"The menu items are based on dishes that I make at home for family and friends, so Mama Tess's is an extension of that," Stephanie "Mama Tess" Richter said when her new restaurant opened, as reported by the Las Vegas Review-Journal. For about 113 years, much of that home cooking had only one address, a bar in the desert about 40 miles southwest of Las Vegas. Since this summer it has had a second one, in Suite 125 at 11350 Southern Highlands Parkway.
Richter and her husband, Stephen "Old Man Liver" Staats, own the Pioneer Saloon in Goodsprings. According to the Review-Journal, many of Mama Tess's signature dishes first appeared at the Pioneer. That changes what the Pioneer means for Southern Highlands. You used to drive out to the saloon once a year, when someone visiting wanted to see a real Old West bar. Now Southern Highlands Parkway and Goodsprings sit at two ends of one I-15 route run by the same couple. And between now and early December, the saloon's busiest weekends fall right next to the neighborhood's own.
The Burger That Made the Trip
The Ghost Burger is the clearest dish on both menus. The Pioneer bills it on its own menu as the "World Famous GHOST Burger." In a June story, the Review-Journal listed it among the saloon's items, alongside the Old Man Liver Bacon Burger, the Cowboy Burger and the Haunt Dog. That same story reported that members of BTS had stopped by the saloon in May while the owners were building out the Southern Highlands restaurant. Mama Tess's current delivery menu has the Ghost Burger too.
Otherwise, the Southern Highlands kitchen sticks to soups, salads, sandwiches, burgers, house desserts and milkshakes. Hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday and Sunday, and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. The grand opening open house was on the last Saturday in August, with free samples of dishes that began at the Pioneer.
On a weeknight, the Pioneer's kitchen-side hours end at 8 p.m. Mama Tess's stays open until 9 p.m. or later every night, so after a Tuesday soccer practice you can get the same burger without a drive into the desert.
The Drive Down Got Shorter This Year
The other end of the route also got easier to reach. The Pioneer's own visitor guide puts the saloon about 25 miles from the south end of Las Vegas and about five minutes west of the Jean exit, Exit 12 on I-15. For anyone leaving from St. Rose Parkway, the slowest part of that trip used to be the freeway stretch right next to the neighborhood. NDOT's I-15 South Widening Project, which included widening between Sloan Road and St. Rose Parkway, reached substantial completion in December 2025, 8 News Now reported. The next big I-15 job to the south, the Via Nobila interchange near Inspirada, isn't scheduled to start construction until the first quarter of 2029, according to NDOT's project page. So this fall and winter, the corridor between Southern Highlands and Jean is about as clear as it is likely to be for years.
The saloon's address is 310 West Spring Street in Goodsprings. News 3 Las Vegas called it the oldest bar in Southern Nevada and a designated historic landmark, established in 1913.
Six Weeks, Both Ends of the Route
The two calendars line up closely from late October into December. Here's how the dated events stack up, starting the weekend of October 24:
| Date | Where | What |
|---|---|---|
| Sat., Oct. 24 | Southern Highlands Corporate Center, 11411 Southern Highlands Pkwy | Fresh52 farmers market, from 9 a.m. |
| Sun., Oct. 25 | Pioneer Saloon, Goodsprings | Fall Chili Cook-off, noon to 4 p.m. |
| Sat., Oct. 31 | Pioneer Saloon, Goodsprings | Halloween night, 6 to 10 p.m., ages 21+ |
| Sat., Nov. 14 | Southern Highlands Corporate Center | Fresh52 farmers market |
| Fri., Nov. 13 to Sun., Nov. 15 | Goodsprings and Sandy Valley Ranch | Mojave Mayhem 2026 |
| Nov. 16 to Dec. 7 | Southern Highlands | Operation Warm Heart toy drive |
| Sat., Nov. 28 | Southern Highlands Corporate Center | Fresh52 farmers market |
| Fri., Dec. 4 | Southern Highlands Corporate Center | Winter Festival and Tree Lighting, 3:30 to 7:30 p.m. |
The farmers market runs on the second and fourth Saturdays of each month. The two sources disagree on closing time. The Southern Highlands HOA lists 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Fresh52 lists 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. for 2026. If you're counting on a late-morning visit, plan around the earlier time.
That last weekend of October is the easiest way to try both ends. You can shop the market on Saturday morning, then drive down Sunday for the Fall Chili Cook-off, which runs noon to 4 p.m. at the saloon. Home cooks who want to enter can email the Pioneer to ask about competing.
Halloween falls on a Saturday this year, and the Pioneer is leaning into its haunted reputation. The saloon's news page promotes scary karaoke, spooky burlesque, and food and drink specials from 6 to 10 p.m. for guests 21 and older. A 2026 Halloween calendar also lists the party as free.
Mojave Mayhem Brings the Crowd to Goodsprings
Mid-November is when the quiet end of the route gets loud. A post-apocalyptic version of the Pioneer Saloon, the Goodsprings General Store and the town itself all appear in the video game Fallout: New Vegas, and the saloon celebrates that every year. This year the event is called Mojave Mayhem 2026. It's the fifth year, running Friday, November 13, through Sunday, November 15.
The festival is spread across two sites. The Pioneer is the Goodsprings venue, and Sandy Valley Ranch hosts the main stage, the vendor village, camping and a Sunday culinary event, with free buses running between them. The program includes cosplay, guest panels, live music, a fan-film festival, a car show, vendors and evening entertainment.
Ticketing works like this:
- Through October 31, a three-day pass costs $126.75 and a single-day pass costs $56.75.
- VIP has already sold out.
- Ticket sales close November 11.
- Tickets are not sold at the gate.
For Southern Highlands, the second Saturday farmers market on November 14 lands right in the middle of Mojave Mayhem. Expect more festival traffic than usual on I-15 south that weekend. If you'd like the Pioneer's cooking without the crowd, the kitchen on Southern Highlands Parkway is a good place to wait it out.
Before You Head to Goodsprings
The Pioneer works differently from a restaurant in a shopping center, and its visitor guide covers the essentials:
- The property is open to all ages, but the saloon interior is 21+. Families can come in through the General Store entrance.
- Dogs are welcome in the outdoor seating area.
- Parking is free, in the dirt lot behind the saloon.
- On busy weekends, plan to arrive before noon.
- The dining room has a small museum, and you can walk the historic town afterward.
Current posted hours are 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday through Sunday. The bar generally stays open about an hour later, and weekend breakfast runs from 9 a.m. to noon. On Saturdays at 6 p.m., the dining room switches to a steak night with a separate menu, and reservations are required at (702) 674-6809. Both the saloon and Mama Tess's set their own hours and events, so check with them directly before you go.
The Season Ends Back on Southern Highlands Parkway
The last stop is close to home. The Southern Highlands HOA has scheduled its Winter Festival and Tree Lighting for Friday, December 4, from 3:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Corporate Center, 11411 Southern Highlands Parkway, with the tree lit at 5:30 p.m. The HOA's toy drive for Operation Warm Heart runs November 16 through December 7. You can drop off toys at the Olympia Management Services office or bring them to the festival.
The Corporate Center at 11411 and Mama Tess's at 11350 are on the same stretch of Southern Highlands Parkway. Once the tree is lit, dinner is a short drive away and a Ghost Burger is on the menu, no trip to Exit 12 needed.
I love seeing a family business with deep roots out in the desert open a kitchen in our neighborhood. If you're a Southern Highlands neighbor thinking about how the area is changing, or you want to compare notes over a burger on the Parkway, Kristi Badolato would be glad to hear from you. Let's Connect.
