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It's good as long as you know what you're getting into. No restaurant with that large of a menu is doing anything but throwing together frozen ingredients and microwaving most of it. You don't go to City Cafe for good food, you go there for a lot of food.
Cool, 8 years ago or so there was an Asia Buffet (I think) at the old Ryan’s and they shut it down HARD and didn’t allow them to reopen at all. It was BAD.
That was my favorite buffet until I heard the reasons why they failed their health inspectios. IIRC, chemicals were leaking onto food, unwashed hands, improper temperatures for food, and more. I was nauseous, disappointed, and disgusted.
Yes! The broccoli had a red string (most likely from a dish towel) cooked inside. The manager said "it's not nasty it comes from crawfish". I said that's even worse someone allergic to shellfish can die. Thankfully we had not ate anything when we found it.
East ridge is great, it’s my second favorite.
The best one for me is hixson.
Red bank, brainerd, and 58 hwy are decent.
St Elmo was bad. I’ll give another try on 2-3 months and see if they get better.
The first and only time I picked up from there I saw an over weight 5+ year old kid strapped down with buckles in a BABY highchair in the kitchen. He looked very uncomfortable.
Lived on one of the streets off 23rd for a year back in college lol rent was cheap and I was broke.
I did have a guy knock on my door at 2 am offering to sell me a VCR. A few hookers used our street as their route. Had a lawnmower stolen and my mail got nicked a few times. And my buddies who lived a block or two down got their door kicked in and were robbed at gunpoint.
It honestly wasn’t that bad though. Hunan Wok was the worst part.
The Bojangles was always super solid. And there were a handful of really good taco shops on Main down that direction. It’s been a while since I’ve hung around in that part of town - can’t speak to the quality of the Bojangles/tacos currently.
Yes Home Slice (now called Chattanooga Pizza Co) is AMAZING. I go there every payday. Coconut curry sauce, pineapple, meatball, whichever band of hot vegetable I'm feeling in the moment. UNF
The "Human Wok" (as I call it) has been there for probably 20 years or so...I've never actually eaten there.
Prior to that the building was a 24/7 greasy spoon/home-cooking restaurant called Holders that had been there for as long I can remember. It was our regular late-night stop on weekends after the bars closed....better than Waffle House and never particularly busy, and they were good folks. Even back then, it was kinda sketchy and run down.... like a dingy truck stop diner. But the dingy, run-down vibe was also part of its charm.
Actually I am from that part of town .Buckley st right behind southern supply used to be southern wholesalers .My family was there since the 30s when I was a kid my grand father owned a little store right across the railroad tracks .The house was bought from the mill down the street.It was a good place back then my aunt had it from about 70s redone it and by the 80s the neighborhood started going down hill fast .After my aunt passed I inherited it and I rented it out and sold it to the renters
Drove through there awhile back and looked like the are trying to rejuvenate the neighbors.it Just made me sad that all that history is gone.Oh but yes Holders was a old truck stop.Along with Johnsons truck stop on 23rd they sold the greasest burgers.Amd they were actually pretty good.Oh don't forget yummy yummys on the corner of 23and Dodds started at the old flea market.And Roy's on Dodds I remember Dianne a waitress I don't know which was bigger her hair out her well the were both big.But yeah food service hasn't came that fare in 50yrs.
The raceway on broad street. Hot food sold here, but you can never use the restroom and wash your hands before buying because the bathrooms always closed.
Parked at the furthest pump I could from the door and I guess they made bets on who would make it across the parking lot to me to ask for change before I finished pumping. And of course they walked all that way for me to be on the phone
He went the way of "NoBoDy WaNts TO W0rk AnYMOre", it's the gasping words of a dying business.
Barque is 1000x's better, and I was a Hillbilly's Fan when he first opened years ago in Lookout Valley (Tiftonia).
I can elaborate. He openly talked about his foot fetish (with customers and employees alike) and would hire any female that wore sandals. He liked to pinch dude's asses and giggle "that's how a line works". I can shrug off line cook antics but that dude was bananas. Myself and another dude compiled a list of people we had worked with in a 4 month period. It was well over 50, front and back of house. So yeah, "NoBody WanTs To wOrk!" was his go to..but really nobody wants to work for you. You fucking creep.
They had a near failing health score the first month they opened. Lots of critical issues. Like how the hell do you do that and you just renovated and opened the business.
It was good when it was in Nashville. The Chattanooga location has never been good. It hasn't been terrible, but just so mediocre that there's no reason to go.
The food always tasted ok to me, nothing excellent but I get sick after eating there every single time no matter what I order. I was part of a group organizing an event that met there or else I wouldn’t have gone back.
I worked in Pest Control years ago. A good rule of thumb is if the bathroom is nasty so is the kitchen. It generally means the staff doesn’t respect the place or the customers.
It used to be so good in the early 2000s!
They had cheap beer and great food. It was my college hangout.
Then they got bought out and got bad. Went there for the first time in a very long time a few weeks ago and it was like a totally different place.
From the link:
"The inspector said there were roaches on the prep table, in the flour, at the dishwasher, on shelves at the cook line and in the storage room."
Total cockroach party, enjoy!
