NM

[warriorchick]

One of my absolute favorite things about traveling is eating at local places wherever I am. I really try to avoid chains on the road. I'm perfectly happy to risk the occasional bad meal to try new places. Over the years, I've come out way, way ahead.

This.  Some of my most memorable travel experiences have been finding a great local restaurant.  With Yelp, it's pretty easy to do.

And if you are ever in Pocatello, Idaho, I highly recommend Buddy's.

[MU82]

True story:

I had never had Mexican food in my life until my senior year girlfriend (now my wife) convinced me that we should go to Chi-Chi's.

I can't remember where it was, but it was a bazillion miles away from campus. We had to take a long bus ride, transfer and then take another long bus ride. All went well until the way back. The bus let us off, it was mid-February, about 100 degrees below zero, and we had to wait about a month for the next bus.

Yes, we almost froze to death on some Milwaukee street in mid-February because we had to go to Chi-Chi's.

IIRC, I liked it. Didn't even get Hep C.

Now, back to our regularly schedule NM ...

[Benny B]

Yeah when I am travelling for work, I oftentimes will eat at a chain because I know what I'm going to get.  I'm trying to think of the last time I went to a chain near my house...Culvers probably.  I know we went to Olive Garden within the last few months because the wife had a craving - and it wasn't bad.

Oh cripes.... now we have another little sultan on the way, too?

[Benny B]

This.  Some of my most memorable travel experiences have been finding a great local restaurant.  With Yelp, it's pretty easy to do.

And if you are ever in Pocatello, Idaho, I highly recommend Buddy's.

Lol.  Last time I ate at an Applebee's, I think it was Pocatello, Idaho. 

[warriorchick]

Lol.  Last time I ate at an Applebee's, I think it was Pocatello, Idaho.

Completely wasted opportunity.

We have gone out of our way on a road trip across the U.S. to eat at Buddy's.  Mom and Pop Italian place with the most amazing salad and homemade raviolis.  And you drink the house wine out of diner-style water glasses.

[MomofMUltiples]

My daughter is very good at this. She uses Yelp extensively and has a knack for picking out hole-in-the-wall restaurants that have amazing food.  I have no talent for finding them. And my husband just wants to stop at the closest McDonalds to the freeway.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

It's almost better when you find those little hole in the wall places in your own city. My dad introduced me to Maxwell Street Depot on the Southside and their pork chop sandwich. No fast food meal has ever come close to topping it.

[warriorchick]

My daughter is very good at this. She uses Yelp extensively and has a knack for picking out hole-in-the-wall restaurants that have amazing food.  I have no talent for finding them. And my husband just wants to stop at the closest McDonalds to the freeway.

Yelp is also good for finding dive bars that have cheap booze and a great atmosphere, but you won't be worried about getting murdered in.

Two of my favorite finds:  Blackbird in Milwaukee and Atomic Liquors in Las Vegas.

[mu_hilltopper]

Best Yelp experience:

We were driving to St. Louis, just south of Rockford and needed dinner.  Yelp suggested the Flight Deck restaurant near the Rochelle airport.

As we sat down on their patio, about 100 feet away a half-dozen people were doing parachute training at the airport.  As we ate, they flew up, and dropped chutes right on top of us, landing at the airport.  It was so freaking cool.

I mentioned this to another family going to STL and they stopped by too.  Didn't get a parachute show, but wandered into the company's hangar and the guys let their kids sit in their planes and fool around.

[jsglow]

I got to stop at Buddy's about a year ago on the trip taking our car out to LV.  If you guys remember that Yellowstone story I told about revisiting the Artists' Paint Pots for the first time in 50 years as dawn broke? Well, later that same day.  That was a pretty good day.

[jsglow]

Interesting twist on this discussion for me.  So the very first time I go somewhere new there's always a smidge of apprehension for me as I have no knowledge of my surroundings.  This mostly pertains to the 'not so fun' parts of travel like car rentals and where do I park and how safe are these streets exactly.  My second time back is often better as I can mix enough familiar with some totally brand new.  Chick and I were just in New Orleans again, our second trip there.  Great weekend mixing some familiar venues with some brand new.  Perfect mix for me.

[StillAWarrior]

I was fortunate enough to avoid Chi Chi's. Though I also thought that I didn't like Mexican food. After I moved down to Texas, I realized that I actually love Mexican food, but I hate Tex Mex, which often gets passed off as Mexican in the midwest.

I'm a fan of all the various varieties of what pass for Mexican food.  I like real Mexican...heavy on moles and other sauces, heavy on pork and chicken, and heavy on corn/masa.  A good tamales is one of my favorite foods on earth.  I also like a lot of Tex-Mex which, as you mention, is the bulk of what is available throughout most of the US.  Nothing wrong with a good burrito, a beef enchilada or a nice bowl of chili con carne -- all of which are Tex-Mex.  But, honestly, my favorite is New Mexican style which is kind of a blend of the two and also Native American foods, and is very heavy on green chile.  I grew up in SW Colorado -- practically in NM -- and grew up eating this style.  I love it.  It tastes like home.

And just this past weekend I roasted, peeled and diced my annual shipment of 25 pounds of Hatch green chile.  I love this time of year.

[StillAWarrior]

Chick and I were just in New Orleans again, our second trip there.  Great weekend mixing some familiar venues with some brand new.  Perfect mix for me.

Man, there's a city where you can get great food from local places.  We spent several days there with the family a few summers ago, and had so many fantastic meals.  Many from tiny little "hole in the wall" places.

[Dr. Blackheart]

Many from tiny little "hole in the wall" places...

...that have been there forever.  With emphasis on forever.

