***** Donut Gallery Diner, 83 Harbor Drive, Key Biscayne, Florida 33149 (305) 361-9985.
This is a real simple one.
Donut Gallery has been around for 35 years. Donut Gallery has a counter and 24-stools to sit at. Donut Gallery doesn’t have donuts. Donut Gallery is a great “hole in the wall” breakfast/lunch joint which is open 7-days a week 5:30am-3pm. Donut Gallery’s “house special” is a toasted buttered English muffin topped with bacon, ham, American cheese, egg and tomato…that is not to be missed.
You can check menu/prices/info at donutgallery.com.
Donut Gallery is my kind of joint! It does have one fault it’s- Cash Only!
Ice Box Cafe, 1657 Michigan Avenue, Miami Beach, Florida 33139 (305) 538-8448.
I really don’t know if I like this joint or not.
Ice Box Cafe is what I call a YUPPIE joint, that serves brunch-lunch-dinner…Strike #1, Oprah Winfrey recommended this joint’s cakes. Strike #2, the menu has items like “Stuffed Croissant French Toast-filled with guava and cream cheese topped with butterscotch sauce $13″… Are you guys feeling me yet?
Take a look at Ice Box’s website at www.iceboxcafe.com for menu/prices/photos which should give you some idea as what this “hole-in-the-wall” joint is all about.
On this one, you guys are going to have to decide for yourself…As far as I am concerned, Ice Box is a bit-too South Beacheeee for this Brooklyn boy, but then again the cakes that it makes sure run circles around Entenmann’s stuff.
Ice Box is open 7 days a week.
***** Manny’s Steakhouse, 300 South Biscayne Boulevard, Miami, Florida 33131 (305) 938-9000.
Let me start by saying that Manny’s is an “upscale” steak-restaurant that serves some of the best steaks and seafood that I have ever eaten. Besides having outrageoulsy terrific food, the joint’s service is as polite/helpful/and attentive as can be, the portions are enormous and the decor/ambiance just the right combination of white table-cloth stuffiness/and South Florida casualness…Now for the “bad news”…Manny’s is NOT a bargain basement joint…to give you some idea as to what I am talking about, appetizers are priced $13.95-$19.95, starter-salads $8.95-14.95, steaks $39.95-$87.95, seafood $26.95- $85.95, sides $5.95-$13.95. Nothing comes with nothing…
Let me send you to Manny’s website at www.mannyssteakhouse.com where you will find menu/prices/photos that will give you a crystal clear picture of what this joint is all about.
Like I said, Manny’s food-service-decor/ambiance are about as good as it gets. If you can (or want) to handle the prices, this is an absolutely great joint to know about. Manny’s is open 7 days a week from 5pm for dinner.
***** Wagons West Restaurant, 11301 South Dixie Highway, Pinecrest, Florida 33156 (305) 238-9942.
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I am going to guess that Wagons West has been in business for something like a 1,000 years…This is an absolutely terrific joint if “diners” are your game. Wagons West has counter and booth seating and has a menu loaded with all kinds of breakfast items, soups, salads, appetizers, sandwiches, burgers, chilis, meat/fish/chicken entees and desserts. Nothing fancy here…good solid food, large portions, reasonable prices, very pleasant wait-service. A couple of grilled pork chops with a potato and vegetable goes for $10.95 and a bacon cheeseburger with french fries runs $7.45. If I counted right, the joint has 17 different omelettes for consumption.
I love joints like Wagons West…which is open Monday-Saturday 6:30am-9pm and Sunday 6:30am-4pm.
***** Romeo’s Ristorante, North US Highway 1, Jupiter, Florida 33477, (561) 741-4345.
Got a terrific very-moderately priced “Southern Italian Red Sauce” joint for you…Romeo’s Ristorante, located in Jupiter, Florida.
Romeo’s menu is loaded with all of the “standard” appetizers, salads, soups, pastas, meat/seafood/chicken entrees…but, unlike most of the joints that dot the South Florida landscape, Romeo’s food is absolutely delicious. A recent “taste test” of veal parmigiana, chicken on the bone cacciatore, clams casino, rigatoni ala vodka and shrimp fra diavolo made me wish that this joint with its blond-wood table tops was in my neighborhood. Large portions…Terrific food…Good service…Prices no more than your favorite neighborhood joint.
Now for the kicker…Romeo’s in addition to terrific food has all kinds of musical entertainment covering the 1940’s-70’s. Some of the performances require reservations and the purchase of “dinner packages”…while others like Ryan & The Rockers a South Florida 1950’s-60’s rock n’ roll cover band which is scheduled to appear on November 15th and November 29th are free.