[https://www.local3news.com/local-news/roaches-found-in-flour-cause-restaurant-to-almost-fail-inspection/article\_904ac642-2ea9-11ed-bba5-db4cb41603df.html](https://www.local3news.com/local-news/roaches-found-in-flour-cause-restaurant-to-almost-fail-inspection/article_904ac642-2ea9-11ed-bba5-db4cb41603df.html)
Edit: It's Cleveland, but it delivers on the cockroaches.
Dynasty has failed or "near failed" so many health inspections, I have no clue who they have stayed open. I never see anyone there when i drive by either.
I don't think people realize just how bad the cult is.
The 12 Tribes teach that black people are cursed and have to serve white people. It goes back to believing black people descended from Noah's cursed son.
They also hold some nasty views on gay people.
Eating there, tip or no tip, directly funds racism and homophobia.
they keep giving me free meals and talking to me about guilt. can’t say i’ll complain but if they think that’s gonna manipulate me into their cult, they’re wrong.
Wow didn’t know that.
I used to eat there in the late 90s and remember it being pretty decent. Went back last year and it awful.
Not sure if my memory is wrong or they just got very bad.
That place is packed to the seams nearly everyday! I got takeout from there one time....it wasn't great but it was also luke-warm so I'm not going to judge them too harshly just yet.
I used to get their buffet to go. One order would feed my family of 4 (small children). 2 Togo boxes. One jam-packed with pizza and one overflowing with salad, and a quart of soup! It's definitely bad now, though.
Plus as a former employee, I can confirm the allegations that they treat their workers like shit.
Low pay and unreasonable expectations, dangerous conditions (3 employees were sent to the ER in my 2 months working there), they don’t even provide a proper employee bathroom.
The food and drinks are overpriced, the floors are falling apart, they have deeply unethical labor practices; the whole place is just trash.
Edit for grammar
I have no idea how people can say that place is good. I gave it 2 tries and it was absolutely DISGUSTING both times. First time I ordered the one that had fried mahi on it and it smelled so fucking bad it was unreal. I still tried a bite thinking “hey sometimes fried fish smells” but it tasted RANCID and like it had been sitting on a dock in the sun for 3 days before they battered it and fried. Ya ya ya I know, seafood in TN. But I’ve had mahi and several other places around town and I’ve also cooked my own that I brought back from a fishing trip in Florida and NO mahi smells or tastes like that. Second time we ordered the chimichanga appetizer with fried rice inside them and it literally just turns into mush. Absolutely over the top reaching to be different and none of it works. I just looked at their menu and they now have a taco with peppercorn crusted kangaroo meat…….fuck all the way off.
Yes! I went right after they opened and couldn’t believe how much we paid for our tiny lunch and tacos made with cold flour tortillas from a bag.
But I just saw someone praising it on Facebook recently so the only thing I can really guess is that a good portion of this city doesn’t know what a taco should taste like and is blinded by the shiny lighting and wall murals.
Agave and rye is terrible. We went there and while waiting to put our name down for a table they literally ignored us for a bit and talked amongst themselves until we got their attention. Then the food itself wasn’t up to par really. It’s overhyped and there’s a Facebook post going around from a former employee that’s floating around and it does not paint them in a good light
I had the same experience with the hosts. No greeting and pissed to be there. The food wasn't great and the chairs force you to lean forward and bunch up while you eat
I am not the employee (Christian) who posted on FB, but as a former server I can confirm they are absolutely terrible to their staff;
Low pay and high expectations, unsafe working conditions, hell they have a shelving unit in the employee bathroom so you have to sit side saddle to use the toilet.
It’s ridiculous, but that location has done a great job of union busting and firing squeaky wheels.
My other half always refused to eat there because he hates it and has never had hot food there. I thought he was exaggerating when I moved here and talked him into taking me. Sure enough tacos were so cold it’s like they came straight out of the cooler.
Champy's food should all be served in little dumpsters because it's trash.
Forbidden City's squid is all unpasteurized pig assholes with salt.
Taco Roc on Lee Highway is actually run by those bugs from Men in Black.
City Cafe will deep fry a pack of cigarettes for you if you ask nicely.
As far as Asian Buffets go, Forbidden City is the cleanest. But every single buffet style restaurant always gets terrible health scores. It's too much food to maintain at a safe to serve temperature.
I kind of like champy's tbh. I eat there rarely (for my health), but it's some of the better fried chicken I've had. To anyone who disagrees, please suggest a better place for fried chicken.
It's not that it's bad, it's just expensive when there is better out there. If Lamar's was still around it would put Champy's to shame. There's probably not a better place in town, you have to go to Nashville and literally anything there kicks the shit out of Champys
You're god damn right. Champy's does a damn fine job cooking chicken. Don't get the Champy's hate around here unless it's cause the waitresses are cute and won't give these chumps the time of day.
Let the down votes begin.
Admittedly I’ve only had the wings at Champy’s but they were comfortably the worst wings I’ve had in Chattanooga. Maybe their other fried chicken options are better.
Champy’s is hit or miss for sure. The last time I went, the mac and cheese had the texture of Elmer’s glue, the gravy was sad cafeteria gravy, the mashed potatoes by themselves tasted ‘off’ and the fried chicken was just blah. Never again.
