Scottsdale has many of the Valley’s most posh restaurants, and the scene is always changing and evolving. You’ll find enough variety here to make your head and your palate spin. It’s not all high-toned and intimidating though; most of the best restaurants here are serious about food and design and service, but they don’t take themselves too seriously. Many of Scottsdale’s restaurants serve late-night menus and have busy bars as well as packed dining rooms. Reservations are always a good idea.

Brunch

Mickey’s Hangover Lounge

(4312 N. Brown Ave., 480/425-0111, www.mickeyshangover.com, Brunch: 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Sat.-Sun 10 a.m. - 3 a.m., dinner and drinks: 4 p.m.-2 a.m. Mon.-Wed, 4 p.m.-3 a.m. Thur., 4 p.m.-4 a.m. Fri., 10 a.m.-4 a.m. Sat. $5-$13))

Mickey's is a thrift store-chic clubhouse downtown where you’ll always hear Bob Marley on the stereo and you can order a jug of Mad Dog 20/20 ($10) and put your feet up on the coffee table. If you’re not a happy and healthy dissipate (and especially if you are) try Mickey’s for brunch on weekends. They serve tasty and creative entrées based on the classic brunch dishes, and concoct some of the Valley’s best mimosas and Bloody Mary’s

American

Cowboy Ciao

(7133 E. Stetson Dr., 480/946-3111, www.cowboyciao.com, lunch:11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., dinner: 5 p.m.-10 p.m. Sun.-Thur., 5 p.m.-11 p.m. Fri.-Sat., $10-$30)

Cowboy Ciao, a standout among Scottsdale’s posh eateries, relishes fusions, mixing Italian motifs with cowboy-camp and Old West wood-and-metal, and serving strange, enticing dishes like elk strip loin and mushroom pan fry. Their take on the grilled cheese, adding brie and pickled tomatoes, is worth the trip itself. The salads and soups here are also particularly good.

AZ 88

(7353 Scottsdale Mall, 480/994-5576, www.homepage.mac.com/az88/Site/Home.htm, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 a.m. Mon.-Fri, 5 p.m.-12:30 a.m. Sat.-Sun. $7.50-$15.50)

AZ 88 is an ultra-cool lounge and restaurant with delicious, simple dishes like hamburgers and chicken sandwiches, DJs spinning many nights, and consistently interesting art on the walls, changed out regularly. They have a late night menu from 2 a.m. nightly.

Steaks and Chops

Reata Pass Steakhouse

(27500 N. Alma School Pkwy, 480/585-7277, 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Tue.-Thur.,11 a.m.-11 p.m. Fri.-Sat., noon-9 p.m. Sun., closed Mon,  $8.95-$33.95)

Reata Pass Steakhouse is another of Arizona’s cowboy-style steakhouses, with rustic, Old West interiors and picnic tables, beans and corn and ribs and steaks; these places are always fun, especially for kids. On the site of what used to be a stage stop in the McDowell Mountains, Reata Pass bills itself as the most authentic of the bunch.

Don & Charlie's

(7501 E. Camelback Rd., 480/990-0900, www.azeats.com/DonAndCharlies/default2.htm, 5 p.m.-9:30 p.m. Mon.-Sat., 5 p.m.-9 p.m. Sun., $10.95-$44.95)

A more elegant, but still comfortably casual protein-rich meal can be had at Valley favorite Don & Charlie's, a Chicago-style, old school steakhouse with great prime rib and even better ribs. They serve pate and crackers when you sit down, and you’ll be mesmerized away from the menu by all the unmatched sports memorabilia covering the walls.

Southwestern

Old Town Tortilla Factory

(6910 E. Main St.,480/945-4567, www.oldtowntortillafactory.com, 5 p.m.-9 p.m. Sun.-Thur., 5 p.m.-10 p.m. Fri.-Sat., $12.95-$30.95)

Downtown’s Old Town Tortilla Factory has an enchanting patio and serves gourmet Southwestern-style creations with pork, fish, chicken, shrimp, and beef. The tortillas are made on site, come in several different flavors, and are served hot and fresh. The Tequilaria inside has shelves of tequila and makes great margaritas.

Carlsbad Tavern and Restaurant

(3313 N. Hayden Rd., 480/970-8164, www.carlsbadtavern.com, 11 a.m.-2 a.m. daily, $8-$20)

For Southwestern food with a New Mexican flare try Carlsbad Tavern and Restaurant, where green chilies take over the menu and bats take over the décor. They serve hamburgers and sandwiches as well as New Mexican-style dishes.

Seafood

The Salt Cellar

(550 N Hayden Rd., 480/947-1963, 5 p.m.-11 p.m. Mon. Thur., 5 p.m.-midnight Fri.-Sat.,$19.95-$35.95)

The Salt Cellar, which actually feels like it’s in a cellar, though a very nice one, serves the freshest, best-prepared, top-shelf but not pretentious seafood in the Valley. You can even get five pounds of live Maine lobster ($95) if you so desire.

Polynesian

Drift Polynesian Restaurant and Tiki Lounge

(4341 N. 75th St., 480/949 8454, 11:30 a.m.-midnight daily, $7-$18)

The interior design at Drift Polynesian Restaurant and Tiki Lounge is worth a stop in itself, recalling the Tiki-style of the 1960s with an updated groovieness. The food is surprising and delicious; the drinks are umbrellaed, fruit-filled and dangerous. The best time to go is during happy hour (4 p.m.-7 p.m. Mon.-Fri.), when the pu-pu platters are flaming and the pink and blue icy drinks are flowing.

Japanese

Sushi on Shea

(7000 E. Shea Blvd. #1510, 480/483-7799, www.sushionshea.com, 11 a.m.-11 p.m. daily, $8-$20)

Sushi on Shea serves excellent sushi at affordable prices and has hypnotizing fish tanks throughout.