List your favorite restaurant (no chain or crap places)
 

List your favorite restaurants:

In Chicago: Charlie Trotters, Ambria, or Everest.

In NYC: I only ate at caravelle once but I'd rate it up there even though it's closed. Daniel is awesome. I really want to try the food at the new time warner building too.

In SF: Gary Denko.

In Los Angeles: I tried Spago and hated it. I absolutely was astounded by how much I disliked the food. Wolfgang was there and all too which really made me wonder.

Anyone else a foodie?

-Rudey

Le Perigord is my only favorite restaurant still open. Neery's is the best Irish place.

I have never been to Chicago so I can't judge.

Here in Ohio a place called Ken Stewarts or this place called Eddies Creekside Grille

We own some houses in Myrtle Beach, SC, well Cherry Grove, but I love the place called Benitos Brick Oven Pizza. I have to go there every year when we are there. So many places there I love, another is The Outrigger, Benjamins, Farmers Daughter, the list can go on and on. I wish I could live there year round, the food is awesome there.

I love Confetti Pasta in NYC. I try to go there every time I am out that way. :)

There's a pasta restaurant in Woodridge, IL called Clara's which is fantastic as well.

Gallipolis: Fatboyz Pizza
Point Pleasant: The Iron Gate Grill

My favorites, that are still open, are Café des Artistes (New York) and Gargiulo's (Brooklyn.)

Frenchie's on Nasa Rd 1 in Houston. It's an Italian restaurant.

Two Brothers' on Sabo at the Beltway in Houston. Also Italian, very intimate setting. They know customers by name and will make anything you ask for. Very inexpensive too.

La Barca on Lombard St. in San Francisco. Probably the best Mexican food that has ever passed my lips. And I have had lots of authentic Mexican!

Pho Hoang on Fuqua in Houston. Vietnamese food, very good Pho (noodle soup). Also very inexpensive.

Brennan's of Houston in the Montrose area. A very kick ass brunch. Texas Creole cuisine. Bread pudding makes you want to just moan... Just a tip: Be sure you know how to dress here, or they will kinda "eye you."

Here in Lexington I love Emmet's Restaurant & Merrick Inn (sorry, can't find their home page).

Isn't Charlie Trotter's a chain, Rudith? :mad:

Anyway my favorite real food restaurant around here is probably Kurt's Steakhouse in Delafield, WI, and I'm just about positive none of you have ever been there. :p

Chicago: Hugo's Frog Bar (seafood/steak on Rush St), Giordano's (stuffed pizza - chain but HAD to be mentioned), O'Donovan's - St Ben's/Ravenswood area (best $1 burgers in the city)

Denver - it's actually hard to name a non-chain restaurant, they have so many.

Los Angeles - I just moved here, but so far my favorite is the Union Cattle Company- steakhouse in Hermosa Beach

Waikiki - Duke's Canoe Club (the original) - , Leonard's Bakery - the best malasadas - similar to beignet in New Orleans

Sundried Tomato Cafe in Nesconset, NY

The Village Way in Port Jefferson, NY

Daniela's Trattoria in NYC & also Republic for some really yummy Thai.

Grimaldi's & Benny Tudino's for some good pizza and the Gas Light for brunch all in Hoboken, NJ.

And I can't believe I forgot this one!!!!

The VooDoo Cafe & Lounge at the top of the Rio in Las Vegas. YUM

And that's why we had Feast of Roses there two years in a row! Duke's has the best Prime Rib ever!

Ditto on Leonard's--open till Midnight every Fat Tuesday!

I also love Roy's (I'm sure they have restaurants in LA and Vegas too), Alan Wong's, Ono's Hawaiian Food on Kapahulu, Sushi Sasabune, Aaron's at the top of the Ala Moana Hotel, Jameson's by the Sea, and I Love Country Cafe. On Kauai, there's a wonderful hole in the wall place called Duane's Ono Char Burger...best burgers in the state--and Aerosmith makes an appearance a few times a year.

Come back soon, Amy! We miss you!

