Sugar Pike Junction Restaurant - Breakfast, Lunch Sandwich Shop

2855 Lower Union Hill Rd Canton, GA 30115

Serving Breakfast and Lunch from 7am - 3pm Mon - Sat, 8am - 3pm Sun

This place is what some would call a "shack"... AND THE FOOD IS AWESOME!!  Now, this is not somewhere you want to dress up to go to.  There's no need.  You may just want to order your meal to-go.  There are a couple of (and I do mean 2) large tables on the inside and a few picnic table outside.

Dave and I went for lunch a few days ago.  I ordered a DELUXE chicken salad sandwich on a toasted roll.  The deluxe chicken salad has grapes, apples, pecans, and celery.  It was the perfect chicken salad sandwich.  I don't believe I've had better!  Dave ordered the pressed cuban sandwich.  Again, perfectly toasted and perfectly delicious!  We were so impressed.  Their sweet tea is also incredibly good.  We just had to try a little something else while we were there, so Dave went back in and ordered some potato salad.  He absolutely loved it.  I am a potato salad snob, and I like mine with sweet pickles.  This was not that type, but I will admit it was good.

We plan on coming back for breakfast some time soon.  They have all different kinds of biscuits, wraps and platters.  Their lunch menu has many different types of cold subs, hot subs, hot dogs, hamburgers, salads etc...  I've got to go back for lunch to try some of the other sandwiches!!

If you're looking for something quick to eat or to take-out - give this place a try!

Atmosphere - It is what it is...
Food - HIT! HIT! HIT!
Service - HIT!
Price - HIT! ($4.99 for my sandwich was not bad at all!)

Pure Taqueria-Mexican

www.puretaqueria.com

There are four Pure Taqueria's in the Metro-Atlanta area.  The only one that I have been to is the Woodstock location.

This is a new restaurant/bar in old town Woodstock.  I have been four different times.  Three times for lunch with friends and once for dinner with the family.  This restaurant has been a HIT or MISS place for me - one that I'm really not that sure of.  So you ask, "What keeps you coming back?"  The answer:  There are very few places in Woodstock to meet friends out to eat for lunch that are not just "chains".  Let me know if you know of some better places in the area because I want to try them!

Let's start with the positives.  The roof top bar is a great place to eat in nice weather and hang out in the evenings.  It's definitely the most hopping place in Woodstock for the adult crowd at night.  There's a great atmosphere on the roof!  The inside, now this is just MY opinion, leaves much to be desired.  It really has no atmosphere.  The tables are all really close together and the decor is just bland.  Nothing special, to be sure.  It can get very crowded and loud inside - this includes the enclosed "porch" area.

The food...it really has been a Hit or Miss.  Here is what I've tried:

Appetizers:
Guacamole y tostados - very good, fresh guacamole!!
Salsa - very average salsa.
Queso with jalepenos - Very average cheese dip.


Entrees:
Pescado - (Three fish tacos with slaw)  This is the first entree I had at Pure.  I was not crazy about it.  The taste was extremely bland.  Also, Pure uses corn-masa tortillas which gives the dish a distinct taste - one that I was not crazy about.  After this first entree, I had decided that I had no burning desire to return here to eat.


Chicken and rice soup - I did return to Pure for lunch with a friend, and this is what I ordered.  It was just OK.  It was very spicy!  It was quite a large serving so I brought my left-overs home.  The left-overs never got eaten.  This should speak for itself...in my home left-overs ALWAYS get eaten.


Taquitos de pollo - My first real food HIT at this restaurant.  They were very good!! AND we ate on the roof top bar for the first time (it was a beautiful day) so everything was working out for me!  Of course, I DID have to rush out to pick up a sick child from school, but we were finished with lunch, so it didn't ruin anything :)  


Kids Meals - We had a very difficult time finding something that our youngest would eat.  He's not a huge Mexican food fan...and, at that time, that's all that was offered for kids.  I'm only writing this for you parents out there who have children that can be picky at restaurants.  This is not a restaurant that my children wish to return to.


