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Attack of the killer chains

P F Chang'sPardon me if I seem dense, but I’m still having a hard time figuring out just why so many people are willingly lining up for a wait of two to three hours to dine at the two hottest new spots in suburbia – P. F. Chang’s and The Cheesecake Factory.

We’ve checked them both out now – Chang’s twice – and while I’ll grant that they’re both well designed, staffed with competent people and serving food that ranks well above the median for corporate chain fare, still … three hours? Give me a break!
Continue reading Attack of the killer chains

New look!

Notice anything different? We’ve made some changes at LouisvilleHotBytes, changes that we hope will make Louisville’s top spot for information about local restaurants and the city’s food scene a little more useful and even more fun. The top change should be immediately apparent: We’ve converted to a “blog” format to facilitate quick and frequent updates, and to make it easier than ever for you to talk back.

One thing won’t change: You can continue to rely on LouisvilleHotBytes.com for the kind of fair, accurate and knowledgeable restaurant reviews that you’ve counted on me to deliver since the 1980s, and you’ll continue to find the region’s premier interactive online restaurant community here.
Continue reading New look!

Earlier reviews of luxury restaurants ($60 per person and up)

The links below go to earlier reviews:

Asiatique
Avalon
Blu Italian Mediterranean Grille
Buck’s
Cafe Metro
De La Torre’s
The English Grill
Equus
Le Relais
Lilly’s
Limestone
The Melting Pot
Mitchell’s Fish Market
Morton’s of Chicago
The Oakroom
Park Place
Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse
Seviche
610 Magnolia
The Star of Louisville
Stoney River Legendary Steaks
211 Clover Lane
Vincenzo’s
Volare
Z’s Oyster Bar & Steakhouse

Earlier reviews of restaurants priced in the $20-$40 range

The links below go to earlier reviews:

Artemisia
August Moon
Los Aztecas
Baxter Station
Behar Cafe
Bluegrass Brewing Co.
Brandon’s Barbecue
Bristol Bar & Grille
Café Lou Lou
California Pizza Kitchen
El Caporal
Cardinal Hall of Fame
Carolina Shrimp & Seafood
Cheddar’s Casual Cafe
Come Back Inn
Cottage Inn
Cumberland Brews
Cunningham’s
Ditto’s Grill
Double Dragon Buffet
El Mundo
Emperor/Empress of China
Ernesto’s Mexican
The Fish House
Goose Creek Diner
Joe Huber’s
Koreana
The Irish Rover
Jack’s Lounge
Jade Palace
Joe’s Crab House
Joe’s OK Bayou
John E’s
Kaelin’s
Kashmir
Kentucky State Fair
Kim’s Asian Grill
King Buffet
KT’s
Lee’s Korean
Lemongrass Cafe
Lone Star Steakhouse
Louisville Slugger Field
Lynn’s Paradise Cafe
Mai’s Thai
Maido Essential Japanese
Mama Rosa
Mark’s Feed Store
Mike Linnig’s
Cafe Mimosa
Molly Malone’s
The Monkey Wrench
El Nopal
North End Cafe
Old Spaghetti Factory
Oriental Express
Ray Parrella’s
Ramsi’s Cafe
Red Lounge
Rick’s Ferrari Grille
Rocky’s Italian Grill
Rudyard Kipling
Saffron’s
Sala Thai
Sesame Chinese
Shogun Japanese Steakhouse
Sichuan Garden
Thai Cafe
Thai-Siam
Third Avenue Cafe
Tumbleweed
Uptown Cafe
Wick’s Pizza Parlor
Yaching’s East West Cuisine
Yang Kee Noodle
Za’s Pizza Pub
Zen Garden

Earlier reviews of upscale restaurants ($40 – $60)

The links below go to earlier reviews:

Austin’s
Bendoya Sushi Bar
Bonefish Grill
Bourbons Bistro
Bravo!
Browning’s
Buca di Beppo
Captain’s Quarters
Carrabba’s Italian Grill
Club Grotto
Corner Cafe and Pizzeria
Del Frisco’s
Erika’s German Restaurant
Ferd Grisanti’s
Fuji Japanese Steakhouse
Gasthaus
Havana Rumba
India Palace
Jack Fry’s
Kobe
Martini Italian Bistro
Napa River Grill
Osaka, a Sushi Bar
Palermo Viejo
Pat’s Steakhouse
The Patron
Porcini
RockWall
Sakura Blue
Sapporo Japanese Steakhouse
Shakertown At Pleasant Hill
Shalimar Indian Restaurant
Tokyo Japanese Restaurant

Earlier reviews of restaurants in the St. Matthews (and points Northeast)

The links below go to our older restaurant reviews:

Asiatique
Austin’s
Los Aztecas
Bazo’s Fresh Mexican Grill
Bluegrass Brewing Co.
Brandon’s Barbecue
Bravo!
bw-3 Buffalo Wild Wings
California Pizza Kitchen
Captain’s Quarters
Carolina Shrimp & Seafood
Cheddar’s Casual Cafe
Corner Cafe and Pizzeria
Del Frisco’s
Dynasty Buffet
Emperor/Empress of China
Equus
The Fishery
Fuji Japanese Steakhouse
Gasthaus
Goose Creek Diner
Graeter’s Ice Cream
Havana Rumba
Heine Brothers’ Coffee
Jack’s Lounge
Jade Palace
Jucy’s
Lonnie’s Best Taste of Chicago
Martini Italian Bistro
Meridian Café
Mitchell’s Fish Market
Napa River Grill
El Nopal
Papa Murphy’s
Prospect Fish Market
Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse
Rick’s Ferrari Grille
Sakura Blue
Sonic Drive-In
Stan’s Fish Sandwich
Starlight Frozen Custard
Stoney River Legendary Steaks
Thai Cafe
Tokyo Japanese Restaurant
Tony Boombozz Pizzeria
211 Clover Lane
Vince Staten’s Barbecue
Yang Kee Noodle
W. W. Cousins
Whole Foods Market

Earlier reviews of restaurants in the Hurstbourne Lane area (and points east)

The links below go to our older restaurant reviews:

Alley Cat Cafe
Bonefish Grill
Bootleg Bar-B-Q
Buca di Beppo
Carrabba’s Italian Grill
Double Dragon Buffet
Erika’s German Restaurant
Ernesto’s Mexican
Ferd Grisanti’s
India Palace
Joe’s OK Bayou
Jumbo Buffet & Grill
King Buffet
Limestone
Lone Star Steakhouse
Mark’s Feed Store
The Melting Pot
Oriental Express
Panera Bread
Sala Thai
Sapporo Japanese Steakhouse
Sesame Chinese
Shalimar Indian Restaurant
Shogun Japanese Steakhouse
Sichuan Garden
Z’s Oyster Bar & Steakhouse