (the ultimate Asian compliment)! This knocked my socks off!!

Gardiner, Montana is such a wonderful cute town and right outside the northern entrance of Yellowstone National park. We stopped here on a whim after a recommendation, and I'm so glad we did! It is a clean, happy, relaxed atmosphere. The service was quick and friendly. We started with a huckleberry scone to split. It was crunchy fruity. I had the best veggie burger of my life here! GET THIS. The sauce is tangy and delicious and the avocado is a nice touch. I paired it with the side salad. The chicken cesar salad was tasty and a decent size. The avocado toast looked great too, just a little small. More of a snack. If you come, get the veggie burger!!!

We live in Emigrant and wanted to try a new restaurant and went to the park for the day. The atmosphere of the restaurant was warm and inviting. The food was expensive and left you expecting more. The turkey, bacon and avocado had two slices of turkey on it which was disappointing. The fries were good, my husband had the Montana burger and enjoyed that it was actually cooked properly to medium as requested. They were out of cheese curds so we tried their mozzarella sticks for $14 it came with 5 small sticks, they were cooked but were cold. We assume they were cold because right after the mozzarella sticks came out our food came out from someone else behind our waitress. A male waiter filled our water and was very polite we did not see our waitress very much. Overall it was decent not sure we would go out of our way to visit again.

I have tried a couple places in Gardiner, and I think this is the best restaurant in town. Also probably why there is always a 30+ mins wait Food is amazing. I have one of the best burger here, one of the best cornbread here and one of the best sandwich here. Try the wonderland burger. Plenty of places sell bison burger or regular beef burger, but here, the basil aioli that chef Rachel made, make a difference than regular burger you get from a restaurant or tavern. People usually get burgers or bison ravioli for dinner. Not much difference than beef ravioli but leaner, which is healthier I guess. BLTA sandwich has a couple thick strip of local crispy bacon, just wonderful Everything we had was good. Beside their fries which was hard, chipotle dipping sauce help saved it. Also fried pickles are nothing special. Good job by the kitchen staff and Chef Rachel to create this menu. Service can be slow depending who your waitress is or what day you walk in.

Service was a bit lacking. We had to ask several other people to refill our drinks. As a former server and bartender I was underwhelmed with our particular server, but the cute little bartender with the naturally curly hair and scarf on her head made up for that. Food was okay. A few more shakes of salt were in order and the table next to us asked for salt and pepper as well, but I realize that is up to each individual's taste buds. We had a burger and the trout. Portions were satisfying and presentation was nice. The building is beautiful and brightly lit. Great outdoor eating area.

Best food in the entire Yellowstone area by far! Everything made fresh and delicious. Friendly staff, clean facilities and nice ambiance. Definitely worth driving all the way up from anywhere in Yellowstone National Park. FYI, no breakfast but only coffee and pastries and their kitchen closes 3-4:30 pm

Cute & cozy establishment, warm & inviting. The food was amazing, we ordered the Ribeye and Trout and the flavors were so delicious! The waitress Lana was super helpful and friendly. So glad we found this little gem. Will come back and try the amazing coffee menu.

My wife and I had a wonderful meal here. I had the bison and elk chili that was really good. The marscapone gave it a little sweet tasting, and the corn bread was rich. My wife enjoyed her veggie burger and fries too. This place gets busy. We had a 40 min wait, so make a reservation.

I ordered the trout and would give it a 3.5 stars, hubby had elk burger with a salad which he stated were good. Ambience is nice, service was good, huckleberry Prosecco was divine. Attitude by host was off putting but after thinking it over maybe he had a bad day. We arrived at 4:15 as they opened at 4 and was quoted an hour and half wait, but they texted us when they had a cancellation.

They had a pretzel for Oktoberfest. Tasted great but was crazy expensive. Got the soup and a chicken burger. And a chocolate chip oatmeal cookie. All the food was good and it was cool spot lunch.

First time visiting Gardiner and decided to stop for lunch before heading back into the park. Our server was very friendly and service was good. We ordered the wild game chili and the chick n salad sandwich with a cold beer yuppie hammer IPA. Everything was very tasty and hit the spot!

Dinner at Wonderland was top tier. I liked that putting your name on the wait list means they'll text you when table is ready while you grab drinks across the street. The atmosphere was cozy and felt nostalgic. I had the lake trout. Easily top 3 fish dishes I've ever had. Husband had the Elk burger. It was good but not as good as The Corral. The Elk chili was delicious. There were many beer options and went with flight. All were great! I Would go back again.

