Restaurant recommendation for YOLO meal next week.

My friend is in your wonderful city receiving a trial cancer treatment. It’s kind of a Hail Mary of a treatment but at this point there isn’t anything else left to try. He has been down there for about 2 weeks receiving outpatient treatments and has been sending me some pics of some bomber meals. He is going all out before he eventually get admitted into the hospital and has to eat hospital food. No offense to hospital food but he has just been eating it on and off for the last 3 years.

Anyways, my wife, being the saint that she is, encouraged me to book a last minute flight down to spend a couple days with him before the chemo really kicks in. So I booked a flight down and will be there Thursday-Saturday. Yes, you read that right. It will be over Valentine’s Day. My wife and I usually don’t celebrate on that day because restaurants are packed and we just pick a day the following week to have a nice dinner.

The problem is I am sure getting a reservation at a good spot is hard on a regular Friday night let alone Valentine’s Day and the day before. So I am looking for some suggestions or places that you would take your friend in this situation. I am not rich but considering the situation let’s assume money is not an issue.

A little about him/his food preferences. He will eat absolutely anything. Is suppper low key and chill. Think like “the dude” from The Big Lebowski type vibes. So the dinner doesnt need to be high end. To be honest we would probably be most comfortable at a casual place with lively atmosphere and great food than a white table cloth type restaurant. But obviously could be fun to go to take him to a crazy fancy meal as well to blow his mind with some world class food.

So far he has sent me some photos of some Birria tacos and some BBQ joints that has had stumbled upon from just walking around near the hospital/his short term apartment.

So I am just looking for some suggestions that you think might fit the bill and then I will see if I can snag a last minute reservation! Thanks in advance for your help!