Folio's Best of List (or as I call it "the which businesses do the best job mobilizing their customers" list. I'd like a MetroJacksonville perspective. Which ones are right-on? Which ones are off?
Quote
Best Restaurant in Jacksonville/ Best Restaurant to impress a date/ Best Slow Food
Orsay
Best New Restaurant
Finn MacCool's @ The Jacksonville Landing
Best Restaurant to Impress a Date
Best Restaurant When Someone Else is Paying/ Best Steak
Ruth’s Chris Steak House
Best Meal for $10
TacoLu Baja Mexican
Best Caribbean Restaurant
Nippers Beach Grille
Best Italian Restaurant
Vito’s Italian Café
Best Chinese Restaurant
P.F. Chang’s China Bistro
Best Thai Restaurant
Indochine
Best Mexican Restaurant
Casa Maria
Best Indian Restaurant
India Restaurant
Best Japanese Restaurant
Koja Sushi
Best Middle Eastern
The Casbah Cafe
Best Mediterranean
Taverna Yamas
Best Cuban
Mambo's Cuban Cafe
Best Vegan/Vegetarian Restaurant
The Present Moment Café
Best Food Truck
On The Fly
Best All-You-Can-Eat
Golden Corral
Best Coffeehouse
Bold Bean Coffee Roasters
Best Deli
Sun Deli
Best Tapas
13 Gypsies
Best Seafood
Salt Life Food Shack
Best Japanese
Koja Sushi
Best Burger in Jacksonville
Cruisers Grill
Best Pizza in Jacksonville
Moon River Pizza
Best Chicken Wings
Whisky River
Best Yogurt Shop
Yobe
Best Soup
Soups On
Best Hot Dog
Orange Tree
Best Sub
Larry's Giant Subs
Best Dessert
Biscottis
Best Breakfast
Metro Diner
Best Bagel
Bagel World
Best Burrito
Burrito Gallery
Best Barbecue
Mojo BBQ
Best Neighborhood Bar on Amelia Island
The Palace Saloon
Best Neighborhood Bar in Jax/ Best Beer Selection
Kickbacks Gastro Pub
Best Margarita
La Nopalera
Best Martini
Ocean 60
Best Sports Bar
Sneakers Sports Grille
Best Bar After Work
Mellow Mushroom
Best Bar When You’re Out of Work
Pete’s Bar
PF Changs? Really?
Quote from: TheCat on October 22, 2012, 01:18:58 PM
Folio's Best of List (or as I call it "the which businesses do the best job mobilizing their customers" list. I'd like a MetroJacksonville perspective. Which ones are right-on? Which ones are off?
Quote
http://www.folioweekly.com/folio1011wkl013.php
Best Restaurant to Impress a Date
Orsay
Best Restaurant When Someone Else is Paying
Ruth’s Chris Steak House
Best Caribbean Restaurant
Nippers Beach Grille
Best Thai Restaurant
Indochine
Best Indian Restaurant
India Restaurant
Best Vegan/Vegetarian Restaurant
The Present Moment Café
Best Fish Camp
Clark’s Fish Camp
Best Seafood
Salt Life Food Shack
Best Yogurt Shop
Mochi Frozen Yogurt
Best Sub
Angie’s Subs
Best Dessert
bb’s
Best Breakfast
Metro Diner
Best Burrito
Burrito Gallery
Best Steak
Ruth’s Chris Steak House
Best Neighborhood Bar in Jax
Intuition Ale Works
Best Mojito
Dos Gatos
Best Bar Food
Kickbacks Gastropub
Best Wine List
The Grotto Wine Bar & Shoppe
Best Pub or Brew Pub
Engine 15 Brewing Company
Best Bar After Work
Dos Gatos
Best Bar When You’re Out of Work
Pete’s Bar
http://www.folioweekly.com/folio1011wkl013.php
These are the only ones that I think are even remotely true. I also think that certain categories really only have one option. All Clarks had to do was beat maybe 2 other venues to claim their prize. I used to like the rankings better.
Ragtime??
I think Al's has lost standing with me. The last few times I've been there have been met with disappointment. Three layers? Not, for me. They should add a vietnamese "best of"
Quote from: acme54321 on October 22, 2012, 01:50:08 PM
Ragtime??
I don't think Ragtime is bad, but the best? Really? In the whole city? Did every employee vote for the place multiple times over?
Quote from: funwithteeth on October 22, 2012, 01:54:49 PM
Quote from: acme54321 on October 22, 2012, 01:50:08 PM
Ragtime??
I don't think Ragtime is bad, but the best? Really? In the whole city? Did every employee vote for the place multiple times over?
My biggest issue is that Mavericks won like 7 awards. That isn't right at all. I know Larry's was offering $5 off coupons if you voted for them. i voted because I like free money
This list is completely meaningless. It's just fun to be both shocked (at the bad choices) and happy (with the good ones). This is a big ad boon for Folio. Most winners will by an ad.
I wonder if it would be better to do a meta-analysis of various review sites (yelp, urban spoon..etc.) and create a best of list that way. It would be comprehensive. It would be less prone to multiple "votes." It would be less prone to discounts for votes and other completely understandable tactics.
