DaveO

Stopped by there the other day for a working lunch. Too bad we were working....the beers must be the hit and the bar menu looks encouraging. We ended up ordering two burgers...and though didn't share them we both enjoyed them, I having the burger w/ the bacon jam which was quite tasty. In light of the main focus of this place...its the last time I'll go there for a "working meeting". The various beers look way too inviting...but frankly the burgers were quite good.

from the page description: " Absolutely gorgeous beans! They hold their shape and have this wonderful creamy feel and have a distinct taste. " Do tell us more.

His restaurant dreams may not have borne fruit as he hoped but his writing is terrific.

@darkstar: I don't have much experience looking at restaurant data but I look at a lot of other businesses. Each industry is different. With regard to the info in that report it really relates to google search more than anything else. The biggest change is the carousel view which is dramatically different than what google showed before. It came out in mid June. It affects desktops and laptops but doesn't show in mobiles. Even if I didn't pay attention to that part of marketing before, if there was a noticeable change in business, plus or minus after mid June than possibly the carousel view affected new business, new customers, new diners. (all other things being equal). that is my gut, but I don't have data on it and there hasn't been any comprehensive reporting on it since its so new.

there are good options and ugh options: http://news.yahoo.com/video/atlanta-airport-sandwich-crawling-maggots-180711528.html

hmmm..... one bite of that scrumptious piece of beef provided me with the thrill and excitement of seeing a fat smelly 350 pound, pot bellied, bow legged Dallas Cowboy nose tackle smacked to the ground by the deft move of a Redskin lineman. ....or something like that for the sake of equality in giving food either a feminine or masculine context.

Every year for the last six years a web piece comes out about generally how to get high rankings for local businesses via search and primarily how to do it in google. The latest version just came out: http://moz.com/local-search-ranking-factors Its worthwhile for operators of local businesses including restaurants, caterers, markets etc. Its sort of a "best practices guide" on what is currently working to get high visibility in google for search phrases like DC caterer, Silver Spring Seafood restaurants, Annandale dentist, etc etc etc. In being transparent I participate in the survey. Every year I love the comments as they come from people around the globe who are working on this stuff every day with different clients and evaluating what they see or test as to what works or doesn't work in their experiences. The results are sort of technical. If I had to summarize what might work best for most bang for your bucks I'd suggest getting a lot of citations that apply to the local "pac" or group of businesses that show up for a local search. As to restaurants the world has changed pretty significantly recently in google for these types of searches. On desktops those types of searches now generate this big broad row of up to 20 pictures (or maps) for local restaurants with stars designating the rating of reviews in google. Its being called the carousel. For mobile though the same version of local results pop up for those types of searches in a browser with possibly up to 7 local restaurants showing as part of a PAC of local restaurants. So its worthwhile to get to the top of that PAC or as close to the top as possible. One of the easiest least expensive way to do this is to get tons of what are called citations that feed into the local algo that partly powers the results of these pacs. Do that, make sure the citation information is very clean, and get great categories for your business and that should help.

Without a doubt in my experience, Joe, the operator/owner at Toscana Grill is one of the most "connected" to his customers people I've ever met with regard to a restaurant/bar. I was there today for a late lunch/dinner as was one of his regulars. Something came up and I walked out with the other regular for a bit to do something. That person, a 12 year veteran of the restaurant business, was the one who described Joe in those terms. I agree with him. The other day I was reading the sports page while sitting at the bar. Joe walked by, saw a picture of Eddie Jordan, the former Coach of the Wizards. Eddie Jordan was fired 4.5 years ago from that job. Joe remembered him, remembered what he used to eat and told me a quick amusing story about his times at that former restaurant relative to one of the times Eddie Jordan ate there. Cripes I often can't recall what I ate yesterday let alone with whom I had the meal. Amazingly engaging operator which is why its become my go to Cheers type of place.

Its been clear for several years at least that you have a healthy appetite. Now that Shaq has joined you on TV, do you two dine out together? Do the two of you partake in all you can eat buffets? Have the two of you been banned from any restaurants? and btw: welcome

Do you have a favorite Cheers type of local restaurant or bar? I do. I more or less always have had that type of hangout regardless of where I lived. Its the place where "everyone knows your name". Its probably more suited to sitting at the bar than at a a table, though I've managed that too. These days it's Toscana Grill for me, in the Courthouse Plaza. It hit me the other evening as I sat and ate and drank at the bar between two other regulars. We are ll friendly with the operator and because of that with one another. The quips were flying, the drinks were being drunk, and the chatter was lively and fun. As an idiot (young adult) I was hired to bartend at a joint, simply because it was new, I was there a lot and bringing in my friends to drink and play air hockey. It could be a restaurant, it could be a bar. Any other favorites?

I'd also recommend Baldino's.

On a stroll last night I was astonished to see Leek completely empty at 8PM. Not a customer. Zero diners. Depressing. Clarendon, down the road was packed. Rustico in Ballston/ a half block to the West...BUSY Restaurants in Ballston busy. Leek. Nobody. not a good sign.

This past late Spring I found the Clarendon Brgr location to be my favorite place to watch NBA playoff games when not at home. Part of the reason, I'm sure, (and I think its a pity) is that the place wasn't busy and I/we could always get the table with the best view of the widescreen TV, stretch out, relax, eat and drink, watch the games, rap with the staff, ....oh yeah...and of course enjoy some of the best burgers in the region. Nice staff btw: I hope the quality keeps up. ....and they do have a great new fangled every which kind of flavor coke machine. Oh man, among various and sundry varieties of drinks, I do recall adding the lime flavor to one coke one time and getting an incredibly strong refreshing lime aroma...reminding me for a moment of picking fresh limes.

