"Fine" Dining

Michael Ornelas

Details

Comedian Michael Ornelas dives deep into the stories behind your favorite chain restaurants like Domino's, BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse, and Long John Silver's before determining if they are better or worse than Chili's: the most mediocre restaurant in America.

Recent Episodes

OCT 28, 2026
Another Broken Egg Cafe: You Used to Be Great...
🍳πŸ₯ž Another Broken Egg Cafe Review: C*m Gravy, "Huevos," and a Vehement Dessert Disagreement πŸ₯žπŸ³ This week, Juliet Kaufman (@jewlkoff) returns as we finally sit down for brunch at Another Broken Egg Cafe and put it to the Chili's Test! We're diving into a menu full of breakfast classics, sweet treats, and one substitution I will regret for the rest of my life. While the food has its moments, this once-beloved brunch chain is not what it used to be. And somehow, Juliet manages to blatantly disrespect the entire premise of my podcast. πŸ₯ž Apple Pie Pancakes Bring Dessert to Breakfast 🍩 Part Biscuit, Part Beignets, But Shaped Like a Donut Hole? 🌢️ I F*cked Up My Southwest Scrambler πŸ₯ Juliet and I Have COMPLETELY Inverse Tier Lists for Breakfast Breads AND Desserts πŸ‡²πŸ‡½ Juliet Really Puts the "H" in Huevos Rancheros πŸ“‰ Has Another Broken Egg Cafe Fallen from Its Former Glory? πŸ“ Calibration Station: Juliet Has the AUDACITY to Rate Chili's as Her ZERO...????????? πŸ† We Score Another Broken Egg Cafe with the REAL Chili's Test! πŸ’¬ COMMENT BELOW: What's the biggest ordering mistake you've ever made at a restaurant? And is Juliet completely out of line for giving Chili's a ZERO?! πŸ“’ SUPPORT THE SHOW & JOIN THE COMMUNITY:πŸŽ‰ Patreon (Bonus episodes, extended Yelp segments & more): patreon.com/finediningpodcast πŸ’¬ Discord (Food talk, memes, cursed Yelp): discord.gg/6a2YqrtWV4 πŸŽ₯ Watch full episodes: youtube.com/channel/UCLbraNhL6KhDPkdSWt2yiuw πŸ”— All links: linktree.com/finediningpodcast 🎀 Guest: Juliet Kaufman | IG: @jewlkoff Patreon Producers:Sue Ornelas, Joyce Van, & Robert McLaughlin Patreon Subscribers:David Ornelas, Kellie Baldwin, Jeremy Horwitz, Herbert Amaya, Simone Davalos, Scott Bennett, Amy Reinhart, Josef Castaneda-Liles, & Michelle Elmer Free Patreon Followers:Joe Warszalek, Lauren Cummings, Grace Krainak, Keri Estes, Robert Duran, Patrick Elliott, Dave Plummer, Nicholas Volney, Michael Gerard, Tracy Molino, Phuong Duong, Tyler Robinson, Brandon Gully, Mason Cruz, Michael Milito, Mez, Aaron Hubbard, Steff, Renae Michael, Crystal C., NiZ, Science Broe, Jahid Ahmed, Jewell Hermann, Macky Markar, Morawski4, Kellie Bowes, Debra Ramsey, Jorge Gabriel MΓ©ndez Arrambide, James BacKHouse, Kimberly Burk, Travis Langley, & Murtala Aliyu πŸ‘‰ NEXT WEEK: We're trading brunch for freaky fast sandwiches! πŸ₯ͺ I dive into the history of Jimmy John's with UCB performer Blake Benson!
