OT: Anything Goes 33: What'cha Drinking?

[RayP]

Credit goes to you guys, when this conversation came up, I got a taste for restaurant food.

What did you get?

I had sweet potato rice and tofu.

My lunch sucked.

 

[RayP]

Damn, you guys are good tippers.

I usually remove alcohol and tax and tip between 15-20%. Never more.

So if you go out for a $12 burger and have 3-4 beers at $4-5 per you’re tipping $2 on $30?

 

[ChiHawks10]

Damn, you guys are good tippers.

I usually remove alcohol and tax and tip between 15-20%. Never more.

So if you go out for a $12 burger and have 3-4 beers at $4-5 per you’re tipping $2 on $30?

With Ray here. Why would you remove alcohol?

 

[ColdSteel2]

What did you get?

I had sweet potato rice and tofu.

My lunch sucked.

I went back to that Mexican place I told you guys before that I got the girls number but I liked the food too much so I didn’t call her. I figured it’s been long enough, she didn’t seem mad or anything. I f***ing love that place, it’s like gourmet burrito, has chicken, steak, bacon, lettuce, sour cream, drenched in a cheese butter sauce with salsa verde on top and guacamole on the side. It’s like $12 but well worth it.

 

[RayP]

With Ray here. Why would you remove alcohol?

The only time tipping on alcohol bothers me is when it comes to wine. Why should I tip 5 times more on a $100 bottle vs a $20 house bottle?

Only exception being if I’m at a wine bar and they’re taking the time to explain the difference in bottles. Then I’d happily tip according to the price of the bottle.

 

[ChiHawks10]

 

[x Tame Impala]

Damn, you guys are good tippers.

I usually remove alcohol and tax and tip between 15-20%. Never more.

Servers tip out on alcohol, you boob.

 

[AmericanDream]

Damn, you guys are good tippers.

I usually remove alcohol and tax and tip between 15-20%. Never more.

mark up on alcohol is bad, especially for hard liquor - but if someone brings it to you or pours it for you, you should tip for it my man lol..

mark up on food is worse IMO, I can go to my local store and get 4 pounds of cut chicken breast for around $9-10.00...I can make that into grilled chicken breasts/sandwiches the entire damn week, but go to BDubs or wherever and get a grilled chicken sandwich (and lucky if you get a piece that is 5oz or more) that will cost $10-12.00 alone...same with burgers, same with salads, the mark up on food is insane (obviously that is how they pay for staff/cooks/bills/etc)- so if you don't tip on alcohol because you think they jack up the prices, I think it is even worse for most of the food we get.

 

[x Tame Impala]

The only time tipping on alcohol bothers me is when it comes to wine. Why should I tip 5 times more on a $100 bottle vs a $20 house bottle?

Only exception being if I’m at a wine bar and they’re taking the time to explain the difference in bottles. Then I’d happily tip according to the price of the bottle.

I can understand that. When I go out to eat I just chalk it up to the cost of going out though. If you get $150 in food and a $200 bottle instead of a $100 bottle it’s an extra $20.

Granted I think it’s a total waste to spend that much on a bottle of wine at a restaurant. The markup is insane.

 

[ChiHawks10]

I can understand that. When I go out to eat I just chalk it up to the cost of going out though. If you get $150 in food and a $200 bottle instead of a $100 bottle it’s an extra $20.

Granted I think it’s a total waste to spend that much on a bottle of wine at a restaurant. The markup is insane.

I'll never buy bottles of wine at restaurants for this reason. Most I'll ever get is a glass, and even then... I don't like paying $12 for a 5oz pour of Cab... I can, and do find great Cabs for $15-20 for the whole bottle... Same with any of the other reds I like.

Most the time I can go to Binny's and find the same bottle they just tried to sell to me for $150 for like $30, also.

It's like doing bottle service at the bar/club. Wait.. you want $250 a bottle? I can go buy that bottle of Goose for $30.

 

[RayP]

I can understand that. When I go out to eat I just chalk it up to the cost of going out though. If you get $150 in food and a $200 bottle instead of a $100 bottle it’s an extra $20.

Granted I think it’s a total waste to spend that much on a bottle of wine at a restaurant. The markup is insane.

So do we, it just bug me in the back of my kind. I’m not going to look like a dick and tip 10% total now because I wanted a nice bottle of wine.

We only do on special occasions, maybe 3-4 times a year.

 

[Malagahawks]

I went back to that Mexican place I told you guys before that I got the girls number but I liked the food too much so I didn’t call her. I figured it’s been long enough, she didn’t seem mad or anything. I ****ing love that place, it’s like gourmet burrito, has chicken, steak, bacon, lettuce, sour cream, drenched in a cheese butter sauce with salsa verde on top and guacamole on the side. It’s like $12 but well worth it.

What's the best Mexican place in Chicago?

