L.A.'s top restaurant

When it comes to annual sales, the winner is Gladstone's - as usual. The beachside eatery generated $14.1 million last year and served an estimated 575,000 meals (many of them eaten by out-of-towners who didn't know any better). This is the same Gladstone's that got reamed last year by the LAT's Leslie Brenner, who called the food "abominable" and absurdly expensive.

Dinner for five? I almost fall out of my chair when I get the bill: It's just over $500, before tip, and we didn't even order a bottle of wine. (We had three cocktails between us, three glasses of wine and one beer.) That's Pacific Coast Highway robbery.

The only other L.A.-area restaurant to make Restaurants & Institutions' top 100 is Lawry's in Bev Hills ($11.9 million). The list is dominated by establishments in NY and Vegas. In case you're wondering, Tao Las Vegas was the top-ranking restaurant for the third straight year, with $68.4 million in revenue. The average dinner check was $72, which is practically a bargain next to "21" in NY ($144) and Prime Steakhouse in Vegas ($138).