Travel Advisory: How to Know You're Dining . . .

[Katie Nell]

Oh boy... have I got some good ones! I don't know if I can do them justice in writing, but I'll attempt!

The first being in our hometown of Kansas City... we had just moved here (in December) and we've visited it a lot and know good restaurants, but wanted to try a place recommended to us by my boyfriend's co-workers. Everyone in the office recommended a chain called Cinzetti's (didn't know it was a chain at the time) with "great" Italian! We were excited to try because we love Italian! Well, when we walked in, the hostess or maybe I should say tour guide asked us if we've been there before, and had I known, I would have screamed "YES!" to avoid what was coming. She proceeded to show us around the three Italian buffets, yes, I said Italian buffet, and speak to us like a tram conductor on a Disney World ride, but she didn't need the microphone! "And over here on your right is my personal favorite, the blah, blah, blah.... and then next, on your left is our bruschetta bar..." My boyfriend and I looked at eachother and wanted to run away as fast as we could, but we thought surely the food must be good if everyone else likes it... verdict: the most bland and oversalted food I've ever had in my life and horribly expensive to boot! I found myself wondering how the family with 5 kids to the right of us could afford to eat there! YUCK! Rule of thumb... don't trust the co-workers anymore!

Another sad time... Branson, MO... yes, we should have known better! We went to a local winery there, can't remember the name, and took the free tour with wine tasting. I am telling you it was the most cheesy experience of my life and the wine was awful! This was another tour guide and I really can't do him justice in writing, but he must have given us the thumbs up and said "woo-hoo!" thirty times in a matter of 15 minutes! And he had his speech down to the tee... my brother and I were red-faced from trying not to laugh! And the worst part was that no one else but us seemed to think it was odd! I almost had to excuse myself from the tour!

One more... Waldrug in South Dakota... enough said, if you've been there!

[racheld]

One more... Waldrug in South Dakota... enough said, if you've been there! 

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Waldrug---Is that some sort of "green"-less pharmacy with a counter? You did such a good job with the others...please expostulate.

[Katie Nell]

One more... Waldrug in South Dakota... enough said, if you've been there! 

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Waldrug---Is that some sort of "green"-less pharmacy with a counter? You did such a good job with the others...please expostulate.

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http://www.walldrug.com/

I don't even know if I can describe it... it's kind of like a Chuck E Cheese meets the old west! People dressed up in bad pioneer costumes, bad American Indian "artifacts," bad old-fashioned soda fountains with bad old-fashioned milkshakes... I could go on and on! Believe it or not, people go out of their way to go there... we were just passing by!

[Brad Ballinger]

Does "tourist trap" = bad? Does popular with out of towners = "tourist trap"?

Carnegie Deli in NYC -- loads of tourists. Also, plenty of locals, and I've deard locals debate about it (where some in the debate felt the corned beef was the best). Whether the locals are right or wrong is immaterial -- enough born and raised folks liked it.

Frontera Grill/Topolobampo in Chicago -- Popular tourist destination, but some of the best "higher end" authentic Mexican cuisine in Chicago (along with Salpicon).

Bacar in San Francisco -- Next to the Moscone convention center so a lot of conventioneers pop in. But the wine list is terrific (and well priced), and it's hard to complain about the food.

La Hacienda in Scottsdale -- Located in the Scottsdale Princess. Servers wearing "ammo vests" filled with shot glasses and a holster filled with a tequila bottle. The Mexican food is authentic and among the best.

Boston's North End -- On any given night, you'll find more tourists than locals in any of the district's Italian restaurants. They can't all be bad.

[*Deborah*]

One more... Waldrug in South Dakota... enough said, if you've been there! 

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Waldrug---Is that some sort of "green"-less pharmacy with a counter? You did such a good job with the others...please expostulate.

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http://www.walldrug.com/

I don't even know if I can describe it... it's kind of like a Chuck E Cheese meets the old west! People dressed up in bad pioneer costumes, bad American Indian "artifacts," bad old-fashioned soda fountains with bad old-fashioned milkshakes... I could go on and on! Believe it or not, people go out of their way to go there... we were just passing by!

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Wall Drug and its billboards exist to keep travellers from falling asleep whilst traversing South Dakota. I have not gone in, since such places never live up to their billing: does anyone remember the extreme (childish) disappointment after finally having talked one's parents into stopping at South of the Border off I-95?

[jamiemaw]

Does "tourist trap" = bad?  Does popular with out of towners = "tourist trap"?

Carnegie Deli in NYC -- loads of tourists.  Also, plenty of locals, and I've deard locals debate about it (where some in the debate felt the corned beef was the best).  Whether the locals are right or wrong is immaterial -- enough born and raised folks liked it.

