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The Golden Light Cantina

4.3 (147 reviews)
Open • 11:00 am - 9:00 pm

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THE GOLDEN LIGHT CANTINA ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Casual
Good for groups
Good for kids

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Patty melt and a bowl of chili.

A hole in the wall local spot that is welcoming to regulars and first timers alike. You know it's a great spot when the server knows patrons by name. Fantastic burgers, great portions, excellent fries, and killer chili. Our server was awesome. She was friendly and attentive. Don't skip this place.

Flies on food
Elmira A.

Infested with flies; flies over your hamburger, your drinks, on the tables. Despite this issue which is a Texas health code for restaurants to keep flies away from food areas using screens or fly zappers no prevention was in place in that matter; table tops sticky and filthy; hamburgers average. French fries bad. Environment unsanitary and bathroom old and nasty. We don't recommend this place to friends. I go ot stomach ache and almost hot sick after eating food at this place. We went on Saturday, July 5th as a couple with our pet and our only option was to st at their outdoor patio. We chose this place because of good reviews on trip advisor and were very disappointed.

Cheeseburger
Ralph S.

We decided to visit this place for mom's birthday. It's a really nice place to grab a delicious burger along with a pile of home cut fries. The cantina is on the old Route 66. The entire area has a variety of restaurants and local shops. The Golden Light has some of the best burgers in town. I opted for the cheeseburger and share a large order of fries with my mom and brother. They both had a regular hamburger. The meat patty is a healthy 1/4 lb. The bun is toasted and it came with 2 slices of tomato along with the lettuce, onions, and pickles. I ordered the mustard on the side because I like to monitor the portion on my sandwich. The large fries is enough to feed at least 4 people. The small fries is enough for two people. I highly recommend this place for a great hamburger and fries.

History
April M.

Great burgers and fries everybody is helpful, attentive and nice. Come here every time we pass through Amarillo.

They serve CP!
Patrick W.

Best freakin' Burger in Amarillo plus the y have two locations! Trick! Comfortably located on famous route 66. Eat here now!

Menu
Kayla S.

Golden Light is a 6th street staple! If you want a homemade, greasy burger with the perfect in house made fries. This is your place! The service is amazing, just make sure that you plan for some extra time. There's a sign hung that says "we serve good food, not fast food. If you want fast food go to McDonald's" and honestly, it's so true. These burgers are worth the wait! The fries are amazing, but I tried them this time with chili and cheese and was not a fan. There was more chili and cheese than actual fries. Note to self for next time. We sat outside in the breeze, which was so nice! The inside is a bit small- def a dive sized place. But you won't be disappointed in the food. These are literally the best burgers in Amarillo!

Regular cheese burger, large fries. Cup of chili, cheap draft beer.
Crissy W.

First of the service was fast and super friendly! Burgers were amazing!! Wide variety and something for everyone. Lots of regulars come here. We were passing through on our way to NM. Buns are bakery fresh. I was hoping for green chili stew but it's out of season. So I had regular red chili. It was good spooned on to my burger and to dip fries in. Fries were so so, maybe cooked a little more crispy for me, but HUGE portion.

Mushroom Swiss life changing burger

Was told the burger at this joint "WAS LIFE CHANGING". Did not disappoint. Maybe it was the ambience or the old flat top behind the bar where this perfection of a burger was created. I chose the mushroom Swiss. Perfect blend of cheese and mushrooms on a great cooked burger with toasted bun. I know this review sounds cheesy but my mouth is watering right now thinking about that wonderful burger I consumed. It was so good that now local FT Worth burger places aren't the same for me. I will time my next trip thru Amarillo to be sure I can stop and enjoy another one of those "LIFE CHANGING BURGERS". Service was great also.

Avacado burger and small fry
Nikki N.

Eeekkk. Honest review. Its a cute location on Route 66. Parking is limited. I read reviews and love a good burger, so I came here. Its very small, no tables available on a Friday at 7pm so we sat at the bar. No biggie. Well, Texas Heat is NO JOKE. so sitting in front of the kitchen was extremely hot. The beers on tap are limited and we got semi cold bottled coronas. The food is fresh and delicious. The staff is like a well oiled machine/ family even. No complaints on any of that. Its historical location but please for us hot humans, someone please invest in them for a second location. The burger was amazing and fries, just homeade yumminess. I'll go back in fall/winter for sure!!!

