Simon & Seafort's

At first blush, this traditional downtown restaurant may seem like just a special occasion place: steaks, lobster, oysters Rockefeller and impeccable service. Chef James Shepherd has won several awards for his crab-stuffed macadamia halibut; thanks to that and the restaurant’s other refined takes on wild Alaskan seafood, it has long been an Anchorage mainstay for business power lunches, date nights and even upscale prom nights.

Simon and Seafort’s—opened in 1978—makes for an affordable luxury. The dinner menu features such inventive options as chili-smoked tiger prawns and tableside seafood étouffee and you can't go wrong with the fresh oysters on the half shell or grilled and smoked sirloin. The lunch menu, meanwhile, offers items such as an open-faced, roasted red king crab and artichoke sandwich, or the signature chophouse burger with a 10-ounce patty, Boursin cheese and caramelized onions.

At lunch or dinner, you can also just come and sit in the Saloon lounge—with floor-to-ceiling windows offering stunning views of Mount Susitna and the Alaska range—and order appetizers, salads, or anything else off the menu. The lounge, with its popular happy hour (and discounted appetizers) is also a great place to enjoy the selection of Alaskan beers, the many martini options or made-from-scratch margaritas.

Reservations are recommended, but don’t feel like you can’t just walk in, either—the staff has been known to put together a new table in the lounge even when the restaurant is otherwise booked./

Check out the Simon and Seafort’s menu.