It's the day many of us have been waiting for. Monday, April 18, 2016, Red Robin will open in the former Shenanigan's location in the Empire Mall.

Patty Dee, Beth Warden and I were able to get a sneak peek on Wednesday, April 13, 2016. The employees were doing training exercises to prepare for the big opening. Several employees along with trainers were greeting, seating and taking orders. I had never experienced a training exercise like that before and it was pretty impressive.

We were seated in the bar area. Our server was awesome (I wish I could remember his name...). He had a great personality and explained the drink menu and food menu very well. He also explained how the little computer thingy on the table worked. We were able to order our appetizer on our own. You can also pay your bill using the table top computer and sign up for their eClub (which is awesome because you get a free burger on your birthday and other perks, which our server explained). 

One thing you'll definitely notice, if you've been to any stand alone Red Robin like the one in Sioux City, Iowa, the Red Robin in the Empire Mall is definitely smaller. Remember, Shenanigan's wasn't that big either. They had to adjust their size to fit into the footprint of the space.

Now, the best part - the food! We started with the pretzel bite appetizer. We were full after eating those and we still had our food coming! Beth ordered the Royal Red Robin. A Red Robin gourmet burger with bacon, egg, cheese, tomatoes, lettuce and mayo. Instead of the bottomless steak fries, she had bottomless broccoli. Patty Dee had the All-American Patty Melt (appropriate). It's a gourmet burger topped with your choice of cheese, sauteed onions and thousand island dressing on marbled rye. Patty chose the bottomless steak fries as her side. I had the Prime Rib melt. It's loaded with sliced prime rib, caramelized onions, horseradish sauce, and provolone cheese. My favorite side is the bottomless steak fries. To wash it down, Beth and I had soda and Patty tried the Very Berry Raspberry Limeade, which she said tasted great!

We are so excited to finally have Red Robin in Sioux Falls. We know you're going to want to try it as soon as it opens, but as with any new restaurant that opens in the city, it's going to be super busy. Either be prepared for long waits or hold off a couple of weeks before you check it out.

Looking for a great job? They're still hiring. Click here to check out the openings and to apply.


See Also:

More From KYBB-FM / B102.7