What was the best military food you were FED while on active duty?

SrA Jeff Campbell — Sun, 07 Sep 2014 11:43:36 -0400

So the best place that served the best food to me in the military was the JET SHACK! this was a small area primarily for serving those who worked the flight line....The Good Thing though was you could get a Homemade Chocolate Shake, Burger and Fries and it made you feel like you were going through the old steak n shake hamburger place!!! I loved those shakes! So what was the Best Meal that you ever had while active duty, or reserves or while you served? What made it the best for you? For me, I could get my food and still watch the F-15 and F-16's take off!

Response by SFC Mark Merino made Nov 7 at 2014 4:30 AM

SFC Mark Merino — Fri, 07 Nov 2014 04:30:52 -0500

Friday in Schweinfurt, Germany (1990) was surf and turf lunch. The line went on forever. Definately worth the wait. $1.90 for steak and shrimp? COME ON!

Response by CW5 Sam R. Baker made Dec 3 at 2014 4:28 PM

CW5 Sam R. Baker — Wed, 03 Dec 2014 16:28:43 -0500

It would have been the Ribs and Fried Chicken rations at JRTC in August of 2014! ^-101 gets serious kudos for a great meal.

Response by CPT Jack Durish made Dec 4 at 2014 12:20 PM

CPT Jack Durish — Thu, 04 Dec 2014 12:20:47 -0500

I suppose that I was prepared for the worst in food when I enlisted in the Army in 1966. None of my immediate family had served and the little I knew came from Beetle Bailey comics and songs such as "The biscuits in the Army they say are mighty fine..." Imagine my surprise when I discovered that it was very good. Sure, the others complained, mostly because it wasn't just like the food mama served them. But with a few table condiments, the flavors could be adjusted because the base was excellent.

So, what was my favorite? You're going to laugh. It was something mama never made. SOS.

I have had SOS prepared in other mess halls over the years: Navy/Marines, Air Force, Coast Guard. Theirs is pretty bad. But Army SOS was really good.

I made several attempts after separating from active duty to replicate it and succeeded, and can treat myself occasionally. Interestingly, some of my children liked it too.

Response by SrA Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 4 at 2014 12:46 PM

SrA Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 04 Dec 2014 12:46:58 -0500

The Blackcats Loungee on Osan AB has the best chicken bulgogi I've ever had in the ROK. If I recall correctly it's somewhere in the realm of six bucks, too!

Response by TSgt Phillip L. made Dec 7 at 2014 2:27 AM

TSgt Phillip L. — Sun, 07 Dec 2014 02:27:26 -0500

Elmendorf Chow hall ...ummm "Dining Facility"

Damn good food.

Had steak and lobster Fridays at Bagram quite a bit also.....by the time you had been there a few months...it started tasting pretty good.

Response by SPC Stephanie Oanes made Jan 3 at 2015 3:50 PM

SPC Stephanie Oanes — Sat, 03 Jan 2015 15:50:09 -0500

WOMACK Dining Facility at Fort Bragg. You couldn't beat the grilled chicken sandwiches. Actually I should go there for lunch one of these days since I only live 5 miles away.

Response by SPC Stephanie Oanes made Jan 3 at 2015 3:52 PM

SPC Stephanie Oanes — Sat, 03 Jan 2015 15:52:08 -0500

oh wait, or the DFAC on Al Asad Air Base in Iraq...best way to get fat is to deploy there. Luckily I was only there for 2 weeks before I was shipped out to COP Rawah.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 4 at 2015 10:58 AM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 04 Jan 2015 10:58:55 -0500

Camp Warrior 2010 on west Bagram before we headed out to FOB Vulcan. I posted the menu below. Maybe not the best food, but pretty impressive menu.

Response by SGT Joseph W. made Mar 2 at 2015 7:18 PM

SGT Joseph W. — Mon, 02 Mar 2015 19:18:15 -0500

The omelets at the 3d ACR Maintenance Troop chow hall at Fort Bliss.