51 MIN
OCT 21, 2026
Another Broken Egg Cafe: King of Brunch
🍳πŸ₯‚ Another Broken Egg Cafe: Boozy Brunch, Private Equity, and the Egg Price Police πŸ₯‚πŸ³ This week, Juliet Kaufman (@jewlkoff) joins me to crack open (like an egg, get it??) the history of Another Broken Egg Cafe, a brunch chain that started in a turn-of-the-century summer home and grew national. We explore how a little restaurant called Broken Egg Cafe became ANOTHER Broken Egg Cafe, how you can run a restaurant without chefs, and why brunch might just be the perfect business model. Plus, Yelp teaches us that the price of eggs is apparently a matter for law enforcement. πŸ₯š Why Broken Egg Cafe Became ANOTHER Broken Egg Cafe πŸ‘¨β€πŸ³ No Chefs Required! The Restaurant's Unusual Kitchen Model πŸ₯‚ Yes, There's Booze! πŸ’° Selling Its Soul to Private Equity πŸ„ The Heat Lamp: Juliet Is SICK of Mushrooms Being a Default Vegetarian EntrΓ©e πŸš” Yelp from Strangers: "Todd Fakeberg" Allegedly Calls the Cops Over an Argument About Egg Prices 🍳 How a Little Breakfast Spot Became a Major Brunch Destination πŸ’¬ COMMENT BELOW: What's the most disappointing vegetarian option you've ever seen on a restaurant menu? πŸ“’ SUPPORT THE SHOW & JOIN THE COMMUNITY:πŸŽ‰ Patreon (Bonus episodes, extended Yelp segments & more): patreon.com/finediningpodcast πŸ’¬ Discord (Food talk, memes, cursed Yelp): discord.gg/6a2YqrtWV4 πŸŽ₯ Watch full episodes: youtube.com/channel/UCLbraNhL6KhDPkdSWt2yiuw πŸ”— All links: linktree.com/finediningpodcast 🎀 Guest: Juliet Kaufman | IG: @jewlkoff Patreon Producers:Sue Ornelas, Joyce Van, & Robert McLaughlin Patreon Subscribers:David Ornelas, Kellie Baldwin, Jeremy Horwitz, Herbert Amaya, Simone Davalos, Scott Bennett, Amy Reinhart, Josef Castaneda-Liles, & Michelle Elmer Free Patreon Followers:Joe Warszalek, Lauren Cummings, Grace Krainak, Keri Estes, Robert Duran, Patrick Elliott, Dave Plummer, Nicholas Volney, Michael Gerard, Tracy Molino, Phuong Duong, Tyler Robinson, Brandon Gully, Mason Cruz, Michael Milito, Mez, Aaron Hubbard, Steff, Renae Michael, Crystal C., NiZ, Science Broe, Jahid Ahmed, Jewell Hermann, Macky Markar, Morawski4, Kellie Bowes, Debra Ramsey, Jorge Gabriel MΓ©ndez Arrambide, James BacKHouse, Kimberly Burk, & Travis Langley πŸ‘‰ NEXT WEEK: Juliet and I head to Another Broken Egg Cafe to try the brunch menu, review the restaurant experience, and put it to the Chili's Test! 🍳🌢️
45 MIN
OCT 14, 2026
Wienerschnitzel: Swearing Off Pretzel Buns for Good
🌭🍦 Wienerschnitzel Review: A Terrible Pretzel Dog, Froot Loops Ice Cream, and a Delicious Plushie 🍦🌭 This week, David Luong (@daviddluong) returns as we finally eat our way through Wienerschnitzel and put the world's largest hot dog chain to the Chili's Test! From a surprisingly fantastic Chicago-style dog to a pretzel bun that makes me quit pretzel buns forever, we're exploring the highs and lows of a menu that goes WAY beyond wieners. Plus, a beloved mascot comes home with me! 🌭 The Chili Dog on a Pretzel Bun Is a Textural Mistake πŸ™οΈ The Chicago-Style Hot Dog Is Actually VERY Good 🌽 Corn Dogs vs. Corn Dog Bites: Which Version Comes Out on Top? πŸ“ Strawberry Funnel Cake, Chocolate Shake & Froot Loops-Dipped Ice Cream?! πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ Months Later, America 250 Merch Is STILL Available 🧸 I Buy a Plushie of The Delicious One (TDO), Wienerschnitzel's Iconic Mascot πŸ’Έ David Explores How Decades of Wienerschnitzel Coupons Tell the Story of Inflation πŸ“ Calibration Station: David's Best Restaurant Is a Chain Buffet, While His Worst Is a Fishing Shack 🌢️ Does Wienerschnitzel Have What It Takes to Pass the Chili's Test? πŸ’¬ COMMENT BELOW: What's the best hot dog you've ever had, and does it beat a Chicago-style dog? πŸ“’ SUPPORT THE SHOW & JOIN THE COMMUNITY:πŸŽ‰ Patreon (Bonus episodes, extended Yelp segments & more): patreon.com/finediningpodcast πŸ’¬ Discord (Food talk, memes, cursed Yelp): discord.gg/6a2YqrtWV4 πŸŽ₯ Watch full episodes: youtube.com/channel/UCLbraNhL6KhDPkdSWt2yiuw πŸ”— All links: linktree.com/finediningpodcast 🎀 Guest: David Luong | IG: @daviddluong Patreon Producers:Sue Ornelas, Joyce Van, & Robert McLaughlin Patreon Subscribers:David Ornelas, Kellie Baldwin, Jeremy Horwitz, Herbert Amaya, Simone Davalos, Scott Bennett, Amy Reinhart, Josef Castaneda-Liles, & Michelle Elmer Free Patreon Followers:Joe Warszalek, Lauren Cummings, Grace Krainak, Keri Estes, Robert Duran, Patrick Elliott, Dave Plummer, Nicholas Volney, Michael Gerard, Tracy Molino, Phuong Duong, Tyler Robinson, Brandon Gully, Mason Cruz, Michael Milito, Mez, Aaron Hubbard, Steff, Renae Michael, Crystal C., NiZ, Science Broe, Jahid Ahmed, Jewell Hermann, Macky Markar, Morawski4, Kellie Bowes, Debra Ramsey, Jorge Gabriel MΓ©ndez Arrambide, James BacKHouse, Kimberly Burk, & Travis Langley πŸ‘‰ NEXT WEEK: Hot dogs are out, brunch is IN! 🍳πŸ₯ž I dive into the history of Another Broken Egg Cafe with Juliet Kaufman!
50 MIN
OCT 7, 2026
Wienerschnitzel: The Taco Bell of Hot Dogs
🌭🏰 Wienerschnitzel: Incorrect German, Taco Bell, and Iconic Chili 🏰🌭 This week, David Luong (@daviddluong) joins me to dig into the history of Wienerschnitzel, America's massive hot dog chain with a name that raises eyebrows. We trace the unlikely connections behind its creation, unpack the improper German that's been there since day one, and investigate how a restaurant named after schnitzel somehow went decades without actually serving any. πŸ”” Wienerschnitzel's Founder Was Close with Taco Bell Founder Glen Bell πŸ‡©πŸ‡ͺ "Der Wienerschnitzel" Wasn't Even Grammatically Correct German 🌭 Why Name a Hot Dog Restaurant After Schnitzel in the First Place? πŸ– The Chain FINALLY Serves Its Namesake as a Limited-Time Promotion πŸ”₯ The Heat Lamp: David Argues Some Food Is Worth the Diarrhea πŸ₯Š Yelp from Strangers: One Customer Claims an Employee Tried to FIGHT Him 🏰 How a Weirdly Named Hot Dog Stand Became an American Fast Food Institution πŸ’¬ COMMENT BELOW: What's a food that's SO good you'd willingly accept the gastrointestinal consequences? πŸ“’ SUPPORT THE SHOW & JOIN THE COMMUNITY:πŸŽ‰ Patreon (Bonus episodes, extended Yelp segments & more): patreon.com/finediningpodcast πŸ’¬ Discord (Food talk, memes, cursed Yelp): discord.gg/6a2YqrtWV4 πŸŽ₯ Watch full episodes: youtube.com/channel/UCLbraNhL6KhDPkdSWt2yiuw πŸ”— All links: linktree.com/finediningpodcast 🎀 Guest: David Luong | IG: @daviddluong Patreon Producers:Sue Ornelas, Joyce Van, & Robert McLaughlin Patreon Subscribers:David Ornelas, Kellie Baldwin, Jeremy Horwitz, Herbert Amaya, Simone Davalos, Scott Bennett, Amy Reinhart, Josef Castaneda-Liles, & Michelle Elmer Free Patreon Followers:Joe Warszalek, Lauren Cummings, Grace Krainak, Keri Estes, Robert Duran, Patrick Elliott, Dave Plummer, Nicholas Volney, Michael Gerard, Tracy Molino, Phuong Duong, Tyler Robinson, Brandon Gully, Mason Cruz, Michael Milito, Mez, Aaron Hubbard, Steff, Renae Michael, Crystal C., NiZ, Science Broe, Jahid Ahmed, Jewell Hermann, Macky Markar, Morawski4, Kellie Bowes, Debra Ramsey, Jorge Gabriel MΓ©ndez Arrambide, James BacKHouse, Kimberly Burk, & Travis Langley πŸ‘‰ NEXT WEEK: David and I head to Wienerschnitzel to eat our way through the menu and put it to the Chili's Test! 🌭🌢️
46 MIN
SEP 30, 2026
Septemburger 2026: It Ends Here!!
