LTH favorites that you think are overrated...

This post, to many may seem like blasphemy to any foodie that frequents this site, but I must confess I simply think many of the favorites here on LTH are overrated. Let me first say I very much appreciate this site. LTH has introduced me to so many gems and is much more detailed and foodiecentric then something like yelp or metromix obviously. I just thought I'd throw this out there to see if anyone agrees, as I'm curious to see if anyone else felt similar to my palate which I admit is not the most refined. (I grew up in the boonies of michigan) I don't feel guilty since all these places don't need my business since they are some of the most well respected establishments on here for good reason.

Let me start off with the sacred cow, Little 3 happiness... the establishment that is the namesake of this site. I appreciate that it's 24 hours, and the diverse menu and the rock bottom prices. I used to frequent this place after many nights of drinking and dreaded it each time, but after being a long time lurker and random contributor to this forum I have gone back to sample their offerings and yet have found nothing that I find memorable or crave. The salt and pepper items are simply too salty most of the time and the standard items are not done any better than other chinese places I've frequented in Chinatown. If someone could point me to some items that they feel are destination worthy, (not just bc its 3am and it's open) and also unique I'd love to hear them, as I live nearby and would love to love this place, but I find nothing noteworthy from my 10+ times eating there.

Lao Sze Chuan- I love spicy, and I appreciate again, the diversity of the menu, but the 3 chili chicken that was lauded as "crack" chicken SEVERELY dissapointed me. Why? Bc I couldn't discern any chicken! It was mostly fried batter and a bit of chicken somewhere in there, made me feel like this was the offering of some asian fast food establishment on the west coast that was skimping on the meat. If you want some real "crack" chicken try the boneless chicken at Take me Out, spicy. This place is obviously known for their signature spicy sweet wings but the boneless here is a hidden gem, meaty, flavorful and has the proper amount of fried breading that doesn't overpower you.

Hot Dougs- Maybe it was the hype that built up my expectations. Maybe it was the hour long wait in line (which I have no problem with, there's a reason it's busy) or the exposure on national food shows that laud this as one of the best hot dog's in the US. But call me crazy, I prefer Franks and Dogs. Their bun is better, their specialty franks are just as creative and arguably more tasty. There are obviously some misses at F and D, but there is nothing at Hot Dougs thus far that I've tried (and I've only tried the specialty dogs) that motivate me to go back.

Urban Belly and Belly Shack- Both I find pretentious and overpriced. I get that ingredients don't come cheap, and I'm willing to fork over $$$ for good grub. I'll pay 30 bucks for the entire raspberry pie from Shaw's and get specialty items from Fox and Obel, etc. But there has to obviously be an amazing taste profile for me to budge. I enjoy some of the soups at UB, but the dumplings for the price and portion should make me howl, and none of them did. Belly Shack was a huge dissapointment to me, as their korean kalbi with pita was lacking and hot dog nicely dressed up but mediocre. These are 2 places I really wanted to like, and even though I was rooting from them and appreciate their creativity and dedication to top notch ingredients, it's not droolworthy to me.


Uncle John's BBQ- I could care less about the location and the hole in the wall aspect. But other than the rib tips (which are a steal at 10 bucks) there is nothing here that is amazing to me. The spare ribs were a bit too gnarly for me, I like the spare ribs at smoque better, it has more of a chewiness to it and simply taste like they are higher quality. And as for the links, I also think the ones at smoque (imported from texas) are tastier, if not smaller. Smoque is more expensive but I also like their sides which although small, pack a punch. Basically Uncle Johns besides the tips, has nothing that motivates me to make the drive down there.

I don't know if they're overrated, but two places that I just don't get are Marie's and Paradise Pup. And don't even get me started on Gene & Jude's.

LTH - never been
Hot Doug's - never been
Lao Sze Chuan - Posssibly a consistency issue. I had the chicken once, and was disappointed. Tried it again, and my eyes were opened. I too did not uinderstand the fuss the first time around. Tho my complaint was that it was just blah. The next time I tried it, it was freshly fried, and fantastic.

