The Original Montana Club in Helena opens four venues in multimillion-dollar revival

But the Club ran into hard fiscal times as it entered the 21st century, opening to the public in 2018 as a prestigious restaurant and event venue and later closing completely in 2024 following bankruptcy proceedings.

California entrepreneur Ajitpal Pannu scooped up the Club and has spent the last year reopening individual floors of the six-story building, with each new venue aiming for a different level of occasion.

It’s still a place of exclusivity, general manager Samantha DeWit said, but now it aims to marry luxury with local availability. All venues but the Club’s private lounge, located on the second floor, are open to non-member guests.

According to its website, the cheapest membership tier sits at $35 a month and a $500 initiation fee for its young executives, or those under the age of 35. It’s ideal for fresh Carroll College graduates looking to network, DeWit said.

The most expensive tier sits at $600 a month and a $1,500 initiation fee for corporations, including six named members within the business. The business tiers are best for groups like Blue Cross Blue Shield and NorthWestern Energy, both of which have memberships, DeWit said.

But not all members have to pay. Some of the Club attendees, such as the entire Montana Legislature, were provided complimentary memberships at no charge, DeWit said, a move that was run through the club's ethics committee before approval.

Above all else, the newly refashioned Club aims to be a high-end tourist destination, taking back attention from rivals like Bozeman and Glacier, she said.

Helena is the capital city, she said, and as the world becomes increasingly digital, in-person novelty is a market worth tapping into.

“Anyone can nail a cocktail,” DeWit said. “Anyone can nail a meal. Not everyone can shape the way you feel.”

Here’s what you can find as you enter the newly refurbished Montana Club.

The Rathskeller

The first venue to be reopened was the Rathskeller, a historic speakeasy that kicked off the revival in May 2025.

Located in the building's basement, its poker tables, stage and booths expand out under the roads of the city. Outside “elevated bar food,” the menu specializes in famed Julian Anderson cocktails from the local 1890s bartending giant — modified, of course, for current drinking laws that limit alcohol percentages.

“They were having a lot of fun down here,” events coordinator Tory Vogler said, eyebrows raised.

Come early autumn, local bands will be invited to play weekly, each required to play wholly original music. Behind the bar sits the Teddy Twain Poker Room, where famous rivals Theodore Roosevelt and Mark Twain reportedly set aside their differences to play cards.

The Club

On the second floor, the Club’s private ballroom has been restored with ornate crystal chandeliers and recovered Charlie Russell artwork.

If you’re a member of the public, you’ll have to wait until Sundays to see inside. This is a venue “reserved for those who value discretion, connection and a sense of belonging shaped over time,” the Club proclaims on its website.

But it can also be reserved for special occasions; weddings are among the most popular, Vogler said.

Since starting in January, she’s seen four weddings already held, with several more booked for autumn. Her read is that the Montana Club will be a popular venue for cold-weather celebrations when the state’s usually outdoorsy residents cannot escape to a cool lake or mountain view.

The Garden Room

Just overlooking the clubhouse is the Garden Room, originally designed for the wives and daughters of the Montana Club members when they were first allowed entry in the 1930s, Vogler said.

You can tell, she said — the Garden Room window is just wide enough to hear echoing conversation from the Clubhouse, likely built so ladies could listen in.

Nearly every corner is draped in something pink, floral or laced, including delicately painted wallpaper from the Copper Kings era. Two-person tables line the small nook, each with just enough room for a tiered tea dish.

The central offering of the Garden House? High tea, “girl dinner,” and especially luxurious parties serving small pastries and sandwiches.

Vogler said her most respectful guests tend to be children, who can be invited to the space for special birthday parties. Each young guest is provided with accessories to feel fancy, including tea hats and little eyepieces, and can be given an optional etiquette lesson.

As part of the theme of inviting the public in, the Garden Room also hosts a regular book club which highlights women authors, DeWit said.

1885 Steakhouse

The latest entry, freshly opened in June, is the fine dining 1885 Steakhouse on the sixth floor. Entrees go for $22-52, while steaks sit at $52-115.

It features both reimagined classic recipes like creamed spinach and newer creations like the Montana bison burger.

The dining room was remodeled with hardwood floors to compliment grant-funded restored stained glass. The Oval Room sits in the corner, ready for reservations or business dinner with a view overlooking the city.

Throughout the renovation process, staff found relic after relic hidden in walls and storage boxes, including fine silver trays and original Charlie Russell artwork.

The 1885 Steakhouse also brought a second kitchen into the Club, the most recent expansion for what is currently a 35-person staff. As the Club looks to expand its lunch and brunch hours, that Helena-centric staff will likely grow, DeWit said.

"Hospitality is not just a job for college students," DeWit said.

Montana Club of tomorrow

Though the big-ticket attractions are fully opened, more changes to the building are likely on the horizon, DeWit said.

There are some spaces of the building, such as offices, that the Club would like to find a thematic purpose for in years to come. Solar panels were considered to help manage the high-energy demands.

As much as the Club has tried to maintain the original vision of the building, some concessions will be made to bring the historic structure into the 21st century, DeWit said. Some utilities, like the elevators, are older but make for a very expensive and invasive fix.

There has been a big learning curve taking on the Club, DeWit and Vogler said. The past year has seen several mentorships with Missoula and Bozeman restaurants as the team brings Helena's old traditions into a new age, they said.

However, each update has made for an exciting unveiling, they said.

"This isn't just running a restaurant," DeWit said. "It's running experiences and history."