NEPA Restaurant Review Thread (Scranton, Wilkes-Barre: for sale, condos, houses)

[SteelCityRising]

Since my family recently enjoyed sampling two different local eateries for the first time over the past two days, I thought this would be the perfect time to start a thread specifically to highlight LOCAL restaurants (please don't start ranting and raving over Olive Garden or Applebee's). We've had a few threads in the past specifically about pizza, wings, pierogies, etc., but I don't recall one specifically just for reviewing new restaurants we've sampled.

Bobby-O's: Dupont, PA

Having lived in the suburbs of Pittston my entire life I've become quite well acclimated to my local environment. The SW corner of Main & Ziegler in Downtown Dupont has long been the home of Kalmanowicz's Market, but that went up for sale several years ago. Finally our curiosity throughout town was piqued when renovations began on the former market several months ago with a banner proclaiming that a new restaurant was coming. My regular running route takes me right through Downtown Dupont, and I was able to track renovation progress on the old vacant building on a near-daily basis. Finally I drove by one evening and saw the parking lot filled with vehicles and every table inside that was visible from Main Street filled with hungry patrons. I knew I wanted to sample this place soon, but we didn't finally get around to it until today, even though we live just a half-mile away.

We walked into the restaurant and were pleasantly surprised by the 50s decor that consisted of various memorabilia from Elvis Presley, I Love Lucy, The Three Stooges, etc. There was a jukebox against the side wall that plays 7 songs for $2. We took advantage of that to play some music from Jimmy Buffet, Bob Seger, Beatles, and a few other timeless classics. We were treated to a complimentary pickle bar (yes, I did say PICKLE BAR!!!) after we ordered that had a few different types of pickles, peppers, and pasta salad. We were also impressed by their EXTENSIVE (and I don't take that word lightly) selection of shakes and malts. There were literally dozens of flavors ranging from Peanut Butter & Jelly to Watermelon to Cherry Cheesecake and everything in between. I enjoyed my Chocolate Peanut Butter shake. We also ordered tap water and were offered either a glass of tap water or a bottled water for an additional charge. We opted for the tap. My mother and I ordered buffalo chicken wraps, my father ordered some sort of steak wrap, and I don't quite recall what my sister and brother-in-law ordered, but they enjoyed their meals. We also split an appetizer of potato pancakes since we had a craving for them.

We were a party of five, and our bill came to just over $50, which wasn't bad at all for the food we got along with our appetizer and shakes. My buffalo chicken wrap wasn't anything to write home about. The buffalo flavor wasn't strong enough for me, and I didn't realize it would be served cold. Every other buffalo chicken wrap I've ever had was heated up, smothered in hot wing sauce, and served with a side cup of bleu cheese, which I also didn't get. I didn't care very much for it, but it was a rather healthy lunch I suppose, and at $6.99 the price was right. I plan to return with my friends from out-of-town when they come to NEPA in a few weeks so I can treat them to the shakes and sample their burgers. There were a lot of kids running amok in the place, but I wasn't irked. I'm just happy to see that Dupont, which was a relative dump for many years, rounding a corner. Bobby O's comes on the heels of other businesses opening as well that include an arcade/pool hall, bar, t-shirt shop, law firm, and renovated corner store. Another old building is soon going to be reopened as the Dupont Diner, so stay tuned for my review on that place as well!

All in all the experience was good. They could have made some improvements, but they did just open recently and have yet to work out all the kinds. A friend of mine told me that the owners moved to the area recently from NJ and got the "itch" to reopena new restaurant here because they missed operating their old one back in Jersey. Since most of the employees there had thick NJ accents I'd say that this story was probably true. Sitting at a table overlooking the street below I also saw a plethora of out-of-state vehicles passing by, indicating that our area is finally heating up as a relocation destination.

My verdict: If you're in the Pittston Area it's worth a shot. If you're a milkshake fanatic from afar who wants to sample tantalizing flavor options, scope it out as well. Otherwise it's nothing to write home about.