Belly Shack - Maiden voyage a few weeks ago, and I was not blown away by anything. We tried every sammich, and the tostones, and the fries w/ spicy mayo, I think. I really liked the sauce for the tostones, but for the most part, I would have rather gone to San Soo Gab San, or one of the good PR places in town instead of the fusion.

Uncle Johns' though. You struck a chord with me on that one. I don't think you are comparing apples to apples with Texas Sausages vs Chicago Hot links, and also, Chicago vs Texas Cue in general. If you really liked UJ's tips, then compare them with other Chicago (style) BBQ places. Texas (style) and Chicago (style) are really, really, different beasts. You might not be a fan of the Chicago Hot Link, and if not, you might find better tips elsewhere - I personally like Honey 1's tips, but their hot links don't hold a candle to Uncle John's - but I am a fan of hot links. So, I'm not saying your opinion is wrong at all. I'm saying I don't think you can compare Smoque to Uncle John's. Smoque's sides are gonna win - nobody would debate that, I don't think. But the meats are prepared differently, and the sausages are made to have different flavor profiles. I'm not so sure that the comparison of the meats is an "apples to apples" one. Chicago Q is a Chicago thang. Chicago Hot Links are not just hot sausages.

As for my own "overrated" list, Belly Shack wouldn't make it. In the threads, I think there were several who posted that is overpriced, and nothing really great for the price. I've had some bad food at LSC, and one dish that was nearly scary at Double Li. My last visit to Cemitas Puebla was a major disappointment - EVERYTHING was made from "held" ingredients. 5 cemitas, 4 tacos were brought to the table almost before we even sat down after ordering. Everything was cold. I wouldn't classify any of these as being overrated in my book. I generally try to go to a place at least twice before declaring it a bust. Double Li I haven't been back to yet. All of the others, I have gotten really good food from either before or after the bad experiences.

Foodsnob77 - no need to feel guilty. Although many of these are GNRs and/or "board favorites," most (all?) are not universally loved.

I think the issue (for me) with Marie's and Paradise Pup is that both are places that seem like they should be the standard, cheap version of bar pizza and burgers that are available everywhere. But there is a lot of cheap, bad food out there and so places that seem to do good versions tend to stand out. The old school decor doesn't hurt either. But the conversations about these places tends to raise one's expectations too high, I think. I happen to like both of these places, but would never go out of my way to get either.

I hate to say it, but I'd have to put Honey 1 on there. I have had the absolute best spare ribs ever there exactly one time, but that performance has never been repeated. I've just stopped going there because the place is so inconsistant. And, yes, I'm forgiving of barbecue having bad days if you get there at the wrong time or whatnot, but I (along with my cousin, who has had the same experience) have more-or-less given up. Then again, I swear by Uncle John's, but I only order one thing there: tips & links combo. (Which was my usual order at Honey 1, too.) I've actually never had a bad experience at UJ's, and it's my favorite barbecue in the city. If I want ribs, I head a couple blocks to Lem's.

I'd say I've eaten at roughly half of the GNRs (most before I found this place), and the only ones I have not liked (for different reasons, in the order of dislike):

Smak Tak
Freddy's Deli
Urban Belly
Zenwich
Gene & Jude's (not bad food just such a dirty dump of a place)

Everything else has been very good, if not excellent.

For as many bad ones there are amazing ones: Stop 50 has to be one of my favorite places of all time and I would have never known about it without this forum.

Everyone has their preferences.

ChitownJackson wrote:I'd say I've eaten at roughly half of the GNRs (most before I found this place), and the only ones I have not liked (for different reasons, in the order of dislike):

Smak Tak
Freddy's Deli
Urban Belly
Zenwich
Gene & Jude's (not bad food just such a dirty dump of a place)

Everything else has been very good, if not excellent.

