Eric "Greatness Has a Price I Can Afford" S.'s Profile
Date
Danvers, MA 01923
(978) 774-4080
Giblees Get Dressed
Categories:
Men's Clothing,
Women's Clothing
The inside is clean and classy, everything is displayed nicely and the sales staff know how to help without being overbearing. They know what the clientele wants and, if they don't have something, they can generally find it for you. I bought a pair of shoes there a couple years back and loved them. Went back for the same shoes and they didn't carry them any more but they called around for me and found them. You can't find that kind of service any more.
Enough said, really, if you're looking for some very fine clothing and want to be treated with the dignity that every customer should be, look no further, Giblee's is your place.
But, lately, things have been pretty bad. Here, let me count the ways for you:
1. The ceiling towards the back right leaks like a sieve when it rains heavily. Fixing it seems out of the question. Catching rainwater in large grey containers meant for the dirty dishers seems to be the more modern way to go. On non-rainy days, the ceiling is still warped and yellowed and god only knows if there's a steady flow of mold now going for free rides in the air stream circulating around the room. Lovely, huh?
2. Just above the kitchen window, the wall is smeared with greasy handprints and whatever else prints. Greasy handprints where no hand should be! If there are such things in wide, open view, I can only wonder what else is going on! They shut down to clean the kitchen hoods, how about wiping down the walls over the food counter... Denny's PLEASE!
3. Good waitresses constantly quitting. Hey, I'm the customer. And I'm a good customer and a long-time customer and I know a good waitress when I see one. Some of them were just plain awesome but, for one reason or another, (read: management), they felt underappreciated and disrespected and quit. And that's a shame because having a regular, good waitress one likes is a huge reason to return to a place.
4. As of this past week, they've replaced management yet again and even though FOOD would seem to be the main product at Denny's, they forgot to put in a food order this week. That means:
a. No coke;
b. No usual egg white product (except hand-separated from tiny eggs);;
c. No T-bone steaks (i know, a steak from dennys? not bad actually)
d. No lettuce;
e. No chicken strips
f. No (fill in the blank here)
Oh, but that happens, right? They';ll be back on schedule next week, or so, right? Well, they have a location in Salem, NH. You think someone from home office could order Salem, NH to share some of its Coke or Chicken strips... or, let me guess, the ordering is so tight they can't spare a THING to help soften Danvers' food shortage? Just karazy!
5. No dishwasher on overnights. I don't know exactly how that translates over except from hearsay which I won't repeat because I can't verify it but let's just say that I'm thankful I have an amazing immune system because I can't go a whole meal without something to drink.
6. Rats. I think I said it in the original review but they're not getting any better. And I'll bet you ANYTHING they're in the ceiling. Rats always find a way into the building and I can see 1 or 2 ways they'd get in just by myself.
If it weren't for the following, I don't think i'd ever come back here:
1. Awesome waitresses;
2. 24hrs
3. Free wifi
4. Build Your Own Slam (killer value)
Otherwise, I could just stay home and order a hooker, steal my wifi from a neighbor and make some ramen noodles.
1 Previous Review:
-
4/24/2009
You know what? Denny's has a bit of an unfair bad reputation. You see, for instance, all the 3 star ratings? Yet they've been in business for umpteen years and those same 3-star people keep going back again and again and again.
So, just like green is the new black, and 60 is the new 40, maybe 3-stars is the new 5-stars? Who do they think are reading their reviews that they need to give it 3-stars?
It's not as if a reader is trying to decide between going to Denny's or the Four Seasons. If you want good, solid grub, 24/7, Denny's is THE place to go. Even if you're 10 miles away, it's right off the route 128 exit and you can be here in 12 minutes from as far away as Woburn (rte 93 at 128) or 8-10 minutes from Rockport/Gloucester.
So, who are we kidding here?
Denny's is PERFECT for what it exists for. It's a place where drunks, lonely people, and starving people can go in the middle of the night when most normal people are sound asleep.
It's a place where elderly can spend the morning have a budget-friendly breakfast. Notice I didn't say, "heart-friendly", however, you CAN still order things like "Skinny Moons" even though the aren't on the menu.
And it's a place where everyone else just driving by and wanting a quick, reasonably priced meal can do so.
