Adam "Get Your Roll On" W.'s Profile

I don't know what some of these people are freakin' out about. Seriously. But, if y'all know anything about me, it's that I don't fake the funk in my reviews. So here she goes...

The Wilshire Hotel is located in the heart of Koreatown, Los Angeles. It's basically centrally located to EVERYTHING and, if there was no traffic in L.A., it'd be twenty minutes drive to absolutely everything people love and hate about this great city. That alone is worth a couple notches in its belt if you ask me.

As everyone notes, the lobby is kick-ass. You'll think you're on the set of a movie or something and, in this city, that's entirely possible. Hell, even the lobby restrooms have floor to ceiling doors on the stalls. Now that's luxury. There's a gift shop (huh?), and a small coffee stand with little bagels and sandwiches too. All overpriced, of course. But you'll buy it anyway because you'll get sick of eating at Carls Jr. across the street every single day for breakfast.

Your room, when compared to the lobby, is definitely another story. I'm talking PLAIN. Which you can kinda predict the second you step off the elevator. Hallways are kind of spooky like 'The Shining' and I think I even saw two little dead girls stalking me down the hallway once. Your room has the bare essentials.... a bed, a TV, a bathroom, and a shower with super low pressure. But, it's clean and there were no major problems. I was lucky enough to have a room with an iron stain on the floor (Really? How does that happen, schmuck?), but it didn't bother me as it clearly did other reviewers.

When you're in Los Angeles there's so much to see, so much to do, and so much to experience, you shouldn't be chillin' in your hotel room enough for its shortfalls to bother you. At approximately $95 a night, I felt the price was fair considering the city, its location, and accommodations. Remember folks, you're not in your small town atmosphere anymore... $90+ a night does not mean luxury and in L.A., it really doesn't mean a damn thing. You'll have a bed to sleep on, a TV to lull you to sleep, and a place to rid your body of its waste - and it'll all be clean. You're close to public transport, a million restaurants to eat at on Wilshire Blvd., a grocery store, and anything else you might need. So suck it up and enjoy the city and try not to dwell on the place you're only spending a few hours a day in.

Yelp doesn't let you give a place zero stars and that's a shame, because this is what this place deserves. Absolutely nothing.

I think we all understand that ANY buffet is not going to have the highest (or even close) quality food around... especially, for some reason, a Chinese buffet. But this place takes substandard to a whole new lower level of substandard.

I can't say I experienced any of the ill effects of food poisoning or anything like that like the other reviewer, but all the food was pretty bland, temperatures did seem to vary wildly on different food items, and I've got to say that the selection was pretty poor as well.

Judging by the building's architecture, I'm guessing that this place used to be a Big Boy... and I wish it still was. At least then my bill of $11 would have gotten me something I would have considered satisfying... and probably more than the one refill I had to ask for 3 times (and then it came back a Coca-Cola instead of a Sprite). No tip for this guy.

Definitely not worth your time or money. Unless you've got someone you want to punish or need a good break-up spot. Then this is it. Otherwise... just drive on by.

I'm not sure why there's a space in the DJ's part of DJ's Cocktail Lounge... but... whatever, Yelp. Whatever.

DJ's Lounge is not your average bar. It looks like something you might see in a horror movie except for the fact that it's closely surrounded by a few other businesses. Its immediate area makes it look like there's nothing around it and gives it a kind of spooky vibe- especially with that neon sign pointing to the low light parking lot with hardly any cars in it.

Once inside you're treated to the fine aesthetics of a place that yearns for the late '70s/early '80s. Complete with wood paneling. You gotta love that.

What it boils down to is that DJ's Lounge is a no frills bar experience with its own weird little vibe that cannot be described. Only felt. Staff was friendly and attentive, drinks were well worth their money, and the crowd was unassuming and as welcoming as they could be by not acknowledging that anyone new was in their space. You won't have a knock out good time here but you'll have a decent enough place to just sit, drink, and hang with those you came with while people watching... and sometimes that's just good enough.

Am I going to return to DJ's Lounge? You better believe it. As strong/good as those drinks were for the price... I'm in.

