Council Oak Steaks & Seafood

This stunner of a steak house — a classy throwback to a dinner-club design — is where you might find celebs and notables cozy in the red velvet banquettes. High rollers and those whales the Hardrock casinos comp come to the Council Oak to spend a wad, while average slotsters might find it hard to order even an appetizer and a drink without pawning something. Go for the steaks that are billed as 100 percent prime and cut in the kitchen. Enormous porterhouse and veal chops feed four or maybe six. An à la carte menu features familiar steak-house dishes like escargots, oysters Rockefeller, onion soup, classic shrimp cocktail, a wedge salad, whole lobster, and creamed spinach. The wine list is impressive, with many poured by the glass; it leans to the bold reds, natch. The best deal for the wallet could be the $50 Sunday brunch featuring stations of salads, carved meats, egg dishes, a raw bar, and special hot dishes, coupled with a full room of dessert choices. It's best described as an "experience" steak house - it just happens to have slots outside the door and bands in concert around the corner.