Sam and Harry's

DUPONT CIRCLE. A little more relaxed than many other Washington, DC restaurants, this genteel establishment offers thick porterhouse steaks and a tender New York strip, served alongside homemade mashed potatoes that melt in your mouth. The masculine, wood-and-leather decor befits a restaurant specializing in steaks and cigars, and the owners are proud that almost every cut is still on the bone, which they say imparts more juiciness and flavor. Considering the consistently packed dining room, they must be on to something. METRO: Dupont Circle