I have 2 half days next week - what should I do & eat? (Cheyenne: appointed)

[Grawburg]

I'll be in town next week for a couple of half days. Anything I must see while I'm there? This is my first time and it'll be a long time before I make it back so if there's something I just cannot miss, please tell me. Also, what's a place that one would say is "Wyoming" food? Need meals under $20 and I'll be there solo.

Thanks!

[sunsprit]

Give us a clue ... which Town?

[Grawburg]

Cheyenne!

[sunsprit]

Any particular interests? there's the state museum, the botanical gardens, the pioneer museum at the Frontier Days Park which are worthwhile for a glimpse at the local history.

Local touring would include heading West to the Veedauwoo Park area. You could start with the Lincoln Memorial center just off I-80, and then head back East on Happy Jack Road. Depending upon how much snow is on the ground when you're here, you could head back a little bit with your car and then hike into some very spectacular rock formation areas. They're pretty unique to the area, so are a local feature.

If you're from a "big city", I doubt that Cheyenne's downtown will have much to impress you. Between the empty storefronts, decaying older buildings that they're trying to find funding to renovate, there's not much beyond the activity of being the economic center and state capitol/legal activity. There's no unique shopping, etc., that I can suggest.

The only restaurants that would strike me as giving you a taste of Cheyenne would be The Albany Hotel Restaurant, which is by the train station downtown, or a short drive away would be T. Joe's Steakhouse east of town by the Sapp Bros truck stop, or north of town at The Little Bear.

Otherwise, Cheyenne's dining is a hodge podge of chain restaurants along Dell Range Blvd (Red Lobster, Crapplebee's, Outback Steakhouse (where you can get your month's ration of salt in every bite!), Olive Garden, etc.) , a number of forgettable Chinese/Asian places (that will have you fondly remembering the steam table at your college dorm dining room), the usual cast of burger or pizza franchises, and a number of really bad Italian (styel) restaurants or Mexican (style) restaurants. The best tamales in town are from the Tamale Factory on the South side on Hwy 85. There's a brand new place, The Mayflower, which purports to be a "seafood" restaurant in the downtown area (I think they went into a spot where a "Chinese" restaurant died from unknown causes) ... but that's not exactly a signature food line in the Cheyenne area. There's also a hidden away in a strip mall on Dell Range a "Mongolian bar-b-que", which is really foreign to the area, but all you can pile on your plate for one fee eating ... or the all-you-can-stand-to-eat Country Buffet in the Dell Range Mall. Given my choice between not eating and the Country Buffet ... I'll skip the meal, it's not worth it to me to ingest all the food-like substances and pay the price later on. Oh, and you can get some of the worst substitute for sushi at Good Friend's or a slightly better quality on Dell Range next to the bookstore.

If you've got the time while you're here, and better food is on your travel agenda, I'd suggest heading to Laramie for Mexican food or down to Ft Collins for a much better selection of cuisines and quality.

I hate to sound so negative about Cheyenne's dining scene, but it's rather pathetic when an area famous for cattle and beef production's more popular steakhouses are The Texas Roadhouse or The Outback. Both of which specialize in exceptional beef softening marinades to "flavor" and "tenderize" their product. The peanuts at the Roadhouse put the steaks to shame ... And the Terry Bison Ranch "Senator's" dining room, long a local landmark (and they serve bison steaks), has long since faded into oblivion as a place of choice to dine. These folks discovered how to wilt a salad before spinach became popular, and the food service is really more interested in serving a liquid meal from the bar where the profits are bigger for much less work and service. From time to time, depending upon who is running the kitchen, the local truck stops actually have better food than the restaurants in town ... The Cookery at Flying J, the restaurant at Sapp's, or the one at the TA east of town; although right now, I wouldn't say they're that great anymore ... for awhile, they all had the best steaks in town.

We recently ate at a newly opened "mexican" restaurant on Capitol Ave, just north of Lincolnway. I give them a couple of months before folks discover had truly awful the place is and it shuts down. Great if you love paying for the ambience of the TV blasting mexican soap operas by the bar, but everything from the watery "salsa" with absolutely no chili bite to it (it had lots of tasteless red "chili powder" to make it authentico) served with stale tortilla chips to the tasteless tamales almost deviod of filling isn't going to make it in this town, even with the low standards for food service around here. They served a "menudo" which had the makings of some good cooking ... a very flavorful broth, but then they let the whole dish down by scrimping on the other ingredients in the stew.

