Restaurant Names

[Shannon_Elise]

This reminds me: Quaker Steak and Lube

[Mabelline]

Just so you know that Montana cannot be left out of this:

The Grizzly Bar, Bullwackers, Moose Breath Saloon, The Board Wok, The RoadKill Cafe in Big Timber, Montana Hanna's Trout Hole Restaurant, and one that always sounds weird to me --Mayflower of China. Oh Yeah- and Samarai Sushi!!

[Verjuice]

There is a great little place in Santa Fe called "Dave's Not Here".

It is a great little place, isn't it? Folks just call it 'Dave's'. Also in Santa Fe: the now defunct Thai It On (slogan was "Thai it, you'll like it!"); the same owners have opened a place called "Eatery" in its place- comfort food. Then there's the Hidden Chicken. Er thanks, but I prefer it when its unearthed... other place in town include Bert's Burger Bowl (I know it refers to the joint itself, but I can't resist thinking of what a burger bowl might look like) and The Bull Ring (steakhouse), with Senor Murphy's being the local Santa Fe candymakers. I keep envisioning a robust Irish man in a sombrero sweating over a pot of caramel.

[iguana]

... other place in town include Bert's Burger Bowl (I know it refers to the joint itself, but I can't resist thinking of what a burger bowl might look like)...

Or how one might bowl with a burger..

[NulloModo]

Oooh, I had almost forgotten about this one:

Near where I work there is the 'EXTREME! Chinese Buffet'

I've never been there.... not sure if I would be able to handle it....

[fifi]

A supposedly pretty good Italian place here in Houston is named Crappito's. What were they thinking?

[CarrotStick]

In Lake City, FL: the Fu King Chinese Restaurant.

[astacy]

In DC we have Moby Dick's House of Kabobs carryouts. The strange name doesn't seem to hurt their business at all.

[ms. victoria]

Two more from Nashville: The Puffy Muffin and the Fudgey Nut.

No comment

[phaelon56]

in the forties in Oklahoma City, there was "Squat and Gobble"

There stil is a "Squat and Gobble" restaurant not far from me in Vernon NY. It['s been there at least since the early 60's but most likely longer.

Syracuse used to have an old Carroll's fast food drive-up (Carroll's was the local predecessor to Burger King) that had been converted to:

Mr. Burger Chinese Food

Yes.... it was a Chinese burger and fries joint that also sold eggrolls, fried rice and the like.

I also like this one I saw in Washignton state - not so much for the name but for the incongruity of the concept... not to mention the clever Hefner joke.

[tryska]

I've still got issues with Aureole (is it still alive, btw?).

weaning problems tryska?

*lol* it really is the strangest name for a restaurant. besides the obvious nipple reference, doesn't aureole also refer to your ear-hole?

which arguably doens't seem like a good choice for a restaurant name either.

ETA - the earhole area is actually called an auricle.

Edited May 12, 2004 by tryska (log)

[Minister of Drink]

Ray's the Steaks: I can't decide whether I like this name or not.

I'll decide - no!

Don't you guys get the pun on Ray's the Steaks? It clearly destroys all but one of the (too) many steak houses in the DC Metro Area! Hope you get a chance to eat there (if you haven't already!!!!

[rich]

This has given me an idea. What about producing a "coffee table" book with photos of all these unique names? It could be titled: "The Name Should be Changed to Protect the Inncocent"

[hannnah]

besides the obvious nipple reference

Um, an aureole is the big gold shiny halo thing around saints' heads in medieval pictures.

You're thinking of an areola.

[rich]

besides the obvious nipple reference

Um, an aureole is the big gold shiny halo thing around saints' heads in medieval pictures.

You're thinking of an areola.

And I always thought that was a double exposure.

[eunny jang]

Thaiphoon (DC)

Thaitanic (DC)

Both awful (names) in my opinion.

But nothing's worse than Blimpie's Subs.

[tryska]

besides the obvious nipple reference

Um, an aureole is the big gold shiny halo thing around saints' heads in medieval pictures.

You're thinking of an areola.

exactly. "aureole" and "areola" are way too close for comfort.

[Mabelline]

besides the obvious nipple reference

Um, an aureole is the big gold shiny halo thing around saints' heads in medieval pictures.

You're thinking of an areola.

exactly. "aureole" and "areola" are way too close for comfort.

At least for saints

[jo-mel]

A take-off on the name of a street, for a Chinese take-out: Wah Chung on Watchung St.

The first time I was in Wilmington, Delaware, I was looking for a Chinese restaurant. I was at a light, and could read part of the writing on a window down the street. It said Ming Ton, and I thought to myself -- Great! There's one! As I got closer, I realized it said "The Wilmington Book Store"!!

[lcdm]

I alway thought Dirty Dick's Crab House was pretty funny. Their slogan is something like, "I got my crabs at Dirty Dicks!"

We go there everytime we are in Avon NC. I had to laugh at my 4 year old nephew, running up and down the beach, yelling as loud as he could, "I love Dirty Dick's" (he had just eaten lunch there and got a free frisbee).

[sandra]

Fill Ya Belly Deli, Edgewater, NJ

actually, not a bad deli....

[browniebaker]

China Cottage: a Chinese restaurant in Nashville. The name makes me think the place sells porcelain nick-nacks.

[Milagai]

worst: somewhere in rural utah on the way to zion national park:

grandma grunt's home cooking (it really WAS run by this

doddering old retired couple whose cooking was pretty awful).

cross-cultural issue: different versions of english:

in british and indian english, the word "homely" means

"homelike and / or cosy and / or home loving" -

which is why indian matrimonial ads (similar to personal ads

but placed by your family) often read: seeking homely and good looking

mate .....

in american english the word means "ugly".

so in trivandrum (kerala, southern india) there's

a restaurant called "the homely vegetarian"

it's my regret i didn't take a pic of the sign with my

husband standing under it.

and in bangalore a popular chain is "homely chicken"

(this one prompts visiting americans to joke that

the good looking chickens end up in KFC).

milagai

[phlfour]

MANY CHINS...A CHINESE VILLAGE

[JennotJenn]

I use to live in Atlanta and there was a sign on Ponce de Leon Avenue that said "Chinese Restaurant and Oil Change". I was always worried that they might cook using the oil from the oil changes!!!

There is (was...dunno if it's still there) a diner (Dottie's Diner) in Winston-Salem that shared a sign with a casket showroom.

One or the other was advertising "Drive through Service."

Oh, and we have Wang Chinese restaurant here in Raleigh. They drive their deliveries around in cars with a big sign on top that naturally says,

"Wang"

I feel like Beavis and/or Butthead when I laugh at it, but I can't stop myself.

Oh, and as far as OBX is concerned, I refuse to eat at Dirty Dick's or Awful Arthur's. Seriously, they just sound gross.