PCF Yelp (1 Viewer)

[manamongkids]

Straightforward, what are SOME (not all) of your go-to local hotspots for dining?

Please don't list 25 places, narrow it down to ones you would 100% recommend to someone else.





Please include your favorite dish/meal/specials/etc.

Please include location and website if applicable.

 

[manamongkids]

Porters Bar and Grill - Boston, MA. Directly across from the TD Garden

http://www.portersbar.com/

Favorite dish - Cubano sandwich with sliced turkey and pulled pork (no ham) with spicy chipotle may, ask for a side of this for your fries too.

Have taken 5-6 friends and family here while working in Boston over my years and always recommend this, most people I have asked give it a 9+/10

 

[links_slayer]

I've got a few:

Tornado Room - it's kind of dim and can get quite loud depending on the room you are in but the food is really good. It's got a nice supper club vibe to it. We take several of our out-of-town clients here. The bone-in ribeye is my favorite. Off the top of my head, this is on the very short list of places I'll order a steak when out for dinner.

http://www.tornadosteakhouse.com/menu/

A Pig in a Fur Coat - we love going here for their small plates. Not a bad one on the menu, imo. Lots of local ingredients too (which some folks care about more than others).

http://apiginafurcoat.com/menu/

Tipsy Cow - Tied for 1st on our list of places to go for a burger.

http://www.tipsycowmadison.com/menus/menu.pdf

http://www.tipsycowmadison.com/menus/tipsyspecials.pdf

Dotty Dumpling's Dowry - Co blue ribbon winner for burgers. This place has a great atmosphere, particularly on game days.

http://www.dottydumplingsdowry.com/menu.html

Smoky Jon's BBQ - best BBQ in town imo. Really small dining area which is a bummer, particularly when we head there for lunch. But take out is an option. Their big money maker is their catering service and they tend to be quite inflexible when dealing with modest size orders. But the food is ridiculously good.

http://smokyjons.com/restaurant/restaurant-menu/

Salvatore's Tomato Pies - the menu in the link below is a bit outdated but it gives you an idea. Best pizza in the area, imo (~15 minutes from the east side of Madison). Lots of local ingredients/suppliers too. A bit pricey but worth every penny. Their specialty pizzas (not on the menu) are almost always must-order. I've heard the tacos are dynamite too but lol @ ordering tacos here.

https://salvatorestomatopies.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/sals-sun-prairie-jan-28.pdf

Greenbush Bar - very close runner up for best pizza. It feels like you're walking into a speakeasy (walk in the door, head downstairs, and through another door into a dimly lit area with wood paneling and christmas lights all over the ceiling). The drinks have always been stiff and the pizza always great. Like Salvatore's, the daily special pizza is usually a no brainer.

http://www.greenbushbar.net/index.html

 

[CraigT78]

Hard 8 BBQ in Coppell (between Dallas and Ft. Worth)

http://www.hardeightbbq.com/

The best BBQ in the Dallas Metroplex IMHO.

My favorite is the Brisket, Sausage and Jalapeño Sweet Corn

 

[kirchhausen]

@Chippy McChiperson took me to Dusenbergs in Catonsville, MD this past Saturday and it was glorious.

Huge portions, great breakfast food (he says the rest of their menu is great too).

He got the Crisfield Benedict, which is Sauteed Colossal Lump Crab, Poached Eggs and Hollandaise Sauce on Toasted English Muffin and a side of scrapple. I got the Steak and Eggs.


http://www.duesenbergscafeandgrill.com/

 

[jbutler]

One positive thing about NJ is that many of the restaurants are BYOB so you can save a ton of money, particularly if you're drinking wine. If you're ever at the shore for longer than a few days (there are some fine dining establishments that are musts if you only have a night or two), I would check out the following places.

My favorite Mexican restaurant of all time is Jose's in Spring Lake, NJ. About 20 minutes from my house. It's a hole in the wall, but that's as it should be imo. Their website got some kind of sprucing up recently, but the inside is still all gingham tablecloths and plastic cups. Favorite dish: chicken chimichangas. Runner up: diablo burrito. (website and Yelp)

A very good Japanese restaurant in Asbury Park that we love is Taka. They did a remodel a couple years ago and it's gorgeous inside and the prices are still great. Favorite dish: tuna butsu. (website and Yelp)

And the requisite dive bar recommendation: The Broadway in Point Pleasant Beach. All fisherman and locals outside of summertime. I knew it was my spot when I saw High Life specials. Many swear by the wings, but they're not my style (they're fried, then sauced, then grilled). Favorite dish: cheeseburger with grilled onions and jalapenos. (website and Yelp)

 

[slisk250]

Depends what you are looking for...high end or just above fast food. Anyhow....

Phoenix area
Japanese - Sakana Sushi & Grill in Awatukee.
Mexican - Carolinas in South Phoenix - best tortillas ever
BBQ - Honey Bears - You don't need no teeth to eat their meat!
Oregano's Pizza Bistro - Scottsdale

Minneapolis
Murray's Steakhouse - home of the Silver Butterknife Steak
Kramarczuks Polish Deli & Restaurant - holy moly!!!
German - Gasthof Zur Gemutlichkeit - drink a boot of beir!!

Chicago
Geno's East of Chicago Pizza

Amsterdam
Het Karbeel - fondue in the Red Light District on Warmoesstraat

Atlantic City
White House Subs

 

[chase]

I'll keep it to 1 place since Minneapolis is pretty flush with great food of all varieties.

Edina/Minneapolis MN: Red Cow http://redcowmn.com/ -- Ridiculous burgers (you can't pick wrong) and a great beer selection. Also if you just want an app during their 3-6 or 10-close HH, the poutines, ahi crisps, and WI cheese curds with berry ketchup are great.

