Jakes Stone Crab, Boca Raton

Drawing from 35 years of industry experience, Jake Stone Crab's owner David Leschen captains a crew of chefs who whip up gourmet surf 'n' turf dishes that have enticed the taste buds of a Sun Sentinel reporter. The chefs roll out an array of seafood specialties and premium steaks as ovens turn out daily-baked breads and pastries. The crack of the restaurant's signature stone crab claws resounds throughout the place until the season's end on May 15, when lobster and king crab take their place as the restaurant's star entrees.

Seafood feasts are set in the elegant dining room, in which sunlight filters through billowing curtains onto white-clothed tables. Outside, tables stretch out across the expansive patio, shaded by awnings and cloth umbrellas. Cushy, upholstered patio furniture and an absence of sobbing families of crab make for comfortable al fresco dining.