DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Tailgate Forum Your Favorite Restaurant

The chili post by Jay made me hungry, as did the ethnic food poll by Michelle, and I'm due to splurge on a restaurant in the near future, just wanted to see what some of your favorites are. Can be from hometowns, where you reside now, hell another Country. I'm big into checking out new places whether it be around Cleveland, or when I travel. Bonus points for links to restaurant or menu...

Overall my favorite restaurant is probably Mallorca downtown on W. 9th. They specialize in Portuguese/Spanish cuisine, which means a lot of meat and seafood, with some exotic specials such as ostrich, venison, and bison filets, roasted rabbit, and their 24 oz. crab stuffed lobster tail. Can't go wrong with the complimentary shot of almond liqueur they give you at the end of your meal.

Honorable mention has to go to Ken Stewart's Grille near Summitt Mall in Akron. A bit pricey since everything is ala carte, but great service, specials, and the quality of food is excellent.

For Italian, I cannot go wrong between Osteria downtown on St. Clair and W. 6th, or D'Agnese's in Seven Hills.

Contrary to what BrowniePoints thinks is Italian and placing pizza into it's own category, the best in the World, hands down, has to be Giordano's on Rush St. in Chicago. In the greater Cleveland area, A Slice Above in Strongsville gets s slight nod ahead of Danny Boys in Rocky River and Angelo's in Lakewood. Mama Santa's is urine.

Best steak I've had - and keep having is at Malone's in Lexington, Ky. Kills anything I've had in Chicago, Dallas, Houston ( However Pappas Bros was darned good) or Cleveland. Delmonico's in Independence does a great job with their steaks but their service is spotty - sometimes good, sometimes horrendous.

Best burgers in without a doubt Thurman's Cafe in German Village in Columbus.

Other spots around town I like to hit up... Melt - specializing in grilled cheese (click the link to see what I mean) in Lakewood, Santosuossos for some pasta in Medina, and The Brew Kettle in Strongsville for their pulled pork sandwiches.

So.....whatcha got????

Best chinese in Cleveland is Pearl of the Orient in, I think, Rocky River.

Longhorn Steakhouse.

I don't travel much.

Chipotle.

Best food period, be it fast food or gourmet food.

That stuff is like crack and I want them to finish the damn construction project on Court Street so I can eat them already!

My wife and I just ate at Highland Bar and Grill this past weekend. Three or four times a year we have to make a road trip to Alabama to hit this spot...it is special.

Gourmet has it rated in the top 5 restaurants in the country...the only outside of NY or California.

http://www.highlandsbarandgrill.com/chef.html

Another link:http://www.birminghamrestaurants.com/guide.asp?rid=147941

For steaks, I love Ruth Chris or Hyde Park.

The girlfriend and I both really enjoy PF Changs.

http://www.ruthschris.com
http://www.hydeparkrestaurants.com
http://www.pfchangs.com

I hate the URL function on this board. Too much work.

Wow Peen, that place looks good. The Southern Bouillabaisse looks amazing!

Best Chinese restaraunt isn't even in this country. It is in Kitzengen Germany. Po Wah's. They make this eggroll that is to die for, just huge. Then they have the best wonton soup I've ever had anywhere and I hate wonton soup. The wonton's are paper thin which is traditional FAMILY style. With the most succulent meat as stuffing for the wonton. Add in the wonderful fresh mushrooms they use along with the white asparagus. That's just the soup.. Everything there was incredible. Including the Peking Duck.

Oh, and we stopped here for lunch when we went to Hocking Hills. Great food!

Sonny's BBQ........the ribs there are just OMG........

www.sonnysbbq.com

My favorite was a place called Amazon Trail over in Middleburg Heights. They had outstanding seafood (big fan of the blackened catfish and orange shark) and steak. I felt like Norm Peterson every time I walked into that joint (they all knew me). Then they got bought out by some large chain, think it was Brown Derby, and closed their doors. Loved that place.

They had great alligator bites there as an appetizer that I loved. I would sometimes walk all the way there from BW to grab a beer and some gator.

