Do you have a Nathan’s up by you? If so, I’ll have to go there on my next trip!
I’m excited by all the praise for Pappadeaux. There is one not far from the Ikea north of Cincinnati, so next time we make a pilgrimage I am going to lobby to eat there!
It’s interesting that Joe’s Crab Shack has gotten some good reviews. The one here was so awful they closed within a year and they torn the place down and salted the earth. (Well, they did tear it down.) I have never seen a more universally reviled restaurant, and I live in a very eating-out town. I never bothered trying it because every time it came up, no exaggeration, people said it was horrible.
For consistency and quality of their offerings, I have to go with Cracker Barrel. It’s our go-to place for family eating. I don’t especially LOVE the food, but it’s tasty and reliable. I have been twice to Bonefish Grill and I have to say it’s excellent. Pretty pricey, though. Same with Carraba’s.
Damn, I’m hungry. Good thing it’s almost lunch time!
My mom, sister and I love going to the Joe’s Crab Shack near me, but my brother and his family got sick as dogs after visiting one near San Francisco. We try to talk them into going again, but they get all pukey-looking.
For steaks, it’s Ruth Chris. I have never had a bad steak and once, when we mentioned that the veggies could have been cooked a little longer, they gave us a $25 gift certificate (I actually like nearly raw veggies, but the scalloped potatoes did need more cooking time).
Baja Fresh is not too bad, but fish tacos are best served at Taco Nazo. Unfortunately, I don’t live in southern California anymore.
Everyone keeps saying they are expensive. They are about $6 for a Cheeseburger, which is a double. A half pound burger… with any and every topping you can imagine. Maybe I’m out of touch, but that doesn’t seem too far out of line. And I’ve never had a “meh” burger there. Fries from what I’ve read apparently vary by location. The one close to me are perfect, and I dream about their Cajun fries. Only one time were they under cooked and greasy. I write that off to the fact that they are actually made by humans and not frozen and timed to the second like other fast food places.
My favorite though is still Steak 'n Shake. It may even say something about my passion that the location that my family used to drive an hour to in 1966 is within walking distance of my house now. My kids and I rode our bikes there when they were little and sat at the red stools at the counter. I still sit there and spin a bit when I’m picking up take out… same as I did when I was 5.
The one closest to me lasted maybe a year before it closed and was eventually turned into a Mexican restaurant.
I had some great breakfast stuff at La Boulange bakery in the bay area and was surprised to find out it was a chain.