# Ever been to a place featured on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 27, 2009, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-to-a-place-featured-on-diners-drive-ins-and-dives/522728 "2009-12-27T20:03:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![psycat90](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@psycat90](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psycat90)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2009, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-to-a-place-featured-on-diners-drive-ins-and-dives/522728/81 "2009-12-31T01:27:14Z")
> [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](#): > > Huh, I missed that on the show site. Been there several times… went to grammar school right across the street. > ) Me too. Well, I’ve never been there, but I’ve been to Trad’r Sam’s and I’ve seen the place, but for some reason I thought he reviewed Tommy’s Joynt on Van Ness. My bad. And I missed White Manna on the list. Been there a few times (and been to what I thought was a better place a whole lot more but not on the list - White Rose System). So I cross one off and add one on. ---
**Author:** ![MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MPB_in_Salt_Lake)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2009, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-to-a-place-featured-on-diners-drive-ins-and-dives/522728/82 "2009-12-31T01:42:44Z")
> [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](#): > > I’m well aware I really like your article—I have spent many, many happy afternoons/evenings enjoying a few brews in various San Francisco watering holes, from Tenderloin area dives to uber-upscale hotspots. (I have found that I generally like the dives more) I will have to remember to check your site for some new recommendations when I fly back down next time… Matthew ---
**Author:** ![tumbleddown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9bcb4/32.png) [@tumbleddown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tumbleddown)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2009, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-to-a-place-featured-on-diners-drive-ins-and-dives/522728/83 "2009-12-31T02:07:58Z")
I’ve been to Big Jim’s here in Pittsburgh. It’s the sort of place where I asked twice to be sure that the fries weren’t cooked in beef fat or something. Nothing on the menu other than fries was suitable for me to eat as a vegetarian but the portions of everything were huge. The fries were piled five inches off of the plate. Unfortunately, they were only mediocre. I will say that the place had the cleanest ladies’ room I’ve ever encountered in a bar anywhere, though. Now the Dor-Stop, that’s good eatin’. Best pancakes I’ve ever had, including my grandma’s homemade ones. (Sorry grandma.) Great service. Clean as a whistle. The lack of parking, however, keeps us from going there too often. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2009, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-to-a-place-featured-on-diners-drive-ins-and-dives/522728/84 "2009-12-31T02:31:28Z")
Far as I can tell, the only place I’ve been to - without going through all the listings for the vacation spots I’ve been to - is Dell Rhea’s Chicken in Willowbrook, IL. It’s apparently an institution, but my husband and I rated it as being on the more positive end of “OK.” ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2009, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-to-a-place-featured-on-diners-drive-ins-and-dives/522728/85 "2009-12-31T02:54:15Z")
**Morbo** and **psycat90** : You know what, we’re confusing [Tommy’s Joynt](http://www.tommysjoynt.com/)- the meat place with international beers at Van Ness Ave- with [Tommy’s Mexican Restaurant](http://www.tommystequila.com/) in the Richmond, near Trad’R’s that claims (claimed?) the biggest selection of tequila outside of Mexico. The two places are unrelated, and Joynt was the one on the show. > [@MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](#): > > I will have to remember to check your site for some new recommendations when I fly back down next time Sure, feel free to email/IM me if you want. ---
**Author:** ![psycat90](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@psycat90](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psycat90)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2009, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-to-a-place-featured-on-diners-drive-ins-and-dives/522728/86 "2009-12-31T03:09:05Z")
Aha, thanks… So I’ve been to 15, but only 3 of them after his review. If I had to pick a favorite of those 15, easily Sol Food. Their mofongo is to fucking die for. ---
**Author:** ![ministryman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f6c823/32.png) [@ministryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ministryman)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2010, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-to-a-place-featured-on-diners-drive-ins-and-dives/522728/87 "2010-01-04T16:15:24Z")
> [@Bosstone](#): > > What did you have, if you remember? Just out of curiosity. I did find an entree there that I really disliked (the Emerald Chicken), but everything else I’ve had has been excellent. The pork fried rice, which is the signature dish Guy showed the owner making in the kitchen, is simply addictive. I had the Emerald Chicken…major suckage… If I go back there (and I might in about 30 days), I _might_ give the PFR a try… or I might go to the Heart Attack Grill(?) and raise my cholesterol level a few hundred points. ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2010, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-to-a-place-featured-on-diners-drive-ins-and-dives/522728/88 "2010-01-04T18:59:35Z")
