It was a pilgrimage I had long intended to make, a journey to the smallest incorporated city in the…read moreUnited States. On the exterior, the town of Monowi, Nebraska, is an unremarkable wide spot in the road along Route 12 just south of the state's border with South Dakota. Only one, single resident remains. Upon my arrival, I met the famous mayor Elsie Eiler on the eve of her 90th birthday. She still makes her way down from her trailer to the restaurant every day, the same establishment she and her late husband Rudy have operated for over half a century. It's incredible she has the energy to keep the place running at her age, a spry woman short in stature who does the cooking and bartending all day every day. Being the only business open in town, excluding the free 5,000-book library around the corner, it's the obvious place to gather amidst the abandoned homes, crumbling vacant post office, and dilapidated church. If you're willing to make this worthwhile drive to remote Nebraska, the biggest surprise is that the food is actually very good! The pizzas are wonderful, defying all logic as to how such a delicious pie could be found so far from civilization. The menu offers a stunning selection of foods, all of which Elsie prepares, including two styles of hamburgers, five other sandwiches, and three different cuts of steak among several other options. They have a plethora of side dishes from tater tots and fries to gizzards and cheese balls, all at very reasonable prices!

Quick service and friendly atmosphere! Elsie always has a smile for her customers. They have quite…read morethe menu for a small place but have a limited menu on Holidays.

Good food! Good prices! It's nice to able to eat somewhere local without getting ripped off or…read moreskimpy portions. Haven't tried everything on the menu yet, but the burgers are good! Fries are good! I like the fried pickles, jalapeño cheese curds! Service is good as well..

What a terrific gem in the middle of nowhere. The waitress was super friendly…read more The best Chislic in the world, tender and juicy and flavorful. Shiner bock beer and crackers. It's absolutely perfect. Great parking.

We drove about 45 miles to come here after hearing rave reviews about the prime rib. It was too…read moreearly for dinner when we were there, so we ech ordered a burger and fries. The burger meat was dry and tasteless and lacked texture. The fries were ok. They do have a good selection of entrees and sides and the service was very good, but unfortunately we probably won't return.

The only game in town. Cool patio, great server. Great burger on a Spring day…read more Hip place in a tiny town.

This restaurant has a new owner and the name has changed to Knotheads. A complete remodel has…read moreimproved the look and use of space. The Bait Shop still shares the front side of the building. The dining room of the restaurant enters on the side nearest the motel in the same parking lot. The food is good and ranges from sandwiches to steaks and much in between. The salads could be inproved; especially the side salad which was just a small portion of iceburg lettuce and a little shredded cheese served on a saucer size plate. A bigger portion and some tomato and cucumber would really fill it out as a true side to a meal.

I have to say this was one of my stranger dining experiences, but not all bad! First off, I was…read morejust grateful that they were open on Labor Day- so although the service was pretty crappy- I suppose the waitress might have just been irritated to be working. The menu is odd- with Mexican, American (bar food), and Chinese items across the three pages. I couldn't help but wonder if I was crazy for trying a Chinese entrée, but couldn't help myself! I ordered the combination (chicken, steak and shrimp) fried rice with sweet chili sauce on the side. Surprisingly, it was DELICIOUS! I can only assume that the Chinese entrees were on the menu, because someone there knew how to cook them. The meat was tasty and tender, and the dish had generous amounts of all ingredients and an overall large portion. The rest of my crew stuck to chicken tenders and burgers, but no complaints there either! They even had Corn Nuggets on the menu, which are strangely delicious and worth trying given the opportunity. This place isn't cheap, our bill for a few sodas and six entrees was over $100.00- but again, the food was pretty darn good. My stepdaughter said the bathroom was atrocious, but I didn't see it first-hand. If you're in the mood for an adventure, or your dining options are limited- this play could meet your needs....

The beer & owners are awesome .... Friendly atmosphere... everytime is a good time.............i…read morehad an awesome time there

Soup the cleaning lady brought in was awesome! Bar tenders were awesome! Drinks were really good…read more Food was awful and I had a stomach ache for days after I ate there. I will not go back. I ordered a steak sandwich was nothing more than a deep fried burger. It laid on two slices of butter soaked burnt toast with cheese and onions. I also got onion rings and they went about two minutes longer than they should have in the fryer.

