Man V. Food Restaurants That No Longer Exist

In the world of food television programs, few shows are quite as polarizing as "Man v. Food." Food television icons Alton Brown and Anthony Bourdain both slammed the show for being gluttonous and wasteful, but the show's original host Adam Richman pointed out how the program has helped shine a light on small mom and pop businesses that would not otherwise reach a nationwide audience (via X, formerly known as Twitter).

No matter what you might think about the show, which centers around its host tackling various food challenges (often featuring disproportionately large portion sizes), "Man v. Food" spent years highlighting various restaurants around the country, visiting a few in different cities or regions each episode. While Adam Richman finished his tenure with "Man v. Food" after four seasons, he packed in quite a number of larger-than-life food items during that time.

Running a restaurant can be a challenge, and sometimes it can take much more than a television appearance to stay in operation. Despite some of the restaurants being local treasures, there are a number of locations that have shut their doors for good after appearing on the show. Today, we are running through some of the restaurants that were featured on the program that no longer exist.

Adam Richman stopped in Knoxville, Tennessee towards the end of the third season to try out some signature barbecue dishes. The main challenge of the episode took place at Sweet P's Barbecue and Soul House, where Richman tackled the El Gigante Comida Challenge, which involved a whopping 5-pound barbecue burrito. But before that challenge, Richman visited the first bygone restaurant on our list: Dixson Bar-B-Q. While at Dixson Bar-B-Q, Richman tried the Pigburger. The burger was made with only a few key ingredients: pork patties made from rib trimmings, steamed onions, and a mixture of Dixson's signature hot and sweet barbecue sauces.

Dixson Bar-B-Q was a restaurant people would often recommend to those looking for some great local Knoxville places. Despite the restaurant's stellar reputation, Redditors shared that the location no longer exists. According to one comment, the restaurant was shut down after a fire. A quick Google search will reveal that the location is indeed closed, as you will see when visiting the restaurant's Yelp page.

Early in the tenure of "Man v. Food," Adam Richman visited Boston, Massachusetts, in Season 1, Episode 8. There, he stopped by East Coast Grill & Raw Bar in Cambridge to try its signature spicy feast known as Hell Night. On three nights each year, the restaurant transformed its menu with a spicy collection of ingredients designed to test even the toughest heat lovers. While attending Hell Night, Richman tried the Blistering Pasta From Hell, which was made with black pepper fettuccine and a sausage ragu that contained three ghost chile peppers. After Hell Night, the episode ultimately brought Richman to Eagle's Deli and Restaurant, where he would tackle the Eagle's Challenge, which included 5 pounds of beef, 20 slices of cheese, and 20 slices of bacon.

The Boston episode aired in 2009, and East Coast Grill & Raw Bar enjoyed continued business for an additional seven years. In 2016, the restaurant would ultimately close after a 30-year history in Cambridge. If you visit the location today, you will come across a new business called bōm dough cafe.

In Season 2, Episode 3, Adam Richman found himself in Charleston, South Carolina for a taste of Lowcountry dining. One of his stops during his tour of Charleston was the Hominy Grill, which served up authentic Southern comfort food. Customers at Hominy Grill raved over the restaurant's shrimp and grits, so Richman took a visit to the kitchen to try them out himself. Afterward, he was given a fried chicken sandwich with cheese and sausage gravy on a biscuit called The Big Nasty. The episode was ultimately a win for Richman, who stopped by Bushido and beat the restaurant's Spicy Tuna Roll Challenge. But today, we are here to talk about Hominy Grill.

Hominy Grill unfortunately closed in 2019 after a nearly 24-year-long residency in Charleston. The restaurant shared a statement on Instagram, saying that the team considered its customers to be family.