Since it opened I've eaten sporadically at Me Jana. I was introduced to the owners at its beginning. They are very nice. The staff is professional and friendly. Many of them have been there for years. Of its varied menu, the lamb chops are simply superb. They were superb a few years ago and superb this evening. That first bite simply melts in your mouth. Its not for me to compare Me Jana with other Lebanese restaurants in the area, as unfortunately I don't get to many of them these days, but of its many dishes the lamb chops, offered as a smaller dish or an entree are simply among the best I've ever had--maybe the best.

Hunan One in Clarendon has a terribly lousy unfunctional website. Just terrible. There were some dishes from this restaurant I used to like...but I haven't been there in years. Went to the website. Menu breakdown all in separate pdf's required me to go back and forth...back and forth. A waste of time. So I got disgusted and looked them up again. The website that rhymes with drelp had an accessable (partial menu) but some miserable reviews. Think I'll skip Hunan One.

This article made me think of Stans on Vermont Avenue in the District. I can't vouch that it was opened by 1979 or earlier. I do know it was open in 1981 and it seemed like a place that had been around a while. The point about that article that made me reflect on Stan's is that it has the same reputation today as it did at least as far back as 1981: It serves incredibly strong drinks.

Some of these threads make me feel so danged old. I didn't eat there in '72 but I used to live and work around there and I know I ate there a couple of times probably in the late '70's. I was as uninspired as stevep, but I know I ate there more than once. Good luck to the new owner. If nothing else I bet he has relatively inexpensive rent.

I'm feeling giddy: $50 contest gift certificate opportunity for Roy Rogers: http://947freshfm.cbslocal.com/enter-to-win-a-50-gift-card-to-roy-rogers/

Hey that is great. Wasn't his first bread place further up Conn Ave. Way back I lived in Cleveland Park and Van Ness. We used to walk up to his first bread place and join the high end "bread lines".

Best of luck on your adventure. And thanks, because of the quotes in your signature I just bought an ebook by Michael Chabon.

hm...per that article if I were operating a restaurant and wanted to get out of a lease I'd call that group.

Are there any sports bars with decent food beyond burgers and sandwiches? I worked late the other night, was on my own and ultimately ate at the bar at Dogwood Tavern in Falls Church. At a long bar with people watching games, chatting, drinking beers, sandwiches, and various burgers...I had trout almondine and was supremely disappointed. Dabs of intense salt were discovered on various bites...and none at others. Service was fine and friendly. With two large screens in front of me and being alone, the TV watching was great even if the results were disappointing. I got to see Mariano Rivera get another save and be wildly applauded in Boston (no less) and saw the Nats load the bases with only one out and fail to score. #ThisIsNot2012. BTW: There are some excellent suggestions above, though steak houses are not sports bars,

After a long day of work, being on my own, I was searching for a sports bar with "good food" beyond burgers and/or sandwiches (okay acceptable) where I could watch a game or two. I so wanted something more than a burger. Ended up at Dogwood Tavern in Falls Church. Ordered trout almondine with sides of potatoes and sauteed spinach...all at the bar with a lagunitas IPA...with 2 different ball games on. What a disappointment. I should have known better. While the trout was moist it felt like the kitchen wanted to introduce me to salt...periodically. Some bites were salt free...some tasted as if the salt shaker top had fallen off dumping everything into that smidgen of fish. The spinach was mixed with the potatoes. What gives??? The beer was fine, service was friendly and efficient...and there were two baseball games going on. I got to see the great Mariano Rivera save another game in his long distinguished career, and groaned at the Nats being unable to score a run after loading the bases with only one out #ThisIsNot2012. Are there any sports bars with good or better than average food beyond burgers and sandwiches??????

Arlington is hosting a burger competition today. http://www.brgrbattle.com/#tickets meanwhile we debated and assessed the fine points

One (hopefully last) comment on this websearch thing. I agree with how JayandStacey described the google search results for the search phrase donrockwell restauants. Go two or more pages deep into the search results and there is all this stuff relating to chowhound. Well come on....that wasn't the search term. There are ways to notify Google that you think the search results are bad. I just used their systemic approach. It works this way: At the bottom of the page with the results there are some more links. First there are suggestions from google called "related to" Those are suggestions by the algo to other possible searches. Underneath that is an option to go to further pages in google's search results. Beneath that are two rows of links. On the top row on the right is a link to "send feedback". That is your opportunity to tell them what you think about the results. Its a two part process. You can write what you think about the results. After submitting that there is an automated opportunity to highlight results you think are bad and reflect what you wrote. I used it. I said the results in total had too little about dr.com and too much about other sites. By the time I got to the fifth page of results I had referenced each of the results as each one was about chowhownd. Now in all honesty I sent an email to an engineer inside google pointing out the bad results before using this systemic effort. His response was "thanks" Ha ha. how oblique can one be????? But that is the way they work. They won't tell you anything. So I used the systemic effort. They do review these things. They evaluate how people see and feel about search results. If they get a lot of complaints, or they are shamed, or they see your points and agree with them they tend to make changes. It doesn't happen in a day. (unless you manage to publicly shame their results and everyone sees it) But they do respond to finds like the one jayandstacey discovered. It doesn't mean they will make changes to what any one person wants...but they do review these types of things.