Drive south on Highway 89 toward the mouth of Snake River Canyon and the sign at Flying Saddle Resort reads differently than it has for most of the last two decades. It used to say Flying Saddle Resort & Steak House. Now it says The Grizzly. The change looks recent enough that Alpine's own restaurant listings on Tripadvisor still show it with zero reviews as of this August, sitting a few spots below places that have accumulated hundreds over the years. For a town with only thirteen restaurants on that same list, a brand-new one with no track record is worth a closer look before word of mouth writes the story for you.
The Steakhouse Alpine Grew Up With
Flying Saddle has been on that stretch of river since 1949, with a full remodel in 2008 that gave the place its more recent shape: a steakhouse serving hand-cut Black Angus beef and wild game, a salad bar in summer, a western sports bar with saddle-style stools and eight TVs for whatever game was on. For years the kitchen ran under the banner of a genuine western supper club, the kind of place built around elk, bison, and fresh-cut steaks rather than anything trying to reinvent itself.
The former steakhouse drew a range of reviews, with some diners calling it the best meal in Star Valley and praising the scratch-made soups and the clam chowder that showed up most nights. That history provides context for the renovation.
What Actually Changed
According to the resort's own description, the overhaul went well past the sign. Owner Sharene Garaman has described the transformation as running from the ceiling down to the stoneware, with a new culinary team building the menu from scratch. The results show up in dishes that read nothing like the old wild-game supper club: crispy calamari with aji amarillo truffle aioli, a mojito-marinated rack of lamb, and a dessert called Campfire Cake finished with chocolate mezcal ice cream and edible gold. Guests are met with a croissant and honey truffle butter before the meal even starts.
The new name is a deliberate nod to grizzly #399, the Grand Teton bear whose decades of appearances with her cubs made her one of the most photographed animals in the ecosystem.
Hours and Reservations
The Grizzly currently runs Wednesday through Sunday, 4:00 p.m. to 8:45 p.m. for last seating, with reservations recommended especially in peak summer months. That's a narrower window than a full seven-day operation, and it means a Monday or Tuesday craving still sends you elsewhere in town.
The absence of reviews cuts two ways for anyone who lives here. On one hand, there's no crowdsourced verdict yet to argue with. On the other, that also means the first wave of local diners is effectively writing the record. If you remember the old steakhouse, this is the window where showing up yourself tells you more than any star rating will for another year.
Where It Fits on Alpine's Plate
None of this happens in a vacuum. Alpine already has a real, if compact, dining scene, and knowing where The Grizzly sits inside it says something about what kind of gap it's actually filling.
| Spot | What It's Known For |
|---|---|
| Melvin Taproom & Kitchen | Alpine outpost of the Melvin Brewing name that started in Jackson Hole in 2009; dog-friendly patio, pork al pastor and shrimp tacos |
| La Cabaña Del Tequila | Mexican fusion with carne asada fries and a full tequila bar |
| Driftwood Pizzeria | House-made calzones and pizzas near Palisades Reservoir and the Snake River Canyon entrance |
| Bull Moose Saloon | Combined lodge, saloon, restaurant, and liquor store with a fireplace-lit dining room |
| Casa Mezcal | Local favorite for cocktails and Mexican plates |
| Yankee Doodle's Cafe | Breakfast and lunch counter, closed Wednesdays |
| Rivers Coffee Company | The town's coffee shop |
That's a town that already covers breakfast, pizza night, tacos, and a casual beer-and-burger crowd without much trouble. What it hasn't had, at least not consistently, is a kitchen aiming at the kind of occasion dinner that used to mean a 45-minute drive to Jackson. That's a more specific gap than the broad claim that Alpine needed another restaurant, and The Grizzly's menu could fill it.
Along the Highway
Flying Saddle also sits along the route to Grand Teton National Park. The resort has added new pickleball courts alongside its existing heated indoor pool and hot tub.
For residents, the practical read is straightforward. During peak summer and fall, tables may be harder to find. If a night at The Grizzly is on your list, consider booking ahead.
Alpine doesn't get a new fine-dining kitchen often enough for it to be background noise. Whether The Grizzly earns a reputation of its own is still an open question, and the answer isn't already written somewhere online. Go find out for yourself.
JH Living keeps track of what's actually changing on the ground in Alpine, Wilson, Jackson, and Teton Village, because knowing what opened on Highway 89 this year is part of knowing the place. If you ever want to talk about the valley itself, from river frontage to what a parcel near the canyon actually costs to build on, Let's Connect.
