| Name: |
DaBurglar
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| Subject: |
Frankies Resturant is CLOSED
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Date:
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6/26/2008 9:58:03 PM
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Its a shame, it wasnt very good but, at least we could stop off and eat a little something on the north end of lake. For those that dont know Frankies was located at the North Lake Condos at the river bridge. We tried Suzy Qs this past weekend and a couple that was there before we got there warned us how bad it was but, it was O.K. Bext we will they the in-crowd at Sinclairs. Wondering what he dress code is at Sinclairs?
They even ran the Hamburger Boat and Ice Cream Boat off the lake...WHATaBUMMER...
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| Name: |
water_watcher
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| Subject: |
Frankies Resturant is CLOSED
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Date:
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6/26/2008 10:41:14 PM
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I really dislike Sinclairs. I used to be in the restaurant business and do not understand how a restaurant with such bad food at too high of price with such bad service and be so busy. It has to be that there are so few options or that people do not know what decent dining should look like. It is crazy.
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| Name: |
itisd
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| Subject: |
You are right NO Options
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Date:
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6/27/2008 9:39:22 AM
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Everything you mentioned has been echoed by many in the Middle part of the Lake- The first decent restaurant to open in this area will do great, provided that they do the proper things-good product-reasonable prices-decent service.
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| Name: |
Blue Creeker
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| Subject: |
A restaurant could have...
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Date:
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6/27/2008 9:46:04 AM
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...all the right things that you mentioned...but still not do well right now.
Why?
You left out the 3 most important things:
1) Location
2) Location
3) Location
Stuff at the lake ain't jivin' right now...what with gas prices and the ebbing tide that is Lake Martin.
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| Name: |
Broke Point
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| Subject: |
Sinclairs
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Date:
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6/27/2008 3:36:53 PM
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I have to DISAGREE with you on Sinclairs. My wife and I think it is great. And certainly there are not too many options on Lake Martin but Sinclairs is as good as it gets including anything I have tried in Alexander City including Cecils. The Yellow Hammer is great but again, that is not close to the lake. Go try Sinclairs if you have not given it a chance. If they have a special or two, they are usually really well done. Their Chief is a great guy... get to know him if you still have issues afterwards.
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| Name: |
boataholic
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| Subject: |
A restaurant could have...
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Date:
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6/27/2008 3:41:12 PM
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The drop in lake traffic has highlighted the fact that there is virtually no local support for the restaurants. The demographics just aren't there in Eclectic-Tallassee-Alex City. I am surprised, however, at just how sharply lake traffic remains down this year. I can understand the non-homeowners not coming as often, but it appears that even property owners are staying away.
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| Name: |
Swimmer27
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| Subject: |
Sinclairs
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Date:
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6/27/2008 3:43:01 PM
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I was there a few weeks ago. Paid $21 for a pepperoni pizza that I could have gotten in the frozen foods section of any grocery store. We were the first customers since we were there at 4pm and xervice was still horrible. Great view, but that is where it ends. The folks that go there, go to 'be seen'. I won't be back.
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| Name: |
boataholic
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| Subject: |
Sinclairs
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Date:
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6/27/2008 4:01:37 PM
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Pretty much my impression of both the one on the lake and the one in Montgomery. Once a restaurant develops that kind of reputation, it is as good as gold.
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| Name: |
slownez
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| Subject: |
Sinclairs
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Date:
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6/27/2008 5:39:38 PM
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The secret to Sinclairs is not to be the first one there. As you are being seated, take a sroll and look at other people's meals. If the fish and shrimp are fried dark brown, they have not changed the oil in a long time. The place is hit and miss on the food. Too far by boat and to expensive to be hit and miss. For those prices each should be perfect everytime.
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| Name: |
SandyCreekman
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| Subject: |
Sinclairs
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Date:
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6/28/2008 8:03:04 AM
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pretty much my experience. Great view and nice place. Yes, decent food, but at the prices paid one could expect more consistency.
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| Name: |
water_watcher
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| Subject: |
Sinclairs
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Date:
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6/28/2008 8:39:44 AM
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I am not sure if you are saying overall Sinclairs is a good restaurant with good food and service ... or are you saying it is as good as you get at the lake. In terms of as good as you get at the lake I may agree ... but is still a HORRIBLE restaurant. Service is so bad, food at best is hit or miss and the prices are way too high. I live in Atlanta the other half of my life when not at the lake ... and for much better restaurants with a chef driven creative menu you get outstanding foof with outstanding service at much lower prices.
