Metro Jacksonville

Living in Jacksonville => Dining => Topic started by: Metro Jacksonville on February 25, 2016, 03:00:04 AM

Title: Truly Local Jacksonville Restaurants
Post by: Metro Jacksonville on February 25, 2016, 03:00:04 AM
Truly Local Jacksonville Restaurants

JaxRestaurantReviews.com shares their list of "true" local places to eat.

Read More: http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2016-feb-truly-local-jacksonville-restaurants
Title: Re: Truly Local Jacksonville Restaurants
Post by: Adam White on February 25, 2016, 04:15:53 AM
No love for Hala Cafe? I'd rate that above E Street or Beach Road Chicken Dinners (though I appreciate that those restaurants are more "iconic" or whatever).

Title: Re: Truly Local Jacksonville Restaurants
Post by: ben says on February 25, 2016, 08:15:28 AM
Quote from: Adam White on February 25, 2016, 04:15:53 AM
No love for Hala Cafe? I'd rate that above E Street or Beach Road Chicken Dinners (though I appreciate that those restaurants are more "iconic" or whatever).

Hala has gone (Greatly) downhill in the past few years.
Title: Re: Truly Local Jacksonville Restaurants
Post by: Adam White on February 25, 2016, 08:26:20 AM
Quote from: ben says on February 25, 2016, 08:15:28 AM
Quote from: Adam White on February 25, 2016, 04:15:53 AM
No love for Hala Cafe? I'd rate that above E Street or Beach Road Chicken Dinners (though I appreciate that those restaurants are more "iconic" or whatever).

Hala has gone (Greatly) downhill in the past few years.

Really? That's a shame. I used to really like it.

I was never that impressed by the chicken at Beach Road. The nail in the coffin for that was when I became "ill" the day after eating there. Not saying the two were related, but I kept away after that.

E Street is E Street.
Title: Re: Truly Local Jacksonville Restaurants
Post by: TheCat on February 25, 2016, 09:25:18 AM
Quote from: ben says on February 25, 2016, 08:15:28 AM
Quote from: Adam White on February 25, 2016, 04:15:53 AM
No love for Hala Cafe? I'd rate that above E Street or Beach Road Chicken Dinners (though I appreciate that those restaurants are more "iconic" or whatever).

Hala has gone (Greatly) downhill in the past few years.

Hala is good for hummus, tabouli and pita bread. That should be the entirety of the menu.
Title: Re: Truly Local Jacksonville Restaurants
Post by: Adam White on February 25, 2016, 09:30:23 AM
Quote from: TheCat on February 25, 2016, 09:25:18 AM
Quote from: ben says on February 25, 2016, 08:15:28 AM
Quote from: Adam White on February 25, 2016, 04:15:53 AM
No love for Hala Cafe? I'd rate that above E Street or Beach Road Chicken Dinners (though I appreciate that those restaurants are more "iconic" or whatever).

Hala has gone (Greatly) downhill in the past few years.

Hala is good for hummus, tabouli and pita bread. That should be the entirety of the menu.

They used to do nice fatayer. But I've not eaten there since probably 2005.
Title: Re: Truly Local Jacksonville Restaurants
Post by: coredumped on February 25, 2016, 10:10:00 AM
11. Any place that sells the Camel Rider!!!!
12. Lubis! If Lubis doesn't say Jax, I don't know what does!
Title: Re: Truly Local Jacksonville Restaurants
Post by: Wacca Pilatka on February 25, 2016, 10:40:52 AM
I thought Beach Road had closed within the last few months?
Title: Re: Truly Local Jacksonville Restaurants
Post by: TheCat on February 25, 2016, 12:11:36 PM
Lubis! I've never been. Not once. But I remember my childhood friends loving that place.

I would never take someone to three layers for a local jax experience. At least, not for coffee. Maybe for wine and a cigar in the garden, and to show off the rabbit.

Bold Bean is quintessential Jacksonville and our most important tourist attraction. As is French Pantry.

Metro Diner is not of my list and are they're not really local anymore.

Maple Street, also a chain, but I happily take out of town visitors there to taste Jacksonville.

European street? No. Good for beers, maybe...but I would sooner go to Kickbacks. I'm perpetually dumbfounded by European Street. I don't understand the draw of mediocre sandwiches packed with low grade deli meat. I walk/drive by the one on Park street everyday and they ares seemingly always doing well.