 

[detroitdad]

Colleen and I have three go to places in our town. We usually hit at least one of them once a week. All are within 10 minutes of our house.

Maiz http://www.maizmexican.com/

Happy Hour from 3-6, MON-SAT. I can get a 25 ounce Two Hearted Ale or a Founders rotating tap for 3 bucks. Appetizers are half off. The roasted Jalapenos and baked Avocados are awesome. Then we usually split a dinner. By this time I'm two tall beers in. I don't care what she orders. We usually go with the "Amazing Burrito". Its huge and loaded. We usually go with shredded chicken and black beans or beef and re fried beans, Verde sauce, wet.

Tower Inn https://locu.com/places/tower-inn-cafe-ypsilanti-us/

Happy Hour same as Maiz. They have about 20 beers on tap. Usually not a great selection. Good enough. Can't beat the price. We usually get one of their specialty pizza's.

She looks hammered. Trying to throw out a fake smile real quick, lol.

 

[Mr. Cheese]

Hudson WI:
Mama Maria's: http://www.mamamarias.com/
Amazing fresh made pasta every day. The Cannelloni Classico is to die for. The Cappelletti appetizer is also incredible.

Pier 500: http://www.pierfivehundred.com/
Incredibly delicious endless brunch on Sundays for around $17ish. Real French toast, thick cut bacon, hashbrowns with chive and cream cheese in them etc and as much as you want. They will keep bringing you plates of whatever you ask for.

Mpls/St Paul Area:
Jensens Steak House: http://jensensfoodandcocktails.com/
Delicious popovers and salad with feta and tangerines to start off with. Followed by a delicious filet tenderloin wrapped in bacon and cheesy onion hashbrowns.

Donatelli's: https://www.donatellis.com/
Featured on Triple D a few years back this place has incredible handmade fresh pasta and pizza's as well. One of my favorites is the Linguini Carbonara (chicken, bacon, peas, and lots of cheese).

Sals Angus Grill: http://www.salsangusgrill.com/
I've eaten here every Friday (with the exception of when I was away for the military and a random missed Friday) for the last 6 years. Over the course of my 300+ dining experiences here I've gotten the same thing every time. 2x 4 ounce filet medallions with a blue cheese bacon butter marinade. Garlic mashed potatoes and rice pilaf. Dinner rolls with honey butter come out beforehand to munch on.

 

[guinness]

NH is not known for its culinary excellence but one jewel we have is a Nepalese restaurant in Manchester, NH called Cafe Momo. I think its the only Nepalese restaurant on the east coast of the US. The owner is a bit of a renaissance man who has many talents (artist who donates his paintings to auctions to raise $ for Nepal, musician with a couple album releases, chef, attorney ). He said he narrowed down his locations to NYC, Boston or NH and settled with Manchester, NH because it was an hour from the ocean, hour from mountains and an hour from the city yet the living costs are low. Lucky us I guess.

Very small place, not formal. They will ask 1-10 for a heat level. 8 used to be crushing, but they've lowered their heat levels so getting 8 today is a solid choice. The sauces they produce are good enough to be consumed without a meal. The momos are incredible. The strawberry Mojitos are insane.

http://cafemomonh.us/

 

[pltrgyst]

Well, you said local, and we're still splitting time, so...

Washington, DC:

- The Pig: That pretty well sums up the menu -- anything and everything.

- Pizza Paradiso: great pizza, carefully chosen great beer list.

- Jaleo: Spanish, Jose Andres' original resto.

- Marcel's: formal Belgian/French, for special occasions.

- Banana Leaves Asian and Sushi: hole-in-the-wall, great.

25 others would be easy -- DC is a great food city these days -- IMO, right up there in the top echelon with New York and San Francisco.


Down here in Florida:

- Bern's (Tampa): Not only great steaks, but the largest wine list and cellar (over 500,000 bottles) in the world, at historically low prices.

- Ortanique (Coral Gables): Cindy Hutson's terrific restaurant.

- Norman's (Ritz, Orlando): Unequaled in FL, if your wallet can stand the heat.

- Cafe Tu Tu Tango (Orlando): Eclectic, restaurant and art gallery.

- Indigenous (Sarasota): The best of indigenous foodstuffs. Seats maybe 20.

- Columbia (Original in Ybor City, others): 110-year-old Spanish, oldest in FL.

- Duval's Fresh. Local. Seafood. (Sarasota): Sensational seafood. We're going there tonight for a wine dinner...

Many others, especially dozens of great seafood places, but we're sadly lacking in Asian options.


Some non-local favorite spots:

- MK, Topolobampo/Frontera Grill, Downtown Dogs (Chicago)
- Bacchanalia, Veni, Vidi, Vici (Atlanta)
- Les Halles, any Batali/Bastianich resto (NYC)
- Blue Ginger (Wellesley, MA)
- No. 9 Park, Terramia (Boston)
- Morimoto, Vetri (Philadelphia)
- Picasso, Julian Serrano, Mon Ami Gabi (Vegas)
- Rose Pistola, Restaurant Lulu (San Francisco)
- Dahlia Lounge, Salumi (Seattle)
- SNOB (Charleston)
- Roy's (Anywhere -- we've been to all except the Hawaiian locations)

 

[jbutler]

- Veni, Vidi, Vici (Atlanta)

Sadly, VVV is no longer. Closed sometime last year. But agreed - was fantastic in its prime.

 

[pltrgyst]

Sadly, VVV is no longer. Closed sometime last year. But agreed - was fantastic in its prime.

Bummer. We used to make sure we got there early on the nights when they did a whole roast pig.

Actually, that's one of the down sides of getting older -- you can remember so many great restaurants that are gone now...