RENO HISTORIC BARS & RESTAURANTS

RENO HISTORIC BARS, PUBS, RESTAURANTS & CAFES - AND GREATER NEVADA

RENO/SPARKS/ GENOA/ GARDNERVILLE
Casale's Half-Way Club, 2501 East 4th St., Reno, NV. 775-323-3979 since 1937 T T T T T	Talk about a hidden gem (and I'm not using the term hidden loosely)!!! I literally drove by this place five times before I got the courage to go in (just because some other areas on 4th St. are pretty questionable and strangely no one had ever mentioned this place to me). But I could not resist the "since 1937" painted on the building. I noticed some nice cars in the lot and the "children welcome" sign, so wimpy old me went in. Once you walk through the doors the wonderful character of this place becomes immediately evident. A great old bar with writing all over the walls (apparently you used to be able to put your name on the wall if you drank five Jägermeisters - they have given up on that for obvious reasons). The other side is a family Italian restaurant. The very friendly and knowledgeable local, "Eddie Spaghetti" , was soon giving me the great history of this place (which apparently was the first to bring Pizza to Reno in 1937 in the fashion Patsy D'Amore did for Los Angeles in 1939). The friendly bartender reminded me of a cross between Karen Carpenter and Carrie Fisher. It's the Half-Way Club because it was once Half-Way between Reno and Sparks sitting out in empty pastures in the 1930's. The outside may look funky, but inside it's a very nice family restaurant. Apparently, just about every governor of Nevada has eaten here. This may well be the oldest restaurant in Reno or maybe even Nevada, especially if you factor in the criteria that it is still owned by the Casale family that first opened it in the same location with continuous operation (I don't have all the facts, but based on what I know at least - it's the oldest I know of). In my humble Bohemian opinion this may well be also the BEST restaurant in Nevada. They make their Ravioli (including the dough) from scratch, as well as meatballs and other scrumptious Italian food. You know an Italian place is great when they refer to the sauce as "gravy". The owner was nice enough to sit down and talk with me - a wonderful Italian lady (who apparently rules the kitchen with an iron fist!). This place is truly one of the most historic and truly authentic Reno restaurants. It will be my hangout anytime I'm in Reno! An American treasure! Why have generic food in a chain restaurant when you can eat just as if you had an Italian born grandmother.
(Galletti's) Coney Island Bar, 2644 Prater Way Sparks, NV 89431 775 358-6485 since 1945 T T T	Another great find on 4th St. that is cherished by locals for its great Reno history. I had a nice chat on Reno history with one of the founder's sons. Very nice old back bar and amiable bartender as well. This place was named for an amusement park that was once across the street. I hear they have great lunches and a traditional Wednesday night dinner here, but my schedule did not yet permit me to partake in these festivities. It seems like most of Reno's authentic living history survives on 4th St. If you want to know the true Reno, start here, check out Louis' Basque Corner, the Santa Fe Hotel and end up at Casale's Half-Way House. You can't go wrong!
Liberty Belle Saloon and Restaurant, 4250 S. Virginia St. Reno, NV (775) 825-1776	While the restaurant dates from 1958, the real star here is their ancient wooden bar (a 1904 Brunswick "Del Monte" back bar for those of you who are experts), transferred from an old saloon elsewhere in Reno. Quite similar to the wonderful bars found in Virginia City (one of the best time machine cities around - despite the tourist trappings). This is one of the oldest restaurants in town and beloved by locals. UPDATE: In typical callous fashion, Nevada let this treasure slip away. It closed. The State of Nevada should have stepped in and purchased it for a very fair price and converted the place into a living museum, while still running it as a restaurant. Well, one can dream, no?