El Tio Peppe- mexican food

Branding iron-- steak and ribs

Little Hong kong- well chinese food

NYC - Tratoria del Arte but I've only been to NY a few times

Chicago - Green Dolphin but I've only been to Chicago a few times

Oxford - City Grocery or Taylor Grocery

Nashville - Bound'ry

Memphis - Automatic Slim's

I don't know how to break this to you, but I don't have a steakhouse.

Covino's Italian Restaurant in Plano... the original is in Lawn Guisland... they have the best veal parmagiana - just like my late grandmother used to make!

Tony Packo's Cafe in Toledo is my must-go-to place whenever I'm home. When I lived in NC there was a barbecue joint down the street from my apt and the hospital that had killer Eastern NC bbq (can't get it anywhere else)... it was one of those places that no one called by name so I don't remember what it was called but anyone who went to ECU might know it. For good Tex Mex locally, El Fenix has great enchiladas (very few of the Tex-Mex places here are chains... the locals are too good).

Roys is a chain... more unique than most but it's here in Dallas too

Back home in FL, I looooove Roger's BBQ. They have 3 locations in the area...that doesn't count as a chain does it?

Chicago: La Donna. Two words: pumpkin ravioli. There is nothing better in the world.

Boulder: Sunflower.

OK, I Love Steakhouses...

NYC -- The Palm (Palm, too)
Chicago -- Gene and Georgettis
Tampa -- Bern's (probably my favorite anywhere)
Denver -- The Aurora Summit or Burke's Steakhouse
Las Vegas -- Smith and Wolinski's (Also in NYC)
KC -- The Golden Ox (It's not really great, but owned by a brother Delt)
SF -- Pompei's Grotto (OK, not a steakhouse, but a little place on the wharf)

Have to mention a chain:

Denver, Columbus, NYC, SF, LA, KC, St. Louis, Philly, New Orleans, Vegas, Atlanta, San Antonio, Orlando and a few other cities I can't think of right now:

Ruth's Chris Steakhouse. Excellent everywhere.

Just thinking of Ruth's Chris' Creme Brulee is making my mouth water!

Smith is a chain and so is the palm. The Palm I take issue with because it is an extremely overpriced crap steakhouse. In NY, the bext steakhouse hands down is Peter Lugar's. I do however think that making a steak is not frigging magic and it's just a giant piece of meat.

And Kath, Trotter has one real restaurant where he is the resident chef and it's in Chicago. He just opened one up in NY at the time warner but I doin't even think it's up and running just yet. He also has a restaurant he opened up in Mexico called C but it's different. There is a fast food "trotters to go" not too far away from me but again, not a restaurant. So chain? No, not at all. I do have a feeling he's going to dedicate more of his time to the NY restaurant because the building houses the best chefs in the world once all the restaurants are up.

There is also a big difference to me in terms of places to go that are hip. In NYC, you have Nobu. Forget the fact that I don't particulary care for sushi, I still don't think the food is that great and it's living off the hip reputation. That's why in Chicago, I picked Ambria even though it attracts an older crowd and the menu isn't that radical. I've been to the hip places like thyme and ...eh, nice decor but not nice food.

-Rudey

Seattle, too!

I ate at Smith and Wolinsky's in Chicago....it was good. I think there's one in New Orleans too.

I forgot to add New Orleans restaurants...

I like Mr. B's. There's a few others but I can't remember the names right now.

Also one of the best places I've had a wine menu is a small place called Indigo in san francisco. The food was eh, but the wine with each course was really great.

In LA, I always wished I loved sea food so I could go to Crustation. Oh well, I hear it's fun.

-Rudey

Sorry, but I have to correct you! Some of my favorite places:

Xochimilco's in mexican town in Detroit
Mexican Fiesta in Dearborn (just as good as Xochi's)
Any of the restaurants in Greek Town, but especially Fishbones, Ole Parthenon, and Pizza Papalis
For real home style Italian- Clemente's in Lincoln Park

My favorites for Steak:
1897 Smokehouse in Trenton: in a beautifully restored historic home across from the old Riverside hospital, very elegant
Sportsman's Den: the restaurant attached to Riverview Highlands
The original chef from Sportsman's Den opened the 1897 Smokehouse so the food is very similar, just different atmospheres (and prices)

Hickey's: especially on piano wars nights!

