Enter The Garage Soup Shack & Mesquite Grill, and be transported to a 1950’s style mechanics garage. Be tuned to perfection by The Garage wait staff, whose service is friendly, attentive, and quick. The fare is good ol’ fashioned American grub – burgers, sandwiches, salads, pasta, and beer and wine.

The decor lives up to the name of the restaurant, with menus bound in real license plates from different states around the country, and car themed decorations in the dining room. The theme works well and, far from being kitch, provides a fun atmosphere that the whole family can enjoy. Kids will be just as absorbed by the license plate menus and auto themed decor as an especially entertaining road trip game of ‘count the license plates’.

A trip to the Garage means a trip through Bozeman’s quintessential rendition of Americana. The whole place gives off a small town diner vibe. I arrived on a classically warm, yet crisp fall day, hungry and ready to devour a hearty meal. I planned for an early dinner, so I could soak up the remaining Autumn rays of sun on the patio. The place was packed, as it usually is when I pass by, so after I was greeted at the outdoor hostess station, I waited for a few minutes for my table. Soon I was seated on the shady side of the patio, with a good view of the ever bustling Main Street. When the weather warms up here in the Rocky Mountains, there is no one that shows more enthusiasm for soaking up the sun than Bozemanites. Families out for a stroll with the kids, college students on their longboards, bikers, and couples passed by with the same idea as me – to enjoy the last rays of my favorite time of year, Indian Summer.

While getting in my dose of good ol’ fashioned people watching, I took the time to appreciate one of the best patios for dining in town. Walk by the restaurant at any time during the outdoor dining months and see the place full of laughing, relaxing diners. The area, canopied in little lights that give off a sparkle is also perfect for late meals, a drink at dusk, and all around night time revelry.

As I soaked up the sun, I thought of the nights growing longer and the temperature dropping. The cozy interior of the restaurant sounded more and more inviting. One evening I came in to warm up with a bowl of soup from the famous soup bar. This walk up station offers six kinds of soup – the staples Pork Chili Verde, Blue Moose Clam Chowder, Grandma’s Chicken Soup, and Tomato Basil Soup, and two daily specials. The bar features a wide range of toppings for the soups – several types of cheeses, jalapenos, bacon bits, and sour cream, to name a few. Sip at these warm concoctions at a corner table, out of the cold, or take them home for dinner after a long day on the mountain. Unable to choose from the many tasty looking offerings, I sampled all of the options and ended up going with Grandma’s Chicken Soup. After filling up on its hearty warming goodness, I left, remembering the summer, enjoying the autumn crispness, and looking forward to the quickly approaching snows. My mind wandered to days full of beckoning ski slopes followed by Soup Shack pit stops on the way home.

My stomach grumbled, and I snapped back to my table in the sun. Ready for some grub, I perused a menu, appropriately bound in license plates (I got Montana and Mississippi), and immediately came across a problem. There were too many good options to choose from! I decided I would definitely have to make a return trip, but for the time being chose from the list of burgers, sandwiches, salads, pastas, and house specialties (such as their Mesquite Grilled Baby Back Pork Ribs). I went for the Bison 52 International burger, which comes laden with sauteed mushrooms, swiss cheese, and an optional side of garlic aioli. The burger list includes a wide range of choices, from the quirky El Camino Gobbler (a turkey burger with southwestern fixings) to the classic beef burger, Under The Hood. In addition to the hearty bison meat, I decided to try the lighter Buffalo Chicken Salad. My server, friendly, and patiently answering all of my questions, graciously did not raise an eyebrow as I ordered my Montana sized meal.

As I waited for my food, I sipped on a local Bozone Amber beer. The beer and wine list features 20 beers, 12 of which are bottled, 8 are on tap, and 4 are local, as well as a good selection of wine, and “fun-usual selections” such as Black Chook Sparkling Shiraz and Mimosas.
Though the place was packed, the food came out quickly, and I set about the enviable task of sampling the many flavors. I enjoyed my burger, especially liking the sauteed mushrooms that livened up the staple meal of burger and fries. The meat was good quality, though a little lacking on the savory flavor you would expect from an exotic Montana specialty.

The Buffalo Chicken Salad satisfied my craving for flavorful meat, the crispy fried chicken smothered in bbq sauce. The accompanying salad greens and vegetables – red peppers, mushrooms, onions, and celery – were fresh and would have made for a healthy and filling meal in themselves. My tank full, I boxed up the leftovers, thinking of the time and effort saved for tomorrow’s lunch.

The Garage’s motto, “vigorously pursuing moderate fame and run-of-the-mill popularity”, is a tongue in cheek attempt at 1950’s cheeseball humor and an espousal of the “food of the common people, served with a smile” diner ethos. While the service is indeed with a smile, the food is a step beyond your greasy spoon joint on the side of the highway. This family friendly spot is an all around pleasant experience, no matter what the season.

A Bozeman native, Chelsea Hunt has witnessed an explosion of good food in the valley in recent years. Reading about, writing about, and eating good food make her happy.

Food: 3.5
Prices: 5.0
Atmosphere: 4.5
Overall: 4.0
Location: 451 E. Main St.
Phone: (406)585-8558
Hours: 11:00 AM – 9:00PM
Website: www.central.ly/thegarage