Traveling to USA (Southern States) - Booze, food and entertainment advice

[Radux]

Here's a neat link that compiles a metric fuck ton of breweries from around the United States. You should be able to find/cater your visits accordingly!

[Al3sinth]

Here are a list of places they went on Man V Food in the cities you posted.

Hollywood
Las Vegas - Hash House A Go Go, Hot N' Juice Crawfish, NASCAR Cafe
Santa Fe
Amarillo - Coyote Bluff Cafe, Stockyard Cafe, Big Texan Steak Ranch
San Antonio - Lulu's Bakery & Cafe, Big Lou's Pizza, Chunky's Burgers & More
Austin - Round Round Donuts, The Salt Lick (GO HERE FOR SURE), Juan in a Million
Lafayette
New Orleans - Mother's Restaurant, Deanie's, ACME Oyster House
Memphis - Gus' Fried Chicken, Charlie Vergos Rendezvous, Kooky Canuck
Nashville
Washington DC - Ben's Chili Bowl, Horace & Dickie's, Chick & Ruth Delly
New York
~NYC - Katz's Deli, Sylvia's, Brick Lane
~Brooklyn - Brennan & Carr, L&B Spumoni Gardens, Buffalo Cantina
~Long Island - Ciao Baby, International Delight Cafe, Port Royal Pub & Grill

[apepi]

San Antonio: Alamo, Riverwalk

I have been to both of these, was good.

When you go to Louisiana get some Boudin, Gumbo and Crawfish.

Also in Louisiana you can pick up these 'shoes' called crocs, they are like...um...rubberish shoes?

[Keimier]

The Flying Saucer in Memphis is a good place for beer (and cigars if you like those). LOTSA different beers from the USA and Worldwide.

Beale Street is about 4 blocks long of Music, Food, and Alcohol. One of the first places I visited when I moved here.

If your an Elvis Presley fan, you may want to check out Graceland too.

If your a fan of Blues and Soul music, Memphis has a lot of it.

[Denkou]

How much time are you spending in each city? That would help us a bit with giving recommendations about where to go.

While you're in Southern California go check out Father's Office, there's one in Santa Monica and one in Culver City, both relatively close to Hollywood (30 minute drive, give or take). They have a very extensive selection of craft beers on tap and by far the best burger I've ever had in my life. It does tend to get a bit crowded so go during off-hours and on a weekday if you can.

[Crissi]

I just say River walk for San Antonio because its simpler that way as theres about 23781237912 businesses that line it. Food and shoping and beer and fun stuff, as well as being able to ride up and down the river in these boats! I;d say try and spend a day in New Brausfels but thats an hour away but Schlitterbahn is AWESOMe (assuming you come during summer)

[Feral Camel]

How much time are you spending in each city? That would help us a bit with giving recommendations about where to go.

Pretty much a full day, maybe 2 nights at the longest. As I'm going with a tour company it's not overly flexible with where we stop but these places I'm staying at least one night.

Thanks heaps so far guys! The advice has been great!

[Alvito]

You can even wear flip flops with socks if you want.

For the love of all that is holy don't wear socks and flip flops, one or the other not both.

[Dispraise]

For the love of all that is holy don't wear socks and flip flops, one or the other not both.

If I don't wear the flip flops, my socks'll get holes in 'em.

[oxymoronic]

Lots of hot girls in socal.

i come from Vegas so I find this false... you can go all day in cali and not see one hot bitch... not gonna happen in vegas unless your downtown and in that case your probably broke :P

PS for clarifaction i just stayed at the Roosevelt and Sofitel in beverly hills during the Oscar hype... also went to san diego, coronado and mission beach...

[xylophone]

Death to everyone who wears flip flops.

I wear flip flops ~9 months out of the year.


OT: LA is a shithole aside from the amusement parks and stuff. Like someone else said, here in SD there's a big craft beer scene. Portland has one too if you feel like going up north a little (personally I think Cascadia is some of the most beautiful landscape ever.) I don't know how into the natural tourism scene you are into vs. the city scene, but the Redwoods are definitely worth a visit along with Yosemite, the Grand Canyon and a ton of other parks. Since you'll be here early-mid spring you should hit up the deserts, don't underestimate how beautiful an erg desert can be, especially if you're lucky enough to go through while it's in bloom.

Regarding cuisine, you NEED to get legit Mexican food anywhere in between SoCal and Texas, don't go with chains or fancy looking restaurants. The best mexican food is from holes in the wall that look shady, but have been around for a long time and you can hardly understand the person that's taking your order. If you can find it before you head east then you should get some real mexican seafood or some good fish tacos.

