Hanks Chop Shop

There’s a lot to think about when visiting Hanks Chop Shop in West Yellowstone. I say that because of the style, vibe, and the very cool people that work here. 

First, it is a newer location from the standpoint of being a restaurant. It opened in 2022. Before that, it was an auto mechanic’s shop. 

It was bought by the new owners, totally remodeled, and then named after the owner’s son Hank. But that’s not where the story ends. 

I was able to visit the other day and really enjoyed this location. The vibe is great, but it is also a local treasure. They serve locally prepared USDA prime meats. They also make all of their pasta in-house (as in it was just made in the last day or so), and they have huge portions. 

I also love that they have a number of Montana-original beers on the menu, giving you the total local experience. The patio is pet friendly, with ample big-screen TVs so that you won’t miss a game, and everyone here is super friendly! 

Anytime I come to West Yellowstone, I make sure to stop in at Hanks Chop Shop. And I recommend you do too! 

Vibe

This cool restaurant offers an upscale vibe without all of the fuss. The atmosphere is pretty relaxed, and I found the patio to be spacious, with a great view.

And if you have a large group, don’t worry, there's plenty of room. With great music playing just loud enough to want to jive but not so loud you can’t hear each other talking Hanks Chop Shop is the place to be on a Friday night for sure! 

Hanks Chop Shop: Menu & Drinks

This autobody turned restaurant really knows how to bring the food! From salmon to salads and everything in between, you won’t go wrong with anything you order. 

One of my favorites that I recommend and enjoyed on my visit is the Baked Salmon. It’s a sizable portion of wild-caught salmon, roasted with the skin, so it’s nice and crispy. The glaze has a combination of a sweet maple and bourbon combination that is very much tempting.

I also got a salad with my order. One thing to note here is that all of the ingredients were fresh, but the salad dressing was perfect. I found out that they made it in-house each day. I chose the blue cheese, and it was such a treat with its overall decadence.

This time around, I didn’t get an appetizer, but they have options like wings, shrimp cocktail, and spinach dip on the menu. It is also made fresh with everything scratch-started.

For a drink, they have plenty of beer on tap, including all of your favorites. However, I wanted something a bit more refined with my meal, so I chose the Milou Rose. This was such a sweet and bright flavor for wine. It was a good option with my dinner.

My party decided to spend some time lounging and chatting since the location wasn’t busy. We ended up getting dessert after a bit, and I enjoyed the Bread Pudding. It was rich and topped with a sticky, sweet syrup, along with a scoop of ice cream. There’s no doubt this was one of the best ways to finish my meal! I definitely recommend it, but the Flourless Chocolate Torte was good, too (I tried a bite!)