This WAS our go-to steakhouse in the Sioux Falls area…read more And yes, I emphasize "was" sadly. Located about thirty minutes north of Sioux Falls in the small farming community of Flandreau, this little steakhouse became one of those hidden gems my husband and I found ourselves returning to whenever we had a serious craving for a good steak without dealing with the more corporate chain atmosphere back in the city. Unfortunately, the owner sold the restaurant earlier this year, and as of now no new buyer has reopened it. Which honestly makes me sad. There was something wonderfully unpretentious about this place. It was tucked quietly into a residential part of town near the local athletic fields and open farmland that stretch out with that classic small-town South Dakota feeling. You wouldn't necessarily expect one of the state's better steak experiences to be sitting there so modestly among homes and fields. But somehow, that made it feel even more authentic. The service was always warm, friendly, and deeply local in the best possible way. You never felt rushed or treated like just another table. It had that comfortable small-town hospitality where people genuinely seemed happy you came. And the steaks? Consistently very good. Were they the greatest steaks we've ever had in our lives? No. But they were reliably well-prepared, flavorful, satisfying, and honestly far better than many of the larger steak chains around Sioux Falls. The kitchen understood proper preparation and seasoning without overcomplicating things. There is a reason this place developed such a strong reputation over the years. The restaurant earned statewide recognition and frequently appeared in discussions of South Dakota's best steakhouses, drawing people from well beyond Flandreau itself. Including us. We happily made the drive many times because we knew we were likely going to leave happy. I truly hope someone eventually reopens the place and preserves what made it special. Small-town restaurants with genuine character, loyal followings, and heartfelt hospitality are becoming harder and harder to find.

Great service and wonderful prime rib! A hidden treasure. Down home/no frills place but…read morefabulous food! Will go again.

The food and service is top notch. The portions are worth the value. Won't go away hungry.read more

Always awesome food and service The best ribeyes anywhere…read morean like The Johnny Cash song says I've been everywhere man Kevin Corey

Best ice cream I've ever had and reasonable price food that's very very good. I would recommend…read morethis place to everybody.!

Really good food great staff and overall great in every single aspect and easy-going and the…read moreambiance was good

Great food, great people. Never had a bad meal yet. They have a really good cook or chef.read more

Was in Laurel Nebraska on Saturday. Went in to a local bar called Knuckleheadz for dinner. Have to…read moresay I was very pleasantly surprised. First the bar is nice and clean and motorcycle themed. The servers were all very friendly and attentive. Started with a salad from their salad bar. At first it looks pretty make shift but it was a good salad and the blue cheese dressing was very good. We all ordered burgers and let me say a lot of big city's could learn from this place. They were delicious! Good char on them but very juicy. Straight up damn good grilled burger! I had they patty melt. The sautéed onions were on point and the rye bread was so good! So if you ever are around that area of Nebraska make sure to stop in! It is worth it!!!

I was traveling from Rapid City, SD to Minnesota with my date and we found ourselves in the middle…read moreof nowhere and hungry at dinner time. We found Commerce Street Grille & Bar on yelp when our cell service worked for a nanosecond and decided to check it out due to highway proximity and positive reviews. And the idea of another fast-food meal at that point in time made me want to puke. Instead we read about the Commerce Street salad bar and headed for Plinketron or Planetroon or whatever town it's in. I thought the restaurant would be a mobile home in the desert given the population density in this part of South Dakota. Surprisingly it's actually a legitimate "dive bar" with a sizable kitchen and menu. The night we showed up there were a few tables occupied with locals. It was pick-your-own pasta night with lots of other entrees on the chalkboard menu as well. We both had the pasta, mine with red sauce and shrimp, hers with meat sauce. The included salad bar was simple but good, and the pasta was served al dente. Everything was tasty, portions were reasonable and prices were fair. Service was excellent. This time of the year, summer in the Badlands, the bugs are plentiful, so we had a few house flies visit our table. But the dining room, kitchen and bathrooms were otherwise clean. I recommend this place for the weary highway traveler.

This is a great place to eat! Had the broasted chicken and it was outstanding! Service was super!read more