With cowhide walls, huge sliding doors, tree limbs, mirrors, concrete, leather banquettes and wrought-iron chandeleirs encased in square screens emblazoned with smiling faces, the Thomas Schoos-designed decor should be far past over-the-top and well into laughable. Instead, somehow, it's fantastic.

Even if a menu did not exist, Citizen Smith would be a worthwhile visit just for the ogle factor. (In total, there's a main dining room with large mahogany bar, a more loungey bar area past that, and an alley patio past that.) As it happens, this self-proclaimed "urban bistro" serves comfort food that's surprisingly tasty; we weren't at all wowed by the much-hyped mac-and-cheese with jalapeno, but the fried chicken was crisp and light. Seafood, steaks, salads and an $8 side of asparagus fill out the menu. Portion sizes seem to have shrank since opening, while the prices have increased, but the celeb-filled crowd doesn't seem to mind. A dinner table here might be next to a Hilton or well-to-do gentlemen from out of town, looking to indulge in some Hollywood excess. Fergie celebrated her birthday here with Josh Duhamel; Britney Spears, Lindsay Lohan, Quentin Tarantino, Chris Martin, Chris Rock, Matthew McConaughey and Scarlett Johansson are but a few others who've pulled out the plastic here. —Lonny Pugh