This rating is clearly about the options in this tiny town...we just spent the night and decided before heading out to Tahoe, to get a brunch type meal on a Sunday morning. Let's get real...there is NO ambience here, but we were looking for some filling food and this hit the bill. We decided to carb load and share it all. We got the short stack, side of sourdough toast and some biscuits and gravy....all of this for around 15 dollars and it was plenty!! We had a real sweet waitress take care of us, and there were a lot of customers, so the food was turning over fast and as fresh as can be. Yes I will be back....especially for brunch! read more

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The diner is a nice little small town cafe inside the casino and hotel. The restaurant offered a pretty decent size menu with a different special every day. The service was great and they were moving as fast as they could. Not a bad place for the price. read more

Took 84 minutes to get our meals. Gravy was horribly bland, cold and the chicken fried steak overcooked/like leather. The chili Mac was what my grandkids would classify as "disgusting". Canned chili over cold macaroni. The Cobb salad was ok. Cold chicken cutlet-- from a box, but it's was ok. The forks were so small that two bacon bits fit on the scoop. The server was nice enough but really not engaged. We never ever eat fast food, and yet, we both said McDonald's would've been better than this. It was also notable that when we were ready to leave within 5 minutes of being served, with this much left-- he didn't bother to ask if there was an issue with our meal when we said no to a to-go box. Meh. Skip the restaurant, hit up Safeway for cup-o-noodles. read more

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They forgot our water, they forgot our water pitcher, there was a blonde lady that looked lost and kept getting our food wrong, there was a big brunette guy that couldn't comprehend we wanted three waters not two despite being told and reminded five times before bringing our third water, our food was cold then they microwaved it for us, they made our food wrong according to the menu, they forgot the lemon and tarter sauce I was supposed to get with my fish and chips so a younger waitress plopped a lemon on my plate with an ungloved hand after cleaning tables, gathering dishes, and taking orders so I know she didn't wash that hand, the waitresses were loudly talking crap about each other to the diner so everyone could hear, clam chowder was bomb, El Capitan skillet was flavorless and made wrong, waited 30 minutes for some of our food then they completely forgot one persons meal and didn't get it till everyone else was basically done with eating since no one took more than one bite of food because we reminded them multiples times and they still forgot so we left without it, they did comp our meal tho so that was nice and we appreciate that but besides that I'd rather eat McDonalds and the McDonalds here sucks. read more

We come here every year and usually find this place good . Servers are usually awesome and they are busy. Today sadly we didn't experience the same . One of the grills was down and we weren't told . Waited almost an hour for pancakes and eggs. The pancakes hardly had any color and looked almost raw . I feel like if we were warned about the issues we could have just went somewhere else . read more

El Capitan Diner - Blonde pancakes - Diners Near Me - Hawthorne, Nevada

Ordered a Ranchers breakfast to-go and let me tell you that everything was PERFECT!!! The cook Preston did amazing. It came exactly the way I ordered it. A lot of places either burn the hash brown or use too much oil so they come out soggy... these were just right. Service was great, food was ready in a timely manner. Not a single complaint!! Thank you forgot to get a before picture but from this picture you can tell it didn't last long lol read more

El Capitan Diner - The last strip of bacon from my ranchers, which was PERFECTION!! - Diners Near Me - Hawthorne, Nevada

Stayed in Hawthorne on our way to Las Vegas. The El Capitan Casino was across the road so popped over to get dinner. Ordered hamburger steak that came with mashed potatoes, gravy and vegetable. The hamburger steak was well done-and tough. You needed the gravy to soften it. Mashed potatoes were ok and the corn was fried with butter. Service was good. Ambiance is ok, too. If I was I town, I would go back and just clarify what I wanted. read more

El Capitan Diner - Grabbed breakfast - Diners Near Me - Hawthorne, Nevada

So when I ate here, I ordered steak. It was dry, and not tender at all. The entire place smelled as if a bomb went off.

This review is informational only. Open 6 AM to 9 PM Prime rib Friday nights 4 PM, $25.95 Monday pork chop dinner $11.99 Tuesday enchiladas $11.99 Wednesday Texas Patty mount $9.99 Thursday pot roast $13.99 Friday all you can eat spaghetti $8.99 Saturday eggs Benedict till noon $11.99 Saturday chicken, bacon wrap $10.99 Ok, passed by El Capitan on the way from Vegas. Trying to get information on this restaurant was very difficult. Yelp Said the place was closed because the hours listed were 6 AM to 9 AM instead of 6 AM to 9 PM (I submitted a change to yelp and they changed it). The website also said that prime rib was coming soon, although they have it every Friday night. Years ago, we came here and had a pretty amazing prime rib dinner for $8.95. It was slow cooked and salt crusted like the old days. I cannot say anything about the service and the quality of the food today. I just wanted the information out there for diners and travelers. read more

El Capitan Diner - Monthly specials. Different meal each day of the week. - Diners Near Me - Hawthorne, Nevada