For off season in Yellowstone, there were limited choices in town for dinner. We were lucky this place was still open. And it was a good choice. So good we went back twice during our stay. The vegetarian stuffed portobello mushroom was topped with a balsamic drizzle, pesto, goat cheese, and a vegetable medley of roasted sun dried tomatoes, orange bell pepper, and onions. Cortado salad vinaigrette was light and not over seasoned. The ranch fried pickles were generous in its portion size and done well. This place fills up fast for dinner service. They have indoor table/bar seating and outdoor patio seating. Employees were friendly. There is a small parking lot in front and it's easy to walk to from any part of town.

Had an hour wait on a Saturday night but worth the wait. The food was great. I could eat that elk and bison chili daily! Great ambiance. Would recommend

So so so delicious! This was an excellent reason to venture outside the park! My husband and I both enjoyed flights of local beers. We tried the fried cheese curds, and each person got something different from the Elk Chili Mac to the Montana Burger to the flatbread and Summer Salad - everything was so good. Our server was amazing even when dealing with a trouble table beside us Highly recommend coming outside the park for this! Note - our bill included gratuity already as well as a resort tax and credit card fee - just make sure you read your bill well worth it!

After spending 5 days in Yellowstone and eating at the hotels, my tastebuds were sad. I went into this restaurant on my way out and enjoyed the mixed berry scone and iced mocha. The scone was more like a flaky muffin top made with a lot of love. The mocha had an excellent flavor and made my trip to the airport enjoyable. The staff is very friendly and the place was spacious.

Super great food....elk burger, awesome!!!!!'nnn Elks Mac and cheese super awesome! Macy our waitress was awesome Any time I can get elks anything I do and this place didn't disappoint! Just outside north entrance to Yellowstone, great spot

It was running late in the day, but they still served us. Wait-staff was great. The elk chili is awesome. The caldera burger was a little light on the "hot". but I'm from Texas.

Friendly atmosphere. Local art on the walls, solid menu options - the made from scratch soup is superb. Small bar with TV's if you need a sports fix. Decent selection of local beer. Local vibe in a clean updated environment. A definite don't miss!

Wonderland Cafe is quite popular in the Gardiner area and deserves all of its earned praise. Firmly one of the best meals we had our whole Yellowstone trip and immensely satisfying as a capstone meal. Certainly a shoutout for their receptive and responsive staff. Our server in particular (Lauren) helped with everything from recommendations to getting plenty of hot water for me; her recs for baked goods for dessert to carry out were spot on too. Things got a bit busy as the evening went on to be sure, but we felt pretty well taken care of. ==Totchos - 5/5 Wonderfully flavorful and also scratching that childhood snack itch all in one go. I swear it tasted like tahini blended with cheesesauce?? Something little bit nutty/gritty with rich heartiness, but not too heavy as a lot of cheese sauces are. Crispy tots with lovely tops is a solid way to start a meal. ==Wild game chili - 5/5 My brother's choice from the menu and generally a winner all around, but I can see it being a little polarizing as it is somewhat unusual of a taste profile for chili. Quite flavorful, with notes of sweet and spicy that blends well with all the roasted pepper and gaminess from the elk meat. Elk meat is definitely quite lean as far as meats go, but you'd hardly notice the gaminess with the solid spicing. Moderate spiciness, so be aware for those less spicy tolerant this actually has a decent amount of heat. The jalapeno cornbread was exquisitely moist with a nice exterior crisp, pairing it quite nicely as a topping. ==Bison ravioli - 5/5 My own option turned out great too. Rich, creamy, and garlicky, but fresh tart flavors (courtesy of the dried tomatoes) intermingled in harmony. Very hearty bites of bison in each ravioli to boot so you're not lacking in the fillings either. Touch of fried basil on top was a subtle yet fragrant touch to the entree. Would certainly recommend! ==Scones - 5/5 Delicate and simple, but quite lovely. We got maple walnut and rosewater honey, both with lovely crispy exteriors with quite the soft delicate interior for a scone.

When visiting Yellowstone we stayed in Gardner and both our supper meals we had at Wonderland Cafe. The cornbread appetizer was so good. The second night I got the bison ravioli and my husband got the chili both were delicious. The first night I got the portobello stuffed mushroom so good I was temped to get it again but wanted to try something different. And the carrot cake is to die for.

