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[Violence Jack]

Denver, CO (I'm in the South Suburbs)

Jabo's BBQ - Gigantic beef ribs, and some of the best BBQ I've ever had outside of Texas or KC

Cranelli's Italian

Nonos Cafe - Damn great Cajun food with home made Mac and cheese.

 

[Arthr2ShdsJcksn]

The Kiltie, classic drive in burgers and custard and cute girls in skirts.

Lakeside Supper club. One of the best Fish Fries around. Technically the Golden Mast is superior, but I worked there as a teenager.

The Picnic Basket. Best subs I've ever had, bar none. Try the A-pork-alypse for a guaranteed food coma.

Oconomowoc, WI.

 

[BobNewbert31]

Kind of off topic but how has poutine not caught on in the US? It seems like the perfect food for the fatties here. Is it the name?

I've seen it a couple times in Tampa. Struggling to remember where though.

*Edit: Remembered one. Brew Bus Brewery. I've never had authentic Canadian poutine however and can't say how it compares.

 

[kris.]

Kansas City:

Q39- Best barbecue in a city of incredible barbecue. Yes, you can waste an hour of your life waiting in line at a gas station for Joe's, but not only have you wasted an hour of your life, you only got the second best.

La Bodega- Great Spanish tapas place, cool vibe.

Westport Flea Market- Righteously good burgers in one of my favorite neighborhoods in the city.

I'd say the OG Arthur Bryant's over Q39 though I admit that Q39's brisket is the truth.

Kind of off topic but how has poutine not caught on in the US? It seems like the perfect food for the fatties here. Is it the name?

There are a few restaurants around here that serve poutine. I like making it at home every now and then but I sub the regular gravy for sausage gravy because of reasons.

 

[Boogie9IGN]

San Jose, CA

Tony Di Maggio's Pizza - Large stromboli

Runner up: Original Joe's - Mostaccioli

Que Ta Banh Canh Trang Bang - #5 Banh canh with half lobster, half crab, and fish cakes

Runner ups: Thien Long - Bun Cha Ca La Vong
Bun Bo Hue An Nam - #1 Bun bo hue w/ ngau pin (a little ox penis never hurt)

Tequilas Taqueria - Botanero Especial with Supreme Michelada

Runner up: El Paisa/Araujo's Mexican Grill - Sopes

 

[Mobile Suit Gooch]

Raleigh, NC

- Bad Daddy's Burgers
- Bill Ellis BBQ (though not TECHNICALLY in Raleigh, its the best BBQ place in the area)
- Beasley's Chicken & Honey (per the previous thread)

Honorable Mentions:

- The Yard House
- Cowfish Sushi and Burger Bar

I've been there! Went to eat there after Animazement.

 

[Piggus]

Hiroshima, Japan.

Lopez Okonomiyaki
Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki is already God-tier food, miles ahead of its Osaka-style counterpart. Lopez is a guy from Guatemala who studied under the okonomiyaki master Hasho, then made his own restaurant. He puts Central and South American toppings into the traditional Japanese food with amazing results.

One of my friends from Hiroshima owns a okonomiyaki restaurant there. Sooooo good.

 

[AngmarsKing701]

Raleigh, NC:

Death & Taxes
Shortlisted for the James Beard award for Best New Restaurant last year, this is one of several Ashley Christensen restaurants around the city and probably my favorite, although it's pricey.

Clyde Cooper's
Best barbecue in town. Eastern style. New location, but it's been around since 1938. Cash only.

Bida Manda
Laotian food. It's really good. They also own Brewery Bhavana next door, which is like a beer store, florist, bookshop, and dim sum place rolled into one.

Honorable Mentions: Big Ed's (for breakfast), Poole's (for lunch), Chuck's (for burgers), Gringo a Go Go (for tacos), Guasaca (for arepas), Trophy (for pizza), Second Empire (if someone else is paying), and Bojangles (obviously).

Raleigh, NC

- Bad Daddy's Burgers
- Bill Ellis BBQ (though not TECHNICALLY in Raleigh, its the best BBQ place in the area)
- Beasley's Chicken & Honey (per the previous thread)

Honorable Mentions:

- The Yard House
- Cowfish Sushi and Burger Bar

Chuck's is overrated. Good boozy shakes though. +1 to Guasaca.