I don't know where Denny's became synonymous with "greasy"... bacon and sausage are greasy ANYWHERE you go but the place is not greasy. The tables are clean, the silverware is clean, the dishes are clean, so enough with calling the place "greasy"... it's clean.
Then menu is LOADED with choices. Oh, excuse me, the menuS!! They actually have like 3-4 menus in one restaurant with all kinds of cool concoctions in them. Denny's is really a great place to go when you want any number of salads, sandwiches or breakfasts.
I just don't get all the 3-stars. Is it so hard for people to realize that Denny's is PERFECT for what it offers? Besides the fact that Denny's has a great selection, it ain't really even about the food.
DENNY'S IS A REFUGE!
When you're in a Den's, you don't have to wear your Sunday best, and you don't have to put on airs, like fake smiles or your flashy watch. You just go there alone, or with a bunch of friends, and smash a whole bunch of gut-filling food down your throat then go home and sleep.
Can anyone say that Denny's has ever failed in that regard? I doubt it.
No 5th star because it's missing that personal feel that a privately owned diner/restaurant of similar caliber has plus the occasional staff drama that spills out into the open.
1. On sister's recommendation, we took our mother here for Mother's day;
2. Place didn't seem very full but service was slow. Waitress started to tell us they were under-staffed and that she was exhausted from working double shifts. While that's unfortunate, it should never become the problem, or the knowledge, of the customer. We ended up with a waiter who was nice but obviously suffering from sever overload as more people were showing up;
3. Chips and salsa as others describe - salsa was chunks of diced tomato with watery onions; chips broke every time trying to dip in salsa and were a little past fresh;
4. Iced Teas came out with ice nearly full melted. We pointed it when we had the waitress and she said, "Yeah, i dont know why they do that." We had to ask for a cup of ice to make the iced tea cold again;
5. NO CURTAINS - It was bright enough out that it bothered my eyes to be facing the window and I couldn't even focus across at others' faces without the light continually blinding me. I had to keep looking down. Get some adjustable bamboo shades or something;
6. Ordered AZTEC Soup, it never arrived. I love soup. It never showed up;
7. Double Thick Pork Chop was AWESOME (see picture). The sauce underneath was salty as hell but the porkchop was still so good and it was stuffed and tasty as hell.
So, let me just say that even though everything was, pretty much, horrible for me, I'd still brave all that insanity for another one of those pork chops. You lucked out, guys. I might get the pork chop as the takeout but, otherwise, I hope you get your act together because the restaurant does have some decent potential.
Now, I write this review, and give it 5 stars, not as an aficionado of "fine Italian dining" but, simply, as a guy who likes Italian food and has eaten at a LOT of restaurants in a LOT of different places.
1. While the 8/10 is ironically ensconced between 3-4 taquerias, the outside will fade away the moment you step inside. While not large, it makes good use of its space. It avoids the fake Italian decorations that try to make you think you're in Italy. Instead, you'll find a pleasant assortment of Sinatra/Rat Pack era photos gracing the walls with Sinatra music playing in the background.
2. While not a drinker, I know a good, well-stocked bar when I see one. It's a long bar, too, with 3 TV's and, at present, the kind of bartender who seems glad to see you there and makes sure you know you're welcome back. Whether it was a coincidence, or not, the owner was there, as well and, coming from a family business, that's a big plus to me, as well.
3. The menu is full of all kinds of options and, for a very reasonable price, portions are large. They even have a separate "wing menu" with wing creations like "Parmesan & Garlic" and "Hawaiian." The sauce on the fried artichokes was a little too lemony for my taste but that can always be adjusted. Otherwise, we had a great late lunch and found it so pleasurable we stayed 3 hours (only because it wasn't full at that time ;) ) As for dessert, stay tuned!
4. The waitress was pleasant and very accomodating, the owner and bartender friendly, the prices and portions were excellent and the food was delicious. What more can you ask for? Valet Parking? Fend for yourself! ;)
I'm gonna keep this simple on a point-by-point review:
1. Guy host was very friendly and accomodating. I wanted to sit apart from the crowd and was offered 2 alternatives.
2. I was waited on by very polite waiter and waitress. They always had an eye on things and were very pleasant.
3. I had chili, chicken pot pie and ordered some crabcakes over a salad to go. The chili was really good, came with a side of sour cream and a small, slightly inadequate amount of nachos. The cup looked small, at first, but the chili is thick and tasty and it ended up being the right size.
