From joints that specialize in scorching ramen to menus packed with reindeer sausage,
these are the best Man V. Food restaurants in every state featured on the show.
Adam Richman headed down to the state of Alabama to visit The Original Oyster House
in a 2011 episode of "Man v. Food," a place known for slinging some super fresh seafood caught from
the Gulf of Mexico. It's no wonder the host took the trip here. The joint has a slew of accolades,
including being named One of the Best Oyster Bars in America by Travel & Leisure. The spot even
featured a special seafood dish created by Richman to please fans of the show.
You can't drive past a restaurant named Humpy's and not wonder what's happening inside. Well,
that's why Adam Richman and his crew featured it on an episode of "Man v. Food." Richman
tackled the Kodiak Arrest Challenge, which includes four pounds of Alaskan king crab,
seven crab nuggets, 14 inches of reindeer sausage, a few side dishes, and dessert.
Those who complete the challenge get themselves a "I got crabs at Humpy's" shirt. Totally worth it.
If you're a big fan of Mexican cuisine, Arizona is the place for you – and the best place Man
v. Food ["versus"] went to is Los Reyes de la Torta [los RAY-ez day la TORT-ah].
"I'm actually from Tucson, so we drove all the way from Tucson to come up here for these tortas."
"Just for these tortas?" "Just for these tortas."
The restaurant offers a huge variety of tortas, great tacos, a big breakfast menu,
and a solid amount of vegetarian options as well.
During Richman's visit, he took down the Torta Del Rey, a behemoth torta stuffed with melted
mozzarella cheese, ham, pork sirloin, breaded beef, and a spicy sausage-chorizo [chor-EE-zoh]
omelet, onions, chipotle sauce, and avocado on top to finish things off.
Mean Pig Barbecue in Little Rock, Arkansas, is a "nicer"
spot than it might sound. This restaurant is a mom-and-pop establishment that cooks about
2,000 pounds of meat every week and sends foods overseas to deployed service members.
When Adam showed up to say hello, he took on the Shut Up Juice challenge,
which pit him against a monster pork sandwich smothered in very spicy Shut Up Juice.
When you're looking to dive into a bowl of delicious noodles and slurp your heart away,
there's not much that beats ramen. When Adam and his crew visited Orochon Ramen, he took on a truly
scorching ramen challenge. Even if you don't want to brave the heat, customer comments like
one that read, "AMAZING service. AMAZING food," should tell you this place is worth visiting.
Tasting Table puts Buckhorn Exchange on its list of "Best Steakhouses in Every State," so
you know it's well worth your time and money. This place is Denver's oldest restaurant,
which made it a must see for Adam and the crew. If you make the trip, you can
enjoy prime-grade cuts of steak, buffalo, elk, lamb, and even rattlesnake and alligator tail.
When you have a hankering for melted cheese, few meals hit the spot like
grilled cheese. Not only is there that gooey, salty cheese between toasted pieces of bread,
but you can add a bunch of other ingredients, too. Well, in one "Man v. Food" episode,
Adam Richman took a trip to New Haven, Connecticut to check out a food truck
called the Caseus – now known as the Crispy Melty. This joint sells gourmet
grilled cheese options like The Cubano with pulled pork, smoked ham, pickles, and mustard.
Some of the best restaurants you can find are hidden gems that don't shout their existence
loud and proud from mountaintops. Well, one Delaware beach spot that piqued the
interest of "Man V. Food's" second host Casey Webb was called Heidaway. Here,
you can order up awesome dishes like Jerk Chicken with red cabbage slaw with juicy
chunks of diced mango and papaya, and a savory Bone-In Short Rib smothered in a rich demi-glace.
You may not think of seafood when you think about Washington, D.C., but Horace & Dickies
is serving up some great ocean grub that Adam just had to check out. You can order a fish dinner with
whiting filets, crab cakes, jumbo shrimp, or grilled salmon. Don't just visit Washington,
D.C.'s iconic landmarks; take a trip to Horace and Dickies to enjoy some great seafood too!
"You know, ordinarily, I would jump back and kiss myself. But imma jump back, and kiss you. Ughh."
If you find yourself in the Sunshine State with a large appetite, one place you can always check out
is The Old Salty Dog. It has three locations, but it was the one in City Island that piqued
Adam's interest. He made the journey there to enjoy the Fully Loaded Salty Dog, a deep-fried
hot dog topped with sauerkraut, bacon, grilled onions, mushrooms, and four kinds of cheese.
If you're looking for food so good you'll feel lost in a vortex,
look no further than The Vortex. This vibrant bar and grill is for patrons 21 years and older,
and the website boldly states the food is, quote, "like an orgy for your taste buds." That should
tell you everything you need to know about the vibe at this eccentric spot. When Richman visited,
he bravely took on the Double Coronary Bypass burger, and if you visit, you can too.
