List your favorite chain restaurant by ethnicity/cuisine.

[slj0101]

Since there seems to be a lot of Olive Garden threads as of late. Drop your foodie pretensions for a moment and play along!


Italian- Olive Garden. Their breadsticks rock.

Mexican/Southwest- Abuelo's. I like them a lot better since my local Mex eatery went under new ownership and turned to crap.

Southern- Po' Folks. Ate there once, and kindled my love affair with turnip greens.

BBQ- Smoky Bones.

Pizza- Papa John's. Three words- garlic dipping sauce.

Seafood- Eh. Not much of a seafood fan, but I'll have to go with Joe's Crab Shack by default.

I can't think of any more.

[AllegroRondo]

1. Burgers - Red Robin

Guinness on tap and all-you-can-eat steak fries. The burgers are pretty good, too!

[slj0101]

2. I love Red Robin, too.

[BOSSHOG]

16. Never been to a Red Robin

I've never even seen a Red Robin. I guess I live a sheltered life in Mississippi, but I usually know all the places that have anything on tap. Sounds like my kinda place.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

3. seafood: red lobster

american: fudruckers

[kwassa]

4. there are good chain restaurants?

the only chains I go to at all

Tara Thai, a very small chain

Chevy's Tex-Mex, not authentic, but decent food.

[slj0101]

5. Like I said, play along.

[seemunkee]

8. I'll go with Tara Thai also

For pizza - Ledo's

[Left Is Write]

6. The only chains we go to regularly are...

Applebees: Good place for the kids, fun drinks, fun menu
Old Chicago: World Beer Tour. Duh. :D
Pizza Hut: My daughter likes to use her Book It coupons.

We occasionally go to Red Robin or Denny's with the kids.

When my husband and I go out without the kids we rarely go to chains.

[AllegroRondo]

7. I agree with Old Chicago

Great beer selection. If you're on a trip somewhere unfamiliar, its nice to know you can find good beer.

[Chan790]

9. Hartford...diner's paradise?

Italian - Vito's.

Mexican/Southwest- Agave Grill. Yes, it's not authentic...it's better.

Southern- NONE. There is a serious dearth of veggie-friendly southern food. Even the greens have pork in them usually.

BBQ- Again. NONE. Same Reason. If you find me veggie-BBQ near me, I'll love you forever. I promise.

Pizza - Luna Pizza. Barely qualifies...4 restaurants allowned by the same guy. Winner repeatedly of Best Pizza in Hartford area by the Advocate weekly alternative newspaper.

Seafood- NONE. Self-Evident.

Burger/Pub-Fare - Wood N' Tap. A great veggie burger BTW. It's not on the menu, you have to ask for it.

Other - Tapas. (Local chain...Spanish-American fusion (Not Mexican) food served dim-sum style)


The Lesson: Don't judge a book by it's cover. CT and Hartford/New Haven in particular has a lot of great restaurants. We're a testing ground for restaurant concepts for NYC. Even our chains are better. :P

[BOSSHOG]

10. Bubba Gump's Shrimp Company

they do a very fine job with Shrimp, Mahi Mahi and Potato dishes and the ambience is very charming.

Popeye's Chicken if you like yours spicy, and their red beans and rice are the best.

[lutefisk]

25. I'll second Popeye's. Mmmmm.....n/t

[Joe Fields]

11. Bob Evans, American Food

[Zomby Woof]

12. Chain chain chain...

Italian: I have never eaten at Olive Garden, and the only Italian restaurants I have eaten at are independent.

Mexican: I live in L.A., where local indies reign supreme. El Torito is pretty decent for a chain though.

Southern: Cracker Barrel. Their breakfast menu especially.

BBQ: Lucille's, hands-down. It transcends chain banality.

Pizza: Chain pizza is usually horrible, but I have enjoyed the CPK a few times. Can't get a better Key Lime Pie anywhere, of all things, lol.

Seafood: Ivar's, a Pacific Northwest fast-food seafood chain. The oysters are really fucking good.

Chinese: There is a local place called Seafood Town which is by far the best in the L.A. area. I don't think I have ever had any chain Chinese.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

23. totally agree with you on the key lime pie issue.

they have the BEST key lime pie outside of florida

[huskerlaw]

13. I third Red Robin

for burgers.

