Best Breweries and Bars in Whitefish, Montana (2026)
Bonsai Brewing Project is Whitefish’s best overall brewery — live music, a dog-friendly beer garden, and rotating IPAs make it the go-to. For craft cocktails, Spotted Bear Spirits wins with its award-winning huckleberry drinks. Great Northern Bar & Grill is the top nightlife venue, open until 2 AM with live bands weekly. Here are the 6 best spots.
Dog-Friendly
Live Music
Full Kitchen
Bonsai specializes in small-batch IPAs, sours, and seasonal brews with 10+ taps rotating throughout the year. The beer garden welcomes well-behaved dogs and the full kitchen turns out house-made burgers, sandwiches, and hot dogs. Open Tuesday through Sunday, noon to 8 PM per Bonsai Brewing. Located at 549 Wisconsin Ave.
Huckleberry Vodka
Montana Spirits
Award-Winning
Spotted Bear distills small-batch vodka, gin, and whiskey using Montana-grown grains and botanicals per Spotted Bear Spirits. Signature cocktails include huckleberry margaritas, huckleberry mules, and a salt-and-pepper martini. Located at 503 Railway St across from Depot Park. Mon-Thu 4-8 PM, Fri-Sat 2-8 PM, Sun 4-8 PM.
50 Beers
5 Wines on Tap
Pub Food
Montana Tap House dedicates most of its 58 taps to local and regional craft breweries. Ideal for beer hunters wanting to explore the full depth of Montana brewing. Indoor and outdoor seating with pub fare including burgers, wings, and flatbreads per Montana Tap House. Open daily 11 AM-10 PM at 845 Wisconsin Ave.
Wood-Fired Pizza
Full Restaurant
Montana Barley
Blackstar brews Jeremiah Johnson-brand beers on-site using locally sourced barley malt from Montana per Blackstar. Menu centers on pizza, salads, burgers, and sandwiches. Mon-Sat noon-9 PM, Sun 11 AM-9 PM. At 2 Central Ave — the most centrally located brewery in Whitefish, walkable from most downtown hotels.
Open Until 2 AM
Outdoor Patio
Pool Tables
Great Northern Bar has been a downtown anchor since 1919 per Great Northern Bar. Expect live bands from bluegrass to rock, pool tables, burgers off the grill, and an outdoor patio. Summer brings near-nightly entertainment. Open every day 11 AM-2 AM at 27 Central Ave.
Full Restaurant
12+ Taps
Nitro Cold Brew
Located in Columbia Falls — the last town before Glacier National Park — Backslope runs 4 core beers plus 4-8 rotating taps with kombucha and cold brew on nitro. The full kitchen makes it more restaurant than bar per Backslope Brewing. Open Tue-Sat 11 AM-8 PM.
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Where Are These Venues?
Most of Whitefish’s bars and breweries cluster in two zones. Downtown Central Ave has Blackstar Brewery (2 Central) and Great Northern Bar (27 Central) — walkable from most hotels. Wisconsin Ave has Bonsai Brewing (549) and Montana Tap House (845), about 10 minutes on foot from downtown.
Spotted Bear Spirits sits at 503 Railway Street near Depot Park — a 5-minute walk from Central Ave. Backslope Brewing is in Columbia Falls, 15 minutes south by car on US-2. Per Glacier Country Tourism, the Flathead Valley has over 15 craft breweries within a 30-mile radius.
| Venue | Address | Type | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bonsai Brewing Project | 549 Wisconsin Ave | Craft Brewery | Tue-Sun 12-8 PM |
| Spotted Bear Spirits | 503 Railway St | Distillery | Daily 4-8 PM (Fri-Sat from 2 PM) |
| Montana Tap House | 845 Wisconsin Ave | Tap Bar | Daily 11 AM-10 PM |
| Blackstar Brewery | 2 Central Ave | Brewpub | Mon-Sat 12-9 PM, Sun 11-9 PM |
| Great Northern Bar | 27 Central Ave | Bar / Live Music | Daily 11 AM-2 AM |
| Backslope Brewing | Columbia Falls | Craft Brewery | Tue-Sat 11 AM-8 PM |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best brewery in Whitefish, Montana?
Are there bars open late in Whitefish?
Is there live music in Whitefish?
Are bars in Whitefish dog-friendly?
Is Backslope Brewing worth visiting from Whitefish?
How We Researched This Guide
- Venue websites: bonsaibrewery.com, blackstarmt.com, spottedbearspirits.com, greatnorthernbar.com, backslopebrewing.com, montanatap.com
- Yelp, TripAdvisor, and Untappd ratings verified March 2026
- Montana Brewers Association directory (montanabrewers.org)
- Visit Montana and Glacier Country regional tourism listings (visitmt.com, glaciermt.com)
Hours and tap selections change seasonally. Verify directly with each venue before visiting, especially off-season (October-May). Great Northern Brewing Company (the original production brewery) permanently closed in 2020 and is not included.
Planning a Glacier National Park trip? Whitefish is the best base camp — great breweries, year-round lodging, and 35 minutes from the park entrance.