I've never visited whitey's or clark's. I'm not a fan of fried seafood platters. And, I've never really heard good things about them either. Seafood in Jax feels like a gimmick, a played out schtick.

Tacolu, I've only been once and I loved it. Based on that experience I think Tacolu tacos beat every other taco I've had in Jacksonville and I've had a lot of tacos in Jacksonville.
Title: Re: Truly Local Jacksonville Restaurants
Post by: Steve on February 25, 2016, 12:56:56 PM
Quote from: Wacca Pilatka on February 25, 2016, 10:40:52 AM
I thought Beach Road had closed within the last few months?

Definitely not.
Title: Re: Truly Local Jacksonville Restaurants
Post by: Bill Hoff on February 25, 2016, 02:44:19 PM
I believe the Jax Restaurant Reviews feature is from 2014, no?

https://www.jaxrestaurantreviews.com/favorites/true-local-spots/#.U7SumxaprwI

That's probably why staples like Bold Bean aren't mentioned.
Title: Re: Truly Local Jacksonville Restaurants
Post by: Wacca Pilatka on February 25, 2016, 03:17:52 PM
Quote from: Steve on February 25, 2016, 12:56:56 PM
Quote from: Wacca Pilatka on February 25, 2016, 10:40:52 AM
I thought Beach Road had closed within the last few months?

Definitely not.

Great, thanks!  I'm in Virginia and away from Jax for until later in the year, and I had seen it was removed from the Roadfood website listings, and marked as closed on another internet listing, and it was also unexpectedly closed when I was there the week after Thanksgiving.
Title: Re: Truly Local Jacksonville Restaurants
Post by: mtraininjax on February 25, 2016, 04:05:09 PM
QuoteBold Bean is quintessential Jacksonville and our most important tourist attraction.

Isn't Bold Bean more of a coffee house than a restaurant? Do people think of going there for breakfast, lunch or dinner?

Nice coffee house, for sure, but there are a bunch of them in Riverside/Murray Hill.
Title: Re: Truly Local Jacksonville Restaurants
Post by: TheCat on February 25, 2016, 04:32:06 PM
This is an older but still relevant list. I wonder if Bold Bean would be included even if written today. I think the authors considered "legacy" as a considerable variable. Bold bean is still a new born.

Mtrain, I don't see three layers as a viable food option. It's a coffee shop with moderate quality coffee.
Title: Re: Truly Local Jacksonville Restaurants
Post by: I-10east on February 25, 2016, 10:46:54 PM
Quote from: Wacca Pilatka on February 25, 2016, 10:40:52 AM
I thought Beach Road had closed within the last few months?

You probably saw them on a Monday (the day that they are closed).
Title: Re: Truly Local Jacksonville Restaurants
Post by: JaxRestaurantReviews on February 26, 2016, 01:32:26 AM
Quote from: Adam White on February 25, 2016, 04:15:53 AM
No love for Hala Cafe? I'd rate that above E Street or Beach Road Chicken Dinners (though I appreciate that those restaurants are more "iconic" or whatever).

Hala definitely could be a candidate for the list. They fit the criteria and I think it's one of those places long time Jax residents would know.
Title: Re: Truly Local Jacksonville Restaurants
Post by: Wacca Pilatka on February 26, 2016, 11:24:18 AM
Quote from: I-10east on February 25, 2016, 10:46:54 PM
Quote from: Wacca Pilatka on February 25, 2016, 10:40:52 AM
I thought Beach Road had closed within the last few months?

You probably saw them on a Monday (the day that they are closed).

Yes, you're right!  Thanks!
Title: Re: Truly Local Jacksonville Restaurants
Post by: joshuataylor on February 26, 2016, 11:25:37 AM
Quote from: TheCat on February 25, 2016, 12:11:36 PM
I would never take someone to three layers for a local jax experience. At least, not for coffee. Maybe for wine and a cigar in the garden, and to show off the rabbit.

Bugsy the bunny has shuffled off this mortal coil, sadly  :'(
Title: Re: Truly Local Jacksonville Restaurants
Post by: TheCat on February 26, 2016, 12:27:56 PM
Quote from: joshuataylor on February 26, 2016, 11:25:37 AM
Quote from: TheCat on February 25, 2016, 12:11:36 PM
I would never take someone to three layers for a local jax experience. At least, not for coffee. Maybe for wine and a cigar in the garden, and to show off the rabbit.

