Diners, Drive In's and Dives

[Andy Orr]

Watching this programme now on Food Network channel. I am totally hooked - you folks are so lucky to have places like these across the country. Here in Scotland we have small cafes selling in the main fish and chips and the usual fast food joints like KFC, Burger King etc., nothing like any of the diners shown here. I expect there are diners that are not so good, but are the standards generally as high as the places shown on the programme? We plan to map some of the places featured and visit them on our next trip to the US. I expect many of you have your own favourite diners - it might be a good idea to list them somewhere on the site for the benefit of other travellers (sorry if this has been done before).
Andy

[paulw]

Hi Andy,
You can down load the locations at the POI Factory:
Search | POI Factory

[Andy Orr]

Originally Posted by paulw

Hi Andy,
You can down load the locations at the POI Factory:
Search | POI Factory

Thanks for that Paul, this will be very useful. Funnily enough, we were in a diner in Marysville a number of years ago. I don't remember the name but it was in a retail park just off the interstate (I5?). We were driving from Seattle up to Canada. The diner was excellent with an unlimited lunchtime buffet which was very much appreciated. There were, I believe, a lot of Boeing retirees dining there as I think they had special rates, if my memory is correct (it has its off days).
Thanks again
Andy

[Frederick L. Simson]

Originally Posted by Andy Orr

Are the standards generally as high as the places shown on the programme? We plan to map some of the places featured and visit them on our next trip to the US. I expect many of you have your own favourite diners - it might be a good idea to list them somewhere on the site for the benefit of other travellers

I've been to a couple of the restaurants that have been featured on the program. I can vouch for those I have eaten at, YES they are on my short list of favorites where I take visitors because of consistently high standards. They are coded RED in my list below.

You sparked my imagination for a culinary adventure! I went to the show's website and found all of the places within my area. Now I want to visit those places that were on the show that I haven't been to.

Guy's Diners, Drive-ins and Dives
You can visit the same hotspots featured on Guy's show!

Totally Fried, Episode DV0201

Ramona Cafe
628 Main St.
Ramona, CA 92605
Tel: (760) 789-8656

Seaside Eats, Episode DV0206

Hodad's
5010 Newport Ave.
Ocean Beach, CA 92107
Tel: (619) 224-4623

Family Owned, Episode DV0209
El Indio
3695 India St.
San Diego , CA
Tel: (619) 299-0333
Website: Bienvenidos! El Indio, Mexican Restaurant & Catering. Family Owned and Operated Since 1940

Open 24/7, Episode DV0210

Studio Diner:
4701 Ruffin Rd.
San Diego, CA 92123
Tel: (858) 715-6400
Website: Welcome to the Studio Diner

Episode 411 - Grabbin' a Sandwich

Tioli's Crazee Burger
4201 30th Street
San Diego, CA 92104
(612) 282 6044

Episode 502 - Real Deal Italian

Pizzeria Luigi
1137 25th St
San Diego, CA 92102
Tel: (619) 233-3309

Episode 508 - Just Like Yesterday

Hob Nob Hill
2271 1st Ave
San Diego, CA 92101
Tel: (619) 239.8176

Episode 602 - Their Own Way

Blue Water Seafood
3667 India Street
San Diego, CA,92103
(619) 497-0914

[Andy Orr]

Originally Posted by paulw

Hi Andy,
You can down load the locations at the POI Factory:
Search | POI Factory

Originally Posted by Frederick L. Simson

I've been to a couple of the restaurants that have been featured on the program. I can vouch for those I have eaten at, YES they are on my short list of favorites where I take visitors because of consistently high standards. They are coded RED in my list below.

You sparked my imagination for a culinary adventure! I went to the show's website and found all of the places within my area. Now I want to visit those places that were on the show that I haven't been to.

Guy's Diners, Drive-ins and Dives
You can visit the same hotspots featured on Guy's show!

Totally Fried, Episode DV0201

Ramona Cafe
628 Main St.
Ramona, CA 92605
Tel: (760) 789-8656

Seaside Eats, Episode DV0206

Hodad's
5010 Newport Ave.
Ocean Beach, CA 92107
Tel: (619) 224-4623

Family Owned, Episode DV0209
El Indio
3695 India St.
San Diego , CA
Tel: (619) 299-0333
Website: Bienvenidos! El Indio, Mexican Restaurant & Catering. Family Owned and Operated Since 1940

Open 24/7, Episode DV0210

Studio Diner:
4701 Ruffin Rd.
San Diego, CA 92123
Tel: (858) 715-6400
Website: Welcome to the Studio Diner

Episode 411 - Grabbin' a Sandwich

Tioli's Crazee Burger
4201 30th Street
San Diego, CA 92104
(612) 282 6044

Episode 502 - Real Deal Italian

Pizzeria Luigi
1137 25th St
San Diego, CA 92102
Tel: (619) 233-3309

Episode 508 - Just Like Yesterday

Hob Nob Hill
2271 1st Ave
San Diego, CA 92101
Tel: (619) 239.8176

Episode 602 - Their Own Way

Blue Water Seafood
3667 India Street
San Diego, CA,92103
(619) 497-0914

Frederick, you must have woken up and thought you were in heaven with all these places in your vicinity. Have fun sampling those you haven't visited and please let us know what you think of them. I am so envious.
Andy
se you

[CliveAlive]

but are the standards generally as high as the places shown on the programme?

