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Iconic. Amazing food, service, and environment. We got the Mushroom Swiss and Sourdough Melt. Great burger. Lovely crunch on the burger bun. Tender, flavored meat. Good amount of lettuce, onions, mushrooms, etc. Also, the fries were cooked to perfection. Amazing crunch. Everything was ready pretty quickly too. Super cool history and interior design. I loved the usage of different cardboard beer bottle carriers as a condiment organizer. If you're on the road, you have to stop here.
When you're out in BFE Nevada and you're craving a really good burger and fries and a stiff drink, look no further than Middlegate Station. Eclectic location, colorful clientele and friendly help. Their menu has several things I'd recommend, so don't get stuck on the burger, though that's tough. The pastrami sandwich is amazing. I highly recommend this Place. We will even drive out from Sparks just to have a bite and the drive is great, too. Oh, and they sell gas too if you need to top off before Berlin or heading east.
We stopped here twice recently on a trip to the area. If we're being honest, there really is nowhere else to go :) Still, they definitely deserve their high rating. On our first visit we ordered a few burgers and fries and I know the sign here says "Best Burgers in the West" but they should change it to "Best fries in the USA"! Their fries were pretty much as perfect as you could ask for. We could not stop saying how good they were. Hot and fresh with just the right amount of seasoning and crispy golden brown but still soft inside. I can't say enough good things about them. The following day we needed gas so we headed back to Middlegate and by the time I parked and rolled my window down, the gentleman inside said he had already started the pump for me and just to come in and pay when I was done. Quick and easy just like I like it. The employees here are nice, the porta potty was clean and there were some cute little kitties running around too. They also have a shop if you want some snacks and a motel if you need to rest your head. I think I even saw an EV charger. If you do come through here, whatever the reason, remember to do yourself a favor and order some fries!
So we're heading back from CA to Florida... our first stop on our route was Middle gate Station in the middle of nowhere in Nevada. We stopped here because the bar/restaurant is touted as one of the best burgers in the country... and they were right! My husband and I both ordered the bacon cheeseburgers. Awesome! The bacon is the farm fresh type bacon; nice and thick! The service was excellent. Everyone checked with us constantly. Really a cool old west saloon! If you find yourself in the middle of nowhere in northern Nevada off of Hwy 50... check it out... the only thing I would say negatively is that beyond the saloon was a lot of junk laying around. Not sure if they're in control of that though.
Ordered a bacon cheeseburger. Voted Nevadas best burgers multiple times and voted top 44 restaurants in the US by USA TODAY in 2025. The folks were super friendly. This place is like walking into the old west. Best burgers for sure! Cold beer. A great stop traveling across country. Stopped in with our RV in. Harvest Host. Super fun place music on the weekends.
While driving in the area we decided to stop since we heard they were one of the top rated burger spots . Great friendly and fast service with two ladies working. Burgers were good for frozen patties and crispy fries. Love the old time feel and decorations. Be sure to stop by and check them out - you won't be disappointed. No time for lunch they have a little store for drinks and snacks.
I can't believe I've never been to Middlegate Station before! This place was rad. It's clearly an old building and they like to keep that charm. We went Memorial Day weekend and it was packed! There wasn't an open seat in the place. But right after we ordered food, a table opened up. It was perfect timing. It took a bit for our burgers to come out, but they were way packed! We got to listen to live music, one guy in a little alcove of the bar. It helped for the ambiance. Everyone that works there is super friendly. And you get this old western vibe. Pretty fun. Burgers were delicious! Tons of flavor, great spread. Fries were tasty too. I look forward to making a random stop there on another adventure.
Now this was the burger I always crave that city restaurant productions can't deliver! Don't be fooled thinking it's high rated because it's in the Middle of Nowhere. I got the fiery burger with ghost pepper cheese, jalapeños, and spicy reaper sauce. First of all, cooked to perfection. Second the spice level was just right, kept you on the edge to keep eating. I'm going to have to make a special trip for this again! Also, please don't rate this place poorly because of service. This is a hometown restaurant that treats you like family. So yes, you will have to wait to get waited on sometimes. You can always ask their names and get their attention anytime you want. Enjoy the ambiance for a bit. Take your time.
