Tell me about Sioux City
- Thread starter FAUlty Gator
- Start date
So it doesn*'t reference the song?I grew up there. Most of my family is still in the area. I feel bad for my brother who got sucked back there. I'll never live there again. It does feature some great pizza and the already mentioned Charlie Boy and Tastees loose meat sandwiches.
And while they've made improvements in the smell (most of that being a packing plant moved out I believe), it still smells like shit when you pass by the water treatment facility. I know. I drive past it to get to my parents house in Morningside.
If you want to have an idea how lame it is, within the last couple years they did this to the water tower. A reference to a movie from 1946 that predates even the boomers. Note-i did smoke a lot of cigars up on the hill this water tower is on, because there wasn't a ton to do in high school.
I traveled there in the early 90s to watch my Dad defend a drug case. It definitely smelled weird, and not in a good way like Cedar Rapids' peanut butter, crunch berries and brewer's yeast (sorry, haters). Lots of grain processing going on near downtown. Looked pretty bleak and not much happening from a higher story hotel window. It also had pron shop right downtown, which was pretty crazy to me. Lewis and Clark Park was built there for the Sioux City Explorers and was a big deal at the time, but it was pretty cookie cutter. Felt like a mini version of the first soulless incarnation of New Comiskey. It was David Letterman's "home office" that his Top Ten lists "came from" (it was actually because SC was the one market that refused to air the late show at first) and he visited once for the show, throwing out a first pitch. Sioux City Musketeers are the hockey team, so they've got minor league sports year round, which is impressive for not a very large city. I think of the famous fiery plane crash there that people miraculously survived, and was made into a movie. Finally, unfortunately for them, I also think of this viral video...
It used to have the worst music scene I've ever seen. Most places would skip it for either Sioux Falls, Omaha, or DSM. One time I saw Lifehouse at the end of their career play in the sand volleyball pit at Lewis Bowl & Sports Bar.
Now they have the Hard Rock Casino and they used to bring in country and white trash rock like Hinder and and Buck Cherry. Now it looks like their events list is just an assortment of cover bands.
Now they have the Hard Rock Casino and they used to bring in country and white trash rock like Hinder and and Buck Cherry. Now it looks like their events list is just an assortment of cover bands.
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Lewis & Clark stopped there. There are a lot of references to L&C around town. The Explorers baseball field for example is Lewis & Clark Park.
It is also the home to the Floyd Monument. Seargent Charles Floyd of the L&C expedition died on the Missouri north of Sioux City.
It is also the home to the Floyd Monument. Seargent Charles Floyd of the L&C expedition died on the Missouri north of Sioux City.
It's a decent town. You can tell there is a good effort on modernizing or upgrading the appeal of the town based on adding restaurants/fast food joints and soon a waterpark. At some point if not all ready you're aren't going to be able to tell when SC stops and Sgt Bluff begins.
The mall however is a total joke. Stick to the outside stores like Scheels, Barnes & Noble, AMC, and JC Penny. Also although it's expensive as hell Tilt the new arcade is fun for the kiddos. If I had it my way I would keep all the listed stores intact while bulldozing the rest of the mall, then I'd just copy and paste the Gretna outlets there.
Also it is nice being 1.5 hours away from Omaha or Sioux Falls when you really want to get out of town for a weekend. Especially since they attract the "bigger entertainers" than we do here.
The mall however is a total joke. Stick to the outside stores like Scheels, Barnes & Noble, AMC, and JC Penny. Also although it's expensive as hell Tilt the new arcade is fun for the kiddos. If I had it my way I would keep all the listed stores intact while bulldozing the rest of the mall, then I'd just copy and paste the Gretna outlets there.
Also it is nice being 1.5 hours away from Omaha or Sioux Falls when you really want to get out of town for a weekend. Especially since they attract the "bigger entertainers" than we do here.
Most of eastern Iowa really rides the coat tails of the driftless area. @SoDakHawk is right tho when it comes to eastern cities.
I think it is also worth pointing out that Sioux City has done a TON to transform their image over the past 20 years. A lot of people have the memories of what I few up with in the 70's and 80's, stockyards, smells, etc. The 4th Street area was a total shite-hole back in those days too. Downtown is completely different now with pubs, restaurants, the casino and lots of living options. It is no longer Pig City USA.
I was in Cedar Falls a couple years ago, stepping back into my UNI days. It was ok, not a lot different. Waterloo is still nothing to get excited about. As for the other eastern cities, it's been too long so I can't comment, but Sioux City has definitely upped their game.
Lived in Iowa for my first 25 years, closest I've been to Sioux City is Omaha, and I'm perfectly okay with missing out on a loose meat sandwich.
