Captain's Quarters Inc, Northbrook

Flavio Renzulli may have just taken the helm at Captain's Quarters Fish and Steak House in 2013, but the restaurant has been close to his heart for nearly his entire life. He began eating there when he was 15, and visited so often over the next 20 years that he became the first person the owner thought of when deciding to sell the restaurant. Flavio considers Captain's "a North Shore institution," and in that spirit kept on the chef, Jose Haro, who started there as a busser more than 30 years ago.

Flavio and Jose have continued the dining traditions that made Captain's so popular: they serve classic surf-and-turf dishes, host private parties, and let patrons sit in chairs. Some of the menu's classics include lobster tail poached in brown butter—which can be paired with a filet mignon—and fried chicken coated with the restaurant's secret recipe batter. The duo has introduced a diverse range of new plates as well, from baby-back ribs to a full dessert menu.