# The restaurant chain you wish we had in Canada



## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

I can think of a few right now that I used to frequent when I traveled to the States on a regular basis.


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

This was a favorite for me and the boy's. At least twice a month we would hit this place. Best rib joint I have ever eaten at. We have nothing even close anywhere in Canada that I have been

http://www.famousdaves.com/

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## puckhead (Sep 8, 2008)

so damned good (the burgers.. fries are just meh)


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## TWRC (Apr 22, 2011)

It started in the UK but I wish we had it here:

http://www.wagamama.com/


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## keto (May 23, 2006)

I ate here tonight.

http://www.bubbagump.com/locations/mall-of-america/

4 of us, we walked out very satisfied. Best key lime pie I have ever had.


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## noman (Jul 24, 2006)

I recently had the best steak I've ever eaten at Ruth's Chris in Michigan. Had never even heard of them and then a friend tells me that there are two in the GTA! Will have to see if they're as good as the one I went to..........


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

This is another one we would go to at least once a week, usually for lunch. I have never even seen a Mongolian grill in Canada. Anywhere.

http://m.gomongo.com/bds-mongolian-grill/

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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

noman said:


> I recently had the best steak I've ever eaten at Ruth's Chris in Michigan. Had never even heard of them and then a friend tells me that there are two in the GTA! Will have to see if they're as good as the one I went to..........


They are springing up here now. There has been one at the Royal York in Toronto for a few years now. One in Falls now as well. They make a great steak and served properly


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## Intrepid (Oct 9, 2008)

Sorry Fearless Leader but Ruth Chris is not at the Royal York. It's at the Hilton on Richmond Street West. Now, my favourite place to eat was experienced when I attended University in the great State of Michigan. The burgers were so tiny you could eat 10 of them on a bad night. That's right, I'm talking White Castle. Nothing better than scarfing a bunch of burgers on a Friday night in DEETROIT CITY! 
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GuitarsCanada said:


> They are springing up here now. There has been one at the Royal York in Toronto for a few years now. One in Falls now as well. They make a great steak and served properly


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## noman (Jul 24, 2006)

GuitarsCanada said:


> This is another one we would go to at least once a week, usually for lunch. I have never even seen a Mongolian grill in Canada. Anywhere.
> 
> http://m.gomongo.com/bds-mongolian-grill/
> 
> ...


We've had one in London for years..........can't stand the place personally. Makes you wish you were a vegetarian. Looking at piles of raw chicken doesn't do much for my appetite. http://www.mongoliangrill.com/outer.html


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## puckhead (Sep 8, 2008)

GuitarsCanada said:


> This is another one we would go to at least once a week, usually for lunch. I have never even seen a Mongolian grill in Canada. Anywhere.


There's a couple of them in Vancouver.




noman said:


> I recently had the best steak I've ever eaten at Ruth's Chris in Michigan. Had never even heard of them and then a friend tells me that there are two in the GTA! Will have to see if they're as good as the one I went to..........


I miss the Mortons' when it was out here. Only lasted a few years, but I must have worked through an entire cow in that time.


a couple more I miss from the LA area
- Poquito Mas: fast food (Mexican of course), but so good, and so fresh
- Daily Grill: upscale diner-ish. Terrific sourdough bread, good cobb salad, big menu.


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## Shark (Jun 10, 2010)

GuitarsCanada said:


> This is another one we would go to at least once a week, usually for lunch. I have never even seen a Mongolian grill in Canada. Anywhere.


There is a Mongolie Grill in Lethbridge that looks about the same as the pic you posted. There is also a place called Open Sesame in Calgary that is based on the same kind of model, though it's a much nicer restaurant than the one in Lethbridge and looks nicer than the one in your pic. 

As for what I would like, I miss the non-chain restaurants that I had in one of the bigger cities I lived in years ago. Actually, my sister had a ton of them near her place. In just the one street behind her apartment were 76 unique restaurants. You could get roast goat one day, vegetarian the next, and so on, with something different every week and not repeat yourself. I love ethnic food and variety, so this was really cool to me.


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## Guest (Aug 27, 2013)

puckhead said:


> so damned good (the burgers.. fries are just meh)


You need to order the fries animal style. 

I love living in California and part of the reason is In-N-Out burger.

But add to the list of places you need in Canada:

Shake Shack -- the East coast USA competitor to In-N-Out
Alexander's Steak House (but you've got Morton's which pulls a close second)


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## Accept2 (Jan 1, 2006)

I miss Ponderosa, Kenny Rogers (only in Asia now), and The Olive Garden, which may still be in Western Canada.................


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## bzrkrage (Mar 20, 2011)

Sonic? Great drive thru today in Farmington NM.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

I can't think of a chain I really want to see up here, but at least when it comes to my city, I'd love to see just one decent Mexican restaurant.