Best take-out in Raleigh is Five Star, and Village Draft House has the best wings.

Raleigh-GAF, assemble!

Didn't realize we had so many GAFfers from Raleigh. I'm in Holly Springs. I really like these lists. My wife and I have been meaning to get to Poole's and Death & Taxes for a while but haven't gotten there. Maybe we'll try to line up D&T for our anniversary dinner.

Been to Bida Manda (great), Chuck's (above average but only because I like their super big burger with all the stuff on it), Bad Daddy's (great), Cowfish (amazing), Second Empire (great but definitely expensive af), Beasley's (good).

I'll definitely need to jot some of these down as places to check out.

Would also recommend Totopos for Mexican. They're in Cary.
Gravy for Italian in downtown Raleigh is really good and right next door is Sitti, which is Lebanese food and amazing as well.

 

[LucidMomentum]

Not saying these are the best we have to offer but it's places i personally love.

Los Angeles/SoCal:

1. Howlin' Ray's


2. Badmaash


3. The Nest

Man why you gotta remind me about Howlin' Ray's...
One day I'll feel like waiting two hours.

I also want to hit up The Nest but heard it's got a long wait too...

 

[neeksleep]

Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Lil' Negril Caribbean Restaurant - Odd location, but fantastic restaurant with great service and amazing food. I suggest the curry goat. http://www.lilnegril.com/menu.html

Ginza Ramen - Delicious little ramen place (two locations, one which offers sushi and more side dishes). Can also order their ramen with UberEats. http://ginzarestaurant.ca/

Hana Hana - Located outside of Ottawa in Kanata, they serve delicious Korean dishes. Tiny little place that can't seat many,and you might miss it if you were driving by, but definitely worth it. My favourite dish is the Dakgangjeong http://hanahana.ca/menu.html

 

[Philia]

Roanoke, VA

I'm sure there's better eateries out there than my own recommendations. Disclaimer: I don't get out much.

Abuelo's Mexican - This place is fantastic in atmosphere, seating, and good price for a lot of stuff. I like their food enough that we go there every year on our anniversary. I was from Texas originally and we had GOOD tex mex that I miss so damn much since I've moved away. Abuelos satisfy that need for me, its close but enough.

Cheddar's - Great all around menu, there's no WRONG dish to get. This is the place that caters to the southern food lovers. This is the one I'd go back to many times to try out all of their dishes, something I rarely ever do at any other place. Trouble is, its stupid packed during rush hours, its best to go on an afternoon or on a slow weekday (monday or tuesday) to get a good booth. Reasonably well priced. Nice looking place.

Carrabas - Slightly high end italian food place (that is not olive garden). Opens at 4pm and limited menu but give a three course meal. Very nice interior. I like their dishes okay. Their appetizer isn't bad either. I'm sure there's better places than this.

You'll notice that... all of these places are right next to the mall (re: I don't get out much) so.

 

[HawksWinStanley]

I've seen it a couple times in Tampa. Struggling to remember where though.

*Edit: Remembered one. Brew Bus Brewery. I've never had authentic Canadian poutine however and can't say how it compares.

There are a few restaurants around here that serve poutine. I like making it at home every now and then but I sub the regular gravy for sausage gravy because of reasons.

I always keep an eye out for it when I travel hoping to come across it somewhere. Fries, cheese and gravy just seems like it would be a staple in this country.

 

[frontovik]

Vancouver, BC, Canada:

I'd rate each one as consistently having: great customer service, well cooked dishes, generous portions, and good ambience/interior decor.

- Ukranian Village Restaurant; specializes in Eastern Europe and Ukranian dishes.. I'd recommend the Kiev Cutlet and Pork/Chicken Schnitzel!

- Jagerhof Restaurant; specializes in German, Austran, Swiss, and South Tyrol cuisine. Excellent selections of schnitzels, I'd recommend their Beef Rouladen as well. All dishes are fresh and home-made!

