This list is for people that can get around a little. So maybe it will help someone if they are taking a trip to a place I've frequented:
Metropolitan Grill - Seattle, WA; Steaks, cocktails and great wines in an old school style streakhouse with dark wood. Since it is Seattle it also has excellent seafood. Think a big improvement on Ruth's Chris or Sullivan's and you are in the ball park. Blue cheese topped ribeye is my go to although filet oscar is pretty darn good. This place accounted for at least one of my blocked arteries.
Ringside Steakhouse - Portland, OR; Old school as in 50's style steakhouse. Nothing fancy. Onion rings are the sleeper here. Get them.
Ho Chow's - Fremont, CA; Awesome Chinese food in the East Bay. No need to go to SF. Think PF Changs but better. Americanized with real nice cuts of meat.
Ker's Winghouse - All over Florida especially Orlando area; Hooters but with much better wings and skimpier outfits. Leave your wife at home. She'll likely hate it. 4 of us once ate 140 wings, 2 apps and were forced to take cabs home.
Charlie's Steakhouse - Florida - Steaks cooked over a very high temp mesquite wood grill. Awesome steaks and seafood. Not real fancy either. Might be my favorite streakhouse. Wife and daughter claim their Red Velvet cake is the best ever. I don't know about that, but I have probably expensed a couple thousand dollars of wine there. At least.
Southstreet - Nashville, TN; Over on the west side of town by Vanderbilt U. Southern food and barbecue. My standby is the pumped chicken. 1/2 marinated chicken. Best ever. Ribs are good and the marinated flank steak is stellar. Try to get a table upstairs. Open treehouse built around a tree with a cool fireplace. Oh, they have good beer selection also.
Broadway Brewhouse - Nashville, TN; Brewhouse, you got that right? Lots of beer on tap. Including some strange frozen drink popular in Nashville that reminds me of a white russian. Can't remember what it is called since I've never left this place walking normally or thinking logically. Strange mix of cajun and Mexican food. Tacos, burritos, chips and salsa's. Cucumber salsa is a staple here. Wings and some sandwiches too. And beer. Lots of beer. Very cool little fly fishing shop is next door, and there is a hot chicken place across street. I often start at the Brewhouse, wander up to Southstreet for dinner, and then cap off the night back at the Brewhouse. Good luck.
Rippy's - Nashville, TN; Downtown across street from arena where they play hockey. Big bar with large open upstairs. Decent bar food and barbecue. Great place to have a few drinks and apps. Great atmosphere.
Havana Cafe - West Jefferson, NC; Cubans. Cuban food. Good bread. I order chicken vaca frita. Marinated chicken with a citrus flavor finished on the grill. Sauteeed onions on top with beans and plantians. Stuffed pepper is good when they have it. Tiny place with few seats on Backstreet.
Coyote Kitchen - Boone, NC; Over by the Walmart. Nice mix of funky Mexican food. Tacos, burritos, bowls and boats. Bottled beers in house. Chips and salsa. Big portions. 2 tacos is perfect for me. Small little place hidden in a strip mall.
Dinosaur Barbecue - Syracuse, NY; Also places in Harlem and Rochester but they are corporate creations and not the original. Not sure why anyone would end up in Syracuse on purpose but if you get stuck there this is the place to go. Started by a few bikers that got married and couldn't travel to all the bike shows anymore. Key guy took a year to travel from NY to Miami and learn about barbecue. Ribs are awesome. Brisket is perfect. Pork is not Eastern Style, but they put slaw on it for you. Specials can be incredible. Thick smoked pork chops can be great when they have it. Catfish strips app is a problem. Don't fill up on them. Drunken Shrimp! Smoked sausages. Damn. Decent beer selections and blues bands at night. Small and can have long lines and wait times. I usually just have beer at the bar until a table is ready. Usually standing up. Waitress's are mostly fine biker ladies with thick skins. Only barbecue place I've seen that can touch it for all around food is in Texas, but this place has it all. Smoked wings are very good. Devil's Duel sauce will light you up. But you'll live. There is also a habenero b'cue sauce that is very good. Parking sucks nearby also. Be prepared to drive around until you stumble on the lot a block or two away.
That is it for now. Might add more if the mood and memory allows.
