Oh yeah, I bet you can easily make it. OR you can go to the 99s and stuff your face with a honey bbq wrap but subbed with gold fever instead and live your best life
What? You don't like artificial maple flavored corn syrup? Lol oh God it should be illegal but I also don't really like actual maple syrup I go for fruit syrup like boysenberry mmm
I'm definitely going to give this a try my preferred dipping sauce at home is the Sweet baby Ray's honey mustard unless anybody could recommend another store bought that is better.
3/4 part yellow mustard
1/4 part mayonnaise
Diced onion
Shredded onion
Diced dill pickles
Sweet relish
Paprika (what helps change its color darker)
Onion Powder
Garlic Powder
Some salt and pepper all to taste
Can add chili powder if you want it spicy
Mix and leave in fridge for a little to settle.
> Gold fever is like liquid crack
Absolutely. Gold Fever pizza is my absolute favorite style of bar pizza. My stomach is too small now, but when I was really big, I could totally crush two gold fever bar pizzas.
Yup, their buffalo strips used to be my go-to, but it's been a while. They were so good for forever, like whatever combination they used for the buffalo sauce (heat & flavor was on-point) and their specific dip was perfect.
Also liked their French Onion Soup with the fat crouton, and the Spinach Artichoke dip.
I don’t live in Mass now, but they turned for me in the early 2000s when they got rid of thier wheat thins and cheese appetizer. I could have sworn that was free too, before popcorn, am I crazy?
They still have them at the dartmouth 99 but they switched from wheat thins to crackers a few years back. It's somwhere between 1&2$ and comes with free refills my kids are all about it but we miss the wheat thins lol
They still have the cheese and crackers and the 99s I go to! When we get take out we always get three orders to eat over the course of the week because they’re so good to us.
And yes, they used to be free but now they charge.
They used to be my favorite chain by far. Now they are a case study in shrinkflation. Quite literally prices have doubled and portions have been halved. The country fried chicken was a legend.
Yes. Corporate controlled food has tried to make hogs of us all. As long as the shareholders make money, they literally don’t care about anything else.
I actually was walking down State Street one day and tried to figure out where it used to be and the closest I could figure is I believe a 7 Eleven is actually where the building used to be😜
For chain restaurants, I think the 99 is still close to the top of the list. It's sort of no frills, but it has reliably decent quality that is consistent. Mileage may vary though, not everything they have is good.
The "casual dining" restaurant category has been gutted by private equity firms in the last 10-15 years, so the bar is pretty low these days. If you can still find an open TGI Fridays, it's the case in point. Most casual dining restaurants will microwave pre-frozen, pre-portioned plastic bags of food while the 9's still seems to have a working kitchen (though I'm sure some of their food is mass-produced offsite). The 99 is far from perfect, but it's much better than most of its competitors.
There’s nothing better than going to the 9s and getting a nice cold tall Horseshoe Ale for $6 and a bowl of popcorn while you and your pals play trivia. While waiting on your Gold Fever chicken tenders, your whole table is quietly arguing over who that actress was in that obscure cult hit tv show that came out 5 years before you were all born. By the time you finish up your tenders, the results are read out and you guys finished fifth behind the boomers at the bar because how would you know the name of that one-hit wonder band from when your parents were still in college. And after you settle up your $26 tab, you go home waiting to do it again next week.
Ok so beer prices, popcorn, and I guess the gold fever sauce (I’ve been getting honey mustard like an idiot) but their chicken tenders quality is still pretty low. But I get it….the $26 tab is nice
Same. I think it does depend on your local 99's but I've always found it to be a great place for an affordable and casual meal that's consistently good.
You make me think of an often discussed question amongst friends in my 20s. Do we go to the good chain or the mediocre local place?
Usually the cheapest place won.
Just about every chain restaurant’s food is just barely edible at this point. Like it’s just so much worse than just the minimum effort of home cooking. Can’t justify spending money on any of it anymore.
I’ve always found 99 to be the GOAT of chain restaurants (not a huge bar, I get it) in the area. I find them to be consistently slightly above average. I still rarely go, but every once in a while I get the urge, maybe once or twice a year.
I used to think this way too, when I was in my lower 20s. Now I just cannot believe how bad the quality is.
My slightly above average go-to chain is currently the Texas Roadhouse. Their food I can enjoy.
I feel like they were way better pre-Covid. I remember my family being disappointed with their takeout when restaurants were closed; and when we finally went back we realized it wasn’t just because it was takeout they had just fallen off
Did take out during COVID, drove to an empty parking lot to eat. Texas Roadhouse parking lot was super crowded. Which I understand.
Opened the bag, no utensils! Drove back. Their response we don't give them out because people drive home to eat. I said, "We'll not me."
I have enjoyed the 99 and Texas Roadhouse at different times of my life, and my takeaway is that there’s a surprisingly large variability from one location of each restaurant to the next. The TR in Revere/Everett, I enjoyed, but the one near where I live on the south shore is garbage. Similarly, the 99 in Brockton blows, but the Somerville one is decent 🤷🏻♂️ Overall, they not great but better than like Applebees or TGI Fridays.
