DL C.'s Profile

The best part of Pizza 51 are the slices. One slice is easily enough for a reasonable appetite, and they are custom made to order. No congealing pizzas under heat lamps here.

They have a small selection of beers that offer the perfect complement to to a meat-laden pie.

The atmosphere is nice but a little cacophonous when full. The patio is pretty huge and partially shaded.

Salads are not great--premade, too much iceberg, bottled dressing.

Let me start by saying that this is really good BBQ. BUT...people like it a little too much. It is consistently very good, but ultimately pretty middle of the road in terms of flavors and menu choices.

It's not better than Arthur Bryant's. Just isn't.

The gas station thing is cute and notable, but it's not a dive. There are too many old people and children for it to be a dive. White people from Kansas love this place because they don't have to go to the 'hood to get good BBQ, it's just that simple. This is the Johnson County idea of slumming. Sure, that's fine, it's good food, but go somewhere else once in a while why don't you?

The fries are way over-seasoned. Pulled pork and ribs are excellent.

As a hotel, it's very bare bones: no phone, no TV, no private bath. Rooms tend to be small unless you go for the queen size up in the front of the building. These however are extremely loud when the windows are open at night.

The bar itself is beautiful and tends to be pretty empty during they day. The staff members are some of the nicest I've come across anywhere, but maybe that's just a Portland thing.

The drinks are a little on the pricy side. The varieties of house-made beer are underwhelming, but the gin is actually quite good.

The food is also better than average bar fare. And the patio is great during a nice summer day. Free wi-fi as well.

The music, on the other hand, is not my cup of tea. It tends to be acoustic folk-rock hippie kind of crap that throws me into a blind rage whenever I hear it. But maybe you like that sort of thing.

I really liked this place. It was so mellow, laid back, the portions were generous and the food was great tasting.

They have some nice outdoor seating but the interior is also sunny and welcoming. The server was extremely nice, and hilariously clumsy.

The mimosas are very big, they come in a wine glass not a champagne flute. And they are $5 which seems like a good deal.

Just a very good neighborhood joint that I was glad to happen upon.

This is a great little place with a terrible name. The owner greets you personally and overenthusiastically. It's cheap--especially for Portland--and the food is very tasty. A good option if Pok Pok is too much for you and you just want some quick eats.

If it had a liquor license, I'd be all over it.

Plenty of options for cheap beer and crappy bar eats. I came for the karaoke and was not disappointed.

I did find it odd that you have to pay $1 to put your name in. I've never experienced karaoke where you have to pay, but I suppose it does make you choose more carefully and provides the host(ess) with a little scratch.

The decor is tiki, but not necessarily super outrageous. Kind of like a 70's Red Lobster gone completely haywire.

Extremely flavorful and spicy southeast Asian food here. Small plates, meant for sharing that range from pedestrian noodles to spit-roasted hen to boar cheek.

The food is typically very spicy and goes well with sticky rice and cold beer.

The service on my visit was excellent. One waiter took care of our group of 20-25 with no problem.

Awesome specialty cocktails with fresh ingredients and an Asian twist.

I find it hilarious that so many Portlanders on Yelp hate the coffee here.

You see I didn't really notice. I wish I could be that picky. Hell I was hungover what do you want?

Anyway, Muddy's is very very cute, comfortable and the staff is extremely friendly.

I didn't really like the food all that much though. The bacon was like beef jerky, as if it had been sitting on the griddle all morning then heated up in the microwave. The tofu scramble was sheer disappointment, mushy and heavily flavored with something overpowering like tamari. Service was a tad slow, we had to track down the waitress for our check, but she made up for it in pleasant demeanor.

These are the best kind of Italian sandwiches. A small portion of highly seasoned meat, some fresh cheese, olive oil, maybe some roasted peppers or giardinera. Contrary to popular belief an Italian sub should not be piled high with three inches of salami (joke? anyone?), much less ham or mustard or *gag* mayonnaise. Bella Napoli does a nice job with the sandwiches, these fresh mozzarella is perfect, the olive oil is good, and the meats are high quality. I enjoyed a sub with prosciutto, fresh mozz, roasted red peppers and fresh basil.

My only quibble is the bread, which lacks the definitive crust that I've come to expect from good Italians. Italian bread should hurt the roof of your mouth a little when you bite into it. The bread at Cupini's is better, but their sandwiches--while also good--are a tad less authentic than Bella Napoli.

You don't really need side dishes with your sandwich, but chips are available. Drinks can be procured at the register. Sandwiches cost between 6 and 7 dollars so you'll get out for less than 10 bucks all told. As for seating there are half a dozen tables scattered throughout the place and a few outside.

In terms of a quick lunch, I'm not sure you can do much better in Brookside than Bella Napoli.

Good but small buffet at lunch hour. Their kabobs are excellent, and the atmosphere is nice for a strip mall joint. The owner is a real character. He will make sure you enjoyed your meal.

See my review at http://www.kclunchspot...