Always outstanding! Gutted that these guys are closing in September. Mouth watering rib eye steak accompanied by apple honeycomb salad, a nice bottle of wine, and great raspberry cake dessert.
gary
The food was outstanding. Had the crab with black bean sauce. It was so good! Perfect amount of heat and the crab was perfectly cooked. The tomato sauce on the arancini was very good. Sad to see this restaurant shutting down next month.
tejasmom1
Wonderful location - restaurant is off deco hotel lobby (hotel is closed) Nice atmosphere. The food was really good and unique.
Katrina Mikiah
My husband and I were excited to try Second Set after hearing high reviews from others. However, the food, service, and ambiance were all disappointing. I ordered the chicken, which though cooked fine, came with only onion rings. For $30, I expected something more elegant and with at least one real vegetable. For $33, my husband got 3 scallops and four small pieces of pickled cauliflower in a sauce. We had to ask for bread and what was brought was cold and dried out without any butter.Our waitress came to check on us enough but seemed inexperienced and was not particularly warm or willing to extend herself. For a restaurant charging a high dollar for their food, I expect refined and friendly service.The atmosphere was nice except that the music playing was not what I expected in an upscale establishment. Perhaps it appeals to younger patrons, but it certainly wasn't relaxing or easy to converse against.If the price were half what it was, I might come back, but we felt we got far less than what we paid for and will not be returning.Dietary restrictions: Not many options for vegan, GF, or DF patrons, although they did offer a substitution to accommodate me.
roymN7508ZQ
We had a great meal on the 4th of July with a BBQ menu. The chicken was salt brined for three days then dredged in buttermilk and flour and the carne asada was great as well. They rotate their menu to take advantage of local produce and it’s all fresh cooked. The great husband and wife team also maintain a really good wine list from all over. A great find!
Theresa Cruthers
Such a wonderful experience. Everything was delicious! Shrimp to start, steak frites, and the massive chicken with onion rings! Spoke to Raz and he convinced us to come back for dessert the next night... that'll be a different post since that was epic too ?
Benjamin Pilgeram
Brought me the wrong beer, found a piece of raw shrimp in her salad, pasta was unexceptionable, and the creme brulee was the worst I've ever had. Could overhear yelling in the kitchen, very very overated place.
Marsha M
We shared the arracini appetizer and chicken. Both dishes were absolutely delicious. The service was quite good and the cost was reasonable for the meal we had. We made a reservation although not sure it was necessary as the restaurant was not very busy on a Sunday night.
Michael Moore
Good food, good service, musical instruments on the wall. Quite nice. With inflation still in place, I feel like you should get a little more food for the price.
While the food was tasty, the service lacked; perhaps it was too close to closing? No table covering, runner, placemat, etc. so the utensils were placed directly on the table, a pet peeve of mine. Non-diners walked in - random photo shoot - large, egregiously loud scene - truly blew what little cozy vibe there was. So many choices in downtown Missoula, while Second Set was nice, probably will not go back.
Disappointing. We decided against an entree because they are huge. The milanese is stunning but sized for at least 5. Learned against that last time. I love steak but The steak is 18 oz! So no. We got apple and honeycomb salad which we loved before---dead and NO honeycomb may not come back.
Stephanie Watts
Spectacular food is served by amazingly friendly staff. The atmosphere is sophisticated and elegant yet comfortable and casual. The art on the walls is just as amazing as the food! The Crab Fettuccine is absolutely extraordinarily delicious! The Second Set Bistro is a fantastic place for dinner by yourself or with your family and friends!
Jacquie M.
One of the best and most consistent Missoula restaurants in a cool 1940s-era downtown building. Great menu standards as well as interesting specials and seasonal items. Ribeyes are outstanding and the occasional hamburger special shouldn't be missed. Nice wines and a few rotating beers on tap. They always have solid music playing and the servers are friendly and helpful.
Catherine
The food selections, especially the salads, were interesting and not what you would find at other restaurants, which made the meal feel special. Enjoyed having the owner come out to the table and talk to us. Fun night!
Steve L.
Good first: staff is very friendly and helpful. Setting is lovely and intimate. Service was prompt and not overbearing. The food: the dumplings as appetizer were quite good. My half chicken was well cooked and flavorful. Her crab linguine, the sauce overpowered the crab. It was a good experience, and they work hard to make it one. Value? You can get a better meal for the same price. But all in all a good experience.
