Remembering the Iconic Tobacco Road Bar & Grill

It’s kinda hard to believe that Tobacco Road closed for good in 2014. It lasted just past its one-hundred-anniversary party. While it had been around forever, and I would have bet that it would be around for another hundred years.

We’re left with all the memories of parties, live music, food, drinking, and debauchery that made Tobacco Road so special. I hosted a slew of food events there, including monthly food truck events during 2011 and 2012, Burger Beast Wednesdays, the Best Breakfast Food Truck Event, Hot Dog Fest 2013, and Tobacco Road was featured in my calendar Burgers-n-Broads.

According to the Miami New Times, Matt Kuscher of LoKal fame is looking to do a Tobacco Road pop-up at the former River Oyster Bar in 2021. Let’s hopes this comes to pass; I could use a Mega Mega Burger in my life!

Original Tobacco Road post on BurgerBeast.com

Tobacco Road Sign
Tobacco Road Sign

September 11th, 2008 – I’ve tried multiple times to get a good shot of the Mega Mega Burger for you. Still, it wasn’t until I finally had lunch at Tobacco Road (626 South Miami Ave, Miami) that I had that opportunity. All my previous pictures are very dark (well, it was dark when I took them), but that’s part of Tobacco Road’s charm. There’s so much Miami history at the Road that everything feels very familiar when you walk in.

Some things are first. I’ve been here quite a few times and usually later, around Midnight. So…getting to the apps, we ordered their Wings (smoked and available in either smoked Thai, barbeque, or classic buffalo in quantities of 10 or 20). We ordered 10 barbeque and 10 buffalo. The wings were phenomenal, and although I like the buffalo version, the barbeque outshined (gratuitous Soundgarden reference) them. That sauce is ridiculous.

We also had the grilled chicken nachos, five large pyramid-like chips with guacamole, sour cream, jalapenos, and Swiss cheese melted over them with a side of salsa. I found these to be pretty good but not as good as the wings; the melted Swiss was a nice touch since I love Swiss (the cheese more than the people, lol).

If you’re torn as to which burger to order, I’d say either go original with the Classic Road Burger or go all out with the Mega-Mega Burger (served open-faced with cheddar cheese, chili, mushrooms, bacon & a fried egg). Into flavor overload? Then you made your decision; the Mega-Mega is the burger for you. You won’t be disappointed, but you will have to use a fork and knife to eat this guy.

Tobacco Road Food Pictures from 2008 & 2009

Tobacco Road Menu
Tobacco Road Menu
Potato Skins
Potato Skins
Buffalo Wings
Buffalo Wings
Buffalo Chicken Sandwich
Buffalo Chicken Sandwich
Tobacco Road Mega Mega Burger
Tobacco Road Mega Mega Burger

Burger Beast Wednesdays at Tobacco Road

August 2nd, 2011 – What do you do with the burger lover who has it all? You take him to Tobacco Road for Burger Beast Wednesday’s! Every Wednesday, a sandwich created by yours truly will be on the menu at Tobacco Road. Chef Jonathan Fisher will make sure that this thing is amazing. There’s only one problem. Only 31 will be available! It’s also ladies’ night, so you have 2 reasons to come out. The madness starts at 5:30 PM every Wednesday.

September 7th

Juicy Lucifer  Play on the “Juicy Lucy” Burger Stuffed w/Pepper Jack Cheese, Topped with Applewood Smoked Bacon and Death Love on a Pretzel Roll.

September 14th

Breakfast Melt – Open-Faced Patty Melt w/Country Style Sausage Patty, Caramelized Onions, & Cheddar Cheese Served on Rye Toast & a Side of Scrambled Eggs.

September 21st

“Dawg Gone” Chimichanga – Two Hot Dogs Wrapped in a Flour Tortilla w/Cheddar Cheese, Black Bean, Caramelized Onions on a Bed of “We’ve Got The Best F’n Chili,” Cilantro Lime Crema and Annatto Rice.

September 28th

Not Your Typical Chicken Parm – Spicy Chicken Sausage w/Fried Mozzarella, Marinara on Garlic Bread w/Garlic Romano Fries.

