Julie "Misadventures" M.'s Profile

When my boyfriend and I found that Lauriol Plaza had an hour plus wait at 8:30pm, we decided to skip the wait and check out Zabb, which is located across the street. (Side note: I wonder how much of Zabb's business is LP overflow?)

In any case, we were very glad we did. The ambiance is perfect for a chic date night or even a group of friends looking to do something off the beaten path. I got the drunken noodles (my dish of choice at thai restaurants) and appreciated the full but not overwhelming portion.

I can't wait to go back to check out their specialty sushi rolls and happy hour.

Two weeks ago, my boyfriend and I found ourselves by Logan Circle on an unseasonably warm day, with the DC Brunch Season underway. We tested the water at a few places in the area to see if we could grab a table, but there was an hour wait everywhere we tried and we were HUNGRY after a morning of moving.

The place felt a bit corporate given that the surrounding restaurants have such unique spaces and feels, but otherwise, we enjoyed our food and our time at Tortilla Coast.

I would say that this place has a (bad) reputation it doesn't deserve -- at least for brunch.

I came here with my boyfriend for the second brunch of the 2012 (Brunching) Season based on a friend's mention of Floriana in conversation and the positive reviews on Yelp. Given both, I really wanted to like the place.

I thought the atmosphere was great and this place would be certainly be fun with a group (yes, there are unlimited mimosas and bloody marys on the menu), BUT unfortunately, I found the service slow and the food a bit subpar.

With all the great places in the area, I likely won't be returning here for another brunch.

A pretty unremarkable sushi joint located in Chinatown.

I give it kudos for the inventive rolls (a sushi sandwich, WHAT?!) but would warn others to double-check which rolls come with roe if that is of concern... Some rolls specify roe in the menu description, while others don't but still have it as an ingredient in the roll. This caught my companion, who can't eat roe due to dietary restrictions, and I off guard, forcing us to send the rolls we were sharing back after a bit of a lecture from our waitress... (For what it's worth, I've never before seen a tuna/avocado or crunchy spicy salmon roll come out with roe without it being specified on the menu. And I eat a LOT of sushi...)

Overall an okay experience. I would likely explore an another sushi option in the area before returning here but wouldn't mind coming back.

We all know what to expect from Starbucks by this point, but I have to give this store in particular recognition for being able to handle the overwhelming and demanding customer base that they get slammed with.

They are located right off of the Farragut West exit and get an unbelievable amount of traffic in the mornings as the business folk come in for their daily dose of addiction. (I put myself in this category as well!)

Anyway, the barista are able to handle the lines like no one's business - they have the system DOWN.

And, after coming here for quite some time, the baristas recognize me and will make my order as soon as I come in which means I can skip some of the wait time! :)

The only downside to all of this is the emptiness my wallet feels...

HENNESSEY'S IS MY FAVORITE BAR IN BOSTON HANDS DOWN!

I'm a sucker for live music and for a night of fun dancing - Hennessey's has the perfect intersection of both. They have a live band play fun cover songs and alternate that with a dj playing the latest hits. Drinks are reasonable, the bar is never packed and the crowd is fun.

Two things to note: There is a $10 (well , worth it for the cover band, in my opinion) and sometimes a line to get in...

Can't wait to go back! If only a could find something like this in DC (where I'm currently located)!

I am a bit surprised that the reviews for Rhino Bar aren't more positive.

I cannot vouch for the bar on any other level than as THE place to go to watch Red Sox games. In my mind, it exists solely for that purpose.

As a somewhat recently relocated Bostonian and avid sports fan, I need a place to go when I want to cheer on my teams. Rhino Bar provides me that opportunity and does it well.

The decor and atmosphere remind me of the small neighborhood bars I used to frequent back home. Also, they have great beer specials (I forget the specifics - maybe $3 Miller light?) and wing prices (25 cents!) during Red Sox (and maybe all MLB?) games.

I had a great time when I went and will definitely be going back for more baseball. Go Sox!

I've long searched for a place to go when I want to just hang out and do some light computer work...

Today's visit to Bruegger's has pretty much sealed the deal for me that this is the place I have been looking for. Here's what's won me over:

- The store itself is spacious and airy. You never feel like you're sitting "on top" of another table of guests.

- They have free wi-fi. They also have three sets of outlets throughout the store.

- They play great music. (I've heard Bob Dylan, John Mayer, Indigo Girls among others today. This is the music I'd be playing in my apartment for this sort of thing anyway so it's perfect.)

- They do their best to keep everything clean. I've seen the workers come around wiping down the tables and straigthening up the coffee table several times during my visit.

- They are friendly, deal with my order customizations/requests well, and have even remembered my order. I like light cream cheese. I want extra ingredients on my bagel. I appreciate an extra pickle slice. None of these are a problem at Bruegger's.

- I had been long enough today that I considered going up and ordering another cup of coffee. As if someone had read my mind, one of the workers came over to offer me a free refill and ensured me that I could stay as long as I wanted.

A few other things to know:
- They take GWorld Colonial Cash which works out well for GW students.
- Be sure to ask for a frequent visitor card. If you buy enough bagels and/or cups of coffee and get your cards punched you will get a free bagel and/or coffee during your next visit.

It doesn't get much better than all this! I plan on coming back here frequently. :)

Okay, yes, RFD has a huge variety of beers.

But that's not enough to keep coming back.

The happy hour specials are nothing spectacular, the food hit or miss, and the atmosphere equivalent to being in a dining hall.

Chinatown is full of great bars and restaurants. I say skip RFD and hit one of the more funky places in the area instead.

Listen, I really wanted to love Oya because the place was absolutely GORGEOUS.

I came here for a "friend reunion" during happy hour. We thought it would be a nice way to experience the place without breaking the bank and one of my friends (the organizer) had been raving about the sushi for months.

UNFORTUNATELY - The restaurant failed to live up to my expectations.

Firstly, it was loud, which didn't fit our needs nor, I'm assuming, the needs of other diners on romantic or business dinner dates.

Secondly, the service was absolutely atrocious. Not only was it exceptionally slow (I do understand they were busy, but the speed - or lack thereof - was outside the norm) and our orders came out incorrect but also I had to ask THREE times and wait LITERALLY two hours to receive a glass of water, which in the end wasn't even served to me, but put in a corner, from which we had to serve ourselves.

Thirdly, the sushi wasn't bad but didn't blow my mind - and there are other much more pleasurable establishments in this fine city in which sushi of the same caliber can be found.

Learn from my mistake and don't listen to the hype.