yes for BANDANA'S !!!!

I love their chra grilled CHICKEN tacos, and their hot fudge/peanut butter CREPE , with ice cream !!!!

Also, their sampler platter ROCKS !! (love the handbattered JALAPENO POPPERS !!!!)

oops, it sounds like you mean GARY & LENNY'S New York Deli, not the "New York Deli", cuz that's in UNION CITY, by Hoboken, as it turns out, LOL !!

As much as I LOVE real good pastrami, it's a HUGE turnoff when so many others items of theirs are "horrible". Besides pastrami, I also JUDGE a place by their MATZOH BALL SOUP, and I hate watery versions, etc, etc..

IMO, it's better to have a SMALLER menu, and just concentrate on the things you can really dod WELL .....

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New York Deli
201 New York Ave, Union City, NJ 07087

tnx OGguy, cuz DRY & TASTELESS does not agree with me !!!

good detailed review, barisaxdoodle !!!!! Your roast beef, "chicken?" caesar wrap, and potato pancakes all sound very UNacceptable..!!

And , while I love all your exclamation points, BUBBLICIOUS, I'm a bit LEERY cuz it looks like you only have 3 posts on Chowhound, and they are all regarding Gary & Lenny's .
(perhaps its just cuz you love the joint that much, tho, ?!?

sounds good, charliethedog!! C'mon , Big Kev. , how about a few picnic tables ??
Bolt them to the ground...

hi Tapas52, glad u enjoyed Lindy Hops, and that was a nice report back to us Chowhounders :) !!!

Yes, friendly service !!! One leaves there with a good feeling...

good point, regarding Chickie and Pete's vs Curly's !!!!
I was just about to mention the "chickie and pete's" boardwalk trend on here, and u beat me to it, mmgth , lol !!!

There is a C & P's on the Ocean City, NJ and Wildwood boardwalks this summer, and prices for their "famous" CRAB FRIES are $7.00 (ouch !) ....sure it's a big bucket of fries, but heck , I'm often just on my own, or just with my bf, and don't want a whole bucket, wtf ?!?

Besides, we've got enough of Chickie and Pete's in Philly, and also 5 miles away from my condo... (egg harbor township)....
I like to see the boardwalk have different items we can't get in our hometowns;
that's what makes/made the boardwalk special!!!

And I've also heard that my FAVORITE french fries and lemonade place got forced out !!!
PAUL'S Idaho Fries on the Wildwood boardwalk !!! Say it ain't so !!!!!!!!!!

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Chickie and Pete's
6055 Black Horse Pike, Egg Harbor Township, NJ 08234

that "upscale" taco place on the Ocean City, NJ boardwalk is actually back again this year...
it's called "Pure Tacos" ....
It ain't like southern California, tho !! You can't just get a taco for $1.75 :(
The taco prices start at $7.50 (for an order of 2 )
(dislike !!)

Unfortunately, tho, the CJ'S Hot Dog joint only survived TWO seasons, and is NOT back this year!! I loved their Italian Hot Dogs (Newark/north Jersey style) , and their juicy cheesesteak...
and the owner always was nice to me, (always remembered me, lol !), and was grateful that I posted pics & reviews on the internet of his Hot Dogs !!! (he said it brought him in a handful of new customers !) (but not enough to re-open for this season, I guess)
Replaced by a "fly by night" place calling itself the "Ocean City Sports Bar" ...

I hear ya, as my fav. is van. choc. chip, (with nice big chips !!)

gr8 to hear ! It's about time our NJ Hot Dog Tour got the Press Coverage it DESERVES !!! Sad to say, I was not personally happy with the coverage that the Star Ledger Newspaper did last year .
It was great to meet Pete Genovese , and I enjoyed his company on our hot dog tour, but wish he gave U, as well as our gr8 tour organizer, Benzee, more recognition..

Plus, the Star Ledger gave us such a TINY bottom corner of that "Today" section, while a Newark "paint artist" lady took up almost the whole page !!
(including that tall , unique hat she was wearing)

I looked on the website for Jack's, and their big claim to fame is the fact that U gave it real good reviews ! That's pretty much their whole website right now, besides a job application, so that's great testimant to your credilibity , John ...

gr8, Tapas,52, let me know how you like it !!!!

I am surprised no one mentioned LINDY HOPS yet !!!
It's your closest HOMEMADE ice cream to Atlantic City, only about 15 minutes or so away.
It's in Galloway Township, right on Jimmy Leeds Road, in front of the Shop Rite supermarket shopping center .

I just LOVE their MISSISSIPPI MUD, and BUTTER BRICKLE flavors !!!!

Directions : get off the Garden State Parkway at the AC Rest Area, and take a right on Jimmy Leeds Road. Go about 2 miles, and u will see Shop Rite, and Lindy Hops .
ENJOY !!!

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Garden State Restaurant
287 Central Ave, Jersey City, NJ 07307

hi hotdoglover, John,
When I finally tried Amazing Hot Dog a few years or so back, in Verona, I remember being very UNDERwhelmed. I thought the hot dog had no flavor.
And when I told you my opinion, you said that's cuz they had just changed the type of dog they were using..