 

[matt360]

One of my friends from Hiroshima owns a okonomiyaki restaurant there. Sooooo good.

Wow, really? Is it a Japanese person or a foreigner? Hiroshima really isn't that big so there's a fair chance I've been there if it's in the downtown area.

 

[Mimir]

Another Portland list. One choice was easy, but so many other great options made my remaining two choices pretty difficult.

Farm Spirit - Easily the best restaurant I've been to in Portland. It's an amazing experience, though you'll need to book in advance.

Chez Dodo - Delicious Mauritian food cart, and one one of the few places in Portland that can actually do spicy. Unfortunately, the heat level isn't always consistent, though if the owner is working, it tends to be spicier. The owner is one of the friendliest people in Portland, and they have the largest samosas I've ever seen.

Epif - South American cuisine, from the Andes region. I've only been here once so far, but it was a great experience, and I'll definitely be back. They also have a great pisco bar.

 

[ahdurian]

Toronto, Ontario:

Kaiju - Japanese Curry
https://www.yelp.ca/biz/kaiju-toronto

Tiny place that tastes great but is in an awful location (basement food court of some mall - extremely easy to miss). The place looks like a food court stall, but serves amazing curry that belongs in a much nicer restaurant.

i like you a lot.

 

[RBIYF]

NYC:

- Taverna Kaclydes (Seafood) - the one in Astoria. I've been all up and down the north-east coast and visited various fishing towns, and the seafood at Taverna Kaclydes in Astoria is still the best I've had. Go during the day to beat the crowds, otherwise be prepared to wait a long time...though it's very much worth it.

- Keste Pizza & Vino - Places like Di Fara, Johns of Bleecker Street and Lombardi's may get all the hype, but Keste is my favorite pizza in the city....both for the food and atmosphere.

- The Halal Guys (Street Food) - Any self respecting foodie needs to sample the various street vendors the city offers, and Gyro platter at the Halal Guys on 52nd street is a NYC staple, be prepared to wait in line.


Bonus:
- Dough Donuts (Brooklyn) (especially the Hibiscus doughnut)
- Amy Ruth's in Harlem (particularly the smothered chicken and waffles)
- Grey's Papaya - If you're gonna get an NYC hot dog, Grey's Papaya is staple of the city, particularly at the location on 72nd street, which is the classic location and has appeared in classic NYC movies ranging from The Warriors to Die Hard with a Vengeance, and imo less touristy than Nathan's at Coney Island.

 

[Pizza]

Also from Austin, can confirm Torchy's is some god tier taco heaven 🙏🙏🙏

If y'all are already down south, might as well try some of our southern fast food like Whataburger or Sonic. It's not the best shit on planet earth, but it's pretty damn good.

Blaze Pizza is absolutely not local, but if y'all don't have one near you head in there and just pile on a shitton of toppings. My personal favorite pizza, even against authentic NY Italian stuff

Also we have bevy of food trucks downtown and tooooons of good little restaurants.

Also if y'all find yourselves near Nik's Italian kitchen and bar and you're cool with eating food that costs a bit more than it should, I highly recommend anything with the Jalapeño Lime sauce. Also the lunar wolf ranger works there, but I didn't tell you that.

 

[Piggus]

Wow, really? Is it a Japanese person or a foreigner? Hiroshima really isn't that big so there's a fair chance I've been there if it's in the downtown area.

He's Japanese. Here's the place:

https://yelp.to/qTKq/TlsVxpheZD

He also has a tapas bar and a noodle restaurant. His dream is to open an okonomiyaki restaurant in Hawaii someday. ;p

 

[DrSlek]

Adelaide, South Australia:
Spatz Coffee Lounge: Delicious cafe specialising in desserts with brilliant Edwardian era atmosphere. Best experiences at night.

Vasarelli: All around excellent menu changing with the seasons in the middle of a great wine region

Eros Kafe: Excellent Greek food. Their Saganaki (fried cheese) is the most delicious thing I have ever tasted in my life.

 

[hohoXD123]

London:
Kanada-ya/Bone Daddies for ramen
Vapianos for Italian food
Thai express for...thai food