> [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](#): > > **Morbo** and **psycat90** : You know what, we’re confusing [Tommy’s Joynt](http://www.tommysjoynt.com/)- the meat place with international beers at Van Ness Ave- with [Tommy’s Mexican Restaurant](http://www.tommystequila.com/) in the Richmond, near Trad’R’s that claims (claimed?) the biggest selection of tequila outside of Mexico. The two places are unrelated, and Joynt was the one on the show. Ah. So we are. ---
**Author:** ![kayT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayt/32/3633_2.png) [@kayT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayT)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2010, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-to-a-place-featured-on-diners-drive-ins-and-dives/522728/89 "2010-01-05T03:20:33Z")
I’ve been to Gaffy Street Diner in San Pedro CA. Very very ordinary food; I have no idea why Guy chose it for the show (I haven’t seen that episode either so don’t know what he made of it.) It was fairly new when featured on the show, and they put up a sign at once (AS SEEN ON…). I notice the sign is now gone. They used to be open only for breakfast and lunch; recently began serving dinner and the last time I looked at 6:30 on a Saturday night there were about 5 people in there. I figure the dinner part will be gone soon. One problem is it’s hard to get into their parking lot from all directions except one. Another problem is the food is so ordinary. Did anyone see what Guy said about it? ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2010, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-to-a-place-featured-on-diners-drive-ins-and-dives/522728/90 "2010-01-05T03:28:08Z")
> [@Brynda](#): > > If you want to check, list of places he has been is here: > [http://www.foodnetwork.com/shows/guys-diners-drive-ins-and-dives/index.html](http://www.foodnetwork.com/shows/guys-diners-drive-ins-and-dives/index.html) > > Was it as good as he said? Did the show seem to affect the place? I imagine it is good for business. O’Roukes diner in my hometown. We already loved the place. ---
**Author:** ![Kneepants\_Erasmus\_the\_Humanist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/54ee81/32.png) [@Kneepants\_Erasmus\_the\_Humanist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kneepants_Erasmus_the_Humanist)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2010, 7:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-to-a-place-featured-on-diners-drive-ins-and-dives/522728/91 "2010-01-05T07:24:16Z")
I had never seen that show before, so I watched a few clips. Wow, the host is … I love The Weinery in Minneapolis! I am surprised they were featured as it is such a hole in the wall place. I only know about it from stumbling upon it whilst wandering aimlessly between classes. The food is really, really good and there is tons of delicious fake meat (it _is_ possible) as well as the real stuff too, I guess. The place is super tiny, and the soda machine never works, but I still love it. When it isn’t crowded it really feels like eating at a friend’s house–as cheesy as that sounds. Pat, the owner, is the sweetest guy–I see he cleaned himself up for the show. Everyone should go there. So, yeah. Can anyone explain the host to me? His hair? Do you think he looks like that in real life, or is he just playing the terribly under-researched role of “cool guy”? ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2010, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-to-a-place-featured-on-diners-drive-ins-and-dives/522728/92 "2010-01-05T14:08:44Z")
> [@Kneepants\_Erasmus\_the\_Humanist](#): > > I had never seen that show before, so I watched a few clips. Wow, the host is … > > _snip_ > > So, yeah. Can anyone explain the host to me? His hair? Do you think he looks like that in real life, or is he just playing the terribly under-researched role of “cool guy”? I’ve never met Guy in person, but if that’s not an on-screen persona, I’d be amazed if he doesn’t get punched in the mouth on a daily basis. I actually like his shows (he’s also got a more generic cooking show on Food Network), but some stuff he does annoys the piss out of me. “That is _on point_!” I’ll stick you on a point, you catch-phrase-spouting surfer dude. Grr. ---
**Author:** ![Auntbeast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Auntbeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Auntbeast)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2010, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-to-a-place-featured-on-diners-drive-ins-and-dives/522728/93 "2010-01-07T03:46:28Z")
I had heard on several occasions that he had visited a little BBQ stand down the road from me. I just checked the list, it ain’t on there. I guess the next question should be, Ever been to a place that falsely claims they’ve been on DD&D? 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-to-a-place-featured-on-diners-drive-ins-and-dives/522728.md?page=4)