Wonderland Cafe & Lodge

We only came here for lunch (not for lodging) so I can only speak to lunch. This is an upscale cafe that has baked goods, coffee, beer, burgers, sandwiches, a kids menu, etc. I heard about Wonderland from the book Through the Wilderness. When our Yellowstone Forever guide Kyle also mentioned Wonderland as a great cafe in Gardiner, I knew we should stop there. We came here for a Saturday lunch and easily found parallel parking on a side street. At lunch there was no wait at all with plenty of open tables. I’ve heard there is a dinner rush and am so glad we did not come for dinner. There is a Kids Menu with: Burgers and choice fruit, fries or veggies ($12 + $1 for cheese), Kids Chicken Tenders with choice of fruit- green apples and oranges, fries, or veggies- carrots and celery ($12). I had the Whipped Feta and Beet Toast with fries ($16), my spouse had the Caldera Burger made with Elk and a Side Salad with Honey Cilantro Lime dressing ($31) and a Beaverhead Root Beer ($7). We took some baked goods to go: the huckleberry scones ($5.50), the Huckleberry Turnover ($6.50), and the Bread Pudding ($7). Personally I liked the Huckleberry Scone the most. Everything was delicious. Love the local artwork displayed on the wall as well as the artists’ contact information. The name Wonderland is apparently a reference to vintage advertising from the Northern Pacific Railroad which is a neat way to incorporate the area’s history into the cafe. Highly recommend.

We had a very mixed experience. The restaurant does not take reservations, so you have to join a waiting list. We waited 1 hour and 45 minutes, and when our table was finally ready, it was far too small for our group. We then had to wait another 15 minutes for a larger table. Our waitress was very friendly, and the food was excellent, which is why I'm giving three stars. However, several aspects of the service need improvement. A 3% surcharge is added for credit card payments, but we only found out when we received the bill. This should have been made much clearer before ordering. We had already stopped by at 5:00 p.m. and were told espresso wasn't available. Surprisingly, when we returned for dinner, the espresso machine was already shut down again at 9:20 p.m. Finally, as we were leaving, my husband said goodbye four times, and no one from the staff responded, even though four employees were standing behind the bar. Another customer was the only person who answered him, which says a lot about the level of service we experienced. The food is definitely worth trying, but the service and overall organization need significant improvement.

One of the best restaurants in Gardiner! From the moment we walked in, the staff was incredibly friendly and welcoming. We have food allergies, and they went above and beyond to accommodate our needs, which we truly appreciated. The food was absolutely delicious—everything was cooked perfectly and full of flavor. They also have a great selection of beers to enjoy with your meal. If you're visiting Gardiner, I highly recommend stopping by this place. We will definitely be back!