Umi Sushi Bar & Grill

Despite (or perhaps in conjunction with) the incredibly garish décor of the sort that would offend the sensibilities of Liberace himself, Umi has managed to rise above the crowded Austin sushi scene and attract a devoted clientele by way of a varied Japanese menu that goes beyond sushi while by no means neglecting it. The beef negimaki consists of scallions wrapped in beef sheets and served alongside a distinct teriyaki sauce, the Japanese pickle appetizers includes several breeds of the tangy vegetable, and the adorably-named "Boat for Two" dish serves as a useful sampler for those couples who find themselves adrift in unfamiliar waters – better yet, such a confused couple could simply get drunk off of Umi's particularly large glasses of saki and then just order things with funny names. Great For: South Austinites who'd prefer not to venture north. Entrees: $6-25 (5510 S I H 35, 383-8681) B.B.

Shoreline Grill

Shoreline has made its presence felt in the cutthroat world of American fusion cuisine by striking at the industry's soft and oft-ignored underbelly, which is to say, desserts; the downtown eatery scored a particularly decisive victory when its bread pudding began racking up awards from the national dining media. Entrees are equally admirable, if not yet worthy of their own publicists; try the Cravacado salad (crab and avocado, natch) and the ingenious prime rib enchiladas with grilled shrimp. The same sort of wackiness goes on at the bar, too, with visiting rummies being privy to such things as key lime martinis. Meanwhile, Shoreline's three-hour weekday happy hours render appetizers and drinks more viable for financially-downtrodden gourmets and alcoholics, respectively. Great For: Eating famous desserts. Entrees: $9-38 (98 San Jacinto, 477-3300) B.B.

Sandy's Hamburgers

Among Austin's many characteristically cute traditions, there are a few which may be considered top-tier; stopping off at Sandy's after a trip to nearby Barton Springs is one of them. With its little walk-up ordering window, exclusively outside seating, and a menu limited to such things as burgers, chili dogs, and onion rings, Sandy's is a natural summertime headquarters in every respect. It's also the undisputed king local king of frozen custard, having cornered the market to such an extent that it's often erroneously referred to as "Sandy's Frozen Custard;" vanilla is the flavor of choice among the city's snobbish aficionados. Great For: Summer lovin'. Entrees: $2-6 (603 Barton Springs, 478-6322) B.B.

Ruby's B-B-Q

Back in the good old days, Ruby's served as the de facto dining room of the Antone's blues club, which has since moved to new digs. Like a crazy ex-lover, the little Guadalupe BBQ joint adorns its walls with plenty of blues memorabilia in order to commemorate the union; like a somewhat more reasonable ex-lover, Ruby's has managed to thrive on its own by offering the usual barbecue suspects along with such more surprising items as vegetarian jambalaya, which is no doubt included for the benefit of any meat haters who may be dragged in by carnivorous friends. In a further nod to neighborhood sensibilities, Ruby's manages to keep its resident meat reasonably cheap. Great For: Remembrance of things past. Entrees: $4-7 (512 W. 29^th, 477-1651) B.B.

Restaurant Jezebel

Jezebel's location on Congress actually constitutes the restaurant's second coming, with its first manifestation in New Mexico having won local and national accolades before chef-owner Parind Vora decided to pack up and move to Austin like everyone else. Since re-opening here in 2006, Vora's comprehensively hands-on approach to the restaurateur lifestyle has earned Jezebel plenty of justified culinary street cred; the chef is so adamant about preparing each meal himself that the restaurant simply won't open if he can't make it to work. Meanwhile, kitchen cameras provide a real-time feed to the dining room's plasma TVs, which in turn provide the diner with a rare opportunity to oversee the preparation of his or her porcini-crusted filet mignon or pan-seared, Lapsang tea-flavored ahi tuna. Great For: Dates, anniversaries, serving divorce papers when they'll least expect it. Entrees: $19-35 (914 Congress, 499-3999) B.B.

Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen

Instead of specializing in any particular seafood niche, Pappadeaux serves anything that began its life in a lake, ocean, or Mississippi catfish farm. The menu consequently serves as a veritable who's who of the aquatic world, listing not only the gentlemanly Costa Rican Mahi-Mahi and the exotic Australian lobster tail among its ranks, but also the more plebeian po' boy, the rustic fried alligator, and a large variety of oysters picked from across the globe without regard for national origin. The chain's Austin location is akin in atmosphere to most other places you'll find off I-35 insomuch as that it possesses an ultra-casual patio, a well-trafficked bar, and regulars who are drawn largely from the nearby office parks. Great For: After-work get-togethers. Entrees: $7-25 (6319 I-35 N, 452-8541) B.B.

