This Week’s KSK Commenter Draft – Restaurants Where You Would Like To Eat Your Last Meal
There’s nothing worse than heading to a good restaurant and then ordering the wrong thing. This happened to me last week. You know the drill. You order something, and it’s pretty good. Then you take a bite of something the person next to your ordered, and a giant OH FUCK sign flashes in your head. Then you spend the rest of the meal in a deep state of regret, hoping the person next to you doesn’t finish their dish so you can pounce on it like a homeless person on half a drumstick.
Well, that isn’t happening in this draft. That’s right: it’s the restaurant where you’re eating your last meal. You’re going to die. How? Doesn’t matter. Death penalty. Cancer. Really bad hangnail. Whatever it is, you ain’t living much longer, so here’s your last chance to enjoy some food and libations. And the tab is on God, so you can order as much as you please, and stay as long as you please.
The rules? Pick a restaurant. It must still currently exist. After you pay the tab, you drop dead on the spot. So no, “I’ll pick any restaurant in Vegas and then go bang a hooker afterwards!” And no picking restaurants located in strip clubs and shit. Shut the fuck up and concentrate on the food. If you pick a chain restaurant, and they can range from McDonald’s to Nobu, all of its locations are off the board. Once you pick a joint, you must wait 10 picks until you choose another.
My pick is Murray’s Steakhouse in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Murray’s may not be the world’s greatest restaurant. In fact, I’m quite sure it is not. Some in town even prefer Manny’s for steaks. I’m picking this one straight for sentimental reasons. I ate here when I was 14. Ordered the silver butter knife porterhouse. And you know what? You really could cut it with a butter knife. Fucking. Nice. Joey Browner sat three tables over from us. Joey Browner was a black belt in karate and my favorite Viking of all time. I bet he too has a wallet that says Bad Motherfucker. Did I have a good meal? I did.
Your turn.
Tags: Big Daddy Drew, ksk commenter drafts, new haven pizza i'm comin' to getcha
July 27th, 2007 at 9:32 am
The Rendezvous in Memphis Tennessee.
July 27th, 2007 at 9:32 am
Cracker Barrel, bitches!
July 27th, 2007 at 9:33 am
Mesa Grill, NYC
July 27th, 2007 at 9:34 am
Acme Oyster House in New Orleans.
Watching the Katrina coverage on the news, one of my first thoughts was “I hope the Acme is OK.”
Perhaps that makes me an asshole. So be it.
July 27th, 2007 at 9:34 am
Freebirds monster steak burrito. I went to the Houston location a few years ago and I’ve been addicted ever since. (Not that it matters for the purposes of this draft, but all of their prices are rounded to the nearest quarter, which is nice, if you’re paying in cash)
July 27th, 2007 at 9:36 am
Oceana in NYC. best seafood in the city.
July 27th, 2007 at 9:38 am
Nobu. ‘Nuff said.
July 27th, 2007 at 9:38 am
tratatelli in rome.
visited tehre this summer, best food i have ever had.
July 27th, 2007 at 9:38 am
Drew, I would pick Murray’s over Manny’s any day of the week. And if you go to Murray’s during the lunch rush, you may be lucky enough to see Sid Hartman and one of his close personal friends!
Now that’s living!
July 27th, 2007 at 9:39 am
The French Laundry - Napa Valley
July 27th, 2007 at 9:41 am
Skyline Chili.
Last meals should always be had with Bootsy Collins.
July 27th, 2007 at 9:42 am
Maloney & Porcelli in NYC - the pork shank there could probably kill you all by itself, and it’s so worth it.
July 27th, 2007 at 9:45 am
no picking restaurants located in strip clubs and shit.
“titties and tater tots don’t mix!!”
July 27th, 2007 at 9:45 am
Sparks in Manhattan. Best steak I’ve ever had
July 27th, 2007 at 9:45 am
Le Bernardin in NYC.
Beaverfever, I’ve been to Oceana. Le Bernardin destroys it.
July 27th, 2007 at 9:48 am
thanks for the tip BDD. I’ll have to
try to check out Le Bernadin next time I’m in NYC.
July 27th, 2007 at 9:49 am
Ono in the NYC Meat Packing district.
Best kobe beef I’ve ever had.
July 27th, 2007 at 9:50 am
Ben’s Chili Bowl in DC. Dripping nitrates and the chance to see Bill Cosby or Chuck Brown…that is a delicious death.
July 27th, 2007 at 9:53 am
Williamson Brothers Barbeque in Marietta, GA.
typo in previous p[ost, I’ll check out Le Bernardin not Bernadin
July 27th, 2007 at 9:54 am
Ruth Chris…filet, medium rare, mashed potatoes and their asparagus with hollandaise sauce.
July 27th, 2007 at 9:54 am
Pub Hippo in Bozeman, MT. It’s a gambling joint along with a bar and some food. It’s usually not crowded and we use to pay no more than half-price for any beer that we drank. 22 oz. house special for $2. Wings, sandwiches, pizza and plenty of TVs. I hope that I die on a Sunday. Did I mention that I’d be getting tanked on my last meal?
July 27th, 2007 at 9:54 am
Momofuku in NYC.
And I’m horrified that someone chose Skyline chili, as a former (temporary) resident of that ‘burg.
July 27th, 2007 at 9:55 am
Skye took my pick with the French Laundry, so I’ll take Charlie Trotters in Chicago.
July 27th, 2007 at 9:55 am
Outback Steakhouse. To hell with all of you.
July 27th, 2007 at 9:56 am
The heart attack grill in phoenix, az….The cheeseburgers are nice and big but the main attraction are hot coeds dressed in naughty nurse outfits!