Great local place to eat, seating inside and out, dog friendly . Got here at start of dinner and got right in but servers had several tables to deal with so you need to patience and thank your server for being there! Appetizers cheese curds were lightly bartered and so soft along with house sauce which has a little bite but so good, Tocho tater tots were good cheese was light and fair amount of toppings. Cuban sandwich was a disappointment dry not a lot of flavor, same with corn bread very dry no real flavor. Wings with dry were cooked perfect with a nice crunch to them , the portobello stuffed mushroom was delish and enjoyed the flavor and accompaniments. And big thank you to Seth our server explained everything perfectly very pleasant food out in a timely manner. Stop on my and enjoy a meal or cocktail. .

This was a very nice find and it's in a very convenient location. It's located just outside of the park and we were able to come here after a long day of hiking in Yellowstone. We were able to be seated at the bar and we had decent service throughout the meal. Our food was very good overall: my wife enjoyed her soup and chicken salad and I enjoyed my burger and sweet potato fries. They had a decent beer selection as well and they do flights, so we enjoyed being able to try a variety of local brews. It's a good restaurant overall and we'd definitely recommend it.

A disappointing experience. After being recommended to this restaurant, I accepted the 1 hour wait time as a "good sign". Unfortunately, this was not the case. I would consider the food average, at best. The Lemon garlic chicken breast was bland and the chicken "breast" was overcooked and dry. The called for, medium rare burger had the consistency of a hockey puck. It was cut in half to show the server, to her credit, she offered to replace it as there wasn't a hint of pink. I get it, you're busy, but attention to detail in the kitchen was probably what made you initially, I think that ship sailed. Time to shake up the kitchen, everyone out front is trying hard to keep up.

This is an exceptional restaurant, especially in an area where everything is just burgers and fries. I've been coming here every day since my stay in Montana and the food has been amazing. I've had Caesar salad and the most delicious soups you could imagine. I tried something a little different wasn't really my thing but you can't go wrong. The food is delicious healthy and the people are so nice. Five stars all the way.

Only pastries and coffee, mimosa fresh squeezed OJ. No hot breakfast but the place is so cute. The blueberry beets scone is super tasty and crunchy. I will come back to try their dinner. Got their elk mac and chili. OMG.... Delicious. Portion is generous. I am not sure if a jalapeno corn bread is included. Cause the staff told me it is included. FYI: don't come late cause we got there at 4:25pm and there are lines already

I'm a bit of a food snob and can be hard to please in restaurants settings, especially in recent years when service and quality have become non-existent. That's not the case with Wonderland. Other than the long wait to get into this busy establishment, our experience was top notch and we would highly recommend. Drinks. Ordered a flight of beer and requested that my server choose the beers for me. She returned with this colorful flight containing an assortment of beers and flavors. Typical beers. But the local ipa is tasty. Food. We ordered cheese curds. The food portion was massive for the cost. Unfortunately they were a little overcooked and I am not the biggest fan of aioli sauces. We still ate them but they could have been better and my wife did enjoy the chipotle aioli. I was looking for something a bit lighter after a long day in the park and opted for the Elk Chili Mac. It packed a flavorful punch and was incredibly filling. The pasta was cooked perfectly and the sauce was a blend of smokey-chili-cheese. The dish could have used more elk meat but I was extremely pleased overall. My wife chose the lake trout. It was cooked to perfection and presented on a bed of parmesan polenta and topped with an apple brussel sprout slow. The flavors were pleasant and plentiful. The atmosphere is a mix of rustic modern and is very relaxing. I would highly recommend Wonderland to others.

It was 95 degrees outside, so I was very thankful this place was inside with air-conditioning. They do have outside seating options if preferred. I wanted a beer flight but don't know my beers so I just told my waiter what I usually drink and he made me a flight I enjoyed. The Jalapeño Cornbread was in red on the menu, so I figured we had to get that. We did, and it was fantastic; warm bread with sweet butter & some jalapeños for kick. We split a Cortado salad with chicken and a bison burger. I'm not a salad fan, but I'd eat this salad every day. It was my first time eating a bison, and it was not bad at all. (I was hoping to see a bison along the road that day just to tell it that I ate its cousin, but I had no such encounter). From the kids' menu, my son ordered a cheeseburger. I tried to convince him to go bison, but he preferred the cow. Maybe next time. Service was great (our waiter kinda reminded me of "Joe" from the show "You"). The food was delicious, and the place looked modern and clean.

We've been on a road trip for about 3 weeks, and our lunch here is one of the best we've had in our travels. The restaurant is modern, cozy, and clean. The server was attentive and so kind to our service dog. The food was spectacular. We had the wonderland burger- honestly one of the best burgers I've had in a long time- and the gluten free elk chili Mac and cheese- which was amazing. The pastries in the bakery looked amazing and the offering of gluten free scones was a bonus son top of the meal we had. We will definitely be back.

