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OT: Favorite Chain Restaurants

They are, IMO, one of the best breweries no one has ever heard of. On par with The Brew Kettle here in Cleveland. Both serve good food as well.

If y'all have never been to C-Town and come over, Great Lakes actually has good food as well.

Fatheads' lineup of IPAs as a whole is the best around.
 
Don Pablos (robinson), fuddruckers (closed unfortunately), J Alexander--- agree that Longhorn is best value steakhouse by a mile
 
I am in Cleveland at least twice a month. Was there last week and actually ate at Lola and Greenhouse Tavern. Fat Heads, I wouldn't consider a chain cause there are two, but I think the main one is in Cleveland, where they brew their beer. And is the Beer Kettle the place right there in Strongsville, along I think Pearl Road? I have passed it but never went in.

Yes, that's the place. They have good food and their beer is fantastic. White Rajah just won a blind taste test of 160 IPAs. Black Rajah is my favorite Black IPA.

Went to Lola when it first opened but have never been to Greenhouse Tavern.
 
I am waiting for Pei Wei to come to pittsburgh. It's a counter serve spin off of PF Chang (think Asian version of Moes Grill). Nice atmosphere, good portion sizes, beer available, and PF Chang quality for a fraction of the price.
 
I'd have to go with Chipolte's for inexpensive lunch food. Not bad mex and you can actually find healthy options.

If money isn't the issue, my favorite "chain" is Roy's.

Cruzer
 
I know the Lair is filled with high class people who are too good to eat at a chain restaurant, but for all ye common folk out there, what is your favorite chain to eat at if you had to pick one?

I'm not really sure, but I'm in a PF Chang's kinda mood today.

The best "cheap" steakhouse chain is Longhorn IMO. The best higher end steakhouse chain is Capital Grille IMO.

I absolutely hate the Cheesecake Factory, which is regarded as one of the better chains in the country.

Cue recruitsreadtheseboards calling me a poor loser with a bland life because I've stepped into a chain before.
You can't beat Longhorn Steakhouse for steaks unless you go to Morton's etc. They also have the best ribs in town.
 
Alright - I have to say it - I don't get the whole lovefest with Longhorn, at all. I do like Outback but I've eaten at Longhorn at least a half dozen times (most recently about a month ago) and continue to be completely underwhelmed. Clearly based on this thread, it must just be me.
 
Alright - I have to say it - I don't get the whole lovefest with Longhorn, at all. I do like Outback but I've eaten at Longhorn at least a half dozen times (most recently about a month ago) and continue to be completely underwhelmed. Clearly based on this thread, it must just be me.
I'm with you on Longhorn. Any place that insists on putting a lb. of spices on a steak is lame. All it needs is its own naked self.
 
Big fan of In and Out Burger, unfortunately (or fortunately in regards to quality), they wont franchise east of Denver.. Something about quality and being close to distribution centers with not freezing their meat. Sort of a catch 22, sucks cause they aren't close but they are good due to the fact that they are not close.
FWIW, they've since branched out into Texas. I researched it further, and they now have 27 eateries in the Lone Star State. I figured it was only a matter of time before they'd move toward the east.
 
Ponderosa, Hoss's, and other cheap steak buffet places seemed so awesome to visit as a kid that I still find them enticing, even if the food quality isn't very good. Unfortunately, most of them are dying off and becoming nostalgia.

Buca di Beppo would be my pick for the best chain option today.
 
Well, chains can be high-end as well. On the high end, on rare occasions I want a steak (usually fillet), I'll take Morton's, Ruth's Chris or Capital Grille over Long Horn (which is very popular in south). Famous Dave's over Smokey Bones. For lunch, Panera Bread anywhere in the country. Here in Chattanooga, and the south in general, Chick-fil-A drive through is crowded all day long!

Also big here is Bonefish, PF Chang and J Alexander.

ChooChoo
 
I was excited when In and Out moved here to Texas, but have only been there once or twice. An underrated fast-food hamburger place is Elevation Burger.
 
Fatheads may becoming a chain now that it has opened a second restaurant. In my opinion it has more of a Pittsburgh authenticity to it than Primanti's. I take all of my out of town friends there who want to experience Pittsburgh.
They have 3 locations now, including one in Portland OR.

Within 5 years they will be all over the West Coast. Glenn, the owner, has agreed to a franchise deal.
 
The main reason that any chain restaurant food tastes ok is because they use massive amounts of salt on everything. I avoid them as much as possible.
Thank god that no one mentioned Olive Garden. I ate there once. That crap is closer to canned Spaghettios than to even average Italian food in America. Italian food in Italy is in a universe by itself.
 
Skyline Chili. Once a month I must get a large 5-way, which is chili-spaghetti with a vulgarly huge mound of finely shredded cheddar cheese piled on top. One of the better things about living in southwest Ohio. Extra time on the eliptical required, I don't even want to know the calories.
 
Bob's subs . Tarentum . Awesome subs .Cellones bread . Originated in 73' by I think a guy from slippery rock
 
Bob's subs . Tarentum . Awesome subs .Cellones bread . Originated in 73' by I think a guy from slippery rock
Anyway , totally awesome 70's pics of all local college sports teams and "animal house " type frat parties . Nice nostalgic pics of how life used to be .
 
