This seafood institution provides some of the finest meals and service in the city.

The dark Art Deco dining room and bar give off a sophisticated, Manhattan-like energy to those who can look away from the oysters and clams gleaming on a pile of ice at the raw bar. Downtown business types flock here for lunch and dinner; couples tuck away in a corner booth or hang at the bar for perfectly shucked oysters and a glass of Chardonnay. Chef David LeFevre may be from landlocked Wisconsin, but he learned from top toques like Chicago's Charlie Trotter and now serves up some of the best seafood in town. Highlights include slow-poached loup de mer with roasted beets and horseradish-celery sauce, or the Rhode Island wild striped bass with lemon-scented potato puree. Eschew the old "white wine with fish" rule, and let the wine steward pick out something interesting for the meal—and don't ignore dessert. —Lesley Balla