Heights CPA Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 I nominate Eye to Eye eye clinic. I paid almost twice as much as I ever paid for glasses in 30 year and have never really been happy with them. I wanted to buy local and got punished for it. I could have gotten Lasik or the like for one eye for the same cost. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
20thStDad Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 Do you have a special prescription? I got my appointment and 2 boxes of contacts for 20 bucks, with VSP insurance. Haven't gotten glasses there in 2 years but it was more for that.My nomination: Dry Creek. No, your hamburger is not $10 good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heights CPA Posted January 14, 2009 Author Share Posted January 14, 2009 Do you have a special prescription? I got my appointment and 2 boxes of contacts for 20 bucks, with VSP insurance. Haven't gotten glasses there in 2 years but it was more for that.My nomination: Dry Creek. No, your hamburger is not $10 good.No special perscription except they are bifocals. But I have been wearing bifocals for a long time. You can't compare glasses with contacts and especially insurance cost versus self-pay. Heck, if I had hamburger insurance, a burger may only cost me $2.00 at Dry Creek. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flipper Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 Heck, if I had hamburger insurance, a burger may only cost me $2.00 at Dry Creek.Get term, cash value is a rip-off.flipper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crunchtastic Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 My nomination: Dry Creek. No, your hamburger is not $10 good.(I don't live in the Heights but I frequent some of the businesses there.)Both "creeks". Food is mediocre at best for the price, and the $2 beers are not enough to compensate for crappy, indifferent service. I have passed on offers to go the new 'creek' based on the other two. Davis Hardware for custom framing. They came highly recommended, but at twice the price of Michael's for the same mats and glass, never again. I like to support local but I'm not made of money, and framing is $$$ to begin with. Buchanan's. I've tried very hard to like this place but they're high even for an independent nursery and they have persistent problems with quality. I've got a good green thumb and have had too many Buchanan's plants die on me. They seem to be more interested in selling overpriced water features, windchimes and pottery than plants. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heights_yankee Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 I agree that Buchanan's is way overpriced BUT I have a black thumb and their level of service has been very helpful to me at times. Where they really, really rob you is with their Christmas tree prices. ouch.I would have to say Backyard Gardener gets my true vote. They came to my house and did an appraisal. They asked my budget and I wasn't sure b/c I had no idea how much this kind of thing costs. OK, people, I have NO YARD. some curb appeal in the front and the driveway goes all the way down the side of the house to the lot line. i have a couple small patches of dirt that i wanted something green which grows in the shade. i also had some fugly stepping stones and wanted something more permanent. i told them very simple, not extragant at all. simple simple. $12,000. wtf? they wanted to add all kinds of elaborate pots to my deck, who knows what kind of rare flowers they thought they were going to plant. it was insane. i ended up finding a company from north of town on Angie's list and for $4k got exactly what I needed.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Porchman Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 I nominate Eye to Eye eye clinic. I paid almost twice as much as I ever paid for glasses in 30 year and have never really been happy with them. I wanted to buy local and got punished for it. I could have gotten Lasik or the like for one eye for the same cost. Mrs. Porchman and I have both gotten our glassses there - albeit, on insurance. I would agree that their regular prices are a bit steep. We've both been really happy with product and service. Mrs. P's Rx is complicated, and has required a great deal of fine tuning. They were very accomodating. If you're not happy with your specs, have you sought resolution with them? Also, there are other eye places in the Heights if buying local is important to you. However, they may be located next to a used car dealership or something, rather than in a spiffy strip center. As for your question, I would say Harold's. From their current sale posting... WALK SHORTS and SWIM WEAR 2 for $99 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samiamj Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 (edited) I say Shade. Maybe I just don't understand the finer things of life. The portions are small and steep in price. The atmosphere and service are impeccable. An hour after the meal, I had to go to a drive through to get something substantial.I like the setup of the "Creeks." However, the service is so lousy I just don't order food anymore. I go to the bar and get my drinks. I can't rely on the wait staff. Edited January 14, 2009 by samiamj Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zippy Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 (edited) I'm happy with Eye to Eye.. I've gotten glasses and contacts via cash payment, and they don't seem particularly more expensive than anywhere else I've gone.. Now those places in wally mart would probably be cheap.. But I'd rather pay more and get better service. -Vietnam Restaurant on 19th is good and cheap. -Thai Spice is reasonable. -Pizza place (Colinas?) is reasonable. -Glass wall is about what I'd expect to pay for a high-end dinner. -Same with Shade. -Bedford's we tried out with a bottle of wine and a couple of appetizers.. Bottle for 60$ seemed quite premium, but food was on par price wize. -Blue bike shop seems to have decent prices -McCains (as stated