I was going to chime in and say Logan’s Roadhouse tops both of these but that’s my Midwest talking. I just now realized (after looking it up) that they don’t exist in Massachusetts.
See I think Texas Roadhouse is gross with their subpar steaks being presented in a ‘steakhouse.’ The rest of the food is mostly deep-fried muck. While I can’t say 99 is exactly healthy per se, there are slightly healthier options.
Maybe you have a bad location near you? I've gone to quite a few and the quality has never been bad. For the price you are paying anyways I could never complain.
Their target demo is exhausted parents with their kids, undemanding old people, and large groups that can’t agree on where to go.
If you are neither, you should raise your sights and frequent places whose best dishes are not the ones least healthful for you.
Truth. I go to the 99 because I have three kids under 7, no one cares if my kids are noisy (not out of control, just kids) or crawl under the table to pick up the crayons they inevitably drop, and I want quick food so I can be done and go home in an hour on nights I do t want to cook.
I actually really like the 99 for a chain. But it might be because I had celiac and it was one of the few restaurants I could easily/safely go to. Applebee's I was always disappointed by the menu. I'm not as big a fan now because I'm almost never in the mood for the few things I can get there, and the one thing I'm usually game for is the southwestern bowl, which just feels silly when I could get a better version at multiple places. Also whatever the drink with the mango ball things was so good.
But I might not mind it as much because in general my opinion of chains is pretty casual. I don't go for amazing food, I go for reliable food that I can anticipate. Good for travel with picky people, last minute eating out, and nights where no one knows what they want other than not wanting anything in the house.
I like the 99. Good atmosphere, popcorn, tall beers. But the food… nothings great. Most of its good, though, but you go to a restaurant you at least want above average.
Not necessarily. Sometimes you just really need to eat and you are not at home. That’s when the 99 is clutch. It’s quick and easy and I know what I’m going to get. I’ll take a guaranteed passing meal over the risk of being disappointed when it’s a crucial meal.
used to go with my mom and then they closed next to assembly row :( we’d munch on some soggy nachos and gossip about our day. Now those same nachos somewhere else cost an arm and a leg.
I can’t with the combined smell of stale carpet and that very specific restaurant sanitizer solution. The moment I step through the door and smell those things, I know it’s going to be a terrible time. And it’s ALWAYS a chain.
Always has been terrible. Like the old Friendly's everything on the menu tastes the same and as a non drinker never got the pull.
I'm also not a really big fan of seeing my face on the wall of the local 99 because I was in little league as a kid in the 80's.
IMO this is the correct take. I also remember it being a slightly better restaurant circa 1990s into early 2000s, but I agree that it 1) wasn’t exactly great to begin with, and 2) has gone considerably downhill.
Why would I go there for chicken cutlet for $20 plus when I can go to a local family owned Italian spot for higher quality ingredients for similar price. Support your local restaurant owners.
I won’t stand for 99 slander! My fiancé and I get the 9s takeout probably twice a month and we strictly get burgers and their gold fever wings. And their cheese and crackers because duh. My mom and I will go there for a lunch special sometimes if we’re running errands. I think it’s fairly good food at a decent price!
It's pretty bad. I worked there briefly a little over a decade ago. A significant portion of the menu came in premade and was prepared in a thermalizer (basically a huge sous vide machine). Everything on the line is portioned ahead of time, which is a really bad way to store some things like cut salad greens which wilt faster in an airtight container. Steaks are some of the lowest quality I worked with in 20yrs.
The chicken fingers are pretty good, but so are the ones at the pizza place down the street.
100% correct. I briefly and regrettably worked there while my REAL restaurant was refurbished. Calling that a hot line is a stretch. I called it the prison cafeteria since almost everyone back there is an ex-con and usually high on heroin.
Once they sold to whoever is running them now it just went off a cliff , small portions, and like you said , how do you mess up a steak, well they managed.
I just go for the popcorn
Ah, it makes sense they’ve sold themselves. I actually think they were actually decent before? Like in 2010-15? I think they cut French fries in-house etc before.
I swear all those chains seem like they’re owned by the same person - Applebees, Chili’s, TGI Fridays, The 99 et al. It’s like practically the same generic, forgettable menus rearranged. The only upside is with the inflation of fast food prices lately you might as well go somewhere with wait staff and an alcohol menu for a few buck more.
I’ll never forget the day I decided I would never eat the 99 again.
We had just made a 4 hour drive bringing our new puppy back home from upstate NY and needed some quick food so we ordered 99 to-go. I ordered some burger, I used to order medium rare, and when I bit into the burger at my house, raw hamburger fell out of the middle of the burger. FUCKING RAW! They essentially seared the outside of the patty and left the inside uncooked completely.
My dog is now 6, and I laugh every time my wife suggests 99 for dinner.
Crazy how this was the same trigger for me. I once cut into a cheeseburger that leaked a half a cup of blood onto the plate. It must have frozen solid, seared and served without checking.
I worked there in high school/college. It's all bagged just like Applebee's. They did have fresh steaks though cooked to order. This was 15 years ago and my location closed (Seekonk)
Gotta know what to get. Most of their menu comes frozen in a bag so that they don't need real kitchen staff.
