Close Icon
Gear IconImportant Notice:We have made the tough decision to say goodbye to the Foursquare City Guide mobile app, effective December 15, 2024, with the web version to follow in early 2025. Visit our FAQ for more information or to download our Swarm app.
Learn more
RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List
Abbott's Lobster in the Rough is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

1. Abbott's Lobster in the Rough

8.4
117 Pearl St, Groton, CT
Seafood Restaurant · 55 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: Picnic tables on the grass by the water. Steamed lobsters, caught that day, with drawn butter in paper cups. A beer.

Abyssinia is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

2. Abyssinia

7.7
229 S 45th St (at Locust St), Philadelphia, PA
Ethiopian Restaurant · Spruce Hill · 29 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: this beloved Ethiopian spot makes you feel as though you've joined a family for dinner in their home—even if you happen to be dining alone.

Alpino Vino is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

3. Alpino Vino

8.3
See Forever Run, Gold Hill Lift (14), 12,000 feet, Telluride, CO
Wine Bar · 9 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: 30-ish seat Italian rest burrowed into cliff above Telluride. Nothing easy about getting here (ski a narrow trail) nor easy about getting a seat.; truly perfect food, both cozy & refined

Al's Breakfast is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

4. Al's Breakfast

8.4
413 14th Ave SE, Minneapolis, MN
Breakfast Spot · Dinkytown · 88 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: Flapjacks on the griddle. Hazy morning sunlight through stained-glass awnings. Foreign currency tacked to a shelf, above the Magic Markered coffee mugs belonging to various regulars.

American Coney Island is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

5. American Coney Island

7.7
114 W Lafayette Blvd (at Michigan Ave.), Detroit, MI
Hot Dog Joint · Downtown Detroit · 88 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: ACI & Lafayette CI are next to each other dwtn, and theirs is a bitter and endless grudge match. Both raise a torch for true regional delight: coneys (hot dogs w/chili, mustard, &raw onion)

Angler is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

6. Angler

8.4
132 The Embarcadero (Mission), San Francisco, CA
Seafood Restaurant · Financial District · 18 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: Decadence in the form of wild game, giant crustaceans, magnificent heads of radicchio, sometimes served raw or cooked over open fire; on the side, copious amounts of caviar and oysters

Anteprima is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

7. Anteprima

7.6
5316 N Clark St (at W Summerdale Ave), Chicago, IL
Italian Restaurant · Andersonville · 32 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: Anteprima’s menu changes daily. Hakurei turnips, breakfast radish, ramps, & morels in spring. Corn & tomatoes in summer. Roots in fall. Squashes, truffles, and alliums through the winter.

Arnold's Country Kitchen is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

8. Arnold's Country Kitchen

9.0
605 8th Ave S, Nashville, TN
Southern Food Restaurant · 106 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: Nashville wouldn’t be Nashville without red-tray, meat&three comfort of ACK. line up cafeteria-style for juicy roast beef carved to order and creamy chocolate chess pies for dessert.

Bamboo Garden Restaurant is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

9. Bamboo Garden Restaurant

6.3
6409 8th Ave (at 64th St.), Brooklyn, NY
Chinese Restaurant · Sunset Park · 30 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: Massive dim sum restaurant is out in Brooklyn’s Chinatown in Sunset Park. With elaborate chandeliers and big banquet tables. Every time we go we get the Peking duck, which is just perfect.

Bar Tabac is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

10. Bar Tabac

8.1
128 Smith St (at Dean St), Brooklyn, NY
French Restaurant · Boerum Hill · 211 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: Definition of a neighborhood eatery. Go for the Burgundy snails, and footie matches on the TV.

Black-Eyed Susan's is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

11. Black-Eyed Susan's

7.7
10 India St, Nantucket, MA
Diner · 45 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: They do breakfast and dinner and they do them well, for not many people (it’s tiny) and cash only, and you’ll remember it. Especially the PA Dutch pancakes made with a slice of Jarlsberg.