So, in summary, this restaurant is HIT or MISS for me depending on what I order, where I sit, and how crowded it is.  Will I return?  Probably...at least for the guacamole, the taquitos, and roof top atmosphere.


Atmosphere - roof top = HIT ; inside = MISS
Food - Hit or Miss depending
Service - Hit
Price - Hit



Party atmosphere on roof top at night
Cool roof top bar and seating area
$

Taco Mac-American

www.tacomac.com 

Best Family Restaurant and Sports Bar!  

When my family wants to go out to eat on a Friday or Saturday night, Taco Mac is always thrown into the choices of where we should go.  I'd say eight out of ten times, we wind up there.  Everyone is always happy with their food!

Taco Mac is now what is considered a chain restaurant.  It originated in the Virginia-Highland area of Atlanta.  The original Taco Mac is still there and offers a much different atmosphere than the other newer versions.  I'll review it as well.  There are many Taco Mac's around Metro-Atlanta, and now there's one in Tennessee and one coming in North Carolina.   Why is the chain growing?

The Food is AWESOME, the price is right, and the size of their beer list is incredible!

The original Taco Mac, located in Virginia-Highlands, is small, cozy, and a throw back to the restaurant's "humble" beginnings.  Click on the link to the Taco Mac website to read about how the restaurant began.  Dave and I have been to this one once.  We were with some friends after a night on the town in the Highlands, and we stopped by for some late night vittles.  Loved it! - the atmosphere is definitely not the same as the newer versions (no arcade :) - at least I don't think there is.)

A typical, chain Taco Mac is large with many booths and tables.  There are flat screen t.v.'s all over the place, broadcasting a variety of sporting events.  The bar area is large.  There is also an arcade usually offering six or more games (some Taco Mac's have a separate room for the arcade).  It is usually LOUD and can get  pretty crowded, so it doesn't matter how loud your crowd can get - you'll just blend right in.

Now for the food.  The following is what we typically order when we go to Taco Mac:

Chili con Queso - served with freshly cooked chips AND tortillas AND salsa.  Taco Mac's salsa is YUMMY and the Queso is perfect!!  It's hard to find better!  This is a standard appetizer order for us...everyone in my family loves it.


Mozzarella Sticks - pretty average cheese sticks.  The kids really like these so we order them on occassion.


WINGS! WINGS! WINGS!  This is what Taco Mac is noted for.  Their wings are EXCEPTIONAL!  No, really, UTTERLY PERFECT!   Did I make my point?  I order them with two sides of blue cheese sauce.  If you have a craving for wings - go to Taco Mac!


Kenmore Burger - My favorite burger of all time!  It has sauteed onions, mushrooms, and smoked applewood bacon with swiss cheese (of which I always change to cheddar).  Dave actually orders his with swiss and cheddar.   This burger is ALWAYS done perfectly at all of the Taco Mac's we have been to.  Absolutely LOVE it!


Sides:


Fries - are always yummy.  Cooked perfectly, with just a little seasoning.  You are served A LOT of fries!


Onion Rings - These are really done well here.  I definitely recommend trying them!  Dave will order them as his side a lot and then share.  We always have WAY too many fries if we all order them as a side - so you get to have both this way!


From the Kids Menu:


Chicken Tenders, Chicken Nuggets, Burger, and Corn Puppies - are all a favorite of our kiddos.  These are served with a drink, a side (my kids always get the fries) and an oreo cookie packet.


*There are many other options for food at Taco Mac, including salads, burritos, tacos etc...   We just seem to go when we have a craving for the above mentioned items.


Atmosphere: a Hit
Food:  a Hit
Service: a Hit
Price:  a Hit


Great Family Restaurant
Great place to watch sports
Awesome beer list, serves pitchers
Always quick service
Price $