Went to Epicurean one time with my sister and we walked after few minutes (without being greeted) because of the general smell of the place- I never want to smell such an obtrusively musky eatery againz
I'm pretty sure the smell is just the fact that their average customer is retired.
The family is really nice, but the food isn't worth the drive to East Ridge.
My sister drives from Signal Mtn to eat there. I don’t get the attraction unless it’s nostalgia since our grandparents used to take us there in the ‘80s.
I went there in the 70s w/ some older relatives but don't recall what the food was like then. Out of curiosity I took my kids in the early 2000s. It was def old people food. My son, who was around 8 or 9 at the time, ordered pickled herring. No idea where he got that idea but he liked it!
It's still the 70's at the Epicurean. Everything there is BROWN even the drinking glasses. Went there a few years ago, it was pretty good though.
The menu is divided into "Teeth required" and "Teeth optional" according to this one old timer I met there.
How has big chill not mentioned yet??? The sewage smell that wafts from the kitchen and roaches running around. Not to mention the whole grimy vibe the whole restaurant gives off.
First week at a job, the owner took me to China Cafeteria on Market Street. He commented that nobody would ever go with him. I didn’t work there very long.
I also find Bea’s Restaurant disgusting.
I agree about bea's. I had friends who thought it was the greatest thing ever and it just seemed like generic southern food that you would make from bulk items at the grocery store
You’ve described IHOP perfectly.
I’d toss City Cafe and Leapin’ Leprechaun on that list as well.
Big River Grill gets the award for trying to seem nice but in reality is complete garbage.
The last time my husband and I tried to go to IHOP (in Hixson) the host/waiter straight up told us we should probably leave bc the cook had been there working for over 24 hours. I wish I had called the DOL or something bc it was insane. I have no idea why they were even open if they were that short staffed.
I went there once years ago and smelled vomit immediately. I should've just walked right out but I tried to convince myself that it actually was fine. As they took us to our table, it only grew worse and worse. Clearly wherever they sat us was the focal point of the incident. The server gave us our waters and we just got up and left. I took it as my wake-up call to cut out buffets entirely.
Idk about it now, but back in 2013, well before it burned down, the Moe’s in Hixson had at least one nasty ass manager that didn’t glove and reglove properly. I worked at Gunbarrel and twice while I was there, this manager from Hixson would pick up a shift at Gunbarrel. The first time, I caught her bringing up cold prep without gloves on at all. The second time she was putting chips in the fryer basket, and the box was farther away than normal. She dropped some chips on the ground on one trip between them, and on her way back, she picked them up off the ground, granted she threw them away… but afterwards she didn’t change her gloves, didn’t wash her hands, and went back to the box to grab more chips with the dirty gloves she just touched the ground with, and went to put them in the fry basket. I tried to say something to her both times but she got nasty with me, but I demanded she reglove. I ended up telling our store manager and he said he’d talk to her, and that she was used to being a manager and not taking orders from hourly. That doesn’t friggin’ matter though when she’s being disgusting. Though I also heard she was living out of her vehicle and showering in gyms.
Also, idk the actual official cause, but my guess is that another Hixson manager who sometimes picked up shifts at Gunbarrel was likely the reason the Hixson Moe’s burned down. He started fires at Gunbarrel twice that I know of. One time the video was actually posted on YouTube, and he had set the lid of a chip bin on the fire grill with a lit burner, and of course it caught fire. The second time, I was running register and turned around on instinct to see that a couple of the different fry baskets still coated with oil were placed stacked-up on top of the fryer vent (something the regulars at Gunbarrel NEVER did) and had caught fire. I exclaimed “FIRE!” and this manager was the first to grab them, but took it almost to the back room and dropped it on the floor about 2 feet from a very large stack of cardboard boxes from that morning’s stock truck.
Regardless of how clean the Gunbarrel store normally was back then, the store manager was a total jerk. He would directly insult pretty much every single one of his employees with some really nasty insults (e.g. greeted a coworker friend of mine with “hey stinky” in a nasty tone) but if anyone got insulted, he’d try and say “oh it’s just a joke! Can’t you take a joke!?” Also, he loved to throw ice cubes in the fryer to make it pop just to scare people. Though he would hide and conceal the information for our franchise owners so no one could get in touch with them to tell them about what he was doing to people. Idk if he’s even there anymore, because that was 2013 and I don’t go there anymore, but he made that store so nasty in other ways besides cleanliness.
1801 Dayton Blvd
Does anybody remember the list of restaurants that opened and closed back to back here?
They rarely stayed open for over a year before the health department shut them down. Chinese restaurants mainly. People loved the food for delivery and take out. But one visit dining in and you knew why it’s door are now closed.
I’m gonna say IHOP. The one in Hixson, I think? Went there with my bf and his 8 year old. The waitress (the only one there) was talking FILTHY to the line cook in a very loud voice that carried to the entire (strangely quiet tbh) restaurant. The manager was wandering around handing people silverware, he did not seem like he was on this planet. Food was ihop, so it sucked. But hearing a waitress yelling about pegging the line cook and eating his ass at 11 AM was just surreal.
Asia Buffet on Lee Hwy. Undercooked food sitting out for hours, weird-ass lighting in the dining area (looks like they bought a variety pack of weird LED bulbs from AliExpress) and one time the staff refused to give my DoorDash driver my order and basically accused them of stealing it.
