The Best Man V. Food Restaurant In Every State

There are few people on the planet brave enough to face down even the most behemoth eating challenges served up by restaurants all over the country — and do it with a smile on their face and an unrelenting eagerness in their belly. One of those men is Adam Richman. Richman was the host of the wildly popular show "Man v. Food," for which he traveled around America with a camera crew and documented himself taking on some super intense eating challenges in front of a cheering crowd in hopes he could land himself a spot in the coveted Hall of Fame.

Richman has since moved on from "Man v. Food" to other endeavors, and a man named Casey Webb took over hosting responsibilities. But, fans of the show will always remember the journey they took with Richman on so many episodes. And, if you're feeling like harnessing your inner "Man v. Food" host, you can still visit most of the restaurants featured on the show. So, fill up your gas tank and get ready to travel around the United States. While not every state has been featured (Kansas, West Virginia, and Wyoming), these are the best restaurants featured on "Man v. Food" by state.

Richman headed down to the state of Alabama to visit The Original Oyster House in 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 with a name like Humpy's and not feel a bit curious about what's happening inside. Well, that's why Adam Richman and his crew featured it on an episode of "Man v. Food." Richman slapped on his game face to tackle 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 chock-full of amazing restaurants ready to scratch every itch you have when it comes to the stuff. Well Adam Richman certainly developed quite the itch, so he and his crew headed out to a spot called Los Reyes de la Torta in one of the episodes. The restaurant offers a ton of great options, like 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 sausage-chorizo omelet (yes, a whole omelet), and then topped with tomato, caramelized onions, avocado, and a spicy chipotle sauce. 

Don't let the name Mean Pig BBQ fool you into thinking the people running it aren't friendly. This spot is a mom-and-pop establishment that cooks about 2,000 pounds of meat every single week and sends a bunch of food overseas to deployed service members. When Adam Richman showed up to say hello, he took on the Shut Up Juice challenge. As you can imagine, Shut Up Juice is an extremely hot sauce that comes with a written waiver.

When you're looking to dive into a bowl of delicious noodles and slurp your little heart away, there are few better options than ramen. When Adam Richman and his crew showed up to meet the owners of Orochon Ramen, he took on a spicy ramen challenge that truly scorched his tongue. Even if you don't want to brave the heat of the ramen challenge, 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 incredibly worthy of a visit by Adam Richman. If you make the trip here, you can enjoy prime-grade cuts of steak, buffalo, elk, lamb, and even rattlesnake and alligator tail. It'd be a shame to travel through Colorado without enjoying the great grub here.

When you have a hankering for melted cheese, few meals hit the spot quite like a grilled cheese. Not only is there that gooey, salty cheese between two perfectly toasted pieces of bread, but you can add a whole bunch of other ingredients to it, as well. Well, in one "Man v. Food" episode, Adam Richman took a trip to New Haven, Connecticut to check out a food truck called Crispy Melty that slings gourmet grilled cheese options like The Cubano with pulled pork, smoked ham, pickles, and mustard or the Chicken Pisano with lemon-and-fennel-braised chicken, caramelized onions, and hot cherry peppers.

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, and even though it isn't located off the beaten path, it's still worthy of one that does. Here, you can order up awesome dishes like Jerk Chicken with yucca and 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 a spot called Horace & Dickies is serving up some great ocean grub that Adam Richman just had to check on out on one episode of "Man v. Food." You can order up a fish dinner with whiting filets, crab cakes, jumbo shrimp, or grilled salmon. Don't just visit Washington, D.C. to visit iconic government landmarks. Take a trip to Horace and Dickies to enjoy some great seafood while you do it.

If you find yourself in the Sunshine State with a large appetite, one place you can always seek out is The Old Salty Dog. It has three locations — in City Island, Siesta Key, and Venice Island — and it was the City Island location that piqued Adam Richman'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 (American, Swiss, cheddar, and pepper jack).

If you're looking for food so delicious you'll get lost in a hunger-induced vortex, then 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 "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 establishment that's been a recipient of a James Beard Award is totally worth visiting, which is what made Helena's Hawaiian Food a must-see spot for Adam Richman. This simple but delicious spot serves up authentic Hawaiian cuisine like Kalua pig, laulau (cooked taro leaves filled with meat), tripe stew, and Pipikaula-style short ribs. 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 is flying high with a pizza craving, there are few spots that'll put it to rest quite like Flying Pie, a super popular pizzeria with several locations in Idaho. If you're in the area and looking to munch down some really unique 'za, this place offers options like a Mesquite Chicken pie with green onions and barbecue sauce and the Chile-N-Lime pie with verde chicken, fire-roasted tomatoes, green onion, sliced onions, mozzarella, and sharp cheddar all piled onto a black bean sauce.

If you're the kind of person who considers themselves a sandwich connoisseur, then you'd be a fool not to visit Lucky's Sandwich Company the next time you're in Illinois. And, if you want to put your love of sandwiches to the test, you can always attempt the Lucky's Sandwich Challenge that was featured on "Man v. Food." Contestants have to choose three sandwiches and finish them all within one hour for their coveted photo on the Wall of Fame and a free shirt.

