We stopped by the bakery to have an afternoon ice cream sundae. We had several different flavors…read morebetween us and all were very good. The young man working at the bakery was very attentive and took great care of us.

Pretty disappointed considering the reviews. We had an Italian and it was just a notch above…read morefrozen pizza. Lack of ingredients - crust just ok. Considering the isolated location perhaps expected but this was a miss for us....

Unless there is another restaurant hidden in the dessert somewhere, this is the only place within…read moreat least 25-30 miles of civilization. And, fortunately, it's pretty good! My father and I stayed for a few days at the Terlingua Ranch Lodge (a separate review), and the restaurant was just steps away from our cabin. We ate three dinners and a breakfast here with wonderful, friendly service in a quaint atmosphere. Breakfast: Dad and I had the "Texas size" pancake. It was more "Oklahoma size," despite that the manager said it would fill the plate (see photo). Still, it was a marvelous pancake, served with whipped butter and a small (2 TB) container of real maple syrup. Dad and I each needed one more container of syrup, which would have cost 75 cents, had the manager remembered to charge us. (He mentioned that after we already paid.) I totally recommend this pancake. Dinner: The Frito Pie here is wonderful. They use a ton of Fritos, which isn't really necessary, but this was still one of the best Frito pies I've experienced. -- The burger here is also a standout. I wasn't impressed with the fries, as they weren't really crispy and had very little flavor. -- Finally, the chicken fried steak was as tough as leather. I took two bites of it, along with a couple bites of corn and potatoes and pushed it to the side to finish my beer. The server offered to take it off the bill, but I felt guilty and declined. (He gave me an employee discount instead.) Bottom line: The manager here, at the time of my visit, had been in the position for about two months. He let me know that he's switching ingredients to include tallow (instead of seed oils), real maple syrup (opposed to syrup containing high fructose syrup) and other stuff that includes avocado oils instead of cottonseed/canola. I applaud him for those efforts., and I would eat here again in a heartbeat.

Had a nice dinner here our first night with 5 star great service. Sure, you are a captive audience…read moreif you find yourself out in this area with limited choices BUT this joint has friendly and attentive service also no with a solid menu. My husband loved his steak which was cooked perfectly and my burger was tasty. The fries were delish, they cut them fresh . Pup friendly seating in the enclosed porch! Second night dining was okay, the gal was not as good as the seasonal guy from the night before and our food was a bit more "average" ... Frito Pie appetizer, salad w/chicken and chicken fried chicken.

If you find yourself in the Terlingua Ghost Town, a meal at the Starlight Theater is an absolute…read morenon-negotiable. It is easily the heartbeat of the area, offering a dining experience that perfectly captures the eclectic, rugged, and friendly spirit of West Texas. Be prepared this place is popular for a reason. Wait times can easily reach the two-hour mark, but don't let that deter you. The trick is to put your name in first, then immediately pivot to "vacation mode." Grab a drink and an appetizer from the bar and head outside. The porch and the surrounding area become a lively social hub where locals and tourists mix seamlessly. The atmosphere is what truly sets Starlight apart. While we were waiting for our table, a couple of locals claimed the large bench right outside and broke into a spontaneous, spirited rendition of The Jungle Book theme songs! It was pure magic. My kids were completely enthralled by the performance, which turned a long wait into one of the highlights of our trip. It gave my husband and me the perfect window to relax with our drinks and soak in the desert air. The food lived up to the hype of the setting: Smoked Brisket Queso: This is an absolute must-order. It's rich, smoky, and the perfect fuel for a Ghost Town evening. Prickly Pear Margarita: Vibrant, delicious, and refreshing it's the quintessential West Texas cocktail. The Main Course: We ordered a variety of kid-friendly items and the Brisket Tacos. While everything we ate was delicious, be aware that their famous Texas Mesquite Smoked Brisket is in high demand they had unfortunately run out by the time we were seated, so get there early if that's your primary goal! The Starlight Theater isn't just a restaurant; it's an event. Between the incredible live local interactions, the "only-in-Terlingua" scenery, and the solid food and drink, it is a 5-star experience. Just remember: arrive early, bring your patience, and keep an ear out for the music!

Would recommend. We went in the off season, so it was nice…read moreto be able to chill and take our time without feeling rushed to give up the table. In the in seasonal peak times, our waiter informed us there could be up to 200 people lining up out the door. While the food was good with great service, I think I'd be disappointed. It was great to be able to check off antelope from the bucket list of exotic fare. The food was good and represented the area well, but I wouldn't rave about it. Fir beer and soda, there is only canned and bottled as their soda fountain was broken along with the draft system- which has been for years now. Now on the other hand, the 3 margaritas we had were outstanding! There is a ramp along with stairs to enter. For the not-so-nice... there is a shared outdoor restroom with a toilet, urinal snd sink attached to the old jail cell. The urinal was so close to the toilet, that when getting up, it felt like you were shoving your head inside. And it reeked of old nasty urine. My suggestion, hold it.

