A yummy spot! Loved…read morethe pizza. Tasty and the perfect meal when you're hungry. They even made my sister a pizza with a pesto base even though they never had done it before. The good news is.. she loved it.

In defiance of the five-star rating, our meal was just okay. Maybe I should have gotten the pizza…read morebecause they do have a pizza oven! Or the popper egg rolls sounded really good! I got the hot mess burger and it wasn't hot, just a mess! The cheese sauce was curdled and didn't have much flavor. The bacon and onions were great! The burger itself was a little overdone - didn't come out medium as requested. And the tots were underdone, crispy on the outside but still a little uncooked on the inside. They must bake them instead of fry them, but I'm just guessing. It was all edible but just not exciting. Sometimes when you see a five-star rating your expectations are too high, and that might have been the case here.

The reviews on this place were deceiving. It's not a diner. You order at the counter and it's a…read moresmall old restaurant. We didn't like the feel of it so we walked out. Lettuce on the burger was extra. Wendy's is across the street.

We made a pit stop in Hayes on our roadtrip from Denver to Kansas City earlier this year. We found…read moreVernie's while looking for a lunch spot and were not disappointed. The restaurant has a very family oriented, retro vibe. The food was inexpensive and delicious. I would recommend the corn fritters!

Gella's Diner is an absolute gem in Hays…read more From the moment you walk in, the beautiful décor sets the tone--warm, stylish, and way more inviting than you'd ever expect from a brewery‑diner combo. The service matches the atmosphere perfectly: friendly, attentive, and genuinely happy to help you navigate their creative menu. The food here is where things really take off. The steak & blue cheese salad was outstanding--fresh, bold, and packed with flavor. The ahi tuna poke nachos were another knockout, the kind of dish you keep thinking about long after you leave. And if you're a burger person, this place is dangerous in the best way. Their burgers are consistently amazing: juicy, flavorful, and clearly made with care. Of course, you can't come to Gella's without enjoying their great beer, brewed right on site. Every pint feels like it was crafted to pair perfectly with the food. If you're in Hays, Gella's is a must‑visit. Creative dishes, great beer, beautiful space, and service that makes you feel right at home. An easy five stars.

Excellent service and every bite of our meal was delicious from house salad side with Dorothy Lynch…read moredressing (we don't have that back home in Indiana) to chicken fried chicken and green beans to white chocolate cheesecake. My wife said her burger was the best she ever had.

Great fish tacos--lots of blackened tilapia, good slaw and sauce. The grilled chicken salad also…read morehad good flavor and fresh ingredients. Would've preferred spring mix over iceberg lettuce but the other veggies made up for it. Dogs are allowed on their sunny patio. Friendly staff and an overall great experience.

We drove into town late (9:40) and were in search of places still open to grab some grub to eat at…read morethe hotel when we checked in. After reading the great reviews of their food and looking at the menu (and on their website) we were excited to get something that wasn't fast food. Told by a lovely barkeep that all they had were their late night menu - wings, cheese curds and fries. They had lost their cook, and hence no more fish tacos, chicken parm sandwich, etc. I ordered all 3 items, half wings with garlic parm and half boom boom, cheese curds and jazzed fries. Food came out very quickly and with a smile. The one star is for the friendly barkeep/cook. Food, very meh. Enough said. Perhaps inform the unsuspecting hungry customer that your menu isn't available- on Yelp or on your website. I mean, it's a bar after all, I suppose, and not a restaurant. And this'll teach me to read the dates on all those food reviews on Yelp! (It looked like a great place to hang and shoot some pool and listen to decent music. Just don't expect 90% of the food menu to be available.)

Always good food and friendly service. Staff is always friendly and the beers are always cold. Best…read moreburgers in town!

Had lunch here with the pickle burger and tots. I love fried pickles so I found it interesting so I…read moretried it. Was very impressed and enjoyed it. It appears to be a very popular place at lunch as it got very busy while we were there. Service was fast and they checked regularly on us.

Thirstys was recommended to us by a local, and it is a local favorite. Wide variety from down home…read moreoptions like chicken fried steak, steaks, seafood, sandwiches, pasta etc. something for everyone it's family friendly in a fun atmosphere. Lots of TVs and sports paraphernalia for the sports fans. Service was great! We were greeted promptly, seated quickly and brought our food right away. Budget friendly too with lots of drink options. Plenty of parking for trailers, RVs etc.

Seems like every time I'm in Hays I stop in Thirsty's for the great food n service…read more This trip had the giant Pig Tail with Mac n cheese and the mash potatoes. Also had an appetizer of fried pickles. Everything was great and the pig tail was huge enough to share with a co-worker lol. It is an interesting decor and makes you want to have fun. Like I said every time I'm in Hays this is one place I must hit.

Small enough to feel cozy, and large enough to have a great menu. We needed advice, as so many…read moreitems sounded delicious. Our waiter, Ryker, did a great job steering us to the Cajun pasta and the steak and blue cheese salad. Both were freshly prepared, plentiful, and tasty. Restaurants like this have put Hays on this cross-Kansas driver's map!

Love the ambience of this tavern meets vintage supper club vibe. They have a bar with local beers…read moreon tap and rustic ranch style tables. Casual with the Kansas plains steakhouse feel and flavor. Service was great and so was my steak. They don't mess around. All we needed was a dart board.

Me and 3 other friends arivved here mid day on a Wednesday. We all got different food choices which…read moreconsisted of the chicken tenders, double burger, milk shakes, and hotdog. All of these items were great which we rated an average of and 8/10 for the food. Now for the interior, it was very friendly, comfortable, and had a 90's vibe we rated this a total of 9/10.

Waited 10 minutes for cold burnt nasty fries. 0/10 would recommend. The chicken nuggets loook like…read morethey came from a freaking frozen banquet meal.

05/14/2026 While…read moretraveling west on I-70 toward Colorado, my wife and I left Salina around 9 a.m. without eating breakfast, figuring we would stop for lunch in Hays, Kansas. My wife searched for a local place to try and picked Cattleman's Cafe III. We pulled into Hays around 11 a.m., only to realize the restaurant didn't open until 11:30, so we drove around town for a little while before heading back. Once we went in, we were greeted by a very nice young lady who seated us right away and took our drink order. We both had iced tea. My wife ordered the pot roast with a side salad, and I ordered the chicken fried steak with mashed potatoes and corn. When the food arrived, everything looked amazing. My wife said the pot roast was so tender it was falling apart while she cut it. My chicken fried steak was the same way -- honestly tender enough to cut with a fork. The first bite was excellent. The meat was very tender and full of flavor. The mashed potatoes and corn were also very good, and my wife really enjoyed her meal as well. This place was excellent, and we are very glad we decided to stop here. Even the local people sitting next to us were friendly and enjoyable to talk with, which made the experience even better. It's always nice to learn something new and meet good people while traveling. If we are ever back in the area, we will definitely stop in again for another meal.

Had the Neighbor Vern's chop'd Steak. It was very delicious and hit the spot. Also had the green…read morebeans and a side salad with Dorthy Lynch. The waitress did an awesome job checking on us and was very friendly The place was not what I was expecting but I enjoyed the decor and took a little time while waiting to read the aprons hanging from the wall Will eat again when I'm in Hays