Every big city has a great steak restaurant, and in San Francisco it's Harris' -- a comfortably elegant establishment where the handsome wood-paneled dining room has curving banquettes and stately waiters. Proprietor Ann Lee Harris knows steaks; she grew up on a cattle ranch and married the owner of the largest feedlot in California. In 1976, the couple opened the Harris Ranch Restaurant on Interstate 5 in central California, where they built a rock-solid reputation up and down the coast.

Here, the point, of course, is the steaks, which can be seen hanging in a glass-windowed aging room off Pacific Avenue. They are cut thick -- New York-style or T-bone -- and are served with a baked potato and seasonal vegetables. You'll also find classic spinach or Caesar salads, and sides of delicious creamed spinach, sautéed shiitake mushrooms, or caramelized onions. Harris' also offers lamb chops, fresh fish, and lobster, and occasionally venison, buffalo, and other seasonal game.