"Set on the seventh-floor rooftop of the posh Rowan Hotel, this is the highest perch in all of downtown. A stylishly modern room features leather banquettes and a handsome central bar, but it’s the sweeping views of the San Jacinto Mountains that will really make you swoon—and that’s before a few rounds of signature date-infused Old Fashioneds. Chef Ysaac Ramirez lends a Southern twang to a shareable menu replete with seasonal produce, as in grilled purple sweet potatoes with creamy Alabama white barbecue sauce and pickled red chiles. Larger appetites will be satisfied by an assortment of grilled steaks, like a ribeye with smoked onion, charred tomato and rosemary salsa verde. It’s true that the prices are lofty, but after all, so are the views." - Nancy DePalma