How Many Happy Chef Restaurants Remain In Minnesota?

From giant cinnamon rolls to their famous country breakfast. A stack of pancakes or French toast. Country fried steak, hot beef sandwich, and meatloaf dinner. It all comes down to comfort food.

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When the first Happy Chef family restaurant opened in 1963 in Mankato, Minnesota dining out would bring families in for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Once word got out of how good the food and service were, their success would see expansion outside the state.

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At one time Happy Chef locations were found in Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, North Dakota, Iowa, Wisconsin, and, Minnesota.

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If you're traveling from Sioux Falls to a Minnesota Twins or Minnesota Vikings game during the season, get off the Interstate and take the more scenic route through Mankato.

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Stay on Highway 169 until you come to the iconic Happy Chef statue that still greets customers by voice. He loves taking selfies!

Out of the many Happy Chef restaurants that were scattered through the Upper Plains and Midwest, only one, the original, remains.

And, it is still run by the family of the man who started it all. Tom Frederick, Sr, and his brother Sal opened the doors 60 years ago. Today, son Tom Jr. carries on the tradition.

Menu provided by Vintage Menu Mania

Located at the intersection of Interstate 90 and Hyw. 37 in Mitchell, South Dakota, you could see the giant statue with its wooden spoon raised over its head long before pulling into town. The restaurant was always a popular stop for those traveling to and from Sioux Falls. This location closed in 2002.

What happened to the Mitchell Happy Chef statue? Sadly, it was hauled to the landfill.

We're sorry to report that the corpulent, white-aproned, Happy Chef will no longer be holding his spoon aloft. On May 6, 2002, the Happy Chef restaurant became an Ember's and the BIG gentle Chef was consigned to the city landfill. The shortsighted city officials prohibit removing anything from the dump and therefore a local landmark is forever lost (except for the feet/shoes of the Chef that we're lovingly saved and converted to useful and decorative outdoor planters). RIP Good Friend, We'll miss you!
[J. D. Taylor, 05/12/2002]

Other South Dakota Happy Chef stops were found in Kadoka and Rapid City.

The Sioux Falls Happy Cheff building was where the South Dakota Military Heritage Alliance is currently located on Russell Street & West Avenue.

Dives Worth a Drive in South Dakota, Iowa and Minnesota

Almost every small South Dakota town has a watering hole. It’s where the locals go to kick back a few brews and engage in conversation.

Some of these establishments are located in buildings almost as old as the town itself. There might be a fresh coat of paint on the walls or new vinyl on the booth seats, but the ambiance is still reminiscent of a good ol’ dive.

If you think a "dive" is all about the sketchy clientele, the smell of the Devil’s lettuce, and stale Grain Belt, you’d be wrong. Not every dive has a bad reputation.

What makes a dive, a dive?

A dive has character. Neon beer signs and local memorabilia adorn the walls.

You might find a pool table, dart board, and a few video lottery machines.

The bartender knows the regulars by name and they know what you drink.

Some dives don't even serve food except for bags of chips and pickled eggs that sit in a jar of brine on the bar.

Dives aren't fancy. You might see 70's-style wood panels on the walls and wobbly tables leveled with a folded napkin.

Finally, the bathrooms. The bathrooms in dives are in a class by themselves and could be a whole topic on its own.

There are several small-town dives in our area with friendly faces, cheap booze with a burn, and even really good food! We use the term "dive" in the most affectionate way.

Here are some of the best and why you should go there.

Gallery Credit: Karla Brown

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Categories: Articles, South Dakota