Restaurants - who has closed due to the pandemic that you will forever miss?

[BuffaloBill]

COVID has claimed many victims among them are restaurants that have closed in 2020 and may never reopen again. Which one lost is among your favorites?

 

As a secondary question; once COVID is a memory in the rear view mirror do you anticipate returning to your “normal” frequency of dining out? 

 

As for me, one of the lessons I’ve learned in this pandemic is how quick, easy and healthy eating home cooked meals is given a little bit of meal planning and curbside grocery delivery. My wife and I will likely go out more than we are now but significantly less than we did before the pandemic.

 

I will say curbside restaurant service in general sucks. The food doesn’t stay at the right temperatures nor is it appealing to consistently eat out of styrofoam. Not everything can be served in what amounts to a makeshift drive through service. I am also not a fan of the meal delivery services for pretty much the same reasons. 

[Johnny Hammersticks]

There was one place left in town with decent wings.  One place.  Closed permanently due to COVID.  Now I have to either drive 30 minutes or resort to (gulp) Tops wings 😒😞

[Draconator]

The Orbit Room in Toronto. Was co-owned by Alex Lifeson of Rush. Only the best R&B and soul music club in Toronto. Many great memories were had there. Closed permanently in April. 

[Augie]

Duff’s. 

 

 

No, not YOUR Duff’s, but the one in Newnan, GA.  I would drive 80 miles round trip to get my fix a couple times a year. It was really pretty good. They closed permanently back in the spring. Not sure how much was Covid related, but I miss them already. 

 

An Anchor Bar opened up much closer to me, but like the originals, it’s just not as good as Duffs. In fact, it’s not even as close as the WNY competition. I don’t think they will be around very long despite being near a major university. 

 

Interesting side note: When places started re-opening it was often with a limited menu. Several places removed my favorite items. Now that they have printed new “permanent” menus, my favorite stuff still is gone from a few places, but it’s hard to find new places to hit.

 

We've tried take-out from mom and pop places we really want to survive. (Not a fan of franchise places, even higher end.) Unfortunately, it’s clearly not as good and I have my limits in terms of charity. I have, however, become a MUCH better tipper! 

 

If anything positive has come from this mess, some places with solid indoor/outdoor seating have seen an increase in popularity. 

 

[Saxum]

Locally a friend of ours has a Japanese restaurant which she, her husband, his friend and a relative operate.

She was worried they would not be able to pay rent which landlord raised right before COVID.

 After a short period take out when restaurants could offer take out her sales jumped up so much she needed to hire a dish washer.

 

Another restaurant near us was sold and became another type of restaurant.

 

I find important to know what dishes are good for takeout.

[Johnny Hammersticks]

12 minutes ago, Limeaid said:

Locally a friend of ours has a Japanese restaurant which she, her husband, his friend and a relative operate.

She was worried they would not be able to pay rent which landlord raised right before COVID.

 After a short period take out when restaurants could offer take out her sales jumped up so much she needed to hire a dish washer.

 

Another restaurant near us was sold and became another type of restaurant.

 

I find important to know what dishes are good for takeout.

 

One really good restaurant here closed, but they started a food truck that serves mainly awesome fried chicken.  From what I hear they are making money hand over fist up at the ski resorts.

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

4 hours ago, Johnny Hammersticks said:

There was one place left in town with decent wings.  One place.  Closed permanently due to COVID.  Now I have to either drive 30 minutes or resort to (gulp) Tops wings 😒😞

what do you mean “tops wings”? As in the grocery store “tops”? That can’t be what you meant. 

[Marv's Neighbor]

5 hours ago, Augie said:

Duff’s. 

 

 

No, not YOUR Duff’s, but the one in Newnan, GA.  I would drive 80 miles round trip to get my fix a couple times a year. It was really pretty good. They closed permanently back in the spring. Not sure how much was Covid related, but I miss them already. 

 

An Anchor Bar opened up much closer to me, but like the originals, it’s just not as good as Duffs. In fact, it’s not even as close as the WNY competition. I don’t think they will be around very long despite being near a major university. 

 

Interesting side note: When places started re-opening it was often with a limited menu. Several places removed my favorite items. Now that they have printed new “permanent” menus, my favorite stuff still is gone from a few places, but it’s hard to find new places to hit.

 

We've tried take-out from mom and pop places we really want to survive. (Not a fan of franchise places, even higher end.) Unfortunately, it’s clearly not as good and I have my limits in terms of charity. I have, however, become a MUCH better tipper! 

 

If anything positive has come from this mess, some places with solid indoor/outdoor seating have seen an increase in popularity. 

 

Anchor Bar didn't make it in Richmond either.  Bad location, bad service, not so great wings.  Anchor must do OK on franchise fees?

[BuffaloBill]

5 hours ago, Augie said:

Duff’s. 

 

 

No, not YOUR Duff’s, but the one in Newnan, GA.  I would drive 80 miles round trip to get my fix a couple times a year. It was really pretty good. They closed permanently back in the spring. Not sure how much was Covid related, but I miss them already. 

 

An Anchor Bar opened up much closer to me, but like the originals, it’s just not as good as Duffs. In fact, it’s not even as close as the WNY competition. I don’t think they will be around very long despite being near a major university. 

 

Interesting side note: When places started re-opening it was often with a limited menu. Several places removed my favorite items. Now that they have printed new “permanent” menus, my favorite stuff still is gone from a few places, but it’s hard to find new places to hit.