Frontera Grill/Topolobampo in Chicago -- Popular tourist destination, but some of the best "higher end" authentic Mexican cuisine in Chicago (along with Salpicon).

Bacar in San Francisco -- Next to the Moscone convention center so a lot of conventioneers pop in.  But the wine list is terrific (and well priced), and it's hard to complain about the food.

La Hacienda in Scottsdale -- Located in the Scottsdale Princess.  Servers wearing "ammo vests" filled with shot glasses and a holster filled with a tequila bottle.  The Mexican food is authentic and among the best.

Boston's North End -- On any given night, you'll find more tourists than locals in any of the district's Italian restaurants.  They can't all be bad.

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Yes, Brad, 'tourist trap' connotes bad. There are lots of places, as you've cited above, that remain tourist and local draws for all the right reasons. And concierges and travel guides continue to support them to useful purpose.

In that vein, a favourite remark concerning Jack's in San Francisco. "Go," said a well-upholstered local, "but don't order the red wine--the waiters are so drunk they'll ruin your shirt."

Edited August 16, 2005 by jamiemaw (log)

[liv4fud]

was in virginia beach a couple of months back and also in ohio a month back.

both places, they had all the right tourist kind of things

but when pressed a little, the receptionist at both places (coincidence?) had compiled a list of local restaurants and what they were famous for.

the list had a ton of errors with some restaurants already shut down and 2 miles was more like 5 (in the directions).

however, the food was nice and good at atleast half the places I checked out

locals and all.

so I think one would need to take the advice of a concierge / receptionist with a pinch of salt (and a dash of hot pepper)

[mizducky]

"the restaurants in San Diego's "Old Town"--I understand there are a couple of winners among all the pseudo-Mexican eateries there

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No, not really..............

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Oh dear. I had heard good things about El Agave--perhaps that's far enough away from the official center of Old Town to not qualify as being under its spell?

Does "tourist trap" = bad?  Does popular with out of towners = "tourist trap"?

Boston's North End -- On any given night, you'll find more tourists than locals in any of the district's Italian restaurants.  They can't all be bad.

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Ya wanna bet? Well, at least when I was living in Boston from 1975 through 1989, a lot of restaurants in the North End really were nothing but average-to-mediocre tourist traps. Certainly there were also some sublimely excellent restaurants in the neighborhood, but you really had to know which ones they were, rather than just randomly wandering into any joint in the area expecting a pleasant rather than an unpleasant surprise. Perhaps some current Bostonian might wish to jump in here, but I can't imagine this all has changed since I lived there.

[SuzySushi]

When in Hawaii, avoid Waikiki and anything that purports to be a luau.

[winegeek]

Pretty much any restaurant recommended by a hotel concierge just about anywhere. I'll actually make a point of asking the hotel concierge where to go just so I'll know what places to avoid (particularly irritating to tip for this information).

Hotel doormen are more reliable sources. Cabbies usually have great suggestions. Bartenders ditto.

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I don't believe this statement to be entirely true. I work at Joe Fortes Seafood & Chop House in Vancouver and we are probably the most recomended restaurant in the entire city by the hotels. Why? Because they know that their guests will get a great meal, very simply prepared with the freshest fish in the entire city, along with fantastic service. During the summer our business is 60% tourists, the winter months are around 35%. We average 500 covers a night without (most of the time ) a hitch. Should the locals avoid us? Do they? No on both counts

The previous restarant I worked at (Cin Cin) was also hugely popular with the hotel concierges, for the same reasons. Great food, great (most of the time) service. They were also voted second best Italian by the top food critics in the city. It would be a shame for tourists to miss these spots because they are thought of as "tourist traps".

On the flip side, The Old Spaghetti Factory I'm sure is also hugely recommended but most of the local foodies would not have anything great to say about it.

[Fresser]

We ate in a Colorado restaurant once, where the menu was a CLEAVER, with the items and prices etched into the metal.

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Miami-based Don Shula's Steakhouse prints their menu on a football!.

[dockhl]

One more... Waldrug in South Dakota... enough said, if you've been there! 

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Waldrug---Is that some sort of "green"-less pharmacy with a counter? You did such a good job with the others...please expostulate.

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http://www.walldrug.com/

I don't even know if I can describe it... it's kind of like a Chuck E Cheese meets the old west! People dressed up in bad pioneer costumes, bad American Indian "artifacts," bad old-fashioned soda fountains with bad old-fashioned milkshakes... I could go on and on! Believe it or not, people go out of their way to go there... we were just passing by!

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OMG.........

laughing, crying , wheezing............

they have JACKALOPES !!!!