elsewhere) was crazy expensive -Shilough (sp?) is good and cheap.. -Onion creek I won't go to unless I want to WAIT on food.. seriously.. does it take an hour to grill a hamburger? -Antidote is reasonable for snacks and a cup o' joe. -Berryhill's is fast, and cheap.. except their margaritas are now what.. 6.50? each? wow.. -Buchanan's is expensive.. I only go there for the free advise.. - Oh yeah.. how could I forget 11th St Cafe.. Good deals to be had.. unless you go for the orange juice brunch.. Can you tell the places we frequent? Edited January 14, 2009 by Zippy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmariar Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 Both "creeks". Food is mediocre at best for the price, and the $2 beers are not enough to compensate for crappy, indifferent service. I have passed on offers to go the new 'creek' based on the other two.I live close to both OC & DC, have eaten at OC probably 20+ times, and DC at least three times. I like the food at both places, and can't remember a bad service experience.But the latter may be because I try to avoid either place when I know it's going to be super crowded.And my good food experiences may be just in what I order: At DC, the only sandwich I've ever had is one that sounds on the menu sort of like a Philly-steak sandwich, but with (I think) Asiago cheese and some sort of herby sauce. And I'll get one of the limeades (usually blood orange, I think) to drink. At OC, I usually get one of the mini pizzas - I especially like the one with salami and jalapenos, but all I've tried have been good. Or sometimes I'll get the hummus plate with pita bits (I find their hummus sandwich too dense). Good steak on steak night, too, in my experience. The prices don't strike me as being that high, but I can see saying that if I thought the food was just mediocre. I'd call what I usually eat at OC & DC at least "good", and recommend both places to people.Don't know what accounts for the different experience - maybe I'm more forgiving of the restaurants because they're close? I don't really care for CC, which I've only tried twice. It does an ok job of making run-of-the-mill food, but I did think the prices were too high there. And I thought the place was too large and sterile compared with OC & DC. They have liquor and fried pickles, which is great, but so does King Biscuit, which has more interesting food choices. Come to think of it, I also thought the service was just sort of neutral. I'm hoping CC will get better with time - the surrounding neighborhood seems to really be supporting it, which is great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heights_yankee Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 i find the food at DC and OC to be fine and the prices don't bother me. what does bother me is the "we wish this was austin" and "you're not tattooed enough to be next in line" attitude. really? cuz you can always move to austin and i waited tables for 10 years so it's in your best financial interest to give me service. i think shade is almost a value- esp for brunch. alcohol not included, we practically pay the same for dinner there that we pay at someplace like chuy's- never mind any pappas joint. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crunchtastic Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 what does bother me is the "we wish this was austin" and "you're not tattooed enough to be next in line" attitude. really? cuz you can always move to austin and i waited tables for 10 years so it's in your best financial interest to give me service. no kidding. Note to creek help: please either adjust the attitude, or move and go ply your trade at kerby lane with the other white rasta slackers with wasted educations. Yikes. I must be having a you-kids-get-off-my-lawn-moment! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmariar Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 (edited) The people I recognize as regulars behind the bar I've found to be pretty cool - maybe I've been lucky.But y'all did remind me that the major reason I don't like OC when it's crowded is that ordering set-up. It's the same reason I don't like crowded bars. Some guy will inevitably walk up beside me while I'm waiting at the bar to order, and then order as if he's next. I'm not generally so cynical, but I honestly think at least some guys do it on purpose, knowing that a bartender looking over and seeing a man and woman at the bar will often look to the guy first for an order, thinking they're together and that the man in the couple is more likely to order for both than the woman. I know I've had bartenders apologize to me after the guy's walked away with his drinks, saying s/he thought we were together.I think OC has gotten too big and busy for bar-style (no lines) counter ordering, and it keeps me from going there as much as I otherwise would. If table service isn't an option, maybe they should do take-a-number or put up a queue rope or something... [Edit: Most guys don't do what I described above, of course. There's just always that one guy in every crowd. Same guy that's got to stop everyone from turning right-on-red onto White Oak from Studewood, or onto the I-10 feeder from Heights, because he wants to use a lane that's going to end in less than a block to cut in front of people on the left. There, my rant for the day...] Edited January 14, 2009 by tmariar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJXterra Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 "Onion creek I won't go to unless I want to WAIT on food.. seriously.. does it take an hour to grill a hamburger?"No, it takes an hour for them to MICROWAVE your hamburger. The idea of the 'creeks' is awesome but everything else sucks. And yes, the last time I was there they obviously microwaved my hamburger. Thus the 'last' time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gooch Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 (edited) Same guy that's got to stop everyone from turning right-on-red onto White Oak from Studewood, or onto the I-10 feeder from Heights, because he wants to use a lane that's going to end in less than a block to cut in front of people on the left. There, my rant for the day...Or my personal favorite the folks that jump into the Heights Blvd. bike lane at WO/11th/14th, not to turn right, but to go straight and pass up the 5 cars waiting for the redlight in the CAR lane.