Grafton HDJ Review - Biggie's

Biggie's, which sits along U.S. Route 50 heading towards downtown Grafton, gets your attention immediately when you near it; not necessarily due to the sign announcing hamburgers, hot dogs and the current advertised special, but rather it's the building itself that beckons your attention. Biggie's is laid out with multiple covered parking areas that adjoin the building, a walk-up counter out front, and an indoor eatery area. The building doesn't seem to have been changed since the it was first in business circa 1965-1966 (according to the original business license hanging on the wall). In fact, to get to the restroom you must cut through a storeroom to get to it. And have mercy on you if you are "plus" size. Superman has more room in a phone booth. You get the idea.

The menu is pretty extensive, with a vast array of items that you wouldn't really expect (cauliflower or broccoli with that hot dog, anyone?). It seems as though you can get just about any main course item on a 'platter' (i.e. two side items). You've got to give it to them for at least trying to offer something different. Biggie's also has some pretty good ice cream items as well. The service was decent enough to make me like I was among friends.

The hot dogs themselves are a little on the pricey side at $1.37. Slaw is available as an option, but as is the case with a lot of places in the North Central region, you must remember to ask for it. The chili comes in 'hot' or 'regular', and I opted for the hot in this review to see what Biggie's could do. It was spicy enough to break a bead of sweat on my upper lip, but didn't kill my intestinal lining (thankfully). It had a nice dark color to it, but the flavor itself had a smokiness to it. It may have been a little overcooked, but it wasn't bad by any means. Still, that smoky taste jumped out in every mouthful.

The slaw was pretty rough. It was rather coarse and had that hint of "prepackaged-ness". There was unquestionably something in there that made the anticipated tang fall flat. For that matter, the slaw wasn't very sweet either. It was just kind of bland...so-so at best. The rest of the contents (steamed bun, weenie, onions, mustard) were satisfactory enough, but nothing above and beyond.

Overall, Biggie's is a nifty place which reminds you of an era gone by. The hot dogs themselves are about average, but would be better served with a higher quality slaw. Given that, I'll rate Biggie's with 3.5 weenies.