You just can't beat a great café. It's a place that offers a relaxed vibe to patrons and serves up some great food at affordable prices. A veteran eater like Adam Richman has surely visited tons of cafes 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 altered menu, and you can order up items like fried chicken livers, cubed steak, prime rib, and grilled salmon.

Everyone wants to live the high life. There's just no reason to settle for anything less than the best life experience possible. So, why not embrace that ideology and head to the High Life Lounge in Iowa? Now, you might read the word "lounge" and assume this spot doesn't really go hard with 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 awesomely unique burgers.

Feeling like you just wanna melt into a chair and enjoy some delicious food while your mind sinks into a culinary coma? Well, Tom & Chee has you covered with its awesome selection of delicious melted sandwiches. This place really knows how to put together some unique flavor combinations, such as the West of Philly melt with mozzarella, pot roast, sautéed mushrooms, and garlic aioli and the Bacon, Fig, & Goat melt with mozzarella, goat cheese, bacon, sautéed onions, and fig preserves.

Louisiana and seafood go hand in hand, plain and simple. There are so many wonderful seafood spots throughout the state, but when it came to Adam Richman and "Man v. Food," he took a trip to a place called Deanie's Seafood, which was named "Best Place for Crawfish" in 2014. 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. The lobster there is astoundingly fresh, and lobster enthusiasts everywhere flock to the northern state to indulge. 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 in a sentence without talking about crabs. On one episode of "Man v. Food," Adam Richman wanted to get his crab on in the most delicious way possible, 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-centric options like Maryland crab soup, deviled crab balls, crab melts, and crab cake benedict for breakfast. Obrucki's offers up crabs the healthy way.

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 will put an end to all other burgers, then you have to visit someone who's willing to get wild with food. That's what makes Krazy Jim's Blimpyburger such a great spot for some handheld madness. Take the Peppersteak 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.

When you want juicy rotisserie meat, you don't want anything less than the best, and that's exactly what a spot featured on "Man v. Food" called 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, slow-roasted pork with garlic-lime mojo, and fried fish with a cornmeal and rice flour crust. 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.

As the first American restaurant to take the James Beard Award for Excellence in the "Home Style" category, Stroud's certainly made its mark in Missouri. Adam Richman and his "Man v. Food" crew visited the establishment to feast their eyes on the amazing menu, with items like chicken fried chicken with gravy, pan-fried catfish, pork chops (fried or boiled), and bacon-wrapped filet mignon with sautéed mushrooms, just name a few. Plus, patrons can add the kick of a condiment called Mike's Spicy Sauce to any fried chicken dish.

Sometimes the best spots to eat are total dives. They're not the places with huge glowing signs alerting you to their presence. 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. 

One of the best things about crawfish is that you can eat a whole bunch of them in one sitting. Sure, there may not be a ton of meat in those little suckers, but eat enough of them and you'll have a belly overloaded with succulent, delicate crawfish meat. Well, at Hot N Juicy Crawfish in Nevada you can do exactly that. You can join Adam Richman 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.

Are you up to take on the legendary Pig Wing Challenge at Starsky's Bar & Grill? You have to consume five pounds of pig wings (mini pork wings) and three pounds of corn nuggets in one hour or less. Adam Richman helped cheer on a competitor when he visited the bar and grill, 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.

If you're looking for a spot that doesn't have a super intricate menu but still manages to sling some awesome food, JP's Grill might be the spot for you. It serves a solid selection of salads so you can get your greens in before tackling items like a variety of steak subs, a selection of 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 eateries in the country that aren't healthy, but then there are eateries that almost seem like they strive to stack its menu with the most heart attack-inducing items possible. RU Hungry is the latter, and it has the menu that more than proves it. Take the Fat Blunt sandwich, for example. 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, and chicken fingers, as well as onion rings, french fries, hot sauce, and ketchup.

If you love great food and intriguing art, Frontier Restaurant has you covered on both fronts. The walls of the restaurant are adorned with pieces of artwork from artists all over the country. And, you can gaze in awe at their beauty while enjoying a variety of enchiladas, burritos, sandwiches, and fried chicken strips. Adam Richman visited the restaurant to highlight the green chile cheeseburgers. But, this spot has also picked up a variety of other accolades from USA Today Travel to 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 aggressively high with the most savory slices of pastrami and corned beef you'll ever eat. But, it also serves a variety of other astoundingly fresh and delicious foods like sausages, breads, and desserts. Do not visit New York City and leave without a trip to this place.

If you're in the market for a menu with an eclectic selection of items, 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 (peanut butter-stuffed French toast with bananas and honey), or what about the Uncle Mo's Southwest Turkey burger with spiced ground turkey, lettuce, tomato, onion, white cheddar, and salsa.

