Pioneer Saloon — Restaurant in Enterprise

A Day at the Historic Pioneer Saloon

The Pioneer Saloon, a piece of Nevada history, stands tall in the small town of Goodsprings. Built in 1913 by George Fayle, a local businessman, it's one of the oldest bars in the state.

I first heard about it in the early 90s when I was a recent college graduate working my first job in New York City. I had started doing road trips around the Southwest. My boss, a well-traveled man, told me about this place, and I read about it in a couple of travel books (there was no Internet back then) and added it to my list of places to visit. Years passed, and I forgot about it. Then I moved to San Francisco, and a biker colleague told me about this place, saying it wasn't a spot for a "clean-cut" guy like me! Again, I hesitated and eventually forgot about it.

Another twenty-five years passed until two weeks ago when I visited my elderly parents in Las Vegas. For some reason, I remembered the place again, and after researching online to make sure it was safe to visit, I asked my parents if they were up for a short day trip to Goodsprings. I explained the history of the place but did not mention the saloon! They agreed, so we got on our way. Before I share our experience during our visit, let me tell you a bit more about the history of the place.

When George Fayle built the saloon, Goodsprings was a bustling mining town. People came from all over to try their luck, and the Pioneer Saloon was the place to be. Miners, cowboys, and gamblers would gather to drink, eat, and sometimes even settle a score. The saloon's wooden bar shipped all the way from Maine, has seen its fair share of stories.

Over the years, the Pioneer Saloon has weathered many storms. It's survived fires, floods, and the changing times. Today, it's a popular spot for tourists and locals alike. You can still feel the history in its walls, from the old photos to the bullet holes left behind from a long-ago fight.

The Pioneer Saloon is more than just a bar; it symbolizes the Old West. It's where you can step back in time and experience a piece of Nevada's rich history. For instance, the saloon has appeared in several movies and TV shows, adding to its fame. It's also said to be haunted, with many claiming to have seen the ghosts of miners who died in the area.

When we got there, a band was ready to start playing, and the place was filled with young and old visitors, many of whom, judging from their languages, were European tourists. We sat at a table, facing a wall adorned with old newspaper clippings and photographs from the days in 1942 when Clark Gable's wife, actress Carole Lombard, tragically lost her life in a plane crash near Mount Potosi. During this heartbreaking time, Gable sought refuge at the Pioneer Saloon, anxiously waiting for news about his beloved wife. The saloon's historic bar has witnessed Gable's grief. Everywhere else we looked, there were old pictures of the place and interesting facts about its history. We had a beer and shared an order of their delicious Potato Skins. The staff seemed a bit overwhelmed by the number of visitors, but they were all attentive and did their best. I walked to the bar to pick up another round of beer and see the famous bar for myself. The bartender was cool and fast to deliver. The band started playing, and even though I liked the music, my parents were getting bored and tired, so we headed back to Las Vegas. But I was very happy to have finally visited the saloon and crossed it off...

Incredible time at the Pioneer Saloon! My husband and I just tied the knot here last weekend and I could not have asked for a more amazing venue and staff. They were BEYOND exceptional! They offer different tiered wedding packages for more than reasonable prices and we were even able to add on more things to our package including more of the delicious bbq meats for our dinner and additional appetizers. The entrees totally killed with the guests, everyone was blown away with how tender and flavorful the bbq was and the sides complimented them perfectly. The banana pudding for dessert was a huge hit with the crowd and I think just about everyone went back for seconds. They had the ceremony area especially set up so beautifully, I was blown away when I first saw it as I walked down the aisle. Every tiny detail made my day feel like I was absolutely meant to have my wedding here. Even when the weather took a turn and it became cold and windy the entire staff jumped into action! They secured all the table runners down and found ways to keep the flower centerpieces in place and so so much more! The owner Stephanie was there front and center making sure everything was perfect for our special day (several guests told me how impressed they were with her working so hard to ensure a perfect venue and experience was given to us that day). The other owner and husband to Stephanie was Old Man Liver himself, Stephen, who was the one to actually marry us right there at Pioneer. He did a great job getting a few laughs from the crowd and some joyful tears as well. Such an amazing couple and owners they are! Tyler was our own private bartender for our event and he was a total hit with the guests. He has a bright and bubbly personality which made him easy and fun to approach as he kept the drinks flowing all night! My young niece and nephew were also both big fans of his as they kept getting bar limes from him lol. All in all I would give Pioneer Saloon a 100/10. For the staff doing an incredible job start to finish and saving the day by overly accommodating when the weather took a turn, for the owners Stephen and Stephanie being such kind and genuine souls and providing the perfect place to have a dream historic saloon wedding, for the rich and intriguing history of Nevadas second oldest bar and holding so many stories of the past, Pioneer Saloon we thank you for everything! And come Hell or high water you’ll find us at the Pioneer for every wedding anniversary! Cheers!...

Looking for somewhere unique to eat at, perhaps even a good ol' drive that is away from all that glimmer and light? Look no further because Pioneer Saloon hits all the right chords and even some more if you're also into some historical facts and spooky stories. Its not quite a drive once you've been here once, but it will seem like it on your first visit here. I've been a huge fan of this place when I first moved out here to Vegas and was invited out for a ride to this bar for some good eating and drinking. There is plenty of parking out front and in the back but keep in mind that your vehicle will pick up some dust since obviously its out in the middle of no where. You can literally see and smell the grill working hard and it smells delicious! Everyone here is very friendly and they work very well to run this well oiled machine. They have a full bar inside as well as a side bar at times whenever they host events. I normally dine out in the back patio where there is plenty of picnic tables and I do recommend sitting out back since thats where the real feel of the ambience and all ties in the whole experience. Their menu consists of unique burgers and sandwiches with the right side fixings to give you that good ol' western feel and tbh, there really isn't anything on the menu that you wouldn't want to try. On my recent visit last night, I ordered The Handyman and my gf ordered their Ghost Burger...Both were bursting with flavors and cooked perfectly! Im a sucker for potato salad so that's what I got as my side as well as my gf, but she ended up receiving a bag of potato chips when the order was dropped off but I swapped with her so my lady could be happy lol. To wash it down, she got a spicy bloody mary and I got a jameson/ginger. We were both very happy and wanted to stay longer but we had work the following day so we sadly had to end our awesome experience on a high note.

Overall, its a great place to bring the family or even a date night. It gets busy during the daytime since its a hot spot for riders but during the evening it is pretty relaxed and worth unwinding the day away. So give this place a shot, youll be pleasantly surprised how cool this establishment is. Great photo ops and great food, what are you...