Adam Richman stopped in Richmond, Virginia in Season 3 of "Man v. Food," where he took on the Stupid Wings Challenge at Caliente, one of the hardest challenges he said he ever faced (via Twitter). Before he ultimately conquered the challenge, he first visited The Black Sheep, a restaurant located near Virginia Commonwealth University that was widely known for its larger-than-life sub sandwiches. In fact, these submarine sandwiches were so large (measuring in at 2 feet long and weighing in at 2.5 pounds) that they were affectionately known as "battleships," each one named after an actual U.S. military cruiser. Richman ordered the U.S.S. Brooklyn, which was a sub made with Jamaican jerk chicken and cabbage slaw topped with roasted banana ketchup, served on a baguette filled with peach chutney. Richman seemed mighty impressed with the subs since they would eventually be featured on Travel Channel's "Adam Richman's Best Sandwich in America."

Several years after the Richmond episode aired, The Black Sheep closed its doors permanently after its lease was up in 2017. This would not be the last time the Battleship sub sandwiches would make an appearance, however, as the restaurant's former owners reunited in January of 2022 for a pop-up event in the city. The pop-up event featured a few of The Black Sheep's signature Battleships that fans could preorder for takeout.

While on a stop in Louisville, Kentucky, Adam Richman visited Lynn's Paradise Cafe for some breakfast. "Man v. Food" would not be the only time the restaurant appeared on television, as it was also featured on "The Best Thing I Ever Ate" and "Throwdown! with Bobby Flay."

While at the restaurant, Richman tried the Quadruple B French Toast, which came with homemade bread drenched in buttermilk and topped with black walnuts, blackberry sauce, and a bourbon meringue (hence the "quadruple" B's: buttermilk, black walnuts, blackberries, and bourbon). The entire dish was then treated with a blowtorch (a fifth "B," perhaps?).

Outside of the "Man v. Food" universe, Lynn's Paradise Cafe abruptly closed in 2013 without any warning or explanation. Chief Operating Officer Patty Schnatter said at the time that there were four specific reasons as to why the restaurant closed, but would not provide details other than that it had something to do with the restaurant's workers (via WDRB). Fans will have to figure out how to recreate their Quadruple B French Toast at home.

Las Vegas, Nevada is filled with immersive themed destinations, from the famous hotels along the iconic Las Vegas Strip to numerous restaurants, shows, and attractions. The larger-than-life imagery, from the pyramid structure at Luxor to the replica Eiffel Tower at Paris Las Vegas, could make you think that there is something here for just about everybody. It should come as no surprise that Las Vegas was once home to a NASCAR Cafe.

Not only did this restaurant attract NASCAR fans from far and wide, but it was also a magnet for those seeking food challenges like Adam Richman. When "Man v. Food" stopped in Las Vegas, Richman visited the racecar-themed restaurant at the Sahara Hotel and Casino. There, he tackled the Big B****s Burrito, which weighed in at 6 pounds and measured 2 feet long. Those brave enough to take on this burrito had an hour and a half to eat it in its entirety. Spoiler alert: Richman came out victorious.

NASCAR Cafe, however, would not be so lucky in the long run. Just a few years after Richman's visit, the restaurant was closed and demolished as part of a renovation at the Sahara hotel.

Early on in the first season of "Man v. Food," Adam Richman visited Columbus, Ohio. The challenge in this particular episode was found at Ohio Deli & Restaurant. There, Richman tackled the Dagwood Sandwich, named after the classic cartoon character Dagwood Bumstead. The sandwich weighed in at 2.5 pounds and was made with smoked turkey, ham, roast beef, and cheese (and it came served with a side of french fries). Challengers had just 30 minutes to complete the sandwich, and winners of the challenge got a commemorative t-shirt that said: "I Defeated the Dagwood." According to Richman, only 400 of the 1,000 challengers came out victorious at the time the episode aired. Ultimately, Richman won the challenge.

The walls of Ohio Deli & Restaurant would not stand much longer, however, as the iconic location burned down in a fire in late 2014. Ohio Deli & Restaurant is listed as closed on Yelp.