πŸ”πŸ† Septemburger 2026: The Semi-Finals & FINALE! πŸ†πŸ” It all comes down to this! Joyce, Miranda Coker (@miranda_writes114), Sandy Rose, and Seif Rahoumi (@seifrahoumi) return as Septemburger 2026 reaches its conclusion! Four chains remain, two matchups stand between them and the championship, and naturally, everyone is still cutting wrestling promos like these burgers have personally wronged them. πŸ‘‘ BurgerFi's CEO Burger Enters the Semi-Finals with Joyce in Its Corner 🀠 Miranda & I Grade Fatburger's Western Bacon BBQ Burger βš”οΈ BurgerFi vs. Fatburger: Which Burger Earns a Spot in the Finals? πŸ§… Sandy & I Dig into MOOYAH's Well D'Onion πŸ₯“ Seif & I Discover Some Truly AWFUL Bacon on Five Guys' Little Hamburger πŸ₯Š MOOYAH vs. Five Guys: Only One Can Advance! 🎀 The Wrestling Promos Continue as Everyone Talks an Incredible Amount of Trash 🚫 Seif Should Be Cancelled πŸ† Two Burgers Survive the Semi-Finals, But Only ONE Can Become the SEPTEMBURGER 2026 CHAMPION! πŸ’¬ COMMENT BELOW: Did the right burger win Septemburger 2026? πŸ“’ SUPPORT THE SHOW & JOIN THE COMMUNITY:πŸŽ‰ Patreon (Bonus episodes, extended Yelp segments & more): patreon.com/finediningpodcast πŸ’¬ Discord (Food talk, memes, cursed Yelp): discord.gg/6a2YqrtWV4 πŸŽ₯ Watch full episodes: youtube.com/channel/UCLbraNhL6KhDPkdSWt2yiuw πŸ”— All links: linktree.com/finediningpodcast 🎀 Guests: Joyce, Miranda Coker (@miranda_writes114), Sandy Rose, & Seif Rahoumi (@seifrahoumi) Patreon Producers:Sue Ornelas, Joyce Van, & Robert McLaughlin Patreon Subscribers:David Ornelas, Kellie Baldwin, Jeremy Horwitz, Herbert Amaya, Simone Davalos, Scott Bennett, Amy Reinhart, Josef Castaneda-Liles, Travis Langley, & Michelle Elmer Free Patreon Followers:Joe Warszalek, Lauren Cummings, Grace Krainak, Keri Estes, Robert Duran, Patrick Elliott, Dave Plummer, Nicholas Volney, Michael Gerard, Tracy Molino, Phuong Duong, Tyler Robinson, Brandon Gully, Mason Cruz, Michael Milito, Mez, Aaron Hubbard, Steff, Renae Michael, Crystal C., NiZ, Science Broe, Jahid Ahmed, Jewell Hermann, Macky Markar, Morawski4, Kellie Bowes, Debra Ramsey, Jorge Gabriel MΓ©ndez Arrambide, James BacKHouse, & Kimberly Burk πŸ‘‰ NEXT WEEK: Septemburger is over and regular programming returns! 🌭 I dive into the history of Wienerschnitzel with David Luong!
42 MIN