Not a fan of Coastal Flats, so I will leave that one out. SW has great beer, so I am looking for best all around food here.

They're all dependable (being GAR restaurants), but if I had to pick one it would be Artie's.

I like Jackson's best. They're building a new one over by Coastal Flats at Fairfax Corner. Mike's has gone down a bit lately and they have reduced the menu options. Artie's is still really good.

As long as they have my hickory grilled salmon and filet/crab-cakes combo, it doesn't matter which one. They're all great. Oh, and chocolate waffle too..

I vote Sweetwater's - my fav! I love their Monterey Salad, Crab Cakes, and Jambalaya!

I vote Arties!

Has a great atmosphere and is less crowded than SW.

The Jambalaya is money!

i work at the coastal flatts in fairfax corner, and the new place isn't jacksons, it will be a Great American "itialian style" restaurant

the food is essentially the same thruout the chain...so IMHO it comes down to how much one enjoys the facility...on that score alone, Mike's wins....it's just a shame that it was built in an emerging hell hole neighborhood.

Rather than google it, can someone list out all the locations of the Great American restaurants, or post the link to it.

I only know of

SW -> Merryfield, Centreville, Sterling/Country side
Arties -> Fairfax
Costal Flats -> Fairfax Corner

I actually like Silverado. There is never a wait, parking is easy, and the wait staff and food are just as good as any of the others. Granted, you have to go to Annandale to eat there, but for me, it is just as close as Merrifield, Tysons, or Fairfax.

I like Mike's and Artie's about the same, but location and parking push me towards Artie's since I live near GMU. Sweetwater is good, but it is always a zoo for dinner and I don't like the crowds or the wait. However, now that I work in Sterling I do hit the one in Dulles 1-2x per month and the salads are very good.

As much as I like the idea that GAR is opening and Italian-themed restaurant, it is going to turn the parking situation at Fairfax Corner from bad to worse. My daughter is a hostess at Rio Grande and she told me that they are going to have employees park either off-site or in a remote lot.

Sweetwater is fantastic. Their wood plank salmon meal, along with one of their home-brewed IPAs, is aaaabsolutely awesome.

EDIT: I just realized how ridiculously gay salmon + IPA sounds, but I don't care. They're the only folks in the area that do salmon right.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/11/2010 09:39AM by Making_stuff.

I've never been to Mike's, but would have to take Artie's over Sweetwater. The filet mignon and scrambled eggs dish on their brunch menu is rock solid and hits the spot every time.

I like Coastal Flats alot too.

Making_stuff Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Sweetwater is fantastic. Their wood plank salmon
> meal, along with one of their home-brewed IPAs, is
> aaaabsolutely awesome.

The planked salmon is very good, but it is something that I can make at home which is why a lot of people I know focus on a handful of 'signature' dishes when we go to one of the GARs. For example, I cannot duplicate their chopped salad no matter how hard I try and prime rib is too much of a pain unless it is a special occasion. The IPAs are respectable, but if I am going for the beer my preference is Dogfish Head.

I prefer Wendy's myself. Especially the ones that have turds in the urinals.

Food Lover Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I prefer Wendy's myself. Especially the ones that
> have turds in the urinals.


What about upper deckers? They're my fave!

jroc Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Rather than google it, can someone list out all
> the locations of the Great American restaurants,
> or post the link to it.
>
> I only know of
>
> SW -> Merryfield, Centreville, Sterling/Country
> side
> Arties -> Fairfax
> Costal Flats -> Fairfax Corner

Jackson -> Reston Town Center
Coastal Flats -> also Tysons Mall
Silverado -> Annandale

I vote ARBYS

Their curly fries are great.

TheMeeper Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I've never been to Mike's, but would have to take
> Artie's over Sweetwater. The filet mignon and
> scrambled eggs dish on their brunch menu is rock
> solid and hits the spot every time.
>
> I like Coastal Flats alot too.


+1

I've always thought Carlyle Grand was their best restaurant and used to love Arties as well. The Sweetwater in Sterling is the worst of the lot. They used to be great but it seems to have dropped off.

Jacksons is ok. Avoid their lobster roll. It was the worst I've ever had.

I think C.G., Arties, and Mikes are the best of the lot.

I went to Mike's this evening, and it was delish, and service was great.

(I've been there a few times earlier this year and it was good then, also.)

I go to Carlyle Grand, Mike's, Artie's, Silverado, and the Sweetwater in Merrifield. I think I like them all about the same.

Just walking by Jackson's in the evening the place strikes me as Swinging Dick central

We went to Artie's Saturday night (8:00ish) and was surprised to see the majority of people 50+ (myself included). When I go out I like to see attractive women of all ages. Maybe SW's provides this advantage in atmosphere. Food and drink always good at all places.

Having been a patron of GAR since the mid-80s, I do find all their food to be 100% consistent.

The point about people who go there being up on their looks, is spot-on. But if I wanted to go to a dump with a bunch of heffalumps at a trough, I'd look into a great buffet, or whatever they are called...

Mike's is my favorite. Least, would be Artie's or Silverado.

Your results, may vary

Artie's tops the list for me and I have tried ALL the GA restaurants. Artie's is outstanding for Food AND Service. I find it funny though that they give you a big-ass steak knife for the fillet which you can usually eat with a fork (or at least the butter knife).

Coastal Flats is my least favorite, not up to GAR normal (high) standards in my opinion. I always figured this was their minor league location.

Mike's meh, it's okay, but can be hit or miss (and this is not just my opinion but the opinion of several others.

Sweatwater, (both locations) good beer and some of the same excellent fare as Artie's as well other good items, but a bit noisier. kinda nice if you want to eat outside on those rare days when the weather is perfect.

Artie's: just a stand-out on everything. Great food excellent service, nice atmosphere. Worst thing I can say about Artie's is the parking is a little sucky and getting in & out of their location is a bit more of a pain-in-the-ass. When I just want a meal to be spot-on right with no hassle or worries, I go to Artie's. The ONE time they actually managed to mess something up, they made up for it in Spades, I don't even remember what it was now, I just recall that the service-recovery was exceptional. BTW, I like the steak, the Mrs. likes the fish and every family or friend we've taken has liked their fare as well. Okay - I've made my point, I'll stop now...

sweet water is def the best