[Sky High]

if you want a lot of food and even stuff you are used to you will find it in LA. not award winning but you can eat Croatian for lunch and then Israeli for dinner.

booze wise ignore EVERYTHING named bud/miller/Coors. if you want quality beer go to any grocery store (where the liquor is kept in store) and pick the craft brews. hard liquor wise I'm a rum guy so I go Cheap Whalers or the Kraken. whiskey wise we have jack out the ass. as well as Titos vodka, real good stuff.

entertainment wise I can't list all the touristy shit there is to do.

- - - Updated - - -

I wear flip flops ~9 months out of the year.

I wore them last Christmas.

[xylophone]

I wore them last Christmas.

Well shit, if we wanna talk about this year I just put em away this weekend now that we got a little rain.

[Auberdeen]

when in New York City, take the Hampton Jitney out to Sag Harbor(about 2 hours) east on Long Island. Best place in the universe.

[gismo7354]

Amarillo
New Orleans

Amarillo. The Big Texan (as mentioned above) is a pretty good place. They are the stereotypical "eat the 72oz steak and its free plus everything is bigger in Texas" kind of place. Sure, there might be better places more authentic or better food but this place is nice and touristy. It is a Texas experience. You can try Mountain Oysters if you've never had them too. They are actually pretty good. They have a candy/desert shop and souvenir shop attached. Wouldn't be a bad stop for a tour group. They also have a free limo service that will pick you up from almost anywhere in town, take you to the restaurant, then take you back after you're done eating. The limos are really limos equipped with the longhorn horns on the front and everything.

New Orleans. Man, one night in this city is not enough. One of my favorite cities. You'll want to check out the French Quarter and the open air French Market in the day time. Just stroll around the area and you'll see plenty of sights, street bands, artists, and people putting on little shows. Of course there is always Bourbon St at night. Even if you're not into partying it is worth it to take a stroll down for a bit. After dark head back down towards the river from Bourbon St and look for cafes and bars that have live musicians playing. There are some good local jazz clubs. As far as food goes there is so many different delicious things to eat I'd be fat after a week of living there. You'll wanna try some creole food. Gumbo is pretty good. Po Boy sandwiches are unique to the area also. And they have these good little pastries called beignets you'll have to try.

EDIT: You also need to try some barbecue while you're in the south. Get the ketchup based barbecue (redish/dark sauce) instead of the mustard based (yellowish) or vinegar based (plain nasty). Pulled pork sandwiches are my favorite types of barbecue.

[Hitei]

New Orleans - Mother's Restaurant, Deanie's, ACME Oyster House

ACME is generic as all hell and extremely overrated.
There are way better places to go in New Orleans:

1) Central Grocery in the french quarter for a Muffuletta
2) The Port of Call on Esplanade for stupidly over the top amazing Burgers and Baked potatoes.
3) Some place for good beignets-- I can't stand them but whatever, others seem to like them. Could go to Cafe Du Monde, busy and a bit touristy, but good for wandering around the french quarter.
4) Some place that has good Boudin sausage. Not sure where you should go for that.. the best I've had is Poche Market's but that's way the hell up west of Baton Rouge.

When you go to Louisiana get some Boudin, Gumbo and Crawfish.

Also in Louisiana you can pick up these 'shoes' called crocs, they are like...um...rubberish shoes?

This guy knows what he's talking about.
But crawfish will be out of season when you are there, so meh. Also if you're going to have crawfish you have to have a real boil and you might have trouble just casually finding a good one that is easy to get to at the very earliest beginnings of the season.

Also you can get crocs all over the place. Florida, Cali, wherever.

[Ron Burgundy]

let me give you some advice on girls from the south.






a 6 pack goes A LONG way

[Deleted]

Don't drink alcohol in public, apparently its really not-done (wich I think sucks, I love sharing a bottle of whine in the park), but then again, different countries, different habbits.

[oxymoronic]

Don't drink alcohol in public, apparently its really not-done (wich I think sucks, I love sharing a bottle of whine in the park), but then again, different countries, different habbits.

or just be discreet...

[Randec]

Memphis is badass. Beale street is the main attraction but mad expensive. Be careful muggers hang out in the alleys off beale so don't follow anybody or get tricked in another way. Just be street smart.

Go to Marlowe's for BBQ, which is a Memphis specialty. Memphis is predominately black so they have top notch soul food, jazz, and blues.

And no bro don't wear flip flops. They're only for the beach here. You're gonna look like a tourist ; ) Definitely wear flip flops on the beach though. Down south the sand gets hot enough to burn your feet bad in the summer.