Parkers’ Burgers: Small Town, Big Taste

For years friends and family have asked if in my time driving across Montana I have taken time to stop at Parkers’ Restaurant in Drummond. Having driven past Drummond hundreds of times my answer is always a quiet and ashamed – no. Luckily for me, this was remedied last week. After a quick jaunt over to Philipsburg, we were ready for a bite to eat, and I can guarantee the 30-mintue drive to Parkers’ Restaurant was well worth it.

As we pulled into the parking lot, we looked down, realizing that there was just 20 minutes to closing – we were going to be the people who walked in right before closing and ordered a spread of food.

As soon as we walked through the door, however, we were met with genuine Montana hospitality, a huge smile and quick service. As we sat down in the booth, we were each handed a 3-ring binder – what we would come to realize was a menu containing 135 different burgers. Yup, 135 – if you can’t find a burger that satisfies your taste, I would be impressed.

From the Elvis (1/4 pound burger topped with peanut butter, bacon, and bananas) to the Ba-da Bing (burger patty topped with mozzarella cheese sticks, pizza sauce, and pepperoni), and the Piggy Back (a loaded cheese burger topped with a miniature loaded cheese burger) to the Middle Earth Burger (blackened burger “in the darkness” on a bun with one onion ring to rule them all, habanero cheddar to find them, 5 tater tots to bring them all, and spicy mayo- because Mordor is HOT) – you will have a hard time narrowing down your selection.

After flipping through our binders, and taking in themassive number of options, we placed our order for a Cobb Burger, a Rodeo Burger, and a Blues Brothers. It wasn’t until then that we had the opportunity to look around and take in the full atmosphere of the restaurant, namely the immense amount of Coca-Cola memorabilia covering the walls.

After putting in our order, our waitress came back and walked us through the menu, offering up which of the burgers were favorites at the restaurant. While many of the locals walk in knowing exactly what burger they are looking for, Parkers’ has plenty of patrons that are looking to switch it up and soak in all the menu has to offer. Although the Elvis burger seemed a little too out there, it was noted that it is actually quite popular – but maybe just for visitors to be able to say that they have tried it

Although we were the last ones in the restaurant, the service was quick and at no point did we feel we were being pushed out of the restaurant, but rather we were being welcomed to stay and enjoy our food past closing.

Headwaters Resource Conservation & Development is a nonprofit focused on “improving the economic and social well-being of the Southwest Montana region through conservation, development and proper use of natural and human resources.” This summer, they conducted a #MTBurgerQuest to find the best burger in Montana. After a significant amount of data aggregation and submissions from people across the state, Parkers’ Restaurant was named the “Best Burger establishment in Montana.” The restaurant uses only local, grass-fed and hormone free beef to serve up a mouthwatering dish.

To top off our already 5-star experience, we grabbed a small little pamphlet of advertisements on the table. In addition to local business advertisements, there were jokes scattered throughout. Unable to contain our laughter, we took turns reading aloud:

When the burgers arrived, we quickly dug in, cleaning our plates – that never happens! As we were inhaling our food, Jen Parker, one of the owners, came by to see how we were doing and how the food tasted. After a long day of driving, we couldn’t have found a better experience or meal! Parkers’ is not only a staple of the Drummond community since they opened in 2011, but of Montana – and there is no question why everyone knows about this family restaurant in a small agricultural community.

The restaurant is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11:00am-8:00pm each day. From our experience, you will not be disappointed with a trip to Parkers’ – even if it is a bit of a drive!

Blues Brothers

Cobb Burger

Rodeo Burger