Diners, Drive-In's, and Dive's

[900kingcat162]

Are you familiar with this TV show in the travel channel? Its about small mom and pop restaurants around the country that are known for some good old fashioned home cookin. Each place is known for one amazing dish in particular. If I had the time and money, I would LOVE to travel the US and visit each of these establishments. But since I have neither, I would like to hear what the JD family recommends in their areas. So where is the best place to go for this? For that?

 

[thunderstruck88]

Are you familiar with this TV show in the travel channel? Its about small mom and pop restaurants around the country that are known for some good old fashioned home cookin. Each place is known for one amazing dish in particular. If I had the time and money, I would LOVE to travel the US and visit each of these establishments. But since I have neither, I would like to hear what the JD family recommends in their areas. So where is the best place to go for this? For that?

I live in Ohio and in Southren Ohio Near Caldwell is a place called Mom's great food , cheap and very good service !!!! Guy should go there period !!!! Also I think he should go to I think it's called Mcquires or something like that and they make Pasties and man are those things GOOD!!!!!!! Going to go fix xupper now having meatloaf , Smashed garlic potatoes, green beans and a salad and for dessert having Apple Pie home made

 

[jd]

Like the show. They always make every thing look so good. Even when they went to XXX in West Lafayette. When I was going to school there, the only way you went into the triple X was at 2 in the morning when you were feeling no pain.

Here is a vote for the best rib joint I have ever been to. Twin Anchors in Chicago. Really more of a bar than anything, but they must sell 100's of rib dinners a night. It is just a couple of blocks north of North Ave and a few blocks west of Lake Shore Drive. I think it is on Sedgwick. But get there before 5, or you will be waiting more than an hour to get a table- right along with all the other yuppies working their 9-5.

-John

 

[hemi_newman]

the bqq joints he visits down south looks so damn good. wish i could live down there for the summer just for the food

 

[gary_in_neenah]

Kinda hard for the Mom & Pops today with all the chains that are being built.

There's a small town north of here called Hortonville, a restaurant there called the Black Otter features a 64 ounce Prime Rib. Darn thing looks like a roast when they bring it to your table. A friendly place, good service, family owned and operated. Not far from the local trail system too.

Other choices in our area include Darboy Club for Chicken, Lombardi's for Steak, and Victoria's for Italian.

Man, I think I gained a couple of pounds just writing this post.

 

[jr37]

In my area it would be S&S Cafe for breakfast, (it's all good). Then for a meal it would be Cactus Jacks for the BBQ Ribs, simply awesome. Both located in or near Mosinee, WI.

 

[thunderstruck88]

Kinda hard for the Mom & Pops today with all the chains that are being built.

There's a small town north of here called Hortonville, a restaurant there called the Black Otter features a 64 ounce Prime Rib. Darn thing looks like a roast when they bring it to your table. A friendly place, good service, family owned and operated. Not far from the local trail system too.

Other choices in our area include Darboy Club for Chicken, Lombardi's for Steak, and Victoria's for Italian.

Man, I think I gained a couple of pounds just writing this post.

most mom and pops would out do all those chains any day of the week and Bar food is way better to Chains = Pains in my tummy Mom and Pops ==== TOPS!!!!!!

 

[oldguy]

For breakfast, try Marge’s on Rose in Lacrosse. Bring a couple of buddies to help you eat the house specialty, the Ugg’s Mess.

 

[michaeladams]

i prefer mom and pop places over any chain.although i do find myself at walmart for the shopping trips.

 

[900kingcat162]

yeah, hemi I know. I love good BBQ and you cant get any good stuff around central WI. I just drool when I see those BBQ places in Texas serving up on freezer paper. The old wood fired smokers are amazing. The big chains dont come close to real BBQ. Why doesnt someone open a BBQ place around here? I have always played with the idea myself. There are two places I have been to that have lip smacking good grub. One is 'Mama's Cafe' in Minoqua. A small family run business. All food is to die for! I never imagined food could taste this good! Every bite you just want to roll around in your mouth for a long time! Get the veal parmesean and mussles in butter and garlic herb sauce. Even the pizza is amazing! The second place is a small Italian place in Pinedale, WY. Its across the road from the hotel. The lady who runs it immigrated here from Italy a couple years ago. Hands down best food I have ever had, and being a good cook myself, am VERY picky about the food I get whenever I go out to eat, so that means a lot.

 

[bonnevier]

Good call JD....been to XXX (triple X or tri chi as some refer to it as) many times! Even made it in the real morning time and still just as good!

Twin Anchors is great for ribs and beats the heck out of the chain places. I still would love to try some ribs in the Carolinas just to see how they stack up. Can't beat Twin Anchors zesty sauce!

 

[elf]

Diners, Dives, and Drive inns was here in Cloquet earlier this year doing a show on Gordy's HiHat drive in. Great burgers and fries there. Just great drive in type food. They also stopped in Duluth for some shows and at one of the places they visited, the head chef is the daughter of a guy who works for me here. So it's been fun seeing some of the locals spots featured on the show. If you are ever in Superior WI and want a burger, go to either Gronks or the Anchor Bar. Very good.

 

[yamahauler]

In Duluth, Midi Restaurant is in the Fitger's building. They have great sandwich's but they also have these sweet potato chips. These chips are the best thing on the planet. I guarantee that if they sold these by the bag, you couldn't stop without eating the whole bag. Holy cats, they are awesome.

Another one is the Rustic Inn Cafe off Hwy 61 in Castle Danger (North of Two Harbors, MN). They have awesome sandwiches, but the homemade pie is out of this world. I use to love Betty's Pies until they got bought out and now the pies are delivered frozen. This place smokes Betty's I think.

 

[doomsman]

There used to be a bar on the southwest side of Squirrel Lake
west of Minocqua Wi that had the best home made soup.
Just so long as you did not try and put crackers in it.
The old German lady yanked my pals bowl out from in
front of him and would not serve him any more.

 

[skidoodoug]

Blast from the past...

There used to be a bar on the southwest side of Squirrel Lake
west of Minocqua Wi that had the best home made soup.
Just so long as you did not try and put crackers in it.
The old German lady yanked my pals bowl out from in
front of him and would not serve him any more.

I remember that place from like 20 years ago. She always had nice things to say about the natives too.

Do you remember what the name of the place was.

 

[ubee]

I think she was a nazi war criminal hiding out in the northwoods !! LOL! Juke box had old german songs on it ! UMPA,UMPA !!!

 

[doomsman]

I think she was a nazi war criminal hiding out in the northwoods !! LOL! Juke box had old german songs on it ! UMPA,UMPA !!!

Yep the the umpa umpa did the name have landings in it?
She always had a new dirty joke to.
South of Docs old place.

 

[doomsman]

Pine knob

 

[mustardbucket2]

Just went down to Kentucky last week on vacation and stopped at XXX in West Lafayette on Thursday morning. Place was a dive with great food - just what the show is about. The jumper cables on the wall were a great touch! We'd go back again. Also had BBQ at JJ McBrewsters in Lexington, KY. It was good, and they really trumped up having been on the show. Best DDD stops we've been to are Tufano's (sp?) in Chicago - Italian food that was awesome, and The Shanty on Hwy 41 in far northern Illinois. We've been to 8 places so far that have been on the show - something fun to plan into your trips.

 

[GTL]

Diners & dives

We are lucky enough to have two such establishments, and right on our trails too. The "HOUSE of COATES" just so. of I.G.H. on Hwy. 52 and KINGS in beautiful "downtown" Miesville, MN.. Both have great burgers and other good eats and reasonable drink prices. Great family places to stop.