The chicken pot pie is creamy, a good size, and has plenty of chicken. It also is a decent presentation, with a nice circular bread puff resting on top. I eat a lot of chicken pot pie and this one was really good.
Crabcakes I ate later. There's 2 and they're a bit small and I wouldn't recommend the dish over the other but the salad was fresh and if you like crabcakes and don't need heaping portions like me, then these were pretty tasty.
I can't speak for the alcohol, or bar, but overall, if you're looking for a decent, casual place for yourself, or to bring someone, the Portsmouth Brewery is a better, more spacious, option than the other 2 similar restaurants I saw on the street. You probably won't walk away raving about it but you'll definitely find something to satisfy your time and palate.
Seriously, folks, there's nothing here that should drag you away from your favorite pizza place other than the white garlic chicken pizza, and the drive-thru (if you're on crutches)... other than that, WHATEVA!!!!
That fourth star is if you have an interesting, tasty variety on the menu and a fair variety of drinks to accompany it. With fish tacos, pulled pork, honey mustard chicken wrap, burgers, buffalo wings and fingers, and clam chowder, a full soda fountain and about 8 bottled drinks, the Farm gets that fourth star. Specifically, though, the fish tacos are so fresh and clean that I can still remember them clearly from over 3 days ago. The honey mustard chicken wrap was also super tasty, clean and fresh, and I've gone back for the clam chowder more than once.
Oh yeah...
The buffalo fingers should be retitled, "Buffalo FILETS", there's "only 3" but they're LARGE!
The fifth star, for me, (and, for a place like this) is a mix of location, layout, parking and staff. The farm is a quick "eat and skeet" kinda place. The decor is cute, pleasant and crafty... not like the ancient fomica tables that grace other small restaurants. The staff is pleasant, mostly college age, kids who are polite and professional. Parking is ample, metered spots all up and down the street (no meter fee after 5pm). And, its on Rantoul St so it's easy to get to from all over.
I dont know anything about the Farm's other location in Essex but I sure am happy I found this one! Thanks for adding to the quality of the Beverly restaurant culture, folks!
That being said, ROTISSERRIE CHICKENS FOR $3.99 COOKED, SAY WHAAAAA??!?!?! Yeah, you heard me right! Cooked Rotisserie chickens for FOUR BUCKATOLLAH KHOMEINIS. They've also got FOUR express checkout counters and SO WHAT if its crowded... that means the food is being turned over regularly and, therefore, FRESH.
"Boohoo! I have to fill out a card to cash checks...!"
"Boohoo! It's so crowded. I'm so important I have to get in and get out or I'll miss my photo shoots and autograph signings..."
If you're going there to fill up a shopping card, then it's not going to take you any longer than it would at any other seagull-infested grocery store; but if you just want a rotisserie chicken, its only going to cost you $4, you'll be in and out faster than it takes flies to mate, and you'll feed yourself for the next 3 days.
HELLO?!?!?!?!?! ANYBODY HOME?!?!?
Listed in: Absolutely Consistent!!
1 Previous Review:
-
10/26/2009
I've given this Market Basket a 5-star because I've not ventured into the minutiae like waiting at the meat/fish counter or venturing in during busiest hours etc so I don't think it's fair to give it anything less. Truth is, I've been totally happy every time I've been here.
The main reason I go here is for the damn awesome dinners.
I don't know about you but if I can get a whopping portion of pork, turkey or chicken, w/stuffing, mashed potatoes and corn, plus a roll and gravy for $5.99 then I'm pretty damn happy.
Each day is a new dinner special but EVERY day there is a turkey dinner special.
It's all made fresh that day.
They also have $1.29 hot dogs. Jalapeno poppers, spicy wings and so much more in the prepared food area that I'm just amazed I never knew this before....
...what's more is that anyone I tell ends up raving about it, too. The value is just incredible.
