Alaska
ELKS LODGE – Wrangell – Friendly place where many hunters, fishermen and local residents catch the Saturday night steak dinner special. I ate there prior to embarking with ALASKA COASTAL ADVENTURES and again when we returned after I had shot a monster Black Bear.
ANNABELLE’S – Ketchikan – Former brothel and now famous bar and restaurant where I ate while on my Alaska cruise. The seafood is fantastic.
RED DOG SALOON – Juneau – Former Brothel with “ladies of the evening” serving meals and inviting you upstairs for a tour of the brothel area. I ate at the bar where the service was great and took photos on the stairway with the “ladies”.
RED ONION SALOON – Skagway – A former brothel that serves great sandwiches. A wild Gold-Rush-Days atmosphere with early 1900’s antiques decorating the walls. FUN and good food….big drinks.
Arizona
BIG NOSE KATE’S – Tombstone – Great food, but the 1880’s atmosphere is hard to beat. Go there during WYATT EARP DAYS in May and you will get the real feel of Doc Holiday, the Earps, Johnny Ringo, and the shootout at the OK Coral, as the whole town dresses in 1880’s garb. I went there for 1 day, but stayed for 3 days…loved it.
CAMMERON’S TRADING POST – Grand Canyon east entrance – The restaurant serves local dishes, the best Indian fry-bread, and is well decorated in Southwest style.
California
EWINGS – Kernville – The BEST flatiron steak I have ever had. The friendliest people and great service. The dining area overlooks the Kern River. The owner, Leon and his son JJ are the nicest people. I stayed after dinner and hung out in their bar for hours. This may well be my favorite restaurant …ever…anywhere! Ate here after fly-fishing with KERN RIVER TROUTFITTERS.
MOUNT BALDY LODGE– Rustic Lodge on Mt. Baldy Mountain – Great Mountain Resort type –relaxed atmosphere. Good variety of food. Steak-bite appetizers are my favorite.
MATCH BBQ – Phillips Ranch/Pomona on Rio Rancho Rd. – Friendly/Cozy “CHEERS-kind-of-place” – Aside from their great BBQ, they will make your pizza anyway you want it…I order mine with this crust, double sauce. The bar will do the same. I get a custom made Long Island Ice Tea. My hometown hangout.
PEACOCK - Diamond Bar -My favorite Indian Restaurant – lunch specials – They will make your meal as spicy as you want, or not.
BILLY’S Bar-B-Q – Bishop – This is the real down home style Bar-B-Q. Tell them how you like it and then sit with a bunch of friendly folks and try to eat it all. Great food.
Colorado
ALAMOSA CAFÉ – Watched the mule deer walking around town, and then ate breakfast in this small hometown-kind-of-place where all the locals seem to gather and talk hunting. Great breakfast and great conversation.
Florida
BAHAMA BREREZE – Orlando – Very friendly service and great food considering the nightly crowds. I ate in the bar area which was like a party atmosphere.
FISHBONE – Orlando – Well decorated seafood restaurant on International Drive. Great bar area. Fantastic clam chowder.
RACHEL’S SOUTH STEAK HOUSE – Orlando – I took the guys who was attending the SHOT SHOW to Rachel’s for the great steaks, but they were more interested in the entertainment. The sexy servers and dancers made for an interesting evening.
OPA TAVERNA – Hollywood – This is the wildest restaurant atmosphere I have ever experienced. The Greek food is excellent. The waiters, at any given time, dance on the tables. One handsome Greek waiter suddenly pulled me from my chair and lifted me on the table to dance with him. As we danced people cheered and threw napkins all around us. Definitely one of my favorite “must go back” restaurants.
Georgia
TED’S MONTANA GRILL – Atlanta – I visited Ted’s during an ATA show and had the best buffalo burger ever. Ted Turner raises his own buffalo in Montana and takes great pride in serving great meals.
Illinois
DITKA’S – Chicago – I like to eat in the bar, which has an upscale Sports Bar feel. The food is fantastic and the memorabilia is of Museum quality. Among all of the famous eateries in Chi-town, I rate this my favorite.
