OT- Best Restaurant You Have Eaten At?
I have started eating eating (meaning not going to Applebees/Outback Steakhouse for dinner) in the past couple years with an older brother as a chef. Where are some of your favorite eateries (local or otherwise). Any suggestions for midwest cities?
Probably the Gancy Dancer in Ann Arbor.
Gandy Dancer was my regular happy hour place when I went to grad school. Excellent in many ways.
The Salt Lick, Austin, Tx
I have lived in the midwest, southeast, and southwest. The Salt Lick is about as good as you're going to get anywhere, period.
-UMichGA
I had to swear off meat for a week, but it was so worth it!
The blueberry cobbler isn't bad either.
In A2, Eve and Logan are the two best that I've eaten at in the past year. Honorable mention: West End Grill & Grange. IMO, the Mainstreet Ventures family of restaurants (the old-guard, if you will) have really been underperforming lately.
My favorite restaurant in A2 is actually Blue Nile: great food, top-notch service, inexpensive, and all you can eat.
Logan is one of my favorites. It's really underrated because so many people in Ann Arbor don't about it.
Dukes Canoe Club on Kauai- it's on the Nawhiliwili harbor. Great atmosphere- great food - get a "Wrong Island iced tea" with dinner, a little "Hula pie" for desert- it is heaven. The Dukes on Waikiki beach is nice too but too loud and busy for my tastes.
Slow's BBQ in Detroit is one of my favorites.
Other local, off the beaten path gems are The Common Grill in Chelsea and Knight's on Jackson Rd @ Maple.
And Jeruselem Garden makes the best falafel this side of the mediterranian sea.
I was driving down Cass in Midtown Detroit tonight (I live in the area) and noticed a 'coming soon' sign for another Slows location...
If only for their rolls. I have to constantly restrain myself from eating the entire basket in order to have enough room to enjoy the rest of the meal.
L2O is phenomenal. Obviously, you better like seafood if dining there though, since that's their thing.
I'm a big fan of Takashi.
One of these days I'll actually get into Schwa, getting a reservation there is such a pain compared to pretty much anywhere else, since you basically have to hope they pick up the phone when you call. I don't have that kind of patience and usually just punt when they don't answer and forget about it for a few months.
they just re-did the whole restaurant. And they now answer the phone (if you still cant get 'em, call before they open)! Even so, I tried to get a reservation a couple weeks ago but they were booked through june. Look for something on a weekday in July.
L20 is my next stop. I don't exactly have 3-4 hundred bucks to drop to get the whole menu right now, but I'm going to try in the next month or so.
If you are into the tasting menus I would suggest Avenues at the Peninsula. Try going on an off night and the service there is unparalleled with any I've had in the city. The attention to detail and care that goes into the meal makes you feel like you have your own personal chef and wait staff. It's crazy good, little on the pricey side. I let my fiancee order wine by the glass and didn't realize the price tag was $35 a piece until she was about 5 drinks deep. I stuck with the "reasonable" choice of $15 per bottle Matilda's.
WD-50
Father's Office in Los Angeles. Best burger ever.
I had a buddy who used to live in Culver City and every time I visited it was understood that we'd be eating at FO. The Office burger with sweet-potato fries is pretty tough to beat.
Are we simply talking about food? Or are other intangibles like location and ambiance in play?
From the conversation so far, I'm assuming most of us are interested in the food foremost. In Ann Arbor, you guys have already covered many of the basics but I'll add in Knight's Steak House, I actually don't remember the steak so much but they poured me a large glass of whiskey that was very nice. In Detroit, I've been to the Majestic Cafe on Woodward a few times and thought it was really good, especially their dessert menu.
But further abroad, my all time favorite is a small place in Rome Italy called Trattoria Moderna. Here's the link and if you're ever in Rome and feeling tired of all the typical tourists restaurants then I highly recommend checking it out:
I can't say that the food at Knight's has been any better than "pretty good" to "ok" the last few times I've been there, and the service is mediocre too, but it's definitely one of my favorite places to go for a steak. Lots of regulars, family owned, and it's got a very unique charm.
Is the chef there.
Village Hideaway- Awsome subs, many different kinds of food, lots of good beer. Pretty compact too and almost always full so you get a good crowd experience.
Mongolian BBQ- The shit.
Man I love that place. I'm pretty sure I could eat there every day and not get sick of it
The Lark in West Bloomfield. The 'rents took the family there for a celebration. Amazing food. Having an $80 rack of lamb is great, but I find much more happiness in a cheeseburger from Miller's bar, or a triple threat pork sandwich w/ mac & cheese from Slows, or a couple coney dogs with everything from American for about 1/10th the price!