Louis' Basque Corner, 301 E. 4th St. Reno, NV (775) 323-7203 since 1967 T T The food I'll give five out of five stars (if I had such a rating system!)	One of the nicest places to eat in Reno (and one of the few true local landmarks). Don't go here unless you're hungry and friendly! For 22 dollars or so you get what seemed like a ten course meal served family style on multi-family long tables. Inevitably you get to know the other people seated with you. Basque food (at least here) was not too exotic - quite similar to good old American comfort food. If you hate restaurant chains and generic chain food (which predominates in Reno), this is the place to go (unless you're a vegetarian). My last trip here I ate with a really nice group of people, including someone from one of the founding Basque families of the area. Obviously, this is a great place to eat if you're by yourself in this town - or if your with your family. I did not partake of the Picon Punch, but I'm told after one you'll think you are Basque, even if you are not.
(Overland Hotel) Bar & Basque Restaurant, 1451 N. Main Street, Gardnerville, Nevada 775-782-2138 (for some reason the internet lists two addresses for this place - also 691 S. Main - in any event - you can't miss it in tiny Gardnerville). T T T	Creative restaurant names are usually a good indication that a restaurant is not a time machine. In the good old days, names like Sam's Grill were good enough! Hence the "Basque Restaurant" was a good name for me to check out. This is one of the oldest Basque restaurants in the area. Reno/Sparks/Carson City/Gardnerville have a large Basque population based on the influx of Basque sheep herders from the early days of this area. The bar here looks quite old (couldn't get a date out of the Bar tender). The food in the restaurant was superb, with the typical massive portions and infinite courses of the area Basque restaurants. The only downside were with the smaller tables here - I had to eat alone (get out the violins!).
The Peppermill Casino, Virginia St., Reno, NV	This casino is worth a visit to see what is undoubtedly the most colorful neon interior in the world. It's like a scene out of the Felini movie "Fred and Ginger". The Peppermill lounge, both in Las Vegas on the Strip and in the Reno casino is straight out of the 1960's TV show "Love American Style", with a fire and water fountain and the ultimate in swank design. This place may not appeal to the Beverly Hills crowd, but I enjoy the explosion of colors. True working class elegance. There's pretty good American comfort food in the coffee shop as well.
Santa Fe Hotel Basque Restaurant, 235 N. Lake Street Reno NV 89501 (775) 323-1891 T T T T T	Another one of the great Basque Restaurants in the Reno area. It was once a hotel where Basque immigrants would first arrive in a fashion similar to the Overland Hotel in Gardnerville. I didn't get a chance to eat here, but everyone tells me it has the same great cuisine as the other Basque places I mention. What makes this place unique is the totally pristine 1940's bar inside and the classic neon outside. The owners have brilliantly not only not changed a thing in this place since it opened, but they also did not clutter it up with knick knacks! Sure wish every owner had the same good sense. The bar area would make an absolutely perfect locale for a 1940's period movie. It's just as nice as the Musso and Frank's bar in Hollywood, but slightly plainer and perhaps a tad more authentic. Another Reno treasure. This may be the best preserved bar I've ever seen (or at least tie with House of Shield's in San Francisco). I could have sworn I saw Edward Hopper sulking in the corner over a Picon Punch.
Trader Dick's Restaurant and Aquarium Bar 1100 Nugget Ave, Sparks, NV 89431 775 356 3300 T T T	This is not in its original location, but it is one of the original Tiki Restaurants and it has retained much of its charm in the new location. A beautiful interior with much indirect lighting, plenty of Tiki's and a giant aquarium bar. One of the great features of this restaurant is that you still get to keep the Tiki mug when you order certain tropical drinks. The food is good and in the moderate range of prices if you order carefully. Very relaxing and usually has a good band for dancing. Located in John Ascuaga's Nugget, a nice place to stay if you do not mind casinos. Sparks, if you did not know, is a city that merges into Reno.
WEST AND NORTHWEST NEVADA	I haven't been to Central and East Nevada Yet. Hold yer horses before you complain!
BEATTY, NEVADA
The Beatty Club, Main St. (Rt. 95), Beatty, NV	I think most people who like my site are fans of the odd, the eccentric, the strange and unusual. If you are someone who falls into that group, you will certainly love the Beatty Club, which may be the strangest place I've ever walked into. Right out of a Quentin Tarantino/Richard Rodriguez movie. I'm not really going to try to describe it. I'll leave it up to you. The owner is a very nice and intelligent individual, who is good for pleasant conversation. Stop in for an ice cream on a hot summer day. The Sourdough Saloon next door, I would describe more as a bar for locals. It did not have an old saloon back bar. The Historic Exchange Club across the street that has (had?) a nice saloon back bar, appears to now be a hardware store (I'm not really sure, however).