Response by MAJ Keira Brennan made Mar 4 at 2015 2:43 PM

MAJ Keira Brennan — Wed, 04 Mar 2015 14:43:45 -0500

SOS and Chipped beef over biscuits LOLOLOLOL. With black coffee and Tabasco (Not Texas Pete's)

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 4 at 2015 2:51 PM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 04 Mar 2015 14:51:45 -0500

The cooks at our particular missile huts gave us run of the kitchens, especially if we were on the midnight shift. Some of the creations we came up w/ were absolutely remarkable!!

Response by PO1 Dustin Adams made Mar 4 at 2015 3:11 PM

PO1 Dustin Adams — Wed, 04 Mar 2015 15:11:50 -0500

I would have to say the best food I had was from the caterers the U.S. Forestry Service hired when I was up in Oregon fighting forest fires with 2/5. It could have been the mountain air and that level of hunger when you have been physically laboring all day but the prime rib they served one night was delicious awesomeness of a quality you would get at a good steak house (not quite Ruth's Chris but significantly better then somewhere like claim jumper or black angus).

Response by Cpl Mark McMiller made Mar 4 at 2015 6:25 PM

Cpl Mark McMiller — Wed, 04 Mar 2015 18:25:00 -0500

Air Force food. We used to drive all the way from MCB, Camp Butler to the Kadena AFB chow hall on Okinawa for lunch because the Air Force food was so much better.

Response by SPC David Hannaman made Aug 12 at 2015 4:15 PM

SPC David Hannaman — Wed, 12 Aug 2015 16:15:56 -0400

Yet another reason to be jealous of the Air Force guys... the food.

When I was at Camp Humphreys in Korea we used to take a cab to Osan Air base, eat in their "restaurant" and then hit the clubs, sometimes get a room there, sometimes take a cab back in the wee hours of the morning (if you could find one that would pick up a bunch of semi lit soldiers).

Response by Capt Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 12 at 2015 4:18 PM

Capt Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 12 Aug 2015 16:18:23 -0400

The mess hall for F-2-4 at Fort Leonard Wood. Dec 1960 to Feb 1961

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Oct 18 at 2015 7:41 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Sun, 18 Oct 2015 19:41:15 -0400

In the middle of the Kuwait desert we had a large banquet in a huge tent. That was good grub.

Response by SPC David S. made Oct 18 at 2015 7:45 PM

SPC David S. — Sun, 18 Oct 2015 19:45:11 -0400

USAFA hospital.

Response by PO2 Gerry Roberson Sr. made May 19 at 2016 5:15 PM

PO2 Gerry Roberson Sr. — Thu, 19 May 2016 17:15:30 -0400

Channel Fever--clearing out the reefers prior to pulling in--all the ice cream you can have coming out of your ears, ribeye steak/filet mignon, lobster tails, angel hair pasta, the works!

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 29 at 2016 11:08 AM

MSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 29 Jun 2016 11:08:22 -0400

The Airman's Club at Kadena had the best hot wings on base(back in 2000) and whenever the big wigs came thru those "coincidently" would be steak day at the chow halls!

Response by Sgt Michael Hearne made Jan 4 at 2020 12:19 AM

Sgt Michael Hearne — Sat, 04 Jan 2020 00:19:59 -0500

In I Corps; "Viet Nam" any food other than those "C-Rations" served to the Marines "in-country". We ate "C's" for three months straight until a "Field Mess" was built up down on the beach front by the Marine Engineers (Utilities) and Navy "C Bee's". Kind of a mixture of regular food and "K-rations" that had to be used prior to their expiration date. What saved us from boredom was the "bakers" that worked all night long. Great life safers and talented cooks.

Those "C rations" we ate were dated; I have eaten and seen "C's" dated 1945; then 1951 and as late as 1960's. I bought at the "Navy Ship's Store or Exchange (CONEX BOX) a small jar of Mayo. Mix the Mayo and that "C-Ration" chopped turkey and spread it on those "hard tack" crackers. Not a bad meal; just do not eat the "Peanut Butter" on that "hardtack cracker". It will plug you up for three straight days.

Sgt M.B. USMC

Response by CPO Nate S. made Jun 30 at 2020 8:11 PM

CPO Nate S. — Tue, 30 Jun 2020 20:11:21 -0400

Submariners seemed to eat well, or a least they did eons ago (LoL).

