What is THE best restaurant you have ever eaten at

For me it comes down to two, so I'll go with the one that has given me more great experiences, and is closer to home. The winner is:

Aquarelle
Austin, TX
french

Impossibly good service, incredibly good food. For my money, their seared filet with foie gras is as good as food can possibly get.
 
I wish i could remember the name but our family vacation in Europe when i was in 8th grade we were in Paris for a few days and found a quant little bistro a few blocks from the Arc de triomphe the best food anyone in my family still has ever claimed to have.....still dream of the creme brulee....sad thing is between me and my two sisters we have been back quite a few times since and cant find the place....it was so good we went back two of the three nights we were in paris.
 
Auberge du Soleil in Rutherford, California (Napa Valley.) French food. If you go, get the tasting menu with the paired wines. I thought I'd died and gone to heaven.
 
So many options, but for now:

Spago
Four Season Hotel, Maui, Hawaii

Excellent meal, wine, and a view that is second to none. Service was outstanding as well.
 
2nd for Jean-Georges NYC. I've eaten at some incredible restaurants, but doubt I will ever top this one.

Arthur Bryant's in Kansas City (pork ribs) also deserves a mention.
 
I've been fortunate enough to dine at many of the places already posted. Wonderful choices. Mine, however, is ...

elBulli
Roses, Catalonia, Spain
World Cuisine
 
Holy ****, MikeUT--I don't think I know anyone who's actually been to El Bulli.
bow.gif
Was it hard to get a reservation? Please tell us more.

For me, it's Cyrus in Healdsburg (Sonoma Valley), California-French cuisine. We've eaten at the French Laundry and while it is certainly special, I give Cyrus the edge due to the relative ease of securing a reservation and the flexibility of the menu. The service is also incredibly attentive and gracious without being too formal.
 
txgirl, it's a great place. It's pretty hard to secure a reservation. We tried for a couple of years, unsuccesfully. But then while back in the area (my family is from Spain) we met someone who had some serious connections there, which is how we were able to get a resevation, albeit in the next season a year later. So many different variations/concoctions of different foods, so many courses ... it was excellent.
 
Monsoon
Seattle
Asian fusion - local ingredients w/ Vietnamese spices

Visited family friends in Seattle, and they knew the owner of the restaurant. We had preferential service. The food was incredible.
 
MikeUT owns this thread

Once in Philadelphia, I was given the choice of eating at Morimoto's with the person I dislike most in this world or not going. I chose not going.

For one of my birthdays, the plan was to go to Nobu (just down the street) we ended up eating a big lunch...

It's hard for me to separate atmosphere etc to judge these things. Pamplemousse in San Diego/ Del Mar where I've eaten twice comes to mind though.
 
Pinnacle Grill aboard Holland America's Statendam

The food on this cruise was already excellent. For a special treat, we had dinner one night at this special restaurant on the ship. I had a large filet mignon that was cooked to perfection. It was absolutely the best steak I have ever eaten. The sides were Washington Spuds au Gratin and Grilled Asparagus avec Bearnaise. We paired the meal with a very nice Cabernet Sauvignon from Chateau Ste Michelle, served in Reidl Cabernet glasses. For desert, we had Warm Grand Marnier Chocolate Volcano Cake. The service was impeccable. It was simply the best meal I have ever had.
 
Washington spuds?????? Definitely inferior to your Idaho potatoe.

Shoulda put some of that Bearnaise on the filet.

Actually sounds pretty good. I would envy your meal but for the fact that I would barf it before I left the ship's dining room.
 
Reading this thread has been fun. A lot of places mentioned I've been fortunate to have visited for food.

Brennan's in Houston (or was it Brenner's)--after the Bluebonnet Bowl in '66 when Super Bill and Chris Gilbert led the Horns to whip Ole Miss.

Galatoire's in New Orleans. Great place, but not at the top of the list--even the list in the Vieux Carre. K-Paul's or maybe Antoine's.

Arthur Bryant's in KC. Great, but nothing compared to Maurice's Real Pit in Harker Heights, Texas.

Commander's Palace. Never been there, but Mrs Idahorn2's niece and nephew both used to work for the Brennans in New Orleans and we have the cookbook.
 
i have dined in many places in this world, but I cannot top MikeUT. I will say however, it is tough to beat DaMarco and or Mark's in Houston. I think many of these places it just becomes personal preference because the food and experience is so good that I do not think anyone can definitively say one is better than the other. It is not like comparing tacos at Taco Bell vs Juan in a MIllion here. We are trying to compare Ferrari's and well they are all excellent.
 
Sonsei in Maui.

Our first course was a spare rib dish a young chef had just whipped up for this night only. It was cooked four different ways. One was liked a pot roast that was insane. Granted now this is a "sushi" place. The rest of the night from there on out was insane.
 
I am amazed at how many of the ones mentioned I have been lucky enough to visit and all are very good choices.

If I had to choose one favorite for an overall dining experience, it would be the Herb Farm outside of Seattle.

Unfortunately, the original location in a farm house on an herb farm burned down about 10 years ago. A couple of years later, I ate at a temporary location and the food was still fabulous, but the ambience was not quite as nice. They now have a new permanent location that I understand is nice, but I have not yet eaten at the new location.

The good news about the new location is that reservations are not as hard to obtain. At the old location, once every 90 days, they would take reservations for 3-6 months in advance and all would be filled the first day.

They offer a fixed 9 course menu paired with 5-6 wines that they pour freely. The menu for each day is not finalized until hours before the dinner because it depends upon what the “gatherer” finds that day that is especially fresh or good. Most of the herbs and vegetables are grown on site. It is a wonderful 4 hour or so dining experience with a brief 10-15 intermission to wander around the gardens.
 
i thought i posted this earlier, but i don't see it...
we ate at the French Room in Dallas last week. It was awesome. Definitely the top 5 for me - I can't recall having better service paired with such amazing food.
 
Inn at Little Washington
Washington, VA
Classic American

Went there for my 30th bday, taken by my now wife. Food was incredible, but the service put it over the top. A lot of little touches- menus had our names on them and happy birthday, owner walked us through the kitchen even though we were prob'ly the least wealthy people dining there that evening.
 
Another vote for Tony's in Houston....although I prefer their new location to their old.

It seems like every time I go there I run into Jeff Bagwell, for what it's worth
 
Bubba Gump in Breckenridge Colorado.

The pork sandwich is delicious. Outdoors is a bench with a pair of shoes and a box of chocolates for photo ops. Inside are reems of Gump memorabilia as well as multiple monitors with the movie playing. The staff are informative and the trinkets you ca buy range from t-shirts to tall plastic beer cups with strobe multicolor LED's on the bottom.
 
Holy **** CTGA_Horn! I wouldn't say Pamplemousse is my favorite, but as soon as I read this thread and started contemplating my favorites, that place came to mind. Only, I couldn't remember the name.

As far as my favorite, I'll have to give it more thought.
 
Louis's at Pawley's
Pawley's Island, SC
Seafood, etc.

Everything about this place is great. It has a cozy atmosphere with amazing food and great wine. My favorite thing ever was their shrimp and grits.

A great dining experience all around.
 
Well, it wasnt the best food I have ever eaten, but it was good. The reason I list it is because it is memorable, what the food selection was, where the location was, and the fact that no other restaurants really stand out in my mind.

The Carnivour
Nairobi, Kenya
Meat, and more meat

Basically an all you can eat (something like Fogo de Chao) but of game meat (elephant, zebra, crocadile, etc). The food was good, I gotta say I left full.
 
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