An enduringly popular restaurant on Fair Oaks Boulevard, Bandera offers up an appealing mixture of speakeasy-like allure and honest, well-cooked menu items. The restaurant is only open for dinne, and is normally filled to capacity by 6 p.m. The restaurant is well-known for its lively, colorful bar scene, clustered noisily in the center of the restaurant. This is probably the most dimly lit dining establishment you will ever visit—if the background music and customer babble weren’t so loud, it would be easy to snuggle up in your cozy leather booth and take a nap. And while the environment is practically dark, the tables themselves are cunningly lit with overhead lamps, perfectly illuminating the kitchen’s robust, flavorful meals. Bandera’s menu is short and to the point: There are two salads to choose from (the Macho salad—with roasted chicken, avocado, chopped dates and goat cheese—is a brisk seller), and an attractive handful of side dishes, including a toothsome, aromatic sautéed spinach and a sharply yummy, breadcrumb-covered macaroni and cheese. Entrées range from a “simply grilled” fresh fish of the day and a bulky steak and enchilada platter to barbecued beef back ribs with coleslaw. If you are a roasted chicken lover, don’t miss Bandera’s succulent version, slowly cooked over a hardwood fire. The restaurant’s two desserts, a banana cream pie and Oreo cookie ice cream sandwiches, will delight your kids (who, by the way, are warmly welcomed at Bandera and get their own menu). — Kira O'Donnell

Insider tip: Bandera sells delectable, rotisserie-roasted whole chickens for takeout for $11 each.

Reservations: Recommended

Payment methods: AmEx, MasterCard, Visa

Alcohol: Full bar

Corkage fee: None (really!) People are welcome to bring in their own wine.

Hours: Sunday–Thursday 5–10 p.m.
Friday and Saturday 5–11 p.m.