Restaurant poll

1. Pizza: Andrew Z's, pizza and wings
Hungarian: Budapet or Tony Packos , anything lol
Italian: Olive Garden Salad/breadsticks/tour of italy
Chinese: China Buffet on Rt 20 for regular food, or Blue Pacific Grill
Japanese: Nagoya
Chicken: Jed's Chicken Balls.
Coffee and finger foods: The Daily Grind

2. Daily Grind, good food, great staff and amazing atmosphere. It's my happy place I can forget about the world and breath with a nice cup of joe.

Andrew Z's: favorite place for good food, nice atmosphere. It's where I go to watch games, or hang out with friends. Good service as well.

3. Seafood, for being so close to Lake Erie, I have a really hard time finding a place that serves fish (especially Walleye/Perch).

Otherwise, the truly amazing number of places available in Toledo is another reason I enjoy being here. Plus some styles I've never had before moving here (Hungarian food).

1. what are your favorite local places to eat, and what are your favorite things to order?

Elaine's Tea Room
Sakura
Real Seafood
McDonalds (yes, I went there as a joke)
Elephant Bar
The Cladah

2. what is it about your favorite places that make them your favorite? (atmosphere? service? etc...)

Setting. Food is food, I enjoy a quality setting that enriches the experince. Honestly, I am not that big of a food person - it is the setting & service that sells me. I can go home and make a hamburger for cheaper, and often faster than going out to eat. Food alone is not a selling point to me.

3. what do you think is lacking in the toledo area dining scene? for example, we don't have any ethiopian or proper cuban restaurants in town. what would you like to see move to the city?

There are alot of restraunts in town, there is a ton of variety. I don't think too much is lacking. This is from my limited experaince, but it is what it is. If you looka round, you can find just about anything.

1. what are your favorite local places to eat, and what are your favorite things to order?
Pizza - Pizza Papalis, Great atmosphere, location and food
Italian - Rosie's
Sushi - Taruman - Cheap but the best ion Toledo, Excellent service
Chinese - Bai Du and Blue Pacific
Japanese - Nagoya - the food is much better than Sakura and decorated better too.
Seafood - Real Seafood
Steak House - None
Deli - JB Sarnies and Barry Bagels
Bar Food - Doc Watson's and Trotter's Tavern
Hot Dogs - Tony Pakos and Netty's
Mexican - Loma Linda's
Coffee - Plate 21 - the staff in awesome

I aslo love Granite City and J. Alexanders, both have excellent food and great atmosphere. GCB has great beer.

I wish Toledo had more local places instead of chain restaurants, I would like a better steakhouse( I think Mancy's is overrated), more dining downtown, perhaps a Great Lakes Brewery at the Docks.

1.
Frog Legg Inn - coq au vin
Al Saher - everything middle-eastern
Koto Buki - everything
Gus' Yum Yum - burger
Mancy's Steakhouse - steak!
Grumpy's - sandwiches

2. Good, quality food. Trusting that I'll get a great dish at a good price. Atmosphere is important... I don't like eating in places that remind me of a cafeteria. But that doesn't mean everything should be fancy fancy, either. I love a greasy spoon, too.

3. I'd like to be able to get a vietnamese banh mi (sandwich). Cuban would be great. More options for French food. More late-night/24-hr options, Downtown.

Granite City Brewery
Stella's in Dowtown Perrysburg
Pizza Papalis
Dale's in Downtown Maumee
Tea Tree Bistro
Zia's
Texas Roadhouse
Chowder's and Moor

I think Toledo needs a Cheesecake Factory, California Pizza Kitchen, Bucca di Beppo and COSI, and Frog Bear and Wild Boar. It would be nice to have more of a variety downtown near the ballpark and the arena.

Beirut – love the fact that they feel no need to update. Love that it is always bustling and noisy and crowded. It’s where to go when you want to eat with your community. I can’t remember the last time I ordered an entrée there, we usually do tons of appetizers. I am a huge raw beef kibbi fan. We also get grape leaves, hummus, feta cheese, olives, garlic bread, etc.

El Sueno – this is my Mexican fix. I have yet to get anything bad there. Again, the emphasis is not on the décor, its on the food and drink.

