Dining out: The Hot Five

The hugely popular all-you-can-eat Brazilian steakhouse chain is a magnet for beef lovers with unlimited appetites (lunch $24.50 per person, dinner $44.50). The salad bar elevates the genre to new heights of extravagance.

645 Hennepin Av. S., 612-338-1344, fogodechao.com

Don't be confused by the address: The rock-your-world chain, part of the dreary Block E complex, anchors the corner of 7th St. and 1st Av. N., across the street from Target Center. The menu is your basic burgers-chicken wings-nachos-smoked ribs template.

600 Hennepin Av. S., 952-285-7625, hardrockcafe.com

Retro-clubby is the best way to describe this long, narrow hangout, which specializes in big portions of all-American comfort-food fare. Sweets hounds will love the thick malts and the ridiculously large slabs of chocolate cake.

50 S. 6th St., Mpls., 612-746-4537

It's a no-brainer: a cavernous sports bar, conveniently located inside a cavernous sports arena. The menu? A no-surprises sports-bar format, and the setting pops with all kinds of b-ball- related eye candy.

It's hearty pizza by the slice, or by the pie, with more ingredient choices than Domino's, Pizza Hut and Papa John's combined. And plenty of appetizer, salad, hoagie and dessert options, too, all served to 3:30 a.m. weekends.

119 N. 4th St., 612-333-7359, pizzaluce.com