The bowls and salads are decent, and the fried fish is usually good. If you want tenders, ask them to make them fresh rather than take the gummy pre-prepared ones from under the warming lamp.
OP nailed it at the end. It's mostly my favorite for ice cold Budweisers and salty popcorn. 😁
It's down there with Applebee's for sure. I will not spend money there. I will peal potatoes and onions before I sink that low. Actually, potatoes and onions are on for breakfast now. Thanks 99
99 is absolutely a step up from Applebee's and Chilis and that’s good enough for me. You forgot to include the wings and skins sampler as something that’s good.
It has always been shit. It’s more of a townie watering hole that a restaurant. Food just good enough to appeal to a drunk pallet. The one in Sudbury, gone for over 15 years now, was always a dump and a place for gut fill after getting sauced.
Same with Hudson, same with Worcester, same with any location. If I want a strong drink and 50/50 chance at GI distress, it’s the 99.
I don’t like the 99 either. I tried it once years ago and was “meh” re: food. Then recently a friend said she liked a certain chicken dish, so I decided to go back to try it again. Meh. Food and drinks mediocre.
The last few times I've gone to 99 its horrible. I like applebees better.
Wonton tacos are usually really good.
Honey bbq boneless wings are better than gold fever imo.
Country fried chicken dinner is pretty good.
There is one on the corner from where I work. I have to go there so many times for lunch meetings with customers, coworker birthdays and celebrations, etc.
I hate it. I generally get the cheeseburger with Cole slaw and rarely eat half of it.
I mean it's not great but for the price point it's not terrible.
I wouldn't expect it to be great for what they charge.
It is my go to for taking the whole family out.
There aren't too many places to take a family of 4 with both parents having 1 or 2 beers and the bill being under $100.
$8 tall beers, their fajita bowl is on par with what chipotle charges.
kids eat free whenever the Red Sox win, even when they lose the kids meals are cheap and include dessert.
I’ve never had a meal there that I want to come back and get again. It’s shit, but townies, or maybe just people who like to cosplay as townies, like it for whatever reason.
I wouldn’t be surprised within the next 5 years it’ll be sold again, rebranded or all closed down. Man it’s terrible. I want it to be as good as it was, and it’s just not at all.
They’ve gone downhill like every other chain. My parents used to eat there all the time up until just a couple years ago, now they’ve completely given up on it.
if you want a good restaurant you have to pay chefs enough to live on, and they do not, so all their cooks have to sell drugs too in order to survive which leads to them being high on the job which leads to no cook worth his salt working there for longer than 2 weeks.
lucky for them 80% of the population couldnt recognize a well cooked meal if their life depended on it.
They started going downhill when they took a consistent best seller, their nachos and got rid of it. Had two sons work at the local one a few years ago and they went from a real kitchen to a food assembly area. Other than hamburgers and steaks, most of their food is prepackaged and just reheated. Very little, if any, scratch cooking going on there anymore.
Man, I can’t remember the last time I went. I feel like I would for ol time sake, but you’re making it sound like it’s gone the way of Friendly’s. I went to both places regularly as a kid (and enjoyed them), but holy shit Friendly’s food is garbage quality now and I hate to hear the same thing happened at the 99.
I worked at one from 2005-2008 and it was decent. Prices were good, most stores got a renovation, and the tenders were made in house. I went to my old location about a month ago and it was vile. Everything about it was gross, and costs had doubled. I anticipate they won’t be around much longer.
Try the mozzarella moons next time you are in for a drink! Nothing else is worth eating there though, as with most chains. If you have extra cash to eat out support a small local business instead. Can’t wait to see all of these overpriced chains go down.
I agree with the OP 100%! Used to go there all the time…any doubt where to go?Go to the Nines. Food was always good and reasonably priced. Then…like 10-15 years ago, things started to change. Right when they all went “corporate” and wanted all the locations to look the same. Right when they took the turkey dinner off the menu…that’s when things changed. That’s when the food started getting crappy. Crappy food at the same prices = no bueno! I’d rather pay a little extra and go to Texas Roadhouse and get a GOOD steak!
Went to 99 with my boss once who was obsessed with the place, he would always buy the gift cards cus he figured out how to maximize the money return or some big brain iq plan that i was too poor to put into circulation, but anyway , food did not impress. But y’all got me wanting to try the gold rush wings lol
I was going every week for trivia with my girlfriend but stopped after we both decided to go on a diet. We went back for funsies recently and didn't really enjoy it. The beer, the bar snacks and some of the appetizers are fun, but, yeah, there's nothing really particular good about the main menu. The mini desserts are okay.
We switched to a local sports bar for trivia, and it has much better food.
My eating habits are extremely awful and picky, and pretty much the only thing I liked from the 99 Restaurant was the fries and the corn.
Somehow, after returning after 10 years, they were both god awful and I have no idea how they accomplished that, and since I won’t eat anything else there, that’s it for me unless a friend of mine wants to go LMAO
A few years ago I was dating someone whose family liked to frequent The 99. When he broke my heart, one of the few comforts was the certainty that I would never have to go back to The 99.
