Crab Cooker   

Like a bright red beacon signaling for wayward seafood lovers, the Crab Cooker is as close to a city landmark as a restaurant can get without receiving the official honor. Serving inexpensive fish on paper plates and plastic utensils since 1951, the Cooker hasn't changed much since it opened its doors, and it still employs a first-come, first-served rule (which on a weekend can be a two-hour wait -- even once-president Nixon was denied cuts). Is it worth it? Absolutely. The lobster and Alaskan king crab are fresh off the boat and extremely popular, served with garlic mashed potato and rice pilaf sides for a filling meal. Naturally, the higher profile dishes like grilled swordfish and halibut are popular in their own right, but the signature item is the red clam chowder. Served Manhattan style, the chowder is thick with lots of tender chunks of clams, coupled with the fisherman's sourdough.