Casper Restaurants (Cheyenne, Gillette: house, live, zoning)

[CharlotteG]

We are here in Casper!! And we LOVE IT!! My future husband had to come last week for work & I flew to meet him on Monday night. We will be headed back to KC tomorrow, but will be back permanently in the very near future.

We ate at Johnny J's last night and absolutely loved it. The food, the atmosphere, the people were all wonderful. Tonight we ate at Village Inn and ended up with our meal comped if that tells you anything...

Does anyone have any suggestions for local restaurants that we might like? I have seen a lot of mexican joints, but that is just not my kind of food.


Any suggestions?

[WyoNewk]

We don't get to Casper too often, but the Outback is always good. We'll have to check out Johnny J's next time. Thanks for the tip.

[septocaine_queen]

What do you like?

My favorite is Dsasumo, which Thai and Sushi. I have gotten a rec for Boscos-italian, but haven't had a chance to try it.

[GEORGIAINMT]

Sanford's is always good, from my experience. It's a burger/sandwich type place with a really fun atmosphere.

[sunsprit]

Originally Posted by GEORGIAINMT

Sanford's is always good, from my experience. It's a burger/sandwich type place with a really fun atmosphere.

Sanford's Casper restaurant is in the process of being shut-down, if it hasn't been shut down already.

This was reported a week ago in the Star-Tribune (front page headline!) in a feature article where the owner of Sanford's had finally reached the end of his patience with trying to get a liquor license approved in the restaurant. Apparently, there was a long drawn out application process where the city council/zoning folks kept dragging him over the coals about everything from the interior design to parking to other requirements. He finally said he wasn't going to continue to be held hostage to all their whims and interpretations of the state liquor licensing/restaurant bar license requirements and was shutting the place down.

He announced his plan to open an entirely new restaurant operation there, which may/may not require the extensive remodeling that the city was forcing him to do in the existing Sanford's facility.

FWIW, when we first came to Cheyenne (years ago), the Sanford's here was one of the better values in town and the food was decent. But in the last few years, it's gotten somewhat more expensive and the portions have been downsized ... along with some of the food doesn't seem to have all of the older recipes anymore. IMO, it's not the value or as interesting a place as it used to be, and we go there now only with visitors from out of town, where we used to go there a couple of times per month.

[WyoNewk]

Originally Posted by sunsprit

...
FWIW, when we first came to Cheyenne (years ago), the Sanford's here was one of the better values in town and the food was decent. But in the last few years, it's gotten somewhat more expensive and the portions have been downsized ... along with some of the food doesn't seem to have all of the older recipes anymore. IMO, it's not the value or as interesting a place as it used to be, and we go there now only with visitors from out of town, where we used to go there a couple of times per month.

Unfortunately we've felt the same way about Humphrey's in Gillette, which was the first of the "Sanford's" restaurants. It used to be our favorite restaurant in town, but like you mention, portions are smaller and prices are higher. Plus it's lost the charm it once had with all the remodelings.

Many will appreciate this, but they've also done away with a smoking section. In the beginning it was a very popular bar that severed a few sandwiches. Then it became a family restaurant with a bar, and now no smoking. I don't smoke, but my wife does, so it's just not enjoyable for her anymore.

[K-FOX]

The Platte Valley or North Platte Valley I forget now what its name is, it is down next to the Day's Inn I think by I-25. (Hum also forget the name of the street it is on! I've been gone along time now!!)
But they were always good for breakfast, we use go there alot. Hope they are still in business? Maybe someone here knows.

[jdavid93225]

Originally Posted by K-FOX

The Platte Valley or North Platte Valley I forget now what its name is, it is down next to the Day's Inn I think by I-25. (Hum also forget the name of the street it is on! I've been gone along time now!!)
But they were always good for breakfast, we use go there alot. Hope they are still in business? Maybe someone here knows.

I think you are thinking of the Platte River restaurant. It is the only place in Casper I can really remember where I have eaten (I was there at lunch time). It is on "E" street, which fronts I-25, just east of "Center" St. When I was there, the food was of decent quality and quantity, and the restaurant was clean and tidy. The menu offered a variety of food choices, many of which sounded good at the time. The only problem I encountered was that the wait staff was a little slow, which wasn't a big deal for me, since I was on vacation at the time. I believe it was lunchtime on a weekday when I went there, so if I had been there while on my lunchbreak, and the service was as slow as I'd experienced, it could have been an issue. I don't like being on a limited time schedule, and having to wait for things like having my order taken, bringing refills for drinks, and bringing the check. As I recall, all of these things seemed to have taken longer than they should have. Having only eaten there one time, this could have been due to a new waitress, someone calling in sick, or some other unforeseen problem, so I would try it again before ruling it out.

Here is a site with a couple more reviews of the Platte River restaurant:
Platte River Restaurant - Google Maps

[Trouthead]

Try Armor's (the Silver Fox) for one of the best resturaunt's in town. The Fireside is also pretty good. Olive Garden is building now and will be open within a few months. Fire Rock which was one of the better steak house in town changed hands and has gone down hill IMHO. Guadalahara is good Mexican (on CY). The Goose Egg Inn is one of Wyoming oldest resturaunts, a classic WYOMING place.

[shadowwalker]

Here in Casper, I haven't found and place that isn't a hit or miss. I just hate the misses when I pay alot for the meal.
Wheather it's poor food or service. If I get it, it's a long time before I go back. I got some places here that we make it once or twice a year or every other year, just because of the sad experience. I don't go much for spending excessively on a meal just for the atmosphere or name of the place.
I better ad here too, I would rather eat dirt and leaves and drink water out of a cow tank on the prarie, than go into a fast food joint to eat anything.