The Dining Car

We are new to Reno so we thought we would stop and check out the locals casino in south Reno near our home. We went to the coffee shop to have lunch. The food was cooked perfect. Real mashed potatoes, not instant. The waitress was very attentive. They asked me four times if I wanted a refill on coffee… that never happens. And the prices on the menu was about 25% less then a typical coffee shop then I got another 10% senior discount! The best thing, on the way out I won $ 145 and my wife won $ 154 on the penny slots in about ten minutes. We found our new Reno coffee shop.

I usually frequent the Dining Car for breakfast but we’ve been here for lunch once or twice. We usually stop in about once a month (and yes, I’m terrible about checking in). Sometimes it’s just me and the boyfriend, sometimes there will be a large group of us early in the morning before a ride, and other times we will meet the guys from the base here for lunch. We have never been disappointed by anything at the Dining Car and they are always okay with substitutions or even last minute guests that might show up. They have a fantastic military discount too with your ID (50% off) if you’re active, and I think it’s 10% for veteran’s.
The breakfast portions are large without being so big that you have to be rolled out of the restaurant. I usually order the Tamarack Country Scramble and I substitute the hash browns for fruit, because I just can’t eat that much. Their gravy is hands down delicious and the scramble comes with one biscuit and gravy. Jason will usually order an extra cup of gravy to pour over whatever he’s having. It’s that good! The lunch portions will not disappoint either for the price and they have a variety of sandwiches, burgers and salads to choose from. Plus, you can order breakfast whenever you like. The service is good and our servers have always been friendly. We’ve never had an issue here no matter the size of our group, if it’s a holiday weekend, or if there’s a special event going on.

Good breakfast and good service. Wide selection on menu and they will accommodate any order

Came here around 7 o’clock. Seemed that there was only 1 or 2 waitresses working which seemed strange for how busy, but our server Vicki was a treat – very personable and accommodating. There was a bit of confusion getting drinks from the bar to the restaurant but the staff were kind enough to take them off the bill due to the delay. Food was average, you get what you pay for. 5 stars for Vicki, 3.5 for food.

I’m not usually one to post a negative review but tonight was not a good experience. The manager took our drink and appetizer order. We didn’t even see our server until she showed up with it. We were ready to order but she walked away before we had a chance to say anything. My husband’s glass remained empty until he flagged another server down… The bus boys were more attentive than our server.

Good cheap food. You aren’t getting anything your not paying for for sure!

Waiters are old and grumpy. Get younger more happier people to work here. Waitress wont even say a word when i asked for sure or something she just goes grabs it sets it down.

While having dined here many times over the years, both the selection and quality of food has remained constant. Service tends to be on the good side too, never excellent and sometimes poor.
Tonight was not much different than in the past. Both Ron and I had the Chicken Marsala tonight. We both commented and almost at the same time the chicken was tough. Also the vegetable medley was over cooked, soggy, and very well buttered. Also the dinner rolls were stale.
Maybe we just hit it on a less than average night. Our waiter Aaron was attentive and friendly and even the manager stop by the table to check on us although we didn’t tell her how the overall experience was to that point, but looking back, probably should have.
I’ll also say one thing that really annoys me is when a server drops the check on the table before asking if you want dessert or a cup of coffee after diinner. Hello servers, dinner time is not the lunch rush crowd and you just lost your chance at getting a larger tip from your tables.
Don’t get me wrong, as I’ve mentioned the restaurant is generally good and I do recommend checking it out when you are in South Reno, just don’t expect a gourmet meal and exceptional service. Lunch or breakfast is probably much better.

Service was good. Food was ok. The whole experience was marred by the inability to escape the smoke. Suggest additional filters, or change them, add some horsepower to the suction fan… something. Breathing is an important part of eating and we didn’t get to do much of it.

Had dinner here on a Friday evening, not horribly crowded and we were seated immediately. Wait staff were friendly and efficient. As another Unilocaler mentioned the smoke from the casino can be annoying as the wife and I are non-​smokers.
I had the chicken fried steak dinner, she had the fried steak breakfast. Her eggs were cooked to order and the steaks were really good. Good, lean cuts of meat were used.
They have a decent beer selection too.
Overall a nice place to stop in and grab a bite that is away from all the hustle and bustle you get in the busy parts of town. Just be prepared for the overwhelming smell of cig smoke.

Decided to stop here for breakfast this morning. My wife and I ordered the same thing. The Brakeman’s Special. 2 eggs, breakfast meat, toast and hash browns. They allowed for a substitution for the hash browns, I got some cottage cheese and my wife got some fruit. The eggs were cooked to order. The meats are good quality and the price was very reasonable. This is a place I will be happy to go to any time in the future. The only downfall is that the restaurant is open to the casino floor. Smoke can drift over in to the restaurant. But the service was great.
We have been in the past but haven’t reviewed the lunch or dinner items. Maybe I will do those in the future.