El Charro Mexican Restaurant, Horn Lake, MS

El Charro

MAP

El Charro is a Mexican restaurant in Horn Lake just west of Bullfrog Corner (Highway 51 and Highway 302). I've been there many times over the years. I first discovered it many years ago on the way to Tunica while riding with someone else. We were hungry and stopped there randomly and I've been going there ever since, even though at the time I first found it, I barely knew where I was. I had never been to Horn Lake before then.

Now that I live near it, I go there pretty regularly, I just haven't been real recently.

Prices are about average for an independent restaurant. Lunch today was about $13.00, including a small queso, drink, and tax.

Yesterday I got the lunch combo with a quesadilla, chicken enchilada, and refried beans and it was very good as always. There are always friendly and service is almost always pretty fast, even when they are busy. Several friends of mine go there regularly also.

Mugshots, Hattiesburg, MS

Mugshots

No map, since they have multiple locations, but there is a map on their website.

Mugshots is a chain with locations in Mississippi, Alabama, and Louisiana. I went to the location is Hattiesburg which is the original according to the website about a week and a half ago on Sunday 5/13. I was in town for a company conference and we went there after we got checked in to the hotel. It was very convenient because it was basically in the hotel parking lot.

It was good, but not great. I got a country fried steak and it was cooked differently than I had ever had one (not in a bad way, just different), and I got a side salad and mashed potatoes. Prices were about average for a bar and grill. I believe the total was around $20 or $21 with drink and tip.

It's definitely worth trying if you're in the area. I forget what my coworker got, but she said it was good.

As a side note, we stayed at the Courtyard Marriott near USM, and it was a nice facility. They have an onsite restaurant, but the prices are really high. An order french fries with three different types of dipping sauce was $7.00, and there were only a few fries, but, they were good.

They also don't serve complimentary breakfast like most other hotels do, but it was a nice room and clean. 

Kirby Pines Retirement Community, Memphis, TN

Kirby Pines

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Ok, so this is an odd one. I had a gig at this location this past Saturday night 5/19. Normally I wouldn't review a place like this because they aren't open to the general public, but they served us dinner, so I'm going to. I don't know much about it as far as a living facility, but the lobby area and dining room are fantastic. I've played a couple of other gigs there too, but nothing recently.

This past Saturday, they had dinner set up as a buffet. I don't know if that's how they normal setup, but it was great. I got a baked chicken breast, a hamburger steak, a baked potato, and some mixed vegetables. There were also other choices, hot dogs, hamburgers, and one or two other options, and several types of deserts, including ice cream.

I have no idea how expensive it is since, as I said, it's not open to the general public. I assume meals are included in the monthly rent or something or residents can buy a meal package. Anyway, if you're ever over there while they are serving dinner and can join in, definitely do it!

One and Only BBQ, Memphis, TN

One and Only

MAP

One and Only is a local chain. I have only been to the location on Perkins, which is just South of Poplar right by the railroad tracks. Many years ago it was in IHoP and for a few years after that, it was a Johnny Rockets burger place.

I went there on 5/24 to meet a friend for a lunch appointment and it was great. I had been there once before a few years ago to and remember it being really good.

Yesterday I got a BBQ plate with potato salad (at my friend's suggestion) and beans, and before I arrived, he had already ordered Brunswick Stew and some chicken drummies as an appetizer, and those where great also.

My friend actually paid, which I feel guilty about because I was there mainly to pay him some money I owed him, so I don't know exactly how much the bill was, but as I remember, it's about average for a BBQ place. I definitely recommend it.

Santa Rosa, Southaven, MS

Santa Rosa

MAP

Santa Rosa is a Mexican restaurant on Church Road in Southaven, a block or so east of the Tanger Mall, behind the Autozone. I went there today for lunch because I was next door on business anyway.

I don't know how long it's been a Mexican restaurant. It used to be a burger place but I had not been there since sometime around a year ago, but as soon as I walked in, I recognized the interior.

I got the lunch chicken quesadilla special and it was very good and reasonably priced. The total bill including a cheese dip, drink, and tax was $13.00, and the service was very good. They weren't busy at all which was surprising considering it was lunch time.