Other than that, there's the bar/grill ... which started life as the "Snake River Brewing Co" in the old railroad terminal, and was OK until that kitchen ran out of their agreement with the brewery side of the place ... it's pretty forgetable. The ribs, which used to be a very good item now appear somewhat lifeless, and plastering them with sticky gooey sauce doesn't make up for the quick cooking of the ribs.

Have fun while you're here in Cheyenne.

[Grawburg]

Wow.....maybe I'll stay home......

But since I'm getting paid to speak, I best show up. I'll be staying at the Plains Hotel which looks interesting enough.

Thanks for all of the info and your honesty! I'm from Raleigh, NC and flying into Denver and driving up. I've heard the drive is pretty boring as well. I was actually in Denver yesterday and told someone I hope I get a view of the mountains driving up to Cheyenne - they just laughed.

But I was able to pick up an AM station from Cheyenne while in Denver so I guess I'll listen to that on the way up and hope it will keep me company on the potentially boring drive. I'll have my camera, maybe I'll spot some cool roadkill!

[msdmckee]

Please remember that "boring" or being "bored" is really just a reflection of the quality of mind doing the observations.

Me, I'm almost never bored by anything. But some times some bodies ........, oh, well.

[mandK]

Sunsprit,

I agree Cheyenne dining is really limited. But, I've had a few decent lunches and dinners at the Plains. Shadows is okay for a simple lunch. I had a steak there just as salty as the Outback. Also, the CCC was forgettable, except for remembering the one and only woman serving the entire dining room. Needless to say, service was painfully slow. I felt bad for her.

Have you ever visited any of the bar/grill type places a block north behind the Plains Hotel? (17th street I think) It looks like a small strip of places to eat. I'm heading back in a week and might try a new place or two. I'm also in search of a decent slice of pizza.

Grawburg,

I make the Denver to Cheyenne drive several times a year. I enjoy the drive. To me the big sky and wide open space is very relaxing. Or maybe it's me just happy to get out of the city.

I think you'll enjoy the Plains. If you're lucky, you might get one of the haunted rooms and have some company.


MandK

[sunsprit]

mandK ... I should have mentioned Sanford's on 17th. It's a "fun" type of bar & grill/restaurant, with all the funky decorations and car oriented memorabilia around the place. The food has varied through the years, I think it depends upon who is cooking at the time. But I wouldn't claim it to be "Cheyenne" or western style cooking ... it's a hodge-podge of (alleged) creole and cajun style saucing on 'burgers and steaks and they even claim a "jambalaya" plate which I found awfully boring. And their idea of "heat" is for northern wisconsin wimps when it comes to tickling the palate .... their "hot" wings register about 1/2 on a scale of 1 to 10, their regular wings aren't much hotter than a mild barbeque sauce. But it's probably one of the "better" dining bargains in Cheyenne.

There's an "italian" place across the street from them, recently opened. We "dined" there for a Christmas party this year and were incredulous about how bad the food and service were, how tiny the portions, and how expensive it was ... a very poor value and it made Chef BoyArDee look like something you'd look forward to after their food. There's also a "hot wings" and "pizza" place a few doors down ... although my wife commented that they looked closed down when we went past a week ago; I hope so, I tried them when they first opened and got food poisoning from their wings/sauces.

Re: The Plains Hotel. With the renovation that was done a few years ago, they've got some spectacular rooms. I got to see some of the ones on the second floor, just West off the mezzanine level elevator. I've lived in apartments that weren't as large ... and the furnishings were very nice. I don't know about the rest of the hotel rooms, though.

They have a new head chef and I know he's trying to establish The Plains as a "place" to eat in Cheyenne. But I'd have to say that I've been disappointed so far, at least at the luncheon buffet. I wish them well and hope that they can turn it all around. Now that the Hitching Post appears to be going defunct, perhaps The Plains will take over the better dining market segment in Cheyenne and have the clientele and cash flow to really do things right. Definitely a shame on that score, too, as I've had some excellent meals and luncheons at the Hitch through years past before the prior owner passed away a couple of years ago.

