This lively French steakhouse with its pressed-tin ceilings looks the part of a Parisian brasserie. The steak frites--steak, French fries, and salad--for $16.50 is a very good deal, and for a couple of dollars more, you can order the onglet, which has more flavor. The only recent disappointment among the steaks has been the pepper steak, bathed in a sticky brown sauce. Other worthwhile bistro standards on the menu are a terrific frisée salad with bacon and bleu cheese, a big serving of beef tartare, and a charcuterie platter for the table to share.

This restaurant likes parties. On Bastille Day, waiters from all over the city race with filled champagne glasses to win an airline ticket to France. On November 19, Les Halles celebrates the Beaujolais Nouveau. Each year in February, there's a choucroute festival, with half a dozen variations on the traditional choucroute garni, including a delicious seafood version.

Les Halles, 1201 Pennsylvania Ave., NW; 202-347-6848; leshalleswashington.vista.com. Open daily for lunch and dinner.