12 Gage Restaurant

One of the best dining experiences in Texas. Got a reservation months ago and definitely recommend getting a resy in advance (the weekend I went was the Marathon2Marathon event). Appetizers were yummy. Chicken fried steak was bigger than my face and the jalapeño gravy had a nice kick to it. Comes with a side of veggies and mashed potato underneath the fried steak. Would definitely come again. The patio and restaurant are just so beautiful.

Update: May 2024 This time we did make a reservation. Food and service were exceptional. I highly recommend the Squash steak. Never had anything like it. The risotto was the perfect compliment to this purely delicious meal. The food and service are exceptional. We were lucky to get in as we didn't make a reservation. We were just passing through after our day in Big Bend.

Good experience. Had our 21st anniversary dinner. We made a reservation and were seated as soon as we arrived at a table set for 2. We started with some house specialty drink and the oyster nachos were on point. We then received our sw cesar salad. We ordered more drinks. Then the filet and 44 NY strip were served. Melt in your mouth. Desert was the brownie. All good. We will be back

Ari Varona

Made reservations for dinner on Thanksgiving. The service staff was super friendly even on an especially busy night. We made the hour drive from Marfa since everything was closed and I would drive an hour back and forth to eat here again. Highly recommend the fried quail. The cocktails were nice and the ambiance was pleasant with some live music.

kristie smith

Great fine dining establishment in the middle of nowhere. It is attached to the Gage Hotel. I would suggest reservations in advance, as it is busier than you might think. We had the quail appetizer, which was crispy and juicy, with a great sauce. We had the filet and the NY strip. Both were cooked perfectly. Tres Leches for dessert, which was the perfect end to the meal.

cyndy mccrossen

It ain’t easy to run a great, fine dining establishment in a small town. It seems locals and visitors alike are ready to support this one. Make sure and get your weekend reservations! Well focused menu with each dish impeccably prepared and presented. Crisp, whole headed lettuces make the salads standout. Perfectly prepared fish special and rotisserie chicken. Hard working staff getting their hustle on! Well done, Chef!

Angela Saa

One of the best dining experiences in Texas. Got a reservation months ago and definitely recommend getting a resy in advance (the weekend I went was the Marathon2Marathon event). Appetizers were yummy. Chicken fried steak was bigger than my face and the jalapeño gravy had a nice kick to it. Comes with a side of veggies and mashed potato underneath the fried steak. Would definitely come again. The patio and restaurant are just so beautiful.

Tracy Bel

Update: May 2024 This time we did make a reservation. Food and service were exceptional. I highly recommend the Squash steak. Never had anything like it. The risotto was the perfect compliment to this purely delicious meal. The food and service are exceptional. We were lucky to get in as we didn't make a reservation. We were just passing through after our day in Big Bend.

A Farrell

Good experience. Had our 21st anniversary dinner. We made a reservation and were seated as soon as we arrived at a table set for 2. We started with some house specialty drink and the oyster nachos were on point. We then received our sw cesar salad. We ordered more drinks. Then the filet and 44 NY strip were served. Melt in your mouth. Desert was the brownie. All good. We will be back

Jeffrey Wilson

Great West Texas atmosphere. The entire wait staff was amazing! We both got the Tenderloin Filet, medium, and it was cooked to perfection. The eclectic selection of drinks were delicious, from the Texas Old Fashioned to the Cosmic Cowgirl.

Martin James

Great experience tonight, server Robert was very friendly and funny. Chicken fried steak was out of this world. Got a great passion fruit chocolate cake also, it was so so good.

Erica Guerrero

09/13/21 My sister and I came to stay at the Gage Hotel and made a reservation to eat dinner at the hotel restaurant. I enjoyed the house margarita which was great and the ribeye which I would rate a 10/10. My sister enjoyed the pork steak and we both rated it an 8/10. The service we had with Holly was excellent and the food was delicious. I definitely would come again.

Heather Michael Brumpton

Best meal I have had in Texas. Servers prompt and helpful. Salmon was THE best ever. Top marks for the Peruvian chef. I am a bread-aholic and the Focaccia was a refreshing change to the regular non bread.

Barbara Deane

Excellent service! Very helpful waiter. I started with the Texas cooler - a cocktail with cucumber vodka, lime juice and topo chico. The waiter also brought to the table some small rolls and corn muffins. We shared the New York Strip and added some mashed potatoes at the waiters suggestion. Everything was delicious! The steak was perfectly seasoned and cooked, with a nice crust. It was more than enough food for two. Add a nice bottle of wine and it’s a great dinner.

Nicholas Jenson

I had a terrific Valentine’s Day dinner here. I got the Prime NY Strip and I would most certainly get it again. It’s the biggest strip I’ve ever order and was cooked perfectly. Really appreciated 12 Gage bringing in live music. The young woman played during my entire dinner - no breaks - quite impressive. If you’re staying at the Gage Hotel, you must get a reservation here to round out your visit.