When you think of Fargo, North Dakota, the famous Oscar-winning Coen brothers movie might immediately come to mind. 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 an order of Short Rib Benedict for brunch. Or, if you happen to wander in around dinner time, you can treat yourself to entrees like Gouda Mac N Cheese topped with juicy chunks of short rib, or two thick slices of house-made meatloaf smothered in gravy and fried onions with a side of sour cream and chive mashed potatoes.

Chili-heads in Ohio can all rejoice at the fact there's a restaurant that's designed specifically for them. Camp Washington Chili has been slinging tons of chili dishes since 1940, and this spot's been featured in Travel & Leisure and Smithsonian Magazine. But, the menu has a whole bunch more stuff other than just chili if you're in the mood for something else, like burgers, melts, hot dogs, and a whole bunch of breakfast options in case you decide to hit up this spot early in the morning.

Where can you go to not only eat delicious Mexican cuisine but also watch some exciting Luchador wrestling every Cinco de Mayo? Elote, of course! Not only can you witness wrestlers like Four Eyes Frank and Luchadora the Explora go toe to toe in the ring, but you can do so while enjoying menu items like puffy tacos chock full of beef, chicken, or pork, a variety of burritos, fried avocados, and quesadillas. Saddle up with a delicious dish on Cinco de Mayo and get ready to rumble Luchador style.

A place with a name as enticingly eerie as Voodoo Doughnut just begs you to come in and check out what this establishment is serving. Obviously, it slings doughnuts, but these aren't your typical doughy rings. 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 lodged in the middle. This place serves doughnuts on steroids.

What started as a small sandwich cart in 1933 during the Great Depression by a man named Joe Primanti quickly grew into a storefront when truck drivers and shift workers realized they could get a tasty sandwich for an affordable price. But, it was the incorporation 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 "R.I.'s Best Hot Wieners" need to look no further than Olneyville New York System. Of course, the menu has a bit more than just wieners, but that's not why you come here. According to the website, a pro tip when it comes to ordering is to ask for "three all the way with coffee milk and a large fry." That gets you three wieners with all the fixings and a beverage to wash it all down. Plus, this place actually sells its spice mixture so you can make the famous wiener sauce at home.

You might not gallivant throughout South Carolina and think too much about sushi, seeing as so many other kinds of cuisine are popular there, 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 Richman did. You get 10 spicy tuna hand rolls that build in heat as you reach the next one. Simply finish all 10 to receive a Bushido headband, a gift certificate, and your photo on the wall of champions.

If you ever watch an old western film, it's likely there'll be at least one scene that takes place inside an old timey saloon. The creaky wooden environment full of rambunctious characters seems like a pretty cool place to post up a for a while. Well, if you find yourself in Deadwood, South Dakota, you can follow in Webb's footsteps visit Deadwood Social Club located in Saloon #10 to get a feel for what it was like (via Black Hills Pioneer). The rambunctious personalities likely won't be there (thankfully), but you can enjoy food like Salmon Cheesecake (it's not a dessert), a 16-ounce Dinosaur Short Rib topped with bacon and blue cheese crumbles, and smoked pheasant pasta in a Tuaca and mushroom cream sauce.

"In the last few years, the hot chicken trend has caught on like wildfire throughout the South, but Prince's Hot Chicken is the original and remains the gold standard for hot chicken," states the restaurant's website. Hot chicken has definitely gained in popularity, but if you want to keep it original, this is the place to visit. You know the restaurant takes hot chicken seriously when, other than side dishes and a few desserts, the spot mostly serves varying levels of spicy chicken.

To sausage, or not to sausage. That is sometimes the question, and Kuby's always has the answer: Yes, it is absolutely time to sausage. This sausage house has won a ton of awards over the years, which makes it a must-stop spot for people traveling through 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 Richman ate when he visited and enjoy the Wurst Teller sausage plate.

Interestingly enough, the Bruges Belgian Bistro serves up a variety of incredible waffle offerings, but it's actually landed itself on a ton of award lists for its french fries. But, if you visit, you have to order more than just the 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.

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 wherever they are, but that doesn't mean you should avoid eating at The Black Sheep if you're visiting Virginia. This place has some pretty awesome stuff that you don't want your taste buds to miss out on. Snag the bacon tower to start the meal and watch candied bacon get torched at your tableside. Move on to entrees like the bone-in prime-cut pork chop with a cranberry demi-glace or the miso sake sea bass with sticky coconut rice. You won't feel like a black sheep when you're seated here.

Now, there's a time where a high level of decorum is required when you go out to eat, and there are other times when it's perfectly appropriate to get messy with your meal. At The Crab Pot, ordering up one of the five Seafeasts means you and your group are about to fall elbow deep into a variety of sea creatures. You get a bucket of seafood spilled onto your table along with bibs and mallets and you go to town on it all. Sure, there are other tasty options on the menu, but none as fun as a Seafeast.

When you're craving a hot dog, why settle for something that isn't the absolute best dog you can shove into your face? 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 Richman visited, he sampled the Italian Combo and an Italian Sausage sandwich topped with Italian beef, giardiniera, and red sauce dunked in parmesan au jus.