Kalispell, Montana, is already known for jaw-dropping mountain scenery and wide-open Big Sky country — but The DeSoto Grill is giving locals and road-trippers an equally compelling reason to stop. 🏔️
This husband-and-wife-owned rockabilly BBQ joint dishes out slow-smoked meats, creative “twisted” barbecue creations, and Montana-proud flavors with a personality as bold as its menu — making it one of the most exciting hidden gem restaurants in Montana you’ll ever stumble upon.
How The DeSoto Grill Won Kalispell’s Hearts
Owners Shawnna and Brian Steele had been living in Portland, Oregon, for 17 years when the historic Forge building in downtown Kalispell became available — and they took it as a sign to move back home and build something truly special.
The DeSoto channels a rockabilly spirit — think vintage car culture, bold flavors, and zero apologies — into a dining experience that feels simultaneously nostalgic and completely original.
The Steeles smoke their meats on-site using local Montana ingredients, sourcing from nearby Lower Valley Meats for elk sausage and hot links, and crafting every sandwich, side, and sauce in-house with evident pride and care.
Word spread fast — the kind of passionate, evangelical word-of-mouth that only happens when a restaurant genuinely earns it — and The DeSoto Grill quickly became a cornerstone of downtown Kalispell dining, drawing in everyone from ranchers and families to Glacier National Park visitors craving something real after a day on the trails.
The menu’s genius lies in its balance between BBQ joint staples — tender brisket, fall-apart pulled pork, full racks of ribs — and Shawnna’s signature “twisted” creations that push classic comfort food into wildly satisfying new territory. 🍖
Whether you’re a devoted pitmaster groupie or a casual lunch-seeker, this place delivers with every single plate — and it’s exactly why The DeSoto Grill has become the most talked-about Montana BBQ restaurant in the region.
Food Highlights
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Smoked Beef Brisket: Slow-smoked for a full 14 hours over wood, yielding impossibly tender, deeply flavored beef with a perfect bark.
- Cajun Salmon Street Tacos: Three white corn tortillas loaded with wild-caught, Cajun-seasoned smoked salmon and smoky toppings. 🌮
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Pulled Pork Sandwich: Eight hours of smoke-kissed pork shoulder, piled high on a locally baked bun, topped with fresh slaw and drizzled with DeSoto’s house-made Q-Sauce.
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Supercharged BLT: “The twin turbo of sandwiches” — a whole pork belly brined, smoked all day, then sliced thick, seared in a spicy brown sugar glaze, and piled on a bun with lettuce, tomato, and house griz sauce. 🔥
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Elk Sausage Hoagie: Local Montana elk sausage from Lower Valley Meats served on a toasted hoagie with grilled peppers, onions, chopped cherry peppers, house mustard, and DeSoto Q-Sauce. 🦌
- Brisket Cheese Steak Sandwich: Open-faced on a hoagie roll, loaded with 14-hour slow-smoked brisket, sautéed peppers and onions, and melted provolone cheese — served with au jus for dipping. 🧀
- Pork Belly: Brined overnight and smoked low and slow all day, this thick-cut pork belly develops an extraordinary depth of flavor.
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Smokehouse Nachos: Piled high with your choice of brisket, pulled pork, or smoked chicken, layered over extra sharp cheddar-jack cheese, roasted corn and black bean salsa, red onion, cilantro, sour cream, and Q-Sauce. 🌽
Atmosphere
Step inside The DeSoto Grill and you step into a world of its own — housed in the historic Forge building in downtown Kalispell, the space channels a rockabilly, vintage car-culture vibe that is loud, fun, and completely unlike any other BBQ joint in Big Sky Country.
Exposed brick, bold décor, and the intoxicating smell of slow-smoked meats greet you at the door, setting the tone for a meal that’s as much an experience as it is a dinner.
It’s casual, unpretentious, and full of genuine Montana personality — the kind of place where locals pull up for lunch on a weekday, and visitors linger long past their intended departure time. 🤠
Bottom Line
The DeSoto Grill is Montana BBQ at its most creative and soulful. Husband-and-wife-owned, locally sourced, and obsessively crafted, it serves slow-smoked meats, inventive sandwiches, and legendary sides with a rockabilly swagger that makes every visit feel like a party. 🔥
Address:
227 1st Street West, Kalispell, MT 59901
📞 (406) 314-6095
🕔 Open Tue–Fri 11:00 AM–9:00 PM (Closed Saturday–Monday)