The Food: The Clyde’s Restaurant Group (which includes nine area Clyde’s locations, as well as 1789 restaurant and the Old Ebbitt Grill) uses local produce and seafood when possible, so look for a diverse mix of daily specials. Raw bar selections and a surprisingly good cheese plate are popular, as are big-portioned American dishes such as crab cakes, crab dip, shrimp cocktail, a thick cheeseburger, and a Carolina-style pulled-pork sandwich.  

The Scene: Clyde’s is easy to spot near the junction of routes 123 and 7, but difficult to actually find. Its copper roof is meant to be a draw, like the old roadhouses of the 1920s and 1930s. The dining rooms and four-sided bar are spiffed up with potted palms and paintings of birds and shore scenes, plus decorative glass and ironwork. The casual, easygoing spot draws a mix of area residents, twentysomethings, a local business crowd, and visitors staying at nearby hotels.

What’s Nearby: Tysons Galleria and Tysons Corner Mall—shopping behemoths packed with department stores, major label boutiques, restaurants, and a movie theater— are within a mile radius of Clyde’s. It’s about three miles from Wolf Trap.

Insider Tips: During happy hour, which runs weekdays between 4 and 7 PM and 10 PM and midnight, you can nosh on burgers, chicken sandwiches, and bowls of crab dip for $5 each. The deals are on the food, not the drinks. A late night menu is served daily from 11 PM to 12:30 AM. Valet parking is free.