Restaurants Thread

[LloydsLegs]

Also noticed that Eden moved up to Roscoe and California (across from the Cafe Tola that's there). Gonna have to venture over there soon. Sounds like they have a great patio on the river.

Love Eden-the food and concept (growing much of its own).  Haven't been to the new location yet-looks like a great summer spot.  It will be missed on the West Side.

[LloydsLegs]

Hitting up birrieria zaragoza For lunch. Last time the wait was 2hrs hoping for maybe 1.5hrs today lol

Anybody up in MKE ever gone to Tavos Signature? That's one Mexican equivalent I haven't been able to find in Chicagoland for the same price:quality ratio.

Southside or the northside pop up?

[Galway Eagle]

Southside or the northside pop up?

The southside spot on Pulaski.

[ZiggysFryBoy]

One of my favorite cities on the planet 82! Here are a few places I've enjoyed.

Cochon
Butcher

Willie Mae's (Bring a sixer for the line and a couple to share with your new friends)

Dooky Chase (Arguably NOLA's most important restaurant)

My bar is The Kerry, coffee and beignets at Cafe Beignet (if you hit cafe du Monde sometimes getting into the inside area beats the line), Ole Saint is a sports bar, Parkway for a po boy (or Domilise), Central Grocery for a Muffuletta, Lafites for a drink and a ghost. Coop's is a hole in the wall joint, Felix's for Oysters (or Acme), Peche, Theo's pizza, La Petite Grocery. Of course, you have the old standbys like Arnaud's, Brennen's, Commander's Palace, Galitoire's, etc. One of my best meals in my life was at Shaya, but I think that has gone. Perhaps there is a new place by the same chef, totally worth it.

Live music is everywhere, I super dig Fritzel's, Tipitina's, and of course hit Preservation Hall. Lafayette park often has events, I drank my way through the Abita catalog there. Stop and listen to a street band, throw some scratch into the guitar case.

Eat gumbo & red beans and rice & greens, take a Voodoo tour or hit the museum (buy a sachet, a little gris gris to keep you safe from harm), ride a street car, hit up other areas outside Bourbon St. I love Magazine St, Garden District, Frenchmen St., Royal St, Treme, City Park. Check out the WWII Museum, absolutely worth it. Ride a street car, visit a cemetery.

Honestly, I could go on and on. That city has a piece of my soul.

Edit: Keep your eyes up, you're likely to see some cool stuff. As my young son at the time told me, he saw a woman wearing a purse...only a purse. Love. That. Town.

So lots of sexpots there then, aina?

[JakeBarnes]

Hitting up birrieria zaragoza For lunch. Last time the wait was 2hrs hoping for maybe 1.5hrs today lol

Anybody up in MKE ever gone to Tavos Signature? That's one Mexican equivalent I haven't been able to find in Chicagoland for the same price:quality ratio.

Zaragoza is so good. Never been to Tavos. WIll have to add to the short list.

Have a Birch reservation for tomorrow night after the game. Not sure what I am gonna try to grab tonight when I get up there.

[MU82]

One of my favorite cities on the planet 82! Here are a few places I've enjoyed.

Cochon
Butcher

Willie Mae's (Bring a sixer for the line and a couple to share with your new friends)

Dooky Chase (Arguably NOLA's most important restaurant)

My bar is The Kerry, coffee and beignets at Cafe Beignet (if you hit cafe du Monde sometimes getting into the inside area beats the line), Ole Saint is a sports bar, Parkway for a po boy (or Domilise), Central Grocery for a Muffuletta, Lafites for a drink and a ghost. Coop's is a hole in the wall joint, Felix's for Oysters (or Acme), Peche, Theo's pizza, La Petite Grocery. Of course, you have the old standbys like Arnaud's, Brennen's, Commander's Palace, Galitoire's, etc. One of my best meals in my life was at Shaya, but I think that has gone. Perhaps there is a new place by the same chef, totally worth it.

