Burgers, Brisket and Frozen Drinks by the Tracks in Buckhannon

A burger called Hunting Season gives a pretty clear indication that this is not a timid bar-and-grill menu. Its patty blend brings together bison, elk and wagyu beef, and it arrives in a place where burgers are treated less as a fallback order than as a chance to build something memorable.

The restaurant sits beside railroad tracks in an older building, with a custom-made bar that carries the railroad theme indoors. From the outside, it can seem unassuming; inside, the room is more decorative and animated, with tables, counter seating and a bar that keeps the energy moving.

Come hungry. Burgers, fries and loaded plates tend to arrive in generous proportions, and the menu gives a table plenty to debate before anyone settles on an order.

The burger lineup has included the Wagon Wheel, Hangover, BLTB, Mountain Man, Bourbon Barrel, Mushroom and Swiss, and Hunting Season. It is a list built for the person who wants more than a standard patty with lettuce and tomato, and it makes a return visit understandable: there is simply more than one direction to go.

The BLTB is a notably large burger centered on bacon, while the Bourbon Barrel Burger is another substantial option. Both fit the house style of bringing a little excess to the plate without turning the menu into a stunt show.

A Mushroom and Swiss-style burger bowl offers a bun-free route, putting those familiar savory toppings over greens instead. It is a useful counterpoint on a menu where fries, beer cheese and smoked meats otherwise make a strong case for abandoning restraint.

The Hunting Season is the conversation starter. Bison, elk and wagyu make it a distinctly game-forward order, and it gives burger fans an option that is more unusual than the typical specialty-bar burger.

Fries matter here. They can accompany a burger, of course, but they also become the foundation for some of the menu's bigger, messier specialties.

The Drunk Philly layers seasoned fries with beer cheese, Philly cheesesteak and peppers. It is the sort of plate that can work as a shared starter in theory, though the combination of crisp potatoes, steak, cheese and peppers makes a persuasive case for guarding it with your fork.

Pulled-pork barbecue fries with cheese take another route through the loaded-fries category. The restaurant's smoked pulled pork gives the dish more depth than a routine cheese-fries order, while the fries keep it firmly in bar-food territory.

Beer cheese also appears with pretzel bites, a simpler way to get acquainted with one of the menu's more memorable supporting players. For a table that has already committed to burgers, it is an easy opening move.

The kitchen smokes brisket, pulled pork, pulled chicken and burnt ends, giving the menu a second identity beyond its burgers. Those meats reappear in plates that are built for a fork, a stack of napkins and a little patience.

BBQ brisket mac and cheese is one of the clearest examples: house-smoked brisket folded into a rich comfort-food format. It is not trying to be light lunch fare, and it does not need to be.

A pulled-chicken dish with jalapeños and bacon brings heat and smoke to tender chicken. The jalapeño-bacon combination adds a sharper, saltier edge than the sweeter barbecue dishes.

There are also tenders, appetizers and a brunch menu, which helps explain why choosing can take a while. A mixed group can divide its attention among burgers, smoked meat, wings and more conventional bar-and-grill orders without anyone being stuck with the lone compromise.

The wing flavors have included maple bacon, Cajun and garlic-parmesan. That spread runs from sweet and smoky to peppery to full-on savory, rather than leaving every wing order to the same familiar hot-sauce lane.

Buffalo chicken wonton nachos are another playful detour. The crisp wonton format gives the dish a different texture from standard tortilla-chip nachos, while the buffalo chicken keeps it recognizable enough for a crowd that came expecting sports-bar food.

The menu's broader pattern is clear in dishes like these: familiar foods are there, but they often arrive with one more topping, one more sauce or one more layer than expected.

The bar has a lively, casual role in the room. Draft beer comes in frosted mugs, a small old-school touch that suits a burger-and-brisket meal especially well.

Cocktail choices can be considerably less traditional. A cotton-candy Trash Can brings a playful, candy-colored note to the drink list, while a blueberry cheesecake daiquiri aims for the flavor of cheesecake in frozen form.

Baseball may be playing over the bar, adding a sports-bar thread to the railroad setting. The room can get busy and carry a noticeable conversational buzz, particularly around popular meal periods, but it remains a place for a meal rather than just a quick drink.

The atmosphere is friendly and informal, with indoor dining alongside bar and counter seating. In some visits, diners have seated themselves and been greeted by a server shortly afterward, keeping the start of the meal easygoing.

This works for a quick lunch, but the menu also rewards a longer dinner when there is time to split an appetizer, compare burger choices and linger over a frozen drink. The variety has drawn both local regulars and travelers passing through the Buckhannon area.

Parking arrangements have varied, with free parking and a lot mentioned in some visits while street parking has been harder to locate at other times. The restaurant can also fill up around holidays and busy meal hours. Once you are inside, though, the main challenge is more pleasant: deciding between brisket mac and cheese, a pile of Philly-topped fries, wings, or that burger made from three kinds of meat.