Bop into Bernie’s in Billings for Breakfast
And set your clock back 75 years.
Bernie's at 19 N Broadway in downtown Billings is a diner in a clean and romanticized 1940s-50s style. Decor is reminiscent of the movie Grease or American Graffiti. You can have a table with chairs or sit on a stool at the counter.
After a week of work, a solid Saturday breakfast hits the spot, and Bernie's has it. The menu has various options to taste, so I ordered a Traditional Breakfast Platter with the elk sausage.
Wherever you dine in Montana, if a game meat is on the menu, order it. Take a break from the beef and chicken.
Bernie's elk sausage is a lean, gently flavorful meat that will certainly satisfy the daily requirement for protein. There is little spice mixed in, so you can really taste the elk. On top of that are two eggs cooked as preferred.
Potatoes are really an anytime carb. Here the potatoes are lightly battered, seasoned and fried to compliment the meat and eggs.
Here's a secret for your breakfast at Bernie's: ask for the cook's in-house mixed berry jam. Your choice of toast can have a nicely fruity taste that is just this side of sweet. No excessive sugar needed or wanted.
Other breakfast staples are available: Eggs Benedict, Skillets, Biscuits and Gravy, Chicken Fried Steak, Pancakes, French Toast and Waffles. Give yourself a few minutes to decide.
For $16, I had enough for two meals. "We do big portions for sure," the waitress said smiling.
Bernie's is the diner your mother or grandmother would run. Neat and tidy, everything in place, hearty meals, large cups for coffee or cocoa, and of course sweet treats. Don't forget your table manners. Staff shirts include the caption "Eat your Peas." With the food this good, shouldn't be a problem.
Open every day, 6:00 in the morning to 3:00 in the afternoon.
If you plan to eat everything on your plate, do so. Leave not a morsel behind.
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