Wish address wasn't so confusing, IT'S highway 50, putting a name like austin hwy is confusing!! This restaurant is located at the corner of hwy 50 and 361 in middlegate! The restaurant/bar is worth a visit alone, very interesting interior, dollar bills stapled all over the ceiling, very cozy little restaurant. This is the famous middlegate monster challenge burger & fries restaurant, it consists of four hamburger patties, a garden salad in the burger on a sourdough bun with some onion rings for eyes and a passel of fries, no time limit to finish but you are not allowed bathroom use during eating the monster. Not entirely easy but doable if it weren't for the fries. I just ordered a regular burger with an additional order of onion rings. Not the best burger since it was cooked one way only, overdone since people with sensitive gi systems can't tolerate a little food poisoning unless food is overcooked. boring! Anyways the burger was okay but the fries and the onion rings was what I should have ordered alone.
Where do I start? First off, this place is great. The history is amazing and the service is super friendly. It's a perfect spot after a long drive to the middle of nowhere. I got the Cheese Burger (fire style) and my wife got the patty melt (fire style) and both were fantastic! Tots were perfectly cooked and crispy, onion rings are legit and they have plenty of house made hot sauces. I reality, this place doesn't have to serve good food because it's the only option for 50+ miles, but they do. And it's worth traveling on America's Loneliest Highway to visit. Bonus points for letting hobos like us sleep in the parking lot in our camper van.
Middlegate station is a restaurant, a gift shop, a gas station and a motel all in one! We stopped by for lunch while driving the loneliest highway. We sat at a table near the entrance and admired all the dollar bills all over the ceiling (yes we put one up as well!). We ordered a cheeseburger and chicken tenders with fries. Free drinks for military and vets!! Good food though the tenders had some cartilage in it. Love the friendly service, the buzzy atmosphere. So what's with the dollar bills all over the ceiling? When I asked our server, I was told that long ago, the miners did not trust banks but instead trusted their bartender. They would write their names on the bill and stick it on the restaurant walls somewhere for safekeeping! That's how it got started! There are A LOT of flies in this place due to the food smells,/greasy nature of the restaurant. But nothing to deter us from this unique spot in the middle of nowhere!
My Wife and I set out on an adventure to unplug for the weekend. We headed east on Highway 50 and stopped at Middle Gate Station. I had read about this place and had planned to have their famous Monster Burger. However when I discovered it was a full pound of beef...sanity quickly returned and I selected the Mushroom Swiss Burger. And my wife selected the vegetarian burger of Tofu. The burgers are cooked on a flat top so they maintain a great juicy flavor. This is a great roadside tavern with great food. The only negative for me was that the bathroom waste can was over full. A terrific stop on your next road trip if you head east on 50!
I'm convinced Facebook listens to my conversations, because after talking to my son about craving a big juicy burger, the adds went crazy on FB and Middlegate Station was popping all over the place. I am always down for a road trip and I had to come here after reading all the reviews. I gotta say, I doubted there was anything out there. My phone signal went dead out there, I was heading there on pure faith and hoping I didn't miss a turn somewhere. Was I pleasantly surprised once we arrived. The staff is super friendly and they make you feel at home as soon as you walk in the door. There's a big bar to the right as you enter with plenty of stools to get your drink on after your journey. The place has a Wild West feel to it, it's very cool. Plus there are dollar bills plastered all over the ceiling, it feels like they're making it rain in there. I was wondering how old some of those bills are and wondered how they got there. I didn't have time to ask, maybe on my next trip. They have a full menu but I drove there for their famous burgers. I was going to order one of their specialty burgers they make, it has habanero and other super hot condiments because I love spicy hot stuff but I had a famous cheese burger with a side of fries, I wanted to taste the burger as is but still ordered jalapeños on the side. The burger arrived nice and juicy and the seasoning on it is super good. The fries are light and crispy, not greasy, very good. I loved that they have soooo many hot sauces and I tried every single one of them with my fries. I had to bring 3 of them bad boys home; Texas Reper, Habanero, Scorpion Sauce.
