Restaurants that suck/Restaurants that excel!

[fightingbee]

Founaris Brothers Greek Restaurant on Pensacola Blvd.

Yes, I was just there a few days ago (Mmm.)

[2005 EquinoxLS]

Culvers is a favorite. Excellent double cheeseburgers and sides and of course the custard. It you want charcoal flaver Cinderz is the place for a burger or steak grilled right over charcoal. There are too many good loacl pizza places here to mess with Pizza Hut or Dominos or Papa Johns. Little Luigis right here in Kaukauna and Butchs Pizza in Kimberly have the best pizza in the area. Little Luigis also has better Italian than the Olive Garden could ever dream of. So does Victorias in Appleton. I rarely bother with McDonalds or Burger King or Hardees other than the Hot Ham and Cheese. Too many good local places here. Bar and Grills are a common thing here and many beat the restaraunts (especially chain ones) for quality.

[trinacriabob]

My favorites when I'm home are.

In Pennsylvania

Italian - Buca di Beppo (It means Joe's Basement in Italian) (Exton, PA)

Non ci posso credere. Sei un vero Europeo, e ti piace questa "catena di spazzatura." Non c'e ne sono ristoranti Italiani autentici a "South Philly?" Credo di si.

[Oracle of Delphi]

Non ci posso credere. Sei un vero Europeo, e ti piace questa "catena di spazzatura." Non c'e ne sono ristoranti Italiani autentici a "South Philly?" Credo di si.

Mi piace che ristorante! Filadelphia? È meglio portare una pistola!

[Robert Hall]

6 months on the ground in Phoenix now..being a foodie, I've I've found a number of local restaurants I like--ranging from Irish (Rosie McCaffertys, Seamus McCaffertys) and English pubs (George and Dragon), to a couple really Thai places (Thai Basil, Thai Elephant, Pink Pepper (been going there 10 years), Malees), a decent Chinese place (Golden Phoenix) to an Israeli place (Sabuddy) with great hummus and kebabs, a couple Greek places, a good Cuban restaurant (Havana Cafe)(in Arizona? Who would have imagined that..), a few excellent local bistros close to home (Phoenix City Grille, Sierra Bonita Grille, Ticoz) an excellent New Mexican place (Richardsons) and more than a few Mexican places... there are a couple good steakhouses (Durant's, Texaz Grill) I've been going to for 10+ years out here that I still like. Some good local Italian places also (Avanti).

As far as local and national chains here, I like Corleones (cheesesteak place), Chipotle (long a favorite, from Denver), Pei Wei, Sauce (these two are only a mile from home, so I seem to hit them every week), Pick up Stix (decent Chinese fast food), Baja Fresh, L&L Hawaiian BBQ, Gordon-Bierch (tasty food and Chzech-style lagers at this brewpub chain), Pita Jungle, The Keg Steakhouse, Bamboo Club, Earl's....

I still haven't found a really good Indian restaurant, though Bombay Spice near me is an interesting wine bar with some Westernized Indian dishes. I hear there are some good Indian places out in Tempe and Mesa...have to go explore there some.

Probably will eat out more and venture further from my central Phoenix location in the winter,didn't really have the energy to venture very far from home during the 4 months of furnace heat summer..

Working downtown now instead of N. Scottsdale (where I was May-July) also brings me closer to other places to check out..

[Croc]

What do you recommend there?

I like Jitlada (nearby, Sunset & Harvard), but it's kinda pricey on a student's budget and their lunch chef is inconsistent. Ruen Pair seems more affordable.

The spicy fish salad is amazing, but I believe it isn't on the menu. It's fried little fishies in spicy oil and vinegar, and probably something else.

The pad thai is good, and they also have this seafood soup that they light on fire. Fried rice is amazing...and yes it is very cheap for the amount of food you get.

[loki]

there's a local microbrewery here in Cape (SE MO) Buckner's. most of the beer is great, has ale, wheat, boch, porter, don't think they do lagers...? the food is pretty good, sandwiches, some soup, few pizzas.

china buffet. don't know if it's national, but have a few others in the area. a large assortment of chinese/ some american/fruit/dessert

[FUTURE_OF_GM]

You might want to hurry up and eat at Don Pablos, they recently filed Chapter 11. Next time I'm in the Charlotte area, we should have dinner, my treat. We can talk about both of us being Southern Boys, I know you wouldn't want to talk about GM.

Sure you wanna take that chance?

:AH-HA_wink:

I might have to declare a jihad in the name of Pontiac and take you hostage.

J/K.

Seriously though, I'd be open to that if you ever get out this way.

[Oracle of Delphi]

Sure you wanna take that chance?

:AH-HA_wink:

I might have to declare a jihad in the name of Pontiac and take you hostage.

J/K.

Seriously though, I'd be open to that if you ever get out this way.