For as many bad ones there are amazing ones: Stop 50 has to be one of my favorite places of all time and I would have never known about it without this forum.

Everyone has their preferences.

Pretty sure Urban Belly isn't a GNR...

Urban Belly was once nominated for a GNR, but is not currently one.

Darren72 wrote:Urban Belly was once nominated for a GNR, but is not currently one.

Maybe nominated, but it never was a GNR.

Yeah, it was definitely nominated not too long after it opened and around the time Bill Kim and GEB went on their rant against people who eat food and dare to talk about it.

I've had a few experiences with that I call "emperor has no clothes" dishes. These are the dishes that everyone raves about, then I tried & couldn't understand the accolades. It made me wonder if people sometimes rave about dishes because they hate to break from the crowd or go against popular opinion, particularly if it's an opinion held by tastemakers.

One of my emperor-has-no-clothes dishes: The fried chicken at TAC. (I may have also tried a version at Spoon, too, that left me disappointed.) Dry, tough, chewy and generally unpleasant. It definitely left me wondering what others saw in it that I missed.

I was very disappointed in Smoque, but I'd maybe try that again if I was in the area.

jesteinf wrote:And don't even get me started on Gene & Jude's.

I was just about to say that!

No ketchup, fuck you too.

I love this forum. As opposed to Yelp, where everything is great! this forum actually sorts out good from mediocre and bad, with lots of discussion, criticism, arguments, praise, and photography along the way. I have so much better idea of where to find good food after I starteded reading this.

I never got Manny's. An enormous pile of meat on two pieces of bread and you are supposed to be in awe? I mean it tastes ok, but I think the Montreal Smoked Hot Pastrami from Fumare Meats at the French Market is far far better.

DKoblesky wrote:I love this forum. As opposed to Yelp, where everything is great! this forum actually sorts out good from mediocre and bad, with lots of discussion, criticism, arguments, praise, and photography along the way.

I love that we're halfway through the day and we have a nice list of thoughtful, dissenting opinion without the thread devolving into the kind of mudslinging that those who believe LTH is a den of lockstep groupthink expect It's nice to see the notion that this community exists only as a monolithic entity organically refuted.

Love Sun Wah, but the garlic fried ribs are a mystery to me. Chewy over cooked meet with breading, I don't get it.

I think Dmnkly is overrated.

cilantro wrote:I think Dmnkly is overrated.

I agree.

Pie Lady wrote:I was very disappointed in Smoque, but I'd maybe try that again if I was in the area.

That was a place when the first time I went there, after reading all the rave reviews here, I couldn't figure out what everybody was gushing about. I mean, it was reasonable barbecue, but nothing worth a special trek from the Midway area. The brisket was a little bit dry and average, at best, that first time. But I kept popping in, because we have a tradition of buying pierogi for the holidays at Alexandras at Belmont and Central, and Smoque is nearby. Every time I've been back since, it's been very good, with the brisket being outstanding. In fact, that's all I ever order there. (Well, sometimes the hot links, too.) I'm not the biggest fan of their ribs or their pulled pork, but the brisket is better than anywhere else I've had in Chicago that did not come from my or somebody else's smoker.

The one I never really understood was Casa de Isaac. It's not a GNR anymore, however.

I only ate at Anteprima once, but was really disappointed. I'd be willing to try it again if I found myself in the neighborhood.

Mario's peach. 5 pages dedicated to a flavor that for some reason unavailable throughout most of local peach season yet when becomes available, tends to include an underripe, inferior product.

Darren72 wrote:Yeah, it was definitely nominated not too long after it opened and around the time Bill Kim and GEB went on their rant against people who eat food and dare to talk about it.

Instantly all threads related to Urban Belly came to a dead halt. I have never been. I cannot see offering money to people who feel such contempt for people who offered their admiration. By then he had Steve Dolinsky knocking on his door.

I remember inquiring if Monica Eng's roundtable interview was available as a podcast. It would have been interesting to hear the entire context of Bill Kim's and Graham Elliot Bowle's exchange.