Well, I'm not going to get into linking to each place (since most of my places don't have websites...)

Best French Onion Soup - French Coffee Shop in Cuyahoga Falls. Looks like a dump, but is great!

Best Japanese - Otani Steakhouse in Merriman Valley (Akron)

Best Pizza - Gotta agree with Beer and say Giordano's (though I had it in Orlando, it's part of the same chain)

Best Cheap Italian - tie Luigi's (Akron) and Mama Santa's (Little Italy, Cleveland)

Best Non-cheap Italian - Can't remember the name, it's in Chicago.

Best Cheap Mexican - El Rincon (now El Meson) in Cuyahoga Falls

Best Non-cheap Mexican - Topolabampo in Chicago (I think that's how it's spelled, it's Rick Bayless' place)

Best Chinese Buffet - Hong Kong in Canton. HUGE selection, fresh

Best BBQ - Dinosaur BBQ in Rochester, NY.

Best Steaks - Benjamin's Grill in Canton. WONDERFUL combo of Classic American and Italian. I may be partial though, my Uncle/Godfather is one of the owners. I'm a huge fan of their steaks and their house dressing for their salads (called White French and the chef won't give up the recipe to his boss's family!!)
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All I can think of for now.

Burgers..............no doubt that Thurmans Cafe is the place.

Sushi...........Otani on Mayfield road

Seafood.............Columbus Fish Market on Oletangy river road, or Cameron Mitchells Fish Market in Beechwood.

All around food eating...........................Pickle Bills for all you can eat crab legs AND prime rib.

Wings...................................Quaker Steak and lube.

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Pickle Bills for all you can eat crab legs AND prime rib.

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Did'nt it shut down after the flood?

I know it burned down once, but was rebuilt. I haven't been there in a couple years so I haven't heard about any flood.


It appears they are still in Business.

Cool! We used to dock there and eat. I love the swings up on the deck, used to sit there and drink, and just watch the lake, and the boats coming and going.

Ok " Beer " I am going to be back in the States next week : " Chicago" .. Man I am dying for my Gringo food .. " Giordano's " , thin or stuffed and other than Carson's " Steak " and BBQ ??

My favorite place to get a steak is BY FAR Smith and Wollensky's. They have a phenomenal cajun ribeye. They have about 10 locations nationwide, one of them in Columbus at Easton. My buddy has almost finished putting himself through college serving their.

They have great service, the salads, and sides are great. They actually do their dry aging in house while most high end steak houses fly in the dry aged meat.

www.smithandwollensky.com

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You a fellow B-W grad?

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Yup. Another good place for grub in Berea - can't beat The Oriole Cafe's wings.

Oh! I did forget my favorite fish place: Buffalo Valley Glenwood Springs, Colorado. I'm not normally a fan of trout, but theirs is heavenly. They catch it fresh several times a day practically out there backdoor (out of the Roaring Fork River). Cook it up and season it mildly (little butter, lemon, tomotoes and capers)...I can't wait til the next time I get to go back

I'm in Columbus & agree w/ most of Tyler Derden's choices . . .

Love the Columbus Fish Market on Olentangy River Rd. Great seafood, in a more down to earth setting. Not all fancy-shmancy like out at Easton. Alaskan King Crablegs are by far my favorite food.

My favorite wings are at Roosters. Donkey Sauce.

I like to go to the Hyde Park on Old Henderson Rd for steak. Great steaks, I love the Herbstreet. We got married there too so it's near and dear to us.

Favorite Burger is also the Thurman Burger. Massive.

My favorite Italian place is Moretti's in Upper Arlington. There's also one on Sawmill, but the setting isn't as good and it's a little more expensive.

Mexican. Any of the Vaquero's. Good food, fast service, GREAT margaritas.

My favorite Greek place is actually a fast food place on Henderson Rd, although, I've never really been anywhere for authentic Greek food and I only order gyros.

German. Schmidt's. Nothing else compares unless you're in Germany.