As someone else pointed out, a pizza for over $20 that is worse than a frozen pizza. You can get a true authentic Italian pizza to die for with fresh ingredients for $11 -$13 depending on toppings.
The sell a caprese salad for $9 that is a couple hot house tomatoes with processed mozzerella ... not even basil on it. You can get heirloom tomatoes with fresh mozz and fresh basil for $7 - $9 in Atlanta.
Don't get me wrong, I don't expect the same quality at the lake ... but I do expect prices to be in line with the quality of the food and service. They are taking advantage of people at the lake because there are so few alternatives or they think people do not know any better.
That is a shame.
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| Name: |
longtimer
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| Subject: |
Sinclairs
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Date:
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6/28/2008 12:43:45 PM
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They can over-charge for their food because people will pay for it. If people on the lake really want to see a better restaurant-- or better service and food from the restaurants we already have-- then they need to stop complaining and instead stop paying. (And no, I don't mean walk out on a tab; I mean don't go in the first place.)
Yes, that means fewer restaurant visits for a while, or less variety if you have one you actually like. Personally, in almost 50 years of lake living I have yet to find one that can match the dining experience that I get from grilling on the dock with friends, but that's me; it just means that I don't feel shortchanged when I don't eat out. But if you have to eat out, and you keep paying for sub-standard service and food, don't expect things to get any better.
For best results, let them know why you won't be eating there in the future; when they feel it in the wallet and know the reason, change will happen quickly. But right now, they might just blame it on less traffic because of low water.
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| Name: |
water_watcher
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| Subject: |
Sinclairs
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Date:
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6/28/2008 6:57:49 PM
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well said. problem for us is we normally head over on a friday and dont feel like cooking ... since we are in Windermere West, it is the only choice. Saturday we either cook out like you or go to the other side of the lake.
Good post. I think they will get the message when competition opens and people flock from them. But it should not be that way. They should care about keeping and earning peoples business now.
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| Name: |
Swimmer27
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| Subject: |
Sinclairs
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Date:
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6/28/2008 7:21:48 PM
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Competition? What competition? That is why they have the service/attitude they have now. They know there isn't, and not going to be, any competition. Not anytime soon anyway. It is sad that folks are limited to the very few choices for dining out on the lake. The folks that are going there aren't likely to show up at Suzy's, no matter how many rave reveiws she gets.
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| Name: |
willallie
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| Subject: |
Sinclairs
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Date:
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6/28/2008 11:10:33 PM
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Sinclairs is not very good and hasn't been in a long time. They are the only restaurant on that end of the lake and don't really have to care what people think.
This all leads to - Anchor Bay is a good location between Kowaliga and The Ridge and what has Anchor Bay done? Nothing. Prime location and this lake is large enough for a good quality restaurant. My family haslived on the lake 45+ years. We stay at home and cook, but when the entire group is here, it would be nice to go out somewhere and have a good meal.
In August when we have 15+ people visiting, I am going to have Green Valley Market & Cafe cater (?) dinner. They have great steaks and sandwiches. Once they close at 7:00 p.m., our entire family can go sit on the porch, kids can run around, grownups can have a beer and/or glass of wine, order what we want and not have to clean up the kitchen. This is the way I am going in the future.
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| Name: |
Mack
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| Subject: |
No Argument
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Date:
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6/29/2008 9:22:21 AM
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on demanding quality and service for a good price. But, I don't see how any restaurant located around LM can survive at all. Good in the Spring/Summer months. But, how do you survive between Labor Day and March when the Lake is like a ghost town?
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| Name: |
MythBuster
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| Subject: |
No Argument
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Date:
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6/29/2008 11:27:36 AM
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Start with a skeleton crew, to reduce expenses. And serve a product that makes it worth the drive from Alex City, and the even shorter drive from Willow Point, Trillium, Windermere, and other developments that have a lot of full-timers.
It's not an ideal situation, but we have seen it work before. Before Kowaliga "mysteriously" burned, Greg Cecil was running a restaurant that was successful year-round. Of course, success is measured differently in January as opposed to June; a business owner who cannot adjust his or her way of thinking in the off-months will have problems making it through them.
