Cooking at home involves the risk of small burns, spilled liquids, and the advances of an oven in heat. Avoid stove-top suitors with today's Groupon: for $12, you get $24 worth of American fare at Beauregard's Restaurant.

The menu at Beauregard's Restaurant boasts an eclectic assortment of casual comfort fare inspired by owner Maria Labraski's family recipes. Growling stomachs are silenced by group yodeling or the sample platter ($9.95), a tasty array of various starters including wings, potato skins, cheese sticks, and fried mushrooms. Feast on a tender cut of prime rib ($13.95–$18.95) or attempt to select a favorite member of the New Orleans pasta ($11.95) trio, comprising sautéed shrimp, chicken, and sausage. The meaty eatery also embellishes plates with fresh seafood such as fried oysters ($12.95). Diners joining the crowds on weekends can enjoy a live DJ who caters to her audience by blasting '80s rock, contemporary country, or pop hits covered by Gregorian monks.

Origin Story: No Love Like a Kitchen's Love

As the daughter of two restaurateurs, Maria Labraski can't imagine being trapped by the confines of an office cubicle and prefers the unpredictable rhythm of the kitchen. After successfully running Gardenia's Restaurant for eight years, she took over Beauregard's in 1998 and transformed the reliable sandwich shop into an upscale eatery with steaks and seafood. Maria is often spotted cheering on her 11-year-old son, Vasili, at the soccer field or tae kwon do studio.