Surly Mermaid is the follow-on food truck from the folks behind Ad Astra, the Flint Hills…read morerestaurant that got crushed when the New York Times wrote an article about their food and their popularity exploded. I'm not entirely sure where Flint Hills is, but I know it must be north of here because the food truck spends more time in Emporia and Hutchinson. Every once in a while it makes its way down to Wichita, though, and I've been able to visit it a few times. The menu changes, but there's usually a couple of burgers on the menu. Surly Mermaid uses local Creekstone beef, which I like, but between a fairly high internal temperature and being covered by a lot of condiments, the burger ends up being a little too messy for my tastes. The burger is still mostly successful, unlike the pork belly burger I tried on another occasion: the pork belly was sliced thick, turned on its side, and inserted into a sandwich. It wasn't cooked nearly enough to crisp the meat, so taking a bite of this burger and you meat a lot of resistance from the pork and an unsatisfying chew that made it tough to get through. It doesn't look like it's offered very often, so maybe they've moved on. Another stalwart of Surly Mermaid's menu is their fried brussel sprout salad, and it's an absolute home run: tender pieces of brussels sprout, cabbage, broccoli, lentils, carrots, and jalapeno make for a very tasty and healthy side option that beats fries by a mile. From my experiences with Surly Mermaid I would like a little bit more creativity in the menu planning, since a good portion of the menu is always a burger and the things that go along with burgers, but there's usually a couple of things on there to pique my interest. Food trucks are all about exploration and trying new things; there was a lot of goodness here to make another stop to see what's on the menu next time.

Great old-school burger stand. Terrific burgers and sandwiches, onion rings, fries and don't pass…read moreup the homemade pies.

I get this "Only in Kansas" newsletter by email and recently Toots Drive In was featured. We were…read moregoing to pass right by Howard on our travels from Salina to Bella Vista, AR, so we planned a lunch stop. I'm glad we did. Howard is one of those Kansas towns that has seen better days. It's pretty dumpy. Toots is pretty dumpy too. It's just a squatty old building on a gravel lot with faded signs and a pretty neglected look to it. Inside there are tables to seat fifteen or so and a small counter with a cash register. Behind the cash register, the young woman didn't give much of a greeting and acted as if I should just know what I wanted. Well, I kind of did, but I still wanted to look at the menu on the wall. I ordered the pork tender sandwich and the big cheeseburger with onion rings and sweet potato fries to go--we had our dog with us and planned to eat at a picnic table around to the side. I asked if they could cut the sandwiches in half so my wife and I could share, but they didn't. Had to go back for a knife which was just and ancient table knife and had to promise to bring it back. The food was good but the flies outside were super-annoying so we didn't enjoy it as much as I hoped. Anyway, Toots was pretty much what I expected, a greasy little drive-in with classic greasy drive-in food. Pretty darn good.

A true hidden gem in Kansas…read more The menu brings a vintage Route 66 vibe with a classic Kansas twist that makes the whole experience feel nostalgic in the best way. Everything is made fresh to order, so don't expect a quick in-and-out meal unless you call ahead. The wait is part of the process, and honestly, it shows in the quality. If you are vegan or vegetarian, there are a few things to be aware of. The menu can be a bit misleading. The grill top and utensils are shared with meat, and all fried food is cooked in beef tallow. That means fried items are not vegan or vegetarian. If cross contamination is a concern, I recommend letting the staff know so they can change gloves and sticking with options like a salad without meat toppings. The staff was extremely friendly and happy to answer questions, which made navigating the menu much easier. I didn't notice a microwave, and it was pretty busy during my visit, but it might be worth asking if the black bean or vegan patty can be prepared separately. There are gluten free and keto options on the menu. Others in my group really enjoyed their meals, and my salad was fresh presented well. I would definitely come back. I just wish there were more clearly food prepseparated options for vegetarian and vegan dishes so more people could fully enjoy what they offer. OH and if you dare, there is a food challenge with their habanero sauce!

We stopped at Do-B's on our way to Prairie National Reserve and it lived up to my expectations…read more It's on a quiet street in Emporia and has a lot of food choices, from fish to wraps to burgers etc. It's also one of the highest rated restaurants in the area and I can definitely see why. The place gave me a fast casual eatery vibe but also a little feel of grandma's house because of this small glass showcase they had with some items in it. All food items are priced decently. I got the blackened fish with rice and fries and my husband got the Hornet Burger with fries. Both dishes were really good. The fish was cooked just right, moist and seasoned really well. The burger was also done perfectly with a juicy tasty patty. Fries were fresh and crispy...cherry on top!! Service was quick and the staff was very sweet. The restaurant was also very clean. They even have some of their own sauces and salsas for sale, plus some grab-and-go options which is nice and convenient especially for college students. Note - they also have a Do-B's reaper burger challenge which sounds fascinating. However, I don't ever think i will be able to try it ever Haha. To conclude - 5/5 for me.

There's nowhere else in Kansas to get a burger this good! I've been patronizing it exclusively…read moresince the 80's after trying other places. I give new places a chance, but eventually concluded, Why bother!? The service is super friendly -- after a few visits, they'll know you by name. It's always packed when I go, so I order ahead, and if a seat happens to open up, I enjoy mixing with everyone. The locals know it's the best! And the staff makes sure your meal ends on an upbeat note with a free soft serve. It's the "Cheers" of burger joints!

We are from out of town and just happened to wander in. This was one of the best burgers I've had…read morein a very long time. Staff is super attentive and friendly. We didn't realize it when we walked in but an ice cream is included with your meal. We will definitely be back the next time we come through.

