Guidebook for Helena
Food Scene
Windbag Saloon & Grill
19 S Last Chance Gulch StGood bar food and people watching.
Good food, large portions, decent wine selection. A favorite for business meals and family gatherings. Their specials are always good and the bar is well stocked. Free jazz on Thursday nights.
53 personas locales recomiendan
On Broadway
106 E Broadway StGood food, large portions, decent wine selection. A favorite for business meals and family gatherings. Their specials are always good and the bar is well stocked. Free jazz on Thursday nights.
Casual but fine dining featuring fresh, locally sourced ingredients. Thoughtful wine pairings and live music make this a local go-to place for a more refined dining experience.
15 personas locales recomiendan
Benny's Bistro
108 E 6th AveCasual but fine dining featuring fresh, locally sourced ingredients. Thoughtful wine pairings and live music make this a local go-to place for a more refined dining experience.
Greek, Turkish, Italian food, interesting wines from the Mediterranean region. Great appetizer selection, seafood, pastas, etc.
31 personas locales recomiendan
Mediterranean Grill
42 S Park AveGreek, Turkish, Italian food, interesting wines from the Mediterranean region. Great appetizer selection, seafood, pastas, etc.
Fine-dining Italian style. Great restaurant, a little pricey but always great service and food. Reservations almost always required.
28 personas locales recomiendan
Lucca's
56 N Last Chance GulchFine-dining Italian style. Great restaurant, a little pricey but always great service and food. Reservations almost always required.
Upscale Italian food; owner originally from Rome. Specials after 9pm. Pricey for Helena, but the food is excellent.
11 personas locales recomiendan
Ristorante Bella Roma
22 N Last Chance GulchUpscale Italian food; owner originally from Rome. Specials after 9pm. Pricey for Helena, but the food is excellent.
Sushi, Thai/Chinese/Japanese food. The only sushi place downtown, with moderately priced Thai, Chinese and Japanese food.
Suki Café
15 W 6th AveSushi, Thai/Chinese/Japanese food. The only sushi place downtown, with moderately priced Thai, Chinese and Japanese food.
Best coffee shop in town. Quirky downtown institution featuring lots of things to look at/buy -- ceramics, old-fashioned candy, gifts, cards, nooks and hideouts for kids to explore, great coffee / italian sodas. Best espresso in town.
23 personas locales recomiendan
General Mercantile
413 N Last Chance GulchBest coffee shop in town. Quirky downtown institution featuring lots of things to look at/buy -- ceramics, old-fashioned candy, gifts, cards, nooks and hideouts for kids to explore, great coffee / italian sodas. Best espresso in town.
Great coffee, light breakfast and lunch offerings. A favorite hangout for chatting, working.
12 personas locales recomiendan
Firetower Coffee
422 N Last Chance GulchGreat coffee, light breakfast and lunch offerings. A favorite hangout for chatting, working.
Healthy lunches/brunches with fresh, vegetarian- vegan- friendly dishes.
9 personas locales recomiendan
Murry's
438 N Last Chance GulchHealthy lunches/brunches with fresh, vegetarian- vegan- friendly dishes.
LaPa Grill
32 West 6th AvenueFunky, filling lunches, brunch and late-night food.
The original old time downtown cowboy hippie breakfast and lunch spot. Iconic hashbrown dishes and a local favorite. Be prepared to wait during busy times. Cash only.
20 personas locales recomiendan
No Sweat Cafe
427 N Last Chance GulchThe original old time downtown cowboy hippie breakfast and lunch spot. Iconic hashbrown dishes and a local favorite. Be prepared to wait during busy times. Cash only.
Breakfast, lunches, coffee. Fresh, light food, good for meeting folks outside of the office. Bright & friendly spot.
8 personas locales recomiendan
Hub Coffee
314 N Last Chance GulchBreakfast, lunches, coffee. Fresh, light food, good for meeting folks outside of the office. Bright & friendly spot.
Lunch and dinner tacos and burritos. Friendly service, good & filling food.