Elephant Bar (it’s a chain, but a great one) – this is where we meet up pre-movie at the mall. The wait staff always bends over backward, they have decent drink prices and don’t skimp. I usually go for the ahi tuna.

Ahmeds – have not been awhile so not sure what all has changed. But me and my friends have been going there for years for the ribeye dinner. Can’t be beat. And again, nothing special to look at. (man, is it me or what?, lol)

I could go on and on, but those are the most frequented. I think Toledo has all the bases covered pretty well, but I am open to try whatever.

I do wish there was someplace that did more of a Louisiana style Cajun menu. From gumbo to crawfish to great deep fried chicken and alligator.

A Sushi Rock at the Docks would be nice. I would love to see Toledo get a Winking Lizard near the arena and ballpark. It would be nice to have a wide selection of places within walking distance of the arena and Fith Third Field.

Glendale GardenCafe. Food is great. To my thinking I cannot eat atmosphere.

I can't comment on much in that over the last handful or so years I have really developed my cooking skills and have become proud of it enough that I don't visit places like Applebee's...Chili's...TGI fridays, ect. My backyard grilling slays anything they serve. But, on a local note, nothing beats a nice dinner with a significant other at Calvino's in Westgate. It's a nice hidden treasure (and I hope it stays that way...lol).

Dales in Maumee: great cheap burgers - atmosphere
Kotobuki: all their sushi - great service and fresh sushi
Homeslice Pizza: pizza (obviously) - great location and atmosphere
Downtown Latte: coffee - great place to meet people and get work done
Real Seafood: great quality and nice place to grab a drink after work

I agree with Aqua that a sushi place is what is missing from the downtown/docks area. I would also like to see more middle-end gastropubs around the ballpark. (I think there are too many sports bars and Mexican joints in Toledo). It would be nice to have a carryout fish and chip or crepe shop around the area too.

1. Mi Hacienda - almost any entree; Doc Watson's -burgers,pita pizza, beer selection; Plate 21 - coffee, oatmeal, cinnamon rolls; Tandoor - lunch buffet, saagwala, korma, tandoor; Beirut - anything; Blarney, burgers, kielbasa, bread pudding, sheperd's pie; Domo - any specialty roll.
2. We prefer locally-owned places, and service and attention above all! At Mi Hacienda, we are treated better than family.
3. I would like to see more local coffee shops and burger places, but other ethnic restaurants - Cuban, Ethiopian, Polish, etc.

Thanks for the feedback! Keep it coming

1. Rose Thai-chicken pad Thai although everything I've had there is good.

2. Claddagh-food quality varies so I don't have a favorite dish

3. Chowders-n-Moor-great beer battered fish

I really look at the restaurant's ambiance. With Rose Thai, it is softy lit with tinkling music, I love the stained glass windows, fireplaces and sconces of Claddagh (although they tend to be way too loud). I also love the Nautical theme of Navy Bistro. To me, the ambiance trumps the food in importance although a crappy experience will keep me away for a while.

I would also like to see the Cheesecake Factory here but I would like to see a 24-hour coffee shop that has a quiet atmosphere that doesn't cater to college students and panhandlers-think Biggby's on Central.

“Beirut – love the fact that they feel no need to update. Love that it is always bustling and noisy and crowded. It’s where to go when you want to eat with your community. I can’t remember the last time I ordered an entrée there, we usually do tons of appetizers. I am a huge raw beef kibbi fan. We also get grape leaves, hummus, feta cheese, olives, garlic bread, etc.”

Spot on! There’s really no other place that I get real exited about.

Went to Mancy's Bluewater Grille last night. It was only average.

I’d like to see a Yard House http://www.yardhouse.com/ for happy hour and a variety of beer.

Mexican: El Vaquero

Tea Tree for the duck and the seats are real comfy

Would like more ethnic and wild game.

Bar Food/Chicken Wings - Fricker's, Doc Watsons
Burger - Dale's Bar and Grille - best burger in town!
Thai - Bangkok Kitchen - could be nicer inside, but the food is soooooo good.
Lebanese - Grape Leaf, Sahara's

Italian - Pasta Fina on Heatherdowns and Holland - love their caesar salad, Gill makes the dressing himself.

Oh for Italian.... Rosie's in Slyvania. Great food, nice setting. Pure class.

