Nevada Dinner House Consistent with Similar Eateries in Elko, Nevada

The Nevada Dinner House is one of four Basque dinner houses in Elko, Nevada. Owned by Mike and Anita Franzoia (the mayor and his wife), the establishment serves Basque and Italian food.

Located at 351 Silver Street (behind the Stockmen's Hotel and a few doors down from rival Star Hotel), the Dinner House is just that. It is open for dinner with a fairly extensive menu including Italian items like chicken Marsala and lasagna to more Basque items like lamb, pork chops and steak. The prices are on the high side, just as they are at other Basque restaurants in town, with about $15 for a barely respectable sized portion of lasagna. Prices for higher items like steak are more consistent with other places. Again, because it's served family style, dinner items come with soup, salad, bread, French fries, veggies and spaghetti.

The Nevada Dinner House is yet another restaurant that seems to feel the need to serve spaghetti with its dinners. At least spaghetti fits in with the Italian side of the restaurant. Other places that are almost Basque-specific serve it with little to no reason other than it's a quick side item to scoop out of a can. They do, however, make a great attempt at making it taste good, but you'll still often hear locals request "no spaghetti" with their dinners.

The ambience of the Dinner House is more refined than the more raucous Star Hotel and diner-like Bil-to-ki and Toki-Ona restaurants. It has a fireplace and the bar has more of a cocktail lounge feel. The wait staff in more experienced than the waitresses at Star Hotel who seem to be just barely out of their teens. But, like the Star Hotel, it can get busy, particularly on a Friday or Saturday night.

Unfortunately, it could take literally forever to get a drink refill. For some reason, they don't seem to take forever to give you the check. Interesting ... But considering most people don't eat here on a routine basis, it has become one of those "once in awhile" places to dine fairly well and at a moderately expensive price.

In the end the food and quiet atmosphere are what make dining at the Dinner House worthwhile, but it makes me wonder if they wouldn't make more money also serving lunch at the restaurant. Also, their parking lot is limited, leaving the only other parking out on the street. Considering the number of other businesses and the casino right across the street, this can make parking pretty scarce.