Smiler's: Dickson City, PA

On Friday evening we headed up to Dickson City to try a place called Smiler's along Main Avenue in the borough. Immediately we noticed one "con" of the restaurant was the lack of available parking. We didn't mind parking a block away on a residential side street, but I couldn't help but feel guilty that all of the business's patrons were hogging on-streets pots that perhaps some elderly residents otherwise would have needed for their homes. Speaking of homes, there was one beautiful Victorian-era home along the side street that runs parallel to Main Avenue to the rear of the bar that we parked in front of that I drooled over!

We walked inside, and my first thought was "uh-oh." It was a very cramped and packed typical corner bar with a blend of 20- throuh 40-somethings chatting it up, many of whom glanced at us when we entered as if they were sizing us up or something. However, my apprehensions were put at ease when we were taken to a nice table in a side room with a nice paint color on the walls. They were further put at ease when I was able to eye up our rather attractive young waiter, much to my own shame as I'm no longer single and shouldn't be letting my eyes roam like that! LOL! Since my sister and I were treating our parents for their 30th anniversary and giving them the Garmin we had purchased for their SUV, we decided to go all-out. We each ordered an alcoholic beverage. I thought it was odd that as a 21-year-old I wasn't carded, but I wasn't going to complain. I enjoyed my watermelon lemonade margarita very much, and my sister enjoyed her pineapple something or other mixed drink too. My father and brother-in-law each had one beer and then ordered a pitcher of Sam Adams. My mother had a mixed drink too and loved it. Then for an appetizer we had an AWESOME crab fondue in which we used long toothpicks to stab focaccia bread pieces into the most DELECTABLE crab fondue I've ever had with real chunks of fresh crab meat---it was even better than Cooper's, and they're supposed to be the "best" in NEPA for seafood!

For our main entrees my mother and I both had awesome beer-battered fish and chips. My brother-in-law had some sort of risotto dish and liked it, my dad had a pasta dish, and I can't quite recall what my sister ate but she also enjoyed her meal. The portions were very generous. In the end the check was WAY over $100, but man was it ever worth it! I don't explore the Mid-Valley very often, but I'll be going back to Smiler's again and again. Their menu was VERY extensive, so you could hypothetically dine there once a week for a year before having to order the same thing twice.

My verdict: A must-visit for sure if you're in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre area. The place just looks like a non-descript home on a typical street corner, but the portions are awesome, prices are average, the service is attractive (growl!!!), and our bellies were quite satisfied. My only concern is for those who live adjacent to the place as I don't know where they park when dozens of patrons' vehicles are all up and down the side streets.

P.S. As we were leaving we saw a HUGE double-burger that some snobby woman was actually sending back because it was "too big." Are you kidding me? Why not eat all that you can and then take the rest home to eat later? Is it now "taboo" to ask for a foam take-home container, as we always do?

[Retired Law 08]

Smilers sounds good,maybe we will try them tonight!

[SteelCityRising]

Originally Posted by coartist88

Smilers sounds good,maybe we will try them tonight!

I was certainly pleased. I'm usually attracted to the small corner bar types of places anyways because I like mingling with new people, but it's nice because you don't "have" to sit in the noisy smoky bar area if you were in our situation and wanted to exchange a gift before our meal. They have some nice seating areas to the rear of the bar that are very secluded and intimate. They even dimmed the lights as were getting ready to leave and came over with Aim 'n Flames to light little oil candles on the tables. It could be a very romantic place after dark, but we early birds ate at around 6:45 PM.

Perhaps I'm just being overzealous in supporting them, but I had never even heard of this place before yesterday and will now recommend them to others. The food was a little slow to come out, but I think that's because one in our party ordered a difficult dish to prepare and they probably wanted to wait to serve us all at the same time.

Smiler's is right on a corner on Main Avenue in Dickson City. From Clarks Summit you could probably hop on 6/11 through Chinchilla to head towards the Viewmont Mall but get on I-81 Southbound instead for a mile or so to the Main Avenue exit (#190). When you get off that tight exit make a right onto Main Avenue and head straight into Dickson City. You'll head about a mile to Smiler's on your right-hand side on the corner of Main & Grier. It has a nice front door angled towards the corner and is more or less catty-cornered to a new housing development. We continued down Grier to the "T" intersection and parked on Morgan Street, which runs behind the bar. It was actually a nice neighborhood too---most people think of only big-box stores when they think of Dickson City, but it also has some great homes.