Pub 43 was one of the better bars I've been to in a super long time. While it seemed pretty modern and hip, it wasn't too pretentious or stifling with hipsters and douche bags. It's fairly small, but it adds to the cozy atmosphere and really makes you feel like you're part of whatever's going on... even if you're not. Which can be a good thing or, maybe not, if you're a loner. My group and I dug that part of it though because it makes it that much easier to eavesdrop on others' conversations and make fun of them for your own benefit- just make sure you're somewhat quiet about it since they can probably hear you too if you're too damn loud.

This place has a REAL jukebox. Well, kind of. It houses CDs instead of 45s, but it's still not one of those fancy pants internet jukeboxes that accepts credit cards and lets you download your favorite songs to it. Make sure you're packing real cash if you're planning on subjecting the bar to your horrible taste in music. Otherwise you're forced to listen to the other patrons' horrible taste in music.

I have absolutely nothing to say about the food here. We didn't eat any. C'mon, people! It's a bar! Er... pub. I guess they have an extensive list of fried items, but that's kinda hard to F up. I'm gonna say that the good here is alright for its fried goodness- but I really don't know.

The important thing is this: the drinks are cheap and STRONG. I don't know how much we drank, but I was buying drinks for others (and not drinking myself since I was the DD), but after a good couple hours of sitting, drinking, and talking... my tab was only $26 before the tip. I'm used to that $26 popping up after only a few drinks... and we had much more than just a few. The staff here was super friendly too. Like, these dudes treated us like we were regulars although it was only our first time. They know how to get people to come back, f'sure.

Oh, yeah, there are game boards in the corner. I suppose it'd be fun to play but we didn't. I imagine in a place like that the pieces get stolen by hooligans anyway and it's hard to properly play any game. You bastards.

Also various sources online (including Foursquare) say this place is a gay bar...? I kinda got that vibe while we were in there too, but I was the only one. If that type of thing bothers you, you might want to avoid this place- but you'll really be missing out.

Yeah, dudes, I'll be coming back to this place. Without a friggin' doubt. Cheap drinks, awesome service, and an atmosphere that I can dig right into. You'd be insane to dismiss this place... or just much more picky than I.

You know the movie Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (think Gene Wilder, not Johnny Depp)? This place reminds me of the opening scene where the dude in the candy store goes all nuts singing about the candyman and throwing candy at all the kids.

Simply put: This. Place. Is. Awesome.

All sorts of candy bars (mostly just different varieties of chocolate), interesting "homemade" candies (like peanut butter cups and nut clusters), candy dipped apples, fresh made fudge... and on and on and on.

Not to mention- it's all GOOD. Except for the stuff I didn't like, but... well, someone else must like it because it's there.

They also have seasonal candy. It's October now, so they have HUGE jack-o-lantern chocolate things. I imagine near Easter they also do the traditional bunny. Thanksgiving yields chocolate turkeys. I don't know why I find this fascinating, but I do. I wish I lived in Stratford just so I could come ever every holiday to get that holiday's mascot in chocolate form.

I can't imagine walking in this place and not walking out with at LEAST $15 in candy. Maybe that's not much to some, but it's a lot to me... especially for just candy. Expensive? Yes... but damn well worth it. Maybe not always in size- but what they lack in quantity is more than made up for with quality... and sometimes that's even better.

If you've even got the slightest hint of a sweet tooth and find yourself in Stratford, you're doing yourself a disservice by not checking this place out. You'll also miss out on seeing the dudes who make (and pack!) the fudge during the day. Oh yeah, I went there.

Really though... Go. NOW.

What should you expect from a restaurant whose facade looks run down and whose interior matches that of a mid-century peasant's house?

The answer is... not much. And that's what you'll get.

Although, apparently this place does just fine without my dragging it down in the mud, 'cause it's been here FOREVER according to my grandma (who is the one that suggested we dine here while at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival).

As I mentioned, the interior leaves something to be desired. The drab, gray walls adorned with worn out flags and prints of old Japanese women just don't do it for me. The red and white checkered tablecloths harken back to a time when... that stuff was popular, I guess. It always makes me think of picnics for some reason.

Your server will greet you dressed in all black. Once (s)he arrives, that is. It's a little bit on the slow side trying to get service, and then a little bit slower trying to get your meal that you've ordered.

Once that meal of yours DOES arrive, you will be overwhelmingly underwhelmed with its mediocrity. While my chef's salad with (canned) salmon was, actually, pretty good. My grandmother's grilled cheese and my mother's hamburger both looked like they left something to be desired. I can't speak for my grandma, but I did try my mother's hamburger and... well, it definitely was unlike any other hamburger I've ever tasted in my life. In a bad way. Dry, weird seasonings, and... just... wrong.

