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We are not big fans of chain restaurants (though we like a few), but on occasion convenience or peer pressure wins over, and we end up eating at chains. In some parts of the country, really, this can be your best bet. Still, not all chains are created equal and not all restaurants in a same chain have comparable standards, so I figured it would be useful to include in these pages reports on specific chain restaurants we have visited. Hopefully it will help you figure out which ones to avoid. One positive thing about chain restaurants is that most of them are child friendly, a consideration for parents like us. Because we often eat at chains while traveling, many of these reports can also be found in my "Road Restaurants" page. A Caveat Bay Area Restaurants | San Leandro Restaurants | Other Restaurants | Road Restaurants Alohana Hawaiian Grill Hawaiian BBQ Visited San Leandro location in October 2008, Good # F Applebees American Visited Salmon Creek, WA location in November 2008, Don't go, $$ F The Apple Peddler American Visited Roseburg, OR location in November 2003, So-so Benihana Japanese steakhouse Visited Burlingame location in April 2004, Good, $$$. F Black Angus Steakhouse Visited San Lorenzo location in November 2008, OK $$ VF Black Bear Diner Coffeshop Visited Willow location in November 2003, OK F Buckhorn Family Restaurant Coffeeshop Visited Santa Nella location in November 2004, So-So Buckhorn Grill BBQ & Burgers Visited Pleasanton location in June 2013, Very Good, $$ F Chili's American San Leandro occasionaly visited, Good, $$ VF Chuck E. Cheese Pizza Visited Hayward location in November, 2004, Good, $$. VF Elephant Bar Asian fusion Visited Northridge location in April, 2014, Good, $$. Elmer's American Visited several locations in Oregon & WA in 2007-09, Very Good, $$ VF Hahn's Hibachi Korean BBQ Visited Jack London location in February 2004, Good F Harry's Hofbrau American/Hofbrau Visited San Leandro location in November 2004, OK, $ F McCormick & Schmicks Seafood Restaurant Seafood Bellevue, WA Visited in April 2007, Good, $$-$$$ Mountain Mike's Pizza Pizza Visited San Leandro, Marina Blvd. location in March 2012, Very Good, $$ VF Nation's Giant Hamburgers Burgers/Breakfast Occasionally visits to San Leandro location, Good, $ F The Old Spaghetti Factory Italian-American Visited Porland location in November 2003, Don't bother F The Olive Garden Italian Visited Vancouver, WA location in November 2009, Good, $$ VF Ono Hawaiian BBQ Hawaiian BBQ/Take Out (Chain) Frequently visited at San Leandro location, OK, $ F The Original Pancake House Breakfast Visited Eugene location in November 2003, OK F P.F. Changs Chinese Visited Emeryville location in December 2004, Good, $$ F Panda Express Chinese Guest visited Hayward location in October 2007, Good, $ F Pea Soup Andersen's American Visited Santa Nella location in November 2004, So-So Rainforest Cafe American Visited Las Vegas location in August 2011, OK, $$$ VF Rainforest Cafe American Visited San Francisco location in May 2008, OK, $$ VF Round Table Pizza Pizza Visited various locations in 2008, Very Good Sharis American Visited Central Point, OR location in November 2009, OK, $$ VF Sizzler American/Steakhouse Visited San Leandro location in December 2007, OK, $ F El Torito Tex-Mex Visited San Leandro location in June 2006, So-so, $$ F Truly Mediterranean Middle Eastern Visited Berkeley location in November 2004, OK, $ N