Regards,

I generally love, or at least really like, most GNRs.

But I just don't get what is so great about Semiramis.

I've eaten there maybe 5 times, and while I've never had a bad meal, I've never really had a great one either.

The roast chicken has always been on the dry side and under seasoned. The toum is pretty good, but the fries that come with are perpetually under cooked, lacking any semblance of crispness.

Falafil and other meats are fine, but never really special.

Especially considering the truly excellent food that can be had so close by at places like Dawali and Sanabel Bakery...I just don't see the point.

Binko wrote:

Pie Lady wrote:I was very disappointed in Smoque, but I'd maybe try that again if I was in the area.

That was a place when the first time I went there, after reading all the rave reviews here, I couldn't figure out what everybody was gushing about. I mean, it was reasonable barbecue, but nothing worth a special trek from the Midway area. The brisket was a little bit dry and average, at best, that first time.

Everything was mushy when I went. Perhaps it was an off day.

Great post!

FoodSnob77 wrote:Let me start off with the sacred cow, Little 3 happiness... the establishment that is the namesake of this site. I appreciate that it's 24 hours, and the diverse menu and the rock bottom prices. I used to frequent this place after many nights of drinking and dreaded it each time, but after being a long time lurker and random contributor to this forum I have gone back to sample their offerings and yet have found nothing that I find memorable or crave. The salt and pepper items are simply too salty most of the time and the standard items are not done any better than other chinese places I've frequented in Chinatown. If someone could point me to some items that they feel are destination worthy, (not just bc its 3am and it's open) and also unique I'd love to hear them, as I live nearby and would love to love this place, but I find nothing noteworthy from my 10+ times eating there.

I have to admit that the luster is a bit off this place for me, as well. It's been a while since I had a meal here that was great and with all the recent changes in Chinatown, I find myself rarely thinking about this one anymore.

FoodSnob77 wrote:Next, let's talk about Lao Sze Chuan. I love spicy, and I appreciate again, the diversity of the menu, but the 3 chili chicken that was lauded as "crack" chicken SEVERELY dissapointed me. Why? Bc I couldn't discern any chicken! It was mostly fried batter and a bit of chicken somewhere in there, made me feel like this was the offering of some asian fast food establishment on the west coast that was skimping on the meat. If you want some real "crack" chicken try the boneless chicken at Take me Out, spicy. This place is obviously known for their signature spicy sweet wings but the boneless here is a hidden gem, meaty, flavorful and has the proper amount of fried breading that doesn't overpower you.

I think this dish is pretty overrated, too but I think you're off the mark on this one. There are some great dishes on the menu here including mapo tofu (with pork), mayonnaise shrimp, sliced beef & maw, chegdu dumplings, cumin lamb and dry chili prawns, which, IMO, might be the best shrimp preparation in the city. There are other stand-outs here, too and I think one needs to explore the menu further to really appreciate the best LSC has to offer.

FoodSnob77 wrote:Next, lets talk about Hot Dougs. Maybe it was the hype that built up my expectations. Maybe it was the hour long wait in line (which I have no problem with, there's a reason it's busy) or the exposure on national food shows that laud this as one of the best hot dog's in the US. But call me crazy, I prefer Franks and Dogs. Their bun is better, their specialty franks are just as creative and arguably more tasty. There are obviously some misses at F and D, but there is nothing at Hot Dougs thus far that I've tried (and I've only tried the specialty dogs) that motivate me to go back.

I definitely like it here but don't understand why people wait in line for it like they do.

FoodSnob77 wrote:Next, I'm going to mention Urban Belly and Belly Shack. Both I find pretentious and overpriced. I get that ingredients don't come cheap, and I'm willing to fork over $$$ for good grub. I'll pay 30 bucks for the entire raspberry pie and get items from Fox and Obel, etc. But there has to obviously be an amazing taste profile for me to budge. I enjoy some of the soups at UB, but the dumplings for the price and portion should make me howl, and none of them did. Belly Shack was a huge dissapointment to me, as their korean kalbi with pita was lacking and hot dog nicely dressed up but mediocre. These are 2 places I really wanted to like, and even though I was rooting from them and appreciate their creativity and dedication to top notch ingredients, it's not droolworthy to me.

