Zagat Survey Discussions

Nowadays it seems as though we’re seeing restaurants go out of business and change ownership more than ever. What restaurants have closed their doors that you miss and wish would open again?

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Ruppert's Restaurant on 7th St NW, Washington, D.C. in the old Ruppert's Real Estate building was amazing! It closed years ago, and I'm still raving to people about how good the food was, how the bread and cheese course was a meal in itself, and especially about the strawberry shortcake that came out on a made-to-order English muffin with house made butter ice cream! God! I wish I could go back in time and eat there again!

I was always a fan of Wild Ginger on Grove Street in the West Village. The Thai menu broke no new ground, but the dishes were always carefully prepared -- the summer roll was a real stand-out -- the service was friendly and efficient, the atmosphere was inviting (if a bit dark), and the prices were amazing. The place always had a table available, but seemed to have a steady business in its sit-down, take-out and private party (a separate room was available) trade. I assume the lease ran out and the landlord demanded too much rent.

Let's hope that the growing inventory of vacant restaurant space in the neighborhood awakens property owners to the current economic realities.

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Let the adventure continue...

Arthurs 27, Lake Buena Vista, FL.  Spectular views of Disney (especially if you were there late enough to see the fireworks), superior service and outstanding food. Very sad to have seen it go a few years ago.................

RoyH1367819 wrote:
Ruppert's Restaurant on 7th St NW, Washington, D.C. in the old Ruppert's Real Estate building was amazing! It closed years ago, and I'm still raving to people about how good the food was, how the bread and cheese course was a meal in itself, and especially about the strawberry shortcake that came out on a made-to-order English muffin with house made butter ice cream! God! I wish I could go back in time and eat there again!
 
I agree ! Ruppert's in DC was wierd, wild, and wonderful......and delicious !

I would add a R.I.P. for the QUILTED GIRAFE in NYC, except I wish it would come back to life !

L'Ermitage in New York City! It was a Russian/French restaurant that was marvelous. it was only there a few years, but you felt like you were in an elegant restaurant in St. Petersburg at the time of the Tsars.

The Quilted Giraffe in New York. Napoleon's in Toronto. Yes, I know both have been gone for decades, but still ...

Two great restaurants in Cincinnati are sorely missed. Maisonette and Jean-Robert. In Chicago, Le Francais; In New York, the Quilted Girafe and the Forum of the 12 Caesars in Rockefeller Center. 

Opus 5 in Boca Raton, Florida. Always busy and a popular favorite. We will miss it.

I just had dinner there on Saturday the 8th. I heard that it has changed ownership, but not closing.

Dish in Boston's South End. What happened???

The old Scandia in LA...I have been to some reruns but they are NOT the same!

Blum's with its coffee crunch cake and caramel, chocolate or marshmallow lined glsses which contained super thick shakes, the best Monte Cristo sandwich..and a wonderful atmosphere for kids.

Townsend's in SF...an old fashioned noisy eatery with counters and tile floors and no nonsense waitresses... that had some of the best made from scratch cakes around...one that looked like chocolate patent leather frosting on a yummy yellow two layer cake and also their creamed spinach...I have the recipe through trial and error...very unusual and delicious...

Grants on 42nd Street, just off Times Square. Two bars, greasy hamburgers, cheap and fresh seafood, open 24 hours a day, sleazy clientele. Disney, go home.

To ZAGAT_Administrator: I'm still sad about the sudden closing of Garden Cafe in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn. Tiny and charming, with wonderful food, it was a real treasure.

It would have to be Klein's Seafood Restaurant in Pittsburgh, PA. The hot garlic rolls at the beginning of every meal were reason enough to make it your dining destination. The crabmeat imperial and stuffed lobsters still linger in my mind even though the place closed its doors nearly 20 years ago!

on long island, where i grew up, it was JOE'S KING NEPTUNE in cold spring harbor for seafood, MANERO'S in syosset for steaks, & the BEAU SEJOUR in bethpage was my first experience w/french food & service.
a day of winery hopping in napa will never be the same without breakfast @ THE DINER in yountsville.
in new orleans, my home now, i miss WISE'S CAFETERIA for shrimp remoulade & turkey dinner any day of the year; BUSTER HOLMES' for red beans & rice for under $1;UGLISCH'S for lunch;seafood @ FITZGERALD'S on the lake; TAKEE OUTEE in the quarter for street chinese; GHENGIS KAHN for korean food & classical violin.
some i missed when they were open & wish i could go to now: CHASSON'S in l.a.;LE RUTH'S in new orleans; LUCHOW'S, TOOTS SHOR'S , & JACK DEMPSEY'S in n.y.c.;RUPPERT'S in d.c. must have been great.
i'd love to go back to a HORN & HARDARDT'S or a HO JO'S. or a LUM'S. a frozen custard from GERTZ'S dept. store would go good.

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