The french fries that came with her burger though... were really good. Crisp, flavorful, not greasy, crunchy... great.

While I did enjoy my salad thoroughly, it wasn't anything GREAT and definitely not worth the $13.95 CAD it cost. For the three of us to eat, it was a little over $40 CAD... for what basically amounted to something we could have gotten at Big Boy for much less and enjoyed much more simply for nostalgic reasoning.

I'll admit I may have been a bit harsh on The Elizabethan, but it's not entirely undeserved. If the pricing were much lower, I'd actually consider returning next time I'm in Stratford... but as it stands now, I'll only consider it when someone else is paying the bill and all other restaurants just don't sound appealing. Which will probably be never.

Schmohz kind of reminds me of Cheers in its own way. They are their own little brewery offering a variety of unique beers and blends... and that's all they offer.

Walking into the place, I felt like I was transported from the city of Grand Rapids to some bar located in the U.P. Not that that's a bad thing... just a point worth noting. In other, more positive words, the atmosphere is friendly, unassuming, and welcoming.

As I've mentioned in other reviews, I'm no beer expert and I'm just as happy with a Miller as I am with those premium, unique brews. Maybe I should be ashamed, but I probably prefer the watered down Miller/Bud to the other stuff... hey, I'm an American! The beer here is definitely that fancier stuff so if you dig it, this is your place. They offered no less than 7 unique beers including a non-alcoholic root beer. You can even take kegs and growlers to-go.

Service? Fast. Efficient. Friendly. No waiting at the bar for centuries to get your order taken. I hear they even offer samples if you can't decide on what you want. That's rockin'. At $3.75 for a glass of beer, the prices are definitely more than reasonable when you consider that going to the chain restaurant up the street and grabbing that aforementioned Miller will run you about the same.

Food? Non-existent. Free popcorn and peanuts. You come here to drink and socialize with your buddies or the crowd that's already there. Or maybe play pinball, darts, or pool.

I can see this place being an awesome after work hangout for the locals or your favorite "beer snob" (and I say that with nothing but the most loving affection). To me, it's a place I'll probably stop in every once in a while with some buddies who live nearby... but definitely not any place I'd go out of my way to drop in on.

Grand Rapids Brewing Company (GRBC) is somewhat of a unique place. Looking at it from the outside, and even once you're inside, it's not quite what you'd expect.

From the outside, and its name, you'd expect something like an Applebee's atmosphere. Once you're inside though... it's more like feeling you're in a fancy establishment - although not quite. The theme... is "old." That's what it felt like to me and my friends, at least.

Initially it is very cramped feeling until you're lead into the larger dining area and the room immediately opens up. For some reason, there was hardly anyone here (on St. Patrick's Day), so it felt fairly empty too. I get the feeling that if it were full of people, I might not have enjoyed the area so much.

Prices here are about average if slightly high for a pub/restaurant. Most entrees looked like they were within the $12 to $16 range while burgers/sandwiches were around $8 for most selections. Appetizers were the typical $6/$7 price tag. The menu selection varies widely and it makes me think that GRBC cannot decide if it wants to appeal to EVERYONE or the upper crust. Or maybe offer upper crust items at an everyone price. There were some nice (although I can't remember them) seafood selections on the menu and a good choice of burgers... I think most people would be happy with the choices here. Although I agree with the other reviewer who mentioned there aren't many "health conscious" choices. Yes, there are a few... but it's limited. If you are truly watching what you're eating, it may be difficult to be satisfied with your choices here.

Service was... meh. Not horrible but I've definitely experienced better. Especially for some place that I would consider the prices ALMOST high. Or waitress was polite and delivered our food/drinks in a timely manner but rarely checked on us and we had to request refills. When we were finished with our meal (which I could only finish half of between my beer and salad), I wasn't offered a to-go box and she simply snatched the plate to throw my remaining half sandwich away. Disappointing... I was looking forward to eating it later.

