#52 (101 More Amazing Places to Chowdown); since 1956; known for giant steaks, burgers, huge salads & overstuffed sandwiches in kitchy festive atmosphere
#55 (101 More Amazing Places to Chowdown); since 1973; landmark in Old Town San Diego's Historic Walking District; festive atmosphere w/ "Mexican Tortilla Ladies", splashing fountains & strolling mariachis; numerous awards including Best Mexican restaurant & best margaritas (w/ over 120 tequilas to choose from)
Phil's Special Dog hot dog link stuffed in Polish sausage, grilled & put in toasted French roll w/ smeared w/ Wisconsin cheddar & topped w/ mac-and-cheese-and-salami; not on menu; looks good
Hot Reuben Sandwich 5-lb sandwich; served on double-baked grilled crisp rye bread piled high w/ meat, hot sauerkraut, melted imported Swiss cheese & Russian dressing; served w/ potato salad, coleslaw or vegetarian baked beans; so big, it's held together w/ 2 steak knives (rather than toothpicks); eat in 25 minutes to get free meal & T-shirt
#47 (101 More Amazing Places to Chowdown); est. 1959; cafeteria-style service; restaurant name came about when (husband & wife) founders were looking for a place to open their restaurant...while driving, wife laid her eyes on a little white house while driving & cried out "This is it!"...it has grown & re-located since then
Burritos no rice as filler, but rather lingua (cow's tongue)
Carne Asada Tacos Dorados not on menu; "hard & soft" taco shell (2 shells: crispy on the inside, soft on the outside) w/ carne asada (thin sliced steaks), melted monterey jack cheese, beans, homemade salsa, green hot sauce, avocado & sour cream; looks good
#44 (101 More Amazing Places to Chowdown); Italian eatery w/ a California Stucco design incorporating a Mediterranean style w/ a little touch of Spanish & Italian
Melt Challenge "monster" grilled cheese featuring 13 different cheeses, 3 slices of grilled bread & a pile of hand-cut fries & slaw (all over 5-lbs); eat all to be awarded a Melt t-shirt or Melt Pint Glass, a $10 gift card your name on online Melt Challenge Hall of Fame; challenge - 5-lb patti melt + fries; Adam won
Godfather sandwich made of 3 cheese lasagna, fresh fennel-oregano pasta sheets, sun-dried tomato pesto and pureed roasted garlic, provolone served on garlic spiked bread; looks good
"Reverend Horton Meat" Burger 2 grilled cheeses deep fried as buns, 4 ground steak burgers, bacon & American cheese; "impossible to forget!" -Courtney Rada
Parmageddon local favorite; grilled cheese sandwich w/ potato & onion pierogi, fresh napa vodka kraut, sauteed onions, sharp cheddar; "that is one of the best grilled cheeses I've ever had!"-Guy Fieri; looks good
Tokyo Tuna Melt tuna steak marinated for 24 hrs, grilled & sliced in muenster grilled cheese w/ wasabi-ginger dressing; looks good
#41 (101 More Amazing Places to Chowdown); since 2006; specialize on gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches; get an approved Melt logo tattoo (design on its website) & get 25% for life; multiple locations in Ohio
Santa Fe (Pancakes) 3 stone-ground cornmeal pancakes w/ chunks of bacon, cheddar & roasted green chiles cooked inside; recommended w/ maple syrup, hot picante salsa & sour cream
Sweet Potato Pancakes most popular; looks good
Village Smithy Sante Fe Cornmeal Pancakes Three stone-ground cornmeal pancakes with chunks of bacon, Cheddar cheese, and roasted green chiles cooked inside. Recommended with maple syrup, hot picante salsa, and sour cream; "one of the coolest, best thing I've ever tried"-Adam Richman
#48 (101 More Amazing Places to Chowdown); opened in 1961; Nashville breakfast mecca; 23 pancake variations; long lines; where QB Ingle Martin ate growing up
#49 (101 More Amazing Places to Chowdown); located 2 blks from beach; named in honor of Edgar Allan Poe...entire restaurant is a shrine to Poe (even the burgers are named after his literary works)
Hobo skillet of smoked potato, pulled pork, brisket and every single side dish available (corn bake, homestyle beans, Jalapeno mac and cheese) topped w/ blue cheese bacon coleslaw and cheddar cheese sauce; looks messy (and good)
"The Gusher" 27-day aged 22-oz bone in ribeye, fire grilled, w/ port reduction & seared foie gras, served w/ baked potato, french fries & potato soup; looks good
"Squeeze with Cheese" also called "Squeezeburger w/ Cheese"; 1/3 lb.beef burger with "skirt" of bubbling cheese topped w/ mayo, mustard, tomato, lettuce, pickles, onions on a sesame seed bun; "5-napkin burger...messy, juicy and tasty"; looks good
[CLOSED]; #60-57 (101 More Amazing Places to Chowdown); serving for over 30 years; burger joint famous for it's huge burger and cheese "skirt"; voted "Best Dive" (Sacramento Magazine); called Squeeze Inn because original building had only 12 stools at the bar...new location can accommodate a few more
#45 (101 More Amazing Places to Chowdown); former junk yard w/ lots of "art" as its decor; it's an outdoor dive w/ essentricities including an old truck that acts as a stage for live music & a bar in a treehouse; truck yard is open to other food trucks