What American Mall Restaurant Chains Do You Find Tolerable?

[Nickdfresh]

For my money, The Outback is okay if you can stand that your steaks are "salt-licks" that will attract deer if eaten near a northeastern woodlands. Other than that, I can't think of a single place I'd do anything more than have a beer in while watching some sporting event provided they're lucky enough not to have fired or driven out the few decent bartenders that work at these places. T.G.I. Fridays has its fans here, mostly because of the cheap drinks. But the one nearby is probably one of the worst managed festering shitholes as far as food goes. The thought of eating at Applebees makes me feel unwell. Friendlys just sucks. Buffalo Wildwings is a particular sore-spot here because there is nothing particularly "Buffalo" about their shitty wings. I haven't been in a Chili's in years. A lot of people say that The Cheesecake Factory is going downhill and the P.F. Changs I've never been to. I've eaten the pseudo-Italian slop at The Olive Garden, which is okay if its really cheap. But can't imagine going there for all the bevy of great local Italian places here.

The only major chain restaurant I can imagine getting a little excited about is LongHorns, which just came into the area and I guess has a huge waiting list to get into - something unusual here as the mall chains ain't all that popular...

[ZahZoo]

Never heard those restaurants referred to as Mall chains... In this part of the country those are middle range and virtually all are stand-alone but may located near large box stores and strip malls.

When I think of Mall chains I envision the bottom of barrel pizza, fake chinese and generally crappy places I wouldn't consider eating from.

[FORD]

The only place at the local mall I can stand to eat is the Chipotle Grill. Their burritos aren't quite as good as the local place that used to be around here, Burrito Heaven, but sadly they no longer exist, so this is as good as it gets.

Best of all, the Chipotle Grill's doors are on the outside, so I don't have to actually go in the mall to get there. Unfortunately, I do still have to put up with the mall's shitty parking lot, but it's no worse than any other parking lot in town, I guess. (all of which are designed for subcompact egg-crates and not for anything I might physically be able to drive)

There used to be a great Thai food place at the mall, but they are also long gone... probably a casualty of the cinema expansion, if I remember correctly. :(

[DONNIEP]

Bring back Western Sizzlin!!

[Nickdfresh]

Never heard those restaurants referred to as Mall chains... In this part of the country those are middle range and virtually all are stand-alone but may located near large box stores and strip malls.

When I think of Mall chains I envision the bottom of barrel pizza, fake chinese and generally crappy places I wouldn't consider eating from.

Maybe it's all regional, but nearly every restaurant I mentioned is within a mile or two of either a mall complex or large shopping center here. Usually right off a key highway exit...

[Nickdfresh]

The only place at the local mall I can stand to eat is the Chipotle Grill. Their burritos aren't quite as good as the local place that used to be around here, Burrito Heaven, but sadly they no longer exist, so this is as good as it gets.

Best of all, the Chipotle Grill's doors are on the outside, so I don't have to actually go in the mall to get there. Unfortunately, I do still have to put up with the mall's shitty parking lot, but it's no worse than any other parking lot in town, I guess. (all of which are designed for subcompact egg-crates and not for anything I might physically be able to drive)

There used to be a great Thai food place at the mall, but they are also long gone... probably a casualty of the cinema expansion, if I remember correctly. :(

LOL Just ain't there. I don't really consider them for the purpose of this thread as I'm talking more about full service sit down places with full bars. Five Guys is the Chipotles of burgers, also just opened here...

[sadaist]

I haven't been in a Chili's in years.



I've ordered the baby back ribs 2-3 times the last 6 months for pickup. Very good but a bit dry. Request extra sauce & you'll be fine. Can't say about the rest of the food there.

As for Applebees, just ate there last week & had the 7 oz sirloin. Good steak, not great, They cooked it properly.

Outback? They piss me off about how they cook. Order medium rare & they have to tell you medium rare for them means rare. So if you want medium rare please order it medium. It's so annoying. they do it to be cute. It's not cute. It's not Australian. it's just annoying. Steak is good though and my friend swears by the pork chop.