Best Breakfast Food Truck Event

January 11th, 2012 – Every 1st Saturday of the month, you can find the Miami food Trucks at the oldest bar in Miami, Tobacco Road. Still, February will be a little different since it’s National Hot Breakfast Month. All the trucks (even COOLHAUS and Sugar Rush) will create a breakfast item, and a panel of judges will choose a winner live at the event.

Even better, next week, we will have a contest to choose one Burger Beast reader to be one of the judges alongside Burgers by the Beach and Fatgirl Hedonist.

The winning Miami food truck will get bragging rights and a beautiful sticker that lets everyone know that they are the 2012 Tobacco Road Breakfast Champ.

If breakfast isn’t your thing, that’s ok too! The trucks will still be serving their regular menu as well, and the monthly drink specials will help you forget about your long work week. Start saving your pennies now so you can splurge! This event is brought to you by Tobacco Road & Burger Beast.

The competing Miami food trucks are Bite Gastrotruck, COOLHAUS, Dim Ssam a GoGo, Dog Eat Dog, The Flying Saucer, Gypsy Kitchen, Jefe’s Original Fish Taco & Burgers, Latin Burger & Taco, Mr. Good Stuff, Ms. Cheezious, Purple People Eatery, The Rolling Stove & Sugar Rush.

WINNING BREAKFAST DISH: Purple People Eatery’s Quail Egg Mini Waffle Sandwiches – A mini Blueberry Waffle with Black Forest Ham, Bacon, American Cheese, Quail Egg, and topped with Maple Syrup.

reakfast Champs Purple People Eatery
2012 Breakfast Champs Purple People Eatery
David Shipman & Michelle Duncan of Purple People Eatery
David Shipman & Michelle Duncan of Purple People Eatery

Hot Dog Fest 2013 at Tobacco Road

Hot Dog Fest Tobacco Road Poster
Hot Dog Fest Tobacco Road Poster

July 14th, 2013 – Yesterday was the first of 3 Hot Dog Fests planned by Burger Beast and Food Truck Invasion throughout South Florida. This year’s first Hot Dog Fest took place at Tobacco Road in Brickell. All the food trucks who attended had a special one-time Hot Dog dish on the menu, plus we had other great vendors like Babe Froman (the Sausage Queen of Miami) and even La Boutique, a fashion truck. Everyone in attendance was able to sign up to win a vacation at the Travel Bee tent, and of course, our 2nd Annual Hot Dog Fest Contest took place at 5 pm. Congratulations to Omar, who was the 1st to finish 10 Hot Dogs in under 10 minutes.

If you didn’t make it out to this Hot Dog Fest, there are 2 more. On Sunday, July 21st, we’ll be in Jupiter and the following week (Sunday, July 28th) in Plantation. To get the whole lowdown on the HDF, visit the Hot Dog Fest.

Hot Dog Fest 2013 at Tobacco Road Pictures

Stage at Hot Dog Fest 2013
Stage at Hot Dog Fest 2013
Babe Froman at Hot Dog Fest 2013
Babe Froman
Real Girls Eat Wieners at Hot Dog Fest 2013
Real Girls Eat Wieners at Hot Dog Fest 2013
Cheeseburger Baby Food Truck at Hot Dog Fest 2013
Cheeseburger Baby Food Truck
La Boutique Truck at Hot Dog Fest 2013
La Boutique Truck
Kona Dog at Hot Dog Fest 2013
Kona Dog from Central Florida
Jefe's Original Fish Taco & Burgers at Hot Dog Fest 2013
Jefe’s Original Fish Taco & Burgers Food Truck
Dunk Tank at Hot Dog Fest 2013
Dunk Tank
Gio & Rick flexing with the National Deli Giant Wiener
Gio (ChatChowTV) & Rick (Host of the Hot Dog Eating Contest) flexing with the National Deli Giant Wiener
Hot Dog Eating Contest Crowd at Hot Dog Fest 2013
Hot Dog Eating Contest Crowd
Hot Dog Eating Contest Competitors at Hot Dog Fest 2013
Hot Dog Eating Contest Competitors at Hot Dog Fest 2013
Hot Dog Fest Eating Champ for 2013 is Omar
Hot Dog Fest Eating Champ for 2013 is Omar
Hot Dog Eating Champ Omar with National Deli Giant Wiener
Hot Dog Eating Champ Omar with National Deli Giant Wiener

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