BUCKHEAD. The extensive menu at this casual Southern restaurant features only the freshest seafood. Although the menu changes daily, typical entrees include seafood brochette with orzo, potato-crusted cod, broiled fresh-water lobster tails, and cashew swordfish. The enormous copper fish out front is a popular Buckhead landmark, and the bustling bar is a fun place to wait for a table. Reservations recommended.

BUCKHEAD. This excellent restaurant captures the feel of an elegant Parisian brasserie. In fact, the lovely dining room will make you forget that you're in a mall restaurant! Settle into a comfortable leather booth, take in the ornate French decor, and keep your eye out for the wandering accordion player. Skate wing with brown butter is a signature dish, or you can also try steamed mussels and a carafe of red wine. A top candidate for lunch or dinner. MARTA: Lenox

SANDY SPRINGS. Though this restaurant is popular among vegetarians, even the most dyed-in-the-wool carnivore enjoys the upscale, creative cuisine. The healthy yet satisfying dishes feature the freshest local ingredients. Try the flavor-packed ravioli with capers, peppers, zucchini and mushrooms in tomato-coconut herb sauce. The colorful, stylish interior is a pleasant place to enjoy your meal.

BUCKHEAD. This trendy, artsy establishment is popular for dinner but is also a frequent jumping-off point for a rowdy evening out. The well-dressed, young crowd comes in for mixed drinks and appetizers, and the spacious rooms fill up early. Walls are covered with unique portraits and colorful pieces from local artists, some of whom paint right in the middle of the hubbub. Entertainment, including dancers and singers, spices up the place most nights of the week.

BUCKHEAD. Romantic surroundings and a charming piano bar add a touch of old-school elegance to this established restaurant. The menu is a study in classics, as proven by Dover sole with lemon-caper beurre blanc, herb-encrusted rack of lamb, broiled Caribbean lobster tail, and the signature "carpetbagger," a grilled filet stuffed with a lobster tail and topped with lobster cream sauce. A great wine list adds extra dimension, and weekly, a dinner-and-dancing event is hosted at a fixed price. Plus, the piano bar offers great music each night, beginning at 8pm.