The Star Hotel Basque Dining — Restaurant in Elko

Disappointed! Fifty years ago my husband was a young salesman out of San Francisco. Since his territory was Northern California and Nevada, he passed through Elko a couple times a year and would always regale me with stories about the superb meals he enjoyed at the Starr. He raved so much that when I realized we would be driving. through Nevada on a 7,000 mile RV trip, I planned it so we would drive 50 miles out of our way to and from Route 93 (100 miles altogether)in order to eat there.

We, of course, ordered the lamb chop dinners as we believed it was the most "Basque" item on the menu and because it's what my husband always ordered 50 years ago.

Certainly there was plenty of food, The lamb chops were preceeded by cabbage soup and salad. My soup was only slightly warm, but it was okay. The salad, which consisted of lettuce with a creamy dressing, was refreshing and very good. The bread, which is supposedly French and baked on premises, was nothing special.

The rest of the meal consisted of the lamb chops, green beans, brown beans, garbanzo beans and speghetti. It was served on small plates family style.

One problem was that with the exception of the lamb chops, that the dishes were not delivered hot. By the time we got to many of the dishes most were just plain cold. A second problem was that none of the dishes were particularly good. The lamb chops were 50 per cent fat, tasteless and seemed to have been previously frozen. The beans were tasteless and mushy. The spaghetti was dry and appeared to have been prepared well in advance of our entrance into the restaurant. I can't comment on the beans as I didn't even try them.

All the food, with the exception of the lamb chops, looked and tasted like it had been prepared many hours earlier and then sat in large pans or bowls until it was scooped out onto plates for individual, customer tables.

The service was very good. The waitresses, although looking harried, were pleasant and efficient. The price of the meal was high considering it seemed (with the exception of the lamb chops) mass produced and every person in the restaurant ate almost exactly the same things.

The atmosphere in the restaurant is pleasant and it was filled with patrons who were apparently having a good time.

My husband was even more disappointed than was I.. He claims that fifty years ago The Stat was more expensive, allowing for inflation, than it is now, but that it was exceptionally good. I don't know if his taste has become more sophisticated or if the food has deteriorated.

We certainly would not drive out of our way 100 miles to eat at...

7/26/2017

I have been anticipating eating at this restaurant for many years. I have heard about the family style seating and the GARLIC for years. Funny how in America we think it strange to sit with total strangers. This is not the case in most other countries. I came expecting to sit with others. However we were set in the other dining room at a table by ourselves.

This is a historic landmark for Elko, NV. The Star Hotel opened in 1910 as a boarding house for the Basque herders in the area which included meals served family style. Today their reputation brings in tourists and the locals. Basque food is still served family style here.

The hostess was new but was incredibly sweet and kind. I can't remember her name.

Included with all entrees is Homemade Soup, Tossed Green Salad with Star Hotel House Dressing, Fresh Baked French Bread, Basque Beans, Pasta, Vegetable Dish, French Fried Potatoes, Coffee or Tea. Or you can pay $13.00 per person for adults for just the sides. Or you might want to get an entree to share and split because the soup, salad and extra's are huge and tasty.

The garlic dressing on the salad is to die for. I think I could make a meal out of just the salad. This salad will make leave you wanting more. If you don't like garlic this is not for you. The salad really is divine. Remember this is a Basque place garlic is one of the stars. The soup is very flavorful with a garlic taste. Sometimes simple dishes are the best. The soup we had on this particular night was a broth based with vegetables. The flavor of the soup was so tasty made you want to eat the whole bowl by yourself. The garlic green beans are exceptionally mouthwatering tasty. I'm not really a fan of pasta. I thought the pasta was good. I really liked the chickpeas with garlic. The french fries were also yummy.

We all got entree's this time and there was way too much food to eat. My daughter and I both got the filet mignon, it had a ton of garlic and butter was dripping off my plate. Maybe because I was almost full by the time my entree arrived, it was not as i had antipated. The filet was done just right. When I say a ton of garlic I mean probably two whole bulbs chopped. The steak was good. I feel the star was the soup, salad, and green beans. My husband and son both got the salmon.

Just remember you can purchase the inclusions that come with each entree by themselves. I highly recommend splitting an entree or two and purchasing the inclusions by themselves as there will be a...

Disappointing to say the least. The food was average and the price was fair, but we felt more like cattle being ran through a feedlot than customers. It was busy, so we expected to wait, but after two other couples declined to share a table with a seated couple my wife and I accepted. The couple we were seated with were very nice and that wasn't the problem. The hostess explained the bread and soup on the table was the other couple's when she seated us and told us she would bring us our own. We got the soup but didn't get our bread until just before our steaks arrived and then only after my wife politely asked if we could have some. The four of us were then told we would be sharing each of the side dishes that were brought, which were the same size served to two people at other tables. Spaghetti noodles with tomato paste is just spaghetti noodles with tomato paste, cabbage boiled in water is a poor excuse for soup, and bland red beans, garbanzo beans, and green beans are just beans and nothing to write home about. Amazingly, our steaks arrived before our dining mates' meals did and they ordered well before us. Kind of embarrassing for us. And once our meals were on the table we never saw a waitress again until we got the bill. I was raised around Basque people and I've met others in recent years. The ones I'm familiar with are wonderful, hard working people who make me feel special just by being in my life. We certainly didn't get that feeling at the Star Cafe in Elko, Nevada. Our dining mates recommended a different Basque restaurant in another town for a truly awesome experience. Sight unseen, it has to provide better service than we received at the Star. Most definitely not worth four or five stars if you are looking for...