July 27th, 2007 at 9:58 am
Roy’s (the one in NYC) - so good.
July 27th, 2007 at 9:59 am
Blue Ginger, Wellesley MA.
My wife and I had our rehersal dinner there and it was in the top 3 of best meals in my life
July 27th, 2007 at 9:59 am
Without the strip club option, Skyline is the closest thing anybody can come to a Three Way. Don’t hate.
July 27th, 2007 at 10:00 am
Salt Lick Barbecue. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, too bad for you.
July 27th, 2007 at 10:00 am
I’ll take Sally’s Apizza in New haven. Let’s do it Zagat style:
This “New Haven landmark” is world famous for its “amazing pies” and “endless waits”, unless you are a “big shot, like a Big Daddy Drew or someone like that.” Critics deride the service and proclaim “Pepe’s is superior,” but those people can “eat a dick”.
July 27th, 2007 at 10:01 am
farris –
Hey, I speak from the heart. I’ve puked up Skyline Chili while drunk. In the Shoemaker Center.
Although if it comes to that, I prefer Camp Washington.
July 27th, 2007 at 10:01 am
Buzzy’s in South Plainfield, NJ
Their BLT comes with a warning, “not for heart patients.” Their chicken kabob skewer is fantastic!!
July 27th, 2007 at 10:01 am
N9ne Steakhouse at the Palms in Vegas.
The best ribeye in the world paired with the best steakhouse apps/sides you’ll ever taste. Toss in a couple of bottles of Gamba and I’m ready to die like Biggie.
July 27th, 2007 at 10:01 am
The Capital Grille, Boston - Filet Mignon cooked medium rare, side of Sam’s Mashed, and a few Sam Adams will make me smile at my impending demise.
July 27th, 2007 at 10:02 am
Since one of my goals in life is to make a pathologist’s life very difficult, I choose Kentucky Fried Chicken.
July 27th, 2007 at 10:03 am
Arthur Bryant’s ribs in KC.
July 27th, 2007 at 10:03 am
I guess that means I’ll claim Price Hill Chili and make this war. Who doesn’t want to spend their final minutes at the place once dined at by Dick Cheney?
July 27th, 2007 at 10:03 am
My next pick is for the food, and the view. The Cliff, in Barbados. Every table has a view of the Caribbean. Plus, I can get a bottle of Chateau d’Yquem for dessert wine. I think seeing the bill will be what does me in. When I went there on vacation, it was like $225/person for the tasting menu, and worth it.
http://www.thecliffbarbados.com
July 27th, 2007 at 10:04 am
Hyakumi at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. 1) I love teppenyaki 2) The kobe beef there is so good I could have taken a bath with it
July 27th, 2007 at 10:04 am
White Castle, crave case.
Without the morning-after misery, it becomes the perfect meal!
July 27th, 2007 at 10:04 am
Waffle House….nuff said.
July 27th, 2007 at 10:05 am
Cheeseburge in Paradise, Lahiana, Maui, HI.
I win
July 27th, 2007 at 10:05 am
Devang and Skye know what’s up. mc is insane.
July 27th, 2007 at 10:05 am
Morton’s in NoVa, hands down.
July 27th, 2007 at 10:05 am
Peter Lugers Brooklyn. No fancy foodie decor. You order Steak. Sides are worth dying over. Creamed Spinach, hash Browns. Only take cash or their own Credit card. Simple and awesome.
July 27th, 2007 at 10:06 am
The Palm (DC)
too easy
July 27th, 2007 at 10:06 am
Jewbacca, you fucker. I hope Han Solostein kills you in your sleep.
I’m taking Goodson’s Cafe in Tomball, Texas. Best damn chicken fried steak in the world. Die in a plate of deep golden goodness.
July 27th, 2007 at 10:07 am
Mongolian Grill. I could just keep going back for another helping until I burst and died right there in the restaurant.
July 27th, 2007 at 10:07 am
Brick Alley Pub, Newport, RI. cool, laid back place. great menu.
July 27th, 2007 at 10:07 am
Una Pizza Napoletana in NYC. The next best pizza on Earth is a very distant second.
July 27th, 2007 at 10:08 am
dinosaur bbq in harlem. i thought about going for a steak house for a filet, but really, i’d rather a big plate of pulled pork with all the sides. then i could die happy.
July 27th, 2007 at 10:08 am
Time to take Masa in NYC.
The most expensive restaurant in town. It HAS to be good.
July 27th, 2007 at 10:11 am
Blue Ribbon BBQ, West Netwon, MA.
Best BBQ outside of the south.
Also, sh!tshow, you suck for taking Capital Grille
July 27th, 2007 at 10:11 am
It must be too early for the West Coast contingent to join the party:
In-N-Out Burger
July 27th, 2007 at 10:12 am
off topic slightly, but since there seem to be a lot of NYC eaters on right now…
has anyone ever eaten at one of the Sushi Bar/Strip Club combos in Midtown? My brain says stay away, but my heart says, “mmm, sushi and boobs”.
July 27th, 2007 at 10:12 am
Three Forks - Dallas. Best bone-in Ribeye on the planet. Add to that the cream corn and an ass-kicking wine list. I might go kill myself there tonight.
July 27th, 2007 at 10:12 am
@ j dot, there is alo a dinosaur bbq in syracuse and rochester.
July 27th, 2007 at 10:14 am
Time to pick up a fast food chain.
Chipotle.
It’s going to take me the rest of my life to eat that borrito anyway.
July 27th, 2007 at 10:14 am
Esca in NYC
The crudo makes me leak out clear stuff.
July 27th, 2007 at 10:15 am
@Farris OMG, how the fuck did I miss that.