This place was recommended for dinner by our hotel, so we decided to give it a try. We had a cute waiting area by a stone fireplace, and it was only 20 minutes. Keep in mind you're in a tourist town by Yellowstone. The service was slow, and the server forgot a few different things. That said , it was busy, her tables were triple seated, and I think she had been there all day. The Elk chili was my mission, and I can say I loved it. Not over seasoned, rich and hearty. We loved the corn bread it came with so much we ordered an appetizer of it. Jalapeño , not hot, homemade with marscapone whip on top. We wanted local eats. However, the tomatoes in our salad were challenging, and the salad plate was hot. Our wings had the incorrect sauce, they were good and a decent size. Try the Elk chili for sure.

cute cafe outside the park. came for dinner, attentive service. menu is pretty similar to others in the are but with a few more items charcuterie board - this was a beautiful plate. good variety of meats and cheese, all very mild. would have liked our waitress or the menu to specify what each item was southwest style salad (forgot the name) added chicken, it seems to be on every menu around the national parks, but it was really tasty portabello mushroom- hearty plate, well seasoned

Party of 8 all agreed 5 on food, 5 on service, 5 on the menu 5 on the atmosphere absolutely loved it highly recommend!

Meh!! Definitely don't recommend. MThe was made m We were greeted at the door by a very kind guy who told us the wait would be a while but offered us some suggestions. We quickly got a text that our table was ready. Ambiance felt nice. Menu and prices looked decent. Server was great and kind. The food not so much. Fried pickles were fine and came quick. My daughters $9 kids pizza was TINY!! A piece of pita with hardly any cheese or sauce and was burnt to boot. She never was given a drink it was advertised with either. My other daughters opted for the full size mac and cheese. She said it was "good" (i however didnt agree) but portion was tiny for $13. The biggest kicker was mine and my husbands food. We got a small Caesar salad with chicken. We needed some protein. The portion of chicken for $5 was an absolute joke. I told my husband I'm sure they won't charge $5 that was probably for the full size salad. Sure enough we were charged $5 for the smallest portion of chicken i have ever seen. Then there is the chili mac...1st it came to the table cold. Food should never arrive cold. It was terrible!! Mac isn't a hard one to nail and either is good chili. No flavor. Heavy beans (cheap filler).

Good food and service. Don't let the line fool you they will put you on a wait list and text you when table is ready ( can leave snd come back if want- gift shops are nearby and is easy to kill time in them while wait). Had good service and waitress was good and kept checking in with us. They are small but good food ( burgers, soup/salads, ect.). We would definitely be back if in the area again.

Overpriced and the food wasn't that great. We went after a long day at Yellowstone and were disappointed by the lack of quality.

Definitely make the short and easy drive out from the north entrance of Yellowstone to this unassuming gem! I was at the park during the shoulder season and the dining options were limited. My original plan to eat at the Mammoth Springs hotel were dashed by flooding or some plumbing issue, but honestly I am so glad it led me to Wonderland. I was wary that it would be busy during lunchtime given how close it is the the Arch. I lucked out/the staff told me that actually people eat much later so they can watch the wildlife in Lamar Alley at dawn - so if you want to beat the rush, come at noon. I also expected it to be underwhelming and overpriced food because most restaurants outside of NPs know they can skate by with mediocre to below average and people will still pay to eat it for lack of other options. I was definitely pleasantly surprised with the variety of options, fresh ingredients, and more than decent beer and wine selection. I got the Caldera burger because I like spice, with a bison patty and elk chili because "when in Rome"... both were obviously hearty, well-seasoned, and a more than fair price. The burger was a little too pink for even me, Miss Rare Steak, but the chili was perfect - and actually kept well for the whole afternoon for me to snack on after a mini-hike later in the day. There isn't a huge outdoor dining area but I made do scoping out a table to be able to sit with my dog with a glass of wine and nice view of the mountains. The staff were so so accommodating, bringing out my order and even a little bit of bacon leftover from another sandwich order as a treat for my dog who was staring me down with every bite of the bison or elk. My only regret was not giving in and getting any of the baked goods. Don't sleep on those/make the same mistake I did. The scones in particular, both savory and sweet (one with huckleberry!) looked stellar.