HUGO’S FROG BAR – Chicago - Great seafood selections and a wild bar atmosphere. I try to stop here every time I do an appearance at a convention or industry show in Chicago.
ED DEBEVIC’S – Chicago - A fun, fifty’s style ‘hamburger joint” kind of restaurant where you will be treated rudely by the waiters in a fun way. I asked for some extra napkins and the waiter threw about 30 of them on my head the next time he passed our booth. The all of the servers suddenly stand on the bar and dance. Cheap food, cheap entertainment…tons of fun.
PIZZERIA UNO – Chicago – The famous deep dish pizza. One slice is a big meal, but it’s hard to stop at one slice, because it is so good. I stop here during my appearances at McCormick place.
Iowa
BRICK HAUS – Amana Colonies – Old fashion family style meals. Breakfast is simply amazing. I ate here during a snow and ice storm in mid-December while on a whitetail deer hunt near Norway.
Mississippi
CHAR – Jackson – This is a great upscale steak house on the north side of Jackson. Great drinks in a crowded bar and a very comfortable dining area. I usually hit this spot during my visits to Jackson on business.
SCHIMMEL’S – Jackson –This is a fine combination steak and seafood restaurant with a very comfortable dining area and a great bar. The bar gets quite exciting on the weekends.
Nebraska
SIGNATURES SPORTS BAR – Columbus – Fun atmosphere and a great “bar-menu and lots more. I hung out there for 3 days while hunting nearby and loved every minute.
BETTY’S CAFÉ - Decatur – I ate here about 4 times during my hunting trip to the Winnebago Reservation in northeast Nebraska. The quantity and quality of food is second to none. The girls who run the place and the servers take care of their customers like you are their best friends.
Nevada
LANDRY’S SEAFOOD - 2610 West Sahara in Vegas. The best seafood I have ever eaten in a desert location. Incredible variety. Cozy bar area. I always stop here during appearances in Vegas.
THE SALTGRASS STEAKHOUSE – Laughlin –Old West décor, with a variety of mounts on the wall. I ate here during an appearance and photo shoot during THE LAUGHLIN RIVER RUN BIKE WEEK.
Oregon
SHOSHONI INN – Beautiful restaurant located in the tiny central Oregon town of Prairie City – The most replicas, record mounts of wild game I have ever seen. The menu is fantastic, the food is wonderful. Woodcarvings behind the bar brought from Milan in the 1800’s. Stopped here while elk hunting in northeast Oregon.
Pennsylvania
Maroon’s SPORTS BAR – Pottsville – Sports bar named after the NFL Championship team of 1925. A good variety of food – try the pierogies, a local coal country favorite.
RED LION – Pine Grove – Home made food taste and simply the best value meals I have ever come across. Big variety on the menu and big meals as well for low prices.
SUMMIT VIEW – Summit Station – Great bar and restaurant. After my first shot of Ginger Brandy, I tried the flounder stuffed with crabmeat. It was excellent. Nice view of the Blue Mountain, one of Pennsylvania’s best hunting ranges.
Utah
JAIL HOUSE CAFÉ – Moab- Great Breakfast set in the old jailhouse about a mile from the entrance to Arches National Park. You will need a good breakfast before you do all of the hiking required to take in those fantastic arch rock formations.
Washington
PIKE’S PLACE CHOWDER – Seattle – Pike’s Place is filled with all types of small seafood places, but the chowder I had here was the best ever.
CREPE de FRANCE – Pike’s Place – Seattle – Get your crepes any way you want them, and you get a real European taste and atmosphere for a genuine French Crepe.
Wyoming
THE IRMA HOTEL/RESTAURANT – Sheridan Avenue in Cody – Get the feel of WILD BILL in Old time 1880’s style hotel and restaurant. The food was plentiful and great tasting. I ate here after a photo safari in Yellowstone where I was photographing grizzlies and elk.
Ontario, Canada
GRETZKY’S – If you like hockey, Wayne’s is a must. The food is great; try his grandmother’s peirogies. The place is decorated with memorabilia.
|