/sob
July 27th, 2007 at 10:15 am
Hustler of Culture, you are incorrect. The best BBQ not in the south is Curtis’ Chicken and Ribs, Putney VT, which is my next pick. Possibly the best BBQ anywhere.
July 27th, 2007 at 10:17 am
Drinkwater’s in Scottsdale, AZ - easily the best meal I have ever had.
July 27th, 2007 at 10:17 am
@wormfather
There’s always Fatburger…
July 27th, 2007 at 10:17 am
Vila Nova do Sol Mar - it may be in Newark, NJ, but they have the best paella anywhere in the US.
July 27th, 2007 at 10:17 am
Abe and Louie’s - Boston
July 27th, 2007 at 10:17 am
jason, I’ll be driving past there on my way to Stowe next weekend. I’ll try it out and let you know how it compares.
Is it close to 91?
July 27th, 2007 at 10:19 am
Sam n’ Harry’s - DC
Just a great steak place where you can have a nice $500 bottle of wine if you were so inclined (and not poor like me)
July 27th, 2007 at 10:20 am
El Bulli in Spain.
STEAL!
July 27th, 2007 at 10:20 am
@hoc, putney is right off of I-91.
July 27th, 2007 at 10:21 am
Bar Celta, in Barcelona. Best tapas bar around, with none of the pretension I see at imitations stateside.
July 27th, 2007 at 10:21 am
Is there a restaurant where I can drink Paris Hilton’s tears? I want that one.
July 27th, 2007 at 10:22 am
i’ll also go fast food at this point.
Whataburger. found in TX and the southwest. sadly i live in NY.
July 27th, 2007 at 10:22 am
Ninja New York. And I’ll take the Hanzou, thanks.
July 27th, 2007 at 10:22 am
BW3’s in Lincoln, NE.
It’s the saddest place on earth. I’ve never seen a group of people not in those shit commercials they show that were that excited to be there. It was the taint.
July 27th, 2007 at 10:23 am
Exit 2 on 91 just inside the VT border. Follow the giant-ass cloud of sweet smelling smoke to the two school buses that serve as the “kitchen”. Curtis Tuff is a guy from MS who drives up there every summer to BBQ. He gets up at the crack of dawn to start his all hardwood fire- apple, cherry, hickory, and then smokes the meat until it melts. Great sauce, good sides, but the meat is the thing.
There are days I’ve thought about making a road trip from here (Ann Arbor) just for some ribes and brisket.
July 27th, 2007 at 10:23 am
Smith and Wollensky - NYC. The best steakhouse I’ve been to hands down.
I WIN.
July 27th, 2007 at 10:24 am
Prezza in Boston — 24 Fleet Street … Last time I was there, the duck ravioli made my dick move.
July 27th, 2007 at 10:24 am
Daniel in NYC
I don’t care how much of a penis Daniel Boulud is, he knows how to run a fucking restaurant.
July 27th, 2007 at 10:25 am
Maj don’t hate on the Ben’s Chili Bowl pick…I was assuming I’d be high off my ass before I die, which makes the pick perfect.
Just for you though, I’ll class it up for my next pick - Saray in Istanbul. Seriously the greatest lamb ever.
July 27th, 2007 at 10:26 am
Vienna Inn
Bacon Cheeseburger, two chilidogs with everything, and frosty beers until I can’t stand.
July 27th, 2007 at 10:26 am
Carnegie Deli, and I’m ordering the Woody Allen. If I finish it, I’m ordering another one. If I finish that? You guessed it, another one. I will die with the most first-cut, corned brisket ever in a single human being.
July 27th, 2007 at 10:26 am
La Bec Fin (Philadelphia, PA) - if this was it, I would tell that snooty waiter motherfucker to just park the cheese cart next to my table and everyone else could suck it.
July 27th, 2007 at 10:26 am
Second round: Gravitas in Houston.
Start with the venison chili cheese fries, the best quail ever for main course, and butterscotch bread pudding before I go tits up.
July 27th, 2007 at 10:27 am
Hilltop on Route 1 north of Boston.
Best steakhouse I have ever been to.
July 27th, 2007 at 10:27 am
El Bulli in Spain
BDD wins (you fucker, now go eat some Rocky Mountain Oysters)
July 27th, 2007 at 10:28 am
Fios - DC (if it was still around). And +500 to anyone here who’s actually eaten there….
July 27th, 2007 at 10:28 am
@awful chief:
“This man died from meat poisoning!”
July 27th, 2007 at 10:28 am
Nice Drew, I can’t believe it took that long for the number one restaurant in the world to get taken.
I’ll take Per Se. Never eaten there…but i know how good it is.
July 27th, 2007 at 10:29 am
Brad - WHAT??!?! That place sucked. Not only did the food suck but the service was so bad I seriously thought I was on some hidden camera show. There are like 10 other places right there in Saugus I’d rather eat at….
July 27th, 2007 at 10:29 am
Alright, I’ll do it:
Nathan’s Famous at Coney Island.
July 27th, 2007 at 10:30 am
Rattlesnake Ranch in Denville, NJ. Fantastic Southwestern food. Try the alligator or the buffalo burger. Their habanero chicken will set your lips and ass on fire at the same time.
July 27th, 2007 at 10:30 am
Smoky’s in Madison, WI. The steaks aren’t the best I’ve had, but I could eat myself to death with the family style hash browns.
July 27th, 2007 at 10:31 am
Twiam’s Chicken & Waffles.
Not on my list: Don Shula Steakhouse. That place blows.
July 27th, 2007 at 10:32 am
For everyone who is picking places they’ve never been:
How disappointing would it be to have your final meal in some overrated, overhyped bullshit restaurant that is merely coasting on reputation alone?
I heard Per Se has a rat problem.
