Merry Wives Cafe & Coffee Shop

Stopped here for lunch with my wife and some friends while on a motorcycle ride (all my reviews center around motorcycle rides…). I’ve been thru Hildale/​Colorado City many times while en route to the North Rim or Kanab so the weird vibe of the town is nothing new.
The Merry Wives Café is a great little meal stop. The staff don’t appear appear to be part of the FLDS group — dressed pretty normal from what I saw. I love the name and the tongue-​in-​cheek play on the local marriage preference.
The food was very good, service was quick and friendly. The wife had a chicken salad that was tasty and nicely presented. I had a burger and sweet potato fries that was excellent. I dig the fry sauce that only seems to be available in Utah. So, good food stop on a stretch of road that has limited options. Stop in and see the Merry Wives if you ever find yourself in Hildale.

roadside café great for a stop on the way from Grand Canyon to Las Vegas. clean & great service

Amazing salads.
Everything tastes very fresh and prepared with care.
It didn’t feel like anything came out of a Cisco can.
Clean and tidy.
Thumbs up!

Pretty darn good breakfast.

We had a great experience at the Merry Wives Café. We, like everyone else, had to make a trip out here to see the FLDS culture «in the wild.» I was a little bummed that everyone in the café looked normal – no big-​bunned hair or the lengthy dresses. There was even a woman there in jeans and died-​blue hair, and no one seemed to give her a second look.
However the café was FILLED with young men wearing various logo wear that said «TW, The Kingdom of God or Nothing.» They filled the restaurant and some additional meeting room. The poor little server was run ragged trying to get everyone’s food to them. We did have a long wait for our food, but I got the impression from other guests that this was only because of the large group of young men there that day (we found out they were part of a mission program doing community service in the town). The food was definitely fresh and very tasty, and the women working there were wearing full length dresses but had normal hairdos, and the women were very gracious when one of my 4-​year-​old twins knocked over his water all over the table AND floor.
We didn’t get any weird stares at the café, although we did get a few when we drove around the town (that might have something to do with the large advertisement across my back windshield for my cheerleading program). But we were very happy to visit the Merry Wives Café and look forward to staying the night at the America’s Most Wanted Bed & Breakfast the next time we’re passing through.

I went here for the same reason everyone from out of town does. I was checking out Hildale and Colorado City after many years of being fascinated with the fundamentalist Mormon culture. Not because I want to join, but because it’s an interesting thing. I was there on a Monday mid morning. The only other table was a group of men and children; they looked to be local farmers but not FLDS. The waitress was a pretty young girl, very sweet. She was not completely outfitted in the FLDS style but close. She was very nice and made sure I had what I needed. I had a sandwich and fries with an iced tea. It was good, well made and fresh. There is nice artwork on the walls. It’s a small place, probably wouldn’t fit more than 20 people. But, it’s a small town and probably doesn’t get real busy. The little market is right next door. It’s definitely worth a visit if you’re interested in seeing the town.

Decent food, decent service, this may be the most (only?) normal establishment in town!
We were on our way back from the North Rim and the staff at the Pipe Spring National Monument recommended the Merry Wives as a good place to eat but they also warned us that outsiders were not especially welcome in town and that we would likely draw stares and glares from the locals. We had read about Hildale being a polygamist haven and were curious about what we might find there so we headed on over with a «BRING IT ON!» attitude and healthy appetites.
The Merry Wives Café offers standard American fare — a variety of hamburgers and sandwiches served with fries and salads. We tried a pastrami sandwich, a hamburger, a turkey sandwich and a salad. Each was quite edible — nothing to write home about but satisfying enough after our long drive. No surprises. Which was too bad because we were hoping for a polygamous family to walk in wearing traditional garb! The only negative about the place (besides being located in a really strange town) is that the bathroom is located in the gas station C-​store.
So if you find yourself driving in Red Rock country along the AZ-​UT border and your belly starts complaining about being neglected you should head on over to Hildale and visit the Merry Wives!

My nephew and I stopped here for lunch while on a pilgrimage to check out the FLDS cult. Upon entering the small restaurant, we were immediately and not very discreetly eyed up and and down for a considerable amount of time by an older gentleman sitting at a table. I was half expecting a «Y’all ain’t from around these parts, is ya?», but he eventually stopped gawking when his friend appeared and engaged him in conversation. They were both regulars, judging by how they were treated by the lone waitress/​cashier. And judging by the way she was dressed, the friendly young lady behind the counter didn’t appear to be part of the freakshow that is Hildale. The two men may or may not have been part of the child molesting sickos that inhabit the twin cities; its hard to tell the males of the species. Anyway, my Jalapeño burger was big, juicy, and delicious, with plenty of fresh toppings. The bun was perfectly toasted and my fries were crispy and tasty as well. I’ll give four stars because in addition to the good food, this little place is an oasis of normalcy in the middle of the inbred circus of polygamous pedophiles that make up Hildale and Colorado City. Give it a try.

The Merry Wives Café offered up very tasty and fresh avocado sandwiches and chips. The restaurant was clean and at first glance plain, but since it is operated daily by the plural wives of FLDS sect members, its kind of a different experience. Our waitress was young and polite. She smiled a lot, as did the other young women there, but there was a felt distance. Many of the men from the sect were in there, not eating, but rather discussing church business. We clearly were not locals and when another older couple wearing more «traditional» clothing came in to eat, they openly asked who they worshiped with and how they were doing, etc. Hrmmm… no love for an outsider?
Anyway, odd feelings aside, I really can’t complain. Seriously, the sandwich was good and the place was spotless. When I’m on the rural road, especially in Utah, I’m very happy to find a place like this.
Unilocal lists this as Hurricane, but it is actually Hildale. You are literally just a stone’s throw from Colorado City, AZ where the FLDS church is in full swing. Fell free to drive through. We did to use the post office. However, do not expect a warm welcome.