Blueberry Hill is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

12. Blueberry Hill

8.6
6504 Delmar Blvd (btwn Melville Ave & Westgate Ave), St Louis, MO
American Restaurant · 146 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: Loop in STL is one of greatest streets of food and music in America. Blueberry Hill for the very best burgers and live music - Chuck Berry played a monthly show here for 200months in a row

Blue Moon Café is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

13. Blue Moon Café

8.4
200 E High St, Shepherdstown, WV
Café · 39 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: Locals, tourists from D.C., professors from the small university, all sitting together enjoying buffalo chicken salads and black bean burgers and maybe somebody playing the guitar.

Bouquet Restaurant & Wine Bar is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

14. Bouquet Restaurant & Wine Bar

8.3
519 Main St, Covington, KY
American Restaurant · 9 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: Menu sounds straightforward —deviled eggs, a green salad, meatballs, a pork chop—but everything soars because of the chef’s obvious reverence for the ingredients

Brigtsen's Restaurant is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

15. Brigtsen's Restaurant

9.0
723 Dante St, New Orleans, LA
Cajun and Creole Restaurant · Uptown - Carrollton · 28 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: Family-run bistro interprets LA classics from the Creole, Cajun, & Southern canons; Tiny kitchen with abundant Gulf seafood and year-round farm bounty. Pecan pie that will haunt your dreams.

Busy Bee Cafe is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

16. Busy Bee Cafe

8.6
810 Martin Luther King Jr Dr SW, Atlanta, GA
Southern Food Restaurant · Atlanta University Center · 104 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: known as the place w/best fried chicken in city. sides are exquisite renderings w/rice and gravy, collards, and mac n’ cheese shining. Don’t miss cornmeal-dusted and encrusted catfish

Canlis is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

17. Canlis

9.0
2576 Aurora Ave N, Seattle, WA
American Restaurant · East Queen Anne · 116 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: If we tell you that Canlis is the “epitome of elegance,” you might get the wrong impression. Canlis has fine-tuned a form of hospitality so effortless that a “fancy” meal feels like a reunion

Casamento's is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

18. Casamento's

8.5
4330 Magazine St (at Napoleon Ave.), New Orleans, LA
Seafood Restaurant · Touro · 43 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: 101 years old; remains a tiled shrine to briny simplicity. You want a “loaf,” which amounts to a heap of fried oysters in between fat slices of white bread. Use a lot of hot sauce

Celeste is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

19. Celeste

8.6
21 Bow St, Somerville, MA
Peruvian Restaurant · 11 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: Art and aperitivos, pisco and purple corn, neon and neighbors, all pressed together in a tiny, bright vessel designed to amplify joy.

Cochon Restaurant is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

20. Cochon Restaurant

9.2
930 Tchoupitoulas St (at Andrew Higgins St), New Orleans, LA
Southern Food Restaurant · Lower Garden District · 206 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: A jambalaya studded with pork cheeks and andouille sent me over the edge. I actually started hollering with joy. A bartender asked me whether I was okay. I was humming like a lunatic.

Cowan's Public is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

21. Cowan's Public

9.0
227-229 Centre St, Nutley, NJ
Gastropub · 17 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: The craft-beer, proper-drink, good-food revolution arrived in this corner of North Jersey a few years ago with this simple but beautiful Art Deco restaurant.

Cozy Corner is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

22. Cozy Corner

8.7
745 N Parkway, Memphis, TN
BBQ Joint · North Memphis · 64 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: We got ribs and fries and a bologna sandwich and a whole Cornish hen practically lacquered in a shiny glaze of sauce. It was as real as real gets.

Cunetto House of Pasta is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

23. Cunetto House of Pasta

8.4
5453 Magnolia Ave (at Southwest), St Louis, MO
Italian Restaurant · Southwest Garden · 38 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: best Italian food in U.S. is in NY? they haven’t been to the Hill in STL. Crown jewel of area is CHoP - menu w/no fuss but tons of flavor + they serve amazing toasted raviolis, STL classic

Cúrate is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

24. Cúrate

9.0
13 Biltmore Ave, Asheville, NC
Spanish Restaurant · Downtown Asheville · 122 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: Curate gives food scene shot of adrenaline w/paella and garlic shrimp and jamón ibérico. Best bean dish in U.S.: Asturian stew ("fabada") that’s luscious w/fat of housemade chorizo & morcilla

Diamond Head Market & Grill is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

