Overall, the barbecue is satisfactory and the portions are more than fair. Some items are particularly good, including onion straws and variations on chicken salad. Service is usually friendly.

A good deli should be judged by such staples as corned beef and matzoh ball soup and, here, Brent's shines. The fact that there's a wait to get in nearly every night of the week is an indication that the place offers good value for the dining dollar. The menu is large but it's best not to stray from those items for which delis are best known.

Though it doesn't do quite as much business as nearby Brent's, Abe's is a reliable and dependable source for a good deli meal. In particular, it offers one of the finest bowls of matzoh ball soup anywhere. Overall, the menu is large and varied and the service is generally good.

The combination of good food and generous portions make this a hard place not to like. Parking can sometimes be a problem which, I suppose, is further testimony to its popularity. The menu has plenty of variety and prices are affordable. Soups are particularly recommended.

Although the cost is slightly higher than the typical buffet, the variety is unparalleled. In addition to the typical salads and beef and pasta, you can get sushi and pizza and chinese dishes. Deserts are definitely second-rate but who cares? By that time, you've stuffed yourself on all the really good stuff.

I tried it because I had an Entertainment 2-for-1 coupon and was pleasantly surprised. Although it doesn't compare to many free-standing Mexican restaurants, it is a very good alternative to what's available at the mall food court. It has a nice, relaxed atmosphere, reasonable prices and an adequate menu.

While it lacks the buzz of Johnny Rockets (and the crowds, as well) this place definitely evokes a '50s feel and look. The menu covers all the bases and the food is generally above average. On one occasion, though, bad ingredients spoiled a milk shake and a burger was terribly overcooked. However, that was the exception, not the rule.

This is a family-style Italian restaurant and families flock to it, obvious attracted by affordable prices and fair portions. Service is normally good but when it gets busy all bets are off. It's definitely not spectacular but it is dependable.

When you want to show someone how a Jewish deli should look and smell, you go to Canter's. The menu is large but straying from the things that make a restaurant a deli can be dangerous. Stick with corned beef, chopped live, pastrami, matzoh ball soup, etc. and you simply can't go wrong.

Although food quality is good, the restaurant suffers because of its high-rent location. Forced to compromise between charging too much or giving too little, this places generally favors the latter. It's a nice alternative if you're staying at the Century Plaza or working in Century City and looking for a place in walking distance. Otherwise, there are better delis to be found.

The claim here is that every meal is a work of Art's and, by definition, that's true. You can't go wrong for deli here. If it were ranked on dependability, it would score high. But in a city that offers all kinds of delis, this one is just average.

In this city of barbecue giants, Johnny's may not be the most well-known but, rib for rib, it is one of the best tasting. The casual, friendly atmosphere is a reflection of the owner, Johnny. It isn't the easiest place to find but once you have, you won't forget it.

This particular Bo Ling's is where another Chinese restaurant used to be. The improvement is noticeable. Everything on the menu is terrific and the service is outstanding. It's easily one of the five best Chinese restaurants in the city.

It's been several years since Princess Garden went to the burbs for a "new" location. Nothing has been lost in the transition. The restaurant is justly famous for the care it takes with those planning dinners for small groups in one of its private rooms. I don't think they've served a bad meal yet.

Sadly, this is the closest Kansas City comes to a kosher-style deli and no one will mistake it for the Stage Deli or Canter's. The basic ingredients are here but portions are small compared to the delis of large cities. Service is friendly but this is as close to a real deli experience as a sailboat is to a cruise ship.

The food is good and the atmosphere is even better. Don't even try getting in on a weekend night. This is a fine, casual place to meet friends and hoist a brew or three. The menu is a good combination of the trendy and the down-to-earth, all affordably priced.

Portions are so generous here that they ought to give you the meal free if you can finish it. But it's not just the quantity, it's the quality. There's a wide variety of pastas and traditional Italian favorites at a restaurant that is particularly inviting to families of all sizes.

Reservations are highly recommended at Nikko's in the Mariott Hotel. The restaurant is known both for its great food and for the wonderfully entertaining way it is prepared. It's not unusual for new restaurants to draw a crowd at first, then see business fall off. Nikko's has been consistently busy from the day it opened, perhaps two decades ago.

Although Minsky's doesn't serve up the most memorable pizzas, it is consistently better than practically anything dished out in other franchise shops. The atmosphere is casual and the prices are reasonable and the pizza is always good, though not great.

There's a reason that Presidents and celebrities stop here for barbecue and that the place is itself a legend. Those with grease phobias, stay clear. But anyone who doesn't mind ingesting enough oil to rival OPEC should give their taste buds the treat of a lifetime and get the beef sandwich with fries. It is as close as many get to heaven on earth.