I can't count how many times I've heard people say "It's my favorite restaurant... even though it's chain" about this restaurant. It's not a crime to like a place with more than one location, even though some chains suck. This one is unbelievable.
Everything is perfect! The service seems choreographed. Somehow you have a handful of people waiting on you, yet everything arrives on time and in front of the right person (why can't other restaurants keep track of who ordered what?).
The food is unbelievable. The menu is small because they only serve what they can do best. The ribs are to die for -- they just fall off the bone. Knife and fork only. The veggie burger is unbelievably good (bran base). The salads are huge but delicious (even though they sadly changed the name of the Evil Jungle Noodle Thai Steak Salad). The lemonade is sweet and pulpy, and the spinach dip puts all other dips to shame.
Houston's is my reference point: if a restaurant is more expensive, it had better be better than Houston's. Few meet that criterion.
p.s. get the warm brownie.