11 personas locales recomiendan
Taco Del Sol
21 N Last Chance GulchLunch and dinner tacos and burritos. Friendly service, good & filling food.
Breakfast, lunch and early dinners. Casual Lousiana-based food. Love their gumbo and po-boys.
9 personas locales recomiendan
Cafe Zydeco
625 Euclid AveBreakfast, lunch and early dinners. Casual Lousiana-based food. Love their gumbo and po-boys.
Lunch and dinner. Mexican food on top of Reeders Village. If you like your Mexican food spicy, this this the place to go. Tacos, burritos, enchiladas, tamales, chili rellenos...all pretty good. They may have the best beans in town. Nice view of Reeders Alley from their patio/deck.
9 personas locales recomiendan
Karmadillos
52 S Park AveLunch and dinner. Mexican food on top of Reeders Village. If you like your Mexican food spicy, this this the place to go. Tacos, burritos, enchiladas, tamales, chili rellenos...all pretty good. They may have the best beans in town. Nice view of Reeders Alley from their patio/deck.
Drinks & Nightlife
One of Helena's more notorious dive bars, with occasional live music (punk, hip-hop, rock, indie) in the back bar area. Cheap drinks, interesting clientele, pool tables in the back.
The Jesters Bar
200 N Rodney StOne of Helena's more notorious dive bars, with occasional live music (punk, hip-hop, rock, indie) in the back bar area. Cheap drinks, interesting clientele, pool tables in the back.
National award winning brewery, with a great beer selection: one of Helena's first and finest craft breweries. Rooftop sitting area to take in the afternoon/evening sun. Free popcorn; soft drinks for kids. Local gathering spot for civic minded folks, occasional live music upstairs.
50 personas locales recomiendan
Blackfoot River Brewing Co
66 S Park AveNational award winning brewery, with a great beer selection: one of Helena's first and finest craft breweries. Rooftop sitting area to take in the afternoon/evening sun. Free popcorn; soft drinks for kids. Local gathering spot for civic minded folks, occasional live music upstairs.
Gathering spot with bar, pool tables, back casino area with occasional live bands, both local and national. Good local beer selection and full bar, serving bar food if you're desparate.
11 personas locales recomiendan
Miller's Crossing
52 S Park AveGathering spot with bar, pool tables, back casino area with occasional live bands, both local and national. Good local beer selection and full bar, serving bar food if you're desparate.
Local gathering spot for dancing, drinks. Live poker in the front; dancing/music in the back and outside patio. Typically loud and boisterous inside.
Rialto
52 N Last Chance GulchLocal gathering spot for dancing, drinks. Live poker in the front; dancing/music in the back and outside patio. Typically loud and boisterous inside.
Sports bar with a secret, cool, quiet place to hangout in the back. Used to be a part of the underground tunnel system that went through Helena.
The Sapphire Bar
101 N Last Chance GulchSports bar with a secret, cool, quiet place to hangout in the back. Used to be a part of the underground tunnel system that went through Helena.
Formerly a members-only club, the Montana Club boasts two bars, upstairs is dining and occasional jazz music; downstairs at the Rathskeller is a former speakeasy with all different kinds of music: country, western, jazz, blues, indie, folk. Historic building, serving good food both upstairs and downstairs.
The Montana Club
24 W 6th AveFormerly a members-only club, the Montana Club boasts two bars, upstairs is dining and occasional jazz music; downstairs at the Rathskeller is a former speakeasy with all different kinds of music: country, western, jazz, blues, indie, folk. Historic building, serving good food both upstairs and downstairs.
Not really a winery, but a wine tasting room with wines from all over, but their specialty is German wines. Interesting appetizers and good beer selection. A great place for dates, hanging out after work.
32 personas locales recomiendan
The Hawthorn Bottle Shop and Tasting Room
46 N Last Chance GulchNot really a winery, but a wine tasting room with wines from all over, but their specialty is German wines. Interesting appetizers and good beer selection. A great place for dates, hanging out after work.
Newer brewery, great tasting room and outdoor patio. Nice place to hang out, with occasional live music.