I know the Lair is filled with high class people who are too good to eat at a chain restaurant, but for all ye common folk out there, what is your favorite chain to eat at if you had to pick one?

I'm not really sure, but I'm in a PF Chang's kinda mood today.

The best "cheap" steakhouse chain is Longhorn IMO. The best higher end steakhouse chain is Capital Grille IMO.

I absolutely hate the Cheesecake Factory, which is regarded as one of the better chains in the country.

Cue recruitsreadtheseboards calling me a poor loser with a bland life because I've stepped into a chain before.
I'll second your motion on Longhorn steakhouse....but defer to my grill for high end steaks.
On the "family" side, I like Applebee's because of the cold, cold draft beer.
Low end is Eat-N-Park....they could plop one of those anywhere (except it seems Streetsboro, Ohio) and it will succeed.
Tee Jays in Weirton has the best ribs on the planet!
 
Bob's subs . Tarentum . Awesome subs .Cellones bread . Originated in 73' by I think a guy from slippery rock

I heard this location is not affiliated with the original one in slippery rock. Someone told me the original one sued over the use of the name, not sure if this is true or not?
 
That place in Robinson is called Bahama Breeze. We like the North Park Lounge.

The North Park places is not a "chain" per se. Cheddars sucks (boring).

Chains.....decent ones.,.......aside from Morton's and Mitchell's and things like that which are fairly high end yet not particularly exciting...

Carrabas isn't bad. Outback. Hell, many of the burger places. In Texas places like Tacos Aronderia (sp) and some in SoCal are great. Chippoltle is "meh". PF Changs is not exactly David Changs but okay. I mean, chains are fine, but when you are visiting local areas, go local. But some "locals" are chains. Pappadeauxs for example. But from a boy from Pittsburgh, Pappadeauxs is fantastic.

Just like, when you go to say San Antonio, or Austin for Tex Mex, don't go to Chilis. Or if you are going to the coast and go to eat seafood, don't go to Red Lobster (don't go ever) or a big city with a heavy Italian population, don't go to the friggin Olive Garden.

Note, if you have little kids.....then completely understand. Go wherever they want.
 
I don't know if they have them in Pittsburgh but Jersey Mike's Subs is pretty good and expanding.

Brother Jimmy's BBQ is above average. Pretty much NYC/ and burbs, and a few in Florida.
 
In Texas places like Tacos Aronderia (sp) and some in SoCal are great. Chippoltle is "meh". PF Changs is not exactly David Changs but okay. I mean, chains are fine, but when you are visiting local areas, go local. But some "locals" are chains. Pappadeauxs for example. But from a boy from Pittsburgh, Pappadeauxs is fantastic.

Just like, when you go to say San Antonio, or Austin for Tex Mex, don't go to Chilis.

Tacqueria Arandas is probably what you're thinking. Really good stuff. And if anybody wants a local chain burrito joint, Freebirds blows Chipotle out of the water.

And I can assure you, regardless of what anybody from Pittsburgh thinks, Houstonians think even higher of their Pappas restaurants. Those places are everywhere and people go crazy for each and every one of them.

Pappadeaux is good, though. Pappasito's, Pappas BBQ, Pappas Burgers, Pappas Steak, and Yia Yia Mary's are all restaurants that aren't great compared to their counterparts but will do in a pinch, but Pappadeaux actually offers something that's different and worthwhile.
 
We were in San Antonio last week. Ate at Chuy's three times. And yes, their food is good. In San Antonio, there are so many Mexican restaurants -- chains, "mom 'n pop" -style -- you name it, San Antonio probably has one.

Recently went to San Antonio also and they definitely have a huge selection of Mexican restaurants. Not even Tex Mex, like is pretty much standard in places like Houston, Dallas, and Austin. Wound up getting street tacos a bunch, which brings me to a random aside that may be helpful/useful to some on the board:

There's a street taco vendor on Atwood St., right outside of the Mexican grocery store. They're legit street tacos. If anybody is in the area and is craving some of the more authentic Mexican you'll find in Pittsburgh, that's your best bet. Think it's like $2 or $3 per taco, they started doing it when I was a junior or senior.
 
Surprised nobody's said Ditka's. PITT's own and a terrific experience. Food is always good and great drinks.
 
Tacqueria Arandas is probably what you're thinking. Really good stuff. And if anybody wants a local chain burrito joint, Freebirds blows Chipotle out of the water.

And I can assure you, regardless of what anybody from Pittsburgh thinks, Houstonians think even higher of their Pappas restaurants. Those places are everywhere and people go crazy for each and every one of them.

Pappadeaux is good, though. Pappasito's, Pappas BBQ, Pappas Burgers, Pappas Steak, and Yia Yia Mary's are all restaurants that aren't great compared to their counterparts but will do in a pinch, but Pappadeaux actually offers something that's different and worthwhile.

Yeah that is it. Tacqueria Arandas. Man, I wish Western PA (the most unLatino area in the nation by the way) would have some decent Mexican/Tex Mex places. Yes, I do like the place in Beechview/Brookline which has friggin killer tacos.
 
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