GENOA, NEVADA
Genoa Bar, Main St. Genoa, NV since 1853 T T T T T	This place is in pristine shape, straight out of an old Western. This is the first time I've seen a bar counter so old, it is basically worn off down to the raw wood. Mark Twain downed a few here. Raquel Welch donated a bra to the bar. "Nevada's Oldest Thirst Parlor". Well worth the trip out to Genoa - Nevada's first settlement. This is a true saloon with a lot of friendly locals and a few tourists to boot. Come yonder and sit a spell.
GOLDFIELD, NEVADA	Here are some miscellaneous pictures of Goldfield, NV and below are blurbs on two great saloons. It's hard to believe any state can rival Nevada for Saloons - well - Texas I guess!. My definition of a saloon is any place that has an original old back bar (usually Brunswick).
The Mozart Club Saloon, Columbia Ave & Highway 95, Goldfield, NV 89013 (775) 485-3219 T T T T	One of two great authentic Western saloons in this very authentic old Western gold mining town. Knowing how tired the bartender was of hearing the same damn questions all day long from tourists - I didn't ask anything about the place. It is for sale for around $250,000 which includes its beautiful back bar. Quite a deal in my estimation. Would be a lot of fun for a creative person to run this place. Very well preserved. Had a nice ham sandwich here to boot. Goldfield is as authentic as it gets. It's almost like being on the movie set of a Western.
Santa Fe Saloon & Motel, 925 N Fifth Ave, Goldfield, Nevada (775) 485-3431 since 1905 T T T T T	Built in 1905 and possibly the oldest continuously operating bar in Nevada (don't know what the Genoa bar would say about that), this place is a tremendous blast from the past. Very well preserved. Good stop off driving between Reno and Las Vegas. Goldfield, once a boom town, with large stone buildings from early in the 1900s, has now retreated into being a quiet very small Nevada desert town. If you stop in at the Santa Fe Club, you have to promise not to ask the bartender what the population of the town is, why she would want to live in Goldfield and other questions about the city. She gets these questions about 100 times a day, and believe me - it gets real old!
Goldfield Pictures - Some miscellaneous pictures of this very picturesque town. The old West lives on!	Goldfield may not be everyone's cup of tea and I'm sure the residents here could not care less!

VIRGINIA CITY, NV
Pictures of Virginia City and its Saloons	Virginia City has to have the greatest collection of Saloons in the world (is there any place in Texas close to it?). Given the remote location of this place, it survived almost perfectly preserved from it's old Western mining days. You can almost hear the Bonanza theme as you walk the wooden sidewalks. Sure it's gotten plenty touristy. Everyone needs to make a living. Fortunately, many of the saloon back bars survived, although in virtually every place they are disrespected by a clutter of signs and knick knacks. Doesn't anyone realize these should be one of the main stars of Virginia City. Even one saloon taken over by a historical enterprise has totally covered over the bar in knick knacks. I guess it's part of our attention deficit culture that everyone needs massive stimulation of the senses. What can you do? I did my best to photograph most of the saloons (I was getting mighty sick of O'Doul's by the end of my stay!!!). I'm sure I missed one or two. I am also offering up a few miscellaneous pictures of this great place as well. It would be ridiculous to visit Reno without taking a trip out here as well. It was hard for low tech me to keep track of the pictures and names of the places, so if I got some wrong - please let me know and it will be corrected. Some pictures won't be identified.
GREATER NEVADA	For lack of a better term!
RESTAURANT, Glendale, Nevada T T	Don't know much about this place, but you've got to love a restaurant with no name. It's about the only thing going in Glendale (which may be Nevada's smallest city). Nice stop off between Las Vegas and Mesquite, NV or St. George, UT.