#55/2024 Wow I haven't been across this US highway coming…read moreout of Newton Kansas in a long long time. Usually I get as far as emporia that's the first time I've dropped down to Wichita too This place has been here for loads of years it is still a classic roadside diner vibe off of the bypass. The lady that owns in her family also work here they do a really good job of keeping everything up for what they have. It's like walking in the Easter year though it probably hasn't been remodeled since they took it over I don't think it's actually been remodeled since the late 80s but that's all right. When you walk in you're very feel welcomed you're welcome sit wherever you want they have two different dining room areas. I came in with a rumbling stomach that was just starting to growl and I was ready for some good old home cooking. So I ordered up a nice good cuz I knew they made a nice hand patted chicken fried steak. I had to taste for french fries and gravy brown gravy on the whole shebang. She also made me a nice fresh salad with lettuce tomato cucumber and cheese was very good too before the meal. They were having some water issues a boil order wasn't effect so there wasn't any soda available on the day I was there that afternoon and they did make cawfee though so I had that. Problem was the iced tea wasn't iced tea it was just hot tea they put it into the cooler they had just started making it. . She brought out the salad it was really nice quite filling. And the chicken fried steak dinner came out it was fantastic they gave me some extra fries I think I didn't ask for it but they were definitely quite a few fries to brown gravy was nice and hot. I left with a very happy belly That's one of the things I miss about that way a lot of times when I used to go out to places West California Arizona we're coming through Kansas I would avoid that Kansas turnpike and work my way across all the way to Hutchinson. And I used to like to stop in here because there is plenty of parking for trucks it's a dirt lot but that doesn't really matter it's just classic little small town in the middle of nowhere farmland. They also take major credit cards no problem. But it definitely was nice to see and I definitely enjoyed my meal and I'm rating the full five bar of stars all the way across like many other people who review here on Yelp basically realize you can't judge a book by its cover. They're very pleasantly surprised when you read their reviews also.

Stopped here at lunchtime while traveling and needed a break. Friendly staff. Typical small town…read morediner. Plenty of parking space for my travel trailer. Got the club sandwich which was great beef/ham/bacon with lettuce and tomato. Very reasonable price.

Great staff and great food! Always have had a positive experience here! Recommend their "lone star"…read moreburger, fries with their house-ranch, and sweet tea! But you can't go wrong here!

Their fish and chips on Friday was fantastic! Fresh and tasty!!! Highly recommend!!!read more

No complaints about the food or the wait staff! Very attentive! The place could use a thorough…read morecleaning!

Great place to eat in El Dorado. They have the best home made French fries…read more In our group of five we had chicken strips, a club sandwich, a chicken fried sandwich, and two Philly cheese steaks. All were great. In fact, we went back for breakfast the next two days. The biscuits and gravy are good as well as the egg breakfasts. The bacon and sausage Pattie's were properly cooked and tasted great. On the second breakfast trip we ordered a pancake. Well worth it as the syrup is warm and the pancake was just the right size. Coffee is good too. No complaints.

This was amazing. Found it after our first choice was a washout and couldn't have been happier. The…read morepizza we order was light and fresh and the radius salad was huge. Our server was very attentive. Not many NA options but they were game to concoct what ever I wanted.

This place was amazing. I did a beer flight and leaned towards the lighter beers this time in terms…read moreof favorites. The sweet and spicy chicken sandwich was delicious but it was actually the broccoli salad that blew me away, which are words I never thought I'd say. My wife enjoyed her blackberry salad and we shared a porter crème brûlée!! Our waiter Corbin was awesome and overall it was just a good experience and we look forward to coming back whenever we're in Emporia!

A retired motorcycle group was there when we arrived (over two dozen members were there) so they…read morewere very busy. We got two roast beef dinners, a chicken strip dinner and an order of hand cut fries for lunch which includes salad and homemade ranch dressing. Total was $45 including tip. Food is very reasonably priced but no seasoning. Would recommend adding garlic and onion when cooking. They close at 2 pm so get there according. Worthwhile place for comfort food. The tostadas that the table next to us looked great so I might try that next time.

Phenomenal food and service! I had the Cheeseburger with jalapeños and it might be the best burger…read moreI ever had. Also the fries are homemade and delicious!! The two servers did an incredible job serving everyone, as the restaurant was full during the lunch hour. Fabulous!

I lived in the area for about three months and ate here perhaps four or five times. I was never…read moredisappointed. The service was always friendly and fast. I tried something different each time. Was not impressed by the pizza burger. It wasn't bad, but it didn't taste like pizza at all. The other burgers I tried were awesome. I think I was most impressed with the sides, though. Anything fried, whether it be onion rings, tater tots, or fried mushrooms, was always perfect. And I mean PERFECT. I don't know what the secret is, but the batter never fell off my mushrooms or was soggy in any way. I love the fact that this is family owned since the 50s and operated out of an old trailer, like the old-timey 50s diners you see in movies. It's cute and quaint. But they only have a few booths, so don't expect large group seating.

Fantastic! Please support this family business. Stopped here for lunch on our way through town and…read morereceived a very warm welcome, excellent menu recommendations, and very quick service. And let's not forget the food! The club burger was a combination I've never tried before and it was wonderful. It was cooked and seasoned perfectly and tasted just as good as, if not better, than the $18 "gourmet" wagyu burger I had the day before. Might be the first time I chose to finish my burger rather than my tater tots. Wishing them much success in the future (and wishing we lived closer!).