Mel's Diner

Everything was great, perfect stop for breakfast before heading out for the day. Very reasonable…read moreprices

Excellent Texas Skillet for breakfast! It was a great suggestion and a great surprise. The ham…read moresteak and eggs were really good too. Super tender and tasty ham.

Texas skillet breakfast, with sourdough toast and side of fresh fruit.

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Dirty ceiling vents.

Death Valley Coffee Time

4.4(51 reviews)

0.7 mi

super great breakfast and coffee!!! inside the candy and nut store. Super great service too - so…read morefriendly. Felt home made

The breakfast burritos are to die for! Yolanda and Nadia whip up the burrito in front of you! And…read morethey have a full espresso bar. I was stranded in Beatty for 24 hours and they made it so fun!

My vanilla latte. Delicious!

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Happy Burro Chili & Beer

4.3(146 reviews)

0.3 mi

Everything is great, as always at the Happy Burro…read more Well, except for the fact that they are closing on Jan 1, 2026 for back of house upgrades. Let's face it. She's pretty long in the tooth and it's needed, but if it takes longer than three months, WE RIDE AT DAWN! Half price drinks until then! Always great chili and always ridiculously cold beer. The cook told us her mother passed away last year, but she's still there, whispering in her ear when she cooks. I concur. It's still spot on!

What a great place to stop if you're leaving or entering Death Valley National Park…read more A small place with a simple food menu, a good selection of drinks, and a crowd that is decidedly local. The service was quick and friendly, and they have a nice outdoor seating area. Casual vibe, good prices, big chili portions! I enjoyed my chili, there was meat and beans and just enough spice to leave a pleasant taste that kept me going back for more. $8.50 cash for a big portion, card incurs a slight additional charge. Parking on the surrounding streets is easy. Bathrooms were clean and well stocked.

Fun wall decor

Chili Boat / Frito Pie

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Outside prior to closing for BACK OF HOUSE remodeling and updates! Not changing the bar!

Denny's

My wife and I enjoyed breakfast here on a Friday morning around 8am. You have to walk through the…read more smoky casino to reach Dennys. We were promptly seated at a comfy booth and our ordered taken. My wife got eggs, fruit, and rye toast with a decaf coffee. Her fried eggs were perfectly prepared and she enjoyed the fruit bowl. I went with the original slam with scrambled eggs, sausage, and soft bacon. My bacon was cooked the way I like and the pancakes were hot with the butter ball melting on top. The pancakes though are the size of a dinner plate and I couldn't finish both. Service was great and friendly. The food was all well prepared and delivered quickly. My only complaint was spending $40 on breakfast for two.

It's a Denny's tucked in a small casino. While the operating hours might be innacurate or…read moreinconsistent, the food and service is great! If you want, you can grab a drink at the casino bar and take it inside for a "late night" bite. I ordered an omelet with hash browns and toast as well as a cold brew coffee. Yum! It's kind of expensive, but the convenience is worth it if you're staying at Stagecoach hotel. My meal came to $28. It was decorated for the holidays as well, which was a really nice touch!

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Alien Café

4.4(7 reviews)

26.9 mi

Best tourist area 51 food and snacks stop. Decent lbathrooms. Sandwiches and frozen yogurt along…read morewith tons of alien souvenirs!

Sandwich stop. BLT and ham and cheese!! The staff was amazing. Friendly and welcoming. She…read moremade it fresh and the taste showed how fresh it was!! Glad we stopped!!

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Area 51

Badwater Saloon

3.4(110 reviews)

29.9 mi

We were staying at stovepipe well lodging and this restaurant is attached to it. We had a lunch…read morehere and a dinner today and both were very good. Our dinner tonight consisted of the salmon entrée as well as the vegetable pasta and a side salad. Considering the fact that you are in the middle of Death Valley, we could not have been happier. I am a big eater and my pasta dish was more than I could eat and my wife's salmon was very good and the vegetables were perfectly prepared. Good option if you are in the area

It was... fine…read more There aren't that many options in the area and we wanted a sit down spot. Partner's steak was overcooked, but edible. My burger was actually pretty tasty. Fries were the best of Sysco (but cooked well). Cream soda was one of the best I've had! Old fashioned was totally watered down. Worth a visit but I'd probably pack lunch next time. Definitely not worth $88 + tip.