July 27th, 2007 at 10:32 am
Peking Duck in Chinatown NYC.
I suggest ordering the Peking Duck. It’ll make you cream your jeans.
July 27th, 2007 at 10:32 am
Crif Dogs in NYC. The Good Morning: A bacon-wrapped hot dog, deep-fried and topped with a fried egg and a slice of cheese, served with chili cheese fries and a PBR. Imminent heart attack follows.
July 27th, 2007 at 10:33 am
Blimpy Burger in Ann Arbor. The burgers, deeo fried mushrooms, and other assorted heart attack inducing items are delicious, but last time I ate there I thought I would die from clogged arteries anyway. The next time I eat there will be the last time I eat, of this I am sure.
July 27th, 2007 at 10:33 am
Ray’s The Steaks in Arlington, Virginia. Zero decor. The owner is the chef and on-site butcher. Great wine list. I will die full of hanger steak and cabernet.
July 27th, 2007 at 10:34 am
@hustler of culture
My bad. My dad worked in the area 15 years ago. It was really good back then.
July 27th, 2007 at 10:34 am
Tito’s Burritos in Summit, NJ
I had a burrito last night with salmon, wild rice, guacamole, tomaters, and queso. Went right through me.
July 27th, 2007 at 10:35 am
St. Elmo’s Steakhouse in Indianapolis. It’s been around since 1902 right downtown, meaning it’s been through all the ups and downs and up and downs of downtown Indy. Amazing steaks and shrimp cocktail to DIE for.
Definitely a place for a fine last meal.
July 27th, 2007 at 10:36 am
@Jason - great pick, food is excellent and you get to die in Barbados.
Dinosaur BBQ in NYC was going to be my next pick, but thank you for taking it j dot domingo (/sarcasm).
So I’ll take Churrascaria Plataforma in midtown Manhattan. All you can eat Brazilian BBQ with meat, meat and more meat. And hot Brazilian hostesses.
July 27th, 2007 at 10:37 am
Giordano’s Pizza on Jackson St. in Chicago.
Thin pizza is for pussies.
July 27th, 2007 at 10:38 am
@little dutch boy:
I’m embarrassed for forgetting Blimpy. If you go there, look up when you are at the point in line where the trays are. I wrote the program, framed on the wall, that I used to tell them how many Blimpy combinations are possible. And yes, I’m a fucking math nerd.
July 27th, 2007 at 10:38 am
top of the hub - boston.
great value this late
July 27th, 2007 at 10:39 am
@Farris fuck fatburger, that overpriced shit burger.
I’m gonna go with the only suitable replacement.
Out of my fav 4 burger places here in the city, I have to take…
New York Burger Company, where I ironically with order the Chicago Burger.
July 27th, 2007 at 10:41 am
I’ll take the Cliff House in San Francisco. Best seafood I’ve ever tasted.
I’m looking hard at a stick of butter wrapped in bacon for my 2nd round pick.
July 27th, 2007 at 10:41 am
I had a near death experience at Blimpy one evening… so much fried food that the left side of my body shut down.
@awful chief and ldb- guess I know what’s for lunch today, huh? Anything you guys want me to order in your honor?
July 27th, 2007 at 10:41 am
nice pick, xtrarant.
I’ll take Womack’s BBQ in South Lake Tahoe. Best BBQ sauce I’ve ever had.
July 27th, 2007 at 10:41 am
Yeah flubby - Don Shula himself blows too….
July 27th, 2007 at 10:43 am
Chef’s Restaurant, Downtown Buffalo.
If you love Italian food, you have to check this place out.
July 27th, 2007 at 10:43 am
this one is a toss up between Pat’s and Jim’s for a cheese steak, but i’ll go with Jim’s on South St. in Philly.
July 27th, 2007 at 10:44 am
Fogo De Chao - all you can eat meat!!!
July 27th, 2007 at 10:44 am
jason, you’re killing me. I suggest a quint with grilled onions, a fried egg, blue cheese, stone ground mustard, lettuce and tomato, with a side of fried zucchini.
July 27th, 2007 at 10:44 am
Per Se, El Bulli, and Le Bec Fin were total steals this late, though Le Bec Fin is the only one I’ve been to. But I’ll have to go with The Fat Duck in England. Sardine on toast sorbet, baby!
July 27th, 2007 at 10:44 am
fuck sally’s: they’re rude, and the pizza isn’t as good as pepe’s or my pick, bdd.
I pick the pizza spot the new haven register keeps naming best in my favorite corner of connecticut, Modern Apizza. utterly fantastic pizza. and unlike the more famed new haven joints, you can get shit like crabmeat on your utterly fantastic pizza, and it’s GOOD.
July 27th, 2007 at 10:44 am
Ivar’s in Seattle. Definitely when the Copper River Sockeye is in season.
July 27th, 2007 at 10:45 am
Chez Georges - it’s a small out of the way bistro in Paris where I had probably the best meal of my life (and the waitress was actually nice).
July 27th, 2007 at 10:45 am
@ac. I’m with you except for the zucchini. I’m gonna replace that with the shrooms.
July 27th, 2007 at 10:46 am
The Frying Dutchman, Springfield.
July 27th, 2007 at 10:47 am
Argentina Steak House, Aruba. Very good food, and you get to go out in Aruba.
July 27th, 2007 at 10:47 am
(I commend drew all the same for bigging up new haven pizza. The Best of all.
July 27th, 2007 at 10:47 am
Primanti Brothers in Pittsburgh. Preferably the one at Heinz Field, since that would mean I was enjoying a sandwich at a Steelers game.