Ghost Burger and French fries were awesome! Ghost pepper cheese packed just the right kick to the yummy burger! The French fries were hot and perfect crispness. Middlegate Station was worth the hour plus drive for a great burger!! As we sat at the bar enjoying our burgers, the sun was shining through the window as snow fell! Sure grabbed everyone's attention. read more
1 year ago
It's the one place everyone told me to stop and grab a burger at, and it did not dissapoint! Burger and fries were perfectly cooked, staff was friendly, ambiance was Wild West middle of nowhere Nevada. A must stop if you are traveling that lonely road. read more
2 years ago
What a fun adventure on our road trip down HWY 50. Great place for a cocktail, burger and a good rest. Very nice folks that allow you to stay in the parking lot overnight. Don't miss out on the Monster Burger! read more
The burgers are amazing! The service is always good and staff is always friendly! The place is an old station of the Pony Express in the middle of nowhere so it has a wild west vibe to it. They also have great selection of hot sauces to purchase. read more
1 year ago
What a quirky little restaurant right off the loneliest road in America! I bookmarked Middlegate Station when I saw the Monster burger challenge on YouTube. I definitely didn't think I'd be able to wolf that down by myself, but it sure looked cool! We came for breakfast and the two of us split the Country breakfast ($12.95) and the hot to tots ($4.95). The country breakfast included an insane amount of food: chicken fried steak and biscuits smothered in a rich gravy, three eggs and hash browns. So good! The tots were super crispy and the chipotle hot sauce/ranch had a nice kick to it. Service was fast and friendly. Hope we'll be back to try that monster burger soon! read more
1 year ago
Great burgers and cool atmosphere. Great pit stop on the loneliest highway. Photo ops, food and libations await you with friendly service! We both got a bacon cheeseburger and tried the fries with one and onion rings with the other. Both hit the spot and fries were perfectly seasoned and onion rings hot and delicious with ranch dressing. I couldn't even finish all of mine. I can't imagine how anyone could finish the monster burger they have. Come check en out if your in the area! read more
2 years ago
4 years ago
I've been wanting to stop in and eat here for a while. Hands down the best place to eat in the middle of nowhere Nevada! I had the mushroom and Swiss burger. Excellent!! Definitely worth the drive from Reno to check this place out! read more
2 years ago
It's an oasis in the desert. There's not many options around otherwise. But for your money you're getting okay truck stop food. I strongly advise against doing the monster burger challenge, simply because that burger is the worst I have ever had. It has an entire raw red onion on it. An entire jar of pickles. Etc. The place has a history and is worth a visit. When I went they had some live music playing. read more
4 years ago
I don't think this place needs a review really as most folks that are there are either traveling through and just come across it or already know about it. The place is literally in the middle of nowhere but it is packed! We had heard the cheeseburgers here were awesome. I can vouch for this. We order bacon cheeseburgers and when I took a bite, I actually said out loud wow! I'm not sure if it was the bun itself which tasted awesome and was toasted and buttered to perfection. The fresh lettuce, tomato, or the hamburger itself but that was one tasty burger! Fun vibe inside. Great place to stop for food on the way to and from Reno. Honestly one of the best cheeseburgers I've had. read more
2 years ago
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Wow Middlegate Station! Now this place is the epitome of being in the middle of nowhere. I mean...incredible how when I came upon this place...all it revealed...was a gas station, restaurant and roadside motel...nestled in the heart of the desert. Talk about feeling like the wild, wild west all over again. I thought the surroundings were quite emblematic of a ghost town. I arrived here while driving, off course, the Loneliest Road in America - Route 50 across the entire state of Nevada. I'd say Middlegate Station is situated about 110 miles east of Reno. When I was traveling the Loneliest Road towards Reno...it was located on the left hand side. There weren't too many signs indicating I was heading towards Middlegate Station, but the good thing about the area is that I had cell phone reception and my Google Maps alerted me that I was nearby. Before turning into this old western, abandoned mining and roadside pit-stop....on the side of the road there was a vintage/historic landmark mentioning..."Welcome to Old Middlegate Station". I had to pull over and get a photo of this. Also here, I took a moment to stand in the middle of The Loneliest Road and photograph how truly far away from reality I felt with nothing in sight. The parking lot was a bare bones dirt road with 1 old fashioned gas pump. Although I didn't need to refuel, I still admired how vintage everything around me seemed to be. Right in front of the pump was a western wheeled horseback carriage