Well there are some great restaurants in the UK, and of course there's Chinese and Indian and even some imaginitive Chippies (one I knew in Scotland did a great Chicken Cacciatore).

Here in the States there is SO much more variety! Japanese, Thai, French, Italian, Cajun, Southern (US), Soul Food, etc. And there seems to be a lot more creativity with the ingredients.

Mind you, the Railway Restaurant in Plockton served the best venison and haggis!

[Donna D.]

Portland, Oregon is rated #1 for Food Carts! Any kind of food you can possibly imagine, cheap too:

[Robin G]

I can't watch that show, I get too hungry when I watch it.

[Adrian W]

One of the most talked about green chile cheese burgers for years, is a "fried" on a grittle in San Antonio, NM at the Owl Bar.....Green Chile CheeseBurger.

I have now been hearing about another green chile cheeseburger in San Antonio, NM. The Buckhorn Tavern in San Antonio. It was featured on another Food Channel program. http://www.foodnetwork.com/throwdown...ers/index.html
Manny's Buckhorn......Buckhorn Green Chile

For some good chile dishes: Here are some nice places to get Southern New Mexico Mexican Style Food in Las Cruces. Enchiladas are often flat New Mexico style, not rolled, but not always. I ask for whole beans, so much better if they have them than re-fried. Salsa can be really great, not so good...depending on the kick & the taste.

El Sombrero Patio Cafe El Sombrero
(575) 524-9911
363 S Espina St, Las Cruces, NM
very good maybe #1 for us
No problem with service
Good Salsa, great whole beans
not open on Sunday
Espina is just past a bowling alley both on the right. A long block past.

Nopalito Restaurant Nopalito
575-524-0003
310 S. Mesquite St.
Las Cruces, NM 88001
second to El Sombrero
Mesquite crosses Amador and Lohman
From the West: Turn Left off Lohman, From the East: Right off Amador, Mesquite is 4 or 5 Blocks past Espina & El Sombrero.
Great Salsa, now can get whole beans.

Nellie's Cafe Nellies
(575) 524-9982
1226 W Hadley Ave, Las Cruces, NM
many in town really like this one it can be very hot as well only breakfast & lunch

Si Senor Restaurant Si Senor
(575) 527-0817
1551 E Amador Ave, Las Cruces, NM
A chain, not a diner, but good food, mild to hot chile
It will be before you get to Solano a large intersection.
West: Left off Lohman just pass Solano
with the plates, you get sopias included
They now have a Si Senor Express at the corner of Lohman & Solano across from the Carl's Jr. as well.

Roberto's Mexican Food Roberto's **** Roberto's
(575) 523-1851
908 E Amador Ave, Las Cruces, NM
Can be very hot
Not open on Sunday
This is across the street and down a bit from El Sombrero Patio Cafe.
Roberto is the man who makes the largest enchalata in the world @ The Whole Enchilada Fiesta Whole.... Festival

All of these (Except Nellie's) are on or just off E Amador Ave and if you are getting off I-25 at (exit 3) Lohman Ave, Lohman Ave turns into E. Amador Ave as one travels west as it becomes a one way street. And traveling from the west, Amador will turn into Lohman once it becomes a one way street.

Oh, yes. One thing Texas came up with which is really good are Fajitas. None better than at Taco Cabana in El Paso (they have them in San Antonio, TX as well), we normally get them when we are down in El Paso. They have fajitas in most of the Las Cruces places as well, but we really like Taco Cabana Fajitas.

Mesilla has a couple of neat restaurants, the Double Eagle ( Double-Eagle ) and La Posta ( La Posta ), both with more atmosphere than the ones I listed above. Not sure if the food is any better. Mesilla & Mesilla.com

The West's Best Burgers: http://www.outwestnewspaper.com/burgers.html

In California, just north of Monterey, at Moss Landing......Phil's Fishery Market & Eatery has a fresh fish market attached to its delicious restaurant serving extensive list of fresh seafood including his famous Ciopinno from the Food Network (831)633-2152.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=548hLRGXeHU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xotec...eature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-HTnH...eature=related

Also in California: We found Neptune's Net Seafood to have great seafood. The Scene – This glorified roadside shack is situated alongside Malibu's picturesque Pacific Coast Highway. As I remember, it is close to Leo Carillo & Point Mugu State Parks. At least it was between Malibu & Point Mugu. Neptune's Site

[WtMtJim]

Andy, we have watched the show from the beginning and love it. We bought Guy's book which lists the DDD's he has featured. We also downloaded the POI list of DDDs. As we travel around, I check the POI for nearby DDDs and we always stop at one whenever we can. We carry the book with us and ask the owners to autograph it. Love the food, meet some great people and we are getting quite a collection of original comments and autographs. Great fun.

