Corner House Restaurant Review – Moderate

View the Menu and Photos for this Restaurant
The long lasting established “Corner House” on Lincoln avenue keeps moderate “American and Irish” atmosphere feel and moderate food to this Restaurant and Bar in Grant City.

We have went out for a friend’s graduation, looking somewhere simple and quite serving home made meals and decided to try The Corner House.  The overall feel of the restaurant is that it is a neighborhood bar and dining room (Grill).   Many locals would chose this place for a place to hang out and enjoy a couple of drinks with there buddies while watching the game.  It also a place for a quite dinner on a weekday and friend get-together on a weekend.

The Corner house does not live up to expectations as a “Great Food” experience.  The service was not anything special at the same time.  The food (My Seafood was flavourless) a couple of friends who had ribz, burger and fried fish all said it was great.  So it is possible that only the seafood wasn’t that great (But, I am the one writing the review so we must focus on my meal)

Let’s get to the review:

• Service: Noticeable Slow, I had to get up and ask for gravy, sauces and even to get a refill of our beer.
• The Food: The Ribz seemed decent, something I may want to try next time.  But the seafood platter would something I would not order again as the full meal tasted flavourless.  I do understand that much seafood (Shrimps, Calamari and flounder) naturally does not have much flavour, but it is the way they are cooked that can add a certain feel of taste which Corner House forgot to do.
  -> Seafood included: Crab Cake, Scallops, Shrimp and Flounder with side of Mashed Potatoes and Vegetables.
  -> The Portion was moderate size for 20$.

That pretty much sums up the Corner House, and yes even though I was not satisfied with my Seafood, I still will be back to this establishment for the general feel and atmosphere which is very comfortable environment.  I may chose to enjoy a burger in the future or even come back for there for Corn Beef and Cabbage during Saint Patties.

Star Rating:
Service -1, Food -1/+1, Atmosphere +2, Bar List +2
Overall: 3 Stars

Armory Inn: A beautiful Evening outside

Well for a second we though the summer was actually here (Last week), Remember those 90′s that we hit?  At the first opportunity to go sit somewhere outside we flew off to “Scott’s Armory Inn”, after driving by during the day and noticing they have chairs and tables set up outside.  We are glad we did as we realized there is another restaurant offering “Outdoor dining” and the food was great as well as the atmosphere.  Oh, by the way to search for “Outdoor dining” you can visit the main website Whereyoueat.com Scroll down to the “Advanced Search” and use the “Search by Feature”…  OK on to the Review…  There are two choices of Menus, one from the Bar side of the Restaurant and the other from the Dining Room.  The Dining Room menu is a bit pricey unless you are planning to go out for a nice family dinner or a special occasion, but if you chose to sit outside on a warm evening just to relax, we suggest you go with the “Bar Menu”, which still offers many of the items from the regular menu (Same Portion, Same Size but a couple dollars cheaper).

The Food:  We enjoyed two great meals both included steak.  The Blue Cheese Salad with Steak looked simply delicious, the meet was cooked to perfection with just enough red showing, yet still being cooked and tasting great over the salad with the side of dressing.  I myself had enjoyed an “All American Cheese Steak” and must describe this as Scott’s Armory Inn does not use the regular steak-ums found in many diners and other type of restaurants. They use the real meat (Actually the same steak used in the salad) on a warm toasted hero with mozzarella made this sandwich a delicious choice.  They had many fascinating menu items that I would like to try such as the “Cajun Pita Chicken” which was also recommended by the server.  The menu is huge, if you for some reason can’t find something from the Bar Menu to suit you, you can always look at the larger dining room menu and find a whole collection of different things such as (Seafood, Chicken, Steak, Veal, Pasta) and many meals in each category.
The Service: It was very impressive, the server was able to recommend us great plates as well as come around every so often to make sure we are doing fine and brought us refills when needed. 
The Atmosphere: We sat outside, which was great… But Also the Bar portion of the Restaurant seemed wonderful, it was pretty busy inside but everyone seemed comfortable and enjoying themselves.  That’s great enough, but lets say you like the food but would like to go somewhere fancy tonight? Well they also feature a beautiful (Casual-> Fine Dining) Dining room which can hold private parties as well as small get-together.

Overall-Sum Up: We are now using our Pros & Cons Rating System to create Star Database.
Pros: Real Steak for Cheese Steaks, On Time Service, Comfortable Environment, Perfect Overall Atmosphere.
(+4)

Restaurant is located on 316 Manor Road
View the Menu, Photos, Information & Location

 

Whereyoueat Media Reviews are 100% non-biased, non-advertise based and not factual on any degree.

