Wagner's Pharmacy is 19 of 52

Wagner's Pharmacy has been listed by Esquire mag, as 19 of 52 on the 59 Best Breakfast Places in America. (Please don't ask me to explain the math, I'm only reporting what I saw.)
http://www.esquire.com/features/food-drink/best-breakfasts-0309?click=esq_more

Have a lot of you eaten at Wagners? I would barely give them a nineteen out of 52 best in Louiisville. Yes, and that includes breakfast. I know all the history, I know the power broker/horse crowd/gambler mystic, etc,, but come on..give me a break! How do these things get started? I've eaten some greasy food specials there, some lackluster chili, and marveled at the hype.. There's a sucker born every minute.

Maybe they pick their list through Google rather than actually having someone eat there? But then there are places like O'Charley's that always have big crowds...I'd rather hang myself with dental floss than eat that crap they serve.

I like Wagner's. It's got that old school vibe. I think most the food is solidly average but I like the soups and the chili (tastes like most Louisville chili that uses Bloemer's). I eat there pretty frequently as it's close to the workplace, fast and fairly cheap.

We really need to come out to Shady Lane one of these days as I hear nothing but great things about it. However, it never really pops up when we are deciding where to eat. As a J-town resident there are PLENTY of great dining options that are close by, so we hardly ever leave the area unless we are making an infrequent special trip somewhere.

As a J-town resident there are PLENTY of great dining options that are close by, so we hardly ever leave the area unless we are making an infrequent special trip somewhere.

I live in the area and would love to know where all of these great dining options are in J-town, Hurstbourne, Fern Creek area? If you like chains then there are PLENTY. If you like unique, innovative locals then there are FEW.

Bungalow Joe's
Coko Loco's
Shalimar
Little India Cafe
Perfecto Pizza
J. Gumbo's
Bristol (If you're counting it as a local)
Homerun Burger and Fries
Puerto Vallarta
Sake Blue



~I'm sure there are more I've not named......

These are the places that we go to the most when dining out in J-Town.
Shogun, Shalimar, Coco Locos, Perfetto Pizza, El Toro, El Nopal, Thai Orchids(which I personally like a lot), J Gumbo's and Home Run Burgers are all locally owned and within a stones throw of where I live.

I'm not trying to get this topic started again; but sure, there are a lot of chains out there. But not all of them are bad. I have no problem eating at any of these places. Old Chicago, Longhorn, Smokey Bones, Steak & Shake, Culver's, Buca de Beppo, Tumbleweed, Bob Evans(for breakfast), Waffle House, Skyline, Penn Station and the occasional trip to Jumbo Buffet and Frisch's
However, I'll never understand the draw to these places that are ALWAYS packed, BD's, Olive Garden, IHOP, O' Charlies and Applebees and that godawful Chinese Buffet place next to Coco Locos.

I know of all of the places and they are very spread out. Sort of like needles in a haystack in a sea of chains. And not too many on the list qualify as unique and innovative by my definition. Dan's post brought thoughts of the Highlands/Frankfort Ave comparison as we have plenty of great locals surround J-Town. That's obviously not the case. And even if it is an unique, innovative place, say like Coco Loko's, it's just not the same vibe sitting in a mega strip mall compared to warmth of the Highlands. Just my opinion.

. And even if it is an unique, innovative place, say like Coco Loko's, it's just not the same vibe sitting in a mega strip mall compared to warmth of the Highlands. Just my opinion.

We tend to dine at most of the "unique, innovative places" on special occasions when we have the time to jockey for parking.

I think this is another topic altogether. Urban vs.Suburban living and dining.
Sure, I like the Highlands and Crescent Hill as much as anyone else.
Would I like living there? Sure I would, if I could afford the much larger mortgage payment on a much older and smaller house and yard.
Do I like living in Forest Hills? Sure I do. It's a very nice quiet neighborhood, I have WAAY more house and yard for the money and everything I could possibly need is really close by.

I agree with that. I love the Highlands but I got 10 times the house for the same money I would've spent in the Highlands.

Back to the original topic....
A couple of my personal favorites that I can't believe they left off this list....

Lou Mitchell's in Chicago. I love this place. IMHO, It's the quintessential breakfast joint. They give you orange wedges and prunes in little monkey bowls with everything.

Tupelo Honey in Asheville, NC. The food here is really good but if I was choosing a meal to line up for(they don't take reservations and the lines are LONG) it would definitely be for the breakfast.

Not a criticism but rather just an observation from someone relatively new to the area...I don't know that I've ever lived anywhere else where folks were more adverse to traveling 15 to 20 minutes to try a new restaurant...(and having said that I will admit to having fallen into that habit ourselves of late). The way people talk you'd think that driving out to (for example) Westport General is a situation where one must pack up the covered wagon before heading out on a wilderness journey.

Not a criticism but rather just an observation from someone relatively new to the area...I don't know that I've ever lived anywhere else where folks were more adverse to traveling 15 to 20 minutes to try a new restaurant...(and having said that I will admit to having fallen into that habit ourselves of late). The way people talk you'd think that driving out to (for example) Westport General is a situation where one must pack up the covered wagon before heading out on a wilderness journey.

I'm okay with you calling it a criticism. Because that's what it is. And it's the absolute truth. Steve P saying what no one else wants to say.

I'm just lazy. As for all the other people who feel the need to stay inside their own bubble, it's a matter of feeling secure in a segmented city.

Not a criticism but rather just an observation from someone relatively new to the area...I don't know that I've ever lived anywhere else where folks were more adverse to traveling 15 to 20 minutes to try a new restaurant...(and having said that I will admit to having fallen into that habit ourselves of late). The way people talk you'd think that driving out to (for example) Westport General is a situation where one must pack up the covered wagon before heading out on a wilderness journey.

We have been fighting it for 7 years (this week we turn seven years old). I drive into town almost every morning and I really do not mind the commute.

The topic of parking came up and I experienced a situation downtown today. I had a meeting with some colleagues who do not normally eat downtown and I suggested Dish on Main, (love the steak and egg) Well the driver was not used to getting around downtown and I had to give the directions. Normally I can find a parking place in about 5 min. Not the case today. After a few times around the block they were ready to give up and then we found one. These guys bitched and moaned about the inconvenience ...etc... but once they ate, and fell in love with the place, they forgot the "trouble" of parking. Point is ... do not let little things like parking and distance get in the way of a good meal. There is always a reason not to go out to eat. Ignore them all.