Been to each once and thought they were ok but I don't think either are universally loved around here, either. I'm with you in that this seems like a place I should be craving but I'm not.

FoodSnob77 wrote:Uncle John's BBQ- I could care less about the location and the hole in the wall aspect. But other than the rib tips (which are a steal at 10 bucks) there is nothing here that is amazing to me. The spare ribs were a bit too gnarly for me, I like the spare ribs at smoque better, it has more of a chewiness to it and simply taste like they are higher quality. And as for the links, I also think the ones at smoque (imported from texas) are tastier, if not smaller. Smoque is more expensive but I also like their sides which although small, pack a punch. Basically Uncle Johns besides the tips, has nothing that motivates me to make the drive down there.

IMO, they offer links that are in the very top tier in the city. As you say, the tips are great, too. I love the Mikeska's sausages at Smoque, too but they're an entirely different thing, as they're cured.

I have a couple of my own that I just don't get...

Laschet's Inn -- There are only a couple of items here -- hackepeter and spaetzel -- that I really appreciate. A recent trip to Germany re-affirmed my feelings about Laschet's. I just don't get the love.

Gene & Jude's -- I know this place has its devotees but to me it's just a snappy, natural-casing dog (I make these at home with my eyes closed) and soggy fries.

Sabatino's -- I think my mistake here is that I've mainly thought of this place as any 'old-skool red sauce Italian,' which it really isn't. Still, even when I've followed the recommendations on the thread here, I've been disappointed. In my experience, the food almost always seems sloppy and carelessly prepared. My first meal here -- a business lunch about 16 years ago -- was spectacular and I've been chasing the memory of it ever since.

Sol de Mexico -- My last meal here felt completley tired and uninspired and the few before that were ok at best. I'll admit that I'm not a huge mole fan but I've had better ones elsewhere and it seems like none of the other offerings are very good. Heck, last time out, even the rice was cold.

Ed's Potsticker House -- I've heard things have improved here lately, and that a chef who left was finally replaced with a qualified new hire but my experiences here have been mostly limp, greasy, flavorless messes.

=R=

if only there was some way to account for taste.

dudefella wrote:if only there was some way to account for taste.

LOL, it's so true. Some of my best friends love some of those places I mentioned! I'm sure I'll be catching some sh*t from them soon enough.

=R=

After thinkin for a while, I came up with one. Johnnie's Beef. IMO, the beef itself is nothing special in any way. You add one of those charcoal grilled snausages, however, and my whole stance changes to "that's pretty special." The beef on its own, however, doesn't really do much for me at ALL.

seebee wrote:After thinkin for a while, I came up with one. Johnnie's Beef. IMO, the beef itself is nothing special in any way. You add one of those charcoal grilled snausages, however, and my whole stance changes to "that's pretty special." The beef on its own, however, doesn't really do much for me at ALL.

This is pretty much how I feel about all Italian Beef.

Moon's Diner. I don't know how this place differs from the kind of "greasy spoon" found in any depressed mill town (including my own in Upstate New York). The so-called omelet appears to be cooked on a flat top rather than in a pan and is thus glorified scrambled eggs.

seebee wrote:After thinkin for a while, I came up with one. Johnnie's Beef. IMO, the beef itself is nothing special in any way. You add one of those charcoal grilled snausages, however, and my whole stance changes to "that's pretty special." The beef on its own, however, doesn't really do much for me at ALL.

I agree with this. I know Johnnie's Beef has its fans but for me, the place is all about the sausage. When I actually order a combo instead of a sausage, I consider the beef nothing more than a condiment. And I never even think of ordering just a beef here.

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