Dee

New York area:
- Peter Luger (either location)
- La Grenouille
- Le Bernardin
- Sapphire
- Vong
- Shun Lee

Connecticut:
- Cobbs Mill Inn
- Three Bears
- Putnam House
- Taipei Tokyo (good sushi... I think they may be a chain tho')
- Eric & Michael's Steakhouse

Chicago:
- Tru (be prepared to drop lots o' $$$)
- Morton's (yes it's a chain, but it is Morton's of Chicago)

Boston:
- Ambrosia on Huntington
- Aujourd'hui
- Fire & Ice
- Kaya
- Sunset Grill & Tap (for their beer list)
(The Ritz-Carlton Dining Room is off my list because of their incredibly rude service.)

London:
- Veeraswamy
- Le Gavroche

Paris:
- Jules Verne

LOL, my list looks like the Zagat guide...

Chicago: Gulliver's on W. Howard, very funky, diverse menu and spinach artichoke dip to die for!

NYC: (It's been a while since I've been there) Le Cirque

DC: Bullfeathers, the Silver Diner (a chain of about 4 restaurants)

Pittsburgh: Peter's Place, The Common Plea, Max's Allegheny Tavern

Kansas City:

Golden Ox or Hereford House= Steak
Rancho Grande Cnateena=Mexican
Gates=BBQ
Tasos=Greek



London:

Sherlock Holmes Pub

Kitzbuhl:

Tennenbaum

Vienna:

Helmets

San Francisco:

Als on the Wharf Front.

Nappa:

Red Rooster=Mexican

San Diego:

Mexican Resturant in Old Town. (?)

Omaha, Neb.=

Omaha Steak House.

St. Louis:

Demetris=Greek, now gone in Chesterfield.

Many more but cannot remember them all!:(

There are two Peter Lugar's. The original in Williamsburg, and one on Long Island. The original is better, and not just because they have rude waiters. The ovens are over a hundred years old, and that makes a difference. So while cooking a steak isn't "frigging magic," there are differences that affect the quality.

I will grant that the Brooklyn location is better, but don't knock the Great Neck location! Their steak, too, is excellent. If you go at lunchtime most days, you can get a nice big prime rib for under $20 if you get there early enough. And they pour a generous martini.

In Great Neck, you can also ask to see a menu without being thrown out on your @$$. :p

i really like Kanki Japanese Steak House. what i really love is the restaurant in Orlando that i have been going to since i was 5 years old. It is Kobe Japanese Steak House.

Another restaurant that i like here in Jacksonville is Stonewood. it is very romantic;)

I'm not saying that the Long Island location sucks, just that Williamsburg is the best.
Why would you want to pay all that money for courteous waiters? ;)

I'm saying Peter Lugars in Long Island sucks.

-Rudey

Would you perhaps be talking about Casa De Bandini or Casa De Pico? Never have had the opportunity to eat at either one, but have heard wonderful things about both!

In Ramona, CA: Nuevo Grill, hands down :D

In Valparaiso, IN: Tony's Pizza; there's also a American-Mexican-Italian cuisine restaurant at the edge of Valpo's campus that I love (and can't remember the name of)

ETA: El Amigo in Valpo, now that I remember where it is! :D

Just this week I had two excellent dinners out in Denver. We went to Akebono and had well prepared sushi and Cielo for upscale Mexican food that was very tasty. They had pomegrante margaritas to die for.

Also love this little place called Parisi for Italian takeout.

I'll break up my list a bit: (All these are in the Boston area)

Zaftigs Deli, Stephanie's and The Ritz Carlton (on Boylston, not the new one) for brunch; all are good for other meals, but their brunch menus are great.

For everything else, here are my favorites (in no particular order):

Ajourd' Hui
Casa Romero
Strega
Fiore
Turner Fisheries (best clam chowder in Boston, hands down)
Taam China (Kosher Chinese food; excellent, my favorite Chinese in Boston)
Parish Cafe (just for the sandwiches)

There are probably others, but that's all I can think of for now. There are other places (like Sunset with its burger and beer) that I like a lot, but the above are the best places I've been to.

In Iowa:

Where I am now:
- CR Chophouse
- Bistro on First

Ames
- Hickory Park
- Great Plains Pizza

Elswhere
- Rube's Steakhouse (the original in Montour)