Where do I eat?!?

When traveling extensively for business, the chain restaurants can get very old very quickly.  The best way to find a place to eat?  This is simple, ask someone.

Many hotel rooms will have a list of local restaurants in the room information packet; however, it is good to remember that these are advertisements that were paid for by those restaurants.  Also, many local magazines may do a spread on a restaurant, but again, it may be something the restaurant paid for.

If you are flying into a city where you will be staying, start asking right away.  Ask the rental car person; if there is another rental car person you have to talk to upon leaving the parking lot, ask them.  When you check into the hotel, ask the check-in clerk.  This one is tricky as the local restaurants may offer kick backs to hotel check-in clerks, so be cautious.  One way to avoid this is to ask the cleaning staff or maintenance staff you see walking around.  Stop and get a bottle of water at a gas station and ask the clerk.  If you have to go to an office supply store for any reason, ask the sales people and cashiers there.  If you have a good enough relationship with the people you are visiting, ask them a couple of weeks in advance.

As I said, there are a few suggestions to be cautious about; the in room suggestions, hotel check in staff, cab drivers, local magazines, etc.  One other one that people do not realize is online reviews.

Anyone with an internet connection can place an online review of a restaurant, keep this in mind.  It is very easy for one angry customer to place 20 angry reviews about a perfectly good restaurant.  Also, the opposite is true as well, it is very easy for a restaurant owner to place 20 "anonymous" excellent reviews. For these reasons is why I suggest asking anyone and everyone.

If you ask enough people, you will begin to see a few restaurants being recommended several times.  Once you try one of those restaurants, if you are pleased, ask your server if they have any recommendations for other local places.  Generally, the service industry is a tight knit group, and have more than likely worked with each other at one restaurant or another.  They can tell you great places to try, as well as great places to avoid.

Good luck, and good eats!