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                                                                 EXHIBIT 99.2(a)

                 CERTIFICATION WITH RESPECT TO ANNUAL REPORT OF
                           LANDRY'S RESTAURANTS, INC.

      I, Tilman J. Fertitta certify that:

          1.   I have reviewed this annual report on Form 10-K of Landry's
               Restaurants, Inc.;

          2.   Based on my knowledge, this annual report does not contain any
               untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material
               fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the
               circumstances under which such statements were made, not
               misleading with respect to the period covered by this annual
               report;

          3.   Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other
               financial information included in this annual report, fairly
               present in all material respects the financial condition, results
               of operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for,
               the periods presented in this annual report;

          4.   The registrant's other certifying officer and I are responsible
               for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and
               procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-14 and 15d-14)
               for the registrant and we have:

               (a)  designed such disclosure controls and procedures to ensure
                    that material information relating to the registrant,
                    including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us
                    by others within those entities, particularly during the
                    period in which this annual report is being prepared;

               (b)  evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant's disclosure
                    controls and procedures as of a date within 90 days prior to
                    the filing date of this annual report (the "Evaluation
                    Date"); and

               (c)  presented in this annual report our conclusions about the
                    effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures
                    based on our evaluation as of the Evaluation Date;

          5.   The registrant's other certifying officer and I have disclosed,
               based on our most recent evaluation, to the registrant's auditors
               and the audit committee of registrant's board of directors:

               (a)  all significant deficiencies in the design or operation of
                    internal controls which could adversely affect the
                    registrant's ability to record, process, summarize and
                    report financial data and have identified for the
                    registrant's auditors any material weaknesses in internal
                    controls; and

               (b)  any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management
                    or other employees who have a significant role in the
                    registrant's internal controls; and

          6.   The registrant's other certifying officer and I have indicated in
               this annual report whether or not there were significant
               changes in internal controls or in other factors that could
               significantly affect internal controls subsequent to the date of
               our most recent evaluation, including any corrective actions with
               regard to significant deficiencies and material weaknesses.


Dated: March 28, 2003

                             /s/    TILMAN J. FERTITTA
                             ---------------------------------------------------
                             Tilman J. Fertitta
                             Chief Executive Officer

     A signed original of this written statement required by Section 906 has
been provided to Landry's Restaurants, Inc. and will be retained by Landry's
Restaurants, Inc. and furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission or its
staff upon request.