My favorite restaruant of all time is tucked away in Jacksonville, AL (near Anniston). It's called the Village Inn and I pray that it still exists. Have't been there since 1989. It has an all you can eat southern buffet. The BEST fried chicken and catfish I've ever had. 3 kinds of homemade cobbler. My mouth is watering as I type. If you can visit this place, I urge you to go.

By far my favorite place to chow is a parking lot outside of Cleveland Stadium. 2nd runner up is by the fire pit at BobDawgs farm in Hocking Hills.

The rest of them I have to pay a waiter to bring me the food LOL..

giordano's isn't even the best pizza in chicago, i could take you to some places that would blow giordano's out of the water...

not to mention that my favorite pizza is still romito's, in cleveland...

my favorite restaurant is mongolian bbq...

ok, one more time .. be in Chicago next .. Want pizza . ??

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giordano's isn't even the best pizza in chicago,

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Well...do tell?

I've had Lou Malnati's and Geno's East, and fall a stick below Giordano's. I'm sure there are some hidden gems throughout the city.

Masons Steak House, followed by The Springfield Grille.

Welcome to Chicago water!

One of my favorite Italian places (albeit touristy) is Carmine's on Rush:
1043 N. Rush St.
Chicago, IL 60611

312-988-7676

It gets a little crowded - but on weekends nights they have a piano guy beltin out tunes in the bar area.

Speaking of suburbian pizza places - Bill's Pizza is a staple up where I am. They have this awesome double decker pizza:

From their humble beginnings as teenagers in 1957, Bill & his wife Pat established their landmark pizza business in what was once a garage. Though his building was small, his ideas about what makes a successful business were not. In fact, other pizza entrepreneurs throughout the country and as far away as Aruba looked to Bill as a mentor where they were starting out. Along with the original secret recipe, Pizza Bill produced the first double decker pizza and many other innovations that have inspired several pizza places. Over the past 48 years the business grew along with the community. Bill’s is a true family restaurant run by the entire family including Bill’s daughters and grandsons. Our goal is to serve the same great pizza to you that your parents and grandparents enjoyed since 1957. We offer a convenient carryout and prompt delivery service, allowing you to enjoy our quality pizzas, sandwiches, and munchies at home. Visit our unique comfortable northwoods inspired dining room the whole family can enjoy.

Here is a good site for restaurants in Chicago:

http://chicago.metromix.com/restaurants

as far as pizza in chicago, you're better off going through the suburbs, or the outskirts of the city

now if you want a steak, that's a whole different story... there are some excellent places downtown...

When in Chicago, I always have to eat some pizza at Pizza Uno downtown, and for the best steak...I go to Gibsons......I usually order a small steak and a massive lobster tail and split it with my wife as a surf and turf.......pretty expensive but it is only money.....I think the last time the tail was about $80.....but it was maybe 2 lbs.....massive.

I've always wanted to try that Weber Grill restaurant in Chicago...no one ever wants to go with me, looks like a cool place, decent food.

I've eaten steak at Ditka's and the Capital Grille in Chicago and was disappointed to say the least with both. And let me tell you, the Capital Grille was not cheap.

I've heard great things about Lawry's - anyone been there?

I did go to a good thin crust pizza place in the suburbs...Two Brothers From Italy, in Elmurst, Il.

I have been to Smith and Wollensky.......good stuff too...they do the cheesecake don't they??

At any rate, I like Gibsons, but that is simply a personal choice....a good steakhouse is a good steal house.

Berns in Tampa is second to none...and they do have a VERY impressive wine cellar.


Might as well add a link to Berns:
http://www.bernssteakhouse.com/bs_frame.htm

Have to agree that Smith and Wollensky's is some good stuff. Only been able to get there once, but it was great.

I do like Ruth's Chris as well.

Damn, now I'm in the mood for a big steak...

On the topic of Tampa, another great spot for wonderful Cuban food is the Columbia

http://www.columbiarestaurant.com/

The original in Yebor City is my favorite, but I have eaten at the locations in Clearwater and Sarasota, and they are great too.