Sling Shot Charlie's, Arlington, TN

Sling Shot Charlie's

MAP

Sling Shot Charlie's is a home-town restaurant on US-70 in Arlington, just east of Main Street. I went there back in November for lunch with some friends that I hadn't seen in a while. I got a cheeseburger and to be honest, it was mediocre, not bad, just nothing special, however, that said, it wasn't bad, and everything the other folks got looked great. I've been trying to get back out there to trying something else, I just haven't made it yet.

Prices were reasonable. It seems like the burger was $5.99 or something like that before tax.

Local's (on the Square), Memphis, TN

Locals

MAP

Locals is a pub on Overton Square, at the corner of Madison and Cooper. It's in the building where Yosemite Sam's used to be.

I went there for the first time a couple of years ago, and was there again back in November. I met a friend there the first time on her suggestion, and have been back several times since.

Their food is really good and the kitchen is open fairly late.  This last time, I got the cheese and sausage plate, and it was very good and priced about average for a bar and grill.

Other times, I've gotten the duck sandwich, which has been really good.

It is definitely a bar, so if you go in during the evening, it tends to be loud, but that's normal.

Picosos Mexican Restaurant, Memphis, TN

Los Picosos

MAP

Picosos is a small, very authentic (as in, most of the staff don't speak English) Mexican restaurant in Memphis on Summer Avenue, just west of Graham, across from Grahamwood Elementary. I went there for the first time back in November on suggestion of a friend and it was fantastic.

I don't remember exactly how much it was, but it was reasonably priced. I ordered the Alambres with chorizo, with onion and peppers and came with tortilla shells, but I normally don't use the tortillas.

Of all the Mexican places I go to, this one is at the top of the list. It's definitely worth trying.

Bozo's BBQ, Mason, TN

Bozo's
MAP

Bozo's is a privately owned barbecue restaurant in on US-70 in Mason, TN, a few miles east of Memphis, before you get to Brownsville.  I've been there many times in my life, and went again a few months ago in October.

They have been around since long before I was born. We used to go there when I was very young, and it had been there a long time then. I don't think the original family owns it now, but the food is still great.

This is the one of the few barbecue places where I actually get barbecue. It comes with no sauce on it and you choose between three sauces that are at the table, mild, medium, and hot. I like the hot but all three are good.

I can't remember how much it was, but they are priced about average. They are also known for their pies, which they make fresh daily. Definitely give it a try if you are out that way.

Noodles Asian Bistro, Germantown, TN

Noodles

MAP

Noodles is a small Asian restaurant in Germantown, on Exeter just north of Poplar Avenue, although they also have another location in Bartlett which is larger. I went there last night before a gig with the other musicians. It was really good and fairly priced.

It turns out that what I wanted to order was coincidentally the Saturday special, so it came with a salad and spring roll that it normally wouldn't have come with and it was cheaper. I happened to get the daily special list in the first picture.

I got the Sesame Chicken and it came with a salad with ginger dressing. I don't remember the exact total but the entree was $8.50 before tax. Everybody said what they got was good. There were about 7 of us and everybody got something different.

Mish Mash Time Again

Neighborhood Grill, Olive Branch

5-2-18 Country Fried Steak, Potato Salad, Black-Eyed Peas, Deviled Eggs, banana puuding.

El Gallo Giro, Memphis

5-22-18 Choripollo, Chorizo (Mexican Sausage) and chicken with rice, beans, and tortillas

Country Skillet, Southaven

4-22-18 Cheeseburger and Onion Rings (for breakfast!)

Wise Guys Pizza, Horn Lake

4-22-18  The "Junkyard" and Pepperjack Bites

Cracker Barrel

4-15-18 Country Fried Chicken Bowl

Dale's, Southaven, MS

Dale's

MAP

Dale's is a full service restaurant in Southaven on Main Street (Stateline Road West) a block or so west of Millbranch Road. I went there for the first time many years ago before I even knew I where I was, and I've been there many times since.

They are a family owned restaurant and the food has always been great. I had not been there recently but a friend of mine is in the local MOPAR club and they had a meeting there this past Tuesday night and I went over just for kicks. The food was great as always.

That night, I got the country fried steak with a side salad, pinto beans, and macaroni and cheese. Their side salad is one of the best around. At many places, the side salad is just some lettuce with maybe some carrots on it, but at Dale's, it's a regular salad, just a little smaller (I forgot to take a picture of the salad).

They have a daily special and that's what I got. All together before tip, including a drink, it was around $10.00.