I look forward to trying Jack's asap. Any chance we can squeeze it into our NJ Hot Dog Tour in Sept.??? That is , if they can accommodate 2 busloads of hot dog lovers, lol !!!

well said, equal_Mark !!! Many of the "good" hot dog joints were asked to come, but were not interested ! Heck, it was Memorial Day weekend, and I guess they figured they'd make a lot more money just staying put at their "brick and martyr" location ....

and/or hanging out with friends & family bbq'ing after work , and/or going to the BEACH , lol !!

good job, John !!! Looking forward to seeing u again on the NJ Hot Dog Tour in September!!!
ugh, a burger with pineapple & avacodo ...

Jr's fan here, joonjoon !!!!! I've enjoyed their mini-sized, but yet thick, charbroiled burgers on 2 occasions ! Plus I liked the little cardboard box it comes in...
and it's neat they try & appeal to the Monmouth College kids by having late night hours & delivery.. (it's been awhile since I was a college "kid" , but I still FEEL like one, anyway, lol )

tnx, alanbarnes, I'll try "well done, extra salt" on those fries next time !

another east coaster here ! I had same feelings as you on double-double, and "animal style" version ...
(and I must've tried those burgers at least 5 times already...
and the animal style was the only way that made them taste a little more special to me...

But, those FRIES ! Ugh, they taste like SAWDUST to me ! JMO !!!!!!

then there's always the Steak n Shake off of 95, on Linton, in the Target Shopping Center, Delray Beach... comes in handy for a late night drive thru...
(or an early morning breakfast romp, lol !)

Plenty of times I hit that Steak n Shake after leaving my aunt's condo in Delray, on my way back to my early morning flight at FLL !
(steak n shake's don't taste as good to me, overall, like they used to , tho !)

hello from yet another "ellen" , who also goes to Vegas with her sister!
You may also want to try the special "Delmonico style" 18 ounce boneless NY Steak from THE RANGE Steakhouse at Harrah's...

VERY well prepared dish, in a mustard , peppercorn , garlic coating , and served SLICED , (nice, thick slices)...
$44.00 ...

YES , it was an "odd coincidence" !!! and IMO, the NJ Monthly "burger showdown" was a lot of FLUFF !!!

a few places on Las Olas Blvd might still be open...
I once hit that Mangoes restaurant for a late bite, after flying into Fort Lauderdale .....
and ended up having a gr8 steak dinner ...

was in the same predictament as you were !

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Las Olas Cafe
922 E Las Olas Blvd, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301

my words exactly , WOW !!!
I wish they would add BEEF ribs to their menu, though...

hi HHC,
Please SHARE with us fellow CHOWHOUNDERS what YOUR experience was at the Buffet of Buffets !

I just shared mine, would love to hear yours !

and their blackened chicken is real good too! I sometimes get the "Rio Grande" combo (steak fajitas & blackened chicken on a hot skillet!)

Yes, it's very kid friendly there, always see plenty of long tables with big families...

looks like Otis has set up shop at a freestanding little restaurant in nearby Monroe...

u mean Otis's , across from the Englishtown Flea Market ??? (basically it was just a trailer)
I got chicken there once, it was decent, but no sign of Otis, nothing coming right off the grill...
just young workers in the trailer , wrapping my chicken in tin foil...
their pork ribs had a following, but were very pricey (like $25.00 for a full rack, if I remember correctly) ......
However, a very very recent thread on Chowhound said that Otis's appears to be CLOSED now
(?!)

There is also MO 's on Rt. 9 by Gordons Corners Road....
I went there once with my sis ... ...
(and I've been meaning to post some pics on that thread)

hi chuck98,
interesting point ! to (go light on the sauce next time)
Actually, I'd never thought of sauce as being that filling b4, but it is possible...

I have a feeling it was cuz of all the GARLIC BREAD they kept refilling,
during the wait for the next portion of ribs !!

Hi Dave,
we were concerned there would be lines, but we were pretty lucky...
the only line we had was Sunday morning at the Paris, 11 am or so, and it moved pretty quick, only about 1/2 hour wait...

We started our "buffet romp" at 4 pm on a Saturday, March 5th... HARRAH'S...
, followed by IMPERIAL PALACE, then PLANET HOLLYWOOD for the final dinner that night
(but it was Nascar weekend , so perhaps those big crowds were still at the racing stadium, for the most part ???) ....

(the I.P, and the PH ended up being mostly "grazing" for us ... as we were stuffed already!)

SUNDAY, March 6th, PARIS for brunch, then CAESAR'S for lunch....

Perhaps with the most recent price increase , to $44.95, with players card, they finally got it at a managable price, and the lines won't be so bad anymore ?

Metuchen/Edison not exactly a mecca for steakhouses, but when you DO want to stay in your area, there is always JOSE TEJAS on Rt. 1 in Iselin (by Woodbridge Mall) for some real good steak fajitas .... ...or their chimicharri flank steak.... ...nicely seasoned beef dishes ...