Burger and fries

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10 months ago

10/10 no notes. Incredible burger. Wiiiicked good fries. Like fair fries. Can not wait to go back.

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4 years ago

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1 year ago

The food is great and it has a comfy little hole in the wall family vibe. The staff has been super friendly with great service.

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1 year ago

Great food, even better service!!!!!!!! Very cool place. The green Chile cheeseburger and homemade fries are killer !!!!

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1 year ago

Burger was good, but skip the fries. I think they were from 3 days ago. Small but LOUD place. There are much better choices.

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3 years ago

Excellent burger and fries!! Service great but waitress not so friendly! We like the concept will be back again!

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3 years ago

Amazing burgers, cold beer and great prices! Some of the best burgers in Amarillo! Highly recommend!

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2 years ago

In town on business and checked Yelp for a burger joint. Great burgers. Fast service at a reasonable price.

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Pondaseta Brewing Company

4.6
(101 reviews)
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They offer a wide variety of unique and.tasty brews. They…read morealso have a food truck onsite with speedy and delicious options. The Korean tacos were terrific and I look forward to trying other menu options soon!

Every Texas city needs a brewery as a space for adults to hang out in the evenings. Midland has…read moreTall City, Lubbock has Good Line and Two Docs, and Amarillo has Pondaseta. Located on the west side of Amarillo, Pondaseta's black brick building is sharp and modern for an older city like the Yellow City. Inside, there are two large spaces. One is where they brew all of their beers and it also functions as a space for music and guests. The main space is their taproom, where the back wall features a row of taps with all of their in house beers. There was a duo playing music in the other room, and there was a few other groups there. We played a very competitive game of Go Fish and really enjoyed the space there. For my first beer, I ordered the Mind The Gap, which was a bitter in an English pub style. I love a malty beer and it reminded me of some of my favorites. My girlfriend got a Pecan Porter that she really liked. It was dark and roasty. My next beer was their Tea Pilsner, which I never knew was a style of beer. This one was infused with hibiscus tea and I thought it was good. My girlfriend got their cherry lime seltzer. Not for me, but she enjoyed it. I will definitely be back the next time I am in Amarillo based on how great the drinks were. Thank you, Pondaseta. RIYL: Beers when you are in the northernmost city of Texas.

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Exterior
Exterior
Fish tacos!
Fish tacos!
Room and fun

