Savage Lizard
The Savage Lizard's Lair

WARNING!  Some portions of this web site may contain ideas and/or language that some people might find offensive.  If you are a weak-stomached crybaby, perhaps you should go here instead.

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The Lizard Recommends...

There are many things that I like, it would take a lot of time and effort to tell you about all of them.  However, here are some things that I like SO MUCH, that I feel like I'm doing you a big favor by sharing them with you (shown alphabetically)...
Get the Burger is a local Big Bear spot that patterened themselves after In-n-Out Burger, the famous burger chain. The rub is that Get the Burger is BETTER than In-n-Out. My only complaint is that they don't have onion rings.

If you are ever in San Diego, make a point of stopping by Goldilocks (formerly Betsy's Cake Center) at 8945 Mira Mesa Blvd.  They sell a lot of things that I have never tried, but their pandesals are the best!  Pandesals are bread rolls, and if you catch a batch straight from the oven, you are in luck.  Way back when I used to work at Elk Hills, I brought some back from San Diego to share with my co-workers.  Pretty soon, whenever I went to San Diego, I had to bring back extra bags for everyone.  One time I went there to get rolls for Thanksgiving, and there was a line out the door of people waiting to buy them.  They were selling them as fast as they could pull them out of the oven.  Pandesals are great in the microwave with a little butter, with peanut butter, or my favorite is with turkey & swiss.

UPDATE: the name recently changed to Goldilocks, and I don't know if the owners are the same.  I bought some pandesals from the new place recently and they seemed the same.  I will continue to monitor the situation.
Grizzly Manor Cafe serves THE best breakfast on the mountain.  Other restaurants claim to have the best breakfast in Big Bear, but Jayme delivers the goods!  You'll probably have to wait if you don't get there early, but it's worth it.  Huge portions, great food.  What else can you ask for?  I always have "The Gunny" and it is great!  The hash browns alone are worth the visit.  Since Jayme is a Chargers and Padres fan, I can overlook the fact that he serves Coke instead of Pepsi.  The Grizzly Manor is closed on Tuesdays, and every once in awhile when Jayme feels like taking a vacation.

At 1710 Oak Street in Bakersfield, California is Jake's Original Tex-Mex Cafe.  Whenever I am in town, a stop at Jake's is a necessity.  I always get the combo plate which has two of their best items, deep pit BBQ beef and garlic chicken.  The sides are great too, I love the potatoes.  But the thing you absolutely, positively have to have is the chocolate cake!

One time, Bubba knew I was going to be in town, and drove to Jake's at lunch time knowing I would be there.  He proclaimed "Rob would be an easy man to kill."

Metro Pizza in Las Vegas is the home of The Stockyard, my favorite pizza anywhere!  Granted, I have never had pizza in Chicago or New York, reputedly homes to some of the finest pizza anywhere.  But The Stockyard from Metro has everything a pizza should have, meat and lots of it.  Best of all, The Stockyard has NO PLANTS!

On my first visit there, Bubba and I were trying to decide between a medium and a large.  The waitress said that if it was just the two of us eating it, she'd give us a medium.  Bubba was outraged, and proclaimed that there wasn't a pizza alive that he couldn't conquer.  She brought us a medium, and the two us, ganging up on it, finished half of it.  Needless to say, we took no small amount of grief from the waitress.

DO NOT go to the Metro Pizza inside of the Ellis Island Casino!  They don't have the full menu, and you can't get a stockyard there.  It's kind of like a fast food joint stuck in the corner of a gas station mini-mart.

The BcA (shown above, standing behind me) said it best, before a visit to Metro: "My stomach's happy because it knows it's getting laid."

At right, Bill and Jenn wisely heeded my advice, and stopped at Metro Pizza while in Las Vegas. They shared this review: "By far the best pizza in the West. The Savage Lizard should never be doubted." I might have helped them a little bit with that last part. I know they were thinking that, but forgot to say it out loud.

I discovered Rattlers BBQ in Santa Clarita by accident many years ago.  After a day at Magic Mountain with Scott and his girlfriend at the time, wife later, and now ex-wife Tina, we were driving all over the place looking for someplace to eat.  After many miles down some God-forsaken road with NO restaurants, we finally spotted a Mexican restaurant.  Moments before making the turn, I spotted a sign for Rattlers BBQ.  Mexican or BBQ?  Mexican or BBQ?  We decided to get BBQ, and boy am I glad we did!

Rattlers has all kinds of delectable BBQ goodies.  I like the tri-tip quite a bit, but what I REALLY like are their BBQ meatballs.  As far as I know, you can only get them at lunch at the salad bar.  I don't even know how many of these things I put away when I am there, but I usually overdo it because I only get there once in awhile.  Their garlic rolls rule!

Once, before going to a Lancaster Jet Hawks game, I suggested to The BcA and Chili Dog (shown to the right of me) that we go to Rattlers.  I had to twist their arms a bit, but they were happy I did.

Sandy's Sports Restaurant in Big Bear Lake is a great place to hang out if you like a relaxed friendly atmosphere and great food. They also have a fine selection of adult beverages if that is what you seek.

If there is a sporting event on that you want to watch, they'll show it to you.  This is the my second home during football season, and home to Big Bear Bolt Fans.  Stop in, say hello to Brian and Debbie, and tell them that Savage Lizard sent you.

Spade L Ranch seasoning is the best thing that I have ever used to prepared my steaks.  Way back when, my good friend Tree told me about it, and I have been hooked ever since.  Many people have had steaks at my house, and just had to know what I used.  Spade L Ranch also make seasoning for chicken, which is good, but not as exceptional as the seasoning for beef.  I have never used their seasonings for pork or fish, so I can't comment on those.  You don't even have to take my word for it.  Go to the Spade L web site, request a free sample, buy your favorite steak, and give it a test drive.  You will be e-mailing me shortly thereafter to thank me.