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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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).

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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. 

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

"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.

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.

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.

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.