After graduating from Johnson & Wales University in 1999, Alex Becker jetted off on a globetrotting adventure that would bring him from Michelin-starred Ristorante Gardenia in Turin, Italy, to Japan for a seven-year career at world-renowned Nobu, where he acted as executive chef for restaurants in New York, Hawaii, and Los Angeles. Later, he served as corporate executive chef for equally well-respected Katsuya in Los Angeles. Today, he's Kuro's executive chef as well as the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino's creative culinary director. The chef sources exotic items for the restaurant's new-style Japanese creations—dishes grounded in tradition and executed via a unique kaiseki (carefully prepared multicourse experience). The idea: Offer a menu where no two dining experiences are alike, each tailored to a patron's specific preferences. Fish for sushi is delivered three times a week and stored in a subzero freezer. The bar is stocked with several Japanese whiskeys, shochu, and more than 20 different sakes. Dishes feature four varieties of miso, several types of wasabi, and several types of soy sauce, and exotic produce including yuzu, mushrooms, and lotus root comes from overseas. If it's a taste trip you're looking for, Becker is the man to give it to you.

Readers' choice: Angelo Elia of Casa D'Angelo

As soon as you arrive, your table is ready, napkin neatly folded into a half-moon and ready to be draped across your lap. Minutes after you order your tom kha gai ($6.95), it spins out of the kitchen, piping hot and closely followed by a tray of spices with flavors ranging from "Sweet Odin's Raven!" to "Honey, Why Are You Sweating?" With a menu so extensive (more than 30 entrees!), it helps to have a knowledgable staff who can assist you when deciding between the Chicken Cashew Nut Thai Style ($15.95) or the Choo Chee Chicken ($18.95). And let's be honest: Even if the food is stellar, bad service can ruin your appetite for coming back. Since Siam House has been around since 1981, you know they're doing something right.

Sunny days, warm waters, beautiful views... and eats under $10. At Giorgio's Bistro & Market, dine with a waterfront view of Florida's Intracoastal Waterway without breaking the bank. The restaurant—open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner—offers everything from French toast ($6.50) and omelets ($5.95), to Mediterranean cheese platters ($9.95) with feta and brie, to chicken crepes ($9.50). It's known for its freshly baked breads and pastries, and it also offers an extensive wine list with glasses starting at $4.95. The restaurant's motto is, "You'll never have to cook again." With Giorgio's nearby, why would you?

Broward County's shorelines are no Miami Beach. But the opening of Hyde Beach Kitchen + Cocktails in Hallandale suggests that the all-night, over-the-top soirees typically found 20 miles south might just be coming our way. The two-story chic building oozes a 305 vibe. Neon lights, swank design, eclectic food, and occasional DJs fill the SBE Hospitality Group's newest eatery. But the real draw is the location: situated on the sand overlooking the ocean without an obstruction in sight, making guests feel like they're dining (and partying) on a private island. The contemporary-American restaurant draws influence from Asia, India, Italy, Greece, and Latin America, resulting in a 30-dish menu. Nosh on freshly baked pumpkin butter rolls ($7), Niman Ranch short rib with Yukon mashed potatoes ($26), and mushroom gnocchi ($15) as you gaze into the sea. Hyde guests can legally drink on the sand, so once you finish dinner, grab that cocktail and dip your feet into the water.

It's not exactly the easiest thing to find a family-friendly restaurant these days. Either an eatery is packed full of people slamming down happy hour drinks or so quiet that any sound your kids might make will cause the other, uptight guests to scoff. Bru's Room is a good compromise: Kids won't stare at their iPhones or want to leave the entire time. Games and TVs provide some entertainment, and for Mom and Dad, if it's been a long day, hey, the bar is right around the corner. Ex-Miami Dolphin Bob "Bru" Brudzinski has grown the Bru's Room brand in South Florida to the point where we've dropped the "Room" from the title and just ask the family if they want to go to Bru's—that's how you know this place has arrived.