It probably is some sin to review this place without making mention of the in-house brewed beer. Well, there you go, I've mentioned it. I'm definitely not a "beer snob" and I'd be hard pressed to tell you the differences between brand A and brand B other than their marketing campaigns. A Miller tastes refreshing to me on a hot day because that's what the ad tells me... and Bud Light is less filling. The beer here is good but definitely not what I'd want to drink on a regular basis. Maybe someone who actually understands the terms stout, pilsner, malt, and whatever else would appreciate it more. Me... well, if ignorance is bliss than I'm happy as a clam.

GRBC is decent enough. I'd go here with some out of town guests as a change of pace. I'd even come here every once in a great while just for some place different to eat. I wouldn't consider making this place my new haunt though... or even a place where I could even remotely be considered a regular. There are much better places to have a good meal at in Grand Rapids, at lower prices, with the same (if not better) service. But... don't discount it entirely - maybe it'll be your diamond in the rough. For me... not so much.

Let me preface my review with a warning. I try really hard to not be a snob about Mexican food, but I've finally come to grips with the realization that my year or so I spent in southern California has forever altered my tastebuds and I don't think any Mexican food I have outside of the southwestern United States or the country of Mexico will ever really live up to what I think it should be. And, of all the states I've been to, Michigan seems to violate the concept of Mexican food way more than anyone else.

Border Cantina is, however, pretty standard midwest Mexican fare. Which is to say that it's all the items you'd expect (tacos, burritos, enchiladas, etc.), usually served with a side of beans and rice. Let us not forget the free chips and salsa that come out before the meal.

So what about midwestern Mexican food is so wrong? Well, it's probably what makes it so damn good. Everything is smothered in CHEESE. You're absolutely denied any of the other flavors of the ingredients or seasonings because everything is absolutely drowning in an abundance of cheese that will simultaneously clog your arteries and make you have a joy-gasm.

I did particularly like the atmosphere here. Instead of being the typical flashy pastel-colored stuff with a bunch of stupid stereotypical music playing it was actually more tone-downed and slightly reminiscent of the taquerias I'd visited in Los Angeles (although this place was MUCH larger). Tastefully done, my folks.

The service started out great too. But, that's to say it went downhill. Near the end of the night our server disappeared for about 15 or 20 minutes and was nowhere to be found. We had finished our meal, were not in a super rush to get out, but we had a fussy kid with us and would have iiked to leave quite a bit sooner. When our server returned, he did acknowledge he had been gone for quite some time... but that still was unacceptable. Other than this mishap, the service was alright but still nothing stellar (I hate having to ask for my refills instead of vice versa... or simply just being brought a fresh drink).

Do I think this place is any better than any other Mexican restaurants around? Not really, but I'd probably head here before On The Border simply because it's a local business and we're in that whole recession thing (at least at the time of this writing). Just like Doc's, I can't really NOT recommend this place, but I'm a little hard pressed to advise you to pick it over any other place either.

My sister, nephew, and I recently stopped in to Doc's with a small group before heading over to the kiddie pool a few miles away. I know they say you're supposed to wait a half hour after eating before swimming, but we felt like living on the edge (of the century) apparently.

What I can say about Doc's? Well, it has a lot more character than most of the other establishments it seems to pattern itself after. Maybe I just wasn't paying enough attention, but the decor seemed a little bit better than just sports crap donning the walls and neon beer signs.

But once you break it down, this place definitely was a sports bar. They had those huge projection TVs we've all become accustomed to, the waitresses are wearing the typical black shirts/shorts, and the atmosphere is extremely casual. You'll be surrounded by college dudes, older guys escaping from their families for a few minutes, and even some families. Just about what you'd expect, which isn't that bad.

The food here is also fairly typical. Which, I guess is kind of bad for these places because, to me, that means it's over-priced and not particularly memorable. As an appetizer we had cheese bread (which you can't really mess up), calamari (which was good, but again... it's fried so hard to screw up), and for dinner we had a vegetable pizza. Pretty bland. The crust was nice and kind of flaky, not like a typical pizza. I wouldn't call it thin crust, but it wasn't all big and heavy either. Kind of light and definitely the best part of the pizza. The sauce was barely there, the toppings didn't seem all that fresh, and I'm not even sure they made the dough there... but whatever.

All this combines into one thing for me. I understand why the place is so popular. A welcoming atmosphere that provides okay service, forgettable food, and prices pretty much in line with comparable places. Making what accounts for an alright experience in most people's minds. With no real NEGATIVE aspects, it's hard to tell people not to go there... but i can't rightly recommend it either.