Italian: Sorry, gotta go with Olive Garden. It's 1000x better than, say, Macaroni Grill.

Mexican: Don't shoot me, but I'm a fan of La Salsa.

Pizza: Restaurant-wise: California Pizza Kitchen. For delivery: Papa John's.

Seafood: It's a chain of sorts around here (well, if you call 2 restaurants a chain...), Enterprise Fish Co.

Deli: Jerry's Famous Deli. Hands down.

Random American: Cheesecake Factory

Chinese: Ehhh. Not big on chain Chinese food. Though if you're ever in Omaha, Nebraska, run (don't walk) to China Road. It's AMAZING. I haven't found anything in Los Angeles, of all places, that beats it. Seriously.

[Zomby Woof]

14. We'll take you to Seafood Town

Their portions are generous and prices more than reasonable. They beat the hell out of every Chinese place in the South Bay.

The Kung Pao Chicken, Walnut Shrimp, and uhhh... excuse me while I drool...

[pdx_prog]

15. Pretty Easy....

Italian: Macaroni Grill or Olive Garden

Mexican: Can't think of any chains other than Chevy's so Chevy's it is...

Southern: Is there such a place? I like Cracker Barrel for their breakfast and coffee

Pizza: Uno's when I am in Chicago (with Duo they qualify as a chain). Papa Murphy's is pretty good....I like the cost and the ease. Hard to beat pizza hut!

BBQ: Rendevous (Memphis)

Seafood: McCormick and Scmicks

[LSK]

17. Taco bell - I dont eat out enough to even know this shit

[cobalt1999]

18. PF Changs

probably the best chain I can think of.

[Burma Jones]

19. Okey Dokey

Italian - Maggiano's
Mexican/SW - Rio Grande/Uncle Julio's
Breakfast - IHOP
BBQ - Famous Dave's
Pizza - Ledo's
Burgers - Five Guys
Seafood - Bonefish Grill
Middle Eastern - Moby Dick's
Ice Cream - Ben and Jerry's
French - Mon Ami Gabi
Spanish - Jaleo
Bakery/Bistro - Panera Bread

[AwakeAtLast]

41. You have most of my favorites!

Some of them I've never heard of: Rio Grande, Ledo's, Five Guys?

[Burma Jones]

44. They're sorta local

Rio Grande are in Dallas, Chicago, Atlanta and the DC Area

Ledo's started out in the 1950s as a single Pizza Joint near the University of Maryland. A Pizza place so superior that people would wait in line for hours to get in. So, they franchised. There are Ledos in Maryland, Virginia, DC, Florida, Georgia, West Virginia and Delaware. Five Guys started out as a burger joint in Northern Virginia, their burgers and fries are so good, they're Zagat Rated, and highly so....They're in every state on the Eastern Seaboard South of NY and Connecticut as well as in Ohio and Tennessee. If you have a chance, you should go to 5 Guys....

[mark414]

20. i'll be the jerk that doesn't play along (but saves everyone a lot of time)

if it's a chain restaurant...in this country...

the only ethnicity that you need to (and i think legally) refer to is: American

[lutefisk]

21. Cuisine: fish tacos, Chain: Rubio's......n/t

[ohiosmith]

22. Pink Taco. Mexican

[lutefisk]

24. I think that's illegal in Alabama and Utah!...n/t

[ohiosmith]

27. Only if you are NOT blood relatives.

[lutefisk]

28. Then I guess I need to see an attorney...n/t

[Touchdown]

26. Q'Doba Mexican Grill

After 10 burritos, I get one free.

Old Chicago Pizza, and the world beer tour!:P

Macaroni Grill, for the Pene Rustica

Pete's Kitchen Greek Food. In Denver, it's a chain.

Del Taco!!!!!!!!!

We called Olive Garden's bread sticks "Bread dicks" and then demonstrated why as we ate them.:rofl:

[slj0101]

40. Oh yeah, I forgot to add Chipotle to that list.

But I am on a diet, and I'm not allowed to have it anymore. :(

[AwakeAtLast]

42. Mmmmmm...agree about Q'Doba

And Macaroni Grill.