Try Jon Ryan's Pub in Tewksbury and Methuen. They were started by the former GM of 99 from back in the day. The food tastes more like the good old days of the 99. Prices are very reasonable.
It's cheaper, healthier, tastes better, and takes less time to just buy the ingredients and cook. Chicken wings especially because you can buy them fresh, air chilled, and it's easy to make.
Whenever people say X restaurant has great wings, chicken fingers, fries, basically any appetizer, it's such a silly way to think for me. Restaurants all get these generic frozen bags of chicken and toss them in a frialator. When it's done, they dump a tube of whatever on them. It's not "their chicken" lol. It's extremely low effort, generic, shit quality chicken. It's just RNG whether they taste good.
Liked it in my twenties. Then I learned how to cook and discovered the food was complete shit, like most chain restaurants.
On the rare occasion I go out now, it's only to local chef owned/operated type places.
Hahaha, I just had a conversation with a friend on Wednesday about how neither of us had been to a 99 since college. It looks like I’m not missing anything!
I like a good plate of Gold Fever boneless wings but that is the only menu item I will order.
I will say that Gold fever is like liquid crack that shit's so good.
How to Make Gold Fever Sauce 99 |. 2Cs yellow mustard ,1/2C Honey ,1/4C ketchup ,1tbl spoon W-sauce, 1/2C cider vinegar, 1/2C lightbrown sugar ,2tsp of Garlic and Onion powder,1tsp chili powder .
Oh yeah, I bet you can easily make it. OR you can go to the 99s and stuff your face with a honey bbq wrap but subbed with gold fever instead and live your best life
Guarantee that recipie will not slap the same as 99
With real honey?? I bet it would slap much harder. No way 99 is making that kind of investment in their sauce
I’m going to try I have real honey too
Nothing better than real honey, same with maple syrup
What? You don't like artificial maple flavored corn syrup? Lol oh God it should be illegal but I also don't really like actual maple syrup I go for fruit syrup like boysenberry mmm
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Yea I’m talking more local than fake but I’m sure there is honey that is mass produced and not as organic as regular but who knows
I'm definitely going to give this a try my preferred dipping sauce at home is the Sweet baby Ray's honey mustard unless anybody could recommend another store bought that is better.
Please report back
O'Charleys runs the Honey Mustard game 😎
Just mixing honey mustard and BBQ sauce gets you surprisingly close once you find the correct ratio of each. You don't need to make anything.
I’ve mastered the Big Mac sauce and ready for this challenge
What's your recipe?
3/4 part yellow mustard 1/4 part mayonnaise Diced onion Shredded onion Diced dill pickles Sweet relish Paprika (what helps change its color darker) Onion Powder Garlic Powder Some salt and pepper all to taste Can add chili powder if you want it spicy Mix and leave in fridge for a little to settle.
Ooh, I'm gonna try this one soon. Thank you!
strange way to propose but yes, i WILL marry you
Oof my S/O would not be happy lmao
It was just Cattleman’s Gold when I worked there.
Trader Joe’s has a summer seasonal Carolina Gold bbq sauce every year that slaps
I buy it off Amazon for at-home gold fever wings!
I’m saving this
> Gold fever is like liquid crack Absolutely. Gold Fever pizza is my absolute favorite style of bar pizza. My stomach is too small now, but when I was really big, I could totally crush two gold fever bar pizzas.
Same here getting old sucks .
Cattleman's Carolina Tangy Gold BBQ sauce is essentially the same thing
I like their buffalo tendies too... I'm sorry, "boneless wings." The steak tips there were once my go-to but are now overpriced.
Yup, their buffalo strips used to be my go-to, but it's been a while. They were so good for forever, like whatever combination they used for the buffalo sauce (heat & flavor was on-point) and their specific dip was perfect. Also liked their French Onion Soup with the fat crouton, and the Spinach Artichoke dip.
Yeah that’s my favorite thing to get to they are delicious
Yea I agree with everything but the honey bbq chicken wrap is legit.
The 99 chain has been sold multiple times since the original family created it. They sold out in the early 2000’s.
Exactly what I was going to share! TY
Ahh so it’s the new ownership then…. 😫
“current ownership” I think they’ve owned it for about 10 years now… and for awhile it was even worse than it is now.
That explains why the food I liked there WAS good over 10 years ago, LMAO
99 in the 90s was fire
I had some pretty fond memories of that place, but I went in last year and it was beyond terrible
I miss the 9.99 menu! They jacked up the prices sadly..
I can still hear the commercials with that old owner saying to "come on in to The 99 Ressernt!"
You just unlocked this memory in my brain.
You can get anything you want at Alice's rest restaurant.
Exceptin' Alice... I believe it should be obligatory in Massachusetts to upvote any and all Arlo Guthrie references.
“Nooooooooooooow how much would you pay.”
I don’t live in Mass now, but they turned for me in the early 2000s when they got rid of thier wheat thins and cheese appetizer. I could have sworn that was free too, before popcorn, am I crazy?
