The Old Pro, Palo Alto

The Old Pro’s kitchen team has taken on an endeavor that most culinary artists are too afraid to attempt: making tater tots better. The menu dedicates an entire section to the deliciously deep-fried, grated potatoes, introducing mouths to six variants including bacon blue tots, truffle-and-parmesan tots, and Tot-chos—tots with nacho fixings. These crispy bites are just the beginning of Old Pro’s souped-up pub food, which reinvents popular staples by topping brawny burgers with brisket and infusing Red Sangria with blackberries and fresh rosemary. The hand-tossed brick-oven pizzas also earn a place in stomachs' hearts with toppings such as housemade sausage and truffle oil.

The sports bar’s inventive culinary approach has earned it a five-year run as Palo Alto Weekly's Best Sports Bar from 2007 to 2012, and its neighborly atmosphere has made it an ideal setting for palling around with buddies. Inside, lofty ceilings and long tables allow ample space for socializing and dramatic three-point landings off the bar’s mechanical bull. Mounted displays pay homage to a long list of teams and athletes, and 13 high-definition plasma-screen televisions broadcast sporting events in real time. To cut down on waste produced by bottles, labels, and corks, The Old Pro’s bartenders serve both draft beers and California wines straight from the tap.