Live music is everywhere, I super dig Fritzel's, Tipitina's, and of course hit Preservation Hall. Lafayette park often has events, I drank my way through the Abita catalog there. Stop and listen to a street band, throw some scratch into the guitar case.

Eat gumbo & red beans and rice & greens, take a Voodoo tour or hit the museum (buy a sachet, a little gris gris to keep you safe from harm), ride a street car, hit up other areas outside Bourbon St. I love Magazine St, Garden District, Frenchmen St., Royal St, Treme, City Park. Check out the WWII Museum, absolutely worth it. Ride a street car, visit a cemetery.

Honestly, I could go on and on. That city has a piece of my soul.

Edit: Keep your eyes up, you're likely to see some cool stuff. As my young son at the time told me, he saw a woman wearing a purse...only a purse. Love. That. Town.

Thanks for the list of restaurants and other stuff, 21J. We can't wait for the trip!

[lawdog77]

Thanks for the list of restaurants and other stuff, 21J. We can't wait for the trip!

If you haven't watched it yet, watch the Episode of Somebody feed Phil on New Orleans.

[jutaw22mu]

Haven't been since April of 2003...

I was there too, but was under 21 and even though tons of MU alums were trying to buy us all drinks, I wasn't a rule breaker.  So I didn't fully experience it.  Would love to go back.

[21Jumpstreet]

If you haven't watched it yet, watch the Episode of Somebody feed Phil on New Orleans.

Amazing, just looked up his spots, he's not wrong. I'll have to watch the show.

Edit: I remember my first time at Willie Mae's in 2012, the people are so warm, much like the homemade corn bread. Butcher is the sister restaurant of Cochon, it's really good sandwiches.

[21Jumpstreet]

Zaragoza is so good. Never been to Tavos. WIll have to add to the short list.

Have a Birch reservation for tomorrow night after the game. Not sure what I am gonna try to grab tonight when I get up there.

Birch is good. Hitting up Lupi & Iris this coming week, have heard mixed things, but it is recognized as a best new restaurant by James Beard. Hoping it's solid.

I've driven by Tavos probably hundreds of times and never stopped in. It seems like it's closed often, and I just looked it up and it says temporarily closed. I have heard good things and it is super tiny. Nearby is Wy'East, some great pizza, and also nearish is Triciclo Peru, a tiny little empanada joint.

[ATL MU Warrior]

Realize most people don't go to New Orleans for Italian food, but if in the mood, Domenica is wonderful. Highly recommend the roasted cauliflower with whipped feta and the tagliatelle with braised rabbit, which is one of the best pasta dishes I have ever had. 

Jacques-Imo's is great but a little off the beaten path. Cochon was also very good. I've had some excellent meals at Palace Cafe. Also Brennans, have them show you the wine room, had some great business meetings/lunches there.

[Dr. Blackheart]

Is the Garden District dead or something?  Still have to hit Commander's

[21Jumpstreet]

Classic burger with sauce and hand cut fries at Beck's for lunch today, delicious cheese wall pizza and I think underrated extra thin/well done cheese pizza at Pequod's next door for dinner. Sometimes the old standbys just hit the spot.

[MU82]

If you haven't watched it yet, watch the Episode of Somebody feed Phil on New Orleans.

Thanks, lawdog. I'll give it a watch.

[MuggsyB]

Realize most people don't go to New Orleans for Italian food, but if in the mood, Domenica is wonderful. Highly recommend the roasted cauliflower with whipped feta and the tagliatelle with braised rabbit, which is one of the best pasta dishes I have ever had. 



Jacques-Imo's is great but a little off the beaten path. Cochon was also very good. I've had some excellent meals at Palace Cafe. Also Brennans, have them show you the wine room, had some great business meetings/lunches there.

I second Domenica.  If nothing else go there for a snack and get the roasted cauliflower head with crostini and a soft feta/goat cheese. 

[MuggsyB]

Which Hyatt? Grand Hyatt?