Fresh Tortillas and Tacos: Victory Blvd: 1 Star (Do Not Enter)

It is Very Very Sad, that we have to write this review but if we didn’t it would not be fair to you, our reader.  This is the Second Restaurant so far on Staten Island, that has made the (DO NOT ENTER) List.  We have ended up at this place due to a “Grand Openings” next door of a African Restaurant called “Mai” and I was hungry for some “Tex-Mex” and it stumbled upon right in front of me.  I must say I was glad I entered… Better Me then You? 

How the One Star came about:  I have pleasantly walked in and picked up a menu to look at and see what they have, The lady who is supposed to take my order yells “WATCHA WANT?”   Me being the undecisive person that I am, I politely ask her which of the lunch specials she can suggest, the Steak and Guacamole or the Steak and Chicken (All served for about 6.10 with can of soda, Including Tax), The reply I get is a very nasty “BOT GOO!”.  I am guessing that is supposed to mean “Both Good”???  ***(I am truthfully not trying to pick at people’s accents, but the attitude was so Nasty that the words sounded worse then they should.  Maybe next time I will carry a Tape Recorder to actually let you hear how this sounded?)*** 

OK anyways onto the Review:

Food: I have decided to go with the Steak and Guacamole, and as many of you already know I do like Spicy Stuff and enjoy “Hot Sauce” with my meal.  after the service already being horrible the way it is, I have asked “You have some Hot Sauce, Please”,  The reply I get is “OVE-DA” (Probably short for: Over There?).  Me being all Happy and Joly about to get my hot sauce, I almost pick up the bottle until I realize all the Crust all over it.  I just walk over to my seat until I remembered that I am now a “Restaurant Food Critic” and I should let everyone see what is going on.  I get a napkin and bring the Sauce back to the table so I can take photos of it: (Please see for yourself).  It is actually kind of embarassing to put the “WhereYouEat.com” logo on top of the photo, but I probably would be more embarrassed to even have that out on display for the customers to see.

The rest of the Meal: The food was nothing special, I had much better Tex-Mex style food on other parts of the Island.  It was your Bland meal which definitely should remove the “Fresh” out of the restaurant name.  It was prepared in about 1 Minute after I ordered (Very Serious).  Although it was a Decent size portion, I would never recommend this place to anybody, Especially this part of the Island having so many other Restaurants (Especially the new: Mai, Offering something different: African Cuisine).

The Closing: Amazingly Nasty Service, Horrible treating of Customers, Disgusting presentation of Sauce.

 

Our New Rating Review System:  We now will use a (Pros and Cons) system to rate and review restaurants.  Every restaurant starts off with a 1 Star, for every Pro that outweighs the Con, it gains a Star.

Pros: Fast Service
Cons: Horrible Staff, Dirty Presentation, Bland Food.
(+1, -3) = 1 Star

Restaurant Information, Menus and Photos

Lobster House Joes Review

This Casual Restaurant offers great food with a great dining room at a very reasonable price.
Rated by whereyoueat: 5 Stars.

              The dining room is nice and simple, it works just right to make it feel like a “Lobster Shack” Lobster House. It features a tank with live lobsters which are available at all times. The meal I am reviewing is the “Joe’s Special” Mussles, clams, calamari, shrimp and all the other good stuff served with pasta on the side. This is a true meal you can enjoy at anytime, Wait time was not long at all about 10 min (During Lunch), price was very fair for all this seafood. The whole place has a pleasant atmosphere even when it gets crowded there is enough breathing space for each table.

The Review:

The Food: Well the picture can probably describe 1000 words?  But if you are a “Seafood Lover” how could you not like what you see?  Yes, it does taste as good as it looks and I hear many people are not able to finish this, I sit there “fishing” for every last shrimp that is covered in the “White Wine Sauce”.  This meal is rated 5 Stars in overall presentation, taste & flavour and portion.
The Service:  Alway’s good.  I visit Lobster House Joe’s very often (For Lunch) and sometimes for dinner.  Service is always very attentive and there when you need it.
The Atmosphere:  A decent size comftorable atmosphere.  This place is a casual restaurant and presents itself in that way. 
Overall Sum-Up: Great Food, Great Service, Large Portions, Great Presentation and a great Casual Feel establishment puts Lobster House Joe’s in the “Hot Spot” listing of WhereYouEat. 

