New Orleans: Crescent City Steaks

Still stinging from the recent defection of the Ruth's Chris empire to Orlando, Big Easy natives are happily embracing homegrown places like CCS. For more than 70 years, the Vojkovich family's casual spot, oozing local character with its majestic curtained booths and a gregarious vibe, has survived all matter of urban blight and natural disaster. Through it all, the tiny place has remained the same: no chicken, no pork, no frills —just perfectly cooked, corn-fed prime beef served in a sizzling pool of garlic butter. (Sound familiar? Ruth's Chris founder Ruth Fertel learned the butter trick from her days waiting tables here.) Other bonuses include comparatively low prices (a 34-ounce porterhouse for two runs only $47); first-rate stiff cocktails; and service that makes up in warmth what it lacks in polish. Katrina did a number on the place, flooding it out and decimating the staff, but after a minimal renovation at the end of 2006, regulars resumed pouring in every day. "The same people were coming in five days a week," recalls manager Barbara Traylor. "I was like, 'Aren't you people out of money yet?'" Guess Mother Nature is no match for prime beef.