Any restaurant that receives a James Beard Award is worth visiting,
which is what made Helena's Hawaiian Food a must-see for Adam. This simple
but delicious spot serves up authentic Hawaiian cuisine like Kalua pig, laulau,
tripe stew, and more. It's true that Hawaii may not be the easiest state to travel to,
but if you do find yourself wandering around the Aloha State, find your way to Helena's.
When your appetite for pizza soars, few spots stick the landing like Flying Pie,
a popular pizzeria with several locations in Idaho. If you're in the area and looking
to try some really unique pizza, this place has you covered with
options like the Mesquite Chicken pie with green onions and barbecue sauce.
If you're the kind of person who considers themselves a sandwich specialist, then you'd
be a fool not to visit Lucky's Sandwich Company next time you're in Illinois. And,
if you want to put your love of sandwiches to the test, you can always try the Lucky's
Sandwich Challenge, which was featured on "Man v. Food." Contestants have to choose
three sandwiches and finish them all within one hour to get their photo on the Wall of Fame.
You just can't beat a great cafeteria. It's a place that offers relaxing vibes to patrons
and serves up great food at affordable prices. A veteran eater like Adam has
surely visited tons of such places in his time, and one of them was the Gray Bros.
Cafeteria when he was in Indiana. Every day of the week has a slightly different menu,
offering up items like fried chicken livers, cubed steak, prime rib, and grilled salmon.
"Nice! Can I come over?"
"Sure." "Sweet!"
Everyone wants to live the high life. So, why not embrace it and head to the High Life Lounge
in Iowa? Now, you might read the word "lounge" and assume this spot doesn't really match up in
terms of the food, but you'd be wrong. This place has a pretty stellar menu with options
like flavored wings, fish tacos, plenty of sandwiches, and some very unique burgers.
No matter what your heart demands, Tom & Chee has you covered with its awesome
selection of delicious melted sandwiches. This place really knows how to put together
unique flavor combinations, like the West of Philly melt with mozzarella,
pot roast, sautéed mushrooms, and garlic aioli.
Louisiana and seafood go hand in hand, plain and simple. There are so many
wonderful seafood spots throughout the state, but when the "Man v. Food," crew came to town,
they took a trip to Deanie's Seafood. Richman enjoyed the barbecue shrimp in the episode,
but the restaurant serves a plethora of amazing food like crabmeat au gratin,
stuffed flounder, blackened redfish, and barbecued oysters.
It would be a darn shame to travel to the state of Maine and leave without enjoying some kind
of lobster dish. So, Adam Richman naturally had to visit a spot called The Lobster Shack at Two
Lights. It offers dinner plates with items like clams, scallops, shrimp, and haddock, as well as a
variety of sandwiches like lobster and crab rolls. The restaurant also offers clam and fish burgers.
You can't mention Maryland without talking about crabs. On one episode of "Man v. Food,"
Adam wanted to get his crab on, so he hit up a place called Obrycki's to do so. Obrycki's
serves up an awesome selection of food, and it obviously has some great crab dishes
like Maryland crab soup, deviled crab balls, crab melts, and crab cake benedict for breakfast.
When that urge for surf and turf kicks in, a spot like The Barking Crab is the perfect
place to visit. Featured on an episode of "Man v. Food," this place is serious
about seafood. It has a raw bar with a huge shellfish tower, appetizers like
ahi tuna tacos and Peruvian ceviche, and a boatload of lobster and crab platters.
If you're looking to tackle a burger that would put an end to all other burgers,
then you have to visit somewhere wild. That's what makes Krazy Jim's Blimpyburger such a
great spot for some handheld madness. Take the Pepper Steak Bullet burger, for example. You get
three beef patties on an onion roll topped with grilled peppers, onions, provolone cheese, bacon,
scallions, and ranch dressing. You can even up the burger count to five patties if you dare.
"Alright, well, since I'm here,
can we make a quint?" "We can make a quint."
When you want juicy rotisserie meat, you don't want anything less than the best, and that's
exactly what Brasa boasts. The menu consists of a slew of great rotisserie meats, including chicken
you can get a la carte, on a sandwich, or in a bowl with yellow rice and andouille gravy.
You can even visit with a group and order the Family Feast that feeds three to four people.
If you're the kind of person who loves to listen to some live tunes while enjoying a great meal,
then you should absolutely hit up The Shed BBQ, a spot that Adam Richman traveled to
while in Mississippi. But, as good as the live music is, it doesn't compare to the
amazing food served there. Customers here are known as "ShedHeds," and they visit in
droves to enjoy food like baby back ribs, pulled pork, 16-hour brisket, and smoked turkey breast.