July 27th, 2007 at 10:48 am
the last dragon- the waiter handed me a goddam football with steaks and prices printed on it– I told him to get me a real fucking menu
July 27th, 2007 at 10:48 am
The fat cat from the Grease trucks at Rutgers. Not technically a restaurant, but hey, they got food.
You’re dead after that meal.
July 27th, 2007 at 10:48 am
Well hell, Jason, now that you mention it, I may be heading there myself. Just a few minutes walk from work, this diet is bullshit anyway.
July 27th, 2007 at 10:48 am
Since those motherfuckers closed down the 2nd Avenue Deli, I’ll take Pancer’s Deli in Toronto. I’ve been known to buy a pound and a half of their corned beef, a jar of kosher half dills and a twelve pack, then strap into my couch for the night and make myself completely unappealing to any living woman.
July 27th, 2007 at 10:49 am
Havana Central in midtown NYC. The cuban food and the mojitos are muy bueno and the hot ass Cuban women are definitely to die for.
July 27th, 2007 at 10:50 am
Lot’s of steak and burritos on this list, so my pick for Milt’s Steakhouse is totally unoriginal. But if I’m going to die, I’m going to die with a steak.
July 27th, 2007 at 10:52 am
Since French Laundry has already been chosen (which is a GREAT choice), I’m going with Chez Pannise, across the bay in Berkeley, CA.
July 27th, 2007 at 10:52 am
I had my first ever Pittsburgher this past weekend, Phil. It reminded me of the time I ate cat shit.
July 27th, 2007 at 10:54 am
Dude, I love Modern Apizza and that’s where I usually go. But I figured I’d take Sally’s for posterity. In reality, I love all of them.
Babbo in New York is next.
July 27th, 2007 at 10:56 am
Phil, excellent call. I’m going with Lee Roy Selmon’s Southern Comforts in the Tampa Bay area.
July 27th, 2007 at 10:56 am
Schwartz’s Deli in Montreal
Because smoked meat > pastrami.
July 27th, 2007 at 10:57 am
Richard’s Bake and Shark in Maracas Bay Trinidad. The best food I’ve ever had, and like Redsoxgal said, you get to die on a beach in Trinidad.
July 27th, 2007 at 10:57 am
Vic and Anthony’s Steakhouse in Houston, TX
July 27th, 2007 at 11:01 am
Dude, Flattop bar and grill in Chicago, Illinois. All you can eat stir fry, tons of beef, and lots of beer. Done.
July 27th, 2007 at 11:02 am
Rotiers in Nashville - Cheesburger on French Bread with a Choclate milk shake and fried pickles. Best place in Nashville for a good burger.
July 27th, 2007 at 11:03 am
if you get a death row pardon to actually get treated well and cut line in sally’s, the pick becomes even more neck-and-neck with modern.
has it been long enough since my last pick? fuck it. I go for another new haven gem, louis lunch, a place that holds the torch for new haven’s claim of inventing the hamburger (along with the american-style pizza). raw burgers, no ketchup allowed, and I’d put away about 8 of the motherfuckers. my plan is to actually give myself a heart attack rather than coming to the end of my meal and getting your auto-death. I’m going out guns/stomach blazin’, baby.
July 27th, 2007 at 11:04 am
Awesome pick with Schwartz’s, Iracane.
I’ll take this no-name taqueria in La Paz, Mexico, that I went to at least once a week when I was living out there. For about seven dollars, you get this monstrous plate of arranchera to fill your tacos that takes at least three people to finish, lest you test the fates and suffer meat blindness.
July 27th, 2007 at 11:04 am
The Peg Leg in St. Maarten. Very good steak an d avast array of Belgian whites.
July 27th, 2007 at 11:04 am
dos caminos, NYC.
July 27th, 2007 at 11:05 am
Rob i, pastrami is a member of the wonderful family of smoked meat.
July 27th, 2007 at 11:05 am
*and a vast
July 27th, 2007 at 11:06 am
As long as I’m picking local Ann Arbor places, my next pick will be Zingerman’s deli. Say what you will about any place in NY, Zingerman’s is better. The best sandwich you can buy.
July 27th, 2007 at 11:08 am
@ all of the Boston picks - are you all high? Hilltop Steakhouse doesn’t even exist anymore, and Top Of the Hub is ridiculously overpriced for what you get (though the view is admittedly awesome). I’ll steal Aujourd’hui in the late rounds - by far the best meal in Boston
July 27th, 2007 at 11:09 am
With out a doubt, Nick Tahou’s in Rochester, NY. For those who aren’t familiar with a “Garbage Plate” now you know. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nick_Tahou_Hots
July 27th, 2007 at 11:09 am
I understand your comment, Mr. Awful Chief, because what the Montrealese call “smoked meat” is basically pastrami. However, the Jews do it better north of the border.
July 27th, 2007 at 11:09 am
I have to disagree with you, little dutch boy. Zingermans is the most overrated deli in the world. The bread to meat ratio is too high.
July 27th, 2007 at 11:12 am
del frisco’s double eagle steakhouse, dallas texas. amazing
July 27th, 2007 at 11:14 am
Wimpy’s in Durham, NC. A double cheeseburger with the works, or since I’m already dying I might go for the Chuckwagon, because how many times do you have the chance to eat a deep fried hamburger.
July 27th, 2007 at 11:15 am
Tal Bagels, my favorite bagel joint.
July 27th, 2007 at 11:18 am
Buca di Beppo and the biggest helping of spaghetti with meat sauce they can make.
though my first two would have been fogo du chao (sp?) and a woody allen from the carnegie. That’s what I get for actually doing work this morning…
July 27th, 2007 at 11:18 am
Hey, to each his own, awful chief. I just know that when I go there, I leave 100% satisfied. There are few sandwiches that hit the spot as well as theirs.