What's better than a restaurant on the water? A restaurant situated on a pier overlooking the water. It's like the culinary equivalent of an infinity pool. A really, really big infinity pool. A pool so big, entire ecosystems can live in it. And in those ecosystems, there are fish. Fish made entirely of sushi. Sushi so big, it takes a sushi boat to serve it. Fortunately, that sushi boat docks nicely atop Quarterdeck's outdoor bar (and pairs well with one of the many craft beers on tap). Unfortunately, on the menu that boat is named the Titanic ($130 and feeds four). But this story has a good ending: happy hour, all day, every day.

At this adorable brunch spot, man and man's best friend alike can come enjoy pancakes or paninis under the colorful umbrellas on the outdoor patio. The omelets are fluffy and mimosas fresh at the Boca Breakfast & Lunch Club, where your pup can enjoy the sunshine and a treat right by your side. The staff will kindly bring out a water bowl for your furry friend. Breakfast is served until close at 3 p.m., and everything on the menu is under $15. The French toast is particularly delectable, but fresh salads and crisp sandwiches are available too, if lunch is more your style.

As the host, you'd like to find a respectable place that won't break the bank, but you're not sure grandma will appreciate Hooters. The kids can't be trusted in a chi-chi setting, so options are limited... until you remember Deck 84. The food is well-presented and skews slightly fancy (pear-and-brie flatbread wows 'em every time). Most importantly, there's something for everyone, including options that will please the young'uns, like sweet potato fries ($6) and popcorn shrimp ($12). Spacious outdoor seating means you won't bother anyone when you're gossiping on about Cousin Jack, while views of the water distract your spawn and keep them from punching one another.

Every adult person should enjoy the supremely liberating experience of dining alone. You can choose to eat lazily—and messily—while reading your new book or playing on your phone and no one will judge you or be offended. Alternatively, you can experience your food. That means you taste and savor every bite, without distraction. It's the perfect opportunity to treat yourself to something new and adventurous that none of your boring friends are up to try. Lemongrass Hot Pot is the perfect spot for dining alone. Hot pot could be compared to fondue, but that would be selling it short. Each guest is given a pot of broth—hence the name—ranging from mild to hot and spicy which sits in a slot on the table that will quickly bring it to a boil. Noodles and veggies move past you on a conveyor belt, a remnant of the floating sushi bar that used to call this location home. Proteins are presented buffet style and vary from the familiar chicken and beef (cut lean for quick cooking in your broth) to the more exotic pork brain, blood clot, and tripe, as well as tofu. Have no fear: The staff is knowledgable and happy to help you make your dining decisions. Once you've got all your mix-ins, set your soup to cooking. Now's a good time to hit the sauce bar for some garlic chili oil. Then, tuck in—but make sure to let your creation cool or make sure you've got a cold glass of water nearby.

Part of the glory of letting someone treat you to a fancy dinner is just sitting back and letting them do all the work. This includes making the reservations, and when it comes to Six Tables in Boca, you'll be glad you let the other guy figure that one out. It's not that the staff isn't accommodating and helpful, it's just that with only six tables (yes, the name is literal) and one dinner seating only three nights a week, making reservations at this highly acclaimed and beloved-by-locals spot is a challenge. The American-French restaurant serves a five-course prix fixe meal for $89 with its lone seating at 7 p.m. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. The menu changes seasonally but will likely include traditional French fare like roast duck and at least one dish served with Bordelaise sauce, followed by decadent chocolate desserts. The restaurant doesn't post available slots on Facebook (with so many private events, you just have to call and roll the reservation dice), and the wine list is also purposefully vague, since the chef personally selects wines to go with the menu and buys only a few bottles of each; thus, they run out quickly. Prices are $50 to $95 on average, or you can BYOW for a $30 cork fee. With all this mystery and intrigue, you might be wondering whether it's all worth it. It is.