Kinkead’s $$

2000 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
202/296-7700
www.kinkead.com [1]

HOURS: Mon.-Thurs. 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m., Fri. 11:30 a.m.-11 p.m.,
Sat. 5-11 p.m., Sun. 5-9 p.m.

COST: Most entrées between $10–20

Kinkead’s has endured since 1993 as the local favorite for premier seafood and regional cooking—massive crab cakes, pan-seared softshells and Smithfield ham, oyster and crab chowder, mounds of fresh seafood on ice served to guests in a huge two-story restaurant that takes up a number of storefronts.

The piano bar on the first floor, with live jazz nightly, hums with energy and banter, a lively spot for quick meal and a couple of drinks. The upstairs dining room feels like a different restaurant, more serious and subdued with neutral decor, better suited for a business meeting or quiet night out.

The menu spans the gamut of seafood preparation. Chef Bob Kinkead hails from New England, and patrons will find classic dishes from the region on the menu, like fried Ipswich clams, lobster rolls, and hearty fish chowder. But the menu also includes delicate tuna tartare, mussels in a mustard and cream sauce, and sweet grilled prawns over polenta.