 

We've tried take-out from mom and pop places we really want to survive. (Not a fan of franchise places, even higher end.) Unfortunately, it’s clearly not as good and I have my limits in terms of charity. I have, however, become a MUCH better tipper! 

 

If anything positive has come from this mess, some places with solid indoor/outdoor seating have seen an increase in popularity. 

 

 

I used to be in and out of Newnan for work. Twenty years ago. I’m sure it is greatly changed.

[Augie]

9 minutes ago, BuffaloBill said:

 

I used to be in and out of Newnan for work. Twenty years ago. I’m sure it is greatly changed.

 

Well, they didn’t have Duff’s THEN, and they don’t have Duff’s NOW. That’s about all I know.  GRRRRR! 

[Johnny Hammersticks]

2 hours ago, Miyagi-Do Karate said:

what do you mean “tops wings”? As in the grocery store “tops”? That can’t be what you meant. 

 

Yup.  It’s the sad truth.  Tops grocery wings, brah 😞

[Augie]

3 minutes ago, Johnny Hammersticks said:

 

Yup.  It’s the sad truth.  Tops grocery wings, brah 😞

 

Were they out of Tide Pods??? 

[Johnny Hammersticks]

7 minutes ago, Augie said:

 

Were they out of Tide Pods??? 

 

I don’t understand this.

[Augie]

1 minute ago, Johnny Hammersticks said:

 

I don’t understand this.

 

If there were just two items on the menu, I’d have to give this one some thought. I’ve had some bad wings lately and have kind of given up on even trying. Why is it so hard? I’ve had GREAT wings at a tail gate. Why is it a professional chef in an actual restaurant can not get this right? 

 

Not sure how Tops offers them, but it shouldn’t be so hard! Publix has decent fried chicken, but wings need to be fresh and crispy. I won’t touch their wings. 

[Johnny Hammersticks]

6 minutes ago, Augie said:

 

If there were just two items on the menu, I’d have to give this one some thought. I’ve had some bad wings lately and have kind of given up on even trying. Why is it so hard? I’ve had GREAT wings at a tail gate. Why is it a professional chef in an actual restaurant can not get this right? 

 

Not sure how Tops offers them, but it shouldn’t be so hard! Publix has decent fried chicken, but wings need to be fresh and crispy. I won’t touch their wings. 

 

They’re not good.  We get them sometimes and then throw them in the oven for a bit to crisp them up.  I make my own wings when I want good wings.  Problem is, it stinks up the house for days.  I need to get an outdoor propane burner.  

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

1 hour ago, Johnny Hammersticks said:

 

Yup.  It’s the sad truth.  Tops grocery wings, brah 😞

Dang. This could be one of the saddest stories of 2020. 

[EmotionallyUnstable]

Less take-out. 
 

We never used to get take out from traditional sit-down restaurants, only the occasional pizza, or fast casual take out (moes, etc)

 

As previously stated, the take out meals from restaurants often leave something to be desired. I enjoy eating out, but want the food at its best.

[teef]

in our immediate suburb, a diner that we went to for breakfast shut down.  a popular italian place closed as well.  not the best food, but the bar was a good scene.  

on a positive note, another italian joint we thought closed, just reopened, and was specifically set up for covid.  the menus even have instructions as to what's expected of you as a customer and what you should expect from the staff.  very well done.

 

my wife and i would go out on a date night once a week before all of this started.  we still go out once in a while, but it's always early to avoid crowds and just feels rushed.  we do the take out thing to support the places we love, but after 10 months of it, we're kinda done.  

 

i definitely plan on going out with our weekly frequency once this bull#### is over.  i miss dinner and drinks.

[IslandBillsFan]

I apologize as I am takIng this a little off topic. 
 

Like previous posters, take out food from sit down restaurants have so many drawbacks. The cold food, the crummy styrofoam, the potential for mis made dishes, the crappy to go sauces, the expected exorbitant tipping on to go food, etc etc. I have tried to order frequently from places I historically like to keep giving them business. However, part of a meal out is being out. It’s the atmosphere. It’s the people. Due to all this, I don’t see much to go food ordering in the future. 
 

At present, eating out where I live still isn’t that much fun. Although allowed to do so, regulations make it awkward and not as much of a pleasure in my opinion. While I understand the safety precautions, many of them are just frustrating. My personal one I hate (and I haven’t found anyone who likes it) are the stupid QR (barcode type) scanned menus. I have always tried to avoid using my phone at dinner and now I am required to do so. 

I get worried that some of these present precautions will bleed over into the future of the dinning and bar scene. 
 

Now to go completely off topic, my other pet peeve, and this existed before Covid, is digital TV ordering menus  These are often used in breweries. They are often hard to read and change every 10 seconds before you have the chance to read through them. I always ask for a paper menu but depending on the place they may not have it.  This is also frustrating in fast food joints where the menu flips so often you never get to take it in. 
 

What makes this worse is that business will soon this as reducing waste or going green. However, it’s really just a cost savings that angers customers IMO. 
 

PS. I don’t know why I’m in such a cranky mood after the Bills walloped the Fish. 

[That's No Moon]

On 12/30/2020 at 11:54 PM, Marv's Neighbor said:

Anchor Bar didn't make it in Richmond either.  Bad location, bad service, not so great wings.  Anchor must do OK on franchise fees?

I went to the Anchor in Frederick, MD.  I found it to be very meh.  I needed a fix so it was tolerable but I've had better wings at BWW so long as you are very specific about how they cook them.