[Lizbeth]

Adding to Adrian's idea. A fun list off the New Mexico Tourism site;

New Mexico’s Green Chile Cheeseburger Trail

Green Chile Cheesburgers, an exquisite treat from the Land of Enchantment, New Mexico

[Jon Vermilye]

Another great source for finding interesting places to eat is Jane & Michael Stern's book Road Food. It gets updated every couple of years & has good descriptions of great places to stop.

They also have a web site that has up-to-date reviews...

[Adrian W]

Just saw a news report from El Paso about a Food Channel latest filming:
Local Restaurant to be Featured on Food Network | KTSM News Channel 9

Have not eaten there, but the food looks very good from the report.

The segment on Kiki's is scheduled to air on the food network on October 4 on the program "The Best Thing I Ever Ate."

To add to Lizbeth info: I am not sure why the Double Eagle's http://www.double-eagle-mesilla.com/...eburger-video/ Cheeseburger was left off the list. Maybe voting was being done in Albu'que. Ha! I must admit, I have not tried one yet.

[Andy Orr]

Originally Posted by WtMtJim

Andy, we have watched the show from the beginning and love it. We bought Guy's book which lists the DDD's he has featured. We also downloaded the POI list of DDDs. As we travel around, I check the POI for nearby DDDs and we always stop at one whenever we can. We carry the book with us and ask the owners to autograph it. Love the food, meet some great people and we are getting quite a collection of original comments and autographs. Great fun.

This is what we would like to do. I reckon we'll buy the book and if possible plan at least some of our next trip to the US around trying to visit some of the places Guy has visited. It does indeed sound like great fun.
One thing that has impressed me - but not my waistline -
is the size of the portions in restaurants in he US. You certainly won't come out hungry.
As CliveAlive says above, there are good restaurants here in Scotland, but they tend to be more formal than most of the diners shown in Diners, Drive-In's and Dives, and I would guess, more expensive to eat in. There are good Indian and Chinese restaurants, but not many offering ethnic Scottish fare (unless fish and chips are counted as such).
One speciality here in Scotland is the deep fried Mars bar (Milky Way in the US). The bar is dipped in batter and deep fried. I am told it is delicious but will let you judge for yourselves.
Anyway, happy dining and keep up the recommendations.
Andy

[brian m.]

Well, if you like anything deep-fried you need to visit Texas! Here are some shots of a diner in Blanco, Texas. It's the Blanco Bowling Club Cafe. We had the "special" which was Chicken Fried Steak, fried Okra, real mashed potatoes, and some Jello cake...

[Andy Orr]

Originally Posted by brian m.

Well, if you like anything deep-fried you need to visit Texas! Here are some shots of a diner in Blanco, Texas. It's the Blanco Bowling Club Cafe. We had the "special" which was Chicken Fried Steak, fried Okra, real mashed potatoes, and some Jello cake...

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

[Frederick L. Simson]

Originally Posted by Andy Orr

One thing that has impressed me - but not my waistline -
is the size of the portions in restaurants in he US. You certainly won't come out hungry.
As CliveAlive says above, there are good restaurants here in Scotland, but they tend to be more formal than most of the diners shown in Diners, Drive-In's and Dives, and I would guess, more expensive to eat in.
Anyway, happy dining and keep up the recommendations.
Andy

The San Diego Chicken Pie Shop
This restaurant soldiers on, but has diminished since George, the founder died. Most of the wait-staff has changed as well, due to the vintage of the original crew, who were older women eschewing note pads and worked strictly from memory due to their longevity. It came to it's present location when it was forced out of a gentrified neighborhood. I wish people could experience the original as I have.

[Adrian W]

In San Antonio and El Paso as well as just out of OK City and Amarillo, Taco Cabana Mexican Patio Cafe, the best Mexican style fast food you can find IMHO, stop and eat. Best Fajitas, we like the chicken ones, but all are good. (We eat at one in El Paso whenever we have to go there, see Mexican Nationals eating at it, must be good) Great Salsa, try some of each, very good eating. Sopias were bad when we tried them in Amerillo, other menu items very good. Taco Cabana : Taco Cabana: Menu

Find some good Texas Barbeque something like this place maybe Texas Pride Barbecue, which was featured on the Food Network. Texas Pride BBQ | Best Barbecue Restaurant in San Antonio, TX We have not been to it. I can not recommend a place in TX. We had some just off I-10 in Kerrville, but it was years ago. Not sure if it still good. The barbeque sauce is the key. We did get some very good BBQ in a little place in Johnson City. This might be the place: http://www.yelp.com/biz/kennys-bbq-johnson-city , but this sounds like a good place as well: http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/301/1275...e-Johnson-City

I just found this on the net, http://www.lascrucesbbq.com/The_Ribc.../About_Us.html , may have to check this one out. Looks good.