Bugsy the bunny has shuffled off this mortal coil, sadly  :'(

So, there's no real reason to go to three layers anymore.   :-\



Title: Re: Truly Local Jacksonville Restaurants
Post by: thelakelander on February 26, 2016, 12:33:36 PM
How about the Northside? Lot's of hole in the walls that have been around for a while in the various neighborhoods that are well known with locals.
Title: Re: Truly Local Jacksonville Restaurants
Post by: Adam White on February 26, 2016, 12:36:32 PM
Quote from: thelakelander on February 26, 2016, 12:33:36 PM
How about the Northside? Lot's of hole in the walls that have been around for a while in the various neighborhoods that are well known with locals.

Joseph's Pizza!
Title: Re: Truly Local Jacksonville Restaurants
Post by: Captain Zissou on February 26, 2016, 01:32:24 PM
Pine Grove should make the list.

The Cat; Whitey's and Clark's are pretty fun experiences.  I love taking the boat down to whitey's and hanging out and listening to music for a while.
Title: Re: Truly Local Jacksonville Restaurants
Post by: Captain Zissou on February 26, 2016, 01:33:59 PM
I also don't get the E-street hype, but they are a jacksonville institution.  People love them and they've been around forever.  Their happy hour prices are pretty good, but otherwise they aren't that special.  I'm surprised the Park Street location does well considering all of the better beer options nearby.
Title: Metro Diner opened in 1992
Post by: briang1869 on March 02, 2016, 02:17:20 PM
Metro Diner did not exist in 1938.  The building was a Drug Store and had a soda fountain.  Metro diner came into existence in 1992.
Title: Re: Truly Local Jacksonville Restaurants
Post by: Adam White on March 03, 2016, 01:36:45 AM
Quote from: Murder_me_Rachel on March 02, 2016, 05:04:18 PM


Edited to add: I really didn't mean to do an all "Shack" list. Those are just the ones that came to mind.

Too funny  :D
Title: Re: Truly Local Jacksonville Restaurants
Post by: coredumped on March 03, 2016, 11:31:23 AM
Quote from: Murder_me_Rachel on March 02, 2016, 05:04:18 PM
Beach Road has gone down hill considerably over the past 10 years or so.  Metro Diner is really nothing special, I seriously don't get why anyone goes there over like the Fox or Biscotti's or, hell, even Ihop. 

You really can't tell the difference between ihop and metro diner? Might want to see a doctor about those taste buds!
Title: Re: Truly Local Jacksonville Restaurants
Post by: TheCat on March 03, 2016, 03:33:31 PM
Yeah, ihop may better than metro diner. I'm pretty sure Metro cooks their eggs with a low grade baby oil. Slimy and lifeless, their eggs are akin to the coughed up phlegm of a midwesterner.

Title: Re: Truly Local Jacksonville Restaurants
Post by: Non-RedNeck Westsider on March 03, 2016, 03:45:32 PM
Quote from: TheCat on March 03, 2016, 03:33:31 PM
Yeah, ihop may better than metro diner. I'm pretty sure Metro cooks their eggs with a low grade baby oil. Slimy and lifeless, their eggs are akin to the coughed up phlegm of a midwesterner.

I literally don't know what you mean.  Phlegmy, Midwestern Lifestyle?
Title: Re: Truly Local Jacksonville Restaurants
Post by: TheCat on March 03, 2016, 03:52:54 PM
You know, corn.

But also, plain and mundane. So, Metro Diner's eggs are as slimy and lifeless as is the phlegm belonging to someone from the mid-west.

No offense to mid-westerners. I'm just playing on the betty crocker-ness of the region.

I can make these jokes, I was born and lived in MI for my first ten years. Without a doubt the best people in Jax come from Michigan, even when I don't count myself in this analysis of Jacksonville residents.

Title: Re: Truly Local Jacksonville Restaurants
Post by: TheCat on March 03, 2016, 03:55:55 PM
Go Spartans! Go Wolverines! Go Chippewas!
Title: Re: Truly Local Jacksonville Restaurants
Post by: coredumped on March 03, 2016, 05:10:29 PM
Yankee confirmed!
Title: Re: Truly Local Jacksonville Restaurants
Post by: TimmyB on March 04, 2016, 08:25:22 AM
Quote from: TheCat on March 03, 2016, 03:55:55 PM
Go Spartans! Go Wolverines! Go Chippewas!

One out of three; not bad for hitting in baseball, but not so good, here. 

Sparty On.

Fight On, WMU!

Oh, and I totally disagree with your take on the Metro.  Been there twice and both were worth the wait.