and wagon - quite the antique symbol from this place. Also, off to the side area away from the gas pump was a Hwy 50 sign designating that I was here and on The Loneliest Road in America. This place completely oozed seclusion from everything. Not only did I stop here to explore around and discover what Middlegate Station was all about,...but I had heard their restaurant was famous for a "Middlegate Monster"..."a triple decker burger with 1.3 lbs of angus beef on a sourdough boule, lettuce, tomatoes, red onions, pickles, cheese, peppers and olives, served w/ heaping fries." And..."if you finish this Middlegate Monster you will be rewarded with a t-shirt to commemorate the event"! What a challenge! Though, if you do it...the burger costs $19.95, btw. Of course I could never handle something like this...so when I sat down and ordered, I chose to get steak, lol. Couple more things...outside the restaurant was an iconic sign stating... "Welcome to Middlegate. The middle of nowhere. Elevation 4600 feet. Population 17...with the number 18 crossed out next to it". Very funny...I guess this place just lost a resident and they had to update their census number. I liked the humor. Inside....everything was what I expected it to be. A classic dive bar featuring plenty of colorful and western memorabilia, a pool table in the rear, a bar and plenty of high chairs and table tops. It was very decorative and certainly symbolic of the historical mood and cowboy vibe I felt about this place. I was enjoying the setting so much that when I was hungry and ready to order...the only serious drawback was the service. Just 1 waitress doing it all with a cook behind the bar. She barely noticed I was sitting down and seemed disinterested in coming over to serve me. It was frustrating. Just when I decided to leave and forget this place, she came over to me finally. Although Middlegate is known for their hamburgers...I don't know why I went off track and got an "after 5pm" special...for $12.95 - an 8oz NY strip steak with a salad, baked potato, baked beans and a piece of garlic toast. For a drink...they had a fountain soda station off to the side where you "do it yourself" unlimited refills. My steak took forever to cook. Maybe I sat there for 25 minutes waiting...ugh, now I was getting impatient. The cook eventually looked at me and said my steak was almost finished and that he had to unfreeze it. Really? It was dinner time and although the restaurant wasn't particularly busy...they didn't have any steaks thawed or tempered out? Typical...the steak was very average, fatty and mostly rare. I didn't care at that point...I was just hungry. The baked potato was OVERLOADED W/ SOUR CREAM!! Yuck. At least the salad was fresh. The beans were okay and the toast was maybe the best part of it all. Finally, I got my server's attention and handed her cash as I was impatiently begging to leave as it was completely dark outside. Ultimately, from here I still had 2 hours left to trek to Reno by the end of the night. Overall, I loved the atmosphere, setting and mood about Middlegate Station. The whole western themed aura and dirt road presence made me feel like I was transported back in time. But...the waitress' attention towards me inside the restaurant was terrible and the food was mediocre. I'm still grateful I stopped by here to experience what the middle of nowhere could feel like. I'd recommend that aspect to everyone. I warn...just don't sit down and expect pleasant service. read more
2 years ago
Excellent food, family run, so sometimes you have to be patient. Comfortable rustic atmosphere read more
This place is literally in the middle of NOWHERE and the only reason I knew of this place is because my husband remembered coming here 11 years ago and wanted to take me. The staff is is friendly and the atmosphere is very chill. I had the bacon cheese burger and and my husband had the western burger with ghost pepper cheese. They both were delicious on fresh soft buns. The fountain drinks is self- serve which is pretty cool, don't have to wait to be served. I really liked the decor too. read more
3 years ago
Awesome little bar and restaurant. Quirky with a small town vibe. Polite people, great burgers and very affordable beer. If you're driving through this part of Nevada I highly recommend checking it out. I'll be back! read more
2 years ago
We got here almost 9PM on the 26th of April; you can't miss the "Bar" sign off the highway. When we got in, we were greeted nicely; got seated. The staff is so nice; it has a homey feeling. We ordered the "Monster Burger" world famous. We only ate half of it; I would put this as the best burger I ever had. I mean from the patty to the sauce; they got it down. We would drive back here, just to have the World Famous BEST Burger. This place was so worth it to do "America's Loneliest Highway " again with Lucy(Van/RV). And to top it off, they said that we can park and stay the night over. So we did, it was so quiet, peaceful; we really had a good night sleep. So if you guys are in the area; do stop by, you will not regret it. Have the world's best burger. Thank you... read more