25. Diamond Head Market & Grill

8.8
3158 Monsarrat Ave (at Campbell Ave.), Honolulu, HI
Grocery Store · Diamond Head - Kapahulu - St. Louis · 89 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: Takeout counter on mauka (mountain) side of Diamond Head isn’t scenic spot but plate lunches spill over w/miso ginger salmon, kalbi beef & char siu pork, plus a heap of rice (the best- hapa)

Dino's Pizza is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

26. Dino's Pizza

7.5
7004 W Higgins Ave, Chicago, IL
Pizzeria · Norwood Park · 31 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: Nothing fancy. Not trendy. On the edge of Chicago. Bar attracts mostly cops and firefighters. Specialize in pub style pizza: cut into squares, soft but not thick

Ditch Witch is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

27. Ditch Witch

6.5
40 Deforest Rd, Montauk, NY
Snack Place · 13 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: This food truck just off DP beach is half the reason you'll want to go to the beach at all. Tomahawk bowl packed with fresh tuna is worth waiting in line for—and you'll have to

Dooky Chase Restaurant is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

28. Dooky Chase Restaurant

8.7
2301 Orleans Ave (at N Miro St), New Orleans, LA
Cajun and Creole Restaurant · Treme - Lafitte · 68 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: Locals still gussy up for lunch buffet (including legendary fried chx). Make sure somebody orders Creole classic Shrimp Clemenceau—shrimp, crispy potatoes, ham, &mushrooms in garlic.

Dove's Luncheonette is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

29. Dove's Luncheonette

9.2
1545 N Damen Ave (btwn Milwaukee Ave & Wicker Park Ave), Chicago, IL
Diner · Wicker Park · 95 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: I go back to DL every single time I’m in CHI. Usually for breakfast Mexican/Southern mashup. Do I want the pozole rojo w/carnitas, or get the burnt-ends hash w/2 fried eggs &Texas toast?

Duarte's Tavern is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

30. Duarte's Tavern

7.9
202 Stage Rd (at Pescadero Creek Rd), Pescadero, CA
American Restaurant · 83 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: '03 J.Beard award for classic American restu. Think: artichoke soup, petrale filet of sole, olallieberry pie. Bar is super fun, w/cheap, tasty martinis & typically packed w/colorful locals

Egan & Sons is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

31. Egan & Sons

8.3
118 Walnut St (btwn Forest & Frink St.), Montclair, NJ
Pub · 73 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: Remarkably good British/Irish pub food in a bright and open and airy set of rooms. At the heart of it is a soccer bar that draws somehow-not-annoying fans from all over.

El Rey De Las Fritas is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

32. El Rey De Las Fritas

8.2
1821 Southwest 8th Street, Miami, FL
Cuban Restaurant · Little Havana · 54 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: A frita (as interpreted by El Rey) is basically a burger on an airy Cuban bun with an avalanche of shoestring fries and a sweet paste of sautéed onions.

Fork is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

33. Fork

8.2
306 Market St (btw S 3rd St & S 4th St), Philadelphia, PA
New American Restaurant · Center City East · 90 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: My entire family has dined at Fork and loved every meal—from shrimp & grits at brunch to Champagne roasted chicken (takeaway) dinners during quarantine. Every experience at Fork is edifying.

Franklin Barbecue is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

34. Franklin Barbecue

9.1
900 E 11th St (at Branch St), Austin, TX
BBQ Joint · 353 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: There's a reason for all those lawn chairs lined up outside the place. And yes, it's the brisket, but it's also so much more.

Frasca Food and Wine is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

35. Frasca Food and Wine

9.1
1738 Pearl St (17th), Boulder, CO
Italian Restaurant · Downtown Boulder · 36 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: Dont let the white truffles and caviar scare you off. It may look exclusive, but inside it’s a house party. Wine guru and manager is a captain of hospitality in the truest, most soulful sense

Fraunces Tavern is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

36. Fraunces Tavern

8.8
54 Pearl St (at Broad St), New York, NY
Whisky Bar · Financial District · 195 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: A cozy tavern with surprisingly good food and a warm feeling in the older rooms. The whiskey bar up front is the snuggest place you can be on a winter night in Manhattan.