Bar area

Vegan meatball sub and hazy ipa

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Fort Amargosa

3.5(10 reviews)

26.9 mi

So I was a little confused as the place listed is not the same place that is here anymore. Its now…read morean Indian restaurant called Punjahi Dhaba. Walking inside the gas station it's sectioned off to the left. They do seem to have a fly issue on the gas station as some had said. Hopefully that Is something they will rectify. However, its hard to find good Indian food these days. Especially in such a remote area such as this, and I found the food here was actually really delightful. Sometimes you have to go to a hole in the wall, that lacks the sparkle and refinement visually to get the flavor you have been searching for. The cashier was polite as he took our order. We got the butter chicken, mango lassi, and a potato stuffed paratha bread. It was perfect to share between two people. The meat was tender and flavorful, and I loved that there were nuts in the sauce and the spices were more complex. I find a lot of Indian places dont add those touches in the states. Rice was fluffy and fragrant, the bread was so delicious! Warm and layered with that soft potatoes filling. It was great to dip into the butter chicken sauce. They also had a side of yogurt and a chutney. The chutney was not my favorite thing in the world, it tasted perfumey. We got the food mild incase our child wanted any, but they do offer spice levels. The mango lassi was divine! Bursting with flavor and not to thick. If flies were not attacking me this would have been 5 stars. I didn't experience not feeling welcome in any way because I am not the same ethnicity as the workers like some had mentioned. I just thought that was important to mention. If you want yummy food and a place to stretch your legs its a great alternative to the less than stellar cuisune you often find on this route to tahoe in the smaller towns.

Do not go here! I thought I found a little Indian treasure at a gas station, but the restaurant has…read moredeceptive practices. I ordered one to go dish, went to pay and it automatically ran it through with a 20% tip. And then the food took over 20 minutes to be ready. Will never ever go here again. Save your time and money. Look elsewhere.

Inside

Buffalo tenders w/ onion rings

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Sign by entrance

Dinky Diner

4.3(125 reviews)

61.3 mi

The best breakfast I've had in a long time. The potatoes were perfection. Definitely will be back!read more

Suuuuuper small ghost town diner. Open for breakfast and maybe lunch if the owner operator is in…read morethe mood. We walked in at 1:30 and almost got shooooed out but luckily we got one of the 8 empty tables inside. Goldfield was a hard rock mining town and so are its residents with a seam of friendliness mixed in. As is often the case in itty bitty off the grid places much of the menu wasn't available. Breakfast was already put away and lunch was mostly being served except for chicken or other out of stock items. Finally found a combination of items available and cobbled together an order. So let's see how it turns out. The waitress, cook and we suspect the owner/operator is a fun gritty gal. Went with a chili cheeseburger and side salad and turkey bacon wrap. Both came out quickly and were good. If you're from small town 'Merica you'll remember your small town diner in here. We will stop by again.

Seating options

Cool rocks

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Old cars & historical building across the street (not part of the car graveyard, but a quick browse while you wait for your meals)

Stovepipe Wells Restaurant

3.5(45 reviews)

29.9 mi

I spent the night at the stove pipe Wells hotel, and as a result ate at the restaurant there are…read morenot a lot of choices. The service was excellent. The beer was good. The food was mediocre to say the least the highlight being the chocolate bread pudding, which was this wonderful so I'm torn on how many stars - without the chocolate bread pudding a three with a four?

Now I'm used to very good quality food, and I will say the food here isn't five star quality. More…read morelike 3 but that's because you are in the middle of nowhere! We were staying in the park for two nights so we had a couple of dinners and breakfasts. I tried to be healthy and get the stuffed poblano peppers and those were decent but I wouldn't reccommend them-unless you're vegetarian. The next night I gave up and just went with a bison burger which was solid. For breakfast if you get to the breakfast bar early enough there are fresh mixed berries and plantains which were a unique touch. The prices weren't too bad either. The staff were all very friendly, the meals came out quickly, and the restaurant and Saloon had a rustic decor that went with the locale. Since we weren't traveling with children I preferred the Saloon with the beautiful views. Considering all that has made things difficult lately, tariffs, wars, etc... the fact that you can get a decent meal in a remote location is pretty impressive.

