A popular burger restaurant from the Twin Cities and a new Mexican concept from the same restaurant group will open this week in Sioux Falls.
They’re both on the first floor of the office tower at The Steel District, 150 E. Fourth Place.
Preview events over the weekend drew hundreds of diners each day, allowing the staff to practice on the menu and previewing what’s to come as the third restaurant, Ironwood, opens later this month.
Big Sioux Burger and Dahlia Kitchen + Bar will open Tuesday.
Lloyd Cos. partnered with Twin Cities restaurateurs Josh Thoma, Kevin Fitzgerald and Nick O’Leary, who own and operate concepts such as Smack Shack and Burger Dive, to bring the restaurants to The Steel District.
Big Sioux Burger essentially is a Sioux Falls-branded version of Burger Dive, which launched as a pop-up concept in the Twin Cities and now has several locations there.
The Sioux Falls version has an identical menu, which is “burger-heavy,” Thoma said. “It’s a chef-driven, smashburger concept. We grind all our own burgers from rib eye, chuck and brisket.”
The menu includes a half-dozen burgers, in addition to signature items such as pierogis, which are made with corned beef, potatoes, cheese, sour cream and sauerkraut.
Here’s a look at the full menu:
Additionally, there will be a breakfast menu served from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
“It’s a classic diner breakfast,” Thoma said. “A lot of first responders come in and do happy hour (at the other locations), and we’re right next to a bunch of hospitals, so there we’ll do a happy hour from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m.”
The breakfast will include pastries from Look’s Marketplace, which is providing items to all three restaurants Thoma is bringing to The Steel District. He and chef Beau Vondra from Look’s know one another from appearances on The Food Network.
Here’s a look at the breakfast menu:
Big Sioux Burger also will be adding late-night karaoke.
The restaurant, which accommodates 79 people, is walk-in only and is open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 7 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday.
Dahlia Kitchen + Bar is across the hall from Big Sioux Burger and is a new concept from Thoma’s group, which previously developed the Mexican restaurant Barrio.
“I think one of the great things about Dahlia’s design is the layered textures throughout the space,” Thoma said.
“Much like our tacos are layered, so is the design.”
The menu features appetizers, including several varieties of guacamole, plus many options for chef-composed tacos, as well as a make-your-own platter.
“And all of the meats come from our wood-fired rotisserie,” Thoma said. “The style of food we’re doing, although it’s chef-driven, it’s still approachable. You’ll recognize the ingredients on the menu.”
Here’s a look at the menu:
There will be a happy hour menu available from 4 to 6 p.m. daily as well as a late-night menu. The tequila cellar hosts 225 different tequilas.
The restaurant accommodates 128 guests inside, including a private dining room for hosting meetings and events, with an additional 76 seats on the patio, which will be used for as long as the weather allows this season, Thoma said.
Dahlia takes both reservations and walk-in guests. Hours are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 7 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday.
The third restaurant in the building, Ironwood, essentially has finished construction and is scheduled to open Oct. 29.
It’s a two-story space that opens to the Big Sioux River and Falls Park.
The menu features steaks and chops grilled over a wood fire, with the option to add housemade sauces and butters, along with crab legs, lobster tail, shrimp and scallops.
“I’m happy with it,” Thoma said. “It’s really cool. I can’t wait to sit and have dinner here.”
It will be open for dinner only beginning at 4 p.m. daily.
While the three restaurants will require at least 100 employees, “hiring has been great,” Thoma said. “We’re really happy with just the level of enthusiasm that I think our employees have. It seems like they’ve been waiting for us to open.”