Gotta love it..........

[sockii]

Two tactics. First, anywhere listed in the city guide found complimentary in your hotel room. Yeah there can occasionally be gems there, but good luck figuring which ones they are.

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Yep, especially as those places are all paying for their listings and (if my experience is correct) writing the descriptions themselves.

Cab drivers are sometimes good for recommendations, but not always and not in certain parts of the world. If your cabbie takes you to a place he's recommended, and then seems to be lingering around too long or is too familiar with the staff, he just might be getting a payoff for his "catch". I've certainly had this happen in the Caribbean a couple times and suffered mediocre, overpriced tourist food as a result.

Also, any place called "Fisherman's Wharf" or similar, probably should set off warning bells. There's a place on St. Kitts named such that used to be a wonderful little local dive--no table service, a grill built into an old fishing boat, chowder served in a tiny plastic drinking cup, always a huge crowd of locals if you didn't get there right at opening time. Through the years it kept expanding and expanding, and soon all 'tourists' were met at the door by a waitress and led to a table with a fancy printed menu, while the locals--the few that could still afford to eat there--still could go right up to the grill to order. We stopped going because the food kept getting worse, too.

At least some hotels are making available menu books and samplers--ask at the front desk or concierge if they have one instead of just asking for a recommendation. It's a nice, safer way to rule out potential traps.

Edited August 17, 2005 by sockii (log)

[lauderdale75]

I prefer the do-my-research-on-eG-before-I-go method!    Seriously.  Ask people who care about food, and you'll usually end up at the best local places!

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I agree with this response. I also like to check out "best of" lists (for reference only) often compiled by alternative newspapers (e.g., Metroland in Albany, Creative Loafing, or the New Times in Miami). If I find something that sounds interesting, I may google for the name of the restaurant to see if it has been mentioned elsewhere. I know its all very time consuming, but life is too short to have a bad meal

(just kidding about the "too short", but I dont mind doing the legwork, time permitting).

Also, I try to avoid the places that often leave their business card sized advertisements at car rental places & hotel lobbies.

[Brad Ballinger]

One more... Waldrug in South Dakota... enough said, if you've been there! 

←

Waldrug---Is that some sort of "green"-less pharmacy with a counter? You did such a good job with the others...please expostulate.

←

http://www.walldrug.com/

I don't even know if I can describe it... it's kind of like a Chuck E Cheese meets the old west! People dressed up in bad pioneer costumes, bad American Indian "artifacts," bad old-fashioned soda fountains with bad old-fashioned milkshakes... I could go on and on! Believe it or not, people go out of their way to go there... we were just passing by!

←

OMG.........

laughing, crying , wheezing............

they have JACKALOPES !!!!

Gotta love it..........

←

The thing about Wall Drug is that it is a marketing success story. I can't speak of the roads that lead to Wall, South Dakota, from other directions, but from the east, you will see no less than 25 billboards letting you know how much further you have to travel to reach Wall Drug. The place is a kitsch shrine. But I did have a decent buffalo burger in Wall.

[alacarte]

In NYC, anyplace that automatically adds the gratuity on to your check is a tourist trap. (Per Se excepted from this rule).

Out-of-town friends have lamented this phenomenon. My best guess is that this has been implemented for:

--the convenience of visitors from other countries that are unaccustomed to our tipping conventions

--visitors from other areas of the US that are unaccustomed to the often lofty fine-dining prices here, and don't know or don't want to tip accordingly

--because restaurants feel that they can get away with this practice.

My advice to out-of-town friends has been to look for the "gratuity added" phrase on menus, signs, etc. Usually the gratuity added is 18% or higher, which is higher than usual.

If you see that phrase, FLEE.

If you don't see the phrase and notice a hefty tip has been added "for your convenience," cross out the tip and add your own, whatever you think is appropriate. Don't be a total cheapskate if you intend to try this (somewhat ballsy) approach. Point the new tip out to your waiter, explain why you did it, and tell you waiter how fabulous he/she is, and how much you enjoyed the meal and their service. Be lavish in your praise. Then, and only then, should you sign the check.

I'm sure the waiters and restaurateurs on the board will shout me down on this approach, but I stand by it!