July 27th, 2007 at 11:20 am
Sullivan’s Castle Island, South Boston, MA. Double Cheese Burger and a Dog.
July 27th, 2007 at 11:22 am
Mr. Gatti’s Pizza (Harrisonburg, VA) - my choice would be the all you can eat buffet on Saturday from noon until three PM.
July 27th, 2007 at 11:23 am
xtarant - great choice of St. Elmo’s. I ate there during the Final Four of 2006, and even had one of the guys at our table cut off for being too drunk. Nothing like getting cut off at a 5 star steakhouse!
My second pick - Bern’s Steakhouse in Tampa, Florida. Great steaks, largest restaurant owned wine cellar in the world (which you can tour), tours of the kitchen, and for dessert, they take you to a separate room upstairs with live piano music. Phenomenal!
July 27th, 2007 at 11:23 am
Nice call on Modern Apizza, Josh Drimmer.
I’ll take La Grolla Trattoria in Philly. Screw the rest of the menu and just keep ordering their gnocchi.
July 27th, 2007 at 11:24 am
Spike’s Junkyard Dog’s - Providence, RI. great hot dogs.
July 27th, 2007 at 11:25 am
The original Doe’s Eat Place in Greenville Mississippi. You might get your hubcaps stolen while you eat, but shit, you’re about to die anyway, right? The steaks are off tha chain.
July 27th, 2007 at 11:26 am
Three Burros (Paris, France) - the potato-apple gratin was magnifique. As was the dinde (”bigger than a chicken”) which was pretty unique for France.
July 27th, 2007 at 11:27 am
One if by Land, Two if by Sea - Yes I know it’s expensive, but I think they have the best beef wellington. Also desserts are great and the atmosphere is nice.
July 27th, 2007 at 11:29 am
Big Ten Burrito…BTB.. Ann Arbor, MI
July 27th, 2007 at 11:29 am
l.d.b., I always leave there satisfied as well. It’s better than any deli we have in DC, that’s for sure. You should check out the Plaza Deli at Northwestern and 12 Mile sometime, where you can double the meat for a dollar. Can’t wait for the Oregon game weekend…
July 27th, 2007 at 11:30 am
Bloody Mary’s in Bora Bora, French Polynesia Tahiti.
1) If I’m going to die, being in Bora Bora would be a great place to go.
2) Quoting from their website, “The BAR Opens around 9:30 AM (Depending on how much fun we had last night…)” I can drink myself to death as soon as I wake up.
3) The menu consists of the owner pointing out all the freshly caught seafood, then you pick the things you want which are on ice right in front of you.
I must be da bomb because I’m blowin’ uuuuuuup!!!!!!!
July 27th, 2007 at 11:31 am
I will have to go with Mission Burrito for my next choice (although Chipotle has a better hot salsa)
July 27th, 2007 at 11:33 am
Thanks for the tip, AC. I’m heading to Pontiac next week, I think I’ll be making a detour for lunch perhaps. Always looking for a good sandwich.
July 27th, 2007 at 11:33 am
Arby’s!
July 27th, 2007 at 11:37 am
Bub’s Burgers and Ice Cream in Carmel , IN. They have a 24 oz burger (not counting bread and cheese, theres like six slices of cheese) all slapped into one patty. The burger is about two times the size of Barry Bond’s head and if you finish it they put your picture on the wall. Its not as difficult as it sounds, there are hundreds of pictures but its the best burger Ive ever eaten and if you eat two then you get an 8×10 picture, only four people ever. Right down the street is Bub’s Cafe, a breakfast place that serves a stack of 12 pancakes, nobody has finished one of those yet.
July 27th, 2007 at 11:38 am
Hustler of Culture: get thee to Kansas City. The best BBQ outside of the south is found in Massachussets? Not bloody likely. Since Ookie’s army locked down the best bar-b-que joint in the world I’m taking Carmines on Penn in Denver. And I’m eating until it kills me.
July 27th, 2007 at 11:39 am
last pick, since I’m trying to work, and also getting hungry:
–any of the major three mole poblano restaurants in puebla, mexico. (names I can’t recall.)
mole poblano is a cocoa bean based sauce with 9,000 spices that nuns used to make because nuns have the time to spend eight hours making a fucking sauce. the flavor isn’t really chocolate like–you get it on chicken or enchiladas, usually–nor is it much like anything else. puebla is the birthplace of mole, so you can get a good one there. enough said.
July 27th, 2007 at 11:40 am
Vivoli Gelateria in Florence
I’m lactose intolerant so if I over-indulge, it’ll probably kill me anyway.
July 27th, 2007 at 11:44 am
Since Ookie’s Army took Arthur Bryant’s, the best BBQ in the world, I’ll grab the 2nd best in KC with Fiorella’s Jack Stack. It’s a little too ritzy for a BBQ joint, but the short ribs are unbelievable.
July 27th, 2007 at 11:45 am
Calvin’s got a Job…
BTB is not that good. I mean, yeah, it’s a great cheap burrito when you’re drunk at 3 AM. But hell, I don’t know if I’d go that often when I’m sober.
My next pick, I’ll take a little place called Frank’s Diner somewhere in Maryland. I just wish I could remember where. Unbelievable amount of delicious food for super cheap. Just what I would want from a dirty little diner in the middle of nowhere.
July 27th, 2007 at 11:46 am
Flying Saucer Draught Emporium in Little Rock, AR. There’s something like 10 or 11 of them scattered about the south. Good food, over 200 kinds of beer. Mmmm.
July 27th, 2007 at 11:48 am
Mesa Grill would’ve been my pick, but it was off the board early.
I’ll go with a late breakfast at Kono’s on the Beach in San Diego—Pacific Beach if I’m not mistaken.