Closest area would be Petco/East Village recs. Werewolf and Barleymash for game watching are about a half mile East of there between G and Market. There is a Prince Street Pizza location there if you are familiar with their NYC location for pizza. There are about a half a dozen good taco shops around there too.

The others for game watching, Social Tap, Bub's etc are an additional half mile East, about a mile total from Grand Hyatt, near Petco, but close.

You are about 8 to 10 miles from some of the other locations.

Thx again shoops!  I'm at Barleymash. 

[shoothoops]

Thx again shoops!  I'm at Barleymash. 

Good. You're welcome. For reference, Werewolf is immediately NW of you along 4th ave, and Rustic Root is South of Market along 5th Ave.

There are 2 tacos shops immediately South of Market along both sides of Fourth Ave. Gordo is up two blocks on F street. Prince Street Pizza is immediately South of you along Market. Breakfast Republic is a few blocks NW of there.

You are about 3 blocks West and 2 blocks South of Petco. Take a ballpark tour and hit Social Tap/Bubs before/after one day.

Go to Balboa Park one day if you haven't ever done it.

When you go to the beaches, it goes Ocean, Mission, Pacific, South to North. (Coronado probably has the best actually beach). Go to Pacific Beach and work your way South one day.

[Jockey]

Amazing, just looked up his spots, he's not wrong. I'll have to watch the show.

Edit: I remember my first time at Willie Mae's in 2012, the people are so warm, much like the homemade corn bread. Butcher is the sister restaurant of Cochon, it's really good sandwiches.

Headed down to New Orleans tomorrow for the week. First timer.

Any suggestions for food or things to do/see would be appreciated.

[MU82]

Headed down to New Orleans tomorrow for the week. First timer.

Any suggestions for food or things to do/see would be appreciated.

Look at 21J's post at 9:29:50 AM today.

[MuggsyB]

Thank you all for the SD suggestions! 

[shoothoops]

Acuista Trattoria. Utopia. Queens, NYC

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

I tried Iris and Lupi today. Food was very good though not worth the price point IMHO. The surprise star of the meal was dessert. Had a caramel pot de creme that was damn near perfect. I'd go back for dessert and drinks, probably not a whole meal.

[21Jumpstreet]

I tried Iris and Lupi today. Food was very good though not worth the price point IMHO. The surprise star of the meal was dessert. Had a caramel pot de creme that was damn near perfect. I'd go back for dessert and drinks, probably not a whole meal.

Went last week and likely won't return. Food was shockingly average and woefully under seasoned/unbalanced (save the octopus which had nice char and an acidic salad to go with it). Additionally, the food was lukewarm at best. My BIL had the lamb chops and thought they were very good.

For a James Beard best restaurant nominee I would have expected the service to be on point. As my wife said, it was like a very good Applebee's server. She was adequate but missed a very key moment when three of four of us ordered a "pasta course" and the fourth ordered two pastas as her meal. I just don't understand why the server didn't ask and bring one of the two pastas as her pasta course, it was awkward and not high level service. I would expect a place like L&I to offer the kind of service not only that you can't get anywhere else but also the kind of service you didn't know you wanted. I watched the team move about the restaurant, watched the manager make her way around, and I would have expected a table visit, a thank you from every single staff person we passed. It was underwhelming, and for $600 not worth it in my opinion.

We kicked around the wine room after and spoke with the wine director. He was super kind and knowledgeable, however, even he could have been more forward and intentional with his service. The Negroni is absolutely delicious. The space is gorgeous, the bar is beautiful.

[MUfan12]

I had the same experience you did, 21jump. Very underwhelmed. My dish was completely underseasoned, as was my wife's.

Service I thought was fine, but for the money I can get a better meal at a dozen different places in town.

[Galway Eagle]

Trying to decide on a birthday dinner, anybody been to El Ideas or Schwa?

those being BYOB & starred tasting menus caught my eye as I'm sitting on a $70 bottle with a 4.8 on Vivino.