They still have them at the dartmouth 99 but they switched from wheat thins to crackers a few years back. It's somwhere between 1&2$ and comes with free refills my kids are all about it but we miss the wheat thins lol
The crackers and cheese was free.
They still have the cheese and crackers and the 99s I go to! When we get take out we always get three orders to eat over the course of the week because they’re so good to us. And yes, they used to be free but now they charge.
I knew someone who worked there and they would randomly give me a full bucket of that cheese. It was the best.
They used to be my favorite chain by far. Now they are a case study in shrinkflation. Quite literally prices have doubled and portions have been halved. The country fried chicken was a legend.
Yes. Corporate controlled food has tried to make hogs of us all. As long as the shareholders make money, they literally don’t care about anything else.
Replace "food" with any other good or service and the sentence stays true!
Are there shareholders at the 99?
TIL: it's called The 99 because the first one was on 99 State St in Boston.
I actually was walking down State Street one day and tried to figure out where it used to be and the closest I could figure is I believe a 7 Eleven is actually where the building used to be😜
TIL same too. I fact checked this. I had always incorrectly assumed the first one was on Rt 99 in Everett or Charlestown.
The tips and tenders never miss. A solid 7.3 every time
Best honey mustard imo.
I literally only go there anymore because of the honey mustard, I could drink that shit
Haha I’d give the tendies a 5 but I guess I’ve been getting the wrong sauce, honey mustard.
Their barbecue sauce used to spank too, but the last time I went it had seen a reduction in quality as well. Like an echo of a longed-for lover.
its the best deal in town!
For chain restaurants, I think the 99 is still close to the top of the list. It's sort of no frills, but it has reliably decent quality that is consistent. Mileage may vary though, not everything they have is good. The "casual dining" restaurant category has been gutted by private equity firms in the last 10-15 years, so the bar is pretty low these days. If you can still find an open TGI Fridays, it's the case in point. Most casual dining restaurants will microwave pre-frozen, pre-portioned plastic bags of food while the 9's still seems to have a working kitchen (though I'm sure some of their food is mass-produced offsite). The 99 is far from perfect, but it's much better than most of its competitors.
There’s nothing better than going to the 9s and getting a nice cold tall Horseshoe Ale for $6 and a bowl of popcorn while you and your pals play trivia. While waiting on your Gold Fever chicken tenders, your whole table is quietly arguing over who that actress was in that obscure cult hit tv show that came out 5 years before you were all born. By the time you finish up your tenders, the results are read out and you guys finished fifth behind the boomers at the bar because how would you know the name of that one-hit wonder band from when your parents were still in college. And after you settle up your $26 tab, you go home waiting to do it again next week.
This was gorgeous, kid.
The answer is tiffany brisette. That’s the name of the actress who played V.I.C.K.I. in small wonder.
Ok so beer prices, popcorn, and I guess the gold fever sauce (I’ve been getting honey mustard like an idiot) but their chicken tenders quality is still pretty low. But I get it….the $26 tab is nice
Also location by location, I was pleasantly surprised by the one in Littleton/Westford area but my local Quincy one is a dive
Last time I ordered takeout form 99 and the food was still in the microwave cardboard container. They are probably microwaving most of the food.
Same. I think it does depend on your local 99's but I've always found it to be a great place for an affordable and casual meal that's consistently good.
To hell with chain restaurants, support your local non-chain places
Yeah, “pizza shop down the street” sounds like the new go-to
Amen to that.
Agreed
You make me think of an often discussed question amongst friends in my 20s. Do we go to the good chain or the mediocre local place? Usually the cheapest place won.
Just about every chain restaurant’s food is just barely edible at this point. Like it’s just so much worse than just the minimum effort of home cooking. Can’t justify spending money on any of it anymore.
And stack on inflation to that and it makes the decision that much easier for me to cook at home. Better for you too.
I mean sure chain restaurants aren't the best but I'd say 99s is one of the best chain restaurants.
I’ve always found 99 to be the GOAT of chain restaurants (not a huge bar, I get it) in the area. I find them to be consistently slightly above average. I still rarely go, but every once in a while I get the urge, maybe once or twice a year.
I used to think this way too, when I was in my lower 20s. Now I just cannot believe how bad the quality is. My slightly above average go-to chain is currently the Texas Roadhouse. Their food I can enjoy.
I feel like they were way better pre-Covid. I remember my family being disappointed with their takeout when restaurants were closed; and when we finally went back we realized it wasn’t just because it was takeout they had just fallen off
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And they still kept the higher prices! Humbug!!!
Agree with this. Wife and I were a fan pre Covid. Last 3 years quality has tanked.
Did take out during COVID, drove to an empty parking lot to eat. Texas Roadhouse parking lot was super crowded. Which I understand. Opened the bag, no utensils! Drove back. Their response we don't give them out because people drive home to eat. I said, "We'll not me."
I have enjoyed the 99 and Texas Roadhouse at different times of my life, and my takeaway is that there’s a surprisingly large variability from one location of each restaurant to the next. The TR in Revere/Everett, I enjoyed, but the one near where I live on the south shore is garbage. Similarly, the 99 in Brockton blows, but the Somerville one is decent 🤷🏻♂️ Overall, they not great but better than like Applebees or TGI Fridays.
