Spago is actually very good. What is really special, however, is the feeling that you are eating in the center of the popular-culture (or maybe conventional wisdom) culinary universe. It's sort-of the good food version of walking thru Times Square or Harvard Yard (or Rodeo Drive two blocks over). I'd now generally only go with people visiting from out of town.

The restaurant is arranged with a main room (with a view to the kitchen), a patio (actually also OK to sit there as well) and several small peripheral rooms and hallways. Since you want to sit in the middle of things, you have to be in the main room. The first 2-3 times I went, they always first tried to sit us in one of the peripheral areas. Since then, I have asked for main room when reservations are made.

BTW, there is no haughtiness or snootiness at this restaurant. They're very nice, even to the nobodies.