Taste of Bozeman

Tasting and Rating Restaurants in Bozeman, Montana 
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Burgers at City Center Steak House

Reviewed by Craig Dugas

■■■■□ 3.9 / 5 "Tight on cash? Check out this $5 meal!"

You probably won't find the City Center Steak House on any Bozeman restaurant guides - don't worry, Taste of Bozeman is on it!

As we walked inside the City Center Steak House, the stench of stale smoke was not the greeting I had hoped for. Confronted by a dimly-lit area of seating that was probably a hot style in the 70s, I half expected to see a group of Goodfellas hanging out. But, for a 5 dollar burger, fries and soft drink, it was worth checking out.

Fortunately, the weather outside was pleasant and accommodating, so we asked the hostess to seat us on the patio. Service was quick enough and plenty friendly, so all that remained uncritiqued was the food.

Not only could one get a burger, fries and soft drink for 5 bucks, but they had at least 7 or 8 different types of burgers that were applicable. Not only that, but you could also opt for a chicken breast instead of beef! I ordered the southwest burger, chicken style. It was served hot, topped with ample fresh "guacamole sauce," and tasted... pretty good! The fries turned out to be steak fries, but were surprisingly hot and mostly crispy. There were a few sogs in the bunch, but overall it might just be the best $5 meal you can get in Bozeman. As an honorary guest put it, "it's an $8 burger for 5 bucks." It sat a bit heavy for the Friday afternoon, but I'll be back to enjoy this again.

In hindsight, I should have ordered the iced tea instead of a Diet Coke, since the soft drink mixture was a bit off and tough to swallow. Fortunately they brought us ice water (also in 70s style glasses) and a pitcher of water to provide ample refills.

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Reviewed by Eric Barnes

■■■■□  4.5 / 5 "Economically excellent"

Even though I have literally driven past the City Center Steak House Lounge & Casino on Main Street a million times, I have never noticed it before. It's hidden behind the Magnuson hotel next to the Bamboo Garden Chinese restaurant. I'm usually hesitant to eat at places that contain the word "casino" in their name, but for this place, I will make an exception. We ate out on their patio. It was good way to enjoy the great weather.

The best part is they have a special on their burgers: $5.00 for a burger, fries, and a drink.

I ordered the bacon cheese burger. While the beef didn't have quite the freshness of, say, Ted's beef, it was still juicy and flavorful. The bacon came in two, thick strips. Top that with lettuce, tomato, onions, and a pickle and you've got the ideal burger.

The fries were awesome—crispy on the outside with soft potato-y goodness on the inside. They were so good that I ate every fry on my plate.

Everything about this meal was great. And did I mention it was only five dollars? I have yet to see a better burger deal in Bozeman of this quality.

           
Click here to download:
Burgers_at_City_Center_Steak_H.zip (1638 KB)

Posted by Eric Barnes 

Comments (2)

Aug 28, 2009
Chad Coley said...
I had nothing different to add, other than I had the Cajun burger. It was a good meal at a great price. The $5 burger was juicy, tasty, and as good as most other $10 burger joints in town. However, sitting inside could be a deal breaker for me. The patio was ideal!
Sep 04, 2009
Jay H. said...
I concur about the seating inside. It's definitely a throw-back to the 70's-era hotels that had "Lounge & Restaurant" in the eatery's name. The seating inside is uncomfortable as hell, but there is no doubting the value in that $5 meal. Good burgers, great fries. I best go back again before it's too cold to sit on the deck.

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