Chain restaurants that are actually good
#226
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: san diego, ca
Programs: AA 2MM
Posts: 913
Originally Posted by ILuvParis
Interesting. I agree about Olive Garden. However, one of the best meals I have had was at Roy's in KUAUI - soy/miso marinated butterfish - outstanding.
#227
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Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: PHX and LIH
Programs: AA: 2 MM, HA, VS
Posts: 91,959
Originally Posted by MDSD
Since Roy's sold to Outback Steakhouse, quality has suffered greatly. I agree that it's still good in Hawaii - the original in Hawaii Kai is fine, as is the location in Waikaloa on the Big Island - but after a disastrous meal in the La Jolla, Ca, location, I say never again.
#229
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: TPA
Posts: 132
Originally Posted by MDSD
Since Roy's sold to Outback Steakhouse, quality has suffered greatly. I agree that it's still good in Hawaii - the original in Hawaii Kai is fine, as is the location in Waikaloa on the Big Island - but after a disastrous meal in the La Jolla, Ca, location, I say never again.
rqd
#230
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Chattanooga TN USA
Programs: HH Gold, MR Silver, PC Platinum, CC Gold
Posts: 500
There's a chain of 16 restaurants in the southeast called "Sticky Fingers." It's a nice rib joint. Every time I've been to the two in my city, the food has been excellent and the service at least par. There's always plenty of local rib shacks to choose from in any decent sized city, but, most of them here are self-serve kinds of places. I like to sit and eat and most importantly, drink, and be waited on. I would say that "Famous Dave's" is a close competitor to "Sticky Fingers."
#231
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Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Summer at the Jersey Shore AAAH
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Originally Posted by MDSD
Since Roy's sold to Outback Steakhouse, quality has suffered greatly. I agree that it's still good in Hawaii - the original in Hawaii Kai is fine, as is the location in Waikaloa on the Big Island - but after a disastrous meal in the La Jolla, Ca, location, I say never again.
we just had a great meal at the Baltimore location of Roy's. There were 45 of us and the drinks could have come a little quicker, but the food was generally thumbs way up from a usually picky crowd.
#232
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: The OC ca usa
Programs: BA Blue forever!
Posts: 633
How is the Newport Beach CA. Roy's? We had drinks and appetizers in the bar last year. The ribs had a lot of fat and the Pina Colada was blue and not as good as most. And it was all quite expensive.
#233


Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Denver, Colorado/Port St. Lucie, Florida, USA
Programs: AS Titanium, UA PremEx-MM
Posts: 3,348
We used to have a Roy's in Denver at Cherry Creek Mall; it closed a while back and now it's another chain called:
Kona Grill
Which (conceptually-speaking) actually sounds a lot like Roy's used to be.
Only ate at Roy's once for a birthday; I was prepared to splurge a bit so I didn't think it was super-expensive, but the food really wasn't outstanding.
Anyone know this Kona Grill? Looks like it's Arizona-based with a handfull of locations.
Kona Grill
Which (conceptually-speaking) actually sounds a lot like Roy's used to be.
Only ate at Roy's once for a birthday; I was prepared to splurge a bit so I didn't think it was super-expensive, but the food really wasn't outstanding.
Anyone know this Kona Grill? Looks like it's Arizona-based with a handfull of locations.
#234
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Dayton Ohio
Posts: 1
In the great midwest, we have Camaron Mitchell restaurants. They have numerous restaurants in Columbus OH, my favorite is Cap City Fine Diner and Bar. Got to have the homemade potato chips with matag! They have Mitchell's Fish Market in Columbus, Cincy area, Louisville, Pittsburg, Indy, Chicago, Detroit, Lansing and in Tampa FL. They are very good! Some of the other restaurants in Columbus are steak houses and an asian rstaurant called Molly Woo. Martini (also in Louisville) is a great place to take business associates, even if just for drinks and munchies,
#235
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Toronto
Programs: SPG LT Plat, Hilton G,Priorty Club G, AC E
Posts: 2,979
Roy's in kauia is still good...
...houstons I like, pf changs never fails and the bbq chicken salad (now off the menu but they will still make it for u if u ask) at red robin is always a crowd pleaser.
#237
Join Date: May 2004
Location: VA
Programs: Marriott Silver, Hilton Silver, Hertz #1 Gold, Avis Preferred
Posts: 709
In the DC area, the Great American Restaurant Group, which includes Carlyle Grand and Mike's American, is excellent...good service, good interiors and very good food. Prices are pretty reasonable for the quality.
#238
In memoriam
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: IAD, BOS, PVD
Programs: UA, US, AS, Marriott, Radisson, Hilton
Posts: 7,203
Interesting to check out the website and see how LEYE has
gotten its tentacles everywhere ... it certainly qualifies in my
mind as a chain, because although the trappings differ from
identity to identity, the general feel is the same (and there IS
the fact that they are all under it all the same). I've had mixed
experiences at the outlets - even within one outlet - even
within one meal (for example, at MAG in Bethesda, we had
several quite nice dishes and a couple true dogs at a table
for 8). On the whole, the food is okay, but "actually good,"
maybe not. Oh, yeah, they tend to be grossly too noisy, too.
gotten its tentacles everywhere ... it certainly qualifies in my
mind as a chain, because although the trappings differ from
identity to identity, the general feel is the same (and there IS
the fact that they are all under it all the same). I've had mixed
experiences at the outlets - even within one outlet - even
within one meal (for example, at MAG in Bethesda, we had
several quite nice dishes and a couple true dogs at a table
for 8). On the whole, the food is okay, but "actually good,"
maybe not. Oh, yeah, they tend to be grossly too noisy, too.
#240
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Chicago
Programs: Formerly: UA 1K, SPG Gold, Marriott Silver, FT Addicts Anonymous; Currently: Grounded
Posts: 829
Originally Posted by Internaut
I'll second (or would that be third?) Macaroni. Worth it just for the bread, olive oil and pepper they give you while you decide what do order.




Also Claim Jumper restaurants are good.