Freedman’s is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

37. Freedman’s

8.4
2619 W Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA
Jewish Restaurant · East LA · 6 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: Unassuming location w/unbelievable Jewish-American fare. You'll think "where am I?" & and leave wondering how you'll possibly follow up that meal. Latke waffle and lox will rock your world.

Galatoire's is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

38. Galatoire's

7.7
209 Bourbon St (at Iberville St), New Orleans, LA
Cajun and Creole Restaurant · French Quarter · 101 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: There may be no finer example of Food As Theater / Food as Culture than this landmark known for its marathon, booze-saturated Friday lunch.

Genova Bakery is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

39. Genova Bakery

8.3
749 N Sierra Nevada St (at E Flora St), Stockton, CA
Bakery · Civic Center · 6 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: One of the best towering stacks of Toscano salame, turkey, cheddar, provolone, shredded lettuce, red onion, light mayo, heavy on the mustard on a soft and chewy Milk Roll.

Han Oak is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

40. Han Oak

9.3
511 NE 24th Ave (NE Glisan), Portland, OR
Korean Restaurant · 20 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: Han Oak blends into the Cho family’s backyard, and a meal there has the casual vibe of a family reunion around a picnic table.

Havana is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

41. Havana

8.6
318 Main St, Bar Harbor, ME
Cuban Restaurant · 21 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: A Cuban restaurant in Maine? No: A fantastic Cuban restaurant in Maine. Get the paella with local lobster, a Havana Martini, and call it a night.

Huynh Restaurant is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

42. Huynh Restaurant

9.0
912 St Emanuel St, Houston, TX
Vietnamese Restaurant · 85 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: You don't visit HOU w/o eating Vietnamese food... always a wait but tables turn fast... satisfying and delicious meal w/gingery, herbaceous duck salad known as Goi Vit

Irvington Delight Market is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

43. Irvington Delight Market

2 S Broadway (at Main St), Irvington, NY
Middle Eastern Restaurant · 2 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: Amal Suleiman rolls stuffed grape leaves by hand (original vines brought to US from Jordan in '80; Suleiman makes the hummus and hot sauce and muhammara... seemingly random convenience shop

J & J's Family Restaurant & Catering is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

44. J & J's Family Restaurant & Catering

8.0
Pittsburgh, PA
Diner · Mount Washington · 10 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: Greasy spoon diner (in city full of them); true family-owned joint sits atop city's historic Mt Washington; Serving sizes will last you all day; dining experience makes you feel like family

Jitlada Thai Restaurant is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

45. Jitlada Thai Restaurant

8.9
5233 W Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA
Thai Restaurant · Little Armenia · 132 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: Ask owner Jazz Singsanong 2 choose 4 u, or point at random: jungle curry prk, spicy crabclaw morning glory, turmeric ctfish, mssels green crry. prepare mind &palate 4psychedelic flavor wallop

Kalaya Thai Kitchen is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

46. Kalaya Thai Kitchen

8.5
764 S 9th St, Philadelphia, PA
Thai Restaurant · Bella Vista - Southwark · 3 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: No punches pulled by chef/owner and her remarkably spicy, funky, practically vibrating Thai dishes that are a snapshot of her mother’s recipes she learned while growing up in SouthernThailand

Keens Steakhouse is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

47. Keens Steakhouse

9.0
72 W 36th St (btwn 5th & 6th Ave), New York, NY
Steakhouse · Koreatown · 484 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: Definitely the porterhouse or the mutton chop, always the creamed spinach and the hashbrowns for sides, and yes, you’ll be having a martini

Kopitiam is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

48. Kopitiam

8.2
151 E Broadway (btw Rutgers & Pike St), New York, NY
Malay Restaurant · Two Bridges · 39 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: oyster omelet, &triangles of minced chicken in pandan leaves, &nasi lemak (fried ancho & coco rice make perfect pair), &hand-pulled coffee w/milk. A celebration of Nyonya cuisine of SEAsia

Panadería La Esperanza is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

49. Panadería La Esperanza

5044 Franklin Blvd (at 26th Ave), Sacramento, CA
Bakery · Southeastern Sacramento · 1 tip

MarcMarc: Esquire: The smell of gingerbread puerquitos, jammy niños, crusty and soft bolillios, churros y mas will bash you in the face as soon as you open the storefront door

