100 Very Best Restaurants 2013: Charlie Palmer Steak

This glass-walled power scene in the shadow of the Capitol has always flouted steakhouse clichés. But since opening chef Bryan Voltaggio left in 2007, the kitchen has had its ups and downs. That is, until last year, when chef Jeffery Russell took over. Marvelous meat is a given. More of a surprise are Russell’s smart flavor match-ups—think roasted shrimp with Banyuls vinegar—and his way with vegetables. Then there’s the dining room, elegant yet unabashedly modern with a giant glass cube in which the restaurant’s 3,000-plus wines are stashed.

Up front, the bar makes for fun people-watching. It’s schmooze central for media types and politicians (plus their arm candy).

Don’t miss: Oysters with Bloody Mary sorbet; mini-burgers with bacon marmalade; bone-in Angus rib eye; smoked pork porterhouse with preserved cherries; pancetta-braised fingerlings; seasonal fruit cobbler; frozen custards and sorbets.

Open: Monday through Friday for lunch and dinner, Saturday for dinner. Very expensive.