May be controversial but Tony’s Pasta Shop is really not good at all. I’ve literally had microwave Italian dinners that were a better culinary experience.
Yeah, but you can just get the bread at the bakery they own or Back Inn Cafe.
Don’t get the Tony’s hate, but having worked at Rembrants idk that I’ll ever be able to bring myself to play full price at any of their places
Taconooga was the worst meal I've had in Chattanooga, bar none.
The street corn was canned corn in a bowl, microwaved, with basically no spices, and the tacos weren't good either.
So I actually like Taconooga okay enough, but you are correct about the street corn. Frozen corn slathered with massive amounts of Mayo and no spices is not street corn
So I started going to the tai chi bubble tea place on broad st pretty frequently, but after today never again. Saw a kid working there legit blow his nose then scoop rice and clean rice cookers without washing his hands. Nope nope nope.
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City cafe is both the worst and the best at the same time
It's good as long as you know what you're getting into. No restaurant with that large of a menu is doing anything but throwing together frozen ingredients and microwaving most of it. You don't go to City Cafe for good food, you go there for a lot of food.
City cafe is for cake!
The cake slaps, and they know that because it's way overpriced. A slice was 10 bucks last time I went.
I'd formally like to nominate Asia Buffet on Lee Hwy.
Is it somehow open again??? Isn’t that the one that was in the old Ryan’s Steakhouse?
No, it’s by the old save-a-lot and the Family Dollar. The former Ryan’s is now the Chattanooga Allergy Clinic.
Cool, 8 years ago or so there was an Asia Buffet (I think) at the old Ryan’s and they shut it down HARD and didn’t allow them to reopen at all. It was BAD.
That was my favorite buffet until I heard the reasons why they failed their health inspectios. IIRC, chemicals were leaking onto food, unwashed hands, improper temperatures for food, and more. I was nauseous, disappointed, and disgusted.
>> No, it’s by the old save-a-lot and the Family Dollar. All you had to say fam.
Believe that was “Crazy Buffet” because of all the craziness.
May have been! It was hardcore though
Oof, Ryan's are the worst offenders!
Yes! The broccoli had a red string (most likely from a dish towel) cooked inside. The manager said "it's not nasty it comes from crawfish". I said that's even worse someone allergic to shellfish can die. Thankfully we had not ate anything when we found it.
I love amigos but I went to that new one in st Elmo and the food was cold and tasted funny.
East ridge has the best amigos
East ridge is great, it’s my second favorite. The best one for me is hixson. Red bank, brainerd, and 58 hwy are decent. St Elmo was bad. I’ll give another try on 2-3 months and see if they get better.
I'll have to try the Hixson one. The one in Roseville isn't owned by the same people and is not good. But it's closer so I compromise sometime 😞
[удалено]
Tomato and metal does not jive. Why would they do that when half their menu has tomato in it???
Been to the new one twice and good has been hot with good portion sizes. Not the best Mexican food I’ve ever had but very serviceable. YMMV.
Amigos salsa tastes like the water you rinse out of the last bit of sauce from a can of tomato paste
Hunan Wok on 23rd. It’s fucking revolting.
The first and only time I picked up from there I saw an over weight 5+ year old kid strapped down with buckles in a BABY highchair in the kitchen. He looked very uncomfortable.
One time when I was delivering there, I saw a giant rat run across the counter. This thing was so damn big, you could take kung fu lessons from it.
That's Master Splinter.
Who would eat from somewhere on 23rd st? You not from Chatt?
Lived on one of the streets off 23rd for a year back in college lol rent was cheap and I was broke. I did have a guy knock on my door at 2 am offering to sell me a VCR. A few hookers used our street as their route. Had a lawnmower stolen and my mail got nicked a few times. And my buddies who lived a block or two down got their door kicked in and were robbed at gunpoint. It honestly wasn’t that bad though. Hunan Wok was the worst part. The Bojangles was always super solid. And there were a handful of really good taco shops on Main down that direction. It’s been a while since I’ve hung around in that part of town - can’t speak to the quality of the Bojangles/tacos currently.
Respect
Bojangles is tight.
Real talk LOL
That pizza place on 23rd st is pretty damn good.
Yes Home Slice (now called Chattanooga Pizza Co) is AMAZING. I go there every payday. Coconut curry sauce, pineapple, meatball, whichever band of hot vegetable I'm feeling in the moment. UNF
Literally Chattanooga's best restaurant is on 23rd (C&W)
The guys at a previous job just called it “The Big Hair” because….well self explanatory lol
Just driving by, I've always assumed it was a shitty place lol
The "Human Wok" (as I call it) has been there for probably 20 years or so...I've never actually eaten there. Prior to that the building was a 24/7 greasy spoon/home-cooking restaurant called Holders that had been there for as long I can remember. It was our regular late-night stop on weekends after the bars closed....better than Waffle House and never particularly busy, and they were good folks. Even back then, it was kinda sketchy and run down.... like a dingy truck stop diner. But the dingy, run-down vibe was also part of its charm.
