Price Key

$ Entrées less than $10

$$ Entrées $10-20

$$$ Entrées more than $20

Best Seafood: It’s hard to choose between a city original, Kinkead’s ($$), with its primo crab cakes and comfy piano bar, and the stunning art deco dining room and raw bar at Oceanaire ($$$).

Best Restaurant to Spot Celebs: A quintessential new American bistro that serves french fries cooked in duck fat and a perfect apple pie, the Blue Duck Tavern ($$$) attracts an A-list crowd, including Faith Hill and Tim McGraw, Bono, Tom Hanks, and the Obamas.

Best Burgers: It’s a matter of taste, but in a city full of new burger joints, a homegrown original stands tall: Five Guys ($) began in a humble strip mall in Arlington, Virginia, serving consistently excellent and inexpensive burgers and fries.

Best Place to Spot Politicians: When Congress is in session, it’s nearly impossible not to see someone important at The Monocle ($$$) on the Senate side of Capitol Hill. Recent sightings include Sen. Joe Lieberman, Speaker of the House John Boehner, and Rep. Peter King.

Best Place to Seal the Deal: According to the Federal Election Commission, congressional candidates spend more money at Charlie Palmer Steak ($$$) than at any other restaurant in DC. This probably has nothing to do with its Capitol Hill location or sky-high prices.

Best Sausages: The lunch line is half the fun at Ben’s Chili Bowl ($), enjoying the hip-hop music, the lunch crew’s antics, and the rapid-fire preparation of the city’s signature dish, the half-smoke.

Most Kid-Friendly Restaurant: Old Glory Bar-B-Que ($$) is a place kids and parents can both love: the pulled pork, brisket, mac and cheese, and corn on the cob menu pleases youngsters, while the bar, with 80 different bourbons, appeals to the older folks.

Best Views: At Sequoia ($$$), food and service can be spotty, but who cares? It’s all about hanging out with good friends while gazing out at the Potomac.

Most Romantic Restaurant: Your date will love the fireplaces, exposed beams, antiques, and a table for two set with Limoges china and crystal at 1789 ($$$).

Best Pizza: A crispy but chewy crust, unusual toppings, and microbrews — there should be a Pizzeria Paradiso ($$) in my neighborhood. Thankfully, it’s close enough.