Top shelf steak at Doe's Eat Place in Fayetteville

The setup: These aren't fancy places — checked tablecloths made of vinyl, concrete floors, haphazard decor. But because the food is good, you wouldn't be surprised to see former President Bill Clinton or the CEO of a major corporation dining there.

• It's the kind of Arkansas place where politics, money, beer and food meet, and business gets done.

The food: Doe's is known for its tamales as appetizers, and every table is set with a basket of wrapped saltine crackers.

• While you can order tamales for dinner, they're really just a preview before the main event.
• Steak is why you come to Doe's and, for me, a filet is the best of all the cuts.

On this outing, I had a Queen cut filet, which is about 10 ounces, and fries (new potatoes are optional, no baked potato). All meals come with fried biscuits. It was about $50.

My thought bubble: This is really the best steak in NWA as far as I'm concerned. It's consistent, cooked the way it's ordered and the outer "crust" has never disappointed.

Got a favorite steak place? Email me at [email protected].

• And while we're talking about beef: Here are the best burgers in Washington County