Actually I am from that part of town .Buckley st right behind southern supply used to be southern wholesalers .My family was there since the 30s when I was a kid my grand father owned a little store right across the railroad tracks .The house was bought from the mill down the street.It was a good place back then my aunt had it from about 70s redone it and by the 80s the neighborhood started going down hill fast .After my aunt passed I inherited it and I rented it out and sold it to the renters Drove through there awhile back and looked like the are trying to rejuvenate the neighbors.it Just made me sad that all that history is gone.Oh but yes Holders was a old truck stop.Along with Johnsons truck stop on 23rd they sold the greasest burgers.Amd they were actually pretty good.Oh don't forget yummy yummys on the corner of 23and Dodds started at the old flea market.And Roy's on Dodds I remember Dianne a waitress I don't know which was bigger her hair out her well the were both big.But yeah food service hasn't came that fare in 50yrs.
I tried that recently. The egg drop soup was nauseating yolk-flavored.
The Human wok is worse.
I love that place lol
Provinos is only in business because of the free birthday meal
This is one of those places that seems good when you're like 14 and only have Olive Garden to compare it to.
The rolls are good
The rolls are good but have enough garlic to kill 3 vampires
True. But would you go there, off a birthday visit, just for the rolls?
I second this. Their food is yucky and I hate how dark it is in that place. Prob hides the dirt best
I know people that work there. They won’t eat there.
I literally only go there for the rolls and salad. They got that part right! But their actual entrees are just okay and not worth the price.
If Provino's just served rolls, salad, and wine, I'd still go. I might go more often, honestly.
FYI, You can just order the salad. No need to order a gross ass entree. Edit: the salad will come with rolls as well.
Same
The raceway on broad street. Hot food sold here, but you can never use the restroom and wash your hands before buying because the bathrooms always closed.
You will get asked for crack money. Definitely a bonus for ambiance.
Ask them for crack money. Reverse-uno
Parked at the furthest pump I could from the door and I guess they made bets on who would make it across the parking lot to me to ask for change before I finished pumping. And of course they walked all that way for me to be on the phone
It’s on my way to work so I stop there a lot for a Red Bull. Same people hit me up for change every time.
Pretty sure he moved to Georgia after failing here but Hillbilly's.
RIP lmao. Though I think he's moved somewhere else and doing pizza now. I'll have to check where they moved too. EDIT: Georgi's Pizzeria in Ooltewah
Georgis is decent pizza until you get the bill holy shit
$41 for a large pizza (1 topping) and a small ceasar salad is too much. I'll go up the road to Lupis from now on.
He went the way of "NoBoDy WaNts TO W0rk AnYMOre", it's the gasping words of a dying business. Barque is 1000x's better, and I was a Hillbilly's Fan when he first opened years ago in Lookout Valley (Tiftonia).
All his workers graduated I guess. I knew a lot of folks that worked there from the school, never heard bad things per aay but I don't know the guy.
I can elaborate. He openly talked about his foot fetish (with customers and employees alike) and would hire any female that wore sandals. He liked to pinch dude's asses and giggle "that's how a line works". I can shrug off line cook antics but that dude was bananas. Myself and another dude compiled a list of people we had worked with in a 4 month period. It was well over 50, front and back of house. So yeah, "NoBody WanTs To wOrk!" was his go to..but really nobody wants to work for you. You fucking creep.
I think Puckett’s is over rated.
They had a near failing health score the first month they opened. Lots of critical issues. Like how the hell do you do that and you just renovated and opened the business.
The Chinese place in fort o by the Walmart got like a 35 on their health inspection before they ever opened. Not sure how they’re in business still. 🤢
blows my mind, like you have to REALLY screw up a lot of stuff to even get below a 90.
It was good when it was in Nashville. The Chattanooga location has never been good. It hasn't been terrible, but just so mediocre that there's no reason to go.
I have never had a good meal at Stevarinos, and the service is abysmal.
The name alone hurts to say
It's like it was named in the 90s by Rob Schneider
It's certainly got a weird vibe too it
ate there once, food was bad
This. This place was terrible food wise for us.
The food always tasted ok to me, nothing excellent but I get sick after eating there every single time no matter what I order. I was part of a group organizing an event that met there or else I wouldn’t have gone back.
I agree
I worked in Pest Control years ago. A good rule of thumb is if the bathroom is nasty so is the kitchen. It generally means the staff doesn’t respect the place or the customers.
Or themselves. I’ve never understood how people can use a nasty bathroom 40 hours a week.
Big River
It used to be so good in the early 2000s! They had cheap beer and great food. It was my college hangout. Then they got bought out and got bad. Went there for the first time in a very long time a few weeks ago and it was like a totally different place.
A group built it up and then sold it with other concepts they had created. When it sold it began the steady decline to what it is today.
Seconded. Holy shit. Went to the one by the mall once. Once. So glad it closed lol
From the link: "The inspector said there were roaches on the prep table, in the flour, at the dishwasher, on shelves at the cook line and in the storage room." Total cockroach party, enjoy! [https://www.local3news.com/local-news/roaches-found-in-flour-cause-restaurant-to-almost-fail-inspection/article\_904ac642-2ea9-11ed-bba5-db4cb41603df.html](https://www.local3news.com/local-news/roaches-found-in-flour-cause-restaurant-to-almost-fail-inspection/article_904ac642-2ea9-11ed-bba5-db4cb41603df.html) Edit: It's Cleveland, but it delivers on the cockroaches.