Meh. Out of our party one adult and two kids did the Middlegate Monster challenge which was fun...but the taste was quite boring. Sadly, We were forgotten by the waitress the whole time. All I can say is, " been there, done that, didn't get the T-shirt" read more
2 years ago
5 years ago
After seeing a news spot on the local news, decided to put this place on my 'to do' list. No better time than now with the beautiful winter weather! To get there from Reno, it is a very fun two hour drive. I love the desert so enjoyed the drive there through Fallon and continuing on Hwy 50, 15 miles past Sand Mountain. Yes it is out there in the middle of nowhere, yes it is old and yes it is a fun, interesting place to visit. We entered and were immediately welcomed. Not huge inside, with a long bar and open scattered table seating. The atmosphere is as I imagined and hoped for. Rural Nevada! Surprisingly there were people coming and going and had to wonder where they all came from way out there. The Fallon base, the Gabbs' mine, random travelers, etc. make up their clientele. The menu has the expected choices, burgers and sandwiches, and delighted to find they offered a veggie burger as well as a plant based 'chicken' burger. Average burger price is $10.99 includes fries of course. The staff were pleasant and as we were celebrating my hubby turning 90!, they even surprised us with a cup filled with chocolate cake, whipped cream and chocolate bars! The ceiling is covered with dollar bills, wish I had asked more about that! Lots of fun old decorative items abound. Want a fun little day trip, I highly recommend a visit to the Middlegate Station. Lots of photo ops for all. Have had so many people ask me about this place after seeing some of my photos of the trip. There is also some outdoor seating on the small porch if weather permits but I very much enjoyed the ambiance of the interior. Thinking a a small day trip? I can recommend this destination! read more
Along Hwy 50 heading west toward Fallon, I found this to be a great stop. Food was classic joint along a busy road. Drinks flow easy and food fresh. Lots of money on the ceiling, and great atmosphere. I enjoyed a mushroom burger and a beverage. Still have more road to travel, so I better get.... read more
4 years ago
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5 years ago
Not bad for a frozen burger in the middle of the desert. Paying for the experience and not quality... but it was fun. read more
5 years ago
A great stop on our way westward on America's Loneliest Highway(US 50) in Nevada. Quirky, yes and that's just how they want it. We both had lunch of cheeseburger & fries and it was excellent and I really believe the best I've ever had. We truly enjoyed the experience and if ever in the area we'll definitely stop again. Two thumbs up for Middlegate Station!! read more
If you're at Middlegate Station for whatever reason, you can get a decent greasy-spoon-restaurant-type meal here at a decent price. The staff seemed nice and the bathrooms were clean. I came for the Monster Burger challenge but, alas, I was only able to finish about 66% of it! There's a lot of bread in it which is probably the biggest hurdle. It'll cost you about $20 (after tax & tip). If you can manage to finish the beast--you'll get a free T-shirt! This was the first food challenge I've ever done and I failed. I really just wanted to enjoy it though so I didn't take it that seriously. I did fast the day before and drank a lot of water, but damn I guess I'm just not cut out to be a professional competitive eater. So, not a bad place to stop if you're traveling on the loneliest highway in the US. read more
5 years ago
3 years ago
A piece of the West worthy of a stop along this lonely stretch of highway. South of "where the hell are we" and north of "the middle of nowhere", east of Sand Mountain and west of Austin, you stumble upon Middlegate Station. You cannot really miss it...there is nothing else there. Stop to grab a cup of coffee or egg sandwich to go (egg sandwich was average at best and super greasy). Stop for one of their famously known hamburgers as seen on TV. Stop for a quick roadie and to chat with the nice folks working there (although there was a nutty guy wandering around talking to himself, the staff could not have been nicer). Middlegate is off the grid and they are often financially strapped with the cost of generators and power. Stop to help these nice folks and to avoid this pony express route stop from falling off the grid and turning into a ghost town. You kind of stop because of the history, not because of the food. It is a sketchy environment because it is void of people and in the middle of nowhere, so I would not suggest spending the night and move on to Austin or Fallon for the night. Because there is indeed not much on this road, it is a good spot to get out, stretch your legs, hit the bathroom, spend a few bucks while you take in the history and the 17 nice people who live in Middlegate. read more
8 years ago
When driving on highway 50, we came upon Middlegate Station. Awesome hamburgers. Very cool to find this. read more
3 years ago
4 years ago
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Do they allow dogs?
On property yes, outside preferably, but service animals are completely different.
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