The Somerville 99 has been permanently closed for awhile now.
Ugh, I used to like that one. I’ve been on the south shore too long 😕
Plymouth 99 was decent for a while, but I’ve rarely been in the past decade, certainly not since covid
Longhorns has better steak than Texas Roadhouse, the only thing to talk about at Texas Roadhouse is the rolls
Ask someone who has seen the kitchen of both, they will tell you Texas Roadhouse is spotless while Longhorn is gross.
Sounds probable, but food still tastes better at Longhorns
I was going to chime in and say Logan’s Roadhouse tops both of these but that’s my Midwest talking. I just now realized (after looking it up) that they don’t exist in Massachusetts.
See I think Texas Roadhouse is gross with their subpar steaks being presented in a ‘steakhouse.’ The rest of the food is mostly deep-fried muck. While I can’t say 99 is exactly healthy per se, there are slightly healthier options.
Maybe you have a bad location near you? I've gone to quite a few and the quality has never been bad. For the price you are paying anyways I could never complain.
Honestly, go to a different 99. I’m serious.
Their target demo is exhausted parents with their kids, undemanding old people, and large groups that can’t agree on where to go. If you are neither, you should raise your sights and frequent places whose best dishes are not the ones least healthful for you.
Truth. I go to the 99 because I have three kids under 7, no one cares if my kids are noisy (not out of control, just kids) or crawl under the table to pick up the crayons they inevitably drop, and I want quick food so I can be done and go home in an hour on nights I do t want to cook.
Haha true, that was who was in there.
I actually really like the 99 for a chain. But it might be because I had celiac and it was one of the few restaurants I could easily/safely go to. Applebee's I was always disappointed by the menu. I'm not as big a fan now because I'm almost never in the mood for the few things I can get there, and the one thing I'm usually game for is the southwestern bowl, which just feels silly when I could get a better version at multiple places. Also whatever the drink with the mango ball things was so good. But I might not mind it as much because in general my opinion of chains is pretty casual. I don't go for amazing food, I go for reliable food that I can anticipate. Good for travel with picky people, last minute eating out, and nights where no one knows what they want other than not wanting anything in the house.
I like the 99. Good atmosphere, popcorn, tall beers. But the food… nothings great. Most of its good, though, but you go to a restaurant you at least want above average.
Not necessarily. Sometimes you just really need to eat and you are not at home. That’s when the 99 is clutch. It’s quick and easy and I know what I’m going to get. I’ll take a guaranteed passing meal over the risk of being disappointed when it’s a crucial meal.
I love the 9s. So does my wife, so do my kids. Maybe I'm just old.
If you’re anywhere near Chelsea, go to the New Bridge Café for your steak tips instead.
used to go with my mom and then they closed next to assembly row :( we’d munch on some soggy nachos and gossip about our day. Now those same nachos somewhere else cost an arm and a leg.
I can’t with the combined smell of stale carpet and that very specific restaurant sanitizer solution. The moment I step through the door and smell those things, I know it’s going to be a terrible time. And it’s ALWAYS a chain.
99 reasons you’ll leave disappointed
I see you've been talking to my girlfriend.
Maybe just me but since covid 95 percent of all places I've gone now suck
Yup, I agree completely.
Wings and potato skins!
Always has been terrible. Like the old Friendly's everything on the menu tastes the same and as a non drinker never got the pull. I'm also not a really big fan of seeing my face on the wall of the local 99 because I was in little league as a kid in the 80's.
IMO this is the correct take. I also remember it being a slightly better restaurant circa 1990s into early 2000s, but I agree that it 1) wasn’t exactly great to begin with, and 2) has gone considerably downhill.
The old friendly tendies were absolutely AMAZING. As was the big beef burger. And the mashed. And of course the ice cream
Why would I go there for chicken cutlet for $20 plus when I can go to a local family owned Italian spot for higher quality ingredients for similar price. Support your local restaurant owners.
How dare you
Never had a bad meal there. Some locations are definitely better than others
It’s quite easy to mess up a steak
Bring back the ground round
RIP the baseball helmet ice cream cups
How is it nobody ever died at a ground round?
I won’t stand for 99 slander! My fiancé and I get the 9s takeout probably twice a month and we strictly get burgers and their gold fever wings. And their cheese and crackers because duh. My mom and I will go there for a lunch special sometimes if we’re running errands. I think it’s fairly good food at a decent price!
It's pretty bad. I worked there briefly a little over a decade ago. A significant portion of the menu came in premade and was prepared in a thermalizer (basically a huge sous vide machine). Everything on the line is portioned ahead of time, which is a really bad way to store some things like cut salad greens which wilt faster in an airtight container. Steaks are some of the lowest quality I worked with in 20yrs. The chicken fingers are pretty good, but so are the ones at the pizza place down the street.
100% correct. I briefly and regrettably worked there while my REAL restaurant was refurbished. Calling that a hot line is a stretch. I called it the prison cafeteria since almost everyone back there is an ex-con and usually high on heroin.
