Figured it'd be handy to have a thread where we can review restaurants we've been to (franchise or other) and give our opinions on them. Tips on how to order, complain, tipping, everything.

As a start I'll throw an honorable mention to Outback Steakhouse as a franchise. Fairly decent prices, decent menu and pretty nifty service for the most part. Most franchises tend to have good service despite the negative stigma toward the lower paid waiting staff. If you can't find a decent eatery locally and want something hearty without risking bad quality on your food, Outback franchises tend to be a good failsafe.

I tend to enjoy the Outback steakhouse as well. Not only do they cook my steak as I like it and provide good bread and sides too, the wait staff is always cheery as hell. Maybe it's because I give tips? :confused:

Here's a post I made on another forum. Non-local chain restaurant reviews to come later.

Should any of you be unfortunate enough to stop in this riverside midwestern city located in southwestern Ohio, here is a guide to good eats, listed by the name of the business. Pics to come at some point.

Arthur's Café
Located directly around the corner from Awakenings Coffee & Tea Co., Arthur's features "burger madness" on Sundays, Mondays, and Tuesdays, where for $6.00 one can order an unlimited-topping hamburger. While you're in the area be sure to visit the upscale drinking venue Teller's of Hyde Park, an interesting gathering spot built into an old bank building.

Awakenings Coffee & Tea Co.
Multiple locations but the best is located on the east side in the upscale neighborhood of Hyde Park. Located directly on the square, one can enjoy a fresh cup of coffee or tea and an excellent snack cake whilst staring across the street at an historic firehouse. Around the corner is Arthur's restaurant, which does the best burgers in the city.

Hooligan's Pub
Not far from the city's eastern vein, interstate 71, lies a hidden gem of chicken wings: this restaurant. Great place to go with the boys, watch the game, drink a few brews and cram your face full of finger-lickin' good chicken.

Jungle Jim's International Market
Perhaps the greatest grocery store on earth. Featuring an unrivaled selection of international foods and products imported from across the globe, this place has been described as a "theme park of food." Double Gloucester cheese? check! Venison summer sausage? Check! Buffalo burgers? Check! If you have the time to visit only one foodie location within Cincinnati, this is your place. Bring a camera and few hours of time.

Molly Malone's Irish Pub
Located in the neighborhood of Pleasant Ridge approximately eight miles from downtown, Molly Malone's has an authentic pub feel with even greater pub fare. Feel like downing a pint of Smithwick's? Here's your place. Complement that brew with a great platter of fish 'n chips, or choose instead a third-pound Irish pub burger including Guinness gravy and Smithwick's mushrooms.

Penn Station East Coast Subs
No one makes a Philly cheese-steak like Penn Station. Here's a copy of their menu. Directly up the street from the next restaurant,The Pub at Rookwood Mews. Sandwiches you should try while you're in town: the Philly cheese-steak, the Italian, and the Cordon Bleu. Their fries are also quite excellent, fresh-cut and cooked in healthy peanut oil; the lemonade must also not be missed!

Precinct, The
Owned by Cincinnati's famed chef Jeff Ruby, The Precinct quite lives up to its name - it's located within an historic building, constructed in 1901 and formerly used as a police station. No steak connoisseur worth his or her salt should come to Cincinnati without a visit to this excellent restaurant. Cincinnati's wealthiest residents dine here as do national celebrities visiting home.

Pub at Rookwood Mews, The
Located in the ritzy shopping development known as Rookwood, The Pub at Rookwood Mews is unfortunately better for their decor than their food, complete with an antique red telephone standing outside. If you're into an authentic pint with a dram of Scotch, this is your place; however, there are better places to go in "the 'nati" for fish 'n chips. Namely, Molly Malone's.

Skyline Chili
Multiple locations. Famous for making Cincinnati-style chili, which, at its greatest, includes chili over spaghetti noodles with beans, onions, and finely shredded cheddar cheese served alongside oyster crackers. Many family owned restaurants also specialize in this concoction, my personal favorites including Camp Washington Chili and Pleasant Ridge Chili.

Nice post. Very helpful.

The Mcdonalds in Altona North uses too much sauce on the cheeseburgers :mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:

I highly advise vegetarians to avoid Kings Buffet.

When I ate meat I loved that place. Going back there now though I realize they have few veggie friendly items, and they almost all taste like shit.

I do advise A&W for vegetarians though, the veggie burger rocks my world.

^^^No. When I worked there the veggie burgers were allowed to sit in the warmer for like 4 hours, but sometimes they'd get served after up to like 6 when they'd turn to pucks. Nobody ever orders them, so unless you get them to make it fresh it's probably sat for hours.

frankly i like Ruby Tuesdays they got a huge selection and their appetizers and burgers are quite good

frankly i like Ruby Tuesdays they got a huge selection and their appetizers and burgers are quite good

QFT.

When out of state I avoid Cracker Barrel restaurants like the plague. :mad: Their mundane and tasteless menu bores the shit out of my taste buds and rapes my wallet.

White Castle is the shit. 'Nuff said.