[EnyaGirl]

The other night I went with my friends to Old Time Charley's in Wilkes Barre. It's a bar/restaurant. I have to say the food was SOO good!! I had their sizzling fajitas..yummmmy! The prices were so reasonable too. A huge basket of beer battered onion rings for $3.95. My friend got the mini tacos and loved them. It was so much better than your typical bar fare. Granted, we were there mainly to have a few beers and shoot some pool, but I will go back just for the food next time

[BLUEDIAMOND64]

Great Thread!!
I've been hearing wonderful things about a resturant called Peters on Route 6, I guess it would be Shohola. Anyone experienced dining there? Has anyone tried the Dimmick Inn under the new ownership?

[weluvpa]

Smiler's, Jilly's and the Lighthouse at lake Winola are all owned by members of the same family. The parents own the Lighthouse(not sure if they still do), the son owns Jilly's and the daughter and her husband own Smiler's. Smiler's and Jilly's are two of our favorite places and we have been regulars since they opened.

[cathyde]

Originally Posted by EnyaGirl

The other night I went with my friends to Old Time Charley's in Wilkes Barre. It's a bar/restaurant. I have to say the food was SOO good!! I had their sizzling fajitas..yummmmy! The prices were so reasonable too. A huge basket of beer battered onion rings for $3.95. My friend got the mini tacos and loved them. It was so much better than your typical bar fare. Granted, we were there mainly to have a few beers and shoot some pool, but I will go back just for the food next time

That's where I want to go, with my hubby, my best friend and her husband. Glad the "bar" food got a thumbs up! Can't wait to try it!

[nkotb]

Originally Posted by weluvpa

Smiler's, Jilly's and the Lighthouse at lake Winola are all owned by members of the same family. The parents own the Lighthouse(not sure if they still do), the son owns Jilly's and the daughter and her husband own Smiler's. Smiler's and Jilly's are two of our favorite places and we have been regulars since they opened.

Update: --- Smilers has nothing to do with the Piccotti family of Lake
Winola. Iris Piccotti dated and lived with the owner of Smilers. Jillys is
owned by Eric Piccotti. Since Donnie Piccotti (father) died the Lighthouse
and two lakefront houses have been sold. They have been torn down and
condos are being built. Donnie Piccotti (great guy) also was a hair stylist
and owned a shop in Scranton. He and his father also owned the Fox and
Hound in Moscow years ago. And thats all I know !!!

[The Commish]

Chick's Diner

As a long time area resident, I hadn't been to Chick's Diner during the first 21 years of my life. As circumstance would have it, I "decided" to visit while under the influence of a curiously addictive substance procured from a local establishment of debauchery. Amber in color, cold, and slightly bitter to the taste, after imbibing untold numbers of these, my stomach led me to Chick's Diner. As luck would have it, it would prove a shiny beacon of twilight nourishment.

I entered its mobbed vault and eyed a table still cluttered and dirtied with dishes. My companions lunged for the table, lest others get the same idea and prolong our hunger pangs. We waited patiently as the waitress scurried from table to table to meet the rush of starving Scrantonians, most of whom appeared to have imbibed the same curious golden substance as me.

The menu was voluminous. Although it appeared to be written in English, my mind's eye struggled to translate the suddenly peculiar looking symbols into familiar concepts like "eggs" and "omelette." My companions, who took the liberty of ordering for me, apparently sensed my struggle. Shortly thereafter, we consumed a smorgasbord of coffee, white toast, home fries, and sausage omelettes.

Such bountiful, satiating pleasures only minutes up the hill on Moosic Street.

Come to Chick's Diner!

[JenLie]

These reviews are great! My family and I went to Revello's in Old Forge the other night. The pizza was awesome! The place looked like a real dive but the food made up for it. We still want to try some of the other places on the main street there but Revello's will be tough to top! I want to try Chick's and The Glider too.