Season 3 Episode 9 of "Man v. Food" was located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and its surrounding suburbs, including Edmond, where Adam Richman found himself at the Steak & Catfish Barn. There, Richman took on the Fried Catfish Challenge, which involved attempting to earn the title of "Top Cat" by eating more catfish in one hour than anyone else had before. At the time of taping, the record was 28 catfish, meaning Richman's challenge was to consume 29 catfish in 60 minutes (he succeeded). In the month that followed since the episode aired in 2010, the restaurant saw a surge in business. Restaurant owner Dino Smalley shared with The Oklahoman that the spike in crowds would occur every time the Oklahoma City episode was re-aired.

Though the restaurant enjoyed a bump in business immediately following the episode airing, the owners were close to retirement age and seemingly decided to end things on a high note. A few years after the "Man v. Food" episode aired, Steak & Catfish Barn closed, and Smalley and his wife, Maria Vitale, moved to her homeland of Italy. Someone else took over the business, but since then, the restaurant has permanently closed.

In Season 2 of "Man v. Food," Boise, Idaho was one of the featured cities visited by the production team. The challenge of this particular episode took place at Rockies Diner, where Adam Richman had to survive the Johnny B. Goode Challenge. This challenge included the Johnny B. Goode Burger, a menu item that by itself was a challenge to eat in a reasonable amount of time. The burger was made with three half-pound burgers topped with cheese, onions, pastrami, and a hot dog, all of which came served open-faced and smothered in chili. In addition to the burger, Richman had to eat an entire plate of chili cheese fries and a milkshake.

All three items — the burger, the fries, and the milkshake — had to be consumed in less than 30 minutes. The prize for completing the challenge was a Fender guitar. As of the episode being filmed, only 30 of the 1,118 challengers had come out victorious. Richman would rise to the occasion and become the 31st winner.

Rockies Diner closed suddenly in 2019 due to a seizure of the property by the local sheriff's department. Apparently, the restaurant owed over $60,000 in unemployment taxes. The restaurant did manage to reopen for a short period of time, but the COVID-19 pandemic delivered a one-two punch that Rockies Diner ultimately could not recover from.

Season 3, Episode 14 brought Adam Richman to Portland, Maine, as well as its surrounding areas. In the town of Arundel, the production team stopped by the Tradewinds Cafe to take on the Manimal Challenge. The challenge required diners to consume a number of Tradewinds Cafe's more notorious menu items, including the Ochoburger, which included eight patties, two hot dogs, french fries, a soda, and a milkshake — all of which totaled a whopping five pounds of food — in just 20 minutes. Though the thick milkshake proved to be a tough adversary, Richman ultimately came out on top, completing the Manimal Challenge in the allotted time.

Since the airing of the Portland, Maine episode, however, Tradewinds Cafe shut its doors. The restaurant's Yelp page also lists it as closed. So, if you were to seek out all of the "Man v. Food" challenges yourself, this is one you would have to recreate at home.

In 2019, "Man v. Food" made a memorable stop in San Antonio, Texas, when host Casey Webb visited Lulu's Bakery & Cafe. While there were plenty of tasty things on the menu that kept customers coming back, Lulu's was particularly known for its giant cinnamon roll. It was so famous that even tourists from as far as Australia would stop in to get one while on vacation.

Webb took on the cinnamon roll challenge: finishing the entire 3-pound cinnamon roll in 30 minutes or less. Although this intensely sweet "Man v. Food" challenge gave viewers a stomachache just by watching it, Webb did emerge victorious, earning a T-shirt for his win. Unfortunately, Lulu's temporarily closed the very next year due to the COVID-19 pandemic and then permanently closed in 2021.

The silver lining is that the famous 3-pound cinnamon roll lives on. The son of Lulu's Bakery & Cafe's owner has his own restaurant called Green Vegetarian Cuisine, and he decided to sell the colossal dessert at his establishment following the closing of Lulu's. He even uses the original recipe that was created in 1992, so fans and loyal customers can still enjoy this signature sweet.