Great place to go with the boys, watch the game, drink a few brews and cram your face full of finger-lickin' good chicken.


something about this is homoerotic

something about this is homoerotic

Not unless you're trying to find evidence of other people being gay so that you can be more comfortable with your own sexuality.

You fag.

Okay.

Texas road house (not to be confused with texas steak house)

I am a big fan of this place.it is a fairly common chain resturant i think. i always get my folks to take me here when ever they visit. They have a large selection of beer on tap an they also provide you with all the free peanuts you can eat.

the appetizers are your standard american steak house fair, ribblets, onion blossom, and the like. an they are all done well.

the real treat though is in the meat. they dry age all of their own beef in house. they also smoke their own ribs, which are some of the best chain ribs i have ever had. an the pork chops. oh god the pork chops. that is why i go here. they have these amazing pork chops that are so fucking tasty. also featured on the menu is a decent fried catfish, chicken, burgers, an your usual sides of veg an starch.

dessert is your standard american chain bit. pies, brownies, an ice cream.

overall i like this place alot. the service is good, the price is right, an the food is great. if you have one of these in your location i recommend you go.

Ed's in Calgary

It's a little restaurant in downtown Calgary on 17th. It offers some of the best wings in town; the sauce is baked into the wing, rather than leaving them saucy.

I can recommend their screaming wings, along with a side of sweet potato fries. They offer excellent appetizers and the food is reasonably priced.

They offer a laid back atmosphere, but are obviously a restaurant. There are TV's for watching your sport of choice and the service is excellent.

It's worth your time, if you enjoy wings.

Ed's in Calgary

It's a little restaurant in downtown Calgary on 17th. It offers some of the best wings in town; the sauce is baked into the wing, rather than leaving them saucy.

I can recommend their screaming wings, along with a side of sweet potato fries. They offer excellent appetizers and the food is reasonably priced.

They offer a laid back atmosphere, but are obviously a restaurant. There are TV's for watching your sport of choice and the service is excellent.

It's worth your time, if you enjoy wings.

I think I recall you talking about this place before in a greasy spoon breakfasts thread? Sounds like a nice eatery. I'll be sure to check it out if I'm ever in the area.

Raw Bar in Calgary.

It's located inside a hotel on 12th and serves some of the best tuna I've ever tasted.

One of the chef's specialties is tuna tataki and it comes out amazingly well. It'll cost you around $15-$20 a plate, but the quality is just excellent.

It has a rather unique decor for the Calgary area; the chairs are red and padded and the lights are low. It's a good place for a date or for a group of friends.

It's semi-formal; a button up shirt is enough.

Saint Germain in Calgary

This is a French fine dining restaurant that's also located on 12th.

It is considered to be one of the top ten restaurants in the province and serves traditional French fare. They prepare and serve excellent food. You're looking at a $40 bill, before wine, and reservations are recommended.

It's a formal atmosphere and a tie is recommended for the men.

On occasion, it's worthwhile.

Caesar's Steak House in Calgary.

They offer top quality Alberta Beef and have excellent chefs preparing your meal. Once again, it's a pricey restaurant. There are a variety of other top quality steak houses in the city, but this one simply offers the best service.

This one is semi-formal and reservations are recommended.

The Palomino in Calgary.

It's one of the only places in the city to get quality bbq and it has a really western/southern atmosphere. It can be a fun place to stop in for a meal, appetizers, or a few drinks.

It's very casual and has a mixture of cheap and expensive foods.

Boston Pizza anywhere.

They've got a consistent menu and staff throughout the country. It's always a safe bet for a meal, appetizers, or drinks.

Captain's Seafood

Located on Huntley Road in Columbus, Ohio in a dingy-looking shopping center. I was really cautious of this restaurant when it first sprung up out of nowhere and would actually crack jokes about how gross it had to be, and how it looked like it had to be a front for something, but after about a year of it staying in operation, and following the recommendation of a few friends, I finally decided to check it out. It's run by an old couple from out east(I forget where exactly, but the service was friendly enough that it came up in conversation while I was looking over the menu), and offers selection and freshness that far surpasses any casual seafood place I've been to in these parts, and a huge list of homemade sides to boot. I got the fried bay scallops and some broiled tilapia, along with smashed sweet potato, all in very generous portions and all for just $7 dollars as part of their "make your own" combo. Everything was delicious, and the homemade tartar sauce was excellent too. I'd definitely have to urge anyone in the area to at least check this place out.

For a chain - Ruth's Chris Steak House is found in all the big cities and is damn hard to beat. Prime beef - carefully dry aged and then cooked in a PROPER steak oven - gas and plain open fire does not cut it for a proper steak.

The local non chain reviews would only help those of us in the Baltimore/Washington area - speak up if you are around...

Last night I ordered pizza from the ubiquitous deliverer of munchie goodness, Papa John's. Unfortunately I was greeted with a rather mundane barbecue chicken pizza that's not quite as good as I remember it being a few years ago, and now know better to stick to The Works or The Meats.

Red Robin is the shit. great burgers and fries FTW.

Finnigan's Wake in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

Great little hole-in-the-wall Irish pub with a great menu with a decent price.