I treated a hometown friend to a road trip in eastern Montana, where we visited, reminisced, and saw open countryside and old structures of Americana.  We stopped in Roundup for lunch and got some entertainment with the meal.

My good friend was born and raised in Rosebud County and now lives in Florida.  She makes it back to Montana every few years and so we get together at every opportunity.

The Busy Bee Cafe is located at 317 1st Avenue West, the same street that connects to Highway 87 between Billings and Roundup.  It's a quaint little cafe connected to a casino with a large tree right near the front door.  The appeal comes from one man in the business.

I don't know if he's the owner, manager, or an employee, but he is certainly a character.  The most striking physical feature on him is a lazy right eye.  His customer service is spiced with a heaping helping of small-town personality.

509106804
Photo: Jan-Schneckenhaus, TSM Media Center
loading...

When my friend Lisa revealed where she lives, she suddenly garnered the name "Florida".  What followed was a string of cheap shots like "Fish sandwich; why am I not surprised?" and "So when will you be heading back east, Florida?"  It became a moment I wished I had the phone set to record and that I took his picture.

He did fully acknowledge just kidding with her, no offense intended.  And he didn't have much room to talk the out-of-state smack, being he came from Salt Lake City.

She was not the only target of his ribbing while we were there.  Four local men came for lunch and after some indecision on taking a table he quipped "What, you want me to pull out the chairs for ya?"

So come to the Busy Bee Cafe in Roundup for breakfast or dinner.  Just be sure to put on your think skin for the entertainment.

Cat Country 102.9 logo
Get our free mobile app

Check Out These Stunning Paintings of Montana

Montana is known for its jaw-dropping landscapes, but—outside of being there—nothing quite captures the dramatic scenes of the Treasure State quite like these paintings.

Gallery Credit: Devon Brosnan

The Pros and Cons of Living in Montana

Sometimes a place's strengths are the same as its weaknesses.

More From Cat Country 102.9