[DONNIEP]

Long Horns is pretty good. Texas Roadhouse is good too. But both of them have the throwin-peanut-shells-on-the-floor is cool vibe. Good food though.

[cadaverdog]

Bring back Western Sizzlin!!
I went to one in Louisiana when I lived there. The Golden Corral that they closed in my home town was about the same. Sort of like Sizzler here.

[DONNIEP]

I went to one in Louisiana when I lived there. The Golden Corral that they closed in my home town was about the same. Sort of like Sizzler here.

You're right. But the Golden Corral here is like feeding time at the zoo with all the rednecks and ill-behaved unsupervised children..

[cadaverdog]

They got this place in Ft Worth called "Red Neck Heaven". Chicks dressed like Daisy Duke if she was a prostitute. All kinds of drink specials at all times. Happy hour 2-7 everyday. Killer appetizers. Huge burgers. They even have "minnow shots". A minnow dropped in a shot of your fave liquor. This place kicked serious ass.

[Anonymous]

The real joke here is that cadaverfuck is posting about going out to places where, even if he was allowed inside, things cost money.

Hilarious!

Cheers! :bottle:

[cadaverdog]

You're right. But the Golden Corral here is like feeding time at the zoo with all the rednecks and ill-behaved unsupervised children..
All buffets seem to end up like that except Chinese. Chinese buffets are better maintained.

[FORD]

LOL Just ain't there. I don't really consider them for the purpose of this thread as I'm talking more about full service sit down places with full bars. Five Guys is the Chipotles of burgers, also just opened here...


No Five Guys here locally just yet, but it looks like they're expanding here in Washington state. Oddly enough, they seem to be starting everywhere BUT the usual Puget Sound corridor first (Seattle/Tacoma/Olympia) which seems like an odd business model.

I mean seriously... Longview??? Marysville?? Shit.... these are places that didn't even have a goddamn Mickey D's before the 1990s. How do they rate higher than us? :(

[cadaverdog]

The real joke here is that cadaverfuck is posting about going out to public places where things cost money.

Hilarious!

Cheers! :bottle:

Thread derailing as usual I see. I guess some people find that amusing.

[twonabomber]

I loves me some BW3. Probably picking up takeout later tonight.

Been to Olive Garden once, about 20 years ago when the only one around here was in Parma. I would rather go to one of the locally owned Italian joints though. And I'm not too far from Cleveland's Little Italy, I try to get over there a few times a year.

Been to Outback once, too. Took an overnight trip to Chicago to check up on a machine we were having built, and I'm thinking hey, maybe we'll go for some authentic Chicago cuisine...and we ended up at a fucking Outback.

Can't remember the last time I was at Friday's or Applebee's. I would never go to Cheesecake Factory, from what I've heard it ain't my style.

I tend to patronize local chains. The Winking Lizard, Harry Buffalo, and not a chain, but a hole in the wall bar around the corner from where I used to live, the Hambden Country Inn.

[GreenEyedMurder]

We don't have malls here. :D

[cadaverdog]

They got a Chipotle competitor here called Freebird Burritos. They had a Freebird sandwich place in Texas.

[Anonymous]

Thread derailing as usual I see. I guess some people find that amusing.

Only the clique, bro. Only the clique.

Cheers! :bottle:

[FORD]

They got a Chipotle competitor here called Freebird Burritos. They had a Freebird sandwich place in Texas.

Looks like a carbon copy of Chipotle right down to their website. But I'd give them a shot if they ever open a franchise up this way.

[Anonymous]

If I admit to liking KFC, will I be killed?

Not the chicken, just the spices.

Will I?

Cheers! :bottle:

[DONNIEP]

Looks like a carbon copy of Chipotle right down to their website. But I'd give them a shot if they ever open a franchise up this way.

Better stock up on some Chipotlaway :)

http://i777.photobucket.com/albums/yy59/DONNIEP5150/50D0200F-9CC7-4B91-9E8D-D27441AD2C39-14022-00000B4C7492F493.jpg

[DONNIEP]

If I admit to liking KFC, will I be killed?

Not the chicken, just the spices.

Will I?

Cheers! :bottle:

Too bad you don't have Bojangles there..