Fabulous food. Tremendous view/atmosphere.
July 27th, 2007 at 11:52 am
Commander’s Palace, New Orleans
July 27th, 2007 at 11:53 am
I’m taking Negril Village on West 3rd street in Manhattan. Some of the best Jamaican food this side of Kingston and the rum punches are strong enough to kill the average person (not me).
Just let me eat until I explode.
July 27th, 2007 at 11:57 am
Hmmmm. I would have to say Crabby Bill’s in Indian Rocks Beach, Florida. 9-10 of us Vikes fans traveled there each year from 1989-98 to watch the Vikes/Bucs and we would always go there to get shitfaced and eat oysters and stone crab claws before AND after the game (following visits to Mons Venu on Dale Mabry, where you were sure to see AC or other Vikes players….) Don’t worry, be Crabby!!! Great place.
July 27th, 2007 at 11:58 am
Old Tyme Grocery in Lafayette, Louisiana - best po-boys in the world
July 27th, 2007 at 11:59 am
Equator at Caneel Bay in St. John USVI. the only thing better than the food is the view.
http://www.caneelbay.com/dine3.cfm
the only reason to pick Pepe’s in New Haven is to delay death by waiting 3 hours in line.
July 27th, 2007 at 12:01 pm
chuckles - I live in Boston. KC is the south!
For my next pick, can I just pick the entire North End of Boston?
July 27th, 2007 at 12:04 pm
Since I’ve made my requisite all you can eat bbq pick, I’m going to go with Braum’s Burgers & Ice Cream. Sure the people working there have the collective IQ of a shetland pony, but the food is AWESOME.
Also, Whataburger was taken.
July 27th, 2007 at 12:04 pm
More fast food. SONIC.
Their cherry lime aids are the best hangover cure in the world… especially w/ their awesome little ice pellets. That is necessary cause if I’m dying, i’m clearly getting wasted the night before. For the official meal: popcorn chicken and Tater Tots. Any fast food place w/ tater tots is fine by me.
July 27th, 2007 at 12:04 pm
I need an Indian joint, so I’ll take Chutney’s in Oxford, England.
July 27th, 2007 at 12:04 pm
Buddakan (though I want to die in the Philly location). I’d devour the crispy calamari salad and the angry lobster entree. Then an entire bottle of their best champagne with the chocolate bento box for dessert.
Mmmm…unexplained bacon.
July 27th, 2007 at 12:05 pm
Not ten picks? WTF.
Dinosaur BBQ in Syracuse. Great sides. Plus you get to listen to blues. And the best pulled pork outside of eastern NC, where I live. And we all know eastern NC pork BBQ is the best, right? Just vinegar and crushed red pepper. And smoke. And lots of beer while you tend the cooker. And whiskey.
July 27th, 2007 at 12:06 pm
Frontera Grill in Chicago. Its run by Rick Bayless, who is the whitest dude to cook the fuckin’ shit out of traditional mexican food ever. And its ridiculously expensive and hard to get into. The closest I can come is buying his Frontera Salsa from the store. I recommend the Roasted Chipotle.
July 27th, 2007 at 12:07 pm
Cafe Napoli (Wilmington, DE).
It’s perfect. Nice restaurant, good food. It’s quiet and everybody minds their own business.
July 27th, 2007 at 12:08 pm
“Cherry Lime Aids” sounds like something Rock Hudson gave to the Kool-Aid man.
July 27th, 2007 at 12:11 pm
@beaverfever - i fell in love with whataburger on a business trip to houston last summer. total sexual, lusty, dirty love.
July 27th, 2007 at 12:13 pm
Tov-Li, down the street from me in Toronto. Over-stuffed, perfectly made, spicy falafels served by irate, ornery Israelis.
July 27th, 2007 at 12:14 pm
Let’s see, I’m dying. OK. A hot dog and beer at Yankee Stadium during the bottom of the ninth in the seventh game of the World Series and Derrek Lee hits a 3-run shot on a 3-2 count to beat Rivera and the dogass Yankees 4-3.
July 27th, 2007 at 12:14 pm
@dick g, i also fell in love with it down in houston. by brother had told me about how great whataburger was. he was not kidding.
July 27th, 2007 at 12:15 pm
Keep dreaming reed…not gonna happen. But at least you’re eating Yankee stadium food, so +1 for that.
July 27th, 2007 at 12:17 pm
first I only see 2 places west of KC. Does anyone that reads this blog live in the west? My pick is Art’s Deli on Ventura in Studio City. “Every sandwich is a work of Art”
July 27th, 2007 at 12:18 pm
Afterwords Cafe inside Kramerbooks in DC. Best damn lamb I’ve ever had. Finish with the blueberry pie, and an Ommegang.
@jtex
When in Houston, visit my Plate at the Flying Saucer!
July 27th, 2007 at 12:19 pm
Wolfgang’s Steakhouse, NYC
July 27th, 2007 at 12:22 pm
Les Halles New York
July 27th, 2007 at 12:23 pm
One more. For the view.
Two lobsters, a bag of steamers, and a slice of blueberry pie. Late August. Shaw’s Lobster Wharf, New Harbor Maine.
July 27th, 2007 at 12:24 pm
Spike’s Junkyard Dogs…awesome pick.
2nd pick: Durgin Park near Faneuil Hall/quincy market in Boston. The food’s ok, the service sucks but it’s still one of my favorite places to eat when in Beantown
July 27th, 2007 at 12:24 pm
I’m going a little off the chart here with my 2nd pick and taking:
COLD STONE CREAMERY.
I’m going to order a large Chocolate Devotion and then explode like a pinata. mmmmm…..ice cream.