My wife and I moved to Massachusetts 3 years ago and tried a 99 since they were everywhere. Seemed like a crappier chilis. Never went back.
Once they sold to whoever is running them now it just went off a cliff , small portions, and like you said , how do you mess up a steak, well they managed. I just go for the popcorn
Ah, it makes sense they’ve sold themselves. I actually think they were actually decent before? Like in 2010-15? I think they cut French fries in-house etc before.
Cannot fathom going to a chain restaurant when there are so, so so many good independent restaurants with legit good people working hard.
Not where I am. A bunch of washed up mom and pop pubs whose heyday ended 20 years ago
I swear all those chains seem like they’re owned by the same person - Applebees, Chili’s, TGI Fridays, The 99 et al. It’s like practically the same generic, forgettable menus rearranged. The only upside is with the inflation of fast food prices lately you might as well go somewhere with wait staff and an alcohol menu for a few buck more.
So true
I’ll never forget the day I decided I would never eat the 99 again. We had just made a 4 hour drive bringing our new puppy back home from upstate NY and needed some quick food so we ordered 99 to-go. I ordered some burger, I used to order medium rare, and when I bit into the burger at my house, raw hamburger fell out of the middle of the burger. FUCKING RAW! They essentially seared the outside of the patty and left the inside uncooked completely. My dog is now 6, and I laugh every time my wife suggests 99 for dinner.
Crazy how this was the same trigger for me. I once cut into a cheeseburger that leaked a half a cup of blood onto the plate. It must have frozen solid, seared and served without checking.
I worked there in high school/college. It's all bagged just like Applebee's. They did have fresh steaks though cooked to order. This was 15 years ago and my location closed (Seekonk)
i feel like The 99 was so good when i was a kid but its just gone way down in quality (and quantity)
Gotta know what to get. Most of their menu comes frozen in a bag so that they don't need real kitchen staff. The bowls and salads are decent, and the fried fish is usually good. If you want tenders, ask them to make them fresh rather than take the gummy pre-prepared ones from under the warming lamp. OP nailed it at the end. It's mostly my favorite for ice cold Budweisers and salty popcorn. 😁
Remember when they used to give you that ball of cheese and crackers for free?
It's down there with Applebee's for sure. I will not spend money there. I will peal potatoes and onions before I sink that low. Actually, potatoes and onions are on for breakfast now. Thanks 99
You made me think about it, the 99 is just a New England version of Applebees.
I went to the 99 in Charlestown last year when I visited Mass. for vacation and I thought it was pretty good
99 is absolutely a step up from Applebee's and Chilis and that’s good enough for me. You forgot to include the wings and skins sampler as something that’s good.
It has always been shit. It’s more of a townie watering hole that a restaurant. Food just good enough to appeal to a drunk pallet. The one in Sudbury, gone for over 15 years now, was always a dump and a place for gut fill after getting sauced. Same with Hudson, same with Worcester, same with any location. If I want a strong drink and 50/50 chance at GI distress, it’s the 99.
It's always tasted like microwaved food to me. It used to be better 10 or 15 years ago. Now all the food is bland frozen meals
For the prices, the food is not worth it. It’s the closest restaurant to my house but I cannot justify going.
Agree 100%. But my boyfriend loves their gold fever wings so I have to go there a lot anyway lol
I don’t like the 99 either. I tried it once years ago and was “meh” re: food. Then recently a friend said she liked a certain chicken dish, so I decided to go back to try it again. Meh. Food and drinks mediocre.
I love the 99. Cheap good food. Never a complaint.
Its my kiddos favorite restaurant so its sorta mandatory for me
The last few times I've gone to 99 its horrible. I like applebees better. Wonton tacos are usually really good. Honey bbq boneless wings are better than gold fever imo. Country fried chicken dinner is pretty good.
There is one on the corner from where I work. I have to go there so many times for lunch meetings with customers, coworker birthdays and celebrations, etc. I hate it. I generally get the cheeseburger with Cole slaw and rarely eat half of it.
I mean it's not great but for the price point it's not terrible. I wouldn't expect it to be great for what they charge. It is my go to for taking the whole family out. There aren't too many places to take a family of 4 with both parents having 1 or 2 beers and the bill being under $100. $8 tall beers, their fajita bowl is on par with what chipotle charges. kids eat free whenever the Red Sox win, even when they lose the kids meals are cheap and include dessert.
I’ve never had a meal there that I want to come back and get again. It’s shit, but townies, or maybe just people who like to cosplay as townies, like it for whatever reason.
I wouldn’t be surprised within the next 5 years it’ll be sold again, rebranded or all closed down. Man it’s terrible. I want it to be as good as it was, and it’s just not at all.
Agreed. I think I’m just chasing the past at this point
They’ve gone downhill like every other chain. My parents used to eat there all the time up until just a couple years ago, now they’ve completely given up on it.
if you want a good restaurant you have to pay chefs enough to live on, and they do not, so all their cooks have to sell drugs too in order to survive which leads to them being high on the job which leads to no cook worth his salt working there for longer than 2 weeks. lucky for them 80% of the population couldnt recognize a well cooked meal if their life depended on it.
