“The best comfort food will always be greens, cornbread, and fried chicken.”— Maya Angelou
Marlin’s is the kind of place I remember going to with my grandparents. A display case full of baked goods greets you, and at least half the tables at any given time are occupied by people over 60. I like that, because people who have lived for six decades or more don’t suffer b.s. It means the food will likely be good, and the prices will likely be reasonable.
A few friends and I stopped by the small chain’s newest location, at 10th and Minnesota in downtown Sioux Falls, for lunch on a Friday. I hadn’t been in the building since it was Whisk and Chop (two restaurants ago), and was surprised to see all of the renovations that had occurred (most notably the lack of walls), which made the wide open space feel vast in comparison to its previously compartmentalized incarnation.
Although it was pretty busy, we were seated right away at a table next to the window. Our server was cheerful and sweet, although a bit forgetful (writing our drink order down would have been a good idea, but luckily, we’re not too picky).
It was my first visit to a Marlin’s, but found much what I expected when opening the menu. The breakfast section was packed with omelettes, skillets, and benedicts. The lunch section was all about sandwiches (including a “smothered” category), burgers and baskets. Dinner had many meat and side options, like pot roast, barbecue ribs, and country fried steak. Between the four of us, we chose the Sample Platter appetizer, Cornbread Benedict, Philly Cheese Steak Hoagie, and a trip to the buffet/salad bar.
Normally, I would have made a trip to the buffet to scope out the situation before committing, but I was feeling pretty confident about what I’d find. I was not disappointed. In fact, I was pleasantly surprised. The salad bar was really well stocked with a wide variety of toppings, fruits, and side salads. The dry toppings on the side went beyond the standard croutons and sunflower seeds to include wasabi peas and Snapea Crisps.
The hot items included ribs, fried chicken, a couple potato options, a couple gravies, fried shrimp, stroganoff, and meatloaf. Basically, comfort food heaven. Or, where one could come to eat their feelings. All the feelings. I grabbed some cheesy mashed potatoes, a bit of stroganoff, shrimp, ribs, and a chicken breast – plus a little salad, because we’re all about healthy eating.
I grabbed some cheesy mashed potatoes, a bit of stroganoff, shrimp, ribs, and a chicken breast — plus a little salad, because we’re all about healthy eating.
I started with the ribs, which were just north of luke warm. The flavor was good and the meat was tender. However, the sauce had become a bit pasty sitting on the buffet. I still ate them, don’t get me wrong. The shrimp was also lukewarm, and not deveined, which is a turnoff for me. Once I see that, no amount of crisp, delicious breading can bring me back.
The potatoes were cheesy and garlicky with a good, homemade texture. The stroganoff was rich and intensely beefy, as one would expect. And the star of the buffet, for me, was the chicken. The breading was light and flavorful. The meat was juicy. I would skip a couple of other items next time and focus more on that.
Our other items began showing up, although not our appetizer. We were told repeatedly that it had been started, and would show up with the meals. It came about 10 minutes after the rest of the entrees were delivered, though. Lucky again, we were sharing, so no one sat there while the rest of us ate.
The Cornbread Benedict represented a perfect harmony of flavors – sweet, salty, and savory. But basically, take any notion you have about what a “benedict” is and throw it down a well. This dish was cornbread, sausage patties, sausage gravy, and eggs (we opted for over easy), served next to a skateboard-size portion of hash browns. The sweetness of the cornbread was a welcome balance to the rich, salty sausage and gravy. It also soaked up just the right amount of egg yolk without getting crumbly.
The Philly was served with well-grilled mushrooms, onions, and melty Swiss cheese. It was perfectly satisfying, if unremarkable, as were the breaded cheese curds served as a side. The same could be said for the Sample Platter. When it showed up, everything was extremely fresh. Among the sea of onion rings, chicken strips, and more cheese curds, the standout was the jalapeno cheddar bites. Unlike a standard popper, they were filled bits of chopped jalapeno pepper, bound together by a cytoplasm of molten yellow cheese. Not exactly health food, but when given a minute to cool off, they were pretty darn tasty.
Bottom line:
Marlin’s isn’t looking to reinvent the wheel. If your family can’t decide on a place to eat, everyone will find something they like here.
[Atmosphere]
It was comfortable, clean, and welcoming.
[Service]
Our server was super-friendly, and although things weren’t perfect, she was good at communicating with us what was happening.
[Taste]
There were some buffet items that were a little disappointing, but maybe if I’d gotten there when they were just put out, the score would be higher.
It’s the facts
Marlin’s has eight locations in South Dakota and North Dakota.
According to the website, Marlin’s began in the early ’70s when Marlin Sr., and wife Karel, purchased Pete’s Cafe in their hometown.
The Sioux Falls locations open daily at 5 a.m., but the Rapid City, Mitchell, and Aberdeen locations are open 24/7.
Breakfast is served all day, every day.
