Do you "connect" much more with Atlanta than Miami and Las Vegas? (Bachelor Paradise) (largest, population)

[JMatl]

Originally Posted by elchevere

I have dined at Cote, Caviar Russe and Carbone here in Miami and did not notice any difference or decline in quality vs. my experience at the original NYC locations that earned the Michelin stars....I have also dined at a Thomas Keller restaurant here in Miami that was comparable to the one I have dined at in NYC. I had a great meal at Fiola Miami, though I have not been to their original Michelin star location in DC.

Just so we are on the same page, these restaurants and/or chefs are one of only a few that have opened up in select cities--these are NOT "chained" out restaurants like a 25+ outlet steakhouse (Morton's) in dozens of cities that has been taken over by Landry's where quality and consistency goes down the drain or a in name only, watered down Wolfgang Puck Cafe Express found at numerous airports across the country that bears no resemblance to his flagship Spago.

If you do not wish to use Michelin as a reputable guide since it only involves 5 US cities, then let's have a look at the 2021 Forbes Travel Guide Awards which spans the entire USA and came up with the following number of 5 star, 4 star and recommended restaurants for Atlanta, Vegas, and Miami....I would be curious if you have a different recognized guide that might, besides your personal experience, offer different results.

https://www.forbestravelguide.com/award-winners

Atlanta: 2
Vegas: 15
Miami: 8


As I also alluded to earlier, both Vegas and Miami have attracted numerous top NYC restaurant outposts. In fact, Miami has attracted so many Robb Report produced the following article earlier this year calling it America's hottest dining destination (it has also attracted Philadelphia's Stephen Starr and Chicago's Maple & Ash and Etta and London's Sexy Fish are coming within the next year). Some non Michelin restaurants that I have dined at in NYC and Miami with no difference in quality include Scarpetta and Il Mulino...even something as basic as Lucali pizza is as good here as the one I have had at their top rated Brooklyn location. What top tier restaurants from other cities has Atlanta attracted recently?

https://robbreport.com/food-drink/di...ca-1234607434/

I could also point out that pre-Covid, Miami had the #1 grossing independent restaurant in the entire country--Joe's Stone Crab (not bad, considering its flagship item is not available for sale 5 months of the year) and it has produced and exported mid range restaurants (not talking fast food) to other US cities (including Atlanta, Dallas and NYC) and abroad. I would love for a top rated Atlanta restaurant to open here or Vegas.

You didn't answer my question regarding fine dining recently in Atlanta. And I am not impressed by outposts of NYC restaurants, I could care less.

[Vlajos]

Miami by far. Vegas is gross and Atlanta is overrated and boring.

[elchevere]

I haven’t been to Atlanta in a few years, but clearly Forbes Travel Guide has and did not view the restaurants there as highly (or as many) as Vegas or Miami. Meanwhile top restauranteurs (Thomas Keller, Daniel Boulud, Michael Mina, Jose Andres, Jean-Georges, etc) have not opened there either. As for NYC restaurants, I’ve yet to see any ranking where Atlanta is considered a better restaurant city. Please share if you have any recognized guides or rating agencies that indicate otherwise. Given a choice of having an outpost from a top restaurant here from there (or DC, Chicago, CA, Europe, etc) or not, I choose to have—the good ones we get elevate—not diminish—our dining scene and I can eat at one here without diminution in quality or having to get on a plane to do so.

In the meantime, which outpost (Michelin, Forbes, James Beard, NYC, DC, elsewhere) have you dined at recently in Vegas or Miami? Using your logic, Per Se (an outpost) sucks because French Laundry came first and the quality couldn't possibly be replicated?

Originally Posted by JMatl

You didn't answer my question regarding fine dining recently in Atlanta. And I am not impressed by outposts of NYC restaurants, I could care less.

[SEAandATL]

Yeah, when it comes to restaurants, all I care about are the Yelp and Google reviews (4-stars or above).

[elchevere]

Some go by TripAdvisor and Reddit.

Originally Posted by SEAandATL

Yeah, when it comes to restaurants, all I care about are the Yelp and Google reviews (4-stars or above).

[JMatl]

Originally Posted by elchevere

I haven’t been to Atlanta in a few years, but clearly Forbes Travel Guide has and did not view the restaurants there as highly (or as many) as Vegas or Miami. Meanwhile top restauranteurs (Thomas Keller, Daniel Boulud, Michael Mina, Jose Andres, Jean-Georges, etc) have not opened there either. As for NYC restaurants, I’ve yet to see any ranking where Atlanta is considered a better restaurant city. Please share if you have any recognized guides or rating agencies that indicate otherwise. Given a choice of having an outpost from a top restaurant here from there (or DC, Chicago, CA, Europe, etc) or not, I choose to have—the good ones we get elevate—not diminish—our dining scene and I can eat at one here without diminution in quality or having to get on a plane to do so.