Larder is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

50. Larder

8.4
1455 W 29th St, Cleveland, OH
Deli · Ohio City · 4 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: fermentation-mad merry pranksters make pickles and pastrami good enough to rival your favorite ancient Jewish deli

La Super-Rica Taqueria is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

51. La Super-Rica Taqueria

8.3
622 N Milpas St (at Alphonse St), Santa Barbara, CA
Taco Restaurant · Lower East · 94 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: Julia Child made it iconic; wait in line for hand-pressed tortillas &sizzling pork &melted cheese &potent salsas; Locals know: If special tamales or enchiladas on the chalkboard, get them

Taqueria San Francisco is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

52. Taqueria San Francisco

7.5
2794 24th St (at York St), San Francisco, CA
Taco Restaurant · Mission District · 32 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: start w/taco app then burrito - packed w/proportions of plump pinto beans, protein (try charred then chopped carne asada), green guac, crema, &melty cheese (no rice). Don't forget the salsa

Lehja Indian Restaurant is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

53. Lehja Indian Restaurant

8.3
11800 W Broad St (at Short Pump Town Center), Richmond, VA
Indian Restaurant · 45 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: Because spice, hospitality, and wine aren’t luxuries—they’re essentials. Because this unassuming, unexpected jewel in a VA mall is one of the very best Indian restaurants in America

Leo's Taco Truck is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

54. Leo's Taco Truck

9.1
1515 S La Brea Ave (at Venice Blvd), Los Angeles, CA
Food Truck · 81 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: I get just as much satisfaction consuming a platter of al pastor tacos from Leo’s as I do with any fancy spots.

Louie Mueller Barbecue is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

55. Louie Mueller Barbecue

8.7
206 W 2nd St (at Vance St), Taylor, TX
BBQ Joint · 53 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: She picked up a beef rib that seemed to weigh more than her. Bit into the juicy meat &her eyes rolled back &emitted a squeak of unfiltered delight. Polished off whole rib &asked for another

Lowell's Restaurant is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

56. Lowell's Restaurant

7.6
1519 Pike Pl (at 1st), Seattle, WA
Seafood Restaurant · Pike Place · 143 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: You want an omelet stuff with Dungeness crab—you’re in a fish market, after all—and maybe also a Hangtown Fry with eggs and bacon and fresh oysters all scrambled together

Marcel's by Robert Wiedmaier is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

57. Marcel's by Robert Wiedmaier

8.7
2401 Pennsylvania Ave NW (at 24th St NW), Washington, D.C.
French Restaurant · West End · 34 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: Nowhere in Washington, D.C., is fine-dining done finer. Nowhere is it easier to feel thoroughly at home in a tuxedo. The stewards of slow luxuries must never die

Metzger Bar & Butchery is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

58. Metzger Bar & Butchery

8.6
801 N 23rd St, Richmond, VA
German Restaurant · 27 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: an outpost of modern exceptionalism in a historic yet overlooked district; local takes on trout rillettes, rabbit, and pork chops with carafes of Zweigelt. (Owner built furniture from a tree)

Mosquito Supper Club is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

59. Mosquito Supper Club

8.3
5450 Dauphine St (Flood), New Orleans, LA
Cajun and Creole Restaurant · Holy Cross · 5 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: Crispy, delicate soft-shelled shrimp. Browned cabbage smothered down in salt pork. Rustic seafood gumbo—okra, crab, and shrimp—that can’t be rushed.

Nanina's in the Park is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

60. Nanina's in the Park

8.8
540 Mill St, Belleville, NJ
Event Space · 17 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: Generations of Newark-area Italian-Americans have celebrated here. It’s a banquet hall that actually does Italian food really well, because it has to. An institution.

Neptune Oyster is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

61. Neptune Oyster

9.0
63 Salem St (at Morton St), Boston, MA
Seafood Restaurant · North End · 356 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: ...got the 1st seat at bar, and ordered oceanic delights: raw oysters, dayboat scallops, a lobster roll. All spot-on. Then the johnnycake arrived &everything else became a blur.