I realized I had not written a review yet for Wonderland Cafe. We came to Gardiner in September 2022. The north entrance to Yellowstone was closed due to flooding, but was allowing foot traffic to hike in. We decided to hike in for a little bit while staying in Gardiner for one night to still be able to support the businesses in the area. It was dead in Gardiner, so it was clear that they were hit hard with the closures. We came here after our hike and ordered dinner: 1. Elk Chili Mac 2. Lake Trout with mashed potatoes and veggies. Everything was very flavorful! We both enjoyed our meals. The reasoning for 4 instead of 5: service was very slow, for being a very empty restaurant. It took a long time to get our meals and then a very long time to get our check. Also, there were flies around the restaurant that we kept having to swat away. Hopefully they have corrected these issues since then. Definitely still recommend Wonderland if you are in the area!

Great food, amazing service and a small town atmosphere. (Sorry, I had to tick the Food, Service and Ambiance boxes for Yelp) If you're staying near the Yellowstone North Entrance and find yourself eating sub-par food at the Mammoth Hotel Dining Room...don't. Just go 15 minutes down the mountain to Gardiner and eat here. Great jalapeño cornbread with whipped butter. Fried pickles that are seasoned well very crispy. Great burgers, with beef, elk and bison options. The pastas are great, with homemade sauces that are also well-seasoned. Good beer selection, with seasonal rotations. I had a flight of several options and they WEREN'T just all IPA's! Very flavorful stouts, lagers, ciders and ales. You can't go wrong. (I do wish they had sours...but that's hard to find everywhere) Why are you still eating at the Mammoth Dining Room? There are better options nearby. You just have to leave the park for a bit. It'll still be here when you get back.

We ate here after a day in Yellowstone and while the service was delayed because of staffing issues, our server did an excellent job and I have no complaints. The restaurant is welcoming and not too loud seeing as it is always full. I had a delicious cup of elk chili that had notes of cumin and cinnamon. The salad was fresh and the Totchos were a fun way to start dinner. Definitely a must try in Gardiner!

Good food. Good service. Out of ordinary menu with bison and elk. The wild game chili was outstanding. Only miss was the dining room was too warm to be comfortable. Exceptional location. Within 1/3 mile of live elk. Would go back if we are in the area.

I always wonder when a place is given lots of great reviews and then someone like me comes along and gives them a lousy review. But honestly, I don't get it. d So, first off, We were seated right next to a seating area with carpet and chairs that needed a really good cleaning. Um, ick. The prices were okay-- I ordered the trout for $26 and the hubby ordered the special-- a fish and chip thing The food came at a reasonable time, but I have say, the portions were tiny. My trout was attractively stacked with polenta on the bottom, trout, a type of slaw, and some apple slices. Oddly enough, the polenta had to be dug out from under the trout skin to eat it. The trout was a little over done and everything kind of tasted like everything else on the plate. The hubby was given a platter-- like a huge pound of food, filled with fried things: french fries, an inedible over-salted hush puppy, fish that looked like it spent too much time in the fryer, as well as a two ounce container of coleslaw and some fresh green beans that were not trimmed. I liked the coleslaw. And the slice of lemon was useful to add flavor to my fish. The french fries looked nice. Fresh green beans are nice, when they are trimmed. There were a lot of them, so that is a plus. Had I read the responses to the negative reviews from the owner before going, I would have not gone. One can either learn from mistakes or blame the customer. But, perhaps it was just an off-day for the Wonderland Cafe. Okay, so after the disappointing dinner, we waited for the waitress, who seemed very busy chatting with another worker, her back to the dining room. And when the check came, the worst insult yet. We counted out the right amount of cash with a decent tip and started to go when I decided to double check the bill. On it I found an automatic charge card fee. I am glad I caught that, but I am sure many diners don't. If you are going to do that, please tell your diners. Not cool, Wonderland. Really not cool.

Both nights I was in town I ate here and it was packed so go before 6 if u don't wanna wait. I had loaded chicken Sammy with elk/bison chili one night and the organic chicken breast with veggies the other night. Both dishes were solid. Super friendly staff and found a spot for me even in a packed restaurant. Definitely get the chili, ravioli or mac and cheese, all have bison/elk in it, as those were being ordered everywhere.

We were in Gardiner for one night and picked Wonderland Café based on reviews. We parked right outside on the street (There are a few 'nose to the curb' parking spaces). The decor is very modern, the waitress was super friendly. I had a wonderful 'Summer Salad' with chicken and my husband had trout with polenta. For dessert we shared an excellent chocolate mousse cake. See my attached photos. I would highly recommend Wonderland Café while visiting Gardiner.