The 7 Best Bars In The State Of Montana

Recommended Beer & Distillery Tours in Montana

Big Sky Brews And Views Brewery Tour (4 hours) – Highly recommended!
Best In The West Brewery Tour (4 hours)
The Ultimate Montana Brewery Road Trip (Self Paced)
Montana Distillery Tours (30 – 60 minutes)
River City Brews Rafting Tour (4 hours)

Travel Tips for Drinking In Montana

The state of Montana has a 0% sales tax, which will free you up to glug a couple extra glasses of your preferred hooch.
The official alcoholic beverage of choice in Montana is a simple Whisky Ditch. It includes an ice cube or two, a 2-ounce dash of whiskey, and an equal amount of water.
Montana is a state packed with breweries and distilleries. However, there are a handful of setups crafting vino from grapes sourced out of state. Others turn to creative methods and produce vin ordinaire from alternative fruits.
Bars in Montana close up shop around 2 am, giving you plenty of time to experience each watering hole.
Montana locals are largely conservative individuals, and the majority of residents are Christians. They are incredibly warm and welcoming to visitors, but they may not appreciate rowdiness and disrespectful behavior.
Plan your trip accordingly if you intend on doing self tours. The Ultimate Brewery Road Trip or Southern Montana Distillery Tours require you to drive between multiple towns. That takes days for you to complete. Stopover and enjoy the towns along the way, do not push it. Alcohol and fatigue are a fatal combination behind the wheel. In addition, if the authorities discover any opened beverages in your vehicle, it could lead to a criminal record.
Drinking in public is prohibited in Montana. Except in Butte and a few other towns. So, get comfortable at the bar of your choice, order a few beverages and snacks and enjoy the surroundings of the institution.
Bars in Montana typically serve standard soul food such as burgers, wings, and pizza. If you want a classier dining establishment, I suggest reserving a table at a formal restaurant before commencing the festivities at your chosen taproom.

1. Stave and Hoop • Missoula • $$$-$$$$ • Map

Stave and Hoop transports you back to the 1920s and 30s with this well-decorated speakeasy in the heart of Missoula.

The watering hole pays homage to the Garden City Bottling and Liquor Co, which had a barrel storage facility at the same address.

A host of cocktails are offered on the menu to guide newbies. However, the mixologists guarding the alcohol stocks will whip up your beverage of choice.

Those who prefer to stick with wine and beer are well catered for, thanks to a wide selection of beer and wine.

Besides a host of Californian and Oregon single and blended wines, there are cultivars from Rioja, Burgundy, and Marlborough. Beer on tap and in bottles is also on hand to cover all types.

In Addition, to a classy interior and booze selection, Stave and Hoop offer classic bar food with a hint of fine dining.

Finally, this bar does not welcome anyone under 21, making it an ideal getaway for adults to hydrate. This bar only opens after 4 pm and shuts shop as the clock strikes midnight.

2. 51 Below Speakeasy • Butte • $$$-$$$$ • Map

A stay at the Miners Hotel adds to your travel experience in Butte. The hotel grounds played their role in the once flourishing mining endeavors on which the town was built.

It was constructed for the Miner’s Savings and Trust Co in 1913, and it is now listed on the National Registry of Historic Places.

51 Below Speakeasy is located inside the hotel. The quirky entrance forces you to enter a phone number into a dated telephone.

Once the call connects, a sliding door grants you access to the facilities. You are rewarded for your efforts with mouthwatering cocktails or a cold glass of prosecco.

A simple layout with leather couches, chairs, and round tables allows for engaging conversation with your party.

The bartenders know how to mix a drink, and if you are not the cocktail type, wine, bubbly, and brews are on standby. Martinis and Moscow Mules are a major hit, but whiskey, bourbon, vodka, and gin concoctions are also offered.

51 Below caters to a mature crowd looking for a stiff tonic, a chat, and a good time. It does not attract the younger college crowd you encounter in other nearby bars.

If you are making a mission to Butte to check out this Speakeasy it better be between Tuesday and Saturday. Although the hotel is open every day, access is denied to the tavern on Sundays and Monday.

It opens at 4 pm on Tuesday to Thursday, 2 pm on Friday and 10 am on Saturday. It closes between 9 pm to 11 pm, depending on the day of the week.

3. Kitty Warren Social Club • Bozeman • $$$-$$$$ • Map

The Kitty Warren Social Club brings the red light district to Bozeman. Although the brand screams raunchiness and debauchery, they serve up saporous tiki and bubbly cocktails.

