Urban Chislic opened in Sioux Falls in 2018 with a bold idea: to take South Dakota’s beloved state nosh, chislic—deep-fried cubes of meat with roots in German-Russian tradition—and give it a modern, urban twist. The restaurant featured a lively, sports-bar-style atmosphere with graffiti art, creative lighting, and a menu that let diners mix and match proteins like beef, lamb, pork, chicken, fish, and even bison with a wide variety of rubs and sauces. Beyond the traditional dish, they offered playful takes such as chislic nachos, the “Regret Burger,” and rotating specials that drew enough attention to land the restaurant on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives and Guy’s Grocery Games. After six years, the restaurant permanently closed in August 2024. I was fortunate to check it out before then, though, and tried the sweet BBQ chislic with bison and sauteed seasonal vegetables. The meat itself was a little chewy, but I enjoyed the sauce. Grade: B

Crawford’s Bar & Grill is the location of one of the first butchers in Sioux Falls, Louis Bauch, Bauch’s Meats in 1896. If you look closely you will see the wood beams throughout the quartzite walls used as scaffolding when building the massive walls for the Bauch’s pMeats property. Bauch’s son and son-in-law’s names are signed and dated “May 1936″ on the back of the bar under the first shelf of wine glasses. Behind the second shelf of wine glasses there is an original piece of cork from the butcher’s cork lined cooler. Black soot runs up the men's bathroom brick wall from where the butcher's meat was smoked, the blood trough still runs along the north cellar wall and a rusty old nail hangs in the quartzite wall under one of the large gilded mirrors. When restoring the building to its original beauty, Bauch’s meat cleaver was discovered, hidden neatly away for almost a century, it is displayed in a special spot in Crawford’s today. Moroccan chandeliers, antique Indian columns, jeweled wallpaper, cowhide-barrelled seats, and a quartzite bar top decorate the space. The mix of masculine and feminine touches—like iron footrests and vintage tiles—adds to its layered aesthetic. I ordered Parmesan Walleye - Parmesan-crusted walleye served with mash potatoes and grilled asparagus, finished with lemon beurre Blanc. And French Onion Tart - Flaky tart filled with caramelized onions and boursin cheese topped with gruyere. The walleye had a mild, clean, and slightly sweet flavor and the lemon beurre blanc added a bright, buttery finish that tied beautifully to the creamy mash and smoky asparagus. The tart featured sweet caramelized onions and tangy boursin wrapped in a delicate pastry, topped by the nutty depth of melted gruyere. Grade: A