Nom Wah Tea Parlor is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

62. Nom Wah Tea Parlor

8.1
13 Doyers St (btwn Pell St & Bowery), New York, NY
Dim Sum Restaurant · Chinatown · 376 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: The OG egg roll, as crisp and feathery as a deep-fried cloud, is like a history lesson that lasts for two minutes, max, because that’s how long it takes you to wolf it down

Nong’s Khao Man Gai is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

63. Nong’s Khao Man Gai

9.3
609 SE Ankeny St, Portland, OR 97214, Portland, OR
Thai Restaurant · 121 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: Chicken and rice—that’s what you’re getting. A lunch here leaves you feeling the way you feel after you’ve had matzo ball soup in a dependable diner: nourished.

Noonie’s Deli is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

64. Noonie’s Deli

7.8
137 Maple St (Marbleworks), Middlebury, VT
Sandwich Spot · 14 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: t’s a sandwich shop. Homemade honey oat bread, homemade brownies, local cheddar—all of that.

Pappy's Smokehouse is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

65. Pappy's Smokehouse

9.1
3106 Olive St (btwn N Compton & N Ewing Ave), St Louis, MO
BBQ Joint · Midtown · 283 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: Routinely voted the best BBQ in town, and its ribs have been recognized as the best in US. I stop by every time I'm in town, and I send anyone passing through in this direction.

Espinos is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

66. Espinos

840 Bryan Rd, O Fallon, MO
Mexican Restaurant · Lake Saint Louis · 12 tips and reviews
Pie 'n Burger is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

67. Pie 'n Burger

7.8
913 E California Blvd (at Lake Ave), Pasadena, CA
Burger Joint · South Lake · 95 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: Cheeseburger remains gold standard. Locals know that coolest move is to swing by for breakfast - hash browns are soft underneath a crust of gold. Toast is homemade.

Pioneer Saloon is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

68. Pioneer Saloon

8.3
308 Main St N, Ketchum, ID
Steakhouse · 25 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: After a day skiing Sun Valley, the Pio’s burger will fill you back up. But make sure somebody gets the Idaho rainbow trout, so you can have a bite. This is a place you never want to leave.

Proto's Pizza is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

69. Proto's Pizza

6.8
50 2nd Ave (btwn E 2nd & 3rd St), New York, NY
Pizzeria · East Village · 19 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: Very solid New York slice—the Margherita is more than solid. On Friday nights, the place is open court 4 a.m. as the East Village partiers come crashing in

Public Greens: Urban Kitchen, Greens & Grill is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

70. Public Greens: Urban Kitchen, Greens & Grill

8.0
902 E 64th St, Indianapolis, IN
New American Restaurant · Broad Ripple · 9 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: sells farm-fresh goodness at affordable prices; profits are devoted to feeding hungry school kids around the state.

Raoul's Restaurant is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

71. Raoul's Restaurant

9.0
180 Prince St (btwn Thompson & Sullivan St), New York, NY
French Restaurant · SoHo · 166 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: Steak au poivre is great, tequila Negroni even better, but for me it's about the circus. Fortune teller upstairs...

Red Iguana is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

72. Red Iguana

9.2
736 W North Temple, Salt Lake City, UT
Mexican Restaurant · Fairpark · 207 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: In state not exactly famous for its flavor bombs, delivers Mex classics—mole negro, mole poblano, enmoladas, carnitas, fish tacos, enchiladas suizas—w/respect for tradition &attention 2detail

Red Rooster is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

73. Red Rooster

8.5
310 Malcolm X Blvd (btwn W 125th & W 126th St), New York, NY
Southern Food Restaurant · 552 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: You can’t really attempt to “drop in” for a quick snack of yardbird or shrimp & grits, because before long you’re caught up in conversations with neighboring tables...

Roadside Store & Café is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

74. Roadside Store & Café

275 Main Rd., Monterey, MA
Café · 1 tip

MarcMarc: Esquire: Best little roadside dinner w/pancakes ordered by size &come big as hubcaps. In a beautiful town in Berkshires &supplied by Gould Farm, a therapeutic community for people w/mental illnesses

Roberta's Pizza is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

75. Roberta's Pizza

9.2
261 Moore St (at Bogart St), Brooklyn, NY
Pizzeria · East Williamsburg · 864 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: Roberta's gets cred as a revolutionary pizza joint with a knack for wood-firing pies.

