I visited the original Carrabba’s just after it opened. There was a line out the door, since the Carrabba/Mandola family has a long, delicious history in Houston. The original is still good & the one suburban outpost I visited was fine. Apparently the restaurants are locally owned & food is prepared fresh. And many are located where people know their Italian food.
Houston has no shortage of Mexican/Tex-Mex/Mix-Mex/Mex-Mex restaurants, but Taco Cabana & Chipotle’s still do well. *Far * better than Taco Bell…
I came in here to mention Famous Dave’s. I love that place. I’m addicted to their barbecue sauce which, thankfully, is available in most grocery stores around here.
My other favorite chains are:
Culver’s—Great variety on the menu. I especially love the walleye sandwich and the garden fresco salad.
Taco John’s—Kicks Taco Bell’s butt any time.
Godfather’s Pizza: My favorite pizza chain. Doesn’t beat homemade, but it’s really quite good.
KFC: I simply can’t help myself here. I adore their biscuits.
I don’t get all the vile to chain restaurants. I have had just as many terribly experiences at local places. More actually. I’m generally willing to go to any chain and will find something good there. I just don’t try to make it any more than it is. A wrap and fries for seven dollars is just that, no more, no less.
As for Olive Garden, it did used to suck, but it is so much better now. And I’ve been to Italy. And I have to tell you, some of the food there wasn’t so great. Some was excellent, but some of it would have made me happy for anything at Olive Garden. Carraba’s is better, though.
I’m a big fan of Longhorn, and trust me, I know from good steak. They’ve got a good piece of meat, they cook it exactly the way I like it and I can trust them to bring it truly medium rare every single time, good sides, awesome fried cheesecake. I mean, yeah, sometimes I want to go to a fancy place for steak, but I think Longhorn has a good one, too.
The new "fresh Mexican’ places, like Moe’s and Qdoba are quite good, in my opinion. It’s easy to eat healthy there and it’s all very fresh and tasty.
Also, there is nothing like the International House of Pancakes or, even better, the Waffle House when it’s 3 AM and you’re hungry. Ever notice how the Waffle House is never empty? Never? Even though there’s three on one single interstate exit and it’s 3:30 in the morning, there’s always somebody else in there.
ETA - Oh, we just got a Five Guys - what a fantastic burger! And good lord, they stuff a crapload of fries into a cup, put it into a bag, and then stuff more fries in! It’s enough for even my boyfriend to just split an order with me, and that’s really saying something.
Two place I love that I very rarely frequent (because the former keeps closing sites near where I live and the latter only exists in SoCal) are Arby’s and Pollo Loco.
Panera Bread is awesome. I rarely eat at fast food places unless I have no option, and that is always my first choice. Great bread, great sandwiches, soups and salads, all fresh.
Much harder to find but equally as good (although the food is completely different) is Wahoo’s Fish Taco. I see on it’s website that it is only in Colorado and California. I’ve raved about this place to people in the Midwest and East Coast and they almost puke at the thought of a fish taco, but they are so good. Wahoo’s cooks the fish to order (broiled, blackened, or teriyaki) and you can choose your toppings, all so fresh.
Attention other “fish taco” purveyors: breaded and deep fried cod in a tortilla is NOT a fish taco.
I like Copeland’s (I’d love it if they would like have one website instead of one for each location, maybe), because food like that’s too scarce up here in yankee-occupied N. VA.
…and this one is slightly embarrassing, but I thoroughly enjoyed the meal I had at the Bubba Gump Shrimp Company when I was on vacation. I had a dish called Bourbon Mahi Mahi, which is grilled mahi mahi and shrimp with a creamy bourbon sauce served over mashed potatoes. I loved every bite of that!
Since I have little ones, it’s easier to get them to behave/eat in a restaurant that’s themed or has some fun to it. Once they get older, I reckon I can be a food snob once again and only eat at local restaurants with white tablecloths and snotty waitstaff.
Oh God, yes. Yes! YES! YES! Wow. I need a cigarette.
Au Bon Pain. Their coffee sucks, but the sandwiches are pretty good. And many years ago, when they were very local, I tried something new they had invented. It was called a croissant.
Legal Seafoods. A bit pricey, and I’ve been to better seafood places, but for the most part, they rock.
Pappa-Razzi. Still a very small chain, but some of the best Italian food I’ve ever had. Those of you who think Olive Garden has good breadsticks, go to Pappa-Razzi and give your tastebuds a schooling. And try the antipasto. Mmm, mouthgasm.
Hey, I’d heard of crescent rolls before. But not croissants.
I was young a nave in the ways of the world.
And this was around 1983. The things were just not popular back then. I’d also never heard of salsa, quesadillas, fajitas, or trail mix. Back then we called it gorp.
In the past few months, I’ve eaten more times at the Rib Crib than I ever thought possible. The food’s mighty good, though, and every time we’ve been there the manager has made the rounds making sure that everybody’s happy.
I’m quite fond of Carino’s, too. More than the Olive Garden, anyway.
Godfather’s Pizza Used to be a bunch of them around, now I think there are only two in the state. Fortunately, I live 2 miles from one of them. Absolutely LOVE the Taco Pizza.
I love Taco Bell. Their Crunchwrap Supremes in beef are like heaven took a crap in my mouth. They’re my go-to chain for PMS cravings (CASE IN POINT: those delicious cinnamon twisties things) and I only have them once in a blue moon besides that. I know it’s loaded with carbs to make me fat but after the first bite of love in a tortilla, I don’t care anymore. My ballet teacher can rub my uvula with a toothbrush herself if she wants, but I DON’T CARE because even if I gain 6000 pounds and get kicked out of the company, I’m going to eat Taco Bell, mofo. The end.
