When you're penning your postcards poolside at this hotel, it's certainly not the dreary eggs Benedict you'll be waxing poetic about. The cuisine at this waterside bar/restaurant is of the standard mid-'90s hotel issue: bland, likely frozen at some point, and largely forgettable. Service can, at times, be painfully awkward. Best to avoid this altogether and make a beeline for the bar. Order a few bottles of imported beer or a festive tropical mixed drink and take in the watery panorama, watching as luxury yachts cruise from Lake Boca Raton through the inlet out to the Atlantic. When spring break is nigh, you may be able to ogle some hotties taking a dip or catching rays at the adjacent pool. If humans fail to entertain, take a short stroll to the railing on the lower deck, peek over the edge, and watch the rainbow of tropical fish that congregate on the seawall abutting the restaurant.

Some things about America really are all they're cracked up to be. Like the diner: lots of chrome, a carousel of cakes, raspy grandmas behind the Formica counter, and free refills in a tiny mug. Occupy a booth or air your grievances at the counter: This is food for the 99 percent at its most satisfying and no-nonsense. Chicken-fried steak is a crispy caloric splurge; an omelet's enough to see you through most of the day. For a few bucks, you can dig into a more advanced diner staple like a meat-loaf sandwich, or check out the full dinners to forget about all those fussy ahi tuna sliders you've been scarfing with your silly nouveau-riche pals. It's a great place to bring friends from out of town on the way to or from the airport; those from more diner-friendly climes will quickly recognize Lester's as the real deal. The loyal clientele includes cops, firefighters, and other such people you really should be eating breakfast with more often.

Darbster has a way of lulling even finicky carnivores into a veggie adventure. Start with a palm-cake sandwich, which pairs the restaurant's popular hearts of palm crab-cake knockoff with arugula salad on a wheat bun. The lightly fried palm cake crumbles in your mouth, and the crunchy veggies round out each bite. For those eager to go raw, try the flax tomato sandwich. The bread is nutty and rich, covered in a garlicky spread and bright, beautiful slices of avocado and tomato. This concoction is better than a slice of cheesy pizza and skips the lump of grease in your stomach. Equally tempting are the raw wild berry pancakes and the tempeh Reuben sandwich. Rather than drown ingredients in oil and spice, Darbster highlights the fresh, essential charms of nature.

From the exterior on Las Olas Boulevard, Luigi's seems a standard pizza joint: a modest sign, a red awning, basic tables, tiled floors. And then you see the menu. Though meat eaters will find what they're after, vegetarians will absolutely rejoice. A "small" salad — with fresh mixed greens dressed in citrus as the base, then layered with olives, pickled peppers, ripe tomatoes, green onions, and feta — serves three people. A vegetarian pizza offers a trio of peppers, tomatoes, and rapini. Paninis on terrific bread are stuffed with seasonal greens, pesto, roasted sweet peppers, and mozzarella. So much better than picking at another veggie burger.

Shawn & Nick's Courtyard Café serves serious pancakes with a heavy dose of sass, any hour of the day. After-hours, the place is loaded with boys wrapping up a night at Bill's Filling Station, giggling girls out on the town, and crews of concertgoers postshow. The place is open till 11 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, 24 hours Thursday through Saturday, and until 3 a.m. Sundays. A special late-night menu is stacked with goodies — sandwiches, burgers, salads, and fried foods, plus a whole page of breakfast items. Do yourself a favor and try a full-plate omelet, forsaking hash browns in favor of the café's golden brown tater tots, or go Hawaiian and indulge in a side of Spam. A signature slice of the day's pie makes for a happy ending.

The two sisters who run this homey little lunch spot think menus are boring, so they don't offer one. Instead, they write four or five choices on the "specials" board every day and trust that their customers are equally weary of the same old, same old. Falling into a rut is not an option, so diners are essentially forced to mix it up every day of the week. There's always a meatless option and sometimes even a vegan choice. Because nothing is deep-fried or made with highly processed crap, it doesn't sit in the gut waiting to derail an afternoon meeting. From a goat cheese and tomato tart to fennel pear soup or a tuna salad served with house-made crackers, the choices are varied, but the quality is always consistent.

Coffee snobs looking for an artsy hang and Intelligentsia-brand beans, this is your spot. This eclectic coffeehouse plays the perfect host for painting exhibits and photographer meetups, and it's great for just hanging out. It's also on top of the latest coffee trends. Special-order a siphon brew for a miniperformance that results in a beautifully mild cup of coffee. Go minimalist with a pour-over java. Or stick to a demi cup of espresso. Get a coffee education while you're here: The well-informed staffers will tell you how a French press affects flavor, why Ethiopia produces coveted beans, and how to sharpen your palate to detect notes of floral, caramel, or toast in your roast. Stay till dinnertime — baked goods and minibites will tide you over.

Hellooo? Anybody out there want to make a million dollars? Frustrated parents beg you, please open a restaurant that offers more for kids than the obligatory highchair. It would be slammed! Until then, there's 15th Street Fisheries, where diners are greeted by koi fish swimming in a pond at the entrance, and a koi food dispenser allows you to feed them. (Bring quarters.) Don't go upstairs (that's for fancy dinners) but rather downstairs to the Dockside Cafe. Once seated outside along the Intracoastal Waterway, crayons come in a cutesy tin bucket, and a kids' menu has the standards — hot dogs, chicken fingers — for $5 a pop. The best part: While waiting for your food, walk to the adjacent marina store, grab a pack of frozen bait shrimp ($3), and take them out on the docks to toss to the tarpon. (There's also a tarpon-feeding show between 5 and 6 p.m.) Your young'uns will never distinguish one Happy Meal from another, but they will grow up with cool memories of the times you went to "the fishie place." To make it even more special, arrive by water taxi.

This spot is located in Fort Lauderdale, but its heart is in N'Awlins. The guy next to you might be sucking crawfish meat from shells. Another might be singing along to a Rebirth Brass Band tune. Chances are, someone will offer you a hush puppy from his plate or at the very least invite you into his conversation. Be sure to return the favor by sharing your poor boys, gumbo, or boudin: The portions are so large, it's impossible to finish one on your own. Wrap up with a round of Abita brews.

If you thought you looked great before your date, wait till you get to Tapas 210 — you'll be a stunner, even before booze. Candlelight works magic like that, as does lush tropical greenery, which frames the entryways to the brick patio, a huge sheltered area that's home to a delightful breeze. A wine room serves as a cozy nook for couples or a group interested in overtaking a farmhouse table. As for the cuisine: Seafood is the star at this Spanish spot. Rosemary and thyme announce the arrival of a shellfish medley. Bocados of olives and jamón ibérico tempt as snacks. Artichokes and mushrooms in white wine make a favorite tapas dish, as does bone marrow with a beef cheek marmalade. More-ambitious diners might opt for paella or, better yet, wait for Friday supper. The special is roast pork: Served with white beans and garbanzos, it'll be among the most memorable pig roasts you've had.