Grawburg ... the drive up I-25 from Denver is nothing remarkable, it's mostly 4-lane interstate highway on rolling hills once you're North of Longmont, gaining altitude to Cheyenne. The mountains are to your west, and you've got a good view of the Twin Peaks west of Longmont, Corona Pass (look for the low flat spot to the south of Twin Peaks), and the foothills all along the way. You won't run out of commercial districts, auto plazas, and some residential areas fronting the highway until you get a bit past Fort Collins, which will put you at 45 minutes out of Cheyenne. I'd urge you to observe the speed limits along the route, as the CHP's enforcement is highly variable ... one day, it's a 90 mph racetrack out there, another day and they're picking out who they're going to ticket and have favorite spots by Longmont, Fort Collins, and other locations along your route. Keep to the right and let the high rollers pass you by ... you may get to see them again as you pass them by the side of the road ... and, maybe not.

[mandK]

Originally Posted by sunsprit

mandK ... I should have mentioned Sanford's on 17th. It's a "fun" type of bar & grill/restaurant, with all the funky decorations and car oriented memorabilia around the place. The food has varied through the years, I think it depends upon who is cooking at the time. But I wouldn't claim it to be "Cheyenne" or western style cooking ... it's a hodge-podge of (alleged) creole and cajun style saucing on 'burgers and steaks and they even claim a "jambalaya" plate which I found awfully boring. And their idea of "heat" is for northern wisconsin wimps when it comes to tickling the palate .... their "hot" wings register about 1/2 on a scale of 1 to 10, their regular wings aren't much hotter than a mild barbeque sauce. But it's probably one of the "better" dining bargains in Cheyenne.

I took a look in there one day walking back to my car. It did look like a fun place. I'll give it a try. Thanks.

There's an "italian" place across the street from them, recently opened. We "dined" there for a Christmas party this year and were incredulous about how bad the food and service were, how tiny the portions, and how expensive it was ... a very poor value and it made Chef BoyArDee look like something you'd look forward to after their food. There's also a "hot wings" and "pizza" place a few doors down ... although my wife commented that they looked closed down when we went past a week ago; I hope so, I tried them when they first opened and got food poisoning from their wings/sauces.

yep...I looked there too. If I remember correctly, it did look inviting. But, maybe it's just my love of Italian food.

Re: The Plains Hotel. With the renovation that was done a few years ago, they've got some spectacular rooms. I got to see some of the ones on the second floor, just West off the mezzanine level elevator. I've lived in apartments that weren't as large ... and the furnishings were very nice. I don't know about the rest of the hotel rooms, though.


A couple years back I stayed in a suite on the top floor overlooking the depot plaza. (at a reasonable rate I should add). We have a nice time that weekend.

They have a new head chef and I know he's trying to establish The Plains as a "place" to eat in Cheyenne. But I'd have to say that I've been disappointed so far, at least at the luncheon buffet. I wish them well and hope that they can turn it all around. Now that the Hitching Post appears to be going defunct, perhaps The Plains will take over the better dining market segment in Cheyenne and have the clientele and cash flow to really do things right. Definitely a shame on that score, too, as I've had some excellent meals and luncheons at the Hitch through years past before the prior owner passed away a couple of years ago.

Grawburg ... the drive up I-25 from Denver is nothing remarkable, it's mostly 4-lane interstate highway on rolling hills once you're North of Longmont, gaining altitude to Cheyenne. The mountains are to your west, and you've got a good view of the Twin Peaks west of Longmont, Corona Pass (look for the low flat spot to the south of Twin Peaks), and the foothills all along the way. You won't run out of commercial districts, auto plazas, and some residential areas fronting the highway until you get a bit past Fort Collins, which will put you at 45 minutes out of Cheyenne. I'd urge you to observe the speed limits along the route, as the CHP's enforcement is highly variable ... one day, it's a 90 mph racetrack out there, another day and they're picking out who they're going to ticket and have favorite spots by Longmont, Fort Collins, and other locations along your route. Keep to the right and let the high rollers pass you by ... you may get to see them again as you pass them by the side of the road ... and, maybe not.

Thanks Sunsprit