We stayed the night in Hawthorne. El Capitan was recommended to us and we went there. My husband ordered the hamburger with prime rib added which he really enjoyed. I ordered a French dip and potato salad. The potato salad was excellent. The only downside to this restaurant was that it was a bit smoky from the lingering smoke smell from the casino. read more

We were staying in town at the RV park for a few days on our way south and tried their prime rib night. It was tough and dry and I couldn't even eat it. Waitress gave us 15% off of our bill. read more

This "throw back" diner is super chill and so clean. No smoke whatsoever, huge portions, and the food incredibly tasty. Cheyenne was our waitress and was outstanding! We will for sure drop in for a meal next time we are rolling thru the area. read more

So I had the homemade Beef Vegetable soup for my dinner. It was excellent. Not for the veges mind you (carrots and corn). But the pieces of beef which were like tender chunks of stew size beef and great hunks of perfectly cooked potatoes. Probably prime rib from Friday prime rib night and maybe great baked potato pieces. Loved it. My husband had the burger and it was thick and perfectly cooked. Saving my calories for some dessert- an ample large think of great apple pie. The crust was homemade and the apples real and tangy. Great choice. Will go again and again. The service was outstanding and it is a cozy-diner vibe. read more

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We split a 1/4 lb cheese burger with fries and mashed potatoes. Burger and potatoes were very good and reasonably priced. Lemon merimange pie was delicious. Service was also good. read more

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Love the menu options, homemade cooking , yummy especially the beef... I had the hamburger steak and OMGEE one of Best with fresh made beef patty NOT FROZEN..!!! The service is awesomely friendly and helpful and the restaurant is clean and well maintained..!!! I'd love to return often if I lived in the town..!!! read more

El Capitan Diner - Hamburger Steak with Mashed Potato and corn. - Diners Near Me - Hawthorne, Nevada

To make a long story..short. My husband and I had planned on dinner at El Capitan last Saturday evening. Time got away from us while in Reno. We headed towards the restaurant and called them to find out if we could still be seated..expected time would be 8:40 and they close at 9. After doubling checking, they said yes. We arrived at 8:40 exactly. I usually don't like to come last minute. We choose our booth and service was prompt and extremely pleasant. Sara waited patiently for us decide on our choices. Not once did we feel rushed or an inconvenience to her, the kitchen, and staff. But wait...There is more! The food! !!It was so amazingly good! Wow! I had leftover ribeye steak for the next day which was just as good as the day it was served! Spectacular, top notch service and food. Thanks again Sara, kitchen, and staff at El Capitan!!! read more

I've been dining here for over 12 years. The food is not bad but tends to be uninspired. They use plenty of prepackaged food. My biggest complaint I'd that the smokey due to the open entrance to the casino. I believe they could do better with a non smoking atmosphere and block off the casino smoke. read more

It's ok if you're staying at the hotel and want convenience. Service is wonderful, but menu is so-so, typical Mexican dishes, hamburgers and sandwiches, nothing I would come back for. read more

There are very very few choices in Hawthorne. El Capitan is definitely diner food, but a good value and not too bad. The service was great, and the food came out pretty quick. The French dip was OK, but they gave us sides that weren't options on the menu. read more

El Capitan Diner - Lagunitas! - Diners Near Me - Hawthorne, Nevada

Outstanding service and food quality. Cheyenne my host snd waitress was extremely helpful and knowledgeable regarding the menu. She was also polite, efficient and attentive with out intruding. All in all Outstanding.... read more

Would not return. Service - not terrible but not great. Many dirty tables when you walk in. Did not check the table ore provide refills for iced tea.. Food - not good. French Toast and savage breakfast. The french toast was dense and soggy. The sausage was room temperature. The eggs were done well. Fruit Cup - What a joke. It is just canned fruit cocktail poured i a cup. Pancakes - not bad. Not fluffy but decent taste. Other - reeks of cigarette smoke. Not many choices in the area but avoid rhis ine. read more

The food was great. Homemade food with awesome taste. Very good selection for everyone to have their favorites. The only 2 down sides are you can smell the smoke from the casino and the service is slow. The food makes up for this though. read more

Had a great experience here. Sara, our server, was friendly and prompt. We did have to let her know we arrived after we waited a bit to be given menus, but the seating is self-seating and she didn't see us. Other than that, she was wonderful and checked on us many times throughout the meal. Country fired chickens was yummy. So was the cheeseburger I ordered with fries. They have cool art on the wall showcasing Walker Lake, the bighorn sheep, and the local plants/animals. It is in a casino so it smells of cigarettes. It's not fancy, but for what it is, it's a great value and the food tasted great. read more

Chef Taylor and Thea made our family dinner experience amazing. Chef made our dinner delicious and nutritious with special accommodations. Thea's service was exceptional. We are so thankful. This will be our spot to eat in the future. read more