Restaurant Information:

Joe’s Lobster House Menu, Information, Photos and User Reviews

Sushi Excellent: Lounge and Bar Reviewed

 

Sushi, Appetizers, Drinks and a Decent Size Atmosphere.  A few weeks back we wrote the “Grand Re-Opening Walk-Around” for Sushi Excellent (To read it use: Top Navigation [Staten Island-> Grand Openings]).  Well here we have finally tried this restaurant sitting at the new lounge area. Felt really unique and somewhere we can go to enjoy Sushi and a few drinks for Happy Hour.  This is that spot which offers a great variety of cocktails (Strawberry mojitos for the Girl, Lece mojitos for the guy?), and many more great items. The bartender has created great drinks.  Now let’s head onto the review:

 

The Appetizer: We have enjoyed the Duck Salad greatly (This was one of the reason we used to patronize this place before they renovated).  It was greatly prepared and the presentation was excellent which included a side of apples and the duck was on top of the salad.  The portion was a (Medium-Large) size and would be enough to feed a single person.
The Sushi:This is (Sushi Excellent): So the Sushi better be good!  Sushi Excellent has a large Sushi menu, which includes all the regular items such as (California Rolls, Alaska Rolls and all the other basic stuff) for very decent prices (3 Rolls for 13.00 -> Somewhere in that price range)…  But the menu also offers many specialties rolls which makes this place shine (of course, these are a bit pricey [$13+ per Roll], but this is the reason people will come here.  These specialty rolls are simply delicious.  Many house specialties include (Fantastic Eel Roll, Two Way Dragon Roll) and a few others, be sure to view the menu (Link).
The Service: The service was great, Fast, simple to order and easy to communicate. (This place was not too busy the day we reviewed it, so of course this may change if you visit on a busy day…)
The Dessert: What is a Sushi Place (Japanese) have that’s great for dessert? Ah, my favorite Fried Ice Cream.  And yes like everything else, it is simply delicious.Fried Ice Cream of Sushi Excellent.
The Atmosphere: Even though the atmosphere is very fine and unique, there are a few furniture problems (Hopefully it’s fixed by now).  The “Bar-Stools”  bend forward for some reason and it feels like you are about to fall off the stool.  Not all the stools did that, but from 2 of the 3 I tried have.  The rest of the bar looks great, with a fine designed bar and very nice smooth lights surrounding it. 

 

Beer Garden Review: Great Atmosphere, Large Portions

One would think that a “Sports bar & Grill” is exactly that… Serving simple appetizers and wings and would be very surprised to find good food and a wonderful atmosphere.  Well we were surprised, first by the ”Busy Atmosphere” then by the “Large Unique Menu” and to top it off “Large Portions”.  First we started off with a Corona each (To get the taste buds going!!) and while sitting at the Bar Table some patrons next to us had received a Mozzarella Stick (6) Appetizer which were so amazingly huge (See the Photo) that we had to order us a taste and try for ourselves.  They were definitely (Home Made) and tasted so delicious, even though price is $8 for 6 pieces, these pieces are worth the price as they are about 1.75 times the regular size of “Frozen” sticks. 

The full atmosphere was busy and felt great finally being in a place with a crowd, tables were full, bar tables were also full yet the service was great and always someone attended to us when we needed another drink.  Looking at the menu gave many unique items which was not copied for the “Restaurant down the Block” as most restaurants simply copy their neighbors menus, these guys put thought into each one. 

The Food:I have ordered (Fresh Pastrami: Two slices of Rye Bread covered with Fresh Cut Pastrami and Topped with Swiss Cheese) which was under the (Open Face Platters) which comes with homemade potato salad.  It was a huge portion which I could have barely finished and the potato salad went good with the meal.  I would try something else from the menu which looked very appetezing and wasn’t too much overwhelmed with this meal.

My partner has ordered the (Beer Garden Wrap: Prosciutto, Roasted Peppers, Onions, Lettuce, Fresh Mozzarella, Oil and Vinegar) which was under the “Sandwiches and Wraps” which comes with French Fries.  The portion once again was huge and she barely finished half of the meal.  I truthfully could not get a taste as I was busy piling into my pastrami, but she stated the food was good.

Overall Summary Rating:

• Food -> Good (Sports Bar with Grill Rating)
• Menu -> Huge, with many unique items.
• Service -> Excellent
• Atmosphere -> Great Spot to be during lunch, dinner and after college exam “Hang-Out”.
• STAR RATING: 3.5

STAR RATING: Explained:

• 5 Stars: A Unique Menu, Many Home Made Items, Excellent Service and Great Unique Atmosphere.
• 4 Stars: Should include Home Made Mashed Potatoes, Great Service, Excellent Food.
• 3 Stars: Includes either Great Service, Great Food or Great Atmosphere
• 2 Stars: Includes at least one moderate (Food, Service or Atmosphere)
• 1 Star: Absolutely Horrible, Do not Enter, Do Not Eat. 