Here's a few
The New Parthenon in Greektown
Gurneys in Harbor Springs, MI (best cold cut sandwiches)
Schwartz's in Montreal (best smoked meat sandwiches)
Fly Trap in Ferndale (best diner food)
Pita Cafe in Oak Park or Al-Ameer in Dearborn for best Middle Eastern food
Are both pretty awesome. Nothing too gourmet, just amazing steaks and seafood.
They have a location in Vegas too, but it is not as good, IMHO.
I have been to both the one in Miami (once) and Chicago (numerous times). I always thought the Chicago/Vegas ones were linked directly, but never knew how the Miami (original one) came into play. Seeing as how the name is very similar, and the menu is very similar, I would guess that the MIami Joe's has a significant ownership stake (or annual fee income) in the Chi/Vegas locations.
That being said, I always thought of the Joe's in Chicago as a touristy place. BUT the food there is amazing - seafood is great (for Chicago), and they have one of the best bone in filets I've ever had.
is Fat Willy's BBQ in Chicago. The BBQ chicken and their sauces are amazing.
makes me believe you 100%. No way anyone with that name can't cook some mean BBQ.
It's just a name -- it's a husband and wife that own it I think, neither of them are named Willy (and it's probably a shock to people to see the primary person at a BBQ joint be an Asian woman). It's good stuff, though I prefer Honey 1 BBQ which is about 1/2 mile south on Western from there.
Is that the one by the Kerasotes movie theater on Western Ave? If it is, I second that notion.
tucked away off of Western.
I might have to head over tomorrow now that I write about it. I seriously could drink their sauce.
Another very good BBQ joint right by Fat Willy's is Honey 1. It's just south of Fullerton on the east side of Western. I might actually like their sauce a little better - worth the $8 for a pulled pork sandwich if you haven't been there before.
heard they are both awesome.
Get to Fat Willy's early on a Tuesday and you can hit up the $6 movie and popcorn deal at the theatre across the street after. Just watch out for the crowds
in good ole a2 probably the best steaks ever, been there a bunch of times, absolutely amazing
in good ole a2 probably the best steaks ever, been there a bunch of times, absolutely amazing
I'm not even going to neg you for the double post - I'm gonna upvote you twice. Chop house is that good.
Mama Ayesha's on Woodley in DC
Chop House is far and away the best steakhouse I have ever ate at, of the chain variety.
If you ever find yourself in Las Vegas and at TI, I recommend the Steak House there. Decently priced and I had a fantastic Fillet.
I am from Grand Rapids and I would recommend anything that is part of the Gilmore Collection but specifically Rose's in EGR. Great food, great beers, an awesome location on Reeds Lake and again, very reasonably priced. Also fwiw, I like the GR Chop House much more than Judsons.
Spending a little more in GR I would recommend San Chez and Bar Divaini.
Good ole' favorite is the Beltline Bar a little south of town. Amazing Mexican food!
Wet burrito and some fried ice cream and i'm good. Definitely not a Barwis-approved meal, but delicious nonetheless.
If you are on the westside of the state of Michigan, check out The Station on Broadway in Muskegon.
when a hangover must be avoided --- White Castle.
Baked Alaska! Certainly not Barwis approved. But the Cuervo Silver Margaritas are definitely fun approved.
In seattle:
Matt's in the Market has the freshest food you'll ever eat. They literally buy ingredients from the market (pikes place market) below. they have one of the best burgers (made from lamb no less!) that I have ever had.
In LA:
Zankou chicken - middle eastern food that is absolute crack. Ever since I left socal, the craving for Zankou haunts my soul. if i were forced to eat only one thing for the rest of my life, it would the tri tip shawarma plate from zankou.
In the AA area-The Common Grill
In Kalamazoo-Food Dance Cafe
In Traverse City-Hanna
In San Francisco-The Slanted Door
AD
In Leland, the Cheese Shop has amazing deli sandwiches, and obviously cheese. Located in Fishtown right on Lake Michigan. Not exactly Zingerman's but quite good.
lives up to the hype. Anything with meat there.
Forest Grill in Birmingham is the best I've had in Michigan
But probably the best in the country.
this is hard, Kuma's Burgers in chicago, Sushi House Orlando for sushi, Cafe Tu Tu Tango for tapas in orlando, Bistro 1245 in Gainesville are all really, really good, but i guess I'd have to say Roepers BBQ in the ghetto of St. Louis is the best food I've ever had.
New York - Picholine
Islamorada Florida Keys - Marker 88
Guadalajara - Cocina 88
Chicago - Gene and Georgetti