A few months ago, the South Charleston Dairy Bar reopened. I was so excited to check this place out for the first time because I have passed that building for years, and the nostalgic design reminded me of my childhood. It features a classic menu of hotdogs, hamburgers and ice cream. Plus, they do have other items like corndogs, chicken tenders, onion rings, fried mushrooms, cheese sticks, etc. They also have combo meals which you can pair with fries and daily specials, as well. A homemade dessert was even available at the counter. We called in an order, and my friend Mariah went to pick it up. She ordered a cheeseburger and fries, which she was happy with. I opted for a hotdog combo meal, which came with a side of fries and fountain drink. The hotdog was fine. The wiener didn't really fill out the bun. So, proportions were all off. I tasted more bun and slaw than anything else. The fries were fairly thick wedges, so they weren't super crispy. They tend to get pretty soft, pretty fast. That's not bad for folks who like a very potato-y fry, but I like mine on the crispy side. Overall, it's a pretty simple and standard meal in a nostalgic setting. Grade: C

When I think of the phrase "hot spot," I instantly think of a gambling establishment. In Arnoldsburg, this "hot spot" is also a full-service restaurant: Hot Spot Sandwich Shoppe.



I happened to be in town for a festival and decided to stick around to try a restaurant. This one was nearby and sounded interesting. While they did have a drive-thru, I parked and went inside. The interior has wood panelling everywhere and some cute country-esque decor.



The menu is made up of sandwiches, subs, salads and fried appetizers. I ordered a cheeseburger and fried mushrooms. They had run out of some ingredients, so the cook actually had left to go to the store. About 20 minutes later, he returned and started my order. I was the only one in there so it was a bit awkward.



The meal was definitely made to order, but was a bit lackluster. The burger could've used some salt and seasoning. The mushrooms were OK but don't hold a candke to the DQ mushrooms of yesteryear, which is my gold standard for fried mushrooms. Crunchy outer coating with a bundle of soft umami inside.



Grade: C

In my travels to visit all of the Sam's Hot Dog Stand locations, I thought I just about completed my list. But I discovered a few more locations, like this one in Ashford.



Like most others, this location is set inside a gas station. It doubles as a Hunts Brothers pizza spot as well as cookie distributor. I did a hotdog with mild chili, slaw, mustard and onions. All the flavors melded well together. They really packed on the slide here, though, which made it a bit too wet. Though, I know many others would not be complaining about too much slaw.



Grade: C

Ephen Tacos was a last-minute dinner decision while traveling through the area. It was getting late; it was dark, and I remember struggling to find a parking space to fit our RV. We parked in a nearby lot and walked over. From here on, the main thing I remember is the overwhelming stench of cat pee. It may have been from the lot and stuck to our shoes when we went inside the restaurant. But we carried it with us throughout the experience.



The dining area in the restaurant itself was fairly small and the menu a bit nebulous - "smoked fusion artistic gourmet, smoked meat tacos, housemade salsas and sauces."



I had a burrito with pulled pork and macaroni and cheese. I did enjoy it, though I wish there was a crunchy element to it. And I had a few concerns about the cleanliness inside, which dropped the overall experience score for me a bit.



Grade: C

While traveling out west for the holidays, my friends and I found ourselves in Quartzsite, Arizona, on Christmas. After frantically searching for what food options might be available on the holiday, we found Times 3 Family Restaurant.



On this particular day, they were essentially only serving the plated meal. While they said we could order off the menu, it would take a very long time. That's OK, though, because the special sounded great.



The meal began with a soup or salad; the soup of the day was broccoli and cheese. I think it was straight from a Campbell's cream of can - thick, gloopy, and sodium for days.



The main meal consisted of turkey or ham or both. Plus mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, stuffing, green beans, a roll, cranberries and pumpkin pie for dessert.



It's a homestyle, hearty plate that was definitely filling. I wish there had been some texture to anything - crispy skin on the meat or crusty bread. As it was, everything was just soft and mostly brown and covered in gravy.



It was a decent meal overall that just ate a bit monotonous and one-note. Some chives or nuts or bacon couldv've added a bit more oomph.



Grade: C

Captain Richard's, also known as Captain's Quarters, is a bar & grill in New Martinsville with a firefighter theme that extends from its logo to its decor.



The restaurant features specials frequently, but standard menu items include burgers, steaks and a number of other comfort food clasics.



I ordered the meatloaf, which was so dry that it seemed like it sat under a heat lamp for far too long. The potatoes were nice with the piped filling. They could have used more seasoning, though. The mac & cheese was OK. Overall, I think the offerings were fairly middle-of-the-road.

Grade: C

Peking Nagoya is a Chinese buffet in Weirton. Fun fact: I used to work at the former K-Mart that was next door throughout high school.



So, I have been to this restaurant throughout its various name changes in various forms. The decor is standard for Chinese–American restaurants with some big chandeliers and half-wall partitions throughout the dining space. I haven't noticed much of a change in the food over the last 15 years, but I wanted to check out this latest rendition.



I ordered coconut chicken, general tso's chicken and honey chicken to split with the family. Plus, steak hibachi with rice & veggies.



Every entrée was pretty average. The quality of the chicken is usually what sets the food apart for me. But these were a bit stringy, at least as far as the chicken goes. The steak hibachi was OK. I did like the veggie mix, but the steak was just kind of steamed so it didn't get much of a sear.



The steak lo mein may have actually been my favorite because the steak seemed less soggy and the noodles had a slight bite to them.



Grade: C

When you arrive to a restaurant to see a window boarded up, you know you're in for an adventure. Apparently, a car drove into the window of The Zone Bar & Grill, but that didn't stop them from operating. So, inside we went.



The sports bar was empty during the day for lunch, but the pool tables and dart boards give me the impression that the nightlife is more robust here. Things were also a bit sticky and the air a bit stale.



The menu was a bit more expansive than standard bar fare: appetizers, wings, sandwiches, burgers, wings, pasta, salads, etc. Not a bad assortment.



I ordered the mushroom, onion, Swiss burger. I was hoping for this extremely melty umami-packed mixture that would have added a lot of moisture, but it fell a little short. There was a bit of melted cheese, but it stopped there. I want the spices and seasonings to be kicked up several notches.



Grade: C

Skyline Drive-In is a dive that is most famously known for a musician who died just outside the building.



"Years of back pain, alcoholism, and prescription drug abuse severely compromised [Hank] Williams' health, and at the age of 29, Williams suffered from heart failure and died suddenly in the back seat of a car near Oak Hill, West Virginia, en route to a concert in Canton, Ohio, on New Year's Day 1953," according to Wikipedia.



Nonetheless, I visited with my friend Hannah to get a bite to eat. The first thing I noticed was that smoking is still permitted here, which I was not anticipating. The odor permeates the air, the fabrics, everything inside.



The interior is a mishmash of storage, dining space, and random items that didn't have a better place to go. But, it's a bar. It's a local dive that also has some food.



The menu features, hotdogs, fried appetizers, barbecue, wings and the like.



We started with some mozzarella sticks, which were OK. they didn't have that super hot stringy cheese; instead, the breading was a little thick and bland.



I had two hotdogs with onions and ketchup. These were OK, but the bun could have been steamed or warmed or something so it wasn't as dry. I also topped my side of fries with chili, cheese, sour cream, and jalapeños. these toppings dwarfed the crinkle cut fries, but the flavor combo is tried in. Higher quality ingredients could take this to the next level, though.



Grade: C