 

Restaurant Information:
Beer Garden
Establishment Type:  Sports bar with Grill
Cuisine: American
Menu, Hours, Location and Other Information
1883 Victory Blvd,
Staten Island,10314 
Phone :718-876-8900

Pho Mac: Something different for your Taste Buds

If you are like everyone else and tired of the same exact lunch everyday (Wraps, Pizza, Fast-food, Diners and even the same old Chinese Lunch Special) then we have a great restaurant that is worth a try with great prices for lunch.  Pho Mac is of Vietnamese cuisine of Asian descent, offers something similar to Chinese food but very much different.  The squid (Steamed) pictures above, was delicious and a perfect size for lunch.  The price is very cheap for this type of food which I was expecting to be be in the 15$ range turned out to be only about 7$.  The service was decent although I came during lunch time when the employees were eating and felt a bit uncomftorable disturbing them to find out “What I should order” or “What is good” and when I did try to ask, I was not able to understand fully what I should try.  So I went with my favorite from the seafood menu I noticed the squid and it was a great delight to my taste. 

Overlooking to a customer at another table I had noticed a huge soup bowl and now realized that Pho Mac is famous for Soups and the Seafood Mix soup looking simply delicious made me wish that is what I ordered.

The place feels very authentic to my knowledge (As I have never been to Vietname…) They use large spoons for soups which is one of the reasons I wanted to have the soup and feel the way people eat that meal authentically.  Anyways I will be back for some soup some day soon and will try add a picture of it so you can see the way it looks.  For now, Enjoy something different.

Battle of the Bars: Big Nose Kates vs DugOut Pub

We Have: Two Great Bars with Food on Staten Island
Big Nose Kates: Menu
Dugout-Pub: Menu

Big Nose Kates is a Southwestern Restaurant & Pub located on Arthur Kill Road and is built to resemble a “Southwestern” authentic feel. With wood on the inside, wooden bar and even wooden outside.  This restaurant features a huge dining area and a great outdoor backyard which is just right for the summer (Can’t wait…).
Dugout Pub is on the Mexican side Restaurant & Pub which is located on Forest Avenue and is built to resemble around Sports Venues, great to come out with your team after the big game (or even the small one).  They also feature a front door patio with an outdoor grill on Sundays (Also great for the summer and also Can’t Wait…)

The Specials:  Monday & Thursday night 25c/Wings.  This tradition has been started by an unknown restaurant in the recent years and has spread to almost every (Restaurant & Bar) on the Island.  Both of these restaurants offer this special, by Dug-out Pub goes a bit further on this to offer 25c/Shrimp. 
The Menu:Looks similar on both restaurants, both serve meals south of the border style such as Quesidillas, Tacos, Ribs and Dug-out has a specialty also offered by another (Restaurant & Bar: Black Dog Grill) is the “Dugout Dumplings”.  Big Nose Kate’s has a famed “Corn Fritter” appetizer which is just delicious.  Both menus are very comparable all in all.
The Drinks:  Both establishments have full sized bars but Dugout has some authentic German beer which we could not find at Big Nose Kate’s.
The Atmosphere:Big Nose Kate’s has a much comfortable atmosphere in which the tables get moved out of the way for the nights when it is crowded and the band comes to play, The Big Nose Kate’s outdoor atmosphere for the summer is also way more convenient and is much more spacious.
The Service:  Great service from both establishments, very attentive staff, friendly and quick to recommend.

What’s up:  Well we were going to give Dug-Out pub a win on serving food later then the Big Nose, but soon after we realized that Big Nose has created a bar menu that is served up until closing or about 3am.  So how is it possible to say who wins, and is this really a battle since it is based on preference.  We can say a decision is based if you are going out with friends after the game or even to watch the game, Dugout pub provides a great atmosphere.  If you are going out somewhere to eat with your spouse or significant other you are more likely to wind up in Big Nose for some dinner and stay for the party especially during the summer.  This really isn’t a battle as both have its pros and its cons and probably would have been more fair if we included all the other restaurant and bars on Staten Island and put them all together to the test.  Plus we have not really had a full meal at Dugout to compare, but on the atmosphere side, this is what you get.

Al-Hakkorah Alboostan: A Treat from Lebanon – Restaurant Review

 

The Menu:  View Menu
On another Boring night on Staten Island… Yep, we have a lot of those… We have decided to try out a pretty new restaurant that has been open for about 6 months, Also in the mood for something different and something exciting we decided the newest opened “Hookah Bar” on Bay Street.  We sat ourselves very comfortably in the second dining room (in the back) and had a nice large theater style T.V screen which was playing (Belly Dancing) and gave this restaurant the “Authentic” Middle Eastern Feel.

