At Queen Anne Beerhall you can experience