And no, Taco Bell does NOT qualify.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

noman said:


> We've had one in London for years..........can't stand the place personally. Makes you wish you were a vegetarian. Looking at piles of raw chicken doesn't do much for my appetite. http://www.mongoliangrill.com/outer.html



I've been to a couple at the request of others. It's so so for me. I'd rather have good Japanese any day.


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## Guest (Aug 27, 2013)

Roti's! The closest one to me is a twenty minute drive.


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## Hamstrung (Sep 21, 2007)

While out west recently I went to a couple of places that had really good burgers. I wouldn't mind seeing a "Fatburger" and "Red Robin" in Ontario. 
I also tried a place called "Japadog" which was fun. Only in Vancouver and New York City apparently.


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## ezcomes (Jul 28, 2008)

holy...thats an actual restaurant?? i wonder if they had to pay for any rights to the name?



keto said:


> I ate here tonight.
> 
> http://www.bubbagump.com/locations/mall-of-america/
> 
> 4 of us, we walked out very satisfied. Best key lime pie I have ever had.


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## Bubb (Jan 16, 2008)

Milkman said:


> I can't think of a chain I really want to see up here, but at least when it comes to my city, I'd love to see just one decent Mexican restaurant.
> 
> And no, Taco Bell does NOT qualify.


I agree,a good Mexican place would be most welcome around here.(of course I'm an hour away from any large centers .)
Actually,chain places are not my first choice.
I don't travel a lot ,so when I do I prefer to seek out the special local places .


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## cheezyridr (Jun 8, 2009)

rally's/checkers http://www.checkers.com/ best fries available, period.

arby's http://arbys.com/ there isn't one in toronto. this is just wrong.

http://www.hardees.com/ blows mcdonald's breakfast away

but more importantly than chains, what toronto seems to need are

a good italian restaurant. if there is one here, i haven't found it yet.

a place to buy a good sub, and a good cheezsteak. and i haven't found pizza that i'm happy with yet. i can tolerate pizza slut, but i aint trying to tip the driver twice. he's gettin $4 delivery charge already. but seriously, a city like toronto that claims to be multicultural and you cant buy a decent sub anywhere. you cant get a decent cheezsteak, and there is NO american cheez here besides me. oh, and does anyone know of a good jewish deli here? those folks know how to make a sammich


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## Hamstrung (Sep 21, 2007)

cheezyridr said:


> i haven't found pizza that i'm happy with yet.


Too bad "Cheese Wheelz" pizza is only in Windsor now. It's one of the best I've had! Loaded with toppings (you can feel the weight in each piece!) and a brush of garlic butter on the crust. ("oh" face!!)
If you're ever down there give 'em a try.


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## fretboard (May 31, 2006)

Not a chain - but I wish I could get some Blair's Death Rain XXX Habanero chips somewhere other than Fat Bastard Burritos. The burritos at F.B.B. are fine - but these chips are the bee's knee's if you like your eyes watering excessively and bubbles of snot coming out of your nose when you try to breathe by the time you're done the little bag. I would have to say they're like a certain kind of "trip" of sorts the first time I had them - I needed to just keep telling myself that everything was going to be fine, it's just the chips, everything is going to be fine, you're not sweating fire...

I've seen some of their sauce stuff at our local Sobey's - but Fat Bastard's is the only place I've seen the chips.

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## Sneaky (Feb 14, 2006)

Whataburger.


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## avalancheMM (Jan 21, 2009)

Carl's Jr, Hardee's, and Wetzel's Pretzels, all fast food, none of them all that good for you, but, yikes!! Yummy!

Regards


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## Sneaky (Feb 14, 2006)

avalancheMM said:


> Carl's Jr, Hardee's, and Wetzel's Pretzels, all fast food, none of them all that good for you, but, yikes!! Yummy!
> 
> Regards


There's a Carl's Jr in Kelowna now.


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## Guest (Aug 27, 2013)

fretboard said:


> I wish I could get some Blair's Death Rain XXX Habanero chips somewhere other than Fat Bastard Burritos.


I was buying them at Bulk Barn when I lived in Ottawa.


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## Rumble_b (Feb 14, 2006)

I'm hungry now. Thanks guys.


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## puckhead (Sep 8, 2008)

iaresee said:


> You need to order the fries animal style.


I don't like onions.
maybe just add the burger sauce?
I'll have to give that a try.

whenever I get to LA, the one on Sepulveda is ALWAYS my first stop.


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## Kenmac (Jan 24, 2007)

cheezyridr said:


> rally's/checkers http://www.checkers.com/ best fries available, period.
> 
> arby's http://arbys.com/ there isn't one in toronto. this is just wrong.
> 
> ...


I agree with you on Arbys. They used to be in several locations across Toronto. I used to go to either the one at the Scarborough Town Centre or the Eaton Centre. Their roast beef sandwiches were delicious. Hopefully they'll come back in the future.


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## Krelf (Jul 3, 2012)

Unfortunately, when an American chain opens up in Canada, it's never as good as it is in the US.