[sorry for the hijack, just a pet peeve!] Edited January 14, 2009 by Gooch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heights CPA Posted January 14, 2009 Author Share Posted January 14, 2009 (edited) Or my personal favorite the folks that jump into the Heights Blvd. bike lane at WO/11th/14th, not to turn right, but to go straight and pass up the 5 cars waiting for the redlight in the CAR lane.[sorry for the hijack, just a pet peeve!]The hijacking of this thread for your traffic issues is rude. Edited January 14, 2009 by Heights CPA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmariar Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 The hijacking of this thread for your traffic issuess rude.My apologies - it was I who started talking about traffic pet peeves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiko Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 Java Java gets my vote. I've never had good service there.Glass Wall. Onion Creek was a problem for awhile, but haven't had an issue in a long time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
segovia Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 Java Java - 3 strikes ( poor service and quality of food )Glass Wall The Restaurant - 2 strikes ( quality was there but poor preparation ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jm1fd Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 Dacapo's Bakery & Deli gets my vote. I paid $25 for a Key Lime Pie and it WASN'T ANY GOOD! The $6 Edwards brand pies from the grocery store are WAY better! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heights CPA Posted January 15, 2009 Author Share Posted January 15, 2009 Dacapo's Bakery & Deli gets my vote. I paid $25 for a Key Lime Pie and it WASN'T ANY GOOD! The $6 Edwards brand pies from the grocery store are WAY better!I ate at Decapo's once. It was not the price but the really bad sandwich which keeps me away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panhandle78 Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 Urban Rendezvous is over priced. Is that why they are about to close shop and leave the Heights for Kirby...oops! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LTAWACS Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 "Onion creek I won't go to unless I want to WAIT on food.. seriously.. does it take an hour to grill a hamburger?"No, it takes an hour for them to MICROWAVE your hamburger. The idea of the 'creeks' is awesome but everything else sucks. And yes, the last time I was there they obviously microwaved my hamburger. Thus the 'last' time.Strange. I've never had a problem there. But then again I dont really go to eat. Mostly to have a few drinks and chat with friends. One time I was there over the summer some guy got ran over in the parking lot... he got up and said it was his friend, went back to his table of stunned onlookers, and drank his beer... ugh.The people I recognize as regulars behind the bar I've found to be pretty cool - maybe I've been lucky.But y'all did remind me that the major reason I don't like OC when it's crowded is that ordering set-up. It's the same reason I don't like crowded bars. Some guy will inevitably walk up beside me while I'm waiting at the bar to order, and then order as if he's next. I'm not generally so cynical, but I honestly think at least some guys do it on purpose, knowing that a bartender looking over and seeing a man and woman at the bar will often look to the guy first for an order, thinking they're together and that the man in the couple is more likely to order for both than the woman. I know I've had bartenders apologize to me after the guy's walked away with his drinks, saying s/he thought we were together.I think OC has gotten too big and busy for bar-style (no lines) counter ordering, and it keeps me from going there as much as I otherwise would. If table service isn't an option, maybe they should do take-a-number or put up a queue rope or something... [Edit: Most guys don't do what I described above, of course. There's just always that one guy in every crowd. Same guy that's got to stop everyone from turning right-on-red onto White Oak from Studewood, or onto the I-10 feeder from Heights, because he wants to use a lane that's going to end in less than a block to cut in front of people on the left. There, my rant for the day...]I've had the same experiences at this and other places except the perpetrator is almost always a female. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mkultra25 Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 Also, there are other eye places in the Heights if buying local is important to you. However, they may be located next to a used car dealership or something, rather than in a spiffy strip center.Yale Eye Center, next door to Yale Grill. We've been going to Dr. Ullman since we moved into the area almost 10 years ago, and have been very happy with his service for both eye exams and glasses. He's been in practice there for over 30 years. Wish I could find a good Heights-area dentist - I had high hopes for the one on Heights Blvd., but was told several years ago that he was not accepting new patients. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunsets Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 Urban Rendezvous is over priced.No kidding! And yet, I still go in there. Even though at any given time only 3 items in the entire store might fit me. I have gotten awesome shoes at awesome sale prices there, however. