Bob’s

Review by: Michael Stern

** THIS RESTAURANT IS PERMANENTLY CLOSED **

If your life is dull and you need a challenge, may we suggest the Megabob Challenge? On a blackboard in Bob’s eatery, the names of those who have tried and succeeded are written in chalk … just waiting to be erased by a newer, faster gun in town. What is the Megabob Challenge, you ask? You must eat a 3/4-pound hamburger, 3/4 of a pound of French fries, and a cookie, plus drink a large bottle of soda pop faster than Jason Carpenter did it on March 7, 2002. It took him 5 minutes, 9.82 seconds. Beat that time, and you get the Megabob supper free. Otherwise, it’ll cost you $7.25.

Eating contest notwithstanding, Bob’s is a Roadfood joy. A tiny diner with a curvy counter and about a dozen seats, all with a view of the grill, it specializes in plentiful hash house breakfasts, burger baskets, broasted chicken, and sides of ribs. What fun it is to sit at the counter in the morning and watch Bob work the grill – as he has done since 1951 – all the while kibitzing with customers, buttering toast that pops from the toaster, and stacking pancakes hot off the griddle. Incongruously for a joint so steeped in blue-plate tradition, Bob’s partner in the operation tallies up bills on a computer opposite the grill.

Fans of diner food will think they’ve entered heaven the moment they walk into this place, take a sniff, and see what’s on other people’s plates. Bob is a true grillmaster. Eggs are made exactly as you like them; bacon (extra thick) is cooked under a press so it gets crisp and flat; hash browns sizzle alongside, absorbing the flavors of the grill.

Although it is a minuscule space, Bob’s specializes in cooking vast amounts of food for big parties, and will deliver in the Sioux Falls area. For example, 90 pieces of broasted chicken are available for $81; 25 slabs of ribs go for $117; and if you call a couple days ahead, you can get a whole broasted turkey for $23.

Directions & Hours

1312 W. 12th St., Sioux Falls, SD , (Get Directions)

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What To Eat

Megabob burger

DISH
broasted chicken

DISH
breakfast

DISH

Bob’s Recipes

Discuss

What do you think of Bob’s?

One Response to “Bob’s”

Ellen Young

September 9th, 2007

Bob’s is well worth a stop in Sioux Falls. Ate there recently and there have been some changes. First, Bob no longer runs the place. He has sold the business, but it is being run by the new owner’s son, Jessie, who worked for Bob for 13 years.

Jessie is currently making ice cream from scratch, and it is wonderful, the best ice cream I have ever had, bar none! We sampled strawberry/rhubarb and vanilla. He uses all natural ingredients, including fruit and cream, and no preservatives. It is so rich you cannot eat a lot; it’s almost the consistency of fudge!

We tried the broasted chicken and broasted ribs and both were excellent. Jessie spent a lot of time explaining to us how he did the broasted chicken, as well as how he made the ice cream. The broasted chicken was not at all greasy. It is marinated in a special mixture prior to cooking. The recipe is Bob’s, and he taught Jessie and his brother about the processing of the chicken. The chicken is cooked (broasted) from the inside out, versus Southern fried chicken which is deep fried from the outside in. The chicken itself was moist and juicy, and the outside was crunchy. The ribs are so tender that he removes the bones before serving. Broasted potato wedges are also part of the meal. They are cut Texas-style and are not greasy. It’s hard to believe that the food had been fried!

The meals are large and filling, and the new record for eating the Bob Burger meal is now 3 minutes and 27 seconds for a free meal. A Bob Burger meal consists of a 3/4-pound homemade hamburger that is patted right in front of you before they put it on the grill; 3/4 pound of french fries/broasted fries; two soft drinks, and two homemade cookies! Jessie brings the plate of cookies out and the customer gets to choose.

The cafe itself is clean and small, with only about 10 seats around the counter. However, it appears that a good portion of the business is takeout, and they also say they do a lot of catering in town.

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