Seems like everything in Yellowstone takes advanced reservations---we are going in July and wonder if we should make reservations to eat too(already have lodging). If so, anyone have ideas on where would be best?? (we have 2 families (5 kids under the age of 12)
Thanks!!

Old Faithful Inn

We had read that it wasn't that good but we really enjoyed our meal.

I would get reservations but we noticed several empty tables later in the evening.

Ask to sit in the back by the windows. It's much more pleasant than being packed into the front, dark part of the dining room.

Another thing...

You don't need reservations for eating anywhere else like cafes and cafaterias.

There is this little sandwich shop in West Yellowstone called "Ernies Box Lunches" or something like that. They make THE BEST sandwiches. I used to drive through on my way home from college and always wait to eat there because it was so good.

Thnaks youngand restless, for Ernies recs. Do you have any others? We are going in June.

We ate at the Snow Lodge. While the food was very good, they dont take reservations so the wait was over an hour and 1 1/2 to eat. I would rather have used the time attending a ranger walk or activity. But if you get there right when they open I`m sure the wait would be less.

andee26
Our best dinners were at Old Faithful Inn and Lake Yellowstone Hotel. We made reservations at both places when we made our hotel reservations. The evening we dined at Old Faithful Inn, those who did not have reservations could not get seated until very late.

YES YES YES, the subs at Ernies are to DIE for! And i have no idea why, they just ARE.... and they're likely the best part of W. Yellowstone, IMO. We picked them up on our first trip to yellowstone, threw them in our cooler, and had a picnic at Mammoth. Wished we had bought more!

Dinner at Old Faithful Inn was very good and the pecan pie exceptionally yummy. Definitely make ressies for dinner. Seating is much easier at lunch (and less expensive) but still busy. Cool, rustic ambiance. Enjoy!

My experience last summer strongly suggests that reservations are mandatory if you want to eat before 9:30 PM most nights. While that may be fine with some people, I am usually ready for dinner earlier than that time after a day of geyser wandering or other activity.

If you want some degree of control over when you eat, make reservations. And, you need to do beforehand. If you wait until the day before, you may well get a second or even a third choice of times.

The Old Faithful Inn dining room is ok.
So is the Lake Lodge dining room.
It is a mass production restaurant, so gourmet food is not going to be served to you, but what we had was decent enough.