Known as the “Gateway to Big Bend,” Marathon is an enchanting West Texas town that’s pretty much in the middle of nowhere. Hiding in the Gage Hotel is 12 Gage Steakhouse, a restaurant with a cowboy-chic ambiance and some of the best steaks you’ll ever eat. While you might not have thought of too many reasons to visit Marathon before, this steakhouse might just be the only reason you now need. It could arguably be the best steakhouse in Texas. Keep scrolling to find out more (and to salivate when you see how delicious it looks).
12 Gage is part of the famous Gage Hotel that travelers come from all over Texas to stay in. You don't have to be an overnight guest to enjoy a meal here, so stop by for dinner one night if you live in the area!
That being said, you'll definitely want to make a reservation rather than just showing up - it gets packed pretty quickly between the hotel guests and locals dropping in for a bite to eat.
The atmosphere is absolutely enchanting. Nothing says "Old West" quite like cow skulls hanging on a wall. There are also fireplaces and fountains outside, creating a unique Western romantic ambiance that can't be found anywhere else.
Inside, the dining room is just as alluring. Leather chairs with cowhide lining their backs, livestock heads-turned-lamps providing dim mood lighting, and paintings of desert settings make for a cowboy chic element that's almost as much of a reason to dine at 12 Gage as the food itself...
...emphasis on the "almost." The menu is limited, but that only means the expert chefs have more time and attention to devote to each dish. This is the Ribeye Steak with potatoes, seasonal veggies, and bleu cheese garlic butter. Mmm, just typing that makes my mouth water.
Other entrees include beef tenderloin, blackened snapper, a braised wild boar shank, chicken fried steak, roasted chicken, seared scallops and shrimp, and a Sunday special as well as a selection of appetizers, desserts, and cocktails.
And just in case you needed an extra reason to go...just look at the view while you're driving there! They don't call it the "Lonesome Highway" for nothin'.
Have you ever dined at 12 Gage in Marathon? Would you consider it to be the best steakhouse in Texas? Share with us your thoughts in the comments section! Or if you think you have another contender for the best steakhouse in Texas, make sure to let us know, too.
For more on this restaurant that’s worth the drive in Texas, visit the 12 Gage Steakhouse website.
If you need some dining inspiration, check out These 18 Mouth-Watering Steakhouses In Texas Are A Carnivore's Dream. Or check out these food tours in Texas featuring some of the best restaurants in the state.
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