Chico Hot Springs Dining Room

The Chico Hot Springs Dining Room occupies the historic main lodge of Chico Hot Springs Resort in Pray, Montana, set in the heart of Paradise Valley between Livingston and Yellowstone National Park. The restaurant has been feeding travelers, ranch hands, and wilderness adventurers since the resort's founding in the late nineteenth century, and it retains a sense of occasion that is rare in rural Montana. The kitchen leans hard into locally sourced and wild game cookery: bison medallions arrive tender and precisely cooked, sourced from ranches in the surrounding valley, while Rocky Mountain trout is pulled from nearby rivers and served simply to let the fish's quality speak. The Chico prime rib is the menu's anchor dish — a slow-roasted cut presented tableside and carved to order, served with au jus and horseradish cream. Sunday brunch, running from 10am to 2pm, draws guests from Livingston and Gardiner who make the drive specifically for the occasion, offering a spread that includes eggs Benedict, smoked fish, and pastries baked in-house. The dining room itself is a study in rustic elegance: hewn timber columns, a stone fireplace, and taxidermy that speaks to the region's hunting heritage without feeling overwrought. The wine list is broader than one would expect for such a remote location, with Pacific Northwest producers well represented alongside a solid by-the-glass selection. Reservations are recommended for dinner, particularly in summer and during peak Yellowstone shoulder seasons when Paradise Valley sees heavy tourism traffic.