What Is A "Good" Restaurant?

It may seem like an odd question to you, but it may seem even odder that I've been thinking about this for awhile.  There are a lot of "good" restaurants here in the Myrtle Beach area and also in Charleston.  But, aren't there a lot of "good" restaurants in most places?  When I ask local people here to name their favorite restaurant, rarely do I hear the same name repeated.

Some background about me first: I like to eat.  Okay, I love to eat.  I do like to eat out from time to time, but probably not as much as most people.  I'm out all the time and frequently for 10, 12 or sometimes more hours in a day.  I've been fortunate to have had a Mom who was a good cook and a wife who is good cook too, so staying in to eat has always been a very good option.  I've never been that comfortable spending a lot of money and I've never felt I had a lot of extra money, so eating out is not my most favorite thing to do.

What makes a restaurant "good?

AMBIANCE: For some reason a lot of people like eating in the dark.  I like sleeping in the dark and when I'm awake, I like light.  I like to be able to see the menu, my food, and who I'm eating with.  (in addition to the plate of ribs or steak that someone at the next table is enjoying)  For some people, darkness is a plus, not me.  Or, the ambiance could be how the restaurant is decorated or you could have a great view outside or be sitting outside.

THE FOOD:  How good is it? To me, I rarely eat something in a restaurant I don't like, but how do you compare it?  If I've eaten chicken parmesan in five restaurants, I would need to do a taste test to determine the best one. I'd have to line up several dishes and compare them.(and that sounds like fun)  For some people, they seem to know a lot easier than I do which meal they like best.

THE PORTION SIZE: It's easy for me to remember how large the portion was and that's probably the same for most people.  The size of my salmon at the Claw House here on Labor Day Weekend in 2017 is something I will never forget.  It looked like a piece of steak.  For me, big portions are unforgettable.

THE SERVICE: I think it's easier to notice and remember bad service, which we've had a few times over the years.  Occasionally, a server will impress you with great service and they should be rewarded for that.

THE WAIT: Getting into a place is very important also.  Waiting a long time while you're hungry can erase a lot of things that are very good.

THE PRICE: When you have a great time and good tasting food at a good price, it doesn't get much better than that.  At times, you do run into things that are overpriced and it is easy to remember.

So, how do you define a "good" restaurant?  It may be different for all of us.  Right now I'm thinking about the Sunday Brunch at Seabrook in Tinton Falls, NJ which I'll be enjoying in five days.  That, is a good restaurant!