Reviewing my takeout experience as the wait for a seat was forever long. Even the takeout order…read moreline was long, but these are to be expected for being the only restaurant in the national park. I ordered the burger and fries, which came out to $16. The burger patty was dry and chewy. They were out of ketchup or any other condiment, so the dry burger had to be paired with stale, cold fries. Again, being the only option in the park, they can get away with anything short of poison. We had to go with this option as we were on a schedule, but I would recommend just bringing your own food to the park. Servers were friendly, however. The restaurant seemed nice on the inside. The floor to ceiling windows allow great views while dining. Hopefully they serve you better food when dining in. Again, I would only order from here if I had no other options.

Lots to consider here. First, it's Government owned and manned by a company that was probably the…read morelowest bidder aka Aramark. View considered because you're sitting in an ancient caldera. You have to factor in your "insert your entree here" literally was trucked 250 miles for you to eat it. With all that said I can tell you I ate the Black Jack Burger. Menu describes it coming with cheddar and bacon jalapeno jam. Truth is it looked like grey goo and that's a generous explanation. Buddy had the Alligator Po' Boy and yes he is still alive and well a few weeks after. Service was fine; drinks were refilled. I guess the one thing that pissed me off was the ENTIRE lunch and dinner menu was available togo but not for dine in. Makes zero sense; except I think it spared me from trying mediocre Butternut Squash Ravioli, Venison, and Trout. Burger is the safest option here.

I'm not sure what I was expecting from a place in a ghost town, but La Keva absolutely blew me…read moreaway. We stopped in after a long day at Big Bend, and it ended up being one of the highlights of our whole trip. Let's start with the beef nachos. I've had a lot of nachos in my life, but these are on another level. The beef was incredibly flavorful--seasoned perfectly and piled on generously. Each chip was individually loaded instead of just dumping toppings on top, so every single bite had that perfect balance of crispy chip, melty cheese, tender beef, and fresh toppings. Do not skip these. I'm still thinking about them days later. For my main, I went with the shredded beef sandwich, and wow. The beef was so tender it practically fell apart, slow-cooked to perfection and piled high on what I think was a fresh-baked bun. It came with these seasoned fries that were crispy and well-salted. My partner got the enchiladas (also great), but honestly I couldn't stop stealing bites of my own sandwich. The view from the patio is ridiculous--you're looking straight at the Chisos Mountains while eating some of the best food in West Texas. The cocktail menu is legit too; the mezcal margarita paired perfectly with everything. Service was friendly and laid-back, exactly the vibe you want in Terlingua. A heads-up: it gets busy around sunset, so either show up early or be prepared to wait a bit. Totally worth it though. If you're in the Big Bend area, do yourself a favor and eat here. Get the beef nachos. Get the shredded beef sandwich. Thank me later.

I wouldn't waste your time coming here. Staff was rude and food is bad. Margarita was awful and…read morejust tasted like straight up lime juice. Nothing was special about the side salad - Lacked dressing. Pizza had like one pepperoni on it per slice. Wasn't worth spending $80 here. Beef sandwich also wasn't anything special.

AMAZING food! Great find for anyone in the Big Bend area staying in Terlingua/Study Butteread more

It takes a special place to convince me to love a food I've avoided for years, and this is that…read moreplace. We were in the area for a trail run, a 55k to be exact, and so was everyone else. Whether they ran a 10, 20, 35, 55 or 100k, the hundreds of runners finished with the same goal, to find food and replenishment (and for many a rewarding dinner). My husband and I found ourselves here after walking a few miles and passing three other spots packed with company. Alongside a lone ice cream truck (more on that coming soon), Dead Hungry was oddly quiet. I'm so glad we gave them a try because truly struck gold with this find. After a brief scan of the menu, I found myself craving something light, so (after consulting Yelp) I went for the butternut squash soup. Butternut squash is one of those dishes I'd "sacrifice" to try anything, and I mean anything else on the menu, but perfectly seasoned with fragrant, light spice, and topped with toasted pumpkin seeds, this was the perfect pairing to a cold desert evening. I would never have imagined I'd find delightful borscht, classic Peruvian dishes, pork butt and incredible butternut squash soup in Ghost Town west Texas, but here we are! At first I was tempted to keep this gem to myself, that is until I realized that these folks deserve all of the praise! If you're traveling to Big Bend, joining a group for a desert run, mountain biking or otherwise find yourself anywhere near this part of West Texas you have to give them a try, just remember to check their daily menu first!

The food is ridiculously good, the service is unbelievably rude. Ambience is a little weird, very…read morehomey. But I'd definitely come back because these are the best flautas I have ever had.

The Mexican Plate was delicious. Freshly prepared and very flavorful. The chile relleno (stuffed…read morepepper) in the dish was one of the best I've ever had with a nice spice. Food came out in about 15 minutes. I would pass on the Horchata, it's alright. Restaurant ambiance was nice and the hostess/server was very friendly even with me coming in an hour before closing. She provided fast service and good recommendations. Would come back and recommend others to give this place a try.

Great mom and pop restaurant. Locally popular. Great for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Sometimes…read morehas entertainment. Always friendly and laid back.

Stopped for dinner on our way to Big Bend. We arrived after 8:00pm and there were a few groups…read moreeating. The server greeted us immediately and took our drink order. The beer selection was limited. We ordered enchiladas with Christmas tree sauce. The red and green sauce were both very good. The veggie enchiladas were loaded with veggies. The meat enchiladas were good however they weren't that hot temperature wise. The rice and beans were okay. Server was friendly and we enjoyed our meal!