Adam Richman is no stranger to hot wings. He met his match in 2009, however, during a trip to Munchies 420 Cafe in Sarasota, Florida. While this restaurant may have been known for its Fat Sandwiches, it was also home to the Fire in Your Hole wing challenge, where contestants had 20 minutes to eat 10 hot wings covered in ghost chili extract. They were so hot that Richman forfeited after eating two, although there is some unknown truth behind this deadly food challenge: the cooks were caught using extra ghost pepper extract in the batch.

Although Munchies earned national notoriety from its "Man v. Food" challenge, it was failing financially in 2023 and was bought by a new owner, John Kirk. Before Kirk could turn things around, the building was severely damaged by Hurricane Helene in 2024. Not only did this leave Kirk with expensive repair bills, but it also hurt sales due to the hurricane's impact on local tourism. Munchies closed for good in 2025, but the infamous Fire in Your Hole challenge will go down as one of the most memorable (and controversial) in "Man v. Food" history.

One of "Man v. Food's" messier stops took place in Roseville, California, when Adam Richman visited Parker's Hot Dogs (later renamed Knucklehead Hot Dog Diner). Parker's was known for serving franks overflowing with delicious homemade chili, so it should come as no surprise that the challenge centered around the restaurant's famous offering. Richman had 20 minutes to finish a roughly 5-pound platter consisting of chili-and-cheese hot dogs and fries, but he unfortunately didn't come out on top.

Although the eatery served up some impressive dishes, it ended up closing in 2013, just three years after it was featured on "Man v. Food." On its Facebook page, the establishment posted that it planned to keep running as a food truck and eventually reopen another restaurant in a better spot. While the business has not opened a new brick-and-mortar location, it is operating as the SactoMoFo food truck, serving up all kinds of smothered dishes, burgers, and tacos.

In 2011, Adam Richman made a stop at Martino's while in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, for "Man v. Food Nation." Martino's had already been feeding generations of Milwaukee families for more than three decades –– touting an impressive menu of over 125 items –– by the time the show came calling. During the episode, Richman tried the restaurant's famous Italian Beef and Sausage Combo. While Martino's was already a local favorite, owner TJ Anderson reported that it experienced a 55% increase in business the day after the episode aired.

Martino's went on to serve Milwaukee for another 14 years but ended up closing in December 2025 after 48 years in business. The decision was not driven by declining popularity or financial hardship, but rather by a desire to step back after decades of daily operations. TJ Anderson and his wife, Cathy, decided that they wanted to spend more time traveling and focusing on family, including a new grandchild who was due the same month.

The announcement sparked an emotional response from the community. When interviewed by Urban Milwaukee in November of 2025, Cathy Anderson said, "We're not ready to share yet, but we are exploring some other opportunities to keep Martino's viable." Unfortunately, no solid plans for the brand's revival have been announced. So for now, Martino's legacy (and its much-missed Italian Beef and Sausage Combo) will live on through "Man v. Food Nation."

Early in "Man v. Food's" revival with Casey Webb as host, the show came to Phoenix, Arizona, and visited Game Seven Grill. Dubbed the Hottest Wings in Baseball Challenge (undoubtedly a nod to the restaurant's location at Chase Field's main entrance), Webb had 6 minutes to finish eight chicken wings and two grilled habanero peppers. Now, compared to some of the other challenges on the show, this one might seem like a piece of cake. However, the wings were coated in ghost chili and habanero sauce, making them so hot that Game Seven Grill required competitors to sign a waiver. It turned out to be one of the most epic "Man v. Food" chicken challenges, but unfortunately, Webb lost.

Game Seven Grill wasn't just a "Man v. Food" challenge site. Its prime spot at Chase Field and menu full of game day eats, like nachos, burgers, and beers, made it a popular stop for baseball fans. However, the Arizona Diamondbacks wanted to remodel and reimagine what would go in that prized location, so the restaurant closed in 2021. In its place is a sportsbook, bar, and broadcasting studio combo where sports fans can drink and place bets all year round.