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The Station Public House, located at the east end of downtown Auburn, CA, offers delicious pub fare, a full-service beer and wine bar, and a GIGANTIC landscaped patio, that offers over 8000 square feet of covered and outdoor dining. This fine pub/restaurant is a one-of-a-kind destination for Placer County "foodies" ... As with all restaurant reviews I publish, I have no affiliation with the restaurant reviewed, and there is no monetary gain on my part, as I am simply a person who likes to eat, and I love to write-up, and publish my dining experiences.
Photo: It's the 11:30 morning opening time, Thursday, December 14, 2023, and I've arrived at The Station Public House to enjoy one of the best burgers in Auburn, CA. This fine restaurant is located in downtown Auburn, at the east end of town. The restaurant derives it's name from the nearby railroad station, which served eastbound trains heading over the Sierra Nevada mountain range, and to points east. The Station Public House is located next to Taqueria La Herradura, which is regarded by Auburn locals as one of the best Mexican restaurants in town, and maybe even Placer County.
Photo: As you enter the restaurant from Lincoln Way, you'll notice the indoor dining room is long and narrow, and is actually quite compact, as most of the dining is enjoyed outside, on the most spacious restaurant patio that I've ever seen in the greater Sacramento area. At the rear, to the right, is the bar and the cashier station, where you can pick up a menu and place your order, or simply pick a table and wait for a friendly staff member to arrive. The bar, and dining room offer many television monitors tuned to sports, which gives the restaurant a "sports bar" feel, so to say. Today's bartender, Ben, can be seen at the bar. The bar is both indoors and outdoors, as it opens to the patio. Note the roll-up door/windows, which are rolled up during warm weather to allow full access to the patio, and to lend a bohemian atmosphere to this wonderful restaurant.
Photo: Just outside the dining room is the patio, where you see covered dining, souvenir tee shirts, and the outdoor half of the beer and wine bar. It's mid December, and the restaurant and bar are decorated for Christmas.
Photo: The bar is at the end of the restaurant, and offers a full selection of beer and wine, with many craft beers on tap, and bottled beer in the cooler.
Photo: "Welcome to Auburn..." which is a large map painted on the wall which is centered on The Station Public House - naturally - but branches out to detail some of the restaurants, breweries and bars in Auburn. The mural is truly unique, and adds to the atmosphere.
Photo: The bar is both inside the dining room and outdoor on the patio... you can enjoy bar service either indoors or outdoor. Next to the bar there is an old school blackboard that lists daily specials. Friendly Casey, who was tending the bar, took a look outside as I was snapping the photo, and was very interested when I told her what I was doing... besides enjoying their amazing "All-American Burger!"
Photo: The beer menu is extensive, and is posted on video monitors, both inside and outside. The selections regularly change, and the video monitor makes updating easy. Bottles and cans of commercial beer are available if craft beer isn't to your liking.
Photo: The food menu is quite compact, and offers all of your "pub grub" favorites. Note that vegetarian and gluten-free options are available.
Photo: Looking from the back of the patio toward the restaurant and the outdoor section of the bar. The patio is simply GIGANTIC - it's over 8000 square feet - and might just be the largest patio in the greater Sacramento area. The patio offers both tented, covered and totally outdoor seating, and condiment stations are strategically placed, with hold squeeze bottles of mustard, a large pump bottle of ketchup, salt, pepper and large jug of ice water. Flowers and landscaping make patio dining colorful and attractive.
Photo: Looking from the indoor side of the bar, over the counter to the outdoor side of the bar, and the patio beyond.
Photo: Meet Hunter, my friendly waiter who brought my burger and fries to me with a smile. Hunter was super friendly, and treated me to rock star service.
Photo: I'm a happy diner, as I toast my host Hunter, along with the fine cuisine served at The Station Public House with a Pacifico beer. Good times and great dining!
Photo: From the "All Aboard" section of the menu, I went with the "All-American Burger," and upgraded to an order of seasoned "Station Fries." The burger comes with a 1/3 pound chuck patty, but I took the plunge and added the $3.00 upgrade of a second meat patty, complete with a second slice of American cheese. The burger and fries was served with a small cup of ketchup for dipping. The menu describes this amazing cheeseburger as, "1/3 pound ground Angus chuck patty, American cheese, house sauce, pickles, red onion, tomato, spring mix, on a brioche bun." I describe the burger as one of the best burgers in Placer County! The burger starts with a seasoned, one-third ground Angus chuck patty, cooked medium, or any way you request it to be cooked. Medium always works with me! I was hungry, so I splurged, and added an extra beef patty, along with an extra slab of cheese for a nominal $3.00, which was well worth the investment. The beef was simply amazing, as it was tender, juicy, seasoned to perfection, and was as good as beef can get in a quality cheeseburger. Thanks to the extra beef patty, my burger included TWO slices of melted, American cheese, which added a total WOW! factor and taste to this wonderful cheeseburger! The beef was enclosed in a buttered and lightly toasted brioche bun, which was slightly sweet, held together well, and made for a great foundation of this fabulous burger. "House Sauce" was applied on both buns, and it could have passed for simply mayonnaise. Let's not forget the crisp, fresh veggies that are an essential part of a well-balanced burger... sliced dill pickles, sliced red onion, sliced tomato, along with fancy green and red lettuce which the menu labels as a "spring mix." The burger came garnished simply with "House Sauce," but mayonnaise, ketchup and mustard were available in squeeze bottles to enhance the burger. With simply the "House Sauce," the burger was amazingly delicious, moist and flavorful, and didn't need any added condiments, which would have masked the delicious goodness of this amazing cheeseburger. As a side dish, you get a house or macaroni salad, and you get the choice to upgrade to "Station Fries" for an extra $1.50, which works for me, as for me, a burger isn't the same without fries. The side of "Station Fries" were cut on the large size - which I simply adore - seasoned, and deep fried to a light, crispy golden brown on the outside, yet moist, tender and juicy on the inside. My only complaint - very minor - is they were on the salty side, but maybe that's just "me," was I've had to live with high blood pressure your the last 40 years, and I have to watch my intake of salt. Other than a tad on the salty side, the fries were delicious. The Station Public House simply "nailed" the "All-American Burger," as it was perfect in every way... perfect bun, delicious meat, with crisp, fresh veggies. The meat-to-bun-ratio of the burger - which is crucial to a superior burger - was perfect. Also, the meat, bun and cheese were warm, but the pickle slices, onion, tomato and lettuce were still chilled, and the warm vs. chilled factor helps to make for a superior cheeseburger. Not shown in the photo, but I enjoyed a Pacifico beer as both an appetizer and a dessert. I can truly say that The Station Public House makes an amazing burger, with their "All-American Burger." Take note if you're a burger lover...
Photo: I cut my burger in half so I could see off of the goodness this amazing burger had to offer. Note the buttered brioche bun on the outside, yet it's tender and chewy inside. This burger was simply delicious and truly a standout burger for Gold Country "foodies." My "All American Burger," along with the side of "Station Fries" was simply delicious, as the burger was simply as good as a burger can ever get. The staff was super friendly, and the patio dining was simply delightful. I suppose that's a super-simple way to describe today's dining experience, but whatever the case, you'll enjoy The Station Public House. When you're looking to enjoy great "pub grub," served by friendly staff, you'll find yourself right at home at The Station Public House, located at the east end of downtown Auburn, CA. The Station Public House Copyright(c) 2023 eRench Productions. All rights reserved. We've been on the web since December 22, 2002.
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