RockCreek is somewhere you should go if you’d like to be continuously reminded of the fact that you’re eating seafood. We’re not just saying that because the massive babbling brook artwork makes it difficult to forget the theme of your meal—it’s also because the menu is stacked with options. You’ll find everything from oyster shooters and crudo, to Chilean seabass with provençal herbs and jerk-marinated swordfish. Luckily, the shrimp and brown butter-slicked grits (our favorite dish here) is a mainstay on the rotating menu. It has subtle heat tempered by creamy grits, and the prawns are always cooked perfectly.

If you knowingly showed up not wanting seafood, you’re still in very good hands with the meat and vegetable dishes here, like the excellent shaved cauliflower farro salad with pecorino shavings and Calabrian chili, pasta with slow-braised lamb ragoût, or a New York strip—the variety makes RockCreek one of the best spots to use for a big group dinner. Especially if you take advantage of the private room upstairs.