Over-the-Top Bloody Marys Across America

The bloody mary's history is much more refined than you might think: It was created at Harry's New York Bar in Paris and then popularized in the U.S. at the St. Regis Hotel in New York in 1933. But its upscale, refined image has long been abandoned for a more popular brunch trend that loads garnishes, sandwiches, seafood, and sometimes entire multi-course meals on top of its glass. Some areas of the country are well-known for embracing the shift, like Wisconsin and Southern California, where you can get an outrageous bloody mary at almost any bar. Other places, like New York City, prefer to update a bloody mary's mix or use a simple but unusual garnish. Either way, you get something like these 26 over-the-top bloodies found across the country. 

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Atlanta
The garnishes are so big on the Bloody Best at The Nook that the drink's glass needs to be a hefty 32 ounces just to hold them all. There are the usual ingredients, like lemon and pickled peppers, but also skewers of tater tots, steak, a hard-boiled egg, and a piece of toast (because you're going to need some carbs with that huge drink). You can even sip it through a beef stick straw if you like.

San Diego
Farmer's Table has a really solid bloody mary list. Their four standard-size options include wild garnishes like andouille sausage, Mexican street corn, and a bacon-wrapped hot dog. But if you go all out and order the Barn Yard, you'll get all four in a pitcher topped with every garnish, plus a whole roasted chicken. It is truly a sight to behold.

Crystal Lake, Illinois
The MEGA MARY (all caps warranted) at Crystal Lake Rib House is the most gravity-defying bloody on the list. Included and somehow balancing on top of the glass are a full slab of ribs, multiple donuts, chicken wings, a bratwurst, a muffin, a hard-boiled egg, onion rings, cheeses, and too many other goodies to list. While the restaurant is closed until after the pandemic, when it reopens as promised plan ahead, because you need to order this $80 beast at least 24 hours in advance.

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Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin
We're not sure whether the Hooge Mary gets its name from its "huuuge" size or because it sounds similar to the bar's name: Hoozels. No matter, because it lives up to its enigmatic name with garnishes of a mini-pizza, smile-shaped fries, tater tots, onion rings, a hard-boiled egg, pretzel rods, and an untold number of other fried bar snacks. It's served on a tray so you can deconstruct it gracefully.

Pittsburgh
When soft shell crabs are in season, get yourself to Wild Alaskan Grille. The sushi and seafood restaurant fries whole soft shells, but instead of putting them in a sandwich, they're set on top of their bloody marys. The crabs get a pickle slice smile and olive eyes for a slightly creepy, but delicious addition. Crispy bacon and boiled shrimp are optional add-ons for even more protein.

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Washington, D.C.
Buffalo & Bergen takes an East Coast breakfast staple — a bagel with lox — and spins it into a bloody mary. A full everything bagel with cream cheese, lox, capers, and red onion is served atop a few lettuce leaves to keep the drink from soaking the bagel. At almost $20, it's not cheap, but you're also getting a full meal in one of the priciest cities in the country.

Spokane, Washington 
You'll feel like you went back in time at Boombox Pizza with its '90s vintage arcade games and wall of subwoofers. But a decidedly newer trend is their bloody mary topped with a whole slice of pizza. There's also some pickled asparagus, salami, olives, and maybe a beef stick, but really, the pizza is why we're here. Sip, eat your slice, and play skeeball.

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Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin
Served in a 50-ounce pitcher, the Monster Mary at Spring Brook Resort is fitting for the vacation capital of Wisconsin, where you might need a little hair-of-the-dog for lunch. It comes with two burgers on garlic toast will all the trimmings, a stack of onion strings, smoked buffalo wings, various pickles, sausage, beef sticks, and the most Wisconsin of additions, deep fried cheese curds.

Leland, Michigan
The Cove, a seasonal venue in northern Michigan, may have created the most Michigan drink ever. The Chubby Mary is served with olives, pickles, and a whole smoked chub. Chubs are small, oily fish similar to trout that are often served smoked. Considering the restaurant's proximity to Lake Michigan, it seems like a fitting garnish.

Nashville, Tennessee 
A hot chicken restaurant in Nashville is pulling out all the stops with its Brunch for Two bloody. Party Fowl calls the concoction a "Southern-fried Edible Arrangement" and that's pretty accurate. The 55-ounce drink has two whole deep fried cornish game hens sitting upright on top, and you can get them in soaked in hot chicken sauce. There are also two whole Scotch eggs, fried okra, and a halved avocado — for something a little healthy.

Oceanside, California 
Rich barbecue and tangy bloodies are already a perfect duo, so why not put them together in one drink? That Boy Good's Miss Kim's location mixes up their bloodies with barbecue sauce and rims the glass with dry rub for good measure. It's garnished with a smoked barbecue rib and pickles for a classic pairing that should be standard in any barbecue joint.

Laughlin, Nevada 
Bumbleberry Flats is located inside the Pioneer Hotel & Gambling Hall and its Wreckless Mary is as flashy as the slot machine floor. Atop the 23-ounce drink is a mini-fried chicken and waffle, plus a fried green tomato and bacon slider, a hard-boiled egg, shrimp, pickles, and celery. It's also served with an 8-ounce beer chaser, something you don't see much of outside of the Midwest.

Las Vegas
Love him or hate him, Guy Fieri knows how to do things over-the-top, making his restaurants a great fit for this list and for Sin City. At his Vegas Kitchen & Bar, order a 52-ounce monster of a bloody mary to help with that hangover. You bet there's going to be a mountain of garnishes on top, from bacon and sausage to fries. You're going to want to share this one with a few friends.

Watauga, Texas 
The Bloody Best at Chef Point Cafe is so big with so many components that you get a mimosa or a beer to drink while you wait for them to make it. The toppings include a piece of "Better Than Sex" fried chicken, a cheeseburger slider, waffle fries, huge grilled shrimp, jalapenos, a pickle spear, and bacon. It's a full meal — or two — sides included.

Milwaukee
At the Wicked Hop in the trendy Third Ward neighborhood of Milwaukee, you can get a pint-sized regular bloody, or you can get one super-sized. The "Glass" Slipper — it's in quotes because it's served in plastic — comes in a huge 96-ounce boot. It's crowned with pickles, beef sticks, shrimp, pickled mushrooms, olives, and fistfuls of thin mozzarella cheese whips. Six beer chasers are served alongside, so let your buddies have some. Finish it all and you get a commemorative boot, too.

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