Stroud's is the first American restaurant to take the James Beard Award for Excellence in
the "Home Style" category. Adam Richman and the crew visited the establishment to feast their
eyes on its amazing menu. They've got chicken fried chicken with gravy, pan-fried catfish,
pork chops, and bacon-wrapped filet mignon with sautéed mushrooms, just to name a few. Plus,
patrons can add the kick of a condiment called Mike's Spicy Sauce to any dish.
Sometimes the best spots to eat are total dives. But that doesn't mean they don't serve
fantastic food, as host Casey Webb discovered when he visited The Burger Dive. In fact,
the place is so delicious that several of its burgers have won some pretty prestigious awards,
like the "I'm Your Huckleberry" burger, which is the one Webb tried during his visit.
This thing packs a seriously unique punch. It's an Angus burger covered in the chef's
specially crafted huckleberry hatch chili barbecue sauce, goat cheese,
bacon, roasted red pepper mayo, and arugula, all nestled between a Grains of Montana bun.
Are you up to take on the legendary Pig Wing Challenge at Starsky's Bar & Grill?
When Adam visited the bar, he helped cheer on a competitor, and it was quite the showdown. But
this place serves more than just pig wings. The restaurant has a bunch of cheesesteaks,
burgers, and sandwiches ready and waiting for you and your appetite to arrive.
One of the best things about crawfish is that you can eat a whole bunch of them
in one sitting. At Hot N Juicy Crawfish in Nevada, you can do exactly that. Join Adam
in the ranks of those who have visited and enjoyed dishes like soft shell crab po' boy,
fried catfish, and, of course, hot and spicy crawfish by the pound.
If you're looking for a spot that doesn't have a super intricate menu but still manages to sling
awesome food, JP's Grill is the spot for you. It serves a solid selection of salads so you
can get your greens in before tackling their variety of steak subs, cold subs,
baskets of wings, and wraps. Plus, you can take on the Slapshot Challenge,
if you dare. Devour 15 sliders, a large order of fries, and a milkshake in 30 minutes or less.
There are unhealthy restaurants, and then there are places that seem like they're trying to give
you a heart attack. RU Hungry is the latter, and its menu more than proves it. Take the Fat
Blunt sandwich. It's a cheesesteak topped with salami, egg, mozzarella sticks, french fries,
mayo, and ketchup. There's a slew of sandwiches as wild as that one, including the Fat Russian,
which contains a cheesesteak, a cheeseburger, french fries, and more.
If you love great food with great art, Frontier Restaurant has you covered on both fronts. The
walls of the restaurant are covered with artwork from all over the country. And,
you can admire their beauty while enjoying a variety of enchiladas, burritos, sandwiches, and
fried chicken strips. Adam visited the restaurant to highlight the green chile cheeseburgers,
but this spot has also received praise from USA Today Travel and The New York Times.
Mention Katz's Delicatessen to any native New Yorker and they'll know exactly what
you're talking about and how to get there. This deli has been a Big Apple staple since
1888. The employees at Katz's know how to pile sandwiches high with the most
savory pastrami and corned beef you'll ever eat. But, it also serves a variety
of other fresh and delicious foods like sausages, breads, and desserts.
"That is some sandwich." "Mom, it's my job. I kind of have to."
If you're in the market for a menu with an eclectic selection, look no further
than Nosh. Right below the name it literally says "eclectic foodstuffs." The menu has a
bunch of great options for any time of the day, like a breakfast option called Shoaf's Toast,
which is peanut butter-stuffed French toast with bananas and honey.
When you think of Fargo, North Dakota,
the famous Oscar-winning Coen brothers movie might immediately come to mind.
"Oh, you betcha, yeah." "Yeah."
But the city is also known for some great spots to eat, with The Boiler Room being one of them.
Webb tackled a 3-pound casserole, but you may want to grab yourself some lighter fare
like Gouda Mac N Cheese topped with juicy chunks of short rib, or their house-made
meatloaf smothered in gravy with a side of sour cream and chive mashed potatoes.
Chili-heads in Ohio can rejoice at the fact there's a restaurant made just for them. Camp
Washington Chili has been selling tons of chili dishes since 1940, and this spot's been featured
in Travel & Leisure and Smithsonian Magazine. But, the menu has plenty more good stuff other
than chili, like burgers, melts, hot dogs, and a whole bunch of breakfast options to boot.
Where can you go to eat delicious Mexican cuisine and watch some exciting Luchador
wrestling? Elote, of course! Watch your favorite Luchadores go toe to toe in the
ring while enjoying menu items like puffy tacos full of beef, chicken,
or pork, a variety of burritos, fried avocados, and quesadillas.
