Why go: With its picnic benches, peeling walls, and salt-streaked buoys, this Georgetown fish shack and carryout, owned by the team behind the more upscale Hook, looks as if it’s been slinging fried clams forever. And though it’s been open only a month, it’s already turning out winning shore fare.
What to get: Fried bay scallops—smaller and sweeter than their cousins from the sea—with lemon; fried clams with tartar sauce; fried shrimp on a potato roll; a budget-busting lobster roll bound with house-made mayo; wood-grilled whole calamari with basil-walnut pesto, a signature Hook appetizer; wood-grilled asparagus; spicy braised greens; vinegary potato salad and classic coleslaw; cinnamony blueberry pie.
Best for: Quick pickup dinners; a meal when you’re nostalgic for the beach.
Insider tip: The strong, smoky flavor the wood grill imparts is alluring—in doses. So if you order grilled fish, it’s best not to pair it with grilled sides.
See all Cheap Eats 2008 restaurants
Ann Limpert joined Washingtonian in late 2003. She was previously an editorial assistant at Entertainment Weekly and a cook in New York restaurant kitchens, and she is a graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education. She lives in Petworth.