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marksmu Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 I actually like Dry Creek - I usually get decent service - I dont think its overpriced, and I get to bring my own booze, which is usually 2/3 of my bills everywhere anyway....Onion Creek - is awful - I hate the Austin mentality of "you wait on me b/c I serve you" Its almost as if they get off on not giving good service, or just standing behind the bar talking while you are not getting served.Worse yet is Cedar Creek - The evening male bartender who is all tatted up will serve every girl at the bar before a guy regardless of how long you have been waiting....the waitresses are so slow and dumb, I dont think I have ever gotten my food in less than 40 minutes, and by that time I have had to get up to get my own drink from the bar 3 times because they never come back...Someone really needs to teach the Creek's some service. - The atmosphere is great, the food is ok, but the service is terrible....Dry Creek excepted again.No kidding! And yet, I still go in there. Even though at any given time only 3 items in the entire store might fit me. I have gotten awesome shoes at awesome sale prices there, however. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heights_yankee Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 (edited) I actually like Dry Creek - I usually get decent service - I dont think its overpriced, and I get to bring my own booze, which is usually 2/3 of my bills everywhere anyway....Onion Creek - is awful - I hate the Austin mentality of "you wait on me b/c I serve you" Its almost as if they get off on not giving good service, or just standing behind the bar talking while you are not getting served.Worse yet is Cedar Creek - The evening male bartender who is all tatted up will serve every girl at the bar before a guy regardless of how long you have been waiting....the waitresses are so slow and dumb, I dont think I have ever gotten my food in less than 40 minutes, and by that time I have had to get up to get my own drink from the bar 3 times because they never come back...Someone really needs to teach the Creek's some service. - The atmosphere is great, the food is ok, but the service is terrible....Dry Creek excepted again.several months ago there was a long discussion about this after several moms in Heights Kids Group had really bad experiences at Dry Creek. note to business owners in the heights- never underestimate a network of 600+ families within a 10 mile radius. anyway, there were a lot of complaints and one mom took the initiative to take out the names, gather all the feedback and email the owner. boy, he acted quick. literally the next week there were signs all over both (CC wasn't open yet) restaurants with an email address to send comments/complaints about the service. and it was way better.... for a while. Dc seems to have really high turnover, which creates an automatic service issue. perhaps it's b/c they serve b-fast and a lot of these student/slacker types don't want to get up that early... i worked in my 1st restaurant at the age of 12 and made a living waiting tables until i was 26. i can usually tell you what's going on with the service at any given place. i really feel that at OC, it's straight up attitude. at DC, i think it's staff retention... anyway, i digress on that part--- but my whole point was supposed to be: email the guy. tell him. he seemed open to feedback before and we can hope he will again. i think if they tweeked a couple things, these would really be 1 of the best go-to spots in the 'hood. Edited January 15, 2009 by heights_yankee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
picca Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 I ate at Decapo's once. It was not the price but the really bad sandwich which keeps me away. I'm surprised to hear two posts for Dacapo's. We live near by (walking distance) and go there about once a week. I've never had a bad meal or bad service. Give them another try, their soups are amazing, as are their salads and sandwiches. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedScare Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 I actually like Dry Creek - I usually get decent service - I dont think its overpriced, and I get to bring my own booze, which is usually 2/3 of my bills everywhere anyway....Onion Creek - is awful - I hate the Austin mentality of "you wait on me b/c I serve you" Its almost as if they get off on not giving good service, or just standing behind the bar talking while you are not getting served.Worse yet is Cedar Creek - The evening male bartender who is all tatted up will serve every girl at the bar before a guy regardless of how long you have been waiting....the waitresses are so slow and dumb, I dont think I have ever gotten my food in less than 40 minutes, and by that time I have had to get up to get my own drink from the bar 3 times because they never come back...Someone really needs to teach the Creek's some service. - The atmosphere is great, the food is ok, but the service is terrible....Dry Creek excepted again.I agree on both. Dry Creek has never seemed to be that bad on the service end, and the food is uniformly decent. Onion Creek...bleh! Ditch the attitude and bring me my beer. In fact, I have not been there in well over a year, though I can walk to it.And, you know what? When I was in Austin last week, every place I ate or drank at gave me decent to good service. Onion Creek merely THINKS that they have the Austin mentality down. In reality, they suck far worse than any of the Austin joints I went to.Don't know about Cedar Creek, but it doesn't sound promising. If any of you 'Creek' employees read this thread, GET OVER Yourselves! Like heights yankee, I have worked every position in a restaurant, including manager and owner. You people ain't all that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zippy Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 RE: Onion Creek..Well.. we biked by with the kids in tow Saturday around 2pm and there was a line out the door to order.. We decided to go elsewhere, but it seems that the service isn't turning too many away.. I personally hadn't had poor service there, but receiving food is always slow.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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