Most kid-friendly business
This was a close race, with Red Lodge Pizza Co. barely edging out Honey’s Café for first place. Third goes to Kids Corner.
These are just some of the things that won Red Lodge Pizza Co. most kid-friendly business. The pizza and ice cream probably had something to do with it, too!
Best place (or way) to cure your hangover
This category was sewed up by the only place in town that has both breakfast and bloody marys: The Knotty Casino. Biscuits and gravy at the Regis Café came in second.
Our favorite answer: Beartooth Clinic. That must be one helluva hangover!
Most awesome teacher
Fifteen different teachers received votes in this category, but the winner was clear: 3rd grade teacher Robb Sager is Red Lodge’s most awesome teacher!
Honorable mentions to Karla Moos, Libby Johnson, Jennifer Collins, Kay Kovach, Bobbie Wooldridge, and Sheila Riches. We fully expect all of them to get raises now!
Best 3rd job in Red Lodge
Oh, this was fun. We got everything from housesitting to dealing drugs (we should have seen that coming). The winner, however, was Red Lodge Mountain, with “tending bar” coming in a close second.
Most people-friendly law enforcement officer
Six officers got votes in this category, plus the crossing guards at the school. The winner is Joe Enos, followed by Acting Chief Scott Cope and Greg Srock.
Don’t feel too bad for Greg getting third place, though. Keep reading and you’ll see his name again!
Joe Enos is a double winner: most people-friendly law enforcement officer AND best person to have on your zombie apocalypse team!
Best fancy-schmancy cocktail
The “Governor’s Mule” from The Pollard Pub took this category by storm; nobody else got more than two votes.
Most pet-friendly business
As we counted up votes, this category was a tight race between two veterinarians. In the end, Silver Run Veterinary Associates squeezed out Grizzly Peak Animal Hospital for the win.
Favorite local character
He may not have won the race for the Mayor’s job, but “Walking Tom” Weaver handily clinched the race for favorite local character! He was followed by Brad “Bradley” Evans, “Mr. Bill” Temple, and Norm.
Our favorite answer on this one was the Pollard Ghost.
Tom Weaver. Yep, he’s a character, all right!
Doug “Beardbarian” Bailey didn’t have to make any changes to his beard for this Khal Drogo costume from Halloween.v
Best beard
Doug Bailey has been working on this one for two years, so it’s only fitting that he win it. Second place goes to “Jason Priest’s mugshot,” and third is a tie between “Mr. Bill” Temple and Harry Hollman.
Best boss
This was a close race, with 20 (!) different bosses getting votes. You have chosen Kelly Heaton from DSVS as the best boss in Red Lodge, and second place is a tie between “Papa Z” (Greg Zeiler) and Jim Noe. Our favorite answers were “myself” and “my wife.”
Most bitchin’ ski run
This one is a tie between Miami Beach and Drainage. You folks had a hard time reaching consensus, giving votes to 14 different runs!
Best place to get warm
We should have seen this coming, too. The number one answer was variants on “bed” including “my bed,” “your bed,” and “your mom’s bed.” Once we trimmed those out, we ended up with The Pollard Pub at number one, followed by a tie between the Coffee Factory Roasters and Honey’s Café.
Best Fest
So many good festivals in Red Lodge that it’s hard to know where to start.
Of the dozen events that got votes, the Red Lodge Festival of Nations barely beat out Oktoberfest and the Home of Champions Rodeo.
Best place to watch drunk people fall over
The Snow Creek Saloon absolutely ran away with this one, gathering 60% of the total votes. Some of the other bars got votes, too, as did the Beartooth Rally and the Catholic Church.
Most talented local musician
We have a lot of musical talent in this town! Votes went to 16 different musicians (and a few groups). The winner is Travis Burdick – perhaps because he plays in 415 different bands – followed by Charlie Brandine in second place and Shannon Patchen in third.
Best burrito
The people have spoken, and they have selected Más Taco as the best burrito in town. It looks like you can’t go wrong with Las Palmitas (a.k.a. the “Burrito Not-A-Bus-Anymore”) either, as they pulled in 16 votes to get second place.
One of Mas Taco’s yummy burritos.
Favorite Bloody Mary maker
Callie Stewart from the Pollard Pub won this one, barely edging out Luke Tolle of Foster & Logan’s. Third place went to the Blue Ribbon Bar.
Best place to take your friends from out of town
The Red Lodge area is filled with wonderful places to hang out with your friends, and lots of votes in this category went to restaurants, bars, and other hangouts. The clear winner, however, was the Beartooth Pass. We’re not quite sure who to hand the certificate to!
