Michael N.'s Profile

My son, wife, and I ate at Billy Bob's just before the holidays.  My son and I shared a barbecue plate, which had all a full variety of meats on it.  The pulled pork was OK, but was a little dried out.  The beef, which was also pulled (definitely not traditional brisket), was pretty much just like the pork, just a slightly darker color (still dry).  The sausages were the worst I've ever had - basically a plump hot dog split down the middle and grilled.  These were way too mushy (cereal filler) and had no flavor at all.  The barbecued chicked was decent, plenty juicy.  The ribs (which my wife ate - I'm not a rib person) still seemed to be the best thing on the plate.

The plate also included two sides.  The baked beans had the consistency and appearance of Mexican refried beans, not at all expected.  The cole slaw was decent, which a little spice to it.

My wife had a burger and sweet potato fries, which were fine.  I would suggest sticking to the burgers and ribs, and go to Stan's or 3 Pigs for anything else.  Overall, disappointing.

I've tried Taco Time a few times, but overall it's just not that good.  If you are craving a taco, check out Taqueria La Venadita nearby, or drive a little to Federal Way and check out Del Taco - same idea, better delivery.

I used to think I knew what constituted a good taco - then I spent some time in Mexico City and all of that changed.  Now, I look for a simple plate of tacos with soft corn tortillas, a variety of meats, a sprinkling of cheese, some fresh cilantro, and some red (or green, if you so choose) taco sauce.

Taqueria La Venadita definitely brings back memories of Mexico City.  I keep telling myself that I need to try some of their other foods, like tortas and enchiladas, but I always end up going back to the tacos.  One of these days...

Definitely worth a visit - best Mexican food on the eastside.

This was probably the third time I visited the restaurant, and my previous experiences were always good.  But this time wasn't up to par.

We were served water that had a strange metalic-like taste to it, like it was served from an old tin pitcher.  (Needless to say, I never needed a refill.)

My entree, the sultani kabob combination, consisted of two kabobs: a tenderloin beef kabob that seems to be way over-cooked, to the point that it seemed like pulled beef BBQ, falling apart and stringy; and a rather bland kofta kabob that was somewhat rubbery.

Very disappointing overall.

Based on other reviews, I convinced my wife that we need to try out the Tagla Cafe.  We were seeking something different, and this certainly qualified.  We had never tried Ethiopian cuisine, so this was a new experience for us both.

We were assured that the combination platter would offer enough food for the two of us (and he certainly was right), so the debate was which one:  the meat combination or the vegetarian combination.  We opted for the vegetarian, but the owner offers to add some meat to it so we got the best of both.

Even if you aren't a vegetarian, you'll like the vegetarian items, all well seasoned and not too spicy.  For some items, you might not quite know what they are, but often that's not a bad thing - just try it.

The beef and chicken added to the vegetarian platter were excellent - we'll need to go back again to see what other interesting things are on the meat combination.

The injera is sort of like a crepe, just tear off pieces and use it grab some food.  (No utensils are provided or needed.)  They'll bring more injera if you need it.

You could see on the menu that they have adjusted prices by a dollar - just marked in the new prices with a blue sharpy.  But it's still a bargain, with our total bill (before tip) being under $15 (with just one soft drink).

Parking on the street can be a bit of a challenge (Rainier Ave. is pretty busy), but you could probably park across the street and walk over.  There wasn't much of a crowd, even on a Friday night, and service is prompt and friendly.  There are at least 10 tables, and they could easily handle larger groups.

I wish we had a place like this closer to us.  We'll definitely be back.

No doubt about it, they have a very good burger.  Good flavor, good sauce, great bacon.  The onion rings were also good, interesting flavor to the coating that I just couldn't quite place.

The french fries were decent, but I've had better.  I still prefer thinner-cut fries that are more crispy and fresh from the fryer.  These weren't quite so thin or fresh.  (I think they could use a lesson from In-N-Out Burger - wish there was one around here.)

The shakes were decent too, with a variety of flavors, although I think I'd be just as satisfied with one from Fatburger.  (Fatburger's shakes are bigger too, and probably no more expensive.)

The restaurant was definitely busy, with a line from the door to the counter.  You pretty much need to clean the tables yourself before sitting down (stake out your table because there are lines for them too), because they seem to only do it when there aren't people waiting in line.

Total price for the four of us (4 deluxe burgers, 3 orders of fries, 1 order of onion rings, 3 shakes, and a soft drink) were over the $10/person mark, so I've marked the price range at $$.  They do accept only cash or checks, so either come prepared or walk to the gas station next door - they don't have an ATM, but will be happy to do a cash advance for you anyway.

Is it possible to have a five-star sandwich shop?  Especially one in a small place on a quiet downtown Bellevue side street?  Well, they are definitely some of the best sandwiches I've had in the Seattle area, and the service is really good.  So five stars for "a good a sandwich as it gets": great bread, ample meat and toppings, nicely toasted.

Prices are definitely higher than the chain sub shops, but there's good reason for that.  For those of you in downtown Bellevue, definitely check it out.

So how can a restaurant that has been in business for so many years not have any reviews?

The family and I had dinner there this evening.  The menu includes both Greek and Italian food (and some dishes that combine the two).  Entrees ranged from $13 to over $20, with most in the $16-$20 range, including your choice of soup, a side salad, and bread.

I had a combo Italian plate with cannelloni (not my favorite), lasagna (good, although the meat seemed a little dry), and manicotti (best item on the plate), all covered with an excellent chunky marinara sauce.  We also had Greek spaghetti, cote spaghetti, and pizza.  

The soups, Greek lemon rice and minestrone, were good too.

The restaurant doesn't have a kids menu, but will let the kids order from the lunch menu, which is probably a third cheaper than the dinner menu (although the lunch items don't include soup or salad).

Apparently Nick's is supposed to have excellent cheesecake, but there was no room for dessert.

We arrived after 7pm on a Friday evening and had no trouble getting a table - there were a few other parties in the restaurant, and a steady trickle of customers.  But the restaurant was never really that busy.

So my debate:  Is it better than Olive Garden, Firenze, or Vince's?  (I know, you might not put Olive Garden in that list, but I really do like it - it's the Italian food I grew up eating.)  In some ways, probably; in others, probably not.  Three stars overall, mainly because I left satisfied but unenthused.

All the other reviews pretty much sum it up - skip the food, have some pie and coffee, take a picture, and then go hike up Mt. Si...

Catfish and hushpuppies - definitely the specialty of the house.  It's probably not quite up to level of the thin catfish strips you can find around the New Orleans area, but still very good.  The hushpuppies were very good too, best I've had in the Seattle area (well, probably best I've had outside of the south).

There were quite a few other sides, bottled drinks from the cooler, and a few desert choices that we were too full to try.  Prices are excellent.  There is some parking around the back, with more on the street, and plenty of tables inside.  The staff is very friendly and helpful, and the place is very clean.  Order at the counter, they'll bring the food to you.  We were there for an early weeknight dinner, around 5 pm, so they weren't too busy.  But they still had a fair amount of carry-out traffic, so it's definitely popular with the locals.

It's not far from downtown Seattle, definitely worth the trip.  I suspect they draw a decent business crowd too.