Beers on tap on 12/30/2025

Vegan Tortilla soup

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Stovetop Saloon

Beatty VFW

4.4(52 reviews)

0.3 mi

Okay... who would have thought to pop into the VFW for a bite to eat? Well, thanks to Yelp and…read morethe fact that the "other place" I had been recommended to eat at was too busy to take my order, I was able to come on in and partake at this Beatty, NV hidden treasure. Walking in I was immediately welcomed by the waitress who was up to her eyeballs in customers and orders. It was obvious she ran a tight ship, and knew how to keep it running smooth. She informed me that they were at capacity, but as luck would have it, I had already called in my order. I had a few minutes to wait and I spent the time perusing the place... a local hangout where everyone knows your name. I am sure that you are only a stranger once in this place. Once I had my dinner and made it back to my room I was pleasantly surprised with the oversized serving of French Dip and Onion rings. The rings were a bit salty, but the flavoring allowed for eating them solo... no need for ketchup or other dipping sauce with these babies! The French dip itself had an abundance of meat, cheese, peppers and onions all cooked to perfection. The au juice was beautifully flavored and they gave more than enough in the order. It's definitely a place I would go back to. Next time I hope to saddle up into a chair and sip on a soda as I chat away with some locals. I am sure this place has some great stories for those who take the time to visit! Well worth it on your trip through Beatty, NV!

Cigarette smoking in the front at the bar. We sat in the back at some tables and chairs that had…read moreseen better days. Anything fried you could want. Although I did have a pretty good wedge salad. But there's not a lot of choices in Beatty for places to eat. Buy food at a grocery store before you get to town and cook at home.

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7 reviews that are not currently recommended

The reviews below are not factored into the business's overall star rating.

Norwood N.

4 years ago

Boyfriend and I messed up our sleeping schedule and have been wanting to eat at a restaurant for some time, so we defaulted to a 2 AM Denny's trip. The place is extremely clean and in a nice area. Our service was extremely fast and our waiter was attentive and kind. Food was delicious and fast! When leaving the parking lot, there was a building across that had a cute little fox passing on by. Twas a good night/morning! read more

Hellen Z.

4 years ago

Definitely 70's aesthetic. The service was not the best. My family and I walked in and the lady in the front was very dry, as if she was mad we came in... ? They were quick with our order though so yay I guess? Not sure how to feel, the food was solid and the employees were rude. The only thing I liked was the theme. They are closed Mondays and Tuesdays, and only accept cash. (-- fyi) read more

Larry M.

12 years ago

Great place for breakfast or lunch, but not open for dinners. Great food at good prices People are great too.

Beth H.

5 months ago

Looks like Mel's Diner is closed for good. Try something else in Beatty or Tonopah. Smokin' J's is great

Edgar N.

7 years ago

This is a best place to eat breakfast and lunch, big portions, good flavor and nice place and service.

Ann M.

3 months ago

Closed. The tenants had to close it due to illness. It is currently For Sale to a lucky buyer

Kevin M.

6 years ago

Had Breakfast here and it was very good!

Mel's Diner - tradamerican - Updated October 2026

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Big Tony's Supper House

4.3

(18 reviews)

I love spending an early morning at Big Tony's, their interior is darling and a great way to begin…read morefor a day out adventuring or traveling around Beatty and Death Valley National Park. The staff are kind and the service is super quick, my food has come out fresh in about 10-15 minutes every time. Everything was cooked exactly as I was hoping for, and priced reasonably well for a remote town diner.

I'm writing this review specifically because of the manager's exceptional customer service…read more We were so glad we stopped at this cute little coffee shop, conveniently located right next to our hotel. We were in the middle of a long road trip and probably ordered more than they were expecting on a Monday morning, but both the barista and the manager--perhaps Tony himself?--were incredibly kind and accommodating. We ordered several pastries, a few burritos, lattes, and a decaf coffee. When the manager realized they were out of decaf, they immediately refunded us and offered a replacement drink, which we happily accepted. We were then genuinely surprised when the manager went above and beyond by walking to a neighboring café to make sure we still received the decaf we had originally ordered--even though we had not asked or expected them to do so. It was such a thoughtful gesture and a great example of outstanding customer service. We would absolutely stop here again the next time we are in the area!