Romeo’s is open Monday-Friday 11am-9pm…Saturday 3pm-9pm and Sunday 4:30pm-9pm. If the “music” angle of this joint is of interest, I would suggest giving Romeo’s a call for a complete schedule.
***** Toa Toa Chinese Restaurant, 4145 NW 88th Avenue, Sunrise, Florida 33351 (954) 746-8833.
If dim sum is your game, I got a real good joint for you…Toa Toa located in Sunrise, Florida. This is a real “hole-in-the-wall” but the food is outrageously good and cheap. For sure, Toa Toa has tons of the old Brooklyn “standards” but most folks who eat here are into dim sum…loads of dumplings and pot stickers to choose from and the bbq pork stuffed buns are worth the trip alone.
Nothing fancy here…but all of the Chinese folks eating there should be telling you something.
This joint is open every day 11am-10pm, except Wednesday when it is closed. This one, is worth a special trip.
***** Pasta And, 4990 West Atlantic Avenue, Margate, Florida 33063 (954) 977-3708.
Got a real good “hole in the wall” Italian joint for you…Pasta And.
The joint seats 36 and is open Tuesday-Saturday 5pm-9pm.
If you like pasta, then you got to try Pasta And… Great appetizers, salads and desserts, but the real game here is the constantly changing menu of “home-made” pasta made fresh every day. Big portions, reasonable prices, pleasant service, casual atmosphere…and various pastas combined with your favorite item, like chicken marsala or a creamy vodka sauce.
Like I said before, the joint has very limited business hours and only seats 36…so weekends are a bit hectic in the getting a table department.
Don’t miss Pasta And.
***** Gou Lou Cheung Chinese BBQ Restaurant, 4139 North State Road 7, Lauderhill, Florida 33319 (954) 739-7377.
If having 2 little tables qualifies a joint as being an eat-in- restaurant, then Gou Lou Cheung Chinese BBQ Restaurant is an eat-in- restaurant…For our purposes, let’s call this “hole in the wall” a take-out joint which makes some of the most delicious bbq stuff in South Florida…that’s Chinese bbq stuff!
Lou Cheung’s isn’t for the squirmish, as bbq chickens/ducks/pigs heads and all are on display! I’m also thinking that if you are kosher or a vegetarian-this joint ain’t gonna work for you, either!
Absolutely great bbq…sold by the pound. If you like crispy duck, chicken and amazing pork ribs, you don’t want to miss Gou Lou Cheung Chinese BBQ Restaurant.
Gou Lou’s is open 6 days a week (closed Wednesday) 11am-7pm…and like I said before-it’s a take-out! One other thing, cash-only!
***** Riggins Crabhouse And Seafood Market, 607 Ridge Road, Lantana, Florida 33462 (561) 586-3000.
Got a real and I do mean real casual seafood joint for you…Riggins Crabhouse And Seafood Market…the table-cloths are old newspapers. Just so you know, Riggins has a hamburger, some chicken wings and a couple of chicken sandwiches on the menu, so if you ain’t a seafood-crab lover, skip this joint.
Riggins is a restaurant-seafood market combination. Take a look at the joint’s website at www.rigginscrabhouse.com for menu/prices.
This is a real easy going joint. Tee shirts/shorts work well here. Very good moderatley priced food… with CRABS the real game here. Riggins has been around for something like 20 years and has a very-very loyal following, so figure on a short wait on the weekends.
The joint is open 7 days a week for lunch and dinner.
***** Pickle Barrel Deli & Delicatessen, 133 East Hillsboro Boulevard, Deerfield Beach, Florida 33441 (954) 427-0650.
I am now going to give you the name of one of South Florida’s great “order at the counter delis”…Pickle Barrel. This joint has been around since 1974 and makes some of the most delicious deli sandwiches and salads that you have ever tasted. Take a look at Pickle’s website at www.picklebarrelfl.com for menu/prices.
I am telling you…the food at this joint is absolutely amazing. The corned beef, pastrami, turkey and tuna-shrimp-chicken salads are about as good as it gets…throw in your choice from 6 breads, 12 condiments and 5 cheeses and this joint can whip-up some heavy-duty combination sandwiches. As for prices, although Pickle Barrel is located right next-door to a pawn shop, you won’t have to go into hock for this joint’s sandwiches or salads… Pickel’s prices are in-line with your favorite neighborhood sub shop’s menu.
Pickle Barrel is open Monday-Friday 9am-6pm, Saturday 9am-5pm and Sunday 9:30am-4:30pm.