Always outstanding! Gutted that these guys are closing in September. Mouth watering rib eye steak accompanied by apple honeycomb salad, a nice bottle of wine, and great raspberry cake dessert.
The food was outstanding. Had the crab with black bean sauce. It was so good! Perfect amount of heat and the crab was perfectly cooked. The tomato sauce on the arancini was very good. Sad to see this restaurant shutting down next month.
Wonderful location - restaurant is off deco hotel lobby (hotel is closed) Nice atmosphere. The food was really good and unique.
My husband and I were excited to try Second Set after hearing high reviews from others. However, the food, service, and ambiance were all disappointing. I ordered the chicken, which though cooked fine, came with only onion rings. For $30, I expected something more elegant and with at least one real vegetable. For $33, my husband got 3 scallops and four small pieces of pickled cauliflower in a sauce. We had to ask for bread and what was brought was cold and dried out without any butter.Our waitress came to check on us enough but seemed inexperienced and was not particularly warm or willing to extend herself. For a restaurant charging a high dollar for their food, I expect refined and friendly service.The atmosphere was nice except that the music playing was not what I expected in an upscale establishment. Perhaps it appeals to younger patrons, but it certainly wasn't relaxing or easy to converse against.If the price were half what it was, I might come back, but we felt we got far less than what we paid for and will not be returning.Dietary restrictions: Not many options for vegan, GF, or DF patrons, although they did offer a substitution to accommodate me.
We had a great meal on the 4th of July with a BBQ menu. The chicken was salt brined for three days then dredged in buttermilk and flour and the carne asada was great as well. They rotate their menu to take advantage of local produce and it’s all fresh cooked. The great husband and wife team also maintain a really good wine list from all over. A great find!
Such a wonderful experience. Everything was delicious! Shrimp to start, steak frites, and the massive chicken with onion rings! Spoke to Raz and he convinced us to come back for dessert the next night... that'll be a different post since that was epic too ?
Brought me the wrong beer, found a piece of raw shrimp in her salad, pasta was unexceptionable, and the creme brulee was the worst I've ever had. Could overhear yelling in the kitchen, very very overated place.
We shared the arracini appetizer and chicken. Both dishes were absolutely delicious. The service was quite good and the cost was reasonable for the meal we had. We made a reservation although not sure it was necessary as the restaurant was not very busy on a Sunday night.
Good food, good service, musical instruments on the wall. Quite nice. With inflation still in place, I feel like you should get a little more food for the price.
While the food was tasty, the service lacked; perhaps it was too close to closing? No table covering, runner, placemat, etc. so the utensils were placed directly on the table, a pet peeve of mine. Non-diners walked in - random photo shoot - large, egregiously loud scene - truly blew what little cozy vibe there was. So many choices in downtown Missoula, while Second Set was nice, probably will not go back.
Restaurantji Recommends
Disappointing. We decided against an entree because they are huge. The milanese is stunning but sized for at least 5. Learned against that last time. I love steak but The steak is 18 oz! So no. We got apple and honeycomb salad which we loved before---dead and NO honeycomb may not come back.
Spectacular food is served by amazingly friendly staff. The atmosphere is sophisticated and elegant yet comfortable and casual. The art on the walls is just as amazing as the food! The Crab Fettuccine is absolutely extraordinarily delicious! The Second Set Bistro is a fantastic place for dinner by yourself or with your family and friends!
One of the best and most consistent Missoula restaurants in a cool 1940s-era downtown building. Great menu standards as well as interesting specials and seasonal items. Ribeyes are outstanding and the occasional hamburger special shouldn't be missed. Nice wines and a few rotating beers on tap. They always have solid music playing and the servers are friendly and helpful.
The food selections, especially the salads, were interesting and not what you would find at other restaurants, which made the meal feel special. Enjoyed having the owner come out to the table and talk to us. Fun night!
Good first: staff is very friendly and helpful. Setting is lovely and intimate. Service was prompt and not overbearing. The food: the dumplings as appetizer were quite good. My half chicken was well cooked and flavorful. Her crab linguine, the sauce overpowered the crab. It was a good experience, and they work hard to make it one. Value? You can get a better meal for the same price. But all in all a good experience.