1. Frontera Grill
2. Cold Stone Creamery
@ farris - giordano’s is fucking fantastic. the deep dish spinach is the way to go.
July 27th, 2007 at 12:26 pm
Sammy’s Steakhouse, Mendham NJ
And I might get to live because there’s no sign so God might get lost on his way to smite me.
July 27th, 2007 at 12:29 pm
thanks ghost of c.m., Spike’s chicken sandwiches are also pretty good. the “patriot dog” is one of my favorites there.
July 27th, 2007 at 12:29 pm
Holy Shit… easy: Roscoes Chicken and Waffles!
No Los Angelenos up too early today or this pick would be long gone!
July 27th, 2007 at 12:30 pm
The Big Texan in Amarillo, TX. Eat a 72 oz. steak in one hour, and it’s free. They put you on stage. When I finished it, I like to believe there was clapping, but that may have just been my arteries. Nothing like having a meal and being cheered on.
July 27th, 2007 at 12:31 pm
Tony Luke’s. I’d buy a sack full of cheese steaks with provolone with fried onions and their roast pork with sharp provie and spinach, pick up a case of Sea Dog Blueberry Wheat ale, and have multiple orgasms till I croak.
Mmm…free goo.
July 27th, 2007 at 12:31 pm
I’m taking Junior’s in Brooklyn, NY because I grew up in that neighborhood and I figure, what the hell, I’m dying anyway…
…and once I’m done with the food, I can give myself a coronary trying to finish one of their world famous strawberry cheesecakes.
July 27th, 2007 at 12:31 pm
Roscoe’s Chicken and Waffles. On Pico. How Sonic and Whataburger go before that is beyond me…..
July 27th, 2007 at 12:32 pm
Wow, no one’s picked this yet…Grimaldi’s, Brooklyn.
July 27th, 2007 at 12:33 pm
I only would wanna go to les halles in new york city if anthony bourdain cooked my food and then told me hilarious stories….and then personally killed me.
July 27th, 2007 at 12:35 pm
Bisonwitches - Tucson, AZ A nice french dip w/ a bowl of Wisconsin cheese & Chili
July 27th, 2007 at 12:35 pm
Yeah, I’m in flyover country, so my first pick is Big Ed’s (it’s in OKC). Pretty damn good hambuger (if memory serves) and fucking awesome fries made with real cut potatoes, on premises if I’m not mistaken. They also have some giant hamburger that if you eat it all, you get it free or some shit like that.
July 27th, 2007 at 12:36 pm
Oh, and Rosa’s Mexican Food, Tucson, Arizona. A #4 combo with a fried egg on top. It’s like eating a grease and cheese soup. I would welcome the apocalypse after that.
July 27th, 2007 at 12:36 pm
Jack Stack BBQ in Kansas City. Best GD BBQ (and cheesy potato bake) on the entire planet.
July 27th, 2007 at 12:43 pm
David excellent choice, I was considering eiter Rosas or Nicos but went with Bison instead
July 27th, 2007 at 12:45 pm
Cozy Dog’s Drive in, Springfield, IL
http://www.cozydogdrivein.com/
An entire restaurant devoted to corn dogs? Done and Done. Also they have FANTASTIC fries.
I feel a little bad for not keeping it classy like some others… but lets face it. I’m not classy.
July 27th, 2007 at 12:50 pm
@ rob i: Moving down Summit Ave. from Tito’s: The Summit Diner. Their Taylor Ham Egg and Cheese is the greatest breakfast in the world. Also, I’ve never tasted a better fountain pepsi. Perfect ratio of syrup to soda water. These things are important, people.
July 27th, 2007 at 12:52 pm
John John, Bison is a good call. Nothing like a deli with a full bar. There’s one in Norman, OK as well…and Quentin’s in Lawrence and Iowa City must be affiliated, because they have a very similar menu.
Nicos would be my choice, but only if my last meal took place at 4 a.m. after a few bonghits and a viewing of the original Willy Wonka. Man, I wish I was still a wildcat.
July 27th, 2007 at 12:53 pm
I come in here 200-odd comments in, and Katz’s Deli is still on the table?
Meg Ryan had to fake her orgasm in the “Harry and Sally” scene they shot there, but mine is going to be real. Giant fucking hot pastrami sandwich, some fries, another giant pastrami sandwich, a knockwurst, and then I explode like Mr. Creosote.
July 27th, 2007 at 12:53 pm
Soory Consigliary… beat you to Roscoe’s by two minutes… and yes Pico location rules.
Next pick: Four Seasons. Best restaurant in new york. A bit old school with a dress code etc… but if you were a king in a palace these would be the kind meals you would be getting.
July 27th, 2007 at 12:54 pm
Oh, on Nobu — my wife and I ate there for my birthday one time, and two tables over was none other than Mr. David Hasselhoff. He was loudly telling a story so we’d all notice.
And at Morimoto’s other restaurant in L.A., we were next to a guy who was a semi-star on “Walker Texas Ranger.”
World class sushi, and D-list celebrities. What more could you want?
July 27th, 2007 at 12:55 pm
Rotiers in Nashville - Cheesburger on French Bread with a Choclate milk shake and fried pickles. Best place in Nashville for a good burger.
Chris nailed it. The owners are good peeps, too.
July 27th, 2007 at 1:00 pm
i’m going back to Texas, Goode Co. Barbeque in Houston.
July 27th, 2007 at 1:00 pm
The Frying Dutchman, Springfield.
“I heard they shaved a gorilla.”
July 27th, 2007 at 1:03 pm
Chop House. Chicago. Leave with a doggie bag and it looks like Jeffery Dahmer lives with you. Broiled Prime Rib. MMMMM
July 27th, 2007 at 1:05 pm <