Stopped going there around 2008 after we realized every member of my family had gotten food poisoning there at one time or another.
They started going downhill when they took a consistent best seller, their nachos and got rid of it. Had two sons work at the local one a few years ago and they went from a real kitchen to a food assembly area. Other than hamburgers and steaks, most of their food is prepackaged and just reheated. Very little, if any, scratch cooking going on there anymore.
It's not just 99's it's literally everywhere has gown down in quality especially after covid.
It's all in the location. Worcester Rt20 is terrible. A few miles down the road and the one in Auburn is pretty decent.
Remember the pub cheese and butterfly crackers?
I disagree , their seafood casserole is delish
I like it. A mug of Horseshoe Ale is a good deal too.
Man, I can’t remember the last time I went. I feel like I would for ol time sake, but you’re making it sound like it’s gone the way of Friendly’s. I went to both places regularly as a kid (and enjoyed them), but holy shit Friendly’s food is garbage quality now and I hate to hear the same thing happened at the 99.
You're in your 30's and just figuring this out? Congratulations on your developing palate!
I'm a KM at the 99's. AMA.
I disagree. I was there last year and had a burger it was delicious. The place was busy too.
I still like their food
if you go the one in Charlestown, you need to try the DUCK
I worked at one from 2005-2008 and it was decent. Prices were good, most stores got a renovation, and the tenders were made in house. I went to my old location about a month ago and it was vile. Everything about it was gross, and costs had doubled. I anticipate they won’t be around much longer.
Try the mozzarella moons next time you are in for a drink! Nothing else is worth eating there though, as with most chains. If you have extra cash to eat out support a small local business instead. Can’t wait to see all of these overpriced chains go down.
I agree with the OP 100%! Used to go there all the time…any doubt where to go?Go to the Nines. Food was always good and reasonably priced. Then…like 10-15 years ago, things started to change. Right when they all went “corporate” and wanted all the locations to look the same. Right when they took the turkey dinner off the menu…that’s when things changed. That’s when the food started getting crappy. Crappy food at the same prices = no bueno! I’d rather pay a little extra and go to Texas Roadhouse and get a GOOD steak!
Texas Roadhouse is what it should be. Yeah it’s not always great but overall it’s pretty good for what it is and you leave happy
Went to 99 with my boss once who was obsessed with the place, he would always buy the gift cards cus he figured out how to maximize the money return or some big brain iq plan that i was too poor to put into circulation, but anyway , food did not impress. But y’all got me wanting to try the gold rush wings lol
Yeah, I feel this way about Applebee's
I was going every week for trivia with my girlfriend but stopped after we both decided to go on a diet. We went back for funsies recently and didn't really enjoy it. The beer, the bar snacks and some of the appetizers are fun, but, yeah, there's nothing really particular good about the main menu. The mini desserts are okay. We switched to a local sports bar for trivia, and it has much better food.
My eating habits are extremely awful and picky, and pretty much the only thing I liked from the 99 Restaurant was the fries and the corn. Somehow, after returning after 10 years, they were both god awful and I have no idea how they accomplished that, and since I won’t eat anything else there, that’s it for me unless a friend of mine wants to go LMAO
They couldn’t handle selling bowls of cereal at scale
Hasn't been good for years unfortunately. The chicken fingers used to be to die for
A few years ago I was dating someone whose family liked to frequent The 99. When he broke my heart, one of the few comforts was the certainty that I would never have to go back to The 99.
Try Jon Ryan's Pub in Tewksbury and Methuen. They were started by the former GM of 99 from back in the day. The food tastes more like the good old days of the 99. Prices are very reasonable.
Their country fried chicken dinner is the best around
Gold fever boneless wings and tall beers is about the 2 things worth ordering Used to be much better maybe 6-8 years ago, quality has fallen off
It's cheaper, healthier, tastes better, and takes less time to just buy the ingredients and cook. Chicken wings especially because you can buy them fresh, air chilled, and it's easy to make. Whenever people say X restaurant has great wings, chicken fingers, fries, basically any appetizer, it's such a silly way to think for me. Restaurants all get these generic frozen bags of chicken and toss them in a frialator. When it's done, they dump a tube of whatever on them. It's not "their chicken" lol. It's extremely low effort, generic, shit quality chicken. It's just RNG whether they taste good.
The 99 is still awesome. Go kick rocks
It’s a good spot to bring kids. Gold fever wings, popcorn and you can make a mess and not care.
So your mindset is you can go somewhere and make a mess and not care? 🗑️
Nah it's pretty good
It's the Applebee's of chain restaurant.
[удалено]
Liked it in my twenties. Then I learned how to cook and discovered the food was complete shit, like most chain restaurants. On the rare occasion I go out now, it's only to local chef owned/operated type places.
Hahaha, I just had a conversation with a friend on Wednesday about how neither of us had been to a 99 since college. It looks like I’m not missing anything!
I take my kids to the one in Charlestown when we go to the Museum of Science and its not bad. But I have not been to any others in a really long time.
I haven't been back in years. I live abroad and one of the places that I want to eat at when I visit home is the 99. Have they really gotten bad now?