A solid 3.5 for El Cap. It's Sunday, but the place was hopping. Found a booth and settled in to be promptly greeted by Steven. Ordered red wine, he barely knew what it was, and a seltzer with lime. When he came back with our drinks, generous pour, he took our orders. Patty melt and prime rib dip with fries, add a side of horse radish please. Oh, and Swiss cheese on that dip. No problem for Steven. Although the place was nearly full, the food came out quickly. To my disappointment, the waitress forgot the au jous and horse radish. Not to worry, Steven hustled and took care of it. The sandwiches were great! The dip was loaded with prime rib, a lot. The roll was soft and delicious. The au jous and horse radish were tasty. My wife enjoyed her party melt but felt the patty was on the small side; but good. Took a bit to get our check, but Steven was helpful and friendly. I'd go back again. read more

El Capitan Diner - Prime rib dip w/Swiss cheese and fries - Diners Near Me - Hawthorne, Nevada

Great brisket and cheesecake!! Friendly homey service. The slight cigarette smell wasn't terrible. It was a surprisingly great find for dinner. Lucky me! read more

I had the chili burger and it was the best ever. Came with chilies, onions etc.. it will warm you so.

This place is NASTY! Full of smoke, wait staff comes in hung over or stoned, the food is pathetic. The bathroom toilets and urinals are mostly out of order. The place looks like it's being randomly renovated? What a dump! I told my wife we should start a 6am to 2pm breakfast and lunch place we could make a killing. Other than Mc Donald's for breakfast this is the only breakfast place in town! read more

They were super busy and short staffed when we arrived, with only two servers working a full room - but service was fast and efficient. Our server, Sara, was awesome. She checked in on us and gave great recommendations. The rib eye steak was perfectly medium rare and had a nice char on the outside. I know this place is supposedly a diner, but I've paid twice as much for steaks half as good at steakhouses. The onion rings were also amazing - highly recommend them. I loved the crunchy batter. Also had the split pea soup which was more like a stew in thickness and consistency but very tasty and hearty. Cobb salad was also solid. Would definitely come here again! read more

We had a late breakfast and Romy was our server. She was efficient, friendly, professional, and attentive! The food price was very good and the quality outstanding. Don't let the casino atmosphere fool you the little cafe is a gem Will return read more

Minimal effort put into the small salad, all the dressings are canned. Croutons, lettuce. Try to find another place.. In spite of my own advice, I return for breakfast. Actually, no other choice in town. Really, Hawthorne is at Near Ghost Town status now... Food is ok, lots of great inexpensive options and blue berry pancakes, but loud complaining from behind the kitchen counter. As in, the short order cook having a cow about some management directive. The place actually has over 20 choices under $5. Must be a record. Ask for the real half and half, not Coffemate which is a chemical cocktail. read more

El Capitan Diner - Clean and smoke free. - Diners Near Me - Hawthorne, Nevada

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Hungry? Want to sit inside and get something relatively fast? Then this place is OK. I ordered a skillet breakfast for dinner and my wife had meatloaf. My wife's dinner came with a salad, which is bag-o-salad with added fake bacon and croutons. The salad dressing was exceptionally gross. Don't order the Blu Cheese. Barf. The meatloaf however was tasty, but overally salty. The mashed potatoes were, well, mashed potatoes. Frozen peas and carrots finished off the plate. My skillet was good after adding hot sauce. The "toast" was warm bread. Go here with low expectations and you won't be disappointed. read more

Nice breakfast to go! All was right, utensils, condiments and coffee. Thanks for the quick breakfast!

Pleasantly surprised. We ordered the Open faced Meatloaf, French Dip and Philly. The Au Juis broth stole the show. Great flavor. We dipped the sandwiches and the fries. The meatloaf was surprisingly good: lots of flavor and a huge portion. Our waitress Sheila was super busy but still maintained a great attitude and provided great service. Next road trip we will stop here again! read more

My brother and I went to dinner here it's seat yourself so we sat down at one of the only clean tables I counted 7 dirty ones and waited and waited finally after 20 min we got a menu and a drink 15 min later waitress came and took our order food came out quickly and was not bad too salty but not a deal breaker the food was fine but the service sucked slow very slow people wondering around trying to look busy and no one actually doing anything So food ok service as bad as it can get read more

Great place to eat. Nice clean restaurant Very good food. The waitresses were very nice too.Clean casino.

Sister and bro in law are in town for a couple days. Went to eat here meatloaf and salmon dinners plus the BLT sammich. The first two were good. They enjoyed them quit a bit. The third, eh. Not so much bacon in the sammich. The baked potato was good though, especially with those chives on it. What made the meal was the Apple pie a la mode with the caramel drizzle. Frickin YUM!!! read more

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I love the staff but when it's busy, service can lack. I gave three stars since the meals are hit and miss. I am a creature of habit and rarely send things back. I've had to do so on two separate occasions. I won't stop going in hopes they become more consistent. If so, I will def update my review. read more

I was here a couple of weeks ago on 6/16 with some friends. Stopped by for a quick bite and all was good. There was 8 of us, they sat us right away. Food came out quick, beers were cold and food was warm and tasty. It wasn't the cleanest place but then again were at a casino. Service was good all the servers were nice and helpful. read more

Delicious bbq. I had the pulled chicken sandwich with coleslaw. Finished it off with Basque Cheesecake drizzled with caramel. Good food for the money and the service was spectacular read more