When I was a young seaman (E-3) stationed on the ship I was helping to decommission in 1976/77, we were at Naval Base Vallejo, North (we'll perhaps more east of the Bay Area). Of course shipboard food can be a drag. Being able to each at the chow hall on base was amazing. At least then it was.

I love Blue Cheese dressing. The Senior Chief in charge of the dining facility made blue chess dressing fresh every day from real Blue Cheese. You can tell the difference in store bought and "real" trust me!!!!!

In any event, I think I ate salad at every meal (lunch and dinner at least). I remember steak, lobster, scallops. Who knows, maybe the 8 weeks I was their before heading off to Hospital Corps "A" school in San Diego was an abortion in naval dinning excellence, but is was nirvana for me. I have not been back since. But, the food from breakfast to dinner was - quality!!!

I also loved omelets and I think the food service specialist, took great pride each morning in creating delightful custom omelets for all who asked. Articulate and funny, the MS2, African-American male from Missouri, James, I think his name was, could have easily been plucked to serve POTUS in the 1970s forward an us sailor would have been the poorer for not being able to know his joy was in serving a quality omelet made to order. Of course those Surf and Turf Thursdays were to die for!!!!

Of course, the Bay Area at the time, off base had, at least then, great eating from China Town to the Warf. But, of my duty station eating military chow - Naval Base Vallejo was my most remembered.

'd like to make a visit as I have friends that live near Travis, AFB so it would not be a stretch to see if the food is still as good. Frankly, I have not seen if the base is still in operation.

Response by SSG Steven Bison made Aug 8 at 2021 10:32 PM

SSG Steven Bison — Sun, 08 Aug 2021 22:32:38 -0400

the best food was the airforce mess at al kobar towers during desert storm i would take my soldiers there as a treat

Response by Amn Dale Preisach made Jul 13 at 2022 3:30 PM

Amn Dale Preisach — Wed, 13 Jul 2022 15:30:52 -0400

Lobster and Steak at Pres. Of Monterey. Went back for seconds

Response by SSG Eric Blue made Nov 24 at 2023 6:51 PM

SSG Eric Blue — Fri, 24 Nov 2023 18:51:03 -0500

DFAC on Macdill Air Force Base while on TDY gave me the best spread in a DFAC. The best food I was fed while on active duty was down in San Antonio in 2009 during the week leading up to the All-American Arena Bowl! Fort Sam Houston hosted a cook-off between their best cooks against the best cooks from Fort Hood, Eilson AFB, and some sailors & Marines from California (I don't know from where).

Response by SSG Brian Carpenter made Jan 8 at 2024 12:48 AM

SSG Brian Carpenter — Mon, 08 Jan 2024 00:48:32 -0500

The first hot meal that WAS an actual made from fresh ingredients not an MRE,
OR FIELD RATIONS OR LOCAL PURCHASE CANNED FOOD after being deployed for and during the Gulf War. A real chow hall at Kobar Towers while waiting to go home breakfast and of course a wolf burger of of the wolf burger truck...some say it was camel and I agree with Demolition man Best Ratburger ever

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 8 at 2024 11:33 AM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 08 Jan 2024 11:33:22 -0500

Monday through Friday at Goodfellow Air Force Base. I was Army Security Agency, prior to going to Vietnam.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Jan 9 at 2024 11:32 AM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Tue, 09 Jan 2024 11:32:43 -0500

I did numerous BBQs for the soldiers and I am a very good cook! lol

Response by PO3 Sheila Buchter made Jan 13 at 2024 10:41 PM

PO3 Sheila Buchter — Sat, 13 Jan 2024 22:41:01 -0500

Boot camp every Friday due to graduation we had sea food.

Response by MSgt Donald Graves made Apr 11 at 2024 11:04 AM

MSgt Donald Graves — Thu, 11 Apr 2024 11:04:19 -0400

I will probably catch some flak for this but, the best food to me was at Basic Tng. at Lackland, AFB TX. I had never seen so much food in one place nor in such variety. It was my first French Toast experience and my first Mr. Pibb. I loved them both.