When I'm home, I sometimes go down to Charlotte to see some friends who work for EDS there. I wasn't worried that you would take me hostage. I'll let you know the next time I'm down there, I think it would be an interesting meeting, however I would have to insist on no pics, as anonymity is my middle name.

[Satty]

I recently had Old Chicago for the first time. Being a Chicago native, I have certain expectations and Old Chicago failed on every level. Absolutely atrocious. I wouldn't recommend that crap to anyone for any reason. What sucks is that before it was Old Chicago it was a locally owned restaurant that had fantastic fried chicken. Now its just greasy, tasteless garbage.

[Intrepidation]

T-Bones...terrible food that's either disgusting or devoid of flavor.

[regfootball]

I recently had Old Chicago for the first time. Being a Chicago native, I have certain expectations and Old Chicago failed on every level. Absolutely atrocious. I wouldn't recommend that crap to anyone for any reason. What sucks is that before it was Old Chicago it was a locally owned restaurant that had fantastic fried chicken. Now its just greasy, tasteless garbage.

no franchise can ever recreate the real thing. but i liked old chicago.. and uno. but yeah, nothing to write home about.

good pizza is tough to do. i dont ever expect much from any pizza chain.

[Satty]

Eating Old Chicago made me want to grab a coat hanger and give myself a 97th trimester abortion, it was that awful.

Anyways, the reason I dug this thread up is that I just got my ass chewed out for (very sarcastically) referring to Red Lobster as "fine dining." I'm not big on the seafood, so I dont go to RL unless I'm outnumbered in a group. But the food is always bland, the service is slow and the prices are high. I dont get why that place is always packed.

Lately we've been cooking more at home, doing a lot of different stuff, and I've discovered a natural food market that is awesome. Also discovered that I like crab cakes.

[Oracle of Delphi]

Bobby, I'm in Houston, TX and I'm going to my 1st Olive Garden. Have you been to one my old Italian friend ???

[SAmadei]

Eating Old Chicago made me want to grab a coat hanger and give myself a 97th trimester abortion, it was that awful.

I've never had that, but after having REAL Chicago deep-dish, Pizzeria Uno is awful. Actually, it was awful before. Of course, living in the land of awesome pizza (Phila-Jersey-New York), no franchise is going to be even close to good. In fact, I rate franchise pizza on a separate scale... "corporate pizza" vs. "real pizza". Of course, "corporate pizza" includes stuff you find in the grocer's freezer, so "good corporate pizza" is not really a compliment.

Anyways, the reason I dug this thread up is that I just got my ass chewed out for (very sarcastically) referring to Red Lobster as "fine dining." I'm not big on the seafood, so I dont go to RL unless I'm outnumbered in a group. But the food is always bland, the service is slow and the prices are high. I dont get why that place is always packed.

Red Lobster is meh... but the cheesy buttery biscuits are fantastic. I've been known to eat 20+ of those... Makes for a cheap meal, ordering the minimum needed for the unlimited biscuits. ;-)

[trinacriabob]

Bobby, I'm in Houston, TX and I'm going to my 1st Olive Garden. Have you been to one my old Italian friend ???

What? You've never been to an Olive Garden. You're just trying to act highbrow. Sheez.

It's edible. Sometimes they have decent dishes, but they have an American spin on trying to be an Italian restaurant. The best one I ever had was some kind of penne/asparagus/mushroom concoction. Again, not bad. But not inspiring, either.

(Also, between the unlimited soup and unlimited salad, go soup and get the Zuppa Toscana - it has potatoes, sausage, rosemary, broth)

[Justin Bimmer]

How can you say places like Chili's and TGIF are good, but then say Applebees is bad? They're the exact same restaurant.

I call TGI, Chilli's and Applebees "The trifecta of mediocrity"

[Oracle of Delphi]

(Also, between the unlimited soup and unlimited salad, go soup and get the Zuppa Toscana - it has potatoes, sausage, rosemary, broth)

I got that, it wasn't to bad ...

Highbrow? No, I'm a Unibrow ...

[daves87rs]

Bobby, I'm in Houston, TX and I'm going to my 1st Olive Garden. Have you been to one my old Italian friend ???

Soup and salad..yum...

[Robert Hall]

Had a couple good experiences at chain restaurants that were new to me this past weekend in Lone Tree, Colorado (Denver suburb). Went for brunch w/ friends on Saturday, tried Grand Lux Cafe(apparently a Cheesecake Factory owned chain)--nice decor, had a tasty fried chicken (boneless) and waffles dish (different than Roscoes, but still tasty) and salad. Their portions are huge. On Sunday, tried Which Wich? a sandwich shop, interesting place...sort of a build your own menu where you fill out the items you want (meats, bread, toppings, etc) on a sandwich bag.