29 personas locales recomiendan
Ten Mile Creek Brewery
48 N Last Chance GulchNewer brewery, great tasting room and outdoor patio. Nice place to hang out, with occasional live music.
Sightseeing
Built by Prussian glassmakers and Italian stone carvers, the cathedral is a fascinating piece of Helena history.
39 personas locales recomiendan
Cathedral of St. Helena
530 N Ewing StBuilt by Prussian glassmakers and Italian stone carvers, the cathedral is a fascinating piece of Helena history.
Montana Historical Society
225 N Roberts StMuseum of Montana history
Parks & Nature
Second largest city park in the country, the whole mountain is a city park. Hiking, biking trails; dog friendly, safe and well used. 1000 ft climb from the Gulch to the top. Lots of deer, birds to watch; occasional skunks, porcupine, elk, very occasional black bear, mountain lion sightings.
30 personas locales recomiendan
Mount Helena City Park
Second largest city park in the country, the whole mountain is a city park. Hiking, biking trails; dog friendly, safe and well used. 1000 ft climb from the Gulch to the top. Lots of deer, birds to watch; occasional skunks, porcupine, elk, very occasional black bear, mountain lion sightings.
Davis Gulch Road
Davis Gulch RoadBiking/hiking trails up Davis Gulch, leading to Mt. Ascension and Mt. Helena
Beattie Street Trailhead for Mount Ascension
745 South Beattie StreetHiking and biking trailhead for Mt. Ascension
Go out Canyon Ferry Rd, to Yacht Basin, turn left onto the access road to go to Lorelei beach or Lewis and Clark picnic area/beach for an excellent freshwater beach experience. Good shore fishing in the spring for trout and walleye; kind of iffy in the summer, but possible. Pack a picnic, bring lots of water, suntan lotion and bug spray (usually not too bad, but sometimes if there's no wind the mosquitos can be annoying).
25 personas locales recomiendan
Canyon Ferry Lake
Go out Canyon Ferry Rd, to Yacht Basin, turn left onto the access road to go to Lorelei beach or Lewis and Clark picnic area/beach for an excellent freshwater beach experience. Good shore fishing in the spring for trout and walleye; kind of iffy in the summer, but possible. Pack a picnic, bring lots of water, suntan lotion and bug spray (usually not too bad, but sometimes if there's no wind the mosquitos can be annoying).
Arts & Culture
Stop in and say hi to the Governor. Your basic state capitol building with an intricate interior. Open to the public.
38 personas locales recomiendan
Montana State Capitol
1301 E 6th AveStop in and say hi to the Governor. Your basic state capitol building with an intricate interior. Open to the public.
Contemporary art exhibits, mostly by Montana artists. Donations requested.
39 personas locales recomiendan
Holter Museum of Art
12 E Lawrence StContemporary art exhibits, mostly by Montana artists. Donations requested.
Nationally known performance venue and movie theater named after Myrna Loy, the famous Hollywood actress (Bali Hai, The Thin Man, etc) born in Radersberg but who moved to Helena for high school. Small, intimate theater that books nationally-known performers, plus a movie theater that shows first-run independently produced movies.
18 personas locales recomiendan
The Myrna Loy
15 N Ewing StNationally known performance venue and movie theater named after Myrna Loy, the famous Hollywood actress (Bali Hai, The Thin Man, etc) born in Radersberg but who moved to Helena for high school. Small, intimate theater that books nationally-known performers, plus a movie theater that shows first-run independently produced movies.
Everything Else
World class trout fishery. Rent your gear at Cross Currents (downtown or in Craig MT) or bring your own. Arrange rafts, drift boats or shuttle service from Cross Currents. Catch and release requested. Trout can be picky (5x-7x tippets required), but are typically fairly large.
Wolf Creek Bridge
World class trout fishery. Rent your gear at Cross Currents (downtown or in Craig MT) or bring your own. Arrange rafts, drift boats or shuttle service from Cross Currents. Catch and release requested. Trout can be picky (5x-7x tippets required), but are typically fairly large.