Columbus:

Columbus Fish Market (Crossroads)
Cap City Diner
Gordon Biersch (it may be a chain, but really great food and beer)

Louisville:

Lynn's Paradise Cafe
Mike Linnings
Bristol (late nights and Sunday brunches)
Irish Rover

Bridgeport, CT:

Recupero's Pizza (it's been at least 10 years, but the best darned pizza I've ever eaten!)

In Ames:
Definetely have to agree with ISUKappa - Hickory Park and Great Plains are great. I also love Wallaby's.

Back in NE Iowa:
Breitbach's (oldest family owned restaurant in the state - awesome steak and breakfast)

Here in the Des Moines area:
Latin King
Tumea and Sons
Paesano's (I love their pizza)
Monterey Bay
Tasty Taco (good cheap tacos)
Centro
Palmer's Deli
El Rodeo

In Jackson Hole, Wyoming~Mangy Moose
In Casper, Wyoming *and there are a couple in some other cities*~Sanfords. The one in Fort Collins isn't so great, but the one in Cheyenne and Casper are. I also like the Fireside in Casper.

Orlando:
Hue- Great food although very expensive.
California Grill- Also expensive but good food.

Ft. Lauderdale:
Tom's Barbeque- OMG, the best barbeque I've ever had.
El Mariachi- Best Mexican food I've ever had.

in roswell nm: tijua juana, pepper's, both Mexican
in ruidoso nm: saldanas, italian
in alamogordo nm: margo's mexican food
in las cruces nm: nellies, mexican, lorenzo's, italian, double eagle, steak.
in el paso, tx: kikis mexican food, italian kitchen, lucy's mexican food.

makes me hungry thinking about it.

Rudey -re: Wolfgang: I ate at Spago in Vegas (granted not LA), another restaraunt at the MGM, and one here in ATL. My review of all 3 would be that it tasted like they took one of his frozen dinners out of the freezer, microwaved it, and put it on a fancy plate.

Re: Emeril's - I really only ate there once. I had a steak, a salad with Goat Cheese, and dessert. I guess you really can't mess that up very much. I can't speak for anything else on the menu though...

So far I've only eaten here once, but it is far and away the best meal I have ever had-
Union Pacific in NYC

I'm a "foodie" and every year for the b-day my finace takes me to a "fancy" place here in NY. We did Union Pacific a few years ago and everything was exquisite - the decor, the atmosphere, the wait staff (friendly and knowledgeable without being pretencious), and the FOOD! I had venison and it *literally* melted in my mouth. Rocco DiSpirito is the executive chef and he made a name for himself there before he ever did "The Restaurant" and he truly is an amazing talent - even if he is a cocky SOB. :)

Cincinnati, OH:
*Scotti's Italian Ristorante (this place is ancient, but my Grandma knew the owner and it's the closest thing to what she used to make when she was alive)
*Jean-Robert's Pigalls (He used to be the chef at the Maisonette, a five star restaurant, and branched out on his own...heavenly!)
*DaVeeds (this is in Mt. Adams actually, but it's a great place with a menu that changes each month!)

Indianapolis, IN:
*Dodd's Town House (steaks & the best chicken EVER!)
*Mezzaluna (lots of garlic, but lots of creative seafood dishes!)
*St. Elmo's Steakhouse (the name says it all! :) )

Cleveland :

Fat Fish Blue
Rascal House near CSU

Shaker Heights:

Italian Cafe
Noggins

Chicago: Charlie Trotters (most definitely not a chain)
SF (actually Berkeley): Chez Panisse - the only place I'll eat vegetables
Miami: Joe's Stone Crab (technically could be considered a chain, since they now inexplicably have locations in other areas, but the real one is in Miami, and you can get takeout if you're in the area but wearing jeans or flip-flops)
NO: Palace Cafe (one of the Brennan restaurants) and Galatoire's

This thread is making me hungry ...

There are too many restaurants in Toronto and I haven't been to many so I can't really say.

All thought I do love Amato Pizza and Butler's Pantry (not expensive places but they make good food)

When I was in Ohi I went to a restaurant called Big Fish. The food was excellent. But I can't remember what city it was in. It was just outside Sandusky.

Yeah Joe's has become a chain steakhouse in essence. I can't appreciate the seafood as much, but I do like the closeby Smith&Wollensky environment better.

-Rudey

Las Vegas has too many chains. My favorite places to eat are in Juneau, AK my fiances home town we go back every year and eat so much food.

las vegas
siena deli - small family run italian place

Juneau
Thai place - don't know the name they have the best tom yum soup

Ricks - it's a sandwich place with the best curly fries

twisted fish - touristy but has really good seafood.

oh and the fiddlehead - a vegetarian restaurant - you may have heard of their cookbook

The Cracked Claw at Peter Pan in Urbana, MD and Chick and Ruth's Delly in Annapolis. Not necessarily for their menu, but for their atmosphere. They both have spunk.

DC:

AKA Friscos (best Deli ever)
Rocklands (oh the BBQ)
Jandara (thai)
Reef Gouche (takes months to get a table - one of clintons and bushes frequent haunts)

Bethesda, MD:

Maggiannos
Cheesecake Factory