We have started the night off with a few drinks while waiting for a couple of friends to join us, during this time we were browsing through the menu and everything was sounding delicious at this point and by the time ordering has came we went with the (Baba Ghanoug, Hummus, Green Salads and the Al Boostan Grill: Lamb Chops, Kofta, Shish Kabob & Chicken Grilled).   The food was delicious and so was the presentation, the salads were very thin cut (very unique style) and was better then many regular salads you get elsewhere,  The Hummus & Baba Ghanoug was made from eggplant and created a nice filling flavour to enjoy on the grilled pita bread.  The mix meat grill was a final presentation straw and topped the salads and appetizers as a final great, Everything was laid out perfect, rice in the middle, all the meat in blocks surrounding the plate a very nice portion that everybody at the table was picking at.  We have also enjoyed a few drinks, one that I never tried before “Juicy Pussy”, I know it has Bialey’s but don’t know the full recipe or all of the ingredients, But be-careful: The drinks may create a hefty bill.

We have not gotten to the best part yet:  The Hookah, which I have never really tried before (but always open to new things), was a great treat that was ordered during our meal and enjoyed by everyone at the table.  The hookah looks to be very high quality and the tobacco is always replaced for you and cleaned out. 

The Report:

The Atmosphere: Great unique design, very comfortable couch & seats, nice large (theater style) T.V with authentic Middle Eastern “Belly Dancing” playing.
The Service:  Very knowledgeable and polite staff, always there when you need them.
The Food: Delicious Appetizers, Great Portions, Delicious Meat, Great Cooking & Preparation.
The Treat:  The Hookah is very enjoyable during and after your meal.
The Price:Moderate Food Price and a Tremendously High Drink Price (12$ for Malibu Bay-breeze, 10$ for Cocktails?)

Overall-Sum Up:This place can be enjoyed at any time and can fit any kind of requirements, whether it would be romantic or just a hang out with friends type of establishment.  We also should appreciate the diversity that people are trying to bring and keep on the Island, So next time you are in the mood to try something different, go ahead give Al Hakkorah Alboostan a go.

Z-One Lounge (Up & Jumping – Restaurant Review)

 

The Menu:  Z-One Menu & Photos page

 

We did mention when this Restaurant/Lounge first opened and we wrote the “Walk-Around” that we would definatly be back to review this place.  Well on Thursday night (Yesterday), we have decided on a spot that was open late and serves food with a bar atmosphere, so we end up at Z-One on the promise that we will review this place for you.  We arrived at about 10:00pm and the whole place (Lounge Part) was up beat with many people filling the atmosphere and yet we still somehow got lucky and managed to get a table in the center of the lounge. 

Descriptive:  The patrons of this lounge are 27+ – 40+ years old.
The Service:  Was wonderful, always there any moment you turned your head, never have to wait for what you want.  The owner/manager has probably did an amazing job training the staff.
The Food: The “Starters” were great, we have ordered the fried calamari and they were plain delicious.  We also tried the coconut chicken which was a bit like a chicken finger battered in coconut, it was a bit tight, hard to cut but it was great to the taste.  For a main course we have decided (2 People) to split a panini and ordered the “Italiano”, It was an average panini style with chicken, roasted peppers and mozzeralla.  The food is average “diner” style which has room for improvement.
The Drinks:  An amazing selection (450+ Bottles), Great reccomendations from the Staff/Waitress.  We have recieved as suprises a (Hurricane & a Zombie)  both are wonderfull drinks with the Hurricane being a bit lighter and Zombie a lot stronger. 
The Atmoshpere: This place shines and is done wit upmost care and thought.  We have already described this under the “Walk-Around”  find it under “Grand Openings” to the right navigation.  But the atmosphere is the reason we will be back and definantly bring some friends for drinks since we are a bit tired of “Friday’s” and this has a bit fresh start and a more Up-Beat crowd. 
The Price:  The food and appetizers are a good portion for price and the entrees are at about 20$ ($$$)  but the drinks are a bit hefty and may become pricey if you keep drinking.  Although drinks are a good size and have a good amount of alcohol per drink. 

 

With a wonderfully attentive staff, amazingly thoughtfull drinks a new age style atmosphere with (Classic Euro Beats Music) and food that is served ’till 4:00am on Thurs-Saturdays will be sure to attract a loyal local clientile.

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