SF 12th Fryn' Pan Family Restaurant — Restaurant in Sioux Falls Township

Full disclosure: The manager has known me for many years, and I've been eating here before even his time (pre-1997)

General 9/10 Hard to find a more consistent experience if you're a regular, it's why my friend and I have come for so many years. That being said, it's food and it's cooked well enough, but the taste may come across as a little flat depending on what you order. Management and other staff are often stuck filling the gap when things get crowded, so if you have a slightly inferior experience that's why. This shouldn't affect the quality of your food too much, but I can't speak at all for the night crew, it's the one time I've never been there.

Atmosphere 9/10 Staff are friendly and helpful and all but the older ones tend to be very prompt about things.

Morning Shift Service 7/10 They really don't get crowds for early breakfast, things tend to sail right through and orders get filled quickly. Meals tend to be very flat. Don't expect anything from the 24 hour breakfast menu to have any flavor, it's the consequence of having a 24 hour breakfast menu and bearing in mind the part mentioned about who's cooking your meal in the general section. Very rarely night shift get stuck working at this time.

Noon/Lunch Shift Service 10/10 This is my most frequented time of day to visit so I can say with certainty that most of what I said about the Noon/Lunch shift applies here. Once again you'll probably get better service at this time than at afternoon or evening meals. Meals won't taste as flat at this time in general, but you may find more blemishes with the quality of your food as they do tend to get busy. Considering though it's hard not to recommend the place for lunch, their specials are fantastic and generally quite delicious (and there are none I particularly care to avoid except maybe the Fish Fry, but that might just be personal preference). A word of advice to newbies coming in: seat yourself in the area with the least elderly. Things get rowdy with some and in general the areas where the most regulars are seated will get you the worst service, though they strive to equalize that, with varying degrees of success.

Afternoon/Evening Shift 8/10 This is where things get tricky. They're frequently packed and your service mileage will vary according to how much. It gets VERY noisy in the place as lots of children end up here with their mothers. They tend not to ask the crowds to quiet down so much unless there's an incident so come in at your own emotional risk. That being said, the food quality is by far the best at this time, and their dinner offerings are more or less varied and pretty darn good (I say this having tried almost everything on the menu by now),

Facilities 7/10 Often crowded due to its location (and partially because the place gets a LOT of regulars), The tables aren't necessarily packed in but be warned that you won't have a lot of breathing room once the place is full, especially in the side areas if seated at a booth (which I personally always avoid). By the way, full bathroom facilities with changing table in the women's (I think, I just caught a peek in there once when the door opened and thought I saw one). Only two stalls and a urinal for the men's though, and almost always occupied. There's not much they can do about this due to the seating arrangements- this place seriously needs to expand but they don't want to take too much away from the parking lot (as individuals tend to not carpool to the place). They recently expanded the parking lot so you may or may not be able to find a spot depending on the crowd, but the rule of thumb is that if it's crowded you can generally still find parking. Parking and bathrooms are okayish at best but the booths are the main reason for this score- they really are packed in their spaces. Seating is generally kept to around 150 tops, they really don't like to go over that.

And since Google loves character limits these days I didn't have the full space for an overall. Sorry. Tried to think of everything I could that would...

My husband and I live in this neighborhood and have eaten at this location numerous times over the last 10+ years. It's sad to say that the quality of food and quality of service has declined rather rapidly in the last couple of years to a point where we rarely go here anymore.

Just yesterday (Feb 22nd) we decided to give it another shot and we quickly regretted our decision. It was 5pm, the restaurant was 1/3 full (maybe even less) and we still had to wait 5 minutes to be seated despite being the only customers waiting. We sat at our booth for 10 minutes... not a single server even asked for our drinks. The server of our section even looked directly at our booth at this time and then left without acknowledging our presence. Maybe others would have spoken up, but I don't think that's my duty at a place where I am already overpaying for the quality of food they serve.

By minute 15 of no service we did what we have (literally) never done before and up and left the restaurant. Not a single person on staff, including the guy who seated us, took notice of our departure as we passed them. We are always polite and have never left less than a 20% tip at this restaurant, so I feel comfortable stating that it was not our behavior that earned us this mistreatment.

We left from Fryn' Pan and went straight to Marlins on 10th and Minnesota. We were seated, given drinks and had our order in for food in less than 2 minutes. No joke. This was probably the best choice anyhow, as the quality of food was better and cost far less than Fryn' Pan, and our waitress was phenomenal. So much so that we left her a $20 tip on a $20 order.

If you had asked me in the past, I would have said that this Fryn' Pan is a great choice for a good meal and pleasant service. But as of late, I'm sorry to say that you would be best off avoiding this location if you can help it. The 41st street and 10th street branches are still great, but this location is rapidly declining. If it wasn't for the local customers who go there everyday out of routine/habit, I guarantee this location would have gone under a while ago.

I am not posting this review to crush this location, as I would really like to see it improve. Rarely do I post reviews like this, but our experience really soured us and I think it is fair that others have a balanced idea of what to expect. Hopefully, if you do go, your experience is much...

The SF 12th Fryn’ Pan Family Restaurant is a delightful spot that never fails to impress, especially when it comes to their breakfast offerings. Recently, I had the pleasure of trying their ham and cheese omelette with a side of hash browns, and it was a culinary experience worth sharing.

As I settled into the cozy, welcoming atmosphere of the restaurant, I was greeted by friendly staff who were eager to help. The menu boasts a variety of breakfast options, but my eyes were drawn to the ham and cheese omelette. It’s a classic dish, but the way they prepare it makes it feel special.

When the omelette arrived at my table, I was immediately struck by its generous size and vibrant presentation. The eggs were fluffy and perfectly cooked, enveloping a hearty filling of diced ham and a melty, gooey layer of cheese. The combination was delectable, with the savory ham complementing the rich cheese wonderfully. Each bite was a delightful mix of flavors that left me wanting more.

The side of hash browns was equally impressive. They were golden brown and crispy, with just the right amount of seasoning. Each piece had that satisfying crunch on the outside while remaining soft and fluffy on the inside. It was the perfect accompaniment to the omelette, providing a nice contrast in texture and flavor.

What stood out to me, aside from the quality of the food, was the attention to detail. The omelette was served hot, and the portion size was more than generous, making it a great value for the price. It’s evident that the kitchen takes pride in their dishes, and that care translates into a meal that feels homemade and comforting.

Overall, my experience at SF 12th Fryn’ Pan Family Restaurant was delightful. Their ham and cheese omelette, paired with crispy hash browns, is a must-try for anyone who appreciates a hearty breakfast. The friendly service, cozy atmosphere, and quality food make it a spot I would gladly return to. Whether you’re a local or just passing through, this restaurant is a great place to start your...