Moriarty's

Moriarty's
1116 Walnut St
Philadelphia, PA 19107

After walking and exploring the city, we decided that we needed a break.  What better place to take a break, than a place with a window overlooking the street and with a bar!  

The decor was really cool.  It was dimly lit with ornate lighting over a large bar.  The prices aren't cheap  However, they have a good happy hour.  Pints are only $3, and some of the beers were top notch.  Unfortunately, we were there too early.  They have a weekly beer that is always $3, so I had one of those.  

They have food, but we were just there for drinks.  I'd recommend this place for a beer with a good view, and definitely for happy hour.  

Buckley's Fine Filet Grill

Buckley's Fine Filet Grill
5355 Poplar Ave
Memphis, TN 38119

This is a Memphis go-to for steak.  This trip we went for a friend's birthday.  They won't seat you till everyone arrives, so make sure people are on time.  

However, while waiting, they have some dispensers with peanuts and peanut mixtures.  They are addicting, so don't get more than one cup!

They also have a full bar, so while waiting for everyone to arrive, I enjoyed a cocktail of whiskey and water.  It was good, and only about $6.  

They have a nice bar area.  The restaurant is dark and romantic.  The service is great, as well.  

My entree came with a house salad, so I of course, ordered blue cheese dressing  

The winner of the night was the meal.  I ordered the petite filet.  It was cooked to perfection.  It's smaller, but it is still 7oz, which is plenty.  They have plenty of sides, but I chose the creamed spinach, which definitely did not disappoint.  It was a perfect pairing with my steak.  

I will definitely return to this steak place.  It's good.  It's more affordable than other places, and it's a local restaurant.  

They do have other food besides steak for those non beef eaters.  

Hoss' Loaded Burgers

Hoss' Loaded Burgers
Food Truck
Nashville, TN

I love food trucks.  

And I love stuffed burgers.  

I looked at their website, and their burgers must rotate, because their current menu is different than what choices I had.

I had an order of their parmesan fries, which were only $2, and so good.  

The burger I had was the red, white, and blue.  The burger was stuffed with blue cheese and a hot wing sauce.  When I first started eating it, I thought the toppings were just on top of the burger.  Then I hit the jackpot with my bites.  OMG.  It was so good, and the perfect combination of blue cheese and hot wing sauce.  

This food truck is a must try.  

The Trailer Perk

The Trailer Perk
636 Old Hickory Blvd
Nashville, TN 37209

This is the cutest food truck ever.  It acts like it's a trashy trailer with an astroturf lawn, but it is adorable.

They have a variety of coffee, like any coffee shop.  

I went with a café latté.  It was good.  I thought it was a little pricy, though.  The barista was very friendly.  They also have a very small food menu.  I didn't try anything.  Their website said cash only, but they take cards.  

It's in the parking lot of McKay's, a good place to go to buy used movies, music, video games, or books.  

More than Just Ice Cream

More Than Just Ice Cream
1119 Locust St
Philadelphia, PA 19107

Based on a recommendation from a friend, we ended up at this place.  They definitely had more than just ice cream.  They have burgers, sandwiches, and full meals.  They also have a weekend brunch.  They don't serve alcohol, but the menu said BYOB.

I decided to go with the Sirloin Burger.  I got it with a salad instead of fries.  The salad was mixed greens with a vinaigrette.  The bread was a nice brioche bun.  I had it topped with cheddar.  The meat was a nice large piece of meat.  It was a good burger, very very filling.  

G had the cajun turkey meatloaf.  It was very tasty, but I didn't taste any cajun spice.  It was served with mashed potatoes and a HUGE broccoli piece.  

I was too full for dessert, plus I had ice cream earlier that day.  However, G had the brownie à la mode.  The brownie was hot and chocolatey; it was topped with vanilla ice cream for a perfect combination.  

My other friend ordered the key lime pie.  It was a large piece of pie.  I liked the crust.  

They had a lot of flavors of ice cream, too.  This place is good and fun.  It's the only place I've ever been to that brings everyone in the party a dessert menu without asking.  

Stirrup Nashville

Stirrup Nashville

• 1529 4th Ave South
• Nashville, Tennessee 37210

While in Nashville, we wanted to experience the gay scene.  The first night, we visited the Stirrup.  We think it's a play on words with stirrups that you wear or to stir up your drink.

It was a week day evening, so there weren't a lot of people there.  They have a full bar.  

I had a whiskey and water.  

The bartender was super friendly.  He had been to one of our favorite bars in Memphis.  He also gave us suggestions about other fun bars in the city, as well as restaurants to try.  Once we started talking to him, another patron started talking to us and giving us even more suggestions.  

My friend didn't know what he wanted and the bartender made him a surprise drink.  

The bartender is awesome and the other clientele is also friendly.  We were only able to come here once, because of our schedule, but I would definitely return.

They also have a food menu but I didn't try any.

Mad Donna's

Mad Donna's
1313 Woodland St
Nashville, TN 37206

First of all this place is in a super cute neighborhood.  I think they call it East Nashville.  It reminds me of midtown Memphis.

On Saturday, we wanted to find a brunch place.  We asked many locals at the bars we visited where they recommended, and this one came up multiple times.  

They have a spacious area inside, but we sat outside since it was a nice warm day.  

They have typical brunch items as well as burgers, soups and salads.  

They have a Bloody Mary Bar, where you get the vodka in a glass and get to choose your own mix and garnishes.  

They have a ghost pepper infused vodka that my friend tried.  He also added Sriracha hot sauce to it.  I tried the smallest drink, and I could tell it was super spicy.  He enjoyed it.  

I decided to have the 2 for 1 mimosas.  They have a variety of juices, including traditional orange juice.  I got one traditional and one pineapple.  They also have pomegranate and white grape juice to name a couple of others.  

Decisions were hard this meal.  I ended up getting the Maltese omelette, which was full of spinach, caramelized onions, artichoke hearts, and tomatoes.  I also chose my side to be cheese grits.  Then I wanted a biscuit and gravy, so I had it on the side.  

It was so good, and so much food.  

The service was friendly.  However, it was a little slow when we were ready to get our tabs.  

They are also open for lunch and dinner, and they have a late night menu.  I would love to come back here and experience the bar at night and explore the rest of the neighborhood.