City Cast Las Vegas logo

The Nevada Restaurant In The Middle Of Nowhere That’s So Worth The Journey

Posted on October 17, 2024   |   Updated on September 30, 2025
Only In Nevada

Only In Nevada

The Monster Burger at Middlegate Station.

The Monster Burger at Middlegate Station. (Travel Nevada)

The travel experts over at Only In Nevada hand-picked this article for our audience. Their writers and editors explore the country, tracking down hidden gems, local favorites, natural wonders, and so much more. Check out more finds in your area at OnlyInYourState.com.

Along the Loneliest Road in America in the middle of nowhere sits a tiny little town called Middlegate. Once a spot where the Pony Express changed horses, today it's known for two things: A tree full of discarded shoes and a quaint, old-west restaurant called Middlegate Station in Nevada.

Although it's a remote watering hole, Middlegate Station serves up amazing grub as well as a food-eating challenge that's hard to refuse. This Nevada restaurant may be in the middle of nowhere, but it's so worth the journey!

Here are your Middlegate Station directions: Your remote destination awaits about 47 miles east of Fallon on Highway 50, the Loneliest Road in America, near the State Route 361 junction.

The restaurant, bar, and hotel may not look like much from the outside, but trust me when I say, looks can be deceiving. This is an oasis in the desert.

A sign on the Middlegate's wood exterior.

Welcome to Middlegate. The middle of nowhere. Elevation 4,600 feet. Population 17 (Formerly 18). (Travel Nevada)

From 1860 through the early 1900s, Middlegate Station served as a stage and freight stop for nearby gold and silver mines.

Once automobiles rolled into service, the Lincoln Highway replaced the old Pony Express and Pacific Telegraph routes.

Remnants of Middlegate Station's role in the legendary American West can be seen all around the grounds.

A vintage wagon in front of Middlegate Station.

The Pony Express? No wonder it took them so long to deliver the mail. (Travel Nevada)

Nowadays, Middlegate Station is known for its Monster Burger. Eat it all in one sitting and owners Fredda and Russell Stevenson will give you a free T-shirt.

The Middlegate Station Monster Burger is a one and one-third-pound triple-decker Angus burger on a sourdough bun that is topped with lettuce, tomatoes, red onions, pickles, cheese, peppers, and olives, plus fries on the side.

The Middlegate Station menu has a wide selection of delicious items and fries made by "the awesome God of French fry making" according to one reviewer.

Middlegate Station's ceiling is also somewhat famous. It's covered with signed and dated dollar bills and other foreign currency from customers.

The wall is covered with patches from the police, fire, and military personnel who have passed through town.

Middlegate Station is located within relatively close proximity to the Naval Air Station in Fallon.

Old Middlegate Station is worthy of its own road trip or a stop on your journey to someplace else.

Time your visit just right and you may even be able to ride off into a famous Nevada sunset.

Think you're ready to cowboy up to the Monster Burger challenge at this Nevada restaurant? Head on over to Middlegate Station in Nevada and take it on!

see more:travel,food

Share article

Hey Las Vegas

Stay connected to City Cast Las Vegas and get ready to join the local conversation.

Can't subscribe? Turn off your ad blocker and try again.

The latest in Las Vegas

Las Vegas, ExplainedSeptember 16

How Big Can Las Vegas Get?

A plan to upgrade 27 miles of Interstate 15 could kick off a new wave of development between Sloan and Primm.

A sign for Highway 15 in the desert. One arrow on the sign points straight for Barstow, one points to the right for Las Vegas.
Las Vegas, ExplainedSeptember 11

Take This Week's Las Vegas News Trivia Quiz

Ready for a challenge? Take our weekly quiz, based on the news and stories of this past week in Las Vegas.

The sign for the Fiesta Casino and Hotel.
Las Vegas, ExplainedSeptember 11

Victims Honored and Remembered 25 Years After 9/11

Las Vegas joins the rest of the nation in mourning the lives lost during the 9/11 terror attacks, which took place 25 years ago today.

The Statue of Liberty
Keep It LocalSeptember 10

The Vegas Entrepreneur Giving Fan Gear a Makeover

From a Vegas hair agency to major sports licensing deals, discover how Whitney Bansin’s viral gold sequin jackets launched her fashion br...

A couple poses in Raiders jackets.
Keep It LocalSeptember 10

Four Ways to Up Your Sports Game

Discover local businesses that have everything you need to dress the part, find vintage gems, and show love for your favorite team. Dive...

4 Raiders baseball caps sit on a desert ground.
Las Vegas' BestSeptember 2

City Cast Las Vegas Repeats as 'Best Vegas Podcast' in Las Vegas Weekly’s Best of Vegas Awards

For the second year in a row, City Cast Las Vegas was named "Best Vegas Podcast" by Las Vegas Weekly readers.

City Cast staff accept an award.
Las Vegas' BestSeptember 1

Your Guide to Las Vegas in September 2026

Discover the best things to do in Las Vegas, Nevada, in September 2026! From vibrant fall festivals to concerts, plan your perfect autumn...

A tray of various cooked meats and sides of corn and watermelon.
Las Vegas, ExplainedAugust 27

Dolly Parton’s Literary Legacy Unfunded by Nevada

There's new hope for a local chapter of Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, which lost funding when a vital grant expired.

Dolly Parton at the Riviera in Las Vegas, Aug. 2, 1981.