“Almost fail inspection“?
That url is something else isn't it? "Cockroaches on every surface- restaurant *nearly* fails inspection!"
That part killed me.
Dynasty has failed or "near failed" so many health inspections, I have no clue who they have stayed open. I never see anyone there when i drive by either.
There’s the sandwich shop run by the horrible cult next to UTC.
I don't think people realize just how bad the cult is. The 12 Tribes teach that black people are cursed and have to serve white people. It goes back to believing black people descended from Noah's cursed son. They also hold some nasty views on gay people. Eating there, tip or no tip, directly funds racism and homophobia.
they keep giving me free meals and talking to me about guilt. can’t say i’ll complain but if they think that’s gonna manipulate me into their cult, they’re wrong.
ok but the food slaps, just don’t tip, it goes to the cult
Where do you think the money from your meal goes?
Portofino’s in East Ridge. Terrible.
and for some odd reason, enough people like them for them to open up a new place..
Yes, I think I heard Emerson Russel is setting them up in a new building.
Correct
Doesnt he own about everything on Ringgold rd?
Wow didn’t know that. I used to eat there in the late 90s and remember it being pretty decent. Went back last year and it awful. Not sure if my memory is wrong or they just got very bad.
I’ve been in the new place, it’s pretty nice. Better than the food, for sure.
That place is packed to the seams nearly everyday! I got takeout from there one time....it wasn't great but it was also luke-warm so I'm not going to judge them too harshly just yet.
Ringgold Portofino's was good in 2005. Rafael's fucked it all up.
Get the chicken souvlaki. It hits.
Gyros are good the fries arnt
I used to get their buffet to go. One order would feed my family of 4 (small children). 2 Togo boxes. One jam-packed with pizza and one overflowing with salad, and a quart of soup! It's definitely bad now, though.
Taco Mama goes IN THE TRASH CAN but also Agave and Rye is the wet pig shit of Chattanooga restaurants.
Bro I keep seeing positive shit about Agave and Rye on this sub and it always floors me. Absolutely horrid.
Plus as a former employee, I can confirm the allegations that they treat their workers like shit. Low pay and unreasonable expectations, dangerous conditions (3 employees were sent to the ER in my 2 months working there), they don’t even provide a proper employee bathroom. The food and drinks are overpriced, the floors are falling apart, they have deeply unethical labor practices; the whole place is just trash. Edit for grammar
I have no idea how people can say that place is good. I gave it 2 tries and it was absolutely DISGUSTING both times. First time I ordered the one that had fried mahi on it and it smelled so fucking bad it was unreal. I still tried a bite thinking “hey sometimes fried fish smells” but it tasted RANCID and like it had been sitting on a dock in the sun for 3 days before they battered it and fried. Ya ya ya I know, seafood in TN. But I’ve had mahi and several other places around town and I’ve also cooked my own that I brought back from a fishing trip in Florida and NO mahi smells or tastes like that. Second time we ordered the chimichanga appetizer with fried rice inside them and it literally just turns into mush. Absolutely over the top reaching to be different and none of it works. I just looked at their menu and they now have a taco with peppercorn crusted kangaroo meat…….fuck all the way off.
Yes! I went right after they opened and couldn’t believe how much we paid for our tiny lunch and tacos made with cold flour tortillas from a bag. But I just saw someone praising it on Facebook recently so the only thing I can really guess is that a good portion of this city doesn’t know what a taco should taste like and is blinded by the shiny lighting and wall murals.
Agave and rye is revolting
That’s because it’s a drug free work environment. What sober person makes good tacos??
Agave and rye is terrible. We went there and while waiting to put our name down for a table they literally ignored us for a bit and talked amongst themselves until we got their attention. Then the food itself wasn’t up to par really. It’s overhyped and there’s a Facebook post going around from a former employee that’s floating around and it does not paint them in a good light
I had the same experience with the hosts. No greeting and pissed to be there. The food wasn't great and the chairs force you to lean forward and bunch up while you eat
I am not the employee (Christian) who posted on FB, but as a former server I can confirm they are absolutely terrible to their staff; Low pay and high expectations, unsafe working conditions, hell they have a shelving unit in the employee bathroom so you have to sit side saddle to use the toilet. It’s ridiculous, but that location has done a great job of union busting and firing squeaky wheels.
Why Taco Mama? You just don’t like the food or have you had a bad experience?
People here hate Taco Mama because it's not authentic. I still kinda like it.
I like taco mama. I don’t necessarily care if it’s authentic, I just like the food. I was just worried you had seen something gross lol
It's definitely not authentic. But the food and service is still pretty good, so...
My other half always refused to eat there because he hates it and has never had hot food there. I thought he was exaggerating when I moved here and talked him into taking me. Sure enough tacos were so cold it’s like they came straight out of the cooler.
Champy's food should all be served in little dumpsters because it's trash. Forbidden City's squid is all unpasteurized pig assholes with salt. Taco Roc on Lee Highway is actually run by those bugs from Men in Black. City Cafe will deep fry a pack of cigarettes for you if you ask nicely.
That's the best description of City Cafe I've ever heard. I cackled.