Sourdough Saloon

3.6

(97 reviews)

We had drinks and dinner here. Ended up having a great chat with Hutch, a fellow hockey fan. When…read morewe said we were originally from Rockford, he changed into a Rockford Icehogs jersey! Pretty wild for a small restaurant in Death Valley. But on to the food. We'd seen recent pictures of Alien Bread in reviews but they didn't have it anymore so we started with an order of garlic bread. Sorry but it was pretty subpar. Mighty dry and hard. Oh well. We then split a pizza. It was way too much for us but it was cheesy and delicious. Since we were traveling, we had to leave quite a bit behind. We enjoyed our experience a lot despite the uneven food.

The breadsticks were slightly burnt, and the atmosphere leaned heavily on awkward, outdated boomer…read morehumor that made us feel anything but welcome. Hutch referred to my wife as "my friend," a couple times which immediately set an uncomfortable tone. Things went further downhill when the chef (if that's the right term, given the state of the breadsticks) approached us aggressively while we were boxing up our food. He raised his voice and said "nobody told me it was for takeout," despite the fact that I had already had a full conversation with Hutch confirming takeout and requesting everything to-go. I hadn't even said a word to the chef and didn't mind packing things up myself due to a simple miscommunication, but his confrontational approach was completely unnecessary. It's hard not to wonder whether the discomfort we experienced had anything to do with the fact that I'm obviously gay, because the overall interaction felt weird, unwelcoming, and tense. I went across the street later to the BBQ place to get food and they treated us like family, so it's not a small town problem. The only reason this isn't a one-star review is because the wings were decent, but I could never imagine coming here again. They also did not have homemade desserts like the other reviews claim (one of the reasons we even came here).

Smokin J’s Barbecue

4.5

(373 reviews)

My wife and I were passing through Beatty and stopped for dinner here on a Thursday night around…read more6pm. After a hot afternoon of desert driving, I was looking forward to a nice cold beer with some BBQ. The menu has lots of options but we zeroed in on the seniors special with a brisket sandwich. It comes with a side and a drink for a nice price. My wife opted for Mac and cheese while I selected the baked beans. They had a nice selection of beers in cans and bottles including a Lagunitas IPA. Our orders came out in no time on small metal trays with pickled onions and pickles. The sandwiches were yummy with a decent portion of meat. The mac and cheese was the highlight with the jalapeños giving it a little kick. For dessert, I couldn't resist their banana pudding. It was soupier than I would have liked but breaking up the nilla wafers into it helped in that department. The dining room was creatively decorated with small barrel hanging lights and large weather vane ceiling fans. Service was great and super friendly. All in all, we had a very enjoyable meal.

We had a bit of an issue getting waited on but once we got that settled, everything went smoothly…read more We had a brisket sandwich with mac & cheese and pulled pork sandwich with mac & cheese. The sandwiches supposedly came with half a pound of meat, but to us it seemed like there was more than half a pound. Ordering the mac & cheese was overkill. We had way much too much to eat. I will say that the jalapeño mac & cheese really had no jalapeño flavor at all. We ate outside because it was a nice night and it was just pleasant to enjoy our meal there.

Beatty VFW

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Road House 95

4.7

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All things considered this is a 4. We went on a Saturday night after finding most of the other…read moreplaces in town were closed or out of food. This should put things in perspective. The atmosphere was a bit noisy but typical bar. Our server Juan was fantastic, energetic and a pleaser to deal with. I had the pasta caliente with shrimp special and my wife had pizza.

Food is your standard fare and is a good option since it is a small town. I had the Philly steak…read moresandwich and I thought it was good. The staff was friendly and attentive. The place has a homey local bar and eatery feel.

Alien Café

4.4

(7 reviews)

Best tourist area 51 food and snacks stop. Decent lbathrooms. Sandwiches and frozen yogurt along…read morewith tons of alien souvenirs!

Sandwich stop. BLT and ham and cheese!! The staff was amazing. Friendly and welcoming. She…read moremade it fresh and the taste showed how fresh it was!! Glad we stopped!!

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