[Anonymous]

Too bad you don't have Bojangles there..

Nope. Apart from that, it's all burguers.

I WOULD go to some other place, but that's the only one where they serve chicken.

I also eat home-cooked fried chicken at the joints I go to. The meat is, of course, much, much better, nut they don't the seasoning... :p

Cheers! :bottle:

[Nickdfresh]

Long Horns is pretty good. Texas Roadhouse is good too. But both of them have the throwin-peanut-shells-on-the-floor is cool vibe. Good food though.

The Texas Roadhouse is long gone. I really liked that place because it wasn't the typical chain vibe...

[Nickdfresh]

Too bad you don't have Bojangles there..

Fuck both, I'd kill for a Popeyes. But this ain't about fast food restaurants and bullshit pizza delivery factories!

[jhale667]

Fuck both, I'd kill for a Popeyes. But this ain't about fast food restaurants and bullshit pizza delivery factories!

Really? We have Popeye's, they're not really all that...? I'd actually take KFC original recipe chicken over Popeye's but I do kinda like their shrimp...

[Nickdfresh]

You're out of your mind...

[Anonymous]

Fuck both, I'd kill for a Popeyes. But this ain't about fast food restaurants and bullshit pizza delivery factories!

Well, I dunno in the US, but everywhere else mall restaurants ARE fast food joints. They actually call McDonald's a restaurant.

Weird, I know.

Cheers! :bottle:

[DONNIEP]

We have another good steakhouse in town near the mall - Logan's Roadhouse. Good steak.

[Terry]

I mean, the thing of it is, most of those American Mall Restaurant chains are chock full of deep fried shit at its best.

It's encouraging to see that someone else noticed how goddamn salty the beef at Outback Steakhouse is. Why the chain feels the need to overseason their beef with salt is beyond me.

Now, the missus loves, I mean fucking LOVES, Chili's. She LOVES that fucking place. There are literally only two things on the menu I will eat there, because everything else is deep fried, overgarnished goo. The last time we were there, I actually remarked aloud that the food is a bunch of processed goo. And to me, there's really no discernable overall difference between Chili's, TGI Fridays and Applebee's.

As for the Cheescake factory, I knew I was in trouble the first time I went there strictly for a bit of cheescake and their plain cheescake was dry and hard, rather than moist and soft. If you can't get a plain cheescake right...not even talking exceptional, mind you (and if your place is named The Cheescake Factory, wouldn't you think your cheesecake would be exceptional?)...it's not a good harbinger of things to come in terms of a full meal. Alas, I went there again and had a full meal. Tables the size of postage stamps combined with high-speed food service where the appetizers, main courses and deserts were all rushed out with no regard by the foodstaff for the pace we were eating at...and nobody thought to clear the fucking empty plates and glasses throughout the meal! Nope, not for me.

P.F. Chang's was okay, but it wasn't nearly as great as everyone I had talked to claimed it was. Honestly, there's a little Chinese takeout up the road from me that is every bit as good for half the price.

While obviously not fine cuisine, I will say the local Olive Garden is stunningly consistent.

Now, I will say that I do like The Macaroni Grill. I also quite like The Bonefish Grill. And as far as burgers go, I will also say Red Robin did a great job with their burgers. Now, one might say that it's just a hamburger, but I've been to countless corporate restaurants that can't get a burger right. Either the lettuce is wilted, or the bun is too thin and the burger too greasy to the point where three bites in the bun just disintegrates. Red Robin had spot-on burgers.

The other thing I've noticed across the board in these Mall Restaurants is that the cooks can't cook meat properly in terms of getting temperatures correct. When you ask for a steak medium, it shouldn't be bleeding on the plate when it arrives. Medium rare and medium well there is a bit of wiggle room for interpretation, but if a cook can't tell the difference between rare and medium...not so fucking good.

And the Red Lobster is fucking ghastly. It smells of rancid seafood as soon as you walk in. If the seafood is of decent quality, it doesn't stink. If it's of really good quality, it doesn't smell of anything AT ALL. If you walk into a seafood joint and there is an overwhelming smell of fish as soon as you step in, turn tail and fucking run.