Best carry out: Bangkok Kitchen order Gang Gai red curry w/ coconut milk and hot and sour soup. Runner up Wayward Inn in Rossford they have the best General Tso chicken in town.

Best for a date: Mancy's Italian order Tournedos served with Fettechini alfredo and roasted tomato and a "Z" martini.

Best sushi: Alcatraz roll at Nagoya. It's not on the menu but they will make it if you order it.

Best pizza: JoJos (I love the crust b/c it reminds me of my mom/grandma's homemade) tied w/ Pizza Papalis for great atmosphere and love the thin papalis gourmet.

Best happy hour: Bar Louie Wednesday or Friday. My favorite drink is the Key West Mojito it's best enjoyed sitting on the patio on a warm summer night.

Put a Cheesecake Factory or Sushi Rock in where Gumbo's was at the docs. Either would do extremely well there.

yeah. that spot does need something with better management and a ready made audience. anything less is doomed. that space is haunted!

I'm sure Main Street and Cousino have approval/denial rights to any party attempting to occupy that space. There's no way they would allow a Cheesecake or Sushi Rock come in and take all their customers. My prediction is Cousino opens a Japanese theme restaurant w/ sushi and teppanyaki.

Sorry to all you Toledoans but Levis is most viable location for Cheesecake Factory.

1. Nagoya, Ahmed's Steakhouse, Bluewater Grille

2. Mostly the food...

3. How about a Dave & Busters somewhere around town? I drive by the old empty cinemas at Airport and on Secor all the time and think those areas could be candidates for that.

1. what are your favorite local places to eat, and what are your favorite things to order?

Breakfast: Classic Cafe, Crnr. of McCord & Sylvania. Sylvania Diner, 5623 Alexis Rd. I generally have bacon and eggs.

Lunch: Rose Thai, Monroe & Nantucket. Pad thai, any kind of curry, tom yum soup. Rosie's Italian on McCord. Sausage sandwich, pasta, gazpacho or crab bisque are both excellent soups. Gourmet Garden on Monroe for Chinese food. Claddagh Irish Pub at The Mall. Lunch of any kind, whiskey, beer.

Dinner: Angelo's Northwood Villa. Lately I've been getting the house chicken salad, soup, wine.

2. what is it about your favorite places that make them your favorite? (atmosphere? service? etc...)

I go for the: Ambiance which must be quiet and restful for lunch or dinner. I prefer quiet at breakfast as well. The service has to be good. I won't tolerate bad service. The place must be clean and the food three star or better. Note that I refuse to exchange a quiet, congenial atmosphere for five star food - I'd sooner stay away.

The Northwood Villa has a dance floor and live music, and since MadJack and his Main Lady can still cut the rug with the best of them, this is the place for us.

3. what do you think is lacking in the toledo area dining scene? for example, we don't have any ethiopian or proper cuban restaurants in town. what would you like to see move to the city?

Toledo lacks a good dinner theater. The Westgate Dinner Theater (long since defunct) could get a little crowded but was otherwise excellent.

I'd like to see the Northwood Villa get a competitor for the music and dancing, maybe a red hot Latin club & restaurant combination.

Toledo lacks formal dining, which I enjoy. If Main Lady and I get dressed to the nines and go out, we invariably see a table full of riffraff, dressed in ball caps and sagging jeans. Invariably these cretins bring evidence of their fertility along with them, and the din these little sweethearts make rivals feeding time at the primate house.

upso: curious is this market research for a possible startup? :) If so I wish you the best of luck.

Thanks :)

I'd actually like to see a place like the "O" in Pittsburgh or Primanti Brothers here in Toledo. Dont know of any place local that's similiar, might be nice around a college campus or mall. Know at least a few of my lbs came from these two places lol.

http://www.hollyeats.com/OriginalHotDog.htm

and
http://www.primantibros.com/

sushi - koto buki - everything as well
burger - nick's - zorba
pizza - amysginoscalvinosvillageidiotinkys
dogs - rudy's
chinese - ipoh - singapore noodles
deli - barry's
indian - tandori
middle eastern - tiger bakery
ethiopian - we make our own or go to columbus
mexican - el vacaro
stuffed cabbage - packo's