Top of the Mark

*** (3 stars)

Sad to say, this favorite haunt of my youth has fallen on hard times, and now just seems a bit seedy. The views are still great, except that the former dark and romantic lighting has been replaced by a brightly lit (and completely empty) dance floor and a big screen TV, both of which are brightly reflected in all the windows. Drinks are decent if pricey (presumably to pay for the view), and the menu is basic bar food, although nicely presented. Service was efficient.

Top of the Mark
1 Nob Hill
San Francisco, CA 94108
(415) 392-3434
http://www.yelp.com/biz/top-of-the-mark-san-francisco

The Capital Grille

SyndicateSept2014

***** (5 stars)

This is my favorite of all the Capital Grilles I have been to. Our wine group meets here in the back room, and the service is consistently superb, the venue perfect, and the glassware plentiful.

My favorite menu items are the crab cakes, lobster mac and cheese, wedge salad, and the kona crusted steak. Ask for the bone-in filet, which they sometimes have. My favorite side vegetable is the truffle fries. Creamed spinach and asparagus are also good.

Free valet parking is very convenient.

The Capital Grille
9101 International Dr
Orlando, FL 32819
(407) 370-4392
http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-capital-grille-orlando

Miller’s Ale House Restaurants

**** (4 stars)

I’m not completely in tune with the whole sports bar thing, probably because I’m not a sport fan. But Miller’s Ale House is certainly the most successful chain of them in Orlando. This location, on Kirkman, is packed every day, and the food is good (just don’t check the calorie counts on their website).

Burgers and salads are good bets here, and I also like the chicken fajitas, one of the healthier choices (they are lower in calories than many of the salads).

Service is decent, but it’s pretty much impossible to have lunch here in less than an hour, so don’t go if you’re tight on time.

Miller’s Ale House Restaurants
5573 S Kirkman Rd
Orlando, FL 32819
(407) 248-0000
http://www.yelp.com/biz/millers-ale-house-restaurants-orlando-6

The Big Easy

**** (4 stars)

The Big Easy offers fairly authentic New Orleans style food in a convivial, neighborhood sports bar-like atmosphere. The emphasis is on fried food, including shrimp, crawfish and oysters, which can be ordered as an appetizer or in a po’boy sandwich.

We enjoyed the mixed seafood appetizer and the fried pickles, but my favorite was the Mufaletta sandwich, as good as any I’ve had in New Orleans. The ham was tender and generous, the olive spread appropriately tangy, and the bread had the perfect crusty consistency. The sandwich was accompanied by some great battered fries, served piping hot.

There are also entrees such as Étouffée and Jambalaya and blackened redfish. I found the flavors of the Étouffée and Jambalaya a bit too similar.

Service was a real standout. A single waitress handled the whole room, and was more efficient than three people might have been. She kept our drinks refilled, checked back often, and made the whole experience a very pleasant one.

The Big Easy
15502 Stoneybrook W Pkwy
Ste 120
Winter Garden, FL 34787
(407) 654-3279
http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-big-easy-winter-garden

Teak Neighborhood Grill

***** (5 stars)

This comfortable neighborhood bar offers a great environment for drinks, lunch, or casual dinner. The extensive menu takes a gesture pub approach, with a variety of offerings, but the stars of the show are the burgers.

What’s great about the burger selection here is that every burger is distinctly different, with a true range of flavors from spicy to beer-glazed to caramelized and even peanut butter and jelly! All burgers are a half pound, cooked any way you like, and most come on a pretzel bun, accompanied by your choice of side item. My favorites are the Drunken Monk and the Crone burger (which comes on a cinnamon dusted croissant/donut and is pictured above).

The bistro fries, with a strong rosemary flavor, and the sweet potato tater tots are two good choices.

Definitely in the running for best burger in Orlando.

Teak Neighborhood Grill
6400 Times Square Ave
Orlando, FL 32835
(407) 313-5111
http://www.yelp.com/biz/teak-neighborhood-grill-orlando

Westerly’s

**** (4 stars)

I’ve been going to this restaurant for 20 years. It’s a great place for a business lunch because it has a very professional but relaxed vibe, since it’s a golf clubhouse. Beautiful setting, surrounded by green, and a light, airy dining room. Easy access, friendly staff, and an excellent lunch time menu. The quesadilla appetizer is a good choice, and all the sandwiches are good, particularly the grilled fish and grilled salmon. Your lunch guests will feel like you’ve taken them to an exclusive club.

Westerly’s
2100 S Hiawassee Rd
Orlando, FL 32835
(407) 297-0050
http://www.yelp.com/biz/westerlys-orlando

Metrowest Golf Club

**** (4 stars)

I’ve always enjoyed this course. It’s in terrific shape, there’s a nice clubhouse and restaurant, and the people are friendly. It’s a somewhat interesting course, but no real elevations changes to make it stand out.

The restaurant, Westerly’s, reviewed elsewhere, offers a light, airy room, good service, and fresh food.

Metrowest Golf Club
2100 S Hiawassee Rd
Orlando, FL 32835
(407) 299-1099
http://www.yelp.com/biz/metrowest-golf-club-orlando-3

Chicken Shack

**** (4 stars)

This place makes excellent fried chicken, hot and cooked to order.  

I tried some of the sauces on wings, and when this place says something is spicy you need to believe them! Both the spicy BBQ and the Jamaican Jerk we hot enough to make me perspire. There’s a kick to the gravy on the mashed potatoes, as well. In fact, of everything I tried I think the mashed potatoes were my favorites.

Service was friendly. Because everything is cooked to order, it takes about 15 minutes, so if you’re in a hurry it’s best to call ahead.

Chicken Shack
1925 Ridge Ave
Evanston, IL 60201
(847) 328-9360
http://www.yelp.com/biz/chicken-shack-evanston

LoudMouth Grill

*** (3 stars)

This is the third incarnation of what we call “Naughty Perkins Sports Bar” in honor of its coffee shop history, when Tiger Woods picked up waitresses here. From coffee shop it transition to sports bar. Now LoudMouth is little changed from its days as MVP Sports Bar, except that the food has become even less healthful!

The featured item pretty much says it all: the LoudMouth Burger is a bacon cheeseburger served not on a bun, but between two grilled cheese sandwiches. If this sounds incredibly greasy, well, it is. Of course, I felt obligated to try it. It wasn’t bad, but the beef patty was its weak point. The grilled cheese sandwiches and bacon were delicious. The burger was accompanied by excellent waffle fries and a chunk of dill pickle.

We also tried a Ceasar salad that was okay except for a couple of bits of rancid crouton.

Service was friendly and attentive, but the employees outnumbered the patrons for weekday lunch, so I’m not sure of the prospects for this incarnation.

LoudMouth Grill
8965 Conroy Windermere Rd
Orlando, FL 32835
(407) 217-6877
http://www.yelp.com/biz/loudmouth-grill-orlando