Johnny's Half Shell   

It's hard to think of a reason why there are no exceptional restaurants in the main Dupont Circle area. Beyond the sports bars, the Italian date places and the nouveau-diner fare piggybacked on bookstores, Dupont Circle got stuck in Middle Ages of gastronomy. Then came Johnny's Half Shell. I've been going there regularly since it opened and it fails to disappoint. Saturday noons, I'd perch on a stool by the bar and order the Po'boy sandwich, the best this side of New Orleans. Wit the gumbo, it's as perfect a lunch one can imagine. When friends come visiting, we'd brave the dinner crowd chaos (it's worth the wait when you get a table after an hour wait, but there were occasions when we gave up and went somewhere else) to have sea-fresh grilled squids, hearty bouillabaise, fresh oysters, a frito misto piled high like offering at a village fete and large, juicy crabcakes. The wine list is short and the dessert list is unremarkable (frankly, I think desserts diminish the oomph of good seafood)but the staff is consistently attentive despite the crowd. Now, if you guys can only do something about that blasted noise - maybe corking the wall or hiring an acoustics designer. Trust me, it would be worth it. I'd be there every week.

Between the fantastic bartenders, the neighborhood regulars and the amazing food - you really can't go wrong!

My faves: fried oysters, shrimp & grits, salad nicoise, squash salad, yummy winter soups, crab cakes, fritto misto! And did I mention the fantastic bartenders??

Our favorite mid-priced restaurant in the city - such a freindly and attentive staff that works together very well. We usually enjoy our meal at the bar; there is always great conversation there. Try the steamed mussels - the sauce is incredible and will have you dipping your bread into it until the entrees arrive.

My son and I dropped in late Friday night for dinner. Very friendly and attentive staff. The best thing we had was the superb grilled squid, scored to allow better herb penetration--very light, garlicky, and aromatic. My son thought the gumbo was a bit bland, although worth eating. He had, and enjoyed, the fried seafood platter, of which the black sea bass was the star; he didn't particularly go for the fried green tomatoes, but I was OK with them. I had the baked cod with romesco sauce but felt (and still feel) that they don't really understand the dish. Small portion of cod; thin dribble of romesco. To meet the Catalan standard, they should offer a good 3/4 pounds of cod and have it swimming in the sauce, with plenty to dunk their (excellent) bread in. The shredded zucchini/corn complement was suitably delicate, but perhaps a boiled potato wouldn't have been unwelcome. The red wine would have worked better served 10 degrees below room temperature, especially in August.