Now about those "bread dicks", :spank: :spank:

[acmavm]

29. Chinese/Mandarin - King Fong's. 16th Street, downtown Omaha Nebraska

Been my favorite place since I was a child. Built in 1929, run by the same Chinese family, all the tables, chairs, chandeliers, wall hangings, floor tiles, wood on the walls imported from China.

It's not the cleanest place in the world but it has the best damn Chinese food on the planet. On the Historical Register.

[bullwinkle428]

30. There are a few chains out there that actually make quality food -

Italian : Biaggi's (www.biaggis.com) restaurants are located mostly in the upper Midwest, but they've been expanding rapidly in the last few years

Mexican : Panchero's grills their tortillas fresh on a griddle when you place the order, and the fillings are fresh and nicely-prepared...

Pizza : Nick & Willy's or Papa Murphy's (both take and bake). I refuse to eat any prepared pizza if it's not made at a local shop...Domino's and Pizza Hut both suck, and the others are even worse.

BBQ : Famous Dave's is pretty decent...their platters are a decent value for the money.

Seafood : Have to go with Red Lobster - everything's usually pretty decent, but they're not cheap. Hard to get out of there with a bill of under $60 for two...

[Radical Activist]

31. Lambert's Cafe

Home of the throwed rolls. There are three or four of them if you want to call that a chain. I avoid chains as much as possible.

[mentalsolstice]

36. Yep!

Eating fried okra off of a paper towel is the ultimate gulf coast/southern experience!

[mentalsolstice]

37. Not a big chainy here

And what chains I like are still small and local:

BBQ: Jim 'n Nick's, or Dreamland (the latter is still pretty limited to AL)

Seafood: George Sarris' Fish Market (limited to AL, but he's better than anything on the Gulf coast) and Legal Seafoods

Pizza and sandwiches: Mellow Mushroom

Mexican: I live in the land of mom 'n pop authentic Mexican restaurants on nearly every corner. The best "chain" in my area is Sol Azteca.

Steak and other roadkill: Texas Roadhouse

[GOPisEvil]

32. Chinese-eqsue, fast-ish food: Gotta go Pei Wei

:9

[Zomby Woof]

33. I'll go with Panda Express for fast Chinese

But for chains, avoid the overpriced, overrated, small-portioned crap called "PF Chang's". :puke:

[GOPisEvil]

34. Pei Wei is owned by PF Changs.

However, you get MUCH more value at Pei Wei than at Changs.

Edit - Panda Express is good, too. So is Fire Bowl.

[Zomby Woof]

35. We need to take you to Seafood Town

:9

You can even wear your white hat. :D

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

38. All my favorites are Brazilian chains. You've never heard of them.

For instance, there's one called Via China. Cheap and good all-you-can-eat, and they deliver too.

For burgers, there's Giraffas and Bob's (yes, that's Brazilian. Founded by an American emigre in the 50s)

And little else. I don't like chains very much.

[datasuspect]

46. there's gotta be about a brazilian chains out there

[Scooter24]

39. Rarely eat at mass chains...

I prefer more intimate, quiet restaurants where I won't be bothered by the screaming baby or rude parent who doesn't watch their child.

Styles and themes vary. Here are some of my best just off the top of my head-

The French Room (Dallas)
Per Se (NYC) - The chef's tasting menu is simply incredible
The Mansion (Dallas)
Nana (Dallas)
Charlie Trotter's (Chicago)
Spago (Beverly Hills)

[SarahB]

43. Most chains blow too hard.

Occasionally, we'll go to Outback Steakhouse. They are consistently good. Most other ones, I've tried and was disappointed. I've yet to try Red Robin though and I live near one. When I lived in the midwest, Godfather's was excellent for pizza, but none here in the northeast.

Our last two restaurants were Peppercorn's in Hartford- very good and a little hole in the wall Thai place in downtown Manchester- Sukhothai, also very good.

[carly denise pt deux]

45. Hambrugers- Sonic!

Carly

[slj0101]

48. Sonic rocks.

I had that once, when I was down in Texas several years ago. Rally's (aka Checkers) are my favorite.

[datasuspect]

47. the spaghetti laboratory - italian

the texas cheesecake depository - dessert

[slj0101]

49. ...

:rofl: :thumbsup: