MUST try (or avoid) American foods!

RiverMelSong
RiverMelSong Posts: 456 Member
in Chit-Chat
So I'm from Europe, and this year my dad and I are going on holiday to the US! He's visited California in the past but I've never been to the US before so I'm super excited!!

We're going to New York, Las Vegas and San Francisco (yes very tourist-y I know but I need to start somewhere, I promise to come back and visit the rest some other time :wink: )

So my question for you guys is what would you recommend food wise.

Are there foods we simply must try?
Are there certain restaurants we need to visit? (maybe some places most tourists don't know about?)
Or are there specific foods we should avoid at all costs?

Looking forward to your recommendations! :flowerforyou:
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Replies

  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
    Try some of the major chains, just for the experience. But the best food is always local. Download an app called Yelp (there's also a website), and read the reviews for restaurants near where you'll be.

    Each of those cities is huge. Try burritos & local seafood in San Francisco, and pizza & deli in New York. If you tell me the NYC neighborhood you're staying in, I can be more specific.

    Have a great trip!
  • AJ_G
    AJ_G Posts: 4,158 Member
    Absolutely get a burrito in San Francisco. Go to La Palma Mexicatessen in the Mission District and order a Carne Asada burrito. It will change your life. If you like Seafood, go to Fisherman's Wharf while you're in SF too, great Seafood. I've never been to New York, but obviously you need to get pizza there because I hear it's amazing. I'm sure a New Yorker can point you in the right direction. Vegas pretty much has everything, but I don't think they're known for anything specific. If you like burgers, go to KGB Burger in Harrah's Casino on the strip, absolutely amazing burgers.

    Edit: I've recently heard that ranch dressing is not readily available in Europe. Is this true? If it is, just make sure you put ranch on a lot of things when you're in the US (fries, onion rings, chicken strips, etc). I almost forgot, there's good Chinese food in China town in SF and I'm sure the same goes for New York.
  • Phoenix__Rising
    Phoenix__Rising Posts: 9,981 Member
    Never been but I hear New York has great street side hot dogs.
  • RiverMelSong
    RiverMelSong Posts: 456 Member
    Thanks for the tips guys! :)
    Each of those cities is huge. Try burritos & local seafood in San Francisco, and pizza & deli in New York. If you tell me the NYC neighborhood you're staying in, I can be more specific

    About the neighbourhoods: In New York we're staying in Manhattan (1 block from the Chrysler building), in Las Vegas somehwere on the strip and in San Francisco we've booked a hotel in Fisherman's Wharf :)

    Edit: I've recently heard that ranch dressing is not readily available in Europe. Is this true? If it is, just make sure you put ranch on a lot of things when you're in the US (fries, onion rings, chicken strips, etc).

    Yup, this is true, I've never seen ranch dressing around here but I keep hearing wonderful things about it on this site so I'll definitely give it a try! :wink:
  • RiverMelSong
    RiverMelSong Posts: 456 Member
    .
  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
    Midtown Manhattan is a business district. You'll want to explore other neighborhoods for food & entertainment. They're all in Manhattan (it's an island), but they're all very different.

    A NYC hotdog is only something to try if you've watched a lot of movies & TV (like "Law & Order"). It's just sausage on spongy white bread.

    You're staying near Grand Central Station, which has commuter trains to Connecticut & New Jersey. The set of "Saturday Night Live" is a replica of Grand Central. There's a huge food hall downstairs. Try a slice of cheesecake at Junior's.

    Also near your hotel: the Empire State Building & Times Square. It's all chain restaurants like Red Lobster & Guy Fieri's.

    For deli: http://www.2ndavedeli.com/deli-locations/midtown-east/
  • PurringMyrrh
    PurringMyrrh Posts: 5,276 Member
    In-N-Out burger. Both Vegas and SF will have 'em.
  • PurringMyrrh
    PurringMyrrh Posts: 5,276 Member
    Oh yeah, and for sure the ranch dressing on fries, pizza, and chicken wings.

    And not that you're going to a true barbecue state/area, but if you can find a good bbq joint somewhere with traditional southern side dishes...yeeummy.
  • phil6707
    phil6707 Posts: 541 Member
    I am from Europe but live in the US now. Don't worry, you will find out very quickly by yourself :)

    Stay away of the chain...I would not call what they serve food. Maybe be fun to go to Steak'n'Shake for the 50s like ambiance but that is all.

    There are plenty of small restaurants in any city that are independant, that's what you want.
  • PurringMyrrh
    PurringMyrrh Posts: 5,276 Member
    Since you'll be west coasting, Mexican food is also highly recommended.

    Edit: not Taco Bell, or fast food though. Find a small taqueria or taco truck where they barely speak English. Excellent.
  • mrpurdy
    mrpurdy Posts: 262 Member
    In-N-Out burger. Both Vegas and SF will have 'em.

    I second this recommendation.

    Also, you should definitely have some New York-style pizza. Our favorite place was Lombardi's at 32 Spring St.
  • PurringMyrrh
    PurringMyrrh Posts: 5,276 Member
    I am from Europe but live in the US now. Don't worry, you will find out very quickly by yourself :)

    Stay away of the chain...I would not call what they serve food. Maybe be fun to go to Steak'n'Shake for the 50s like ambiance but that is all.

    There are plenty of small restaurants in any city that are independant, that's what you want.
    Were the portion sizes an outrageous shocker when you came here? I've heard even our fridges are bigger than yours.
  • RiverMelSong
    RiverMelSong Posts: 456 Member
    Great suggestions, thank you!! I'm writing them all down so keep 'em coming! :smile:
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,329 Member
    in vegas, hash house a go go is a must on the strip. very good for brunch especially after a long night of vegas stuff. for buffets, the Wynn is pretty good as is the one at Bellagio.

    definitely give the SF burritos a go. also while in SF give some of the food trucks a visit as there are some tasty gems !

    in nyc, check out fancier grimaldi's (in brooklyn) or by the slice john's pizzeria (in west village) for pizza.
    momofuku in east village is also worth a stop it just gets CROWDED. if you have a group, i'd definitely recommend calling ahead and getting the fried chicken



    imo, the appeal of "american" food isnt that it's american food, it's basically because we have so many different cultures here (especially on the coasts) and everything starts to influence everything else. for instance in the chicnese restaurants in NYC (especially brooklyn) you can also get (jamaican) beef patties and (filipino) lumpia.
  • sphkhn
    sphkhn Posts: 456 Member
    In New York city try Westville they have 4 different locations in lower Manhattan and it is fantastic, the market sides they are to die for! Also Shake Shake but they have insane lines but if you are going to have a junk food treat they are super good there is one in Madison Square Park and one in Tribeca. Also I would say going to Chinatown is really fun even if you don't eat there. I would say stay away from eating in Times Square it is overpriced and low quality although worth walking through they are going to try and lure you into a T.G.I Fridays it is not worth it! The Lower East Side and West Village are full of cute restaurants if you are exploring.
  • phil6707
    phil6707 Posts: 541 Member
    The portion sizes are insane....

    In my case, coming from France, we don't need huge fridges because we prefer take multiple trip to the shops to buy the food. As there are much less conservation agents used in food, you can't keep it as long
  • hoktauri
    hoktauri Posts: 24 Member
    Corndog! Probably belongs on both lists.
  • prism1968
    prism1968 Posts: 121 Member
    I LOVED Manhattan and the huge (and cheap) pizza slices... must have :)
    You asked for what foods to avoid, and unfortunately I love ALL foods, but agree wholeheartedly with other posters to avoid the chain restaurants. Just ewww.
    Yelp is a great idea! I have found the coolest places using that app.
    Have fun! My daughter is currently in Paris and we toured the Greek islands last summer. It is always a treat to discover culinary worlds different from our own :)
  • Joannesmith2818
    Joannesmith2818 Posts: 438 Member
    Man V food Website!!
  • wildskies
    wildskies Posts: 129 Member
    In-N-Out burger. Both Vegas and SF will have 'em.

    Definitely this.

    Also in Vegas, one of the big buffets (like Bellagio) should be a must try.
  • allaboutthecake
    allaboutthecake Posts: 1,535 Member
    I don't think anyone who GOES to Las Vegas really EATS in Las Vegas....it's all about the booze and the shows! So while you're in Vegas, drink up & go see some shows, and drink some more! :wink:
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,329 Member
    i forgot sophie's cuban food !! there's a a few locations but the best will probably be on south street seaport.
  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
    I don't think anyone who GOES to Las Vegas really EATS in Las Vegas....it's all about the booze and the shows! So while you're in Vegas, drink up & go see some shows, and drink some more! :wink:
    The only food I remember is the 99¢ shrimp cocktail, and the cactus candy I brought back for souvenirs.

    Las Vegas is in the desert, so you'll drink lots & lots (& lots) of water.
  • civilizedworm
    civilizedworm Posts: 796 Member
    If you are road tripping between any of those destinations, stop at any, all, and every restaurant or diner that has a large fiberglass animal.

    mouse-1.jpg
    cow5.jpg
    draft_lens2198284module13020868photo_1229200503Bunyan-Eau-Claire-Wisconsin.jpg

    Can't beat the kitsch factor!
  • AnnaVee84
    AnnaVee84 Posts: 345 Member
    :drinker: :drinker: hoooooray, what a fun trip that will be! I live in Vegas and love it, it's got some GREAT food, both cheap and expensive, and many places are open 24/7, which makes for a great foodie town! Like another person recommended, I use the Yelp site and app a lot; it's easy to see hours, location, and get reviews and recs on what to order.

    Top recs for Vegas for new visitors:
    1. Sin City = gluttony = buffets! Best one on the Strip now (IMO) is Bacchanal Buffet at Caesar's. I've had friends who waited 2+ hours for dinner here, so crazy. One month, I had so many visitors that I went 3 times in 2 weeks. Totally worth it every time - it's got great selection, food, and desserts
    http://www.caesarspalace.com/restaurants/bacchanal-buffet.html
    pro tip: if you can get in line and pay before 3 pm, then you'll pay lunch time prices ($35 ish) but they switch over to dinner at 3 and you'll get all the dinner time items without paying the dinner price! (About $50 ish)
    Other options are Wynn or Bellagion (both high end), the Rio (just off strip) has a Seafood buffet, orrrr if you're REALLY hungry there's the Buffet of Buffet option where you pay like $60 for 24 access to several buffets haha, it's NUTS!

    2. In-n-Out burger is just off the strip on Tropicana - Classic West Coast burgers, since it's your first time out here!
    may be difficult to walk to from the Strip - I have tried once, and we didn't make it!!
    Otherwise, there's great burger joints along the strip, but this is a great value compared to them (Burger Bar, BurGR, BLT Burger)

    3. Hash House a Go Go - inside The Quad
    http://www.yelp.com/biz/hash-house-a-go-go-las-vegas-5
    huge portions. great drinks. the chicken and wafflessssss are super yum, can feed two, and that's a Classic pairing of American foods!!! haha

    Otherwise, all the casinos will have food courts and their premiere restaurants based upon their theme or clientele. Yelp can help you find good happy hours or specials as well!

    Not American foods, but more great options:
    - Tacos el Gordo - just north of Wynn, in a random strip mall
    http://www.yelp.com/biz/tacos-el-gordo-las-vegas?osq=tacos
    great late night hours, delicious mexican street style tacos in allll kinds of meat (tongue anyone? super tender!)

    - Mon Ami Gabi - great option for brunch, they have a bloody mary bar! if you can get a table out on the balcony, it's worth it for the view of the Bellagio fountains and people watching

    - Estorios Milos, inside the Cosmo, I think they still have their 3 course lunch deal, which was really good price; Greek cuisine http://www.yelp.com/biz/estiatorio-milos-las-vegas

    Beyond food, I'd also recommend to hit up Fremont Street and old town las Vegas, it's got great people watching, fun bars and restaurants and just super fun, if you want a more casual (but still Vegas) experience! Container Park just opened up out there, and Gold Spike is a fun new bar with life size jenga, corn hole, and "ice skating" on plastic in the back haha Fremont is a fun area and where the locals hang out.

    Try Tix4Tonight ticket booth for shows if you aren't too sure of what you want, they have a lot of good offerings for good prices of shows that night. Classic shows like Cirque may have deals online depending on when you visit!

    Hope you enjoy your trip, and that it's not too hot when you do visit! But we love visitors, so please come and spend money, we need it!!! :bigsmile:


    oops, edited prices and time!
  • PurringMyrrh
    PurringMyrrh Posts: 5,276 Member
    I should clarify my other posts by saying In-N-Out is one of the only chains you shouldn't avoid.
  • pita7317
    pita7317 Posts: 1,437 Member
    You sound like me, before a trip always trying to decide where to eat ! LOL
    Each one of those cities...oh boy the options are endless !
    Go to tripadvisor.com and check out restaurants. They are rated according to travelers reviews.
    Vegas. I live somewhat close and visit on occasion.
    Mon Ami Gabi. Paris. Patio table.
    Grand Lux Cafe Huge menu !
    Never been, but always wanted to try The Golden Steer Steakhouse.
    (Been open 55 years so they must be doing something right ?)
    Anyway that's my input. Good luck.
  • honsi
    honsi Posts: 210 Member
    I am from Europe but live in the US now. Don't worry, you will find out very quickly by yourself :)

    Stay away of the chain...I would not call what they serve food. Maybe be fun to go to Steak'n'Shake for the 50s like ambiance but that is all.

    There are plenty of small restaurants in any city that are independant, that's what you want.
    Were the portion sizes an outrageous shocker when you came here? I've heard even our fridges are bigger than yours.
    I'm from Scotland and took my Nan to New York a few years ago and the portions are really enormous , we couldn't believe it. It was kind of obscene, we quickly learnt to just order one dish and share, and we where both big , big eaters.
  • sentaruu
    sentaruu Posts: 2,206 Member
    when you go to ny, have a slice of pizza, a reuben sandwich from a deli and a hot dog from a street vendor(preferably one with a few people eating around it)
  • squishycatmew
    squishycatmew Posts: 151 Member
    In SF - go to the Ferry Building and just walk around inside, especially on one of the days the farmer's market is open. Sample everything. (It's pricy but damn, the food there is good. If you can get there on a Saturday when the Roli Roti stall is there, the porchetta sandwich is divine, and the roast chicken and the rosemary potatoes are also THE BEST.)
    Burma Superstar or Mandalay in the Richmond district - not American food, but I don't know of a lot of places with Burmese food.
    In-N-Out is the only fast-food burger on the West Coast that I can stand.
    Bi-Rite Creamery next to Dolores Park for ice cream (be prepared for EPIC lines, though), or Humphrey Slocombe. Also, Eatwell Farms now has a soft-serve stall in the Second Act Marketplace on Haight St - they usually only have 4 flavors, but they are fabulous, and local. (Eatwell is where I get my CSA box-o-produce-and-eggs).
    Also, see what it playing at the Castro Theater and go see something! It's one of the few old movie theaters that's still intact and still active, and is just beautiful. You can go in and have a look most days even if there's no show, but I encourage you to buy a ticket and support them :) If you want to see what's basically the Castro on steroids, the Paramount Theater in Oakland was designed by the same architect (Timothy Pfleuger), but is about 10x the size.
    In the US, pie is also very popular, though the quality can be extremely variable. I actually don't know where to get a good one in the Bay Area, since I bake my own. Also, head out to Half Moon Bay for some really fantastic barbecue.

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