Second place went to the Bearcreek Saloon (love those pig races!), and third was a tie between Red Lodge Mountain and Sam’s Taproom.
Favorite shop owner Amber Enos
Favorite shop owner
Amber Enos of Sagebrush Sirens took first place, with Gary Robson of Red Lodge Books & Tea in 2nd and Kerri Wolfson of Honey’s Café in 3rd.
Best “Big Fish” storyteller
The winner is Jake Barton, followed closely by Don Coutts. Thirteen other people got votes in this category.
Best waiter or waitress
Laurel Hunter at Old Piney Dell handily took first place, with twice as many votes as second place winner Callie Stewart from the Pollard Pub. Anna Drew (also at the Pollard Pub) took third.
Best place to learn something
We’re just going to have to call this a three-way tie between the Carbon County Historical Society & Museum, the Red Lodge Carnegie Library, and Appearance Plus (no telling what you’ll learn there)!
Hottest bartender
Votes were cast for 19 different bartenders, and we ended up with a three-way tie for first place between Erin Priest, Callie Stewart, and Luke Tolle. Erin and Luke both work at Foster & Logan’s, so that’s where you look for hot bartenders in this town!
Favorite Medical Professional
Erin Oley won this handily, and second place was a tie between her husband, Dr. Billy Oley, and Dr. Brad Fouts. It wasn’t just Beartooth Clinic staff, though. Votes also went to an EMT (Aaron McDowell), a chiropractor (Dan Upton), and a vet (Jane Nibler).
Best customer
We’re not sure what we expected for this category, but what we got was a tie between “locals” and Tim Buckstead.
Tastiest vegetarian menu item
This was intended to go for a specific dish, but so many people just wrote “Regis Café” that we have to give the prize to the restaurant itself. Second place goes to Más Taco’s carrot chipotle soup, and third goes to the portobello sandwich at the Pollard Pub. Six other restaurants got votes, so vegetarians shouldn’t have any trouble finding something to eat in Red Lodge!
Our favorite answer: A buffalo burger with LOTS of lettuce and tomato.
Best Burger
There are plenty of places in town to get a burger, and nine of them got votes in this category. None, however, came close to the votes that the Snag Burger got.
Second place went to Foster and Logans, and Bridge Creek tied with the Pollard Pub for third. Our favorite answer: “Whatever comes with a beer at the Front Bar.”
Marilyn cooks up a Snag Burger, complete with bacon, ‘shrooms, three cheeses, and more!
Best Restrooms
The Pollard Pub won this category, with Knotty Casino and Honey’s Café taking second and third.
Best place to spend your allowance
Oh, there are a lot of places to spend your allowance in Red Lodge, but it looks like the best is Sylvan Peak Mountain Shop. The Candy Emporium took second, followed by the Snag Bar.
Our favorite answer: “on your wife.”
EMT you’d want in an emergency
Votes went to 18 different people, but it looks like your favorite is Sarah Ewald. Second place goes to George Clow and third to Kristen Hobson.
Our favorite answer: God.
Person most likely to be a superhero in disguise
It looks like Batman’s secret identity is blown: it’s RLPD officer Greg Srock! Second place goes to Travis Burdick, with Cody Nelson right behind. Fourth place was a tie between “Mr. Bill” Temple and Kevin Brady.
Yummiest dessert
“Anything by Mel Davis at the Pollard” came in first, followed closely by the Crazy Cookie at Red Lodge Pizza Co.
Those Crazy Cookies are seriously wonderful. Either be hungry, or be ready to share!
Best person to have on your zombie apocalypse team
RLPD officer Joe Enos is the most popular pick to fight off zombies with you. At his side will be Doug Robson and Callie Stewart, who tied for second place.
Best person to star in a Visit Red Lodge commercial
For town ambassador, you’ve chosen Donna Madson from the Carbon County Historical Society & Museum. Second place went to “Walking Tom” Weaver and third is Sarah Ewald.
Classiest drunk
Boone Buckmiller won this, with 14 other people receiving votes, including Wells Reitz and our own editor-in-chief, Heather Robson.
Best breakfast
This was an absolute runaway win for the Regis Café, which took 64% of the votes! Second place was a tie between the Red Lodge Café and the Roberts Café.
Red Lodge’s unsung hero
The winner is Brad “Bradley” Evans, with Patty Davis from the Chamber of Commerce coming in second.