The Best Après-Ski Bars Near Big Sky

Apres-ski culture in the Bozeman-Big Sky corridor is split into two completely different scenes. At Big Sky itself, you’ve got the slopeside options in Mountain Village — predictably priced, predictably crowded, predictably fine. Down in Meadow Village, a few spots cater to locals and longer-term visitors who’ve figured out you don’t have to eat at the base area. On the drive back to Bozeman through the Gallatin Canyon, you’ve got a handful of roadside spots that range from iconic to sketchy to iconically sketchy. And back in town, the brewery scene picks up where the mountain left off. All of it is worth knowing about.

At Big Sky Resort — Mountain Village

If you’re visiting Big Sky for the first time, the Mountain Village bars are the path of least resistance after a day on the slopes. Montana Jack at the Huntley Lodge is the default apres spot and it’s exactly what you’d expect: draft beers in the $8-10 range, a sun deck when the weather cooperates, and a crowd of people still in ski boots. Pitchers of local brews run around $22-26. It works, and the deck gets afternoon sun that makes 25 degrees feel like 50.

Everett’s 8800 at the summit is more upscale and has the views to justify the prices, but getting there requires a gondola ride and the vibe is more “resort dining” than “post-ski celebration.” Cocktails start at $16. The Carabiner Lounge in the Summit Hotel does craft cocktails surprisingly well for a hotel bar — the espresso martini is genuinely good, and happy hour from 3-5 PM knocks $3 off most drinks.

If you’re staying slope-side, Mountain Village is the obvious choice. You’re already there, you don’t have to drive, and you can stumble back to your room after a few rounds.

Meadow Village — the locals’ move

Most visitors skip Meadow Village entirely, which is a mistake. It’s a ten-minute drive (or free shuttle ride) from the base area, and the food and drink options are better and cheaper than anything in Mountain Village.

Olive B’s Bistro is a proper restaurant with a strong cocktail program. It’s not cheap — entrees run $28-45 — but the quality gap between Olive B’s and the Mountain Village restaurants is obvious. Their bar is a solid apres destination on its own. Sit at the bar, order a Manhattan and the charcuterie board, and you’ll forget you were on a ski hill three hours ago.

Ousel & Spur is the more casual Meadow Village option with a pizza-and-beer focus. Draft beers are $7-9, slices run $5-6, and the atmosphere is laid back in a way that Mountain Village never quite manages. This is where the Big Sky locals go after work. Happy hour runs 3-5 PM daily with $2 off drafts and $10 pizzas.

The canyon stops

The real apres-ski magic happens on Highway 191 between Big Sky and Bozeman. If you’re comparing Bridger Bowl and Big Sky for a ski trip, one thing Big Sky has over Bridger is the canyon drive home — not for the road itself, but for what’s along it.

The Corral Bar & Steakhouse in Gallatin Gateway is the correct answer to “where should we stop on the way back?” It’s been there since 1946, it serves enormous steaks (the ribeye is the move, 16 oz for around $42), and the bar crowd on a Saturday evening after a powder day is one of the best scenes in Montana. Get there by 5 PM if you want a seat without waiting. Drinks are reasonably priced — draft beers run $6-7 and well cocktails are $8-9. Cash is preferred but they take cards now.

Scissorbills Saloon on the way into Big Sky is the divey, no-pretense option with cheap beer and a pool table. Cans of PBR and Rainier are $4, and nobody cares what you look like or what you’re wearing. The burgers are surprisingly decent for a place that feels like it hasn’t been remodeled since the Carter administration.

Timing matters for canyon stops. Leave Big Sky by 3:30-4 PM and you’ll hit the Corral before the rush. Leave at 5 PM and you’re fighting for a barstool with every other skier who had the same idea. The canyon itself takes 45 minutes to Bozeman in good conditions, but budget an extra 15-20 minutes on busy weekends and powder days when the traffic stacks up.

Back in Bozeman

If you skip the canyon and drive straight to town — or if you skied Bridger Bowl, which is only 20 minutes from downtown — Bozeman has plenty of solid options to shake off the cold.

Mountains Walking Brewery and Bozeman Brewing Company are the two best options for post-ski beers in Bozeman proper and are covered in depth in our Bozeman brewery guide. Mountains Walking consistently makes some of the best beer in Montana, and their food menu means you don’t have to make a second stop for dinner. Bozeman Brewing is more no-frills, with a rotating food truck out front and a taproom full of people still wearing Bridger Bowl beanies by 4 PM.

The Bacchus Pub on Main has an excellent whiskey selection and zero ski-bro energy. It’s a dark, quiet bar with knowledgeable bartenders and the kind of pour-focused approach that feels like a reward after a physical day. Whiskey flights start at $18 and are genuinely curated, not just four random bottles.

Plonk is the wine bar option if beer isn’t your thing. Good by-the-glass list, small plates, and a more refined atmosphere. It’s the apres spot for the “I don’t actually like beer but I ski” crowd, and that’s perfectly fine.

For a full evening, the move is a brewery stop first, then walk to dinner at one of the downtown restaurants. Everything’s within a few blocks if you’re based on Main Street.