Edited May 4, 2009 by Cubical

[Croc]

Had a couple good experiences at chain restaurants that were new to me this past weekend in Lone Tree, Colorado (Denver suburb). Went for brunch w/ friends on Saturday, tried Grand Lux Cafe(apparently a Cheesecake Factory owned chain)--nice decor, had a tasty fried chicken (boneless) and waffles dish (different than Roscoes, but still tasty) and salad. Their portions are huge. On Sunday, tried Which Wich? a sandwich shop, interesting place...sort of a build your own menu where you fill out the items you want (meats, bread, toppings, etc) on a sandwich bag.

The nice thing about Grand Lux (created because a Vegas casino wanted a CF but CF had a non-compete clause with another casino) is that they test new menu items before they cross over to the CF branded restaurants.

[Daryl Z71]

Good Restaurant - Prime Sirloin

Bad Restaurant - Ruby Tuesday

[regfootball]

ruby tuesday does have a decent salad bar however

[SAmadei]

ruby tuesday does have a decent salad bar however

Very good salad bar. Ruby's are usually very good or very bad... depending on location.

Barely between restaurant and fast food, I really have been hooked on Five Guys burgers lately.

[Robert Hall]

Very good salad bar. Ruby's are usually very good or very bad... depending on location.

Barely between restaurant and fast food, I really have been hooked on Five Guys burgers lately.

I used to work down the street from a Ruby Tuesdays..they used to have a good buffalo chicken sandwich.

I'm partial to Old Chicago's and Rock Bottom restaurants (same owners), since they are where I spent many a Friday happy hour over the last 12 years in Colorado. Did the Old Chicago's World Beer Tour also, and they used to have a great buffalo chicken sandwich.

[Justin Bimmer]

Premium chain restaurants have A B and C level stores. It just all depends on how big the city is and how much they or the franchisee wants to invest into the store.

[G. David Felt]

What? You've never been to an Olive Garden. You're just trying to act highbrow. Sheez.

It's edible. Sometimes they have decent dishes, but they have an American spin on trying to be an Italian restaurant. The best one I ever had was some kind of penne/asparagus/mushroom concoction. Again, not bad. But not inspiring, either.

(Also, between the unlimited soup and unlimited salad, go soup and get the Zuppa Toscana - it has potatoes, sausage, rosemary, broth)

I agree that their Zuppa Toscana is an awesome Soup. The all you can eat Soup and Salad is one of the best deals. I love the Garlic bread sticks also. Course being a chain, some are better than others, but the one here in Lynnwood Washington does excel above the average.

In regards to best Pizza Place: Pizza Bank in Kirkland Washington. The place actually used to be a real bank, their food is awesome. Pies are hard to beat and none of the mass chains can even hold a stick to their pizza.

Worst place: Sherries, on par with the dirty Denny's both are pretty sad.

Best steak place: Daniels in Bellevue Washington. Their Filet and Porterhouse are amazing.

Best Seafood: Just about any place here in Seattle, but I think the best is Palisade Waterfront Restaurant. http://www.palisaderestaurant.com/

Best Fish and Chips: Spuds Fish and Chips in Juanita Bay, Kirkland Washington.

We'll will add more later. Gonna go grab some lunch.

[Robert Hall]

Best steak place: Daniels in Bellevue Washington. Their Filet and Porterhouse are amazing.

Best Seafood: Just about any place here in Seattle, but I think the best is Palisade Waterfront Restaurant. http://www.palisaderestaurant.com/

Best Fish and Chips: Spuds Fish and Chips in Juanita Bay, Kirkland Washington.

We'll will add more later. Gonna go grab some lunch.

Sounds good.. I will have to do some research on restaurants in the Seattle area before I head up there next month for a little R&R.

[G. David Felt]

Sounds good.. I will have to do some research on restaurants in the Seattle area before I head up there next month for a little R&R.

If you do not mind telling me the general area you are planning to visit, I can post a list of some really yummy places to visit.

[Robert Hall]

If you do not mind telling me the general area you are planning to visit, I can post a list of some really yummy places to visit.

I have no idea yet specifically where I am staying/visiting..just thought Seattle and therebouts would be fun for my birthday, to get away from the Phoenix oven for a few days at the end of June. Thinking about staying in the city somewhere and driving out to the coast, Olympic Peninsula, etc. Been reading Fodors 2009 PNW issue.

Edited May 5, 2009 by Cubical

[A Horse With No Name]

Good Restaurant - Prime Sirloin

Bad Restaurant - Ruby Tuesday

We got a Christmas gift a few years ago from an employer...a family dinner at Ruby Tuesday's. One of the worst dinners I've had in a LONG time.

Chris

[pow]

BJ's - people are like OMGOMGITSSOGOODYOUGOTTATRYTHEBAZOOKA, and seriously it wasn't good at all.

Apart from In-N-Out and Rubios, why do practically all chain restaurants suck?

[Justin Bimmer]

BJ's - people are like OMGOMGITSSOGOODYOUGOTTATRYTHEBAZOOKA, and seriously it wasn't good at all.

It's a pizzoki and they are good. They have good beer and sandwiches. I don't like their pizza too much though.