A place with a name as eerie as Voodoo Doughnut begs you to
come in and check out what's going on inside. Obviously, it sells doughnuts,
but these aren't your typical doughnuts. One option is called the Caramel Macchiato,
which is a Bavarian cream-filled doughnut dipped in espresso vanilla frosting and drizzled with
caramel. Or try the Voodoo Bubble, a vanilla frosted doughnut with bubble gum dust and a
piece of Double Bubble gum in the middle. This place serves doughnuts on steroids.
What started as a small sandwich cart in 1933 quickly grew into a storefront when truck drivers
and shift workers started flocking. But, it was the addition of french fries on sandwiches that
really put Primanti Bros. on the culinary map. The menu has a bunch of fresh sandwiches that
all come with the signature pile of crispy fries, as well as melted provolone, tomatoes, and slaw.
Those who seek out the best hot wieners in Rhode Island need to look no further than Olneyville
New York System. The menu has more than just wieners, but that's not why you went there.
According to the website, a pro tip for ordering is to ask for "three all the way with coffee
milk and a large fry." which gets you three wieners and a beverage to wash it down. Plus,
this place actually sells its spice mixture so you can make the famous sauce at home.
You might not think sushi when you hear South Carolina,
but Bushido Japanese Restaurant is a spot that should certainly fall on
your radar. It serves a great selection of appetizers, rolls, and hibachi entrees. But,
you can also tackle the Spicy Tuna Roll Challenge like Adam did. You get 10 spicy tuna hand rolls
that build in heat as you reach the next one. Simply finish all 10 to win the challenge.
If you ever want a taste of the old West, you can follow in Casey Webb's footsteps
and head to Deadwood Social Club, located in Saloon #10 in Deadwood, South Dakota. The
rambunctious personalities likely won't be there thankfully, but you can enjoy a range
of mouthwatering and unique dishes, like their smoked pheasant pasta in a mushroom cream sauce.
Hot chicken has definitely gained in popularity in recent years, but if you want to keep it original,
this is the place to visit. You know Prince's takes hot chicken seriously when, other than
side dishes and a few desserts, the spot mostly serves varying levels of spicy chicken. There's
no shortage of hot chicken in Tennessee, but for some of the best, stop at Prince's.
To sausage, or not to sausage. That's the question, and Kuby's has the answer:
Yes. This sausage house has won a ton of awards over the years,
which makes it a must-stop spot for people traveling in Texas. Kuby's has a market where
you can purchase meat by the pound, and it has a restaurant so you can dine in,
as well. Eat like Adam ate when he visited and enjoy the Wurst Teller sausage plate.
The Bruges Belgian Bistro serves up a variety of incredible waffle offerings,
but it's actually better known for its french fries. This place has decadent menu options like
the Torpedo Waffle with Belgian chocolate and crème fraiche, and the Merguez & Egg,
a warm waffle topped with two spicy beef sausages, egg, and both jack and cheddar cheese. There's a
ton of both sweet and savory options here, but just don't forget to order some fries.
"You fry the sausage with the fries?" "The whole thing, the whole thing, yes."
"I love it."
Would you pay just under 18 bucks to come face to face with Chuck Norris? No,
we're not talking about the martial artist and actor. We mean the Chuck Norris breakfast sandwich
at Handy's Lunch in Burlington, Vermont. "Man V. Food" host Casey Webb took on the Chuck Norris
challenge in one episode, and so can you if you're brave enough. But, if your appetite isn't feeling
too daring, you can always kick back with other simple-but-delicious dishes like a bacon double
cheeseburger, grilled cheese, or a submarine sandwich with a variety of delicious fixings.
No one wants to be the black sheep, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't eat like
one. The Black Sheep has some pretty awesome stuff that you don't want to miss. Snag the
bacon tower to start the meal and watch candied bacon get torched tableside. Move
on to entrees like the bone-in prime-cut pork chop with a cranberry demi-glace.
There's times when a high level of decorum is required to go out to eat, and there are
other times when it's perfectly appropriate to get messy. At The Crab Pot, ordering up one of
the five Seafeasts means you and your group are about to get a little messy. You get a bucket
of seafood spilled onto your table along with bibs and mallets and you go to town on it all.
When you're craving a hot dog, why settle for something that isn't the absolute best dog you
can find? That's the question that Martino's asks hot dog lovers everywhere. In 2013,
2014, and 2016, Martino's landed on the Milwaukee A-List for Best Hot Dog Winner,
so you know this place doesn't mess around. When Adam visited, he sampled the Italian
Combo and an Italian Sausage sandwich topped with Italian beef and red sauce.