 

[RayP]

What's the best Mexican place in Chicago?

Depends what you’re looking for...?

So many incredible options from hole in the wall places to higher end restaurants.

 

[hawksrule]

I'll never buy bottles of wine at restaurants for this reason. Most I'll ever get is a glass, and even then... I don't like paying $12 for a 5oz pour of Cab... I can, and do find great Cabs for $15-20 for the whole bottle... Same with any of the other reds I like.

Most the time I can go to Binny's and find the same bottle they just tried to sell to me for $150 for like $30, also.

It's like doing bottle service at the bar/club. Wait.. you want $250 a bottle? I can go buy that bottle of Goose for $30.

A few years ago I read an anecdote from a wine reviewer, and how he was celebrating some life event with a $1k bottle that he had been saving for years. He opened it, savored it, couldn’t believe how fantastic it was, and then realized he snagged the wrong one, and he was drinking a $12 bottle. He laughed at himself, but his point is that there are terrific cheap wines, and the cost of a bottle isn’t necessarily indicative of quality.

 

[Blue Liner]

What's the best Mexican place in Chicago?

Damn. You're going to get 50 different answers because there are sooooo many little places throughout the city and burbs that are damn good.

 

[Malagahawks]

Depends what you’re looking for...?

So many incredible options from hole in the wall places to higher end restaurants.

I tend to like the hole in the wall places instead of the franchise locations. Pilsen is traditionally Mexican and has good restaurants, as does Cicero.

 

[ChiHawks10]

What's the best Mexican place in Chicago?

That's an almost impossible question to answer. So many places are good for their own reasons.

I've put in a bunch of time on this topic in the "Visiting Chicago" thread at times. May wanna go find my posts in there. It has some highlights of very good places.

 

[b1e9a8r5s]

When it's up to me (often it's not), I just go with the 2nd cheapest bottle of wine of whatever variety we are going for when we are out at a restaurant. Who wants the cheap stuff, lol.

 

[Malagahawks]

That's an almost impossible question to answer. So many places are good for their own reasons.

I've put in a bunch of time on this topic in the "Visiting Chicago" thread at times. May wanna go find my posts in there. It has some highlights of very good places.

Don't worry, I grew up in Chicago and was born in Mexico so know a ton on the subject. Just wanted to see some opinions.

 

[AmericanDream]

I can understand that. When I go out to eat I just chalk it up to the cost of going out though. If you get $150 in food and a $200 bottle instead of a $100 bottle it’s an extra $20.

Granted I think it’s a total waste to spend that much on a bottle of wine at a restaurant. The markup is insane.

$45-55 for a steak is bat shit crazy, especially since I make them better at home for $12-15 depending on my cut lol...I love eating out at nice places but hate what they get away with on their pricing for wine and steak.

 

[Blue Liner]

Don't worry, I grew up in Chicago and was born in Mexico so know a ton on the subject. Just wanted to see some opinions.

It may not be THE favorite of mine but I really, really like (and miss...been so long) Carbon in Bridgeport. Everything's made on an open-fire grill....god damn amazing. When I worked my EMS our station was a couple of blocks away so I'd hit it up for lunch every couple of weeks. So damn good.

EDIT: Some of my best food finds were the result of working on an ambulance and being in so many different areas and neighborhoods. I ate at a lot of Little Village and Pilsen little neighborhood places I couldn't even name now but were amazing.

 

[ColdSteel2]

What's the best Mexican place in Chicago?

I like the little out of the way places, there’s a lot of them. Frontera Grill is really good as far as places in the city go.

 

[Blue Liner]

I like the little out of the way places, there’s a lot of them. Frontera Grill is really good as far as places in the city go.

Frontera is really good as far as the upper echelon joints go.

 

[Malagahawks]

It may not be THE favorite of mine but I really, really like (and miss...been so long) Carbon in Bridgeport. Everything's made on an open-fire grill....god damn amazing. When I worked my EMS our station was a couple of blocks away so I'd hit it up for lunch every couple of weeks. So damn good.

EDIT: Some of my best food finds were the result of working on an ambulance and being in so many different areas and neighborhoods. I ate at a lot of Little Village and Pilsen little neighborhood places I couldn't even name now but were amazing.

Kind of qukrky but have you ever tried the little restaurants that are part of some of the local Mexican supermarket chains? That is as authentic as it gets.

 

[ChiHawks10]

Don't worry, I grew up in Chicago and was born in Mexico so know a ton on the subject. Just wanted to see some opinions.

Some of my favs:

Taqueria El Milagro - Their tacos may be the best I've ever had.
Canton Regio - Great food, and it's a BYOB place, which is kinda cool.
Big Star - All kinds of amazing specialty tacos.
Del Seoul - Great Korean/Mexican fusion. Their wings are easily my favorite. Kimchi fries... so much delicious food here.