That list and link is for last year's Best of Jax.
I think this calls for a best of Metro Jax version.
@Jason_contendg: Thanks for the catch!!!
I updated the list.
Best Restaurant in Jacksonville/ Best Restaurant to impress a date/ Best Slow Food
Orsay
Yes.
Best Restaurant When Someone Else is Paying/ Best Steak
Ruth’s Chris Steak House
Probably the only way I'd eat there, to be honest.
Best Meal for $10
TacoLu Baja Mexican
Lunch at Pepe's.
Best Caribbean Restaurant
Nippers Beach Grille
I've only eaten at the ones in Springfield, but somehow I don't think a "Beach Grille" represents true caribbean food.
Best Chinese Restaurant
P.F. Chang’s China Bistro
Hell no. I'd take a $6 combo from Chan's on main any day over PFC. PFC isn't bad, but it's overpriced and certainly not the best
Best Thai Restaurant
Indochine
Simply Tasty Thai is better and half the price.
Best Mexican Restaurant
Casa Maria
I'd take Pepe's or even La Nop over CM.
Best Indian Restaurant
India Restaurant
Best if you like being glared at by the most habitually sour group of indians ever. Food is alright- buffet is bland. I'd go with Masala over India. Masala has really friendly service and the food is just the best.
Best Japanese Restaurant
Koja Sushi
It's decent. It's also korean. :\ My pick would go to Sumo simply because they have really interesting specials.
Best Middle Eastern
The Casbah Cafe
Uhhhh.... no. The food there isn't that great. Sure, it's a good hangout spot but I've only eaten there a few times and it's never wowed me. Karam for more authentic stuff, maybe Hala or Wafaa's for ME-Deli type stuff.
Best All-You-Can-Eat
Golden Corral
I give them my vote for general AYCE. Sure, the crowd can be a bit weird but 90% of what they serve is made and cooked fresh. It's nothing fancy but you can't fault them on ingredients and preparation.
Best Coffeehouse
Bold Bean Coffee Roasters
Absolutely.
Best Seafood
Salt Life Food Shack
SL is actually really good but I'd give the edge to Safe Harbor.
Best Burger in Jacksonville
Cruisers Grill
I'd give it to the Loop or 5 Guys or even Hardee's over Cruiser's.
Best Hot Dog
Orange Tree
Only good thing about OT is the onion sauce and the orange drink. Other than that, you can make a better hotdog at home.
Best Sub
Larry's Giant Subs
Jersey Mike's. No contest.
Best Burrito
Burrito Gallery
Yeah, I guess if you like a side of rude. Pepe's burrito's are logs of food that taste amazing, cost only a few bucks and are served with a smile.
Best Barbecue
Mojo BBQ
Hahahaha. No.
Quote from: RiversideLoki on October 22, 2012, 01:27:10 PM
PF Changs? Really?
Not a shock. In the past Olive Garden won Best Italian and Best Buy won best place to buy music.
Is our population just this dumb and/or naive, or is this really some type of paid sponsorship?
Quote from: ChriswUfGator on October 23, 2012, 08:14:32 AM
Is our population just this dumb and/or naive, or is this really some type of paid sponsorship?
It's a mix of both. Even some of our brightest citizens are just clueless to the great dining, drinking, and retail options availible in the historic neighborhoods. Most of my group in my office (10 people almost all with masters degrees and $$) have never heard of Orsay, Pepe's, Black Sheep, Dos Gatos, etc..... They're content to go to Black Finn, Brio, Suite, Carrabas, etc... for some manufactured culture and inflated prices.
That said, it can't be a coincidence that Mavericks won 7 awards. They definitely had a folio party where your cover was free if you filled out the survey. Larry's did the same thing. I happen to love Larry's and would have put them anyway (not next year when Which Wich will be open), but I still found it to be cheap and dishonest.
^It's just the way things go; there's no way to stop it. The restaurants and venues have incentive to promote themselves, and there's no mechanism in place to stop it.
Best Mediterranean/Middle eastern could have gone to Laylas if they were still open. I always enjoyed their food.
Best Italian - Santioni's in Mandarin.
Thai - I've been loyal to Pattaya Thai for awhile.
Cuban - Agree with Mambos (only had it once but it was pretty good)
Chicken wings - Players grill on Hendricks. Get them grilled.
Best Breakfast - Deerwood Deli . It's not as mobbed as Metro can be and it's been around for ages.
Best Sub - I'm still a fan boy of firehouse. Jersey Mikes does makes a decent Philly for a sub shop.
And I still try to make it to Burrito Gallery when i'm craving a flavorful taco or quesadilla, but lately something has tasted off. More salty/processed tasting than I remember.
I've become frustrated with bbq & burgers when dining out lately, so i'm trying to learn the art of slow & low cooking and smoking and do it myself .
Half the list is respectable i'd say. For some categories we just don't have very many options yet.
Not sure what the deal is with Mavericks winning so many awards though, but a lot of people seem to like it.