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| Name: |
DroughtBuster
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| Subject: |
No Argument
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Date:
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6/29/2008 1:34:59 PM
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The argument that a restaurant cannot make it on the lake year round is rediculous. Oskars is ALWAYS packed. I would believe for one minute if you moved their building to the lakeside their business would all the sudden struggle. The problem is no-one on the lake serves food worth the money. It's a fact and we've given all locations several tries and most were way under par and overpriced for the quality and we are not real picky customers. Until a good cook and restaurant owner can come together on the lakefront , best thing to do is fill up the vehicle on the way to the lake and cook yourself!
GS
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| Name: |
DroughtBuster
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| Subject: |
No Argument
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Date:
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6/29/2008 1:36:42 PM
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said would believe- Meant would NOT believe
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| Name: |
BDGRIFF
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| Subject: |
No Argument
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Date:
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6/29/2008 7:08:31 PM
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Oskars and Niffers both do good business on the off season. I myself and my family enjoy Niffers.
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| Name: |
DroughtBuster
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| Subject: |
No Argument
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Date:
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6/29/2008 7:29:56 PM
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Niffers seems to be consistent and always a peppy atmosphere. Our favorite other than Chucks..
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| Name: |
Excape
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| Subject: |
Sinclairs
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Date:
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6/29/2008 9:24:38 PM
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My wife and I just ate tonight at Sinclairs, and it was excellent. The waiter was timely and attentive, and the food was delicious. While it wasn't cheap, the price was in line with other restaurants for the menu items we ordered. After reading the string of comments in this forum, we were worried, but our experience was nothing like what was written here.
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| Name: |
water_watcher
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| Subject: |
Sinclairs
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Date:
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6/29/2008 9:51:22 PM
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you are VERY lucky. What did you have? I will tell you the last time I was there I unrolled my napkin and obviously the had rolled up flatware that had not been washed (if error i hope). The girl apologized and brought me new. Then we ordered a bottle of wine (which they have just a handful) and I hate their tiny one glass for all wine ... but both of ours still had fingerprints and mine clearly had lipstick still on it. I showed the girl and she brought new glass and then said we are having problems with our diswasher. That in itself scares me, but what server does not check and look at glasses before bringing to a table.
As I said before I owned restaurants for several years in Atlanta, all servers were responsible for polishing flatware before service to get water spots off (never food) and glassware was always inspected and hand polished before bringing to a table.
As I have said, I don't expect that quality of service at the lake ... but their prices are so much higher than I charged with that quality and I made very good money in the business.
I know it is lack of choice that they can get away with that. But it will not always be that way and it is motivating me to open a place. I can imagine how people would react to quality food and service at a fair price.
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| Name: |
roswellric
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| Subject: |
Why....
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Date:
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6/30/2008 8:41:24 AM
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in the world would you order a Pizza at Sinclairs? I'll bet you order hamburgers at chinese restaurants ... LOL
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| Name: |
roswellric
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| Subject: |
Where...
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Date:
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6/30/2008 8:42:45 AM
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do you dine in ATL ? Just curious....
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| Name: |
roswellric
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| Subject: |
I'd say
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Date:
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6/30/2008 8:44:48 AM
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Niffers would be your best case study.
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| Name: |
water_watcher
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| Subject: |
Where...
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Date:
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6/30/2008 9:07:45 PM
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yes ... all the time.
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| Name: |
water_watcher
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| Subject: |
Where...
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Date:
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6/30/2008 9:11:13 PM
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Pretty much anywhere. I love all the Buckhead Life and 5th Group Restaurants. Rathbuns and Wisteria are favorites. If you are looking for anything special or an area I will be happy to give you a recommendation.
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Please do- Good hamburgers, Steaks , steak salads, . Call it PETA - PEOPLE EATING TASTY ANIMALS! LOL.
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| Name: |
water_watcher
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| Subject: |
opening a new restaurant
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Date:
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7/3/2008 6:26:11 PM
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Wow, that is so funny. What are you two years old.
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| Name: |
water_watcher
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| Subject: |
opening a new restaurant
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Date:
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7/3/2008 6:34:51 PM
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I'm sorry ... that was not nice. I realize you can't help yourself. It is not your fault you were educated in Alabama and don't know any better.
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