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## Guest (Aug 28, 2013)

Krelf said:


> Unfortunately, when an American chain opens up in Canada, it's never as good as it is in the US.


The Five Guys in Kanata was every bit as good as any Five Guys I've eaten in Connecticut and New York.


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## cheezyridr (Jun 8, 2009)

Krelf said:


> Unfortunately, when an American chain opens up in Canada, it's never as good as it is in the US.



not a restaurant, but target is better here than anywhere in the us i've ever been.


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## Adcandour (Apr 21, 2013)

I'm a fan of the IHop. That country fried steak smothered in sausage gravy is so good I cry - and then uncontrollably shit my pants. 

I get it every time I visit my parents in the states.


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## Adcandour (Apr 21, 2013)

Krelf said:


> Unfortunately, when an American chain opens up in Canada, it's never as good as it is in the US.


Well, you should see Ohio's attempt at Tim Horton's. it's as sad as it gets. They don't know what a regular is and they think a double double is a jab at their weight. (And the coffee is shittier than ours, if you can believe that)


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## FrankyNoTone (Feb 27, 2012)

The USA definitely has great eats but what I hanker for here in Ontario is a Wet Spot... er a White Spot from BC. A great breakfast.


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## Krelf (Jul 3, 2012)

Some restaurants are like some wines, they don't travel well. We had a Denny's open up in Pickering. We enjoyed their Florida locations, but after two visits to our local location we called it quits. Selection seemed smaller and the staff was inflexible. The prices didn't compare well either.


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

Krelf said:


> Some restaurants are like some wines, they don't travel well. We had a Denny's open up in Pickering. We enjoyed their Florida locations, but after two visits to our local location we called it quits. Selection seemed smaller and the staff was inflexible. The prices didn't compare well either.


I find that with a lot of the chains and not just restaurants


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## Adcandour (Apr 21, 2013)

Krelf said:


> Some restaurants are like some wines, they don't travel well. We had a Denny's open up in Pickering. We enjoyed their Florida locations, but after two visits to our local location we called it quits. Selection seemed smaller and the staff was inflexible. The prices didn't compare well either.


Maybe you can help me with this food chain question: I rarely do work out the whitby/Pickering way, Since it is out of my service area. During one random project, i ate lunch at some chicken biscuit place. The biscuits were greasy loveliness. I can not remember the f'n name of the place. I'm working up in Oshawa a bit more now and think about it all the time. 

It wasn't a Popeyes. Do u know what else it could be? I'm almost positive it was a chain. I need to eat there again.


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## Krelf (Jul 3, 2012)

adcandour said:


> Maybe you can help me with this food chain question: I rarely do work out the whitby/Pickering way, Since it is out of my service area. During one random project, i ate lunch at some chicken biscuit place. The biscuits were greasy loveliness. I can not remember the f'n name of the place. I'm working up in Oshawa a bit more now and think about it all the time.
> 
> It wasn't a Popeyes. Do u know what else it could be? I'm almost positive it was a chain. I need to eat there again.



It could have been Chick N Joy at 755 Kingston Road. But beware, only lousy eating places seem to last out here. Every time we find upon a good place to eat, there's a baliff's notice on the door when we go back.

http://www.chicknjoy.com/


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## Adcandour (Apr 21, 2013)

Krelf said:


> It could have been Chick N Joy at 755 Kingston Road. But beware, only lousy eating places seem to last out here. Every time we find upon a good place to eat, there's a baliff's notice on the door when we go back.
> 
> http://www.chicknjoy.com/


Sweet. I'm gonna try to make it before the notice goes up. Thanks.


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## Guest (Aug 29, 2013)

iaresee said:


> The Five Guys in Kanata was every bit as good as any Five Guys I've eaten in Connecticut and New York.


For a second, I pretended not to know what this thread's about.


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

Any of them that need a good and reliable window cleaning company. Bring them on!


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## puckhead (Sep 8, 2008)

FrankyNoTone said:


> The USA definitely has great eats but what I hanker for here in Ontario is a Wet Spot... er a White Spot from BC. A great breakfast.


huh. My kid loves White Spot, so we go there quite a bit. never had breakfast there though.
Their burgers are quite good, so I don't often stray from those.


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## Guest (Aug 29, 2013)

laristotle said:


> For a second, I pretended not to know what this thread's about.


Oh man. I didn't even THINK of that when I typed it out! That was way way funnier than I ever intended it to be.


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## -ST- (Feb 2, 2008)

Hi puckhead,



puckhead said:


> huh. My kid loves White Spot, so we go there quite a bit. never had breakfast there though.
> Their burgers are quite good, so I don't often stray from those.


White Spot Breakfast menu 

Their veggie burgers beat out other places - don't know why. Breakfast - well it's okay I guess. I'm not out that time of the day much any more. I used to pull all-niters, but life has settled down. 

As for the original subject, I don't recall any chain exclusively south of the border that was memorable. Maybe I'll have to pay more attention next time.


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