What is the best, most popular restaurant in your city?

In Montreal we have “urban legends” where people have never been there, but have heard that it’s great. And if you’re a local you will never go without a proper excuse.

For instance, there’s Schwartz’s which is a deli that has THE BEST SMOKE MEAT. It gave Montreal the reputation for best smoked meat in the world. The line is really long, and during touristy seasons, the line goes around 3 blocks!!

Then there’s the 2 dollar chow mein place in the club area (kinda like Bourbon Street). You go there when you’re really piss assed drunk. Here’s a funny quote from a friend of mine: “I think I was at 2 dollar chow mein last night”. “You think?” “Yeah, I woke up with the taste of crap and regret.” It really is horrible there, but it’s so good under the right “circumstances”.

I live in a pathetically small town (less than 1000 people). The best known restaurant is called the Tower Restaurant. Definitely nothing fancy, but it has a giant elevator jutting out of it, providing a nice view of the surrounding hills and lakes. When I first moved here the elevator was working, but the top of the tower was pretty dangerous… little railing, often wet, and the elevator was very badly maintained. So now I think it the elevator is closed, since they don’t really make enough money to fix it.

Still, it’s a nice landmark if you’re ever traveling through on US 21.

I don’t know if it is the best but a very popular restaurant in Phoenix here is one called The Compass Room. It is a rotating restaurant at the top of the Hyatt Regency hotel in downtown Phoenix. As the restaurant rotates, it has compass points and little brass plaques attached to the roof support pylons telling you what the significant landmarks are in the certain directions you are facing. The ambience of the restaurant is very appealing along with good food and excellent views of the city.

Biba’s is the best restaurant in Sacramento, in my own opinion.

In Milwaukee Jake’s deli is the place where people in the know go. It’s been around for ever and is in a part of Milwaukee many suburbanites fear to go (silly them, less crowded for us). It is not unusual to see the Commissioner of Baseball or our senior Senator (and basketball team owner) dining there. Wonderful place. Incredible scents. Glorious food.

I know how this sounds, but it’s true. It was mine before I recently sold it. Small town, culinary black hole, so I am really not that full of myself.
@Astro. I would love to dine at Bibas! Her recipes are great!

@SoapChef- It’s great and Biba is almost always there. She walks around and talks with all the diners.
Also, the best cappuccino of any I’ve had.

Best place for casual dining, such as brunch, is The Tower Cafe. It’s downtown in the Tower District, which was the birthplace of (the now defunct) Tower Records.

McDonalds :S

What do you expect from Boston?

Giordano’s is really popular in Chiacgo. I think it’s more of a tourist-y place, and yet soooo many Chicagoans frequent the many locations. The other famed Chicago-style pizza restaurant is Lou Malnati’s. Personally, I prefer Lou Malnati’s over Giordano’s.

For breakfast joints, it’s Toast. Not kidding, you have to arrive at 9am or earlier (the place opens at 8) to avoid an hour-long+ wait on the weekends. It’s atrocious- but so worth the wait!

@prettyinpink- What about Gino’s East? Best deep dish pizza I’ve ever had.

Chicago – some say it’s Charlie Trotter’s but we all know it’s really Bistro Campagne.

Sorrentino’s. An Italian restaurant. It is always packed, but the food is expensive and you don’t get much. Eighteen bucks for a little plate of fettucine noodles. So small it wouldn’t even fill a five year-old. I think people go there for the name, and because it’s “hip”. Sigh. Go figure.