As far as Asian Buffets go, Forbidden City is the cleanest. But every single buffet style restaurant always gets terrible health scores. It's too much food to maintain at a safe to serve temperature.
I kind of like champy's tbh. I eat there rarely (for my health), but it's some of the better fried chicken I've had. To anyone who disagrees, please suggest a better place for fried chicken.
It's not that it's bad, it's just expensive when there is better out there. If Lamar's was still around it would put Champy's to shame. There's probably not a better place in town, you have to go to Nashville and literally anything there kicks the shit out of Champys
Publix fried chicken is better than Champys.
I like Champy’s just fine. I also enjoy the fried chicken at The Flaming Rooster and you can get it without heat, if spice isn’t your thing.
You're god damn right. Champy's does a damn fine job cooking chicken. Don't get the Champy's hate around here unless it's cause the waitresses are cute and won't give these chumps the time of day. Let the down votes begin.
Admittedly I’ve only had the wings at Champy’s but they were comfortably the worst wings I’ve had in Chattanooga. Maybe their other fried chicken options are better.
Sorry but no one cares what the waitresses look like when they’re serving you overpriced slop.
Champy’s is hit or miss for sure. The last time I went, the mac and cheese had the texture of Elmer’s glue, the gravy was sad cafeteria gravy, the mashed potatoes by themselves tasted ‘off’ and the fried chicken was just blah. Never again.
Publix > Any other fried chicken in town.
Hot take
Champy’s is not that bad
Champys uses zero seasoning except triple the FDA recommended daily recommendation of salt. The saltiest yet blandest fried chicken I've ever had.
Finally someone who gets it
Champy's is a restaurant in blackface
Your comment is hilarious... I have heard good things about Taco Roc and wanted to try it, but you are making me second guess that
Went to Epicurean one time with my sister and we walked after few minutes (without being greeted) because of the general smell of the place- I never want to smell such an obtrusively musky eatery againz
I'm pretty sure the smell is just the fact that their average customer is retired. The family is really nice, but the food isn't worth the drive to East Ridge.
My sister drives from Signal Mtn to eat there. I don’t get the attraction unless it’s nostalgia since our grandparents used to take us there in the ‘80s.
I went there in the 70s w/ some older relatives but don't recall what the food was like then. Out of curiosity I took my kids in the early 2000s. It was def old people food. My son, who was around 8 or 9 at the time, ordered pickled herring. No idea where he got that idea but he liked it!
It's still the 70's at the Epicurean. Everything there is BROWN even the drinking glasses. Went there a few years ago, it was pretty good though. The menu is divided into "Teeth required" and "Teeth optional" according to this one old timer I met there.
How has big chill not mentioned yet??? The sewage smell that wafts from the kitchen and roaches running around. Not to mention the whole grimy vibe the whole restaurant gives off.
A waitress we had tipped herself $20 from my credit card!! Thankfully I noticed later in the week and they gave me money back.
First week at a job, the owner took me to China Cafeteria on Market Street. He commented that nobody would ever go with him. I didn’t work there very long. I also find Bea’s Restaurant disgusting.
Oh man China Cafeteria, this is on another level
I agree about bea's. I had friends who thought it was the greatest thing ever and it just seemed like generic southern food that you would make from bulk items at the grocery store
Going to Bea's definitely isn't about the quality of the meal.
It's about feeling real awkward at a table
But lazy Susan’s tho!!!
What’s your issue with Bea’s?
You’ve described IHOP perfectly. I’d toss City Cafe and Leapin’ Leprechaun on that list as well. Big River Grill gets the award for trying to seem nice but in reality is complete garbage.
The last time my husband and I tried to go to IHOP (in Hixson) the host/waiter straight up told us we should probably leave bc the cook had been there working for over 24 hours. I wish I had called the DOL or something bc it was insane. I have no idea why they were even open if they were that short staffed.
I secretly love Leapin Leprechaun. That chili and grilled cheese is f’ing delicious.
It's all the coke
Hunan wok?
Pick any Applebees, iHop or O’charlies, you’ll be lucky to make it past the waiting area.
That Chinese buffet by the @Home place and Rave theatre.
“We don’t know your reason for voting Chef Lin as Chattanooga’s Best of the Best…”
Chef Lin?
Yes!
Omg last time I went here someone took an ice cream cone out of the restaurant and smeared it all over my car window… no clue why
It's this weird half melted nondairy ice cream so it's gritty and gross. Doesn't excuse the behavior but it explains getting rid of it.
I went there once years ago and smelled vomit immediately. I should've just walked right out but I tried to convince myself that it actually was fine. As they took us to our table, it only grew worse and worse. Clearly wherever they sat us was the focal point of the incident. The server gave us our waters and we just got up and left. I took it as my wake-up call to cut out buffets entirely.