Old Pecan Street Café

As one might have guessed from a glance through its windows, Old Pecan hails from the increasingly dwindling genre of restaurant that caters to elderly ladies in intricate hats. Nonetheless, the storied downtown mainstay has wider appeal, serving as an outpost of old school in a neighborhood that needs it. The menu is centered around such things as veal marsala, steak bordeaux, and the rare dinner crepe (which is also available in its more conventional, dessert-oriented form), while simpler items like the club sandwich will only run you a bit more than they would at a sub shop. On weekends, Old Pecan is still one of the city's most prominent spots for brunch. Great For: Feeling the Laurence Welk vibes. Entrees: $8-35 (310 East Sixth, 478-2491) B.B.

Noodle-ism

Perhaps as a consequence of being founded by a particularly well-traveled chef once associated with Bistro 88, Noodle-ism draws on the whole of international noodlery so that it might better fulfill its noodle-centered objectives, whatever those may be; border-defying variety may be found not just among the menu, but within individual items like the dan dan mein (noodles mixed with peanuts, scallions, grilled shrimp, and Sichuan) and the three cabbage ravioli topped with a mushroom lime butter sauce. The mochi ice cream is the most novel dessert with which one is likely to be confronted, consisting as it does of a ball of ice cream surrounded by a thick layer of dough. And the high-concept, ultra-contemporary interior is of the sort that would require several more hyphens to adequately describe. Great For: Not simply eating the noodle, but understanding the noodle. Entrees: $6-12 (107 West Fifth, 275-9988) B.B.

Neworldeli

From the manner in which the little Hyde Park eatery has drawn in regulars not only from the surrounding neighborhood but from clear across town as well, one might guess that Neworldeli's bargain approach to gourmet deli fare has manged to fill some sort of quasi-spiritual void among the lunchtime crowd. Here, offerings are largely centered around the humble sandwich, which comes in such more hard-to-get varieties as meatloaf, eggplant Parmesan, and the widely revered chicken curry, all of which are served on some particularly high-end bread. Homemade soups are the other major draw, with tomato basil being among the least complex version available. Neworldeli's cutesy-cozy surroundings supplement the dine-in experience nicely. Great For: Lunching on the cheap without realizing it. Entrees: $3-7 (4101 Guadalupe, 451-7170) B.B.

Mother Egan's Irish Pub

If Mother Egan's Irish Pub were any more authentic, the English would have been compelled to conquer and occupy it years ago. Owned and operated by honest-to-goodness sons of Erin, the venerable West Sixth tavern plays host to ongoing bouts of traditional Irish music, traditional Irish grub (served in non-traditionally large portions), and public quiz night events which, if not particularly traditional, are at any rate pretty fun. The aforementioned eats are mostly limited to easily recognizable items like shepherd's pie, fish and chips, corned beef and cabbage, although such decidedly un-Gaelic things as veggie burgers are also on hand. In the evenings, wildly varying drink specials help to divert one's attentions beyond Guinness and to things that one might not think to order at an Irish pub – martinis, for instance. Great For: Defying the British. Entrees: $5-9 (715 West Sixth, 478-7747) B.B.

Mirabelle Restaurant

Founded in 1998 by a pair of prominent Austin dining proprietors, Mirabelle has the same fine pedigree you'd expect from any person or place with such a name, as its culinary genetics were inherited mainly from the Cafe at Four Seasons and Castle Hill, among other things. Among area foodies, the high-end fusion eatery is probably best known for the house-made reduction sauces, spice rubs, and confits that tend to make it into everything except the water; specimens of note include the espresso-rubbed venison served with bacon-laced corn pudding and the mushroom manicotti accompanied by a goat cheese sauce. But Mirabelle is also nationally noted for what has been deemed finest wine list in Texas, if by no means the longest. Great For: Eating intricately. Entrees: $8-25 (8127 Mesa, 346-7900) B.B.

Texadelphia

No doubt conceived by marijuana enthusiasts of a particularly entrepreneurial bent, Texadelphia takes a Philadelphian street food staple and adapts it towards more regionally-accepted tastes. Here, the previously-obligatory Cheez Whiz topping is nowhere to be found, replaced instead by queso; other Yankee cheese steak specialties have been similarly dismissed in favor of guacamole, jalapenos, cherry peppers, and BBQ sauce, and the wholesale appropriation even extends to traditional cheese steak sides, for which chips and salsa have been likewise substituted. And for those nativists who don't quite trust the cheese steak no matter how it's dressed up, Texadelphia also deals in hamburgers and sandwiches. Great For: Something different, but not too different. Entrees: $4-7 (2422 Guadalupe, 480-0107, 480-0107; 501 West 15^th, 391-9189; 9828 Great Hills, 338-1338; 14010 N. Highway 183, 249-0249; 5510 IH-35 South, 804-0804; 3706 Guadalupe, 420-9901; 7849 Shoal Creek, 454-3334; ) B.B.