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Coyote Bluff Cafe

Coyote Bluff Cafe

4.6
(662 reviews)
4.5 mi
•$$

If you are looking for white tablecloths, subtle lighting, or a quiet place to whisper sweet…read morenothings, keep driving past Coyote Bluff Cafe (often locally called the "Coyote Bluu" or simply "The Bluff") in Amarillo, Texas. But if your idea of culinary heaven involves a grease-stained paper liner, an old-school Texas roadhouse vibe, and a burger that requires structural support, you have arrived at the right place. Nestled just a few blocks off Interstate 40 in a historic, diminutive former dance hall moved wholesale from neighboring Claude, Texas, Coyote Bluff is tiny. With only about 12 tables packed into its 1,000 square feet, the atmosphere is alive with a loud, friendly hum, a dirt parking lot, and a vintage bathtub floating full of ice and cold beer bottles. The place is amazing!!!! The unique steaming process is really amazing. You have to try the chili cheese fries to go with it. The menu keeps its focus tight, centering around half-pound patties of lean Texas ground beef cooked to order. While traditional options like the Hickory Burger and the Green Chili Cheese Burger are stellar, the undisputed heavyweight titleholder here is the legendary Burger from Hell. I had to try it, my wife opted for the Chicken Fried Steak. Many approach the "Hell Burger" with great trepidation, expecting it to be more of a gimmick built strictly on painful, mouth-numbing heat. Instead, it offers a beautifully layered flavor profile. The beef patty with Tabasco and their proprietary "Coyote Hell Sauce," then smothers it in gooey melted cheese, grilled onions, and fresh, vibrant sautéed jalapeños. It arrived on a toasted onion bun, it lands a solid 7 out of 10 on the heat scale. But rather than scorching your palate, it wraps it in a vinegary, spicy, deeply savory warmth. This place also serves up classic, heavy-hitting Texas roadhouse appetizers: Each of these are amazing sides and are worth of mentioning, First the Cheese Fries with Green Chiles, which I had with my burger and my wife had with her Chicken fried steak, it is served on a massive aluminum platter, these fresh-cut fries are heavily blanketed in melted cheese and mild green chiles. They are a mandatory companion to the burgers.  Other appetizers worth of note, are the Texas Red Chili & Green Chili Stew: The thick, hearty green chili stew is packed with meat and mild green peppers, offering a wonderful warming comfort, especially during cool Panhandle days.  and any of the Fried options ranging from baskets of battered fried pickles, garlic mushrooms, and stuffed jalapeños. Because everything is cooked to order and the dining room is incredibly compact, expect a wait during lunch rushes or weekends. However, that time spent waiting in the dirt lot among locals and passing road-trippers is part of the charm. Coyote Bluff Cafe doesn't try to be anything other than a spectacular, small-town Texas burger joint, and it executes that identity flawlessly. This is a MUST Stop in Texas

Looked this up for a great new place to eat on a drive through Amarillo. It did not disappoint…read more Small little place and you wait outside but it was breezy and only had a short wait. Once inside you notice the charm of it all. Dollar bills all over the walls, showing multiple satisfied customers. Two servers/ waitresses working their tails off. They were very polite and patient with all the patrons. Ordered the bacon cheese burgers. All I can say is you better have an appetite, they are half pound patties and piled high with the fixings. Excellent & satisfaction is all I can say. Also for the half & half- fries and onion rings. Hot and freshly made. This is definitely a place to try out. Interesting and the food was well worth the $. Kudos to the cooks!

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Ambiance is so fun!
Ambiance is so fun!
Coyote Bluff Cafe
Coyote Bluff Cafe

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Polly's Pub

Polly's Pub

4.3
(8 reviews)
1.0 mi

What a gem. Amazing music, decent cheap drinks, (honestly that's what you're looking for) pool…read moretables, darts, friendly service, great atmosphere. Great dive Update: Passed through Amarillo again and couldn't leave without stopping by Polly's. Got a T-Shirt this time around, specially delivered from the back store room. I had the pleasure of getting beat by a local pool legend, Chris, to the sound of Johnny Cash on the jukebox. Judy, the bartender brought out some of her own specialty cocktail concoctions on the house and they were delightful and sweet, just like her. This is my second time at Polly's and I can now attest to her consistency. I will never pass through Amarillo without stopping by Polly's.

Picture This: the year? 2018, however you've just walked through a clumsy wooden screen door and…read moreturned the corner into a perfectly lit cavern of cigarette smoke and cold beer priced in such a way that can only make you wonder "do they know it isn't 1974 anymore?" Polly's is a gem- actually, it's more than a gem- it's a time capsule. Come in, swing by the cigarette machine before you find your way to a creaky leather chair and let the years begin to wind backward. Drink after drink winding the hands of the clock further and further back while Don Henley drips through the old wall mounted speakers like sap from an old tree. Perhaps it's the warmth of a friendly bar tender, or the strange greeting of a local stranger- but suddenly Polly's is home. Dare I say it- you can check out any time you like, but you can never leave. Five effing stars.

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Classic welcoming pub sign, pointing you towards an unforgettable time.
Classic welcoming pub sign, pointing you towards an unforgettable time.
Polly's Pub
The cool kids table. The pool kids table.