Beer is offered on tap and in a bottle for the less adventurous. Alternatively, you can order a limited selection of wine by glass or bottle.

Kitty Warren is located 20 steps below 211 East Main Street and is decorated to resemble a hybrid-jungle theme. Plus, the dimmed light setting provides a relaxing and private atmosphere to enjoy your liquid concoction.

The Social Club is only open in the evenings, as a cocktail bar should be. First drinks are served at 5 pm, and service runs late into the night.

Drinks are shaken and stirred from Wednesday to Sunday, and the mixologists take a breather on Monday and Tuesday.

4. Blend Wine Bar • Bozeman • $$-$$$ • Map

Blend serves patrons their in-house wine produced from Walla Walla Valley grapes. Michaele Ruhland, the owner of Blend, also serves as the bar’s chef. Before launching this venture, he worked as a Chef at the prestigious Yellowstone Club.

Michael crafts dishes that pair superbly with each wine on the menu to enhance your culinary experience in Bozeman.

Valo Cellars wine is created by Chilean-Greek Matías Kúsulas. He has spent the last ten years traversing the globe to hone his craft as a winemaker. Stop by, and taste the fruits of his labor.

A visit to Blend offers a more cultured experience than the dive bars on this list and may not suit beer slurping chaps.

The downside of the joint is that they only serve their booze, which limits your options. However, it is a welcome experience in a state renowned for whiskey and beer.

Ruhland opens for business at 4 pm on Monday to Thursday and at midday on Friday and Saturday. The wine stoppers close up unfinished bottles, and the customers are booted out at 9 pm. Blend does not operate on Sunday.

5. Casey’s • Whitefish • $$-$$$ • Map

Casey’s offers the best spot to drink, eat and watch sports in Montana. The venue houses three bars, Main, Sky, and Event Room.

Given the temperature fluctuation in Whitefish, the Sky bar remains closed during the winter. However, it is worth grabbing a drink in the summer to see unmatched views of Whitefish Mountain. If you are there during ski season, you will need to settle for the warmth and comfort of the indoors.

Casey’s is home to a wealth of liquor ranging from hard tac to beer and wine. While you watch your sport and sip and sink your drinks, the kitchen is open to keep you fueled.

The menu includes everything from standard bar appetizers to salads and main meals, ensuring nobody in your party goes hungry.

Whether you need a spot for lunch and a beverage or dinner, Casey’s is open from 12 pm every day. On Friday and Saturday, it closes at 12:30 am. Casey’s shuts its doors at 10 pm from Sunday to Thursday

6. The Great Northern Bar And Grill • Whitefish • $-$$ • Map

A ski trip to Whitefish Mountain is incomplete without stopping by the Great Northern Bar and Grill. Locals suggest that $1 beer still exists in this legitimate dive bar.

When live music is not on the go, you can participate in a game of beer pong, shuffleboard, or pool. Plus, the place is fitted with 15-flat screen television for sports lovers to catch the game.

The Northern offers a relaxed and entertaining vibe with standard alcoholic beverages on the menu. To add to its dive bar image, they prepare stock standard bar food to soak up the booze.

There is nothing fancy about this bar 7-miles south of Whitefish Mountain, but if you are in town, this is where the party is at.

This classic dive bar is a reliable option anytime after 11 am. They open in the late morning and keep the booze and food coming until 2 am.

7. Rhinoceros Bar • Missoula • $-$$ • Map

As a stickler for a long bar counter in a rustic setting, I am on board with whatever the bartender throws at me. The Rhinoceros bar is a no-frills establishment that has served the community of Missoula since the fall of 1987.

Despite the rustic dive bar interior, the Rhino boasts an impressive selection of beers. Plus, they have no problem throwing a whiskey ditch your way. 50 beers sourced locally and afar, wait for orders of the Publican to flow into your glass.

If draughts aren’t your thing, they have 42 bottled brews, ranging from standard Bud and Coors to imported beverages from Japan, Germany, and the Netherlands. Doors swing open at 11 am, and liquids flow until 2 am.

The Best Bars in the State of Montana Final Thoughts

Narrowing down the list of best bars in the state of Montana is not an easy task, given the mix of busy cities, small-town charm, and tourism-driven towns there are many different locations worth checking out.

Regardless of where you are in Montana, you should be able to find a bar with great drinks and an atmosphere to enjoy!