The Sip Advisor loves food. I’m not a foodie, per se, as I don’t care to know the ins and out of my meals, but I do like eating. For various reasons, though, sometimes a place you visit just doesn’t live up to the hype. Here are my picks for the most overrated restaurants I’ve tried:

Chipotle

I prefer a chain such as Chronic Tacos over Chipotle, if I want to get a quick burrito or taco fix. And any true Mexican eatery is better than all the chain ones combined. My preferred menu choice at fast serve places – an Al Pastor Burrito – is completely bland at Chipotle. In particular, the sauces they offer aren’t very interesting, which combined with the other uninspired ingredients, leads to a very underwhelming experience. I’ve also found service to be particularly slow on the few occasions I’ve tried Chipotle. Perhaps I need to try an American location, before passing final judgment.

White Castle

I was so excited to finally eat at a White Castle location in 2013, while visiting New York City. This was years after Harold and Kumar introduced me to the chain with their wild misadventures. Boy, was I disappointed. I found the steamed burger experience to make buns soggy in quick order and a lack of any flavour substance to the experience. I’ve since tried the restaurant again, giving it another chance to wow me. Once again, I came away questioning why the company is so popular it was used for the movie franchise. Apparently Krispy Kreme was offered the role first, but declined. I do appreciate White Castle’s fascinating history of inventing many fast food concepts, but I’m not sure I’ll ever spend my time or money at one again.

In-N-Out

This burger chain is so popular that long lines course through their locations. And the wait just isn’t worth it. I expected to be blown away by the California-based icon, but found it to be nothing special. On our most recent trip to the Golden State, we contemplated visiting an In-N-Out, but with no chicken option on their menu, Boy Sip would have nothing to eat and so passed on the opportunity. I think part of my annoyance with In-N-Out is that I don’t know what exactly to order and their not-so-secret secret menu just complicates the issue for me even more.

Cheesecake Factory

I’ve had some good meals at Cheesecake Factory and others that were disappointing for one reason or another, whether it be a long wait to be seated or my meal being lackluster. The restaurant’s menu is so massive, it takes a fair bit of time to narrow down your order and I personally never remember what I previously had and whether or not I enjoyed it. It’s one of those things where they do a lot of things in average fashion, rather than focusing on fewer items and doing them all well… or at least better. One thing can’t be denied, the cheesecake they offer is fantastic.

Little Caesar’s

When Little Caesar’s first came to my hometown as a young kid, it was the pizza to get for sports team gatherings. Crazy Bread was practically a revelation for my generation. Today, the Sipplings also love Crazy Bread (or Silly Bread as they call it), but let’s be honest here, the pizza at Little Caesar’s is not very good. Sure, I’ll grab a Hot-N-Ready offering when I’m at the store (because I’m a top notch dad, of course), but I’m typically disappointed with the pizza, even at the cheap price. For me, their pizza sauce just isn’t very good, lacking any flavour. And that lack of flavour continues throughout the rest of a slice. Drowning my ‘za with ranch dressing is really the only way to get through a Little Caesar’s pie.

Cocktail Corner: Moscow Mule

• 2 oz Vodka
• Top with Ginger Beer
• Splash of Lime Juice
• Garnish with a Lime Slice

Other places that seem to come up in lists of overrated restaurants, but I can’t comment on, as I’ve never sampled their wares, include Chick-fil-A and Whataburger. For a few others (Olive Garden, Panera, etc.), I’ve only visited once, so feel I haven’t given them a fair enough shake to comment. As for today’s drink, the Moscow Mule comes up on many lists of overrated beverages. While I’ve made a number of the drink’s variations for this site, I’ve never made the original, a cocktail I do enjoy.