Sam Wo Restaurant is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

76. Sam Wo Restaurant

7.0
713 Clay St, San Francisco, CA
Chinese Restaurant · Chinatown · 23 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: I love new-school takes on SF Chinatown from chefs like Brandon Jew. Restaurants like Wo’s are more important than ever, serving as connection to past, w/o dipping into schmaltz or nostalgia

Senia is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

77. Senia

8.9
75 N King St, Honolulu, HI
Hawaiian Restaurant · 16 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: Always packed - w/locals. Inventive, ambitious cooking is polished but rooted in Hawaiian traditions, from poke to kalua pork.

Seviche is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

78. Seviche

8.0
1538 Bardstown Rd, Louisville, KY
Latin American Restaurant · Deer Park · 51 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: Posole verde is possibly most delicious; There are many paths to bliss, like: caipirinha –> chicharrones de calamares –> ahi seviche –> churrascos de Argntina –> George T. Stagg w/1cube

Shady Glen Restaurant is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

79. Shady Glen Restaurant

8.3
840 Middle Tpke E, Manchester, CT
American Restaurant · 58 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: They do this thing where the cheese on the cheeseburgers curls up into crispy corners. And homemade ice cream sundaes.

Shatila Bakery & Cafe is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

80. Shatila Bakery & Cafe

8.9
14300 W Warren Ave (btwn Chase & Schaefer), Dearborn, MI
Bakery · 70 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: colorful displays of cookies and cakes represent a bedrock community center, a village square for customers old and young, as well as a living link to the flavors &textures of the Middle East

Shiro's is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

81. Shiro's

8.9
2401 2nd Ave (at Battery St), Seattle, WA
Sushi Restaurant · Belltown · 184 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: Tradition of Edomae-style sushi. Opened in 1994 and, in its modest way, it remains the West Coast peak of Japanese hospitality and fish/rice artistry.

Silver Grill Cafe is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

82. Silver Grill Cafe

9.0
218 Walnut St (at College Ave), Fort Collins, CO
Café · Downtown Fort Collins · 74 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: Cooks up the best breakfast in US. Southern ideas merge w/Mex ideas. Everyone talks about cinnamon rolls but I would board a plane for potatoes, which are crisp and fluffy at the same time.

83. Slyman's Tavern - Dine-in, Delivery & Takeout Available

7601 Mentor Ave Ste B, Mentor, OH
Restaurant · 1 tip

MarcMarc: Esquire: home of a beloved Reuben sandwich piled too high with what I swear is the best corned beef

SoLo Farm & Table is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

84. SoLo Farm & Table

8.4
95 Middletown Rd (at Crescent St), South Londonderry, VT
New American Restaurant · 11 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: The wife used to run front-of-house at Per Se. The husband used to cook for big-time places in NYC. Then they bought a farmhouse in Vermont and turned it into a New England dining destination

St Elmo Steak House is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

85. St Elmo Steak House

9.0
127 S Illinois St (btw Maryland St. & Georgia St.), Indianapolis, IN
Steakhouse · Downtown Indianapolis · 197 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: Out of all great old steakhouses across the US landscape, might be the strangest. Its signature dish is a shrimp cocktail overloaded w/horseradish (waiters will warn u, u won’t listen)

State Bird Provisions is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

86. State Bird Provisions

8.6
1529 Fillmore St (btwn Geary & O'Farrell St), San Francisco, CA
New American Restaurant · Fillmore District · 219 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: Serves up creative, California-inspired dishes dim sum-style. I don’t think there’s any restaurant that captures the state’s madcap collision of culture and flavors quite like State Bird.

Swan Oyster Depot is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

87. Swan Oyster Depot

8.4
1517 Polk St (btwn Sacramento & California St.), San Francisco, CA
Seafood Restaurant · Polk Gulch · 220 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: Off-menu “crabsanthemum”— features nothing but plump pieces of sweet crab meat arranged in a beautiful floral pattern on a plate. Crab really needs no accompaniment, but ice-cold Anchor Steam

Terre Pasta Natural Wine is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

88. Terre Pasta Natural Wine

8.8
341 5th Ave (4th St), Brooklyn, NY
Wine Bar · Central Slope · 16 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: Fresh, homemade pasta &natural wines in heart of Park Slope. Ur server probably made a special themselves, &you can tell because eyes light up when you order it &when sees ur empty plate.

