Best of Lawrence 2004

Thanks for all the votes...

More than 1,000 people cast ballots for the Best of Lawrence section. The top-three vote-getters in 47 of the 64 categories listed on the ballot are recognized in this section. Categories that didn't have at least 100 votes among the top three vote-getters were not included. Also, ballots that weren't 50 percent filled out did not qualify. Of the ballots submitted, 75 percent were sent online and 25 percent were delivered or mailed.

Special thanks to everyone that helped tabulate ballots: Linda Schimmel, Lisa Martin, Debbie and Kylie Hatfield, Chantel Guidry, Linda Vega and Emily Brookover. Additional thanks to Journal-World photographers Diane Guthrie and Richard Daley.

And now for the results...

Best Antique Shop

1st place: The Antique Mall

Best Barber Shop

1st place: Amyx Barber Shop
2nd place: Downtown Barber
3rd place: Da Shop

Best BBQ

1st place: Vermont Street BBQ
2nd place: Quick's Bar-B-Q & Catering Company
3rd place: Buffalo Bob's Smokehouse

Best Beer Selection

1st place: Free State Brewing Company
2nd place: Old Chicago
3rd place: JB Stout's Sports Bar & Grill

Best Bookstore

Best Breakfast

1st place: First Watch Restaurant
2nd place: Milton's
3rd place: Wheatfields Bakery

Best Burrito

1st place: Chipotle
2nd place: El Mezcal
3rd place: The Burrito King

Best Car Wash

1st place: Auto Plaza Car Wash
Raco Car Wash
Rock Chalk Car Wash

Best Coffee

1st place: Milton's
2nd place: Starbucks
3rd place: Z's Divine Espresso

Best Dinner

1st place: Free State Brewing Company
2nd place: Pachamama's New World Cuisine
3rd place: Teller's

Best Donut

1st place: Munchers Bakery
2nd place: Joe's Bakery
3rd place: Great Harvest Bread Co.

Best Fast Food

1st place: Wendy's
2nd place: Sonic Drive In
3rd place: McDonalds

Best Flower Shop

1st place: Owens Flower Shop
2nd place: Englewood Florist
3rd place: Hy-Vee Floral

Best French Fries

1st place: McDonalds
2nd place: Free State Brewing Company
3rd place: Runza

Best Fresh Meat

1st place: Hy-Vee
2nd place: Community Mercantile
3rd place: Dillon's

Best Fresh Vegetables

1st place: Farmer's Market
2nd place: Community Mercantile
3rd place: Hy-Vee

Best Gas/Convenience Store

1st place: Kwik Shop
2nd place: Hy-Vee
3rd place: Conoco

Best Grocery Store

1st place: Hy-Vee
2nd place: Dillon's
3rd place: Community Mercantile

Best Historic Site

1st place: The Eldridge Hotel
2nd place: Watkins Museum
3rd place: Downtown Lawrence

Best Ice Cream

1st place: Sylas and Maddy's Homemade Ice Cream
2nd place: Sheridan's Frozen Custard
3rd place: The Cup

Best Live Music Venue

1st place: The Bottleneck
2nd place: Liberty Hall
3rd place: The Jazzhaus

Best Margarita

1st place: El Mezcal
2nd place: On The Border
3rd place: Carlos O'Kelly's Mexican Cafe

Best Milkshake

1st place: Steak 'n Shake
2nd place: Dairy Queen
3rd place: Sylas and Maddy's Homemade Ice Cream

Best New Restaurant

1st place: On The Border
2nd place: Longhorn Steakhouse
3rd place: Bigg's Barbeque

Best Pharmacy

1st place: Walgreens Pharmacy
2nd place: Round Corner Drug Co.
3rd place: Dillon's Pharmacy

Best Pizza

1st place: Papa Keno's Pizzeria
2nd place: Rudy's Pizzeria
3rd place: Pizza Hut

Best Place to Bike

1st place: Clinton Lake
2nd place: River Trails
3rd place: The Levee

Best Place to Walk

1st place: Mass Street
2nd place: KU Campus
3rd place: Clinton Lake

Best Restaurant For Kids

1st place: Mr. Gatti's
2nd place: McDonalds
3rd place: Free State Brewing Company

Best Sandwich

1st place: Yello Sub
2nd place: Quinton's Bar & Deli
3rd place: Jason's Deli

Best Smoking Area

1st place: The Replay Lounge
2nd place: Louise's Downtown
3rd place: Free State Brewing Company

Best Smoothie

1st place: Juice Stop
2nd place: Community Mercantile
3rd place: Sonic

Best Sports Bar

1st place: JB Stout's Sports Bar & Grill
2nd place: Henry T's Bar & Grill
3rd place: 75th Street Brewery

Best Steak

1st place: Hereford House
2nd place: Longhorn Steakhouse
3rd place: Don's Steak House

Best Sushi

1st place: Wa
2nd place: Sushi Station
3rd place: Kokoro

Best Taco

1st place: El Mezcal
2nd place: La Familia
3rd place: Taco John's

Best Thrift/Resale Store

1st place: Arizona Trading Company
2nd place: Goodwill
3rd place: The Salvation Army

Best Used CDs

1st place: Love Garden
2nd place: Hastings
3rd place: Kief's Downtown Music

Best Vegetarian Food

1st place: Zen Zero
2nd place: La Parrilla
3rd place: Free State Brewing Company

Best Video Store

1st place: Hastings
2nd place: Liberty Hall
3rd place: Blockbuster

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CharlieBrownDawg 17 years, 10 months ago

Oh yeah Don't go to checkers...there's a poodle there who's really a Beotch! If they don't carry the "Mello Yello" Don't bother...real Dawgs don't drink Gin-n-Juice. They like the "Yello" and the "Two dogs." That's right 2 Dawgs are better the one Dawg.

freak2304 17 years, 9 months ago

JB Stouts as the best sports bar?!?!?!? hahhaha...that's the funniest thing i've heard all day!

bgppabscts 18 years ago

Free State? Best Bar in Lawrence? Are you joking?

CharlieBrownDawg 17 years, 11 months ago

I have a bone to pick...there are no CharliRoo's for me to hound-dawg. All the Mary and HOLLYROO'S have left the pound and now I must go to the west to the Electric Cowboy to to dig up sum bones. Disco night is a must...me and my pack must scratch our paws and market our territory. No howl'in or bark'in in these parts will make me put my tail between my legs. So get sum beotches out of that Lawrence pound and lets dance1

iPRAiSEghosty 18 years, 2 months ago

I didn't get to vote... :(

jks44 17 years, 11 months ago

people, try checkers. best produce in town. also, now that hy-vee is so high priced, checkers was a nice surprize.

Todd 17 years, 11 months ago

I'm surprised not to see Checker's on the list anywhere.

craz22 17 years, 11 months ago

If your Name is Thunder: Have 2 Taco's, a RosaRoo, Try to smoke 1.8T Turbo, Throw a 330i Over a house, and then complete your lifes ambition and revisit the Electric Cowboy in Topeka one last Time....and while in Topeka stay away from The Spanish Fly and Taco's from El Mezcal.