Excellent restaurant! Top tier food and service. Our waitress Tina was excellent - friendly, prompt, and available without ever interrupting. The foot was outstanding. The fried quail appetizer was delicious, definitely worth a try if you are there. Caesar salad was so fresh. Entrees were very good, and the date sponge (cake) for desert was as good as any desert I've ever had. I'll definitely return the next time I'm in Marathon!

Kelly Dowe

Excellent restaurant! Top tier food and service. Our waitress Tina was excellent - friendly, prompt, and available without ever interrupting. The foot was outstanding. The fried quail appetizer was delicious, definitely worth a try if you are there. Caesar salad was so fresh. Entrees were very good, and the date sponge (cake) for desert was as good as any desert I've ever had. I'll definitely return the next time I'm in Marathon!

Patrick Kennedy

Amazing food and really nice place to have a meal with a close friend or romantic date. Awesome west Texas food options, I had the Nalgai and would highly recommend the cocktails come from the buffalo bar and are really solid. The fried quail appetizer was also spot on. It’s definitely pricey but I think the quality of the food and uniqueness justifies the price. Server was extremely kind and helpful. Definitely get a reservation.

We had a lovely time at the 12 Gage Restaurant. Adrian is a wonderful server. The quail appetizer was good. Steak frites: also good. Rack of lamb was wonderful. I really enjoyed the Texas Old Fashioned and the “dessert” Carajillo. It was quiet and quite pleasant. Of course, it’s just a short walk from The Gage hotel (or any where in Marathon). Pretty sure we will be back.

Wandering Adventurer

We had a lovely time at the 12 Gage Restaurant. Adrian is a wonderful server. The quail appetizer was good. Steak frites: also good. Rack of lamb was wonderful. I really enjoyed the Texas Old Fashioned and the “dessert” Carajillo. It was quiet and quite pleasant. Of course, it’s just a short walk from The Gage hotel (or any where in Marathon). Pretty sure we will be back.

I wanted to share this thoughtfully and fairly. Last night I got food poisoning after dining at 12 Gage Restaurant. I ordered the chicken fried steak with mashed potatoes and green beans, along with two Texas Old Fashioneds. My wife had the chicken. The service itself was good, and the staff during dinner were kind and attentive. The harder part was how things were handled afterward. This trip was our anniversary, and getting sick overnight was a real disappointment. When I mentioned the situation to the hotel front desk the next morning while canceling our reservation for that evening, the response was essentially, “That’s terrible,” and nothing more. No follow-up, no acknowledgment, no attempt to make things right. I’m not writing this out of anger. Things happen. Food safety issues can occur even at good establishments. What mattered most to me was how it was handled afterward, and that part felt lacking. I genuinely hope management takes this seriously, reviews food safety practices, and empowers their team to respond with more care when guests have an experience like this, especially when it affects a special occasion. Wishing them all the best and hoping this helps prevent it from happening to someone else.

Clay Vaughan

I wanted to share this thoughtfully and fairly. Last night I got food poisoning after dining at 12 Gage Restaurant. I ordered the chicken fried steak with mashed potatoes and green beans, along with two Texas Old Fashioneds. My wife had the chicken. The service itself was good, and the staff during dinner were kind and attentive. The harder part was how things were handled afterward. This trip was our anniversary, and getting sick overnight was a real disappointment. When I mentioned the situation to the hotel front desk the next morning while canceling our reservation for that evening, the response was essentially, “That’s terrible,” and nothing more. No follow-up, no acknowledgment, no attempt to make things right. I’m not writing this out of anger. Things happen. Food safety issues can occur even at good establishments. What mattered most to me was how it was handled afterward, and that part felt lacking. I genuinely hope management takes this seriously, reviews food safety practices, and empowers their team to respond with more care when guests have an experience like this, especially when it affects a special occasion. Wishing them all the best and hoping this helps prevent it from happening to someone else.

Nice looking restaurant and food was average, but the service was a real disappointment. My wife and I ordered a filet special for 2, we asked if half of the steak could be cooked a bit more (simply slice the steak in half). Our waitress said “I am not even going to ask the chef because he will just yell at me”. So apparently what the chef wants is more important than what the customer wants. Then we were told many of the deserts were sold out so we asked if we could pre order some, which we did. This also didn’t matter because even though we pre ordered our deserts they were given away to someone else. At the end of the night we spent $500 for food that was ok, and service that was terrible.

Michael

Nice looking restaurant and food was average, but the service was a real disappointment. My wife and I ordered a filet special for 2, we asked if half of the steak could be cooked a bit more (simply slice the steak in half). Our waitress said “I am not even going to ask the chef because he will just yell at me”. So apparently what the chef wants is more important than what the customer wants. Then we were told many of the deserts were sold out so we asked if we could pre order some, which we did. This also didn’t matter because even though we pre ordered our deserts they were given away to someone else. At the end of the night we spent $500 for food that was ok, and service that was terrible.