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The cool kids table. The pool kids table.
Public House

Public House

4.1
(255 reviews)
3.7 mi
•$$$

The soup has been in my first visit. From the beginning, I was impressed. Our server Merrit was…read morefantastic. She gave the best customer service. She genuinely cared about our experience. My husband had the chicken chipotle pasta. It was actually a pleasant surprise as well. I stole a bite. One of our friends had the ribeye. It was served over some of the best risotto I've ever eaten in my life. The steak was perfect. The meal was rounded out with the crème brûlée of the day. It was espresso crème brûlée. I've never eaten a dessert so tasty. I will absolutely definitely without a doubt return. This has been such a wonderful first impression.

What does Amarillo have to offer in terms of upscale dining? I was visiting Amarillo for about a…read moreweek to spend time with my girlfriend and her family in her hometown, and I wanted to treat her to a nice dinner. She suggested a few places, but she heavily emphasized Public House as the restaurant to take her to. We had a reservation at 7:15 pm on a Friday and arrived just a few minutes early. They were very busy and we had to wait an additional 15 minutes to get seated. The waitstaff was super apologetic, but it was also college graduation night for some, so it was simply very busy. We were seated in their main dining room, though the reservation had options for their lounge and their bar as well. Our waitress came by with a carafe of water and gave us their drink menu. For starters, I ordered a Blue Bumble Bee and my girlfriend ordered the Harvest Martini. It was very fruity and herbal. Their cocktails ranged between $11 and $15. They also had an extensive draft list available on Untappd and plenty of wine options. As an appetizer, my girlfriend really wanted their Fried Cheese Curds, which she described as amazing. They were served with ranch and a raspberry habanero jelly that was very good. The fruity sweetness hits first, with the habanero flavor coming in on the back end and sneaking up on you. The curds themselves were excellent. They were perfect to share for two, but I think they would be unsatisfying for more than three. We both ordered a side Caesar salad made with their house Caesar dressing, parmesan chips, croutons, and parmesan cheese. You can always taste a fresh salad and this was proof of that. I liked it a lot and ate the entire thing. For our main entrees, my girlfriend ordered the Lamb Lollipop Chops. They are listed as an appetizer, but the four lamb chops were filling enough for her. I ordered the special of the day, a Beef Wellington served with seasonal vegetables of chopped sweet potatoes and asparagus. The Wellington also came with mashed potatoes. It was recommended medium rare, which is how I ordered it. I thought it was really delicious. I am still thinking about how doughy and flavorful it was, especially with the prosciutto. Our waitress mentioned they had sold out of it every night for the past few nights. Both the Lamb Chops and the Beef Wellington were market price. Everyone acts gangster until those MKT prices turn into $45 for an entrée. I am usually the one ordering something cheaper than my girlfriend so I can jokingly say she is expensive, but when her entrée was $29 and mine was $45, I could only clown myself. All of this still came in under $180 before tip, and there were plenty of more affordable options on the menu. Two standard entrees, two salads, an appetizer, and two drinks could easily keep your bill under $100 before tip, which makes Public House approachable for a nice night out. If you thought we were done, you would be surprised. For dessert, we debated between their crème brûlée special with strawberries and their Ooey Gooey Butter Cake. When we asked our waitress, she immediately recommended the Ooey Gooey Butter Cake with no hesitation, so that is what we ordered. I had never had one before and was impressed by its flavor. It was served with plenty of whipped cream and reminded me of fried cheesecake in terms of texture. Side note, my girlfriend told me the ooey gooey part of its name refers to the type of butter cake and is not just a silly name, so I will continue to refer to it by its full name out of respect. We also ordered dessert cocktails, with both of us choosing the Kevin McAllister, which was described as an adult apple juice. It was made with a house made caramel infused vodka that was excellent. It truly lived up to the description and paired well with the dessert. I would definitely return to Public House the next time I am back in Amarillo. It was a fantastic dinner to share with someone I love. The staff were attentive and on point, and once we were seated everything moved efficiently despite the short wait. As we walked out of the restaurant, I took a picture of my beautiful girlfriend in front of the Public House sign. A couple asked if we wanted our picture taken. I said, "No, I just wanted to admire her for a moment." After a good meal with the one you love, that is sometimes all you need. RIYL: treating that someone special to a good meal in Amarillo, Texas

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Public House
Public House
Public House

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The Golden Light Cantina - burgers - Updated July 2026

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