Sioux City is completely different than when I grew up there in the 70s, 80s, and 90s. Riverfront used to be a wasteland where drunks and bums camped out. Now it is all parks and entertainment. When I was in high school you could go down to 4th Street and see hookers on the street corners, now it's a bar and restaurant district. Water Street is the same way now. The Warrior hotel has been renovated, had been abandoned for most of my life. The Badgerow Building has been renovated and is back. The United building renovated, in fact, there are so many buildings in the downtown area and old manufacturing buildings that were abandoned that have been brought back to life that it is kind of crazy.
All that said, they still need to keep improving. I think a big mistake was the building of Seaboard Triumph pork plant at the industrial park south of town, Downtown Partners actually was against that. We were shedding that image of being a packing plant town and then invite another meat processor in. Need to keep pushing the light manufacturing, tech, and financial services industry jobs.
All that said, they still need to keep improving. I think a big mistake was the building of Seaboard Triumph pork plant at the industrial park south of town, Downtown Partners actually was against that. We were shedding that image of being a packing plant town and then invite another meat processor in. Need to keep pushing the light manufacturing, tech, and financial services industry jobs.
My bride graduated from HS there. She never had a very favorable opinion of the town. Lots of folks from there think it is Nirvana. My brother used to do a lot of business there and thought to “smell” is what made Sioux City unique.
Agreed…Sioux City is much nicer now than 30-40 years ago. Home to Morningside College and Briar Cliff College, with some decent restaurants.
Yup I'm not sure what it was but that building across from Palmer Candy that had i think Aalfs on it is now a high end apartment building overlooking Hard Rock's battery park
They used to have a boxing ring where people would call each other out and put on gloves.
Siouxeeeeeeeeeeee City. World's number one hog market........ or used to be . As noted, the Tastee Inn and Out should be on your visit list. Take your shotgun if its pheasant hunting season.
If you're ever in town hit me up and we'll go to Miles Inn for a couple Charlie Boys and a Schooner
That sandwich looks pretty sad.
I believe Andy Williams was from Wall Lake. But twin sisters, Dear Abby and Ann Landers were from Sioux City.
Back in the day, South Dakota drinking age was 18 for under 3.2% beer. North Sioux City had a club we used to frequent.
Yeah, I had looked up a site and it had Andy as from Sioux City but it does appear incorrect.
I don't mind Sioux City at all. Especially after having been to Fort Dodge, Clinton and Muscatine for example. I know SC is quite a bit larger than those places, but Sioux City gave me the impression that they are at least trying to improve the quality of life for its citizens, the other places are just depressing.
FIL was in Mercy Hospital in Sioux City for weeks at the end and we spent a lot of time there. Have good friends that live at the Dunes and Wynstone and those are both very nice areas.
FIL was in Mercy Hospital in Sioux City for weeks at the end and we spent a lot of time there. Have good friends that live at the Dunes and Wynstone and those are both very nice areas.
I’m gonna throw out a couple eateries for OP (some have been mentioned):
Milwaukee Weiner
La Juanita’s
El Fredos Pizza
Tastee Inn & Out
Jerry’s Pizza
Bob Roes
Miles Inn (I guess)
Milwaukee Weiner
La Juanita’s
El Fredos Pizza
Tastee Inn & Out
Jerry’s Pizza
Bob Roes
Miles Inn (I guess)
Presentation leaves a lot to be desired but the taste is there (as long as you like pepper that is).
Miles is right on the edge of a true dive bar - it's slightly better than that.... slightly.
They produce a lot of great athletes though. Seems like every 6'4 white guy who becomes a stud at Iowa is from there. They are like stem cells that they grow into DEs, OL, TEs, etc.
It may be just me but I haven't enjoyed anything besides the pizza at Bob Roes for years
There's a Carlos OKelly's off Sunnbrook near Lakeport Commons
No there's not - Red Robin, Texas Roadhouse, Olive Garden, Buffalo Wild Wings, Chipotle, Qdoba.....no Carlos
I'd probably eat it, but the way that onion is cut and the quality of the bun looks low effort.
Man, that's from a while back!Rip in peace
However, if you get the chance, Greek To Me has outstanding food!
We really enjoyed El Fredo's pizza. It had a taste that was different than I was expecting, but not in a bad way. Ate it a couple of times.
La Juanita's was a really good chicken burrito and huge.
This was all 2-3 years ago and I hope it has held up in the time since we were there.
The taco scene in and around Sioux City is outstanding.
Most Hispanic families are second/third generation by now and working in other fields instead of just packing houses. Tons of solid real Mexican food offerings between Sioux City and South Sioux City.
One guy just retired from Tyson (I believe) and opened up a food truck with his wife doing the cooking this summer - crazy good tacos - like crack to me.... shit, now I think I gotta head out and get some tacos
Most Hispanic families are second/third generation by now and working in other fields instead of just packing houses. Tons of solid real Mexican food offerings between Sioux City and South Sioux City.
One guy just retired from Tyson (I believe) and opened up a food truck with his wife doing the cooking this summer - crazy good tacos - like crack to me.... shit, now I think I gotta head out and get some tacos
The wings are great. Especially the honey mustard wings.
