Austin Grill, Silver Spring

As the story goes, Willie T loved Maine and its surrounding waters. The fisherman would spend his days catching lobsters, then come home to turn their meat into giant rolls ready to share with the whole town.

When it comes to legends, this one's pretty believable—especially considering you can taste Willie's lobster rolls and their signature herbal mayonnaise today at Willie T's Lobster Shack. Though firmly nestled in DC's DuPont Circle, the shack looks like a ship out on the ocean, with nets that hang down from the ceiling and murals depicting crews hard at work out on the water. From behind the counter, Willie T's own crew works to cook up fresh orders of signature lobster rolls, shrimp rolls, and even crab rolls (all of which can also be ordered as salads). Clam chowder, daily dessert specials, and unsinkable grilled cheese sandwiches help round out the edible New England comforts.