Texas Chili Parlor

Between its accessible-yet-out-of-the-way location, its sport-friendly digs, and its overall Lone Star Nationalist feel, Texas Chili Parlor brings in a pretty unusual mix of state politicos, UT students, and plain ol' chili enthusiasts of every stripe and flavor. Like the patrons, the chili itself comes in interesting forms; there's the locally-inevitable Frito pie, the baked potato covered in chili and cheese, and the super-duper-hot chili for which one is required to sign a legal release that may or may not be intended as a joke. TCP also offers a nice selection of enchiladas and burgers (the Gringo Burger comes with Swiss cheese and mustard, whereas one might instead expect it to come with mayonnaise). Great For: Expanding one's chili repertoire. Entrees: $4-8 (1490 Lavaca, 472-2828) B.B.

Tres Amigos

In the three decades since it first appeared on the not-yet-saturated Mexican restaurant scene, Tres Amigos has built its family-style, family-owned enterprise into a local institution consisting of four locations, further ingraining itself into Austin life by way of consistent support for city charities. Perhaps to make things a bit simpler for those who'd like to dabble in Mexico's regional cuisines, the menu offers plate meals representing the particular fare of locations ranging from the Yucatan to Nuevo Leon, although Tres Amigos also tries its own hand at reinvention in the case of items like the Shrimp Cozumel (which here consists of coconut-encrusted shrimp served with mango-horseradish marmalade, and which elsewhere consists of something else entirely). Great For: Virtual culinary vacations. Entrees: $5-13 (1801 South Capital of Texas, 327-1776; 13359 N Highway 183, 275-0930; 7535 E Highway 290, 926-4441; 1807 W Slaughter, 292-1001) B.B.

Waterloo Ice House

Though Waterloo's claim to have been "Serving Great Food Since the Hippies Showed Up" is a bit of a chronological exaggeration in light of the fact that the hippie arrivals pre-date it by a decade, the Congress Avenue location has indeed been dealing in filling fare since 1976 without falling prey to the market forces that brought down so many other iconic spots of that era. Waterloo's menu is centered around unique, no-frills items like turkey meatloaf and queso chopped steak, further veering into burger-and-wing territory and even taking it upon itself to offer pulled pork sandwiches, while the breakfast selection is similarly all-over-the-map while still covering all of the based that one would expect a breakfast menu to cover. Even so, Waterloo is probably known to most as a draft-oriented watering hole. Great For: Keeping Austin full. Entrees: $4-12 (600 N. Lamar, 472-5400; 8600 Burnet 458-6544; 1106 W. 38^th, 521-5245; 6203 N. Capitol of Texas Highway, 418-9700) B.B.

ZuZu

Local lovers of bargains would do well to make ZuZu every bit a part of their respective culinary rotations as they would a trip to the grocery store; the Mexican joint's "family style take home" bulk selections are perfect for those families whose particular style involves eating on the cheap. In fact, pretty much every menu item here constitutes some fantastic deal, from the various enchilada platters and huge burritos to such more unexpected things as Mexican pizzas covered in guacamole and chipotle, blackened catfish, and Mahi Mahi salads. Beyond the bargains, ZuZu's speedy service, kooky color schemes, and heart-friendly take on traditionally greasy Mexican fare has won the Mopac eatery plenty of praise in the years since 1997, when it officially separated from the chain that bears its name. Great For: Skimping on cost and calories. Entrees: $3-9 (5770 N. Mopac, 467-9295) B.B.

The Melting Pot

Fondue enthusiasts are a notoriously disparate, free-spirited bunch, and by virtue of its status as the city's only fondue-focused restaurant, The Melting Pot caters to all of them. The cheese around which the whole shebang is centered is rightfully composed of several equally unpronounceable varieties, while the dunking morels are suitably varied and consist of such things as ahi tuna, white shrimp, filet mignon, lobster tails, and veggies. The Melting Pot also holds its own in the libations department, offering wacky upscale drinks like the Yin and Yang (Godiva White Chocolate Liqueur, Stoli Vanil Vodka, ice cream, chocolate shavings) as well as more conventional things like wines, these being helpfully divided into such descriptive categories as "Soft and Velvety" and "Crisp and Lively" for the benefit of those who don't happen to be an associate editor at Wine Spectator. Great For: Breaking the ice on a first date. Entrees: $14-46 (13343 US Highway 183 N, 401-2424) B.B.