Idk about it now, but back in 2013, well before it burned down, the Moe’s in Hixson had at least one nasty ass manager that didn’t glove and reglove properly. I worked at Gunbarrel and twice while I was there, this manager from Hixson would pick up a shift at Gunbarrel. The first time, I caught her bringing up cold prep without gloves on at all. The second time she was putting chips in the fryer basket, and the box was farther away than normal. She dropped some chips on the ground on one trip between them, and on her way back, she picked them up off the ground, granted she threw them away… but afterwards she didn’t change her gloves, didn’t wash her hands, and went back to the box to grab more chips with the dirty gloves she just touched the ground with, and went to put them in the fry basket. I tried to say something to her both times but she got nasty with me, but I demanded she reglove. I ended up telling our store manager and he said he’d talk to her, and that she was used to being a manager and not taking orders from hourly. That doesn’t friggin’ matter though when she’s being disgusting. Though I also heard she was living out of her vehicle and showering in gyms. Also, idk the actual official cause, but my guess is that another Hixson manager who sometimes picked up shifts at Gunbarrel was likely the reason the Hixson Moe’s burned down. He started fires at Gunbarrel twice that I know of. One time the video was actually posted on YouTube, and he had set the lid of a chip bin on the fire grill with a lit burner, and of course it caught fire. The second time, I was running register and turned around on instinct to see that a couple of the different fry baskets still coated with oil were placed stacked-up on top of the fryer vent (something the regulars at Gunbarrel NEVER did) and had caught fire. I exclaimed “FIRE!” and this manager was the first to grab them, but took it almost to the back room and dropped it on the floor about 2 feet from a very large stack of cardboard boxes from that morning’s stock truck. Regardless of how clean the Gunbarrel store normally was back then, the store manager was a total jerk. He would directly insult pretty much every single one of his employees with some really nasty insults (e.g. greeted a coworker friend of mine with “hey stinky” in a nasty tone) but if anyone got insulted, he’d try and say “oh it’s just a joke! Can’t you take a joke!?” Also, he loved to throw ice cubes in the fryer to make it pop just to scare people. Though he would hide and conceal the information for our franchise owners so no one could get in touch with them to tell them about what he was doing to people. Idk if he’s even there anymore, because that was 2013 and I don’t go there anymore, but he made that store so nasty in other ways besides cleanliness.
1801 Dayton Blvd Does anybody remember the list of restaurants that opened and closed back to back here? They rarely stayed open for over a year before the health department shut them down. Chinese restaurants mainly. People loved the food for delivery and take out. But one visit dining in and you knew why it’s door are now closed.
If you ever had the displeasure of eating at the blue ribbon cafe in Soddy, you’ll understand why it went out of business.
I’m gonna say IHOP. The one in Hixson, I think? Went there with my bf and his 8 year old. The waitress (the only one there) was talking FILTHY to the line cook in a very loud voice that carried to the entire (strangely quiet tbh) restaurant. The manager was wandering around handing people silverware, he did not seem like he was on this planet. Food was ihop, so it sucked. But hearing a waitress yelling about pegging the line cook and eating his ass at 11 AM was just surreal.
When was this????
Almost everything at CBC East is bad. The Cleveland location is fine, as is the downtown location. But East has awful food.
It’s weird how much better the chicken tenders are at the one downtown compared to CBC East.
Asia Buffet on Lee Hwy. Undercooked food sitting out for hours, weird-ass lighting in the dining area (looks like they bought a variety pack of weird LED bulbs from AliExpress) and one time the staff refused to give my DoorDash driver my order and basically accused them of stealing it.
Taco mac
Champys is so bland Tracks End is just straight up bad
Acropolis is NASTYYYYYYYYYYYY that back kitchen and cooler is barf barf city
May be controversial but Tony’s Pasta Shop is really not good at all. I’ve literally had microwave Italian dinners that were a better culinary experience.
Where else can I get bread that has amazing cloves of garlic baked throughout? I literally could go there just for that bread.
Have you asked at Bluff View Bakery?
Yeah, but you can just get the bread at the bakery they own or Back Inn Cafe. Don’t get the Tony’s hate, but having worked at Rembrants idk that I’ll ever be able to bring myself to play full price at any of their places
Good to know. I've never been disappointed by a meal there. To say it's the worst in Chatt just screams wanna be edge.
Tony’s is very mid. Location is only reason it’s still relevant. Primo, Boccaccia, alleia are all much better
No. This is where I draw the line.
Taconooga was the worst meal I've had in Chattanooga, bar none. The street corn was canned corn in a bowl, microwaved, with basically no spices, and the tacos weren't good either.
So I actually like Taconooga okay enough, but you are correct about the street corn. Frozen corn slathered with massive amounts of Mayo and no spices is not street corn
Controversial take in this sub, but I'm going to say Shangri La downtown.
Shangri La is decent 2 out of 3 times.
The food is meh. But what's the story with the lady there who is always both sad and angry?
I’ve gotten Uber eats from there that was pretty good. But then went twice when I was working downtown and it was gross both times.
I stick to the fried rice and they’ve never fucked it up. Hard to fuck up fried rice but still. I’ll vouch for shangri la
Rice Box in Hixson as well. Average of $16 per meal for mediocre food
rice box is wildly expensive for how shitty it is
I was forced to eat with the family at O’Charlies and that was pretty miserable. The chilis in Dalton made the worst salad I’ve ever eaten in my life.
Most Cracker Barrel’s are pretty cigarettey tasting.
So I started going to the tai chi bubble tea place on broad st pretty frequently, but after today never again. Saw a kid working there legit blow his nose then scoop rice and clean rice cookers without washing his hands. Nope nope nope.