As far as the typical shopping stuff goes, that's gonna have to be someone else's job to review. I like my stuff made for me. ;) Just try it once, you'll understand after that. ;)
The lamb is truly awesome, tender and succulent. Fish dishes have always been cooked to flaky perfection and never dry. Anyone can go anywhere and just happen to have a bad experience, but I've been here many times with my family and it really is a fine restaurant.
If you like Greek food and you understand that it might not be EXACTLY as your "yaya" cooked it, then you'll love Brothers Kouzina.
1 Previous Review:
-
4/21/2009
I give this 5 stars because, amongst other things, my mouth waters whenever I think about it.
This place is run and worked by people who used to work "the brothers" type restaurants found throughout the N. Shore so, if you know those places, then you can expect the same quality freshness in all the lamb, chicken and beef you can eat.
There's a nice stock bar that's always got some sports on the TV on one side of the building. And the other side is quieter and just for dining. The kitchen is open and towards the back so you can go see what's going on if you wanted to.
The staff is super polite and the waitresses have been really good, and friendly, to-date. I like the feel of this place.
You can order all the Greek dishes you'll find at most Greek family events... Spanikopita and Moussaka, etc, and the portions are generous. You can also find a handful of non-Greek dishes if, for some reason, you have a craving for something a little Americana, or Italiano.
Parking is plentiful but it's not all right in front of the building. Sometimes you have to park behind the 7-11 next door.
It's on rte 1 and access to 128 is almost immediate so if you're from elsewhere, you can still be here in a jiffy.
Maybe I'll eat y.. I mean, "meet" you there. ;)
2 Lists
|
"If You Crave Brilliance, Wit & Humor, then Search No More."
- 63 Friends
- 111 Reviews
- 8 Review Updates
- 26 Firsts
- 19 Quick Tips
- 7 Fans
- 94 Local Photos
- 2 Lists
-
Rating Distribution
Loading...
- View more graphs »
Review votes:
328 Useful, 183 Funny, and 237 Cool
Salem, MA
Yelping SinceApril 2009
Things I Lovehahahah, sociopaths can't love...
Find Me In... girls gone wild 2 and 3, and Splatterhouse 5.
My HometownHalloweentown, USA
My Blog Or WebsiteTop Secret - I write under 4 pen names.
When I'm Not Yelping...I'm perfecting my palm reading skills.
Why You Should Read My ReviewsPeople will be strangely attracted to you for all the right reasons.
My Second Favorite WebsiteYelpaholics Anonymous
The Last Great Book I ReadI read 5 books simultaneously so get me a real question, puhlease...
My First ConcertThe Devil Went Down to Jamaica http://www.youtube.com...
My Favorite MovieSplatterhouse 5
My Last Meal On EarthSoylent Green (Google It)
Don't Tell Anyone Else But...I'm a wise, mystic as well as heir to a massive fortune.
Most Recent DiscoveryEating a 10oz can of corn in one sitting is a really big mistake.
Current CrushJanice Dean, the Weather Machine
When Frank's not busting balls, or getting his busted, by the loyal group of customers sitting on the bench and chairs out front, he's inside telling customers why they're "The Best" and threating to give them the "Preferred Customer Discount" by adding 10% onto their bill (for those who need it spelled out, that's a joke).
Frank's no stranger to business. He takes care of his regulars in a way you won't find at other area cigar shops. He is meticulous, almost to a fault, about the quality of his product and the place has an old-school familiarity goodness to it like you're back in the old neighborhood for a bit.
It doesn't hurt that Cigars R Us is surrounded by a top notch ice cream shop, a couple of roast beef/pizza places, delis/restaurants, dunkin donuts and collectibles so if you're hungry, thirsty or need to buy other gifts alongside the cigars, you can get it all done at once....
....AND get your balls busted (its optional... if you're new, you'll learn the ropes fast). If you have a thing for aging, overweight, balding men who sit out front smoking stogies while checking out hot trophy wives and fair maidens as they prance through the square, you need to stop by at least once and check it out for yourself.
Great at any time of day. Go down and have a good smoke and a laugh and get your balls busted by some of the best ball busters you'll ever meet. But, don't misunderstand. It's a very professional outlet but if you want the friendly action, that's where the busting comes in.