Service was fantastic. We actually ended up eating in the bar area, but the menu we ordered from was for the 12 Gage Restaurant. I had 2 crab cakes that were mediocre at best. Actually, they were probably the worst crab cakes I ever had. My husband had the chicken fried steak. He was not pleased with it either. We split a salad. The food was extremely overpriced. For the two meals and 2 drinks we paid over $100.

Honest Review Wow — what a disappointment for a place often called the local “gem.” Or more accurately, the only gem in Marathon. Caesar Salad Odd right out of the gate: avocado on a Caesar. Served slightly room temp, nearly zero croutons, iceberg lettuce only, and mini tomatoes ringed around the edge. Unique, sure — but not in a good way. Dressing was fine, nothing memorable. Cocktails (Major Miss) My wife is very particular about margaritas. The night before, she had two at the White Buffalo Bar — both terrible and unfinished. Tonight, she spelled it out: • Patron or 1792 • Agave • Grand Marnier • Lime That’s it. Somehow… they still messed it up. Impressive in the wrong way. Mains • Two filets: solid cuts of meat — no complaints there • Fingerling potatoes: very crispy, very tasty — well done, kitchen Fish of the Day (Fail) Salmon. Except the server forgot to put the order in, then we waited 30+ minutes for it to come out. When it finally arrived, it looked like a frozen, resealed fillet from DG Market in Alpine, and it was overcooked to death. Kids’ Food Even the chicken tenders were bad. That’s usually the safest order anywhere — not here. Bottom Line For the reputation, pricing, and expectations — this was a letdown. • Some solid proteins • Potatoes were the highlight • Service mistakes • Weak cocktails • Inconsistent kitchen execution When you’re the only “nice” option in town, expectations go up. This didn’t come close to meeting them. Not a gem. Just the only option.

This place is so overrated. After being sat at our table it took at least 10 minutes before we even had a waitress come to our table. I got my cocktail probably 30 minutes after ordering it and it took over an hour to get our food. The Caesar salad was good but the croutons were not. The green beans, mashed potatoes and steak were all cold. The chicken fried steak was just average and the half chicken was dry. My son and wife loved the tres leches and crème brûlée. The service was extremely slow and not that friendly. And the prices for what you get are absolutely ridiculous.

Samuel Brooks

Honest Review Wow — what a disappointment for a place often called the local “gem.” Or more accurately, the only gem in Marathon. Caesar Salad Odd right out of the gate: avocado on a Caesar. Served slightly room temp, nearly zero croutons, iceberg lettuce only, and mini tomatoes ringed around the edge. Unique, sure — but not in a good way. Dressing was fine, nothing memorable. Cocktails (Major Miss) My wife is very particular about margaritas. The night before, she had two at the White Buffalo Bar — both terrible and unfinished. Tonight, she spelled it out: • Patron or 1792 • Agave • Grand Marnier • Lime That’s it. Somehow… they still messed it up. Impressive in the wrong way. Mains • Two filets: solid cuts of meat — no complaints there • Fingerling potatoes: very crispy, very tasty — well done, kitchen Fish of the Day (Fail) Salmon. Except the server forgot to put the order in, then we waited 30+ minutes for it to come out. When it finally arrived, it looked like a frozen, resealed fillet from DG Market in Alpine, and it was overcooked to death. Kids’ Food Even the chicken tenders were bad. That’s usually the safest order anywhere — not here. Bottom Line For the reputation, pricing, and expectations — this was a letdown. • Some solid proteins • Potatoes were the highlight • Service mistakes • Weak cocktails • Inconsistent kitchen execution When you’re the only “nice” option in town, expectations go up. This didn’t come close to meeting them. Not a gem. Just the only option.

Jedi Dad

This place is so overrated. After being sat at our table it took at least 10 minutes before we even had a waitress come to our table. I got my cocktail probably 30 minutes after ordering it and it took over an hour to get our food. The Caesar salad was good but the croutons were not. The green beans, mashed potatoes and steak were all cold. The chicken fried steak was just average and the half chicken was dry. My son and wife loved the tres leches and crème brûlée. The service was extremely slow and not that friendly. And the prices for what you get are absolutely ridiculous.

Lori Gray

Service was fantastic. We actually ended up eating in the bar area, but the menu we ordered from was for the 12 Gage Restaurant. I had 2 crab cakes that were mediocre at best. Actually, they were probably the worst crab cakes I ever had. My husband had the chicken fried steak. He was not pleased with it either. We split a salad. The food was extremely overpriced. For the two meals and 2 drinks we paid over $100.