[Anonymous]

If the seafood is of decent quality, it doesn't stink. I it's of really good quality, it doesn't smell of anything AT ALL. If you walk into a seafood joint and there is an overwhelming smell of fish as soon as you step in, turn tail and fucking run.

Amen, bruv. I've been to quality seafood places & they didn't smell AT ALL, like you said. No discernible smells beyond the air purifier that all restaurants have these days.

Of course, the same could be said of whorehouses...

Cheers! :bottle:

[Terry]

We don't have malls here. :D

I will say New York City has some amazing food and amazing restaurants.

[ashstralia]

you guys are makin me hungry. i'm going to the local fried chicken joint.

[Anonymous]

you guys are makin me hungry. i'm going to the local fried chicken joint.

Ooh, fried chicken. I just ate a pizza & drank a bottle of wine after a few beers & I'm on to whisky, but you're makin' me hungry for tomorrow.


Fried chicken & beer... better than some orgasms. Last longer, too!

Cheers! :bottle:

[ashstralia]

and ftr it's NOT unlucky fried kitten. (what we call kfc;))

it's a locally owned and operated shop.

[Anonymous]

Naw man, that's not kitten. The meat is too bland to be cat.

It doesn't have that zesty, rabbity flavour in it.

Cheers! :bottle:

[jhale667]

You're out of your mind...

I SAID I like their shrimp!!!! :lmao:

[cadaverdog]

Really? We have Popeye's, they're not really all that...? I'd actually take KFC original recipe chicken over Popeye's but I do kinda like their shrimp...
I miss Pioneer chicken. I think there chicken only came in crispy but it was good. I think there's a few left farther south of here.

[cadaverdog]

Anybody into Chicken and Waffles? Doesn't sound like a good combo to me but I've never tried it.

[cadaverdog]

I tried a place called On The Border in a local mall. They served Banquet frozen enchiladas as an all you can eat special. What a rip-off.

[FORD]

I tried a place called On The Border in a local mall. They served Banquet frozen enchiladas as an all you can eat special. What a rip-off.

What else would you expect from a place that names itself after a goddamned Al Stewart song?? :biggrin:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qW9ey74Cb0

[jhale667]

Anybody into Chicken and Waffles? Doesn't sound like a good combo to me but I've never tried it.

It's surprisingly good together, and you'd think it wouldn't be... go check out Roscoe's.

[Sensible Shoes]

Chicken And Waffles is a Pennsylvania Dutch staple. And it sucks. Possibly because I connect it with my ex and his family.

I like Olive Garden because of amazing salads and soups. The rest is kinda blah.

Best restaurant I've ever been to was called "Zin" in Oconomowac Wisconsin. Amazing food. And drinks. Yum.

[ODShowtime]

Chicken and waffles is the shit. PF Chang's is the shit.

[Va Beach VH Fan]

I had never been to PF Chang's and was very skeptical....

After all, I had spent almost 8 years in that area of the world, I've had me some good fucking Chinese food.... Not only that, but usually I'm content with the Mom&Pop Chinese shacks around town....

Anyway, my wife made reservations for about 20 of us for my son's graduation HS dinner....

Have to admit, I was really, really surprised at the quality of the food... It was night and day compared to a regular Chinese takeout joint...

Of course, I paid a pretty penny that night for everyone, but it was worth it....

[LoungeMachine]

PF Chang's Lettuce Wraps are like crack.....

:gulp:

Jus' sayin'

[Va Beach VH Fan]

PF Chang's Lettuce Wraps are like crack.....

:gulp:

Jus' sayin'

Oh hell yeah bro, those were fantastic....

[ODShowtime]

I had never been to PF Chang's and was very skeptical....


Have to admit, I was really, really surprised at the quality of the food... It was night and day compared to a regular Chinese takeout joint...

It's the quality. In this part of Florida, all the takeout Chinese is trash. It's terrible and it's all the same. You could eat at 20 of them within a 20 mile radius and none would stand out. PF Chang's stands out because they appear to use quality ingredients. It's great sharing two entries on a date.

And I love the story of how Big Ben and the O-line ate there before Superbowl XLIII.