[jsglow]

Man, there's a city where you can get great food from local places.  We spent several days there with the family a few summers ago, and had so many fantastic meals.  Many from tiny little "hole in the wall" places.

Our favorite new one was Coop's.  The food came from the back alley somewhere where a series of igloo coolers were stacked about 5 high.  There was a sign that said 'no pictures'.  Clearly someplace one absolutely didn't want to go.

[warriorchick]

Our favorite new one was Coop's.  The food came from the back alley somewhere where a series of igloo coolers were stacked about 5 high.  There was a sign that said 'no pictures'.  Clearly someplace one absolutely didn't want to go.

Definitely a "don't ask, don't tell" kind of kitchen setup.

[StillAWarrior]

Our favorite new one was Coop's.  The food came from the back alley somewhere where a series of igloo coolers were stacked about 5 high.  There was a sign that said 'no pictures'.  Clearly someplace one absolutely didn't want to go.

Related to your post, but a bit of an aside...

I googled Coop's and clicked on it's Yelp entry.  One of the "sponsored" reviews for another restaurant that I will not name that showed up on the Coop's page started like this:  "I have to say I was very disappointed with the French quarters, after just driving through it. The area is just filthy, crowded and I'm sure it smelled. So I opted into driving further out of that area and I found this interesting restaurant not far from the French quarters..."

That just makes me sad.  She never got out of her car or even rolled down her window.  I'll admit that the French Quarter is filthy, crowded and, yes, it even smells at times.  But man, you're missing a lot of good food and other very cool stuff if you just drive through and refuse to even get out of your car.  Our trip to New Orleans was one of our family's favorite trips.  We stayed right by the French Quarter, and explored the area extensively and ate some really fantastic food.  I can't imagine going there and totally skipping the Quarter.  We even walked down Bourbon a couple of times which was...ummmm...an interesting experience -- especially for our youngest ("eyes forward").

[GooooMarquette]

Related to your post, but a bit of an aside...

I googled Coop's and clicked on it's Yelp entry.  One of the "sponsored" reviews for another restaurant that I will not name that showed up on the Coop's page started like this:  "I have to say I was very disappointed with the French quarters, after just driving through it. The area is just filthy, crowded and I'm sure it smelled. So I opted into driving further out of that area and I found this interesting restaurant not far from the French quarters..."

That just makes me sad.  She never got out of her car or even rolled down her window.  I'll admit that the French Quarter is filthy, crowded and, yes, it even smells at times.  But man, you're missing a lot of good food and other very cool stuff if you just drive through and refuse to even get out of your car.  Our trip to New Orleans was one of our family's favorite trips.  We stayed right by the French Quarter, and explored the area extensively and ate some really fantastic food.  I can't imagine going there and totally skipping the Quarter.  We even walked down Bourbon a couple of times which was...ummmm...an interesting experience -- especially for our youngest ("eyes forward").

Yep. If you aren't on foot, you haven't really been to the Quarter.

My strangest French quarter story. They had just opened a Krispy Kreme off Jackson Square near the Café du Monde. My wife and I went to Café du Monde and got right in...but there was a line around the block to get into Krispy Kreme. 

[jsglow]

Yep. If you aren't on foot, you haven't really been to the Quarter.

My strangest French quarter story. They had just opened a Krispy Kreme off Jackson Square near the Café du Monde. My wife and I went to Café du Monde and got right in...but there was a line around the block to get into Krispy Kreme. 

That is so wrong on so many levels!

I will add that we got many of our great initial recommendations from Marquette's Mardi Gras kids that have served the community down there for years.

[jsglow]

Related to your post, but a bit of an aside...

I googled Coop's and clicked on it's Yelp entry.  One of the "sponsored" reviews for another restaurant that I will not name that showed up on the Coop's page started like this:  "I have to say I was very disappointed with the French quarters, after just driving through it. The area is just filthy, crowded and I'm sure it smelled. So I opted into driving further out of that area and I found this interesting restaurant not far from the French quarters..."

That just makes me sad.  She never got out of her car or even rolled down her window.  I'll admit that the French Quarter is filthy, crowded and, yes, it even smells at times.  But man, you're missing a lot of good food and other very cool stuff if you just drive through and refuse to even get out of your car.  Our trip to New Orleans was one of our family's favorite trips.  We stayed right by the French Quarter, and explored the area extensively and ate some really fantastic food.  I can't imagine going there and totally skipping the Quarter.  We even walked down Bourbon a couple of times which was...ummmm...an interesting experience -- especially for our youngest ("eyes forward").

My favorite part -- the absolutely amazing live music scene.  All day, every day.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Personally have not found a better city for food than New Orleans.

[GooooMarquette]

Personally have not found a better city for food than New Orleans.

New Orleans is great, but San Francisco is pretty amazing too. Never had a bad meal in either place.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

New Orleans is great, but San Francisco is pretty amazing too. Never had a bad meal in either place.

Funny enough, I almost wrote "San Francisco is the closest but NOLA is the best" but decided to be lazy and left it at one sentence.

[GooooMarquette]

Funny enough, I almost wrote "San Francisco is the closest but NOLA is the best" but decided to be lazy and left it at one sentence.

Great minds....

[Benny B]

NOLA is winner by far.  Took the wife there for our 10-year in June.  Worst meal we had was Arnaud's... that's by no means a knock against Arnaud's.

And yes, there's a reason everyone abandons the Quarter from 5:00a to 9:30a (or sleeps in until 10:00).  We had a morning flight on Sunday so imagine her surprise walking outside the Sonesta to catch our Lyft to MSY at 6:30a.

My 6th time there, her 1st.  As luck would have it, we were there during Pride; absolute epic anniversary.