Stephen F.'s Profile

My fiance and I ate here once and only once - we ended up getting sick. The food is extremely greasy. I could have used the fried rice to power my car. The veggies and tofu were lackluster. It's like many other Chinese places down here: greasy.

I asked one of my colleagues who is Chinese and she says she has no idea why the places down here cook in such an unhealthy manner. This came straight from her, "We don't eat like that in China."

Monty's is an okay place if you are in the area. I would not go out of my way to go, though. The bar area outside by the water is a nice touch. If there are smaller boats docked, you will have a view of the bay. Otherwise, if there is a behemoth docked in the first berth, you'll have a nice view of fiberglass. The area is open and has plenty of fans circulating air. Be careful not to fall asleep when the breeze blows through. The weather was great for outdoor dining and drinking this past Saturday afternoon. I doubt if I would sit outdoors during the summer.

I ordered a martini and was bothered by two things. First, no Bombay Sapphire. Tanqueray was the closest alternative. It was my first time trying it and it was a decent substitute for Bombay. Second, no martini glasses. The bartender offered me a wine glass or a plastic cup. Gasp! Plastic cups are the big thing there. My fiance ordered a beer and a cocktail (not at the same time) and they were both served in plastic cups. I saw other people with pitchers of beer and ... you guessed it, plastic cups. If I am going to have a beer, I want it in a mug or pint glass. Plastic cups change the taste of beer and do not keep the beer cool at all.

Vegan dining options are a notch away from nil. The only vegan option is a veggie burger. That's it. It's not bad, but I've had better. It comes with quite a  bit of fries and the sandwich itself is big, so go with an appetite. Service is attentive. Parking is free if you validate the ticket. It is a family-friendly place. There was a god mix of people and everybody was doing their own thing. There were also a couple of guys playing live music - loud enough that you could make out what they were singing but low enough that you could have a conversation with barely talking above a whisper.

Lackluster food. The presentation is good but the food is disappointing. It lacks flavor. The expensive price is not commensurate with the portions or quality.

I cringe when I see complimentary chips and salsa. Not at Don Burrito. The salsa here is made fresh every day. I have been here on several occasions and the salsa tastes different every time. "Different" as in "made by hand". Let me be clear - the difference is a subtle change in flavor and consistency, not in quality. The quality is tops.

Prices are reasonable. I have the enchiladas de espinaca (without cheese) every time. It's a delicious dish. The corn tortillas are as soft as cotton candy. The green sauce is light yet tasty and the spinach is fresh. Portions here are huge. Definitely come with an appetite. If you have room, try the guacamole. I just had some today and it was the best batch ever. Like the salsa, it is made fresh daily.

Service is good. The servers are friendly and always coming around to check on you.

I realized I forgot to comment on the people that go to Sandbar: jackasses who cheer for football teams from colleges and universities they never attended.

This one is short and sweet. First, way too many people for a place that is not designed to hold more than a handful. Second, the crowd consists of the douchebag crowd typically found at Sunset. Not my type of people.

Fox's is a dive bar indeed. It is definitely a cool place. The lights are quite dim inside - not night-vision quality but close. The ambiance is cool. Everybody is doing their own thing. People are actually friendly. Service is good even when it is busy. The place gets full but not packed. Their specialty is the cocktail. Bartenders expertly make a martini with Bombay Sapphire Gin and give it to you in a sidecar, which is definitely a nice touch. The night we went, the manager was working everything: greeting, bar, etc. It's always nice to see a manager taking a hands-on approach. His name is Jake, I believe. He's the guy who made my martini - a very good job. The price was good too. I think it came out to $8 or so.

Again, this is a place for cocktails. There are no beer taps. Beer in bottles and prices for beer are on the steep side.

Oh yeah - even though it gets its fair share of people, the volume is tolerable. And ... free jukebox! I'm talking about the old-school jukeboxes where you have to flip the cards to see the tracks.

Chilis = terrible. Really, the place sucks. First, not vegan friendly in the least. And now for the two-for-one drinks. People, pull your head out of your ass. Chilis serves these 2-for-1 beers in 10oz. mugs. That's right, thrifty diner: 10.oz mugs. So you're getting 20 ounces of beer not 2-for-1, think about it. That's how they draw people in. People see 2-for-1 drinks and go crazy. As for the mixed drinks, they should be called grog because that is what they are: watered down alcoholic drinks. And on top of that, they use well liquor. The food is very low on quality and very high on salt.

Definitely a vegan-friendly place. The Art Vandalay is the size of a football with the density of lead. These people really pack it in. It's so big I have to use a fork and knife. Prices are decent - you will not break the bank. If there are two of you and you are willing to share a burrito, go for it. One burrito can feed a herd of elephants. You will not feel sick. Full - yes. The food is a bit salty but not as much as other places.

What can I say? It's a Taco Hell. Cheap fast food. It tends to have similar effects to a laxative - so eat it at home or make sure you are near somebody's house. I prefer the fresco bean burrito since it is the only vegan item on the menu. After a late night out, who can beat a $.99 burrito?