11.08.2012 - Entry #14: Northline in the Neighborhood - Little Nugget Casino

Route from UNR to Little Nugget Casino

"The one on Virginia, just down the street. The little Nugget. They have a diner in the back that has the greatest burgers, it's cheap, too. The home of the Awful Awful burger." - Northline, Pg. 120

The Awful Awful is a burger who's fans, both real and fictional, rave about. To many Reno newcomers, the Awful Awful is just one of those items that ends up on your, "Things To Do In Reno" list. While you can find it at the Wolf's Den near the University of Nevada, Reno, many locals to whom I've talked to will insist that the Awful Awful is best enjoyed from its original birthplace, the Little Nugget Casino.

First, true to its name, the Little Nugget Casino is indeed little. However, it wasn't as empty as described within Northline; in fact, it was pretty busy. Nor was it as hidden as it seemed; in fact, as evidenced by the many signs posted throughout the diner proclaiming its participation in "Food Wars" or "Burger Wars" its reputation seems to have expanded beyond local lore and is now a frequent destination for tourists. However, there's still a certain charm to it, a charm that only a place frozen in time can give off. The Little Nugget isn't like the big casinos of today, mutli-storied and filled with many modern accommodations. Nor does it fit with the sleek, modern style of recent casinos such as the Aria on the Las Vegas Strip. Its carpeting is old, arcade games outdated, and most importantly, it's cash only.

The burger is as cheap (for the amount of food given) and delicious as described however. Again, it's from a time that's separate from our current culture of quick, preservative-laden food. It's good food, made right when you order it not just reheated in a microwave and kept warm 'till someone wanders in and buys it. It's a burger that anyone who's spent time in Reno can be happy to have tried and proud to have consumed it completely.