And why? Mine is/was ESPN Zone. Granted, it's more of a bar than it is a restaurant but I had so many good times at the one in Vegas and New York City. Also, I do know there is actually one ESPN Zone left in Anaheim so it's not quite extinct. But for all practical purposes, the franchise itself is defunct.
Pizza Hut. It's all pickup or home delivery now (in Sydney at least) but I used to love going to their all you can eat restaurants. I always took the all you can eat thing too literally though- without fail I would eat until I was sick.
Kerry Simon's Simon Kitchen & Bar at the Hard Rock Hotel in Vegas; we had a couple of spectacular New Year's Eve dinners there, and then our wedding reception.
A close second...
The Hilltop Steakhouse - route 1, Saugus Massachusetts.
Died a painfully slow death over 20 years.
RIP
Ponderosa, cafeteria style, walk in Steak place. Opened in Canada in 1971 lasted until 1984. Most locations were bought by another company and converted them to Red Lobster.
In British Columbia there were Bino's Family Restaurants, 1 in almost every city, like a Dennys but nicer.
In Vancouver, Fogg & Suds, they might still have 2 locations, they used to have many restaurants.
Quoted from DennisDodel:Naugles and Nickerson Farms.
I concur with Naugles. Lots of fond memories and cheap meals there. Sigh!
Quoted from Darcy:Ponderosa, cafeteria style, walk in Steak place.
Still quite a few around Orlando.
A lot of these places still have a restaurant or two around. Most are a regional thing.
Two more that I miss but are still around in the Cleveland area:
I would kill for a Romanburger from Mr. Hero.
Quoted from chuckwurt:The Ground Round.
image.jpg
Quoted from SealClubber:Ground Round was the first one to come to my mind too. I used to love that place as a kid.
Did your Ground Round bring every table a basket of popcorn, or was that exclusive to the one that was local to me?
Quoted from PinB:Did your Ground Round bring every table a basket of popcorn, or was that exclusive to the one that was local to me?
Popcorn & peanuts... and you threw the peanut shells on the floor. (which would never fly in today's litigious society)
Quoted from Jjsmooth:Zantigo's. Tho I hear there are a few in MN
There are still 5 here. One right in my hometown. I've never been there.
I miss Rax and Jungle Jim's in Orlando.
Quoted from SealClubber:Ground Round was the first one to come to my mind too. I used to love that place as a kid.
There are still Ground Round's in Fargo and Grand Forks, ND. My old lady loves that place.
Quoted from He-Man40:Wag's. Would spend hours there.
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The one by the old St. Charles Mall?
Quoted from Darcy:Ponderosa, cafeteria style, walk in Steak place. .
We had one in Burnsville, and the food was outstanding. Sadly, it is gone. There was a Rax near it, that was also good. There were good & bad Rax places. It all depended on how thin the roast beef was sliced.
Near it was an oddball location of a Robin's Donuts, which had great sandwiches(and donuts).
All 3 places I mentioned in Burnsville were almost within walking distance of each other.
Quoted from Jjsmooth:Zantigo's. Tho I hear there are a few in MN
There used to be a Zantigo's within walking distance of where I live now. Turned into a Taco Bell at around the late 80s(?). But Zantigo came back a few years ago with few locations & the food is darn good. Sadly, they discontinued my favorite chili bowl.
The Captains Steak Joynt in Milwaukee, WI. I don't know what I miss more, that amazing cheese fondue appetizer or rummaging through the treasure chest at the end of the meal for some crappy trinkets!
Quoted from DennisDodel:Naugles and Nickerson Farms.
+1 on Naugles. One opened near my home in the early '80s and then Del Taco bought them out. Now the place is a Starbucks (urp). Sorry, I threw up a little there.
Quoted from RobT:Farrell's re-opened down here.
http://www.farrellsusa.com/
Have you tried it since the came back? I keep meaning to try the one in Buena park, but I never seem to have an opportunity to.
A new one is supposed to open in Los Cerritos Mall next year, which is funny because there was one there in the '70s and early eighties.
Quoted from girloveswaffles:Have you tried it since the came back? I keep meaning to try the one in Buena park, but I never seem to have an opportunity to.
A new one is supposed to open in Los Cerritos Mall next year, which is funny because there was one there in the '70s and early eighties.
Yep. It was crowded like crazy when we went. Was pretty good too. Prices are high. But it was good and fun. It's hard to make a comparison to what it was like before, because it was almost 30 years ago that I was there last.
Quoted from karmalord:Place I loved to go to as a kid in Portland.
Farrells_pic_1.jpgFarrells_pic_3.jpgFarrells_pic_2.jpg
That was my pick. Used to go to one when I was very young - they had a candy selection in the waiting area and during birthdays they would do the sing/band thing but some dude would come out with a big ass bass drum and wack the hell out of it. Scared me to death!
Quoted from Cornelius:The Captains Steak Joynt in Milwaukee, WI. I don't know what I miss more, that amazing cheese fondue appetizer or rummaging through the treasure chest at the end of the meal for some crappy trinkets!
There was on the south side of Milwaukee - by Southgate that we used to go through. Great place.
Something unique to my area and they have been closed a long time: Milligan's
http://photos.metrojacksonville.com/photos/2031572351_tzn98QS-M.jpg
Quoted from trilogybeer:ChiChi's
That's the first thing that comes to my mind as well. The hepatitis outbreak near Pittsburgh was the last nail in their coffin.
Quoted from Erik:Are all the Cici's pizzas gone? I made it through college on their $1.99 buffet. Two bucks to take care of both lunch and dinner (lunner?) A few games in the back. Could not be beat!
They still advertise and exist in KY
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Westchase, FL
Leduc, AB
I grew up across the street from it when it was originally a Dairy Queen. Best hamburgers ever!