In the meantime, which outpost (Michelin, Forbes, James Beard, NYC, DC, elsewhere) have you dined at recently in Vegas or Miami? Using your logic, Per Se (an outpost) sucks because French Laundry came first and the quality couldn't possibly be replicated?

Wait, what??? You have got to be kidding! Please point to where I EVER said that Atlanta is a better restaurant city than NY. How does my not caring about trendy NY restaurants even possibly equate to such a claim? I guess I've been giving you more credit than I should have, this conversation is over.

[elchevere]

Don’t get your undies twisted in knots…you said top NYC outposts that you did not name (and good ones at that—not one of 25 franchised outlets in 18 different cities) fail to impress you; a likelier explanation is Atlanta fails to impress these top rated restaurants and chefs who have done market studies and determined it is not worth their while to open ventures there.

I fail to understand how good outposts that don’t compromise quality, along with those from internationally acclaimed chefs and other cities domestic and abroad—(with the majority not “trendy”) do not complement the local scene and elevate the dining experience of cities that have them….and I never said Atlanta didn’t have any very good restaurants—just not as many as Vegas, Miami, and several other cities. Not sure why you cannot accept that and/or provide acknowledged sources that indicate otherwise, which I asked for earlier.

Originally Posted by JMatl

Wait, what??? You have got to be kidding! Please point to where I EVER said that Atlanta is a better restaurant city than NY. How does my not caring about trendy NY restaurants even possibly equate to such a claim? I guess I've been giving you more credit than I should have, this conversation is over.

[silverct9a]

Miami summers? Lol aren’t you in Austin?

Originally Posted by Need4Camaro

Haven’t spent enough time in either Miami or Vegas but I feel sorry for anyone who has to endure their summers.

[JMatl]

Originally Posted by elchevere

Don’t get your undies twisted in knots…you said top NYC outposts that you did not name (and good ones at that—not one of 25 franchised outlets in 18 different cities) fail to impress you; a likelier explanation is Atlanta fails to impress these top rated restaurants and chefs who have done market studies and determined it is not worth their while to open ventures there.

I fail to understand how good outposts that don’t compromise quality, along with those from internationally acclaimed chefs and other cities domestic and abroad—(with the majority not “trendy”) do not complement the local scene and elevate the dining experience of cities that have them….and I never said Atlanta didn’t have any very good restaurants—just not as many as Vegas, Miami, and several other cities. Not sure why you cannot accept that and/or provide acknowledged sources that indicate otherwise, which I asked for earlier.

And you assumed that Atlanta couldn't compete with Vegas and Miami without any experience to back it up, and declared it as fact anyway. Works both ways Bud.

I'm not part of the 1% crowd, nor do I wish to be around them. Besides, I get the impression that the 'see and be seen' factor interests you more than ambiance and the quality of the food. Another big turn-off.

You do the pseudo-Michelin rated places in Miami, and I'll suffer through our subpar hick offerings up here in the sticks.

[elchevere]

I eat out every meal and have for decades, sometimes at nice places and many at casual places….but when I do want a very good meal at a highly rated restaurant I have plenty of options here without needing to get on a plane. Some are not worth the money and I don’t return—you should read some of my negative Yelp reviews …..not sure why you’re hung up with a top restaurant or chef automatically equating to a see and be seen type of place with poor quality…lol—some are, many aren’t (not sure where I gave you that impression)….I’m typing this from my local Lucali—a Brooklyn outpost of a very good, not see and be seen casual pizza place minus Instagram models in my sweatpants and ball cap. Not everything in Miami is the 12 square block touristy portion of South Beach in greater Miami that you might think it is nor is 95% of the population uneducated Spanish speaking Uber drivers or dish washers making $15K/year supported only by tourists and 12 wealthy cartel families as some others on CD think.

That being said, show me lists of credited outfits that rank Atlanta as a consistent top 10 US restaurant city, which Vegas and Miami often are….doesn’t mean Atlanta is awful—as I said before and will say again, just not AS good as these 2 cities (or NYC, SF, CHI, LA, Houston, NOLA, Portland, and a few others). Maybe it is #11 or maybe 15–not 74th or 4th.

Originally Posted by JMatl

And you assumed that Atlanta couldn't compete with Vegas and Miami without any experience to back it up, and declared it as fact anyway. Works both ways Bud.

I'm not part of the 1% crowd, nor do I wish to be around them. Besides, I get the impression that the 'see and be seen' factor interests you more than ambiance and the quality of the food. Another big turn-off.

You do the pseudo-Michelin rated places in Miami, and I'll suffer through our subpar hick offerings up here in the sticks.