Out to eat in Sioux Falls: Giliberto’s always open

It’s 2 a.m. Augustana, once teeming with students, now lies eerily still. Silence engulfs you, broken only by the low grumblings of your insatiable stomach. Yet just a short three-minute drive away, Giliberto’s is cooking a fresh order of carne asada super nachos to satisfy your late-night cravings.

Right off of Minnesota Ave., Giliberto’s is open 24 hours daily, serving fast, casual Mexican cuisine.

I have enjoyed Giliberto’s many times before but always long after I should have been in bed. After a long week of midterms, I rallied a squad of friends for my first daytime venture to Giliberto’s. I was curious to see if my sleep-deprived taste buds had fooled me before.

As we entered Giliberto’s just after 9 p.m., I was struck by how empty the restaurant was. Whenever I previously visited Giliberto’s, it was packed. 

Though empty, the restaurant’s decor was striking, decked out for Día de Muertos with vibrant banners and an altar complete with sugar skulls and a collage featuring photos of the departed.

The cashier took our order, and within minutes, an employee delivered our food.

A feast of super nachos, shrimp tacos and burritos awaited. Before we dug in, we made sure to stop at the salsa station.

There is no shortage of condiments at Giliberto’s, with five unique salsas, three different hot sauces and a mix of pickled carrots and jalapeños.

My favorite was the avocado salsa – though creamy in texture, it was surprisingly spicy. 

The chipotle salsa was similarly delightful. The sweetness of the tomatoes paired perfectly with the chipotle, giving the salsa a smoky, robust flavor. 

The hot sauces included Cholula, Valentina and Tapatio. While they paired well with our meal, they were pretty standard and nothing to write home about.

The pickled carrots and jalapeños, though, were sensational. The carrots were soft yet not mushy, and they retained their sweetness while simultaneously taking on the flavor of the jalapeños. The jalapeños burst with the sweet, acidic brine, delivering a perfect balance of heat and tang.

Having sampled the medley of condiments, it was time to move on to our main courses.

I had low expectations for the $13 shrimp tacos, but the meat was cooked exceptionally well. Delivered via a corn tortilla, the shrimp’s savory flavor worked well with refried beans, guacamole, rice and grilled peppers, and the crisp lettuce provided a refreshing crunch.

For $11, the carne asada burrito was nearly the size of my forearm. The burrito was wrapped in a soft, buttery tortilla with each bite revealing a fusion of beef, guacamole and pico de gallo. While the carne asada was tender, it was somewhat on the dry side and could use more seasoning. 

The last of the main options was my order of carne asada super nachos. I got the medium order of nachos for $9, but when the plate arrived, I was stunned by the mountain of food before me. 

Usually when I order loaded nachos, I suffer from something I call “nacho anxiety” – the fear that I won’t have enough toppings to cover all the chips. The last thing I want is a plate full of plain tortilla chips once all the good stuff is gone.

Fortunately, Giliberto’s put my anxiety to rest. The nachos came covered in carne asada, cheese, guacamole, refried beans and sour cream. I prefer a thinner, crispier tortilla chip, but Giliberto’s chips were thick, preventing them from getting soggy or breaking when picked up.

After our meal, we tried the $6 deep-fried cheesecake for dessert. Wrapped in a crispy yet chewy fried tortilla and drenched in whipped cream and chocolate syrup, the cheesecake was frozen solid. This likely helped it retain its form in the fryer, but the texture suffered.

As we prepared to leave, we spotted an armed security guard arriving for his shift. As the night progressed, a steady stream of customers flowed into the restaurant. Hungry souls yearning for something more than a late-night snack find refuge in Giliberto’s: a humming haven in a sleeping city.