Miss Gail’s Ramblings
I’ve lived in Montana about three years, give or take two years, which makes me almost a local, only 75 years to go. I grew up in Idaho which is close, so maybe I’ll get extra credit for being reared in the Northwest.
On my first trip to Montana, the Cowboy said, “Ever been to Roscoe? Let’s go to the Griz.”
I eyed him suspiciously, “Roscoe? Where the hell is Roscoe?” I was still uncertain about this Montana Cowboy. I had never heard of Roscoe, who had? “The Griz, as in Grizzly Bear?”
“No, The Grizzly Bar, they’ve got great food,” he said and we hopped in the Mustang (as easily as two people in their 70’s can hop into anything) and off we went. He further coaxed me with, “They’ve got a good supply of wine and a full bar.” Well, that sold me and I knew we were off to an adventure. After all, the day before, he had already driven me halfway to the top of the Beartooth Highway.
The Grizzly Bar is a local icon. Open during the summer, May 1 to October 1, Owners Jennifer and Patrick O’Shea lead their crew as it fills up every day. The menu is mainly Montana steak or hamburgers (Miller Ranch Beef if you want to be specific), some seafood, a good salad menu, and a lot of other options. The Cowboy and I shared a large prime rib and vegetables. The dessert specialty is the Grizzly Delight, an amazing ice cream-based dessert. No calories, I am sure. The price was fair, the food was excellent, the ambiance was wonderful, and we walked away full to the brim.
The town of Roscoe, population 16, is tiny, consisting of three buildings, a bed & breakfast, post office, and the Grizzly Bar. It sits on the beautiful Rosebud Creek surrounded by trees and quiet, only the creek’s gurgling. It is just off Highway 78, in Carbon County, an easy and beautiful drive from either I-90 (Columbus exit) or Red Lodge. The bar, built in the 1930’s, served as a community center, then morphed into a food venue. Jennifer and Patrick have owned the Griz for 21 years and with daughter Ali, they keep it going. It was originally the Roscoe Bar, but now is affectionately known as “The Griz.” Jennifer has added to her own repertoire with a real estate license. “The Griz is for sale. it’s someone else’s turn,” she said. “I love it, but 21 years is a long time, and I’ve got other things I want to do.”
The town Roscoe was named after a horse, owned by local Nancy Morris. Every now and then, often after branding a herd of cattle, local cowboys decide to return to the early days of the west, get a wild hair to liven up the Griz, and ride their horses through the bar. They grab a beer and exit as fast as they enter.
You can’t go wrong with a visit to the Grizzly Bar, whether you go for food, ambiance, or a glass of wine. “Where the Hell is Roscoe?” Well, now I know.
Gail Cushman is a novelist and blogger who lives in Columbus. To see more of her writings, go to www.gailcushman.com