[bottom-dragger]

any over advertised bar with a gift shop that builds a separate entrance to the gift shop so that under 21 yo's can buy their slock w/o having to walk through the bar. oh??!! do you mean like the red dog saloon in juneau?? yes. i was downtown once and asked by two different groups "which way to the red dog saloon?". one group asked what they would find there, when i said the rest of the schmoos from their cruise ship they weren't particularly friendly. fookin' losers.

no, i don't live in juneau, don't like juneau

joe

petersburg (sure the weather sucks) alaska

[jamiemaw]

any over advertised bar with a gift shop that builds a separate entrance to the gift shop so that under 21 yo's can buy their slock w/o having to walk through the bar. oh??!!  do you mean like the red dog saloon in juneau?? yes. i was downtown once and asked by two different groups "which way to the red dog saloon?". one group asked what they would find there, when i said the rest of the schmoos from their cruise ship they weren't particularly friendly. fookin' losers.

no, i don't live in juneau, don't like juneau

joe

petersburg (sure the weather sucks) alaska

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Hey, now hang on. The Red Dog hands out logoed condoms now (in lieu of matchbooks) at the door. On the other hand, at least on the cruise ships I've been on, they were slightly redundant given the demography of my fellow cruisers and the utter unattainability of the Fabulous Celebrity Dancers. Heidi, Tanya and Yvette, please copy.

Edited August 18, 2005 by jamiemaw (log)

[WHS]

Any place that sells "our famous house salad dressing", which beggars the question "is Peter Luger a tourist trap because it sells its 'famous steak sauce'?"

[rooftop1000]

I have only twice asked hotel staff for recomendations...First on Grand Cayman, we were sent cross island to a shack alongside the famouse dive wall and had for comapny a 3 legged dog begging under our table....Great fish, and the doorman from the Hyatt showed up to drive us back in his Camaro...we locked ourselves in our room on the pretense of dropping off camera bag. Second in Knoxville trying to get directions to Spooky's BBQ...got sent to Cahouns on the riverfront....it was fine , never found Spooky's

T

[BCinBC]

We ate in a Colorado restaurant once, where the menu was a CLEAVER, with the items and prices etched into the metal.

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Miami-based Don Shula's Steakhouse prints their menu on a football!.

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I am strangely drawn to this, not for the food, nor for any allegiance to the Dolphins... But because it is so weird. Like if I passed on this opportunity, it would never come again. For better or worse, I know.

Does the menu come off the place kick stand, or is it stuck? Can you throw the menu back to your waiter on a long post pattern? I must know!

[stephenc]

Philly only has a couple places besides chains that could be considered "tourist traps."

Bookbinders, the beer/burger/pizza restaurants on South Street, and Pats/Genos. Maybe the Moshulu, but they actually have pretty good food and a good view.

Pats/Genos shouldn't count because they still get a ton of locals, and the South Street restaurants are fine for what they do.

Edited August 18, 2005 by stephenc (log)

[burnt toast]

Photographs of "stars" on the wall are generally a bad sign too. And be sure to run away if there is a picture of Telly Savalas!

[Shellback]

Having worked in a 5 diamond property for the past 17 years as a Concierge, I must admit that I have sent guests to the so-called “tourist traps”, eg. restaurant in Stanley Park, restaurant on top of Grouse Mountain, revolving restaurant close to the hotel, the restaurant where Bill Clinton dined, etc. etc. But you would be amazed at how many people would come back and tell me what a great restaurant that was and how much they enjoyed their meal. I have learned to accept the fact that some people just want to be TOURISTS. Upon the recommendation of their friends back home, the taxi driver, the sales clerk in the souvenir store or the tour book in the guest rooms, they have their hearts set on dining at these establishments. Once, I tried to dissuade a guest from going to the revolving restaurant to no avail and he next day he came back and told me what a wonderful restaurant it was and that I should stop saying negative things about it.

I believe a good recommendation is to be able to match the type of restaurant with the type of guest. When guests ask me for dining recommendation, I would look up their profile in the computer, see how much they are paying for their room, where they are from, etc. This would give me a general idea of the type of guest. Then, I would ask where they have dined in the city and what were their impressions. This would help me to get a sense of their taste. Then I would ask them as to the type of cuisine, preference for a quiet evening or a party mood, budget, if they mind taking a taxi, any special cravings, etc. Most often, I am able to pinpoint a restaurant that would suit them well.

We often get asked “What is the BEST restaurant in town?”, “What is YOUR favourite restaurant?”, “Where should I eat tonight?”. These kinds of questions would only get you SAFE answers, i.e. so-called tourist traps. So, give your concierge more information and he/she will be able to assist you more effectively.

[Josefinajoisey]

I once attended a conference in Baltimore (Inner Harbor) by myself. I asked someone at the desk for 'good, quick takeout'. I was directed to a 'questionable' block a few streets away. The grill/takeout place was downstairs, and the strip joint was upstairs. I stood there waiting for my order, getting more and more uncomfortable as it became apparent that I was the only woman not performing in the immediate vicinity. I grabbed my order and hightailed it back to the hotel. BUT...it was the greatest grilled chicken and fries I ever had!