Tessaro's is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

89. Tessaro's

7.8
4601 Liberty Ave (at Taylor St.), Pittsburgh, PA
Burger Joint · Bloomfield · 55 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: Order a beer and burger and keep your mouth shut. Listen. Look around. Everyone’s getting the same burger, as big as a flattened softball, salty juices seeping into the bun. Yinzers know.

The Beachcomber is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

90. The Beachcomber

7.8
1120 Cahoon Hollow Rd (Ocean View Dr.), Wellfleet, MA
Seafood Restaurant · 33 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: Local oysters and steamers in a clam shack on the sand.

The Grey is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

91. The Grey

8.9
109 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Savannah, GA
Bistro · 39 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: Cooking weaves together culinary insight from W. Africa &US South: pasta w/blue crab &ruby red shrimp, bbq'd mackerel w/cornbread dressing &collard stems, short ribs w/ground nuts &turnips

The Narrows Restaurant is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

92. The Narrows Restaurant

8.2
3023 Kent Narrow Way S (Inlet), Grasonville, MD
Seafood Restaurant · 18 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: Semi-fancy, waterfront place with good prices, good crab cakes, and a lot of people who probably just took the boat out for the day.

The Pizza Stone is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

93. The Pizza Stone

8.4
291 Pleasant St, Chester, VT
Pizzeria · 11 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: Kooky people, unique pies, craft beers.

Reel Inn is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

94. Reel Inn

8.8
18661 Pacific Coast Hwy, Malibu, CA
Seafood Restaurant · 82 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: Little seafood shack on land side of PCH. Order from blackboard menu—fish is offered grilled, Cajun style, or sautéed w/2sides (go for Cajun rice and slaw), grab a beer and picnic table

The Shrimp Box & Outside The Box Patio Bar is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

95. The Shrimp Box & Outside The Box Patio Bar

8.6
75 Inlet Dr (Broadway), Point Pleasant Beach, NJ
Seafood Restaurant · 49 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: When we arrived at the Shrimp Box, there was a two-hour wait for a table...

The Squan is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

96. The Squan

15 Marcellus Ave (South Street), Manasquan, NJ
Other Great Outdoors · 1 tip

MarcMarc: Esquire: Best red-sauce joint on the Jersey Shore. This East Coast alchemy of tomatoes and cheese, sausage and pasta and crust, oregano and olive oil and mouthfuls of bright Chianti

The Stand Natural Food Restaurant is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

97. The Stand Natural Food Restaurant

8.1
238 Thalia St (at S. Coast Hwy.), Laguna Beach, CA
Vegan and Vegetarian Restaurant · The Village · 28 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: Menu items like date shakes, carrot juice, sunflower sprout salad, and guacamole burritos might explain why no one in Laguna Beach seems to age.

Veselka is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

98. Veselka

8.9
144 2nd Ave (at E 9th St), New York, NY
Ukrainian Restaurant · East Village · 649 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: The anchor of the E. Village, coolest diner on Earth, open-around-the-clock Ukrainian hearth for those moments when one’s beaten soul cries out for stuffed cabbage &beef stroganoff &pierogi

Virtue is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

99. Virtue

9.0
1462 E 53rd St (Harper), Chicago, IL
Southern Food Restaurant · Hyde Park · 14 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: A meal can feel like a much-needed hug from an old family member. Velvety mac 'n cheese, shrimp rémoulade served atop fried green tomatoes, or the delicately fried gizzards

Yank Sing is one of RESTAURANTS WE CAN'T LOSE_ME List.

100. Yank Sing

8.5
101 Spear St (inside Rincon Center), San Francisco, CA
Dim Sum Restaurant · Financial District · 229 tips and reviews

MarcMarc: Esquire: Classics are next level: Siu mai plump w/shrimp &pork, paper-thin wrapping of har gau, &xiao long bao filled w/beautifully fragrant broth. Don't forget to pick up jar of house-made chili oil