Mr. John's Steakhouse

Sit by the window, that way you can gaze out over St. Charles Avenue and watch streetcars pass rather than be reminded you're eating in a hotel dining room. The Avenue Plaza is a plenty nice boutique sleepover, but Mr. John's put-on atmosphere of dark-stained walls and hand-me-down photos never really shakes the hotel restaurant stigma.

For a solid meal steps from the streetcar or your hotel room, Mr. John's suffices. A varied menu offers lots of options, but the emphasis is on broiled prime steaks and local-flavored seafood. The beef selections, which include every imaginable cut, are all superlative. A la carte sides and mega-size salads do their jobs. Seafood dishes such as fried platters and barbecue shrimp make decent introductions to New Orleans cooking. Daily lunch specials are a midday plus.