Bites Nearby: Greg's Restaurant

Virtually every town in America once had a Greg's Restaurant, although it was more likely called "Giovanni's" or "Rillo's." This is Italian-American fare like your grandparents ate on a night out -- chicken parmesan, pasta with red sauce, shrimp scampi and veal dishes. One food reviewer on Yelp.com calls Greg's: "an old-school New England red sauce joint" -- meaning it as a compliment or a caution, depending on one's expectations.

Located just near the Watertown-Cambridge line, at 821 Mt. Auburn St., Greg's is known for its early-bird special dinners, 4-6 p.m., Monday-Friday, and 4-5:30 p.m. on Saturdays. You can get a meal for around $15.

What to eat: Chicken parmesan, veal parmesan, lasagna, eggplant parmesan, steaks and lunch specials and sandwiches. Reviews seem to vary widely, mostly depending on whether one was expecting basic Italian-American fare (you'd like it) or gourmet-like meals (you might not).

The vibe: Homey and unpretentious, with plenty of older regulars, especially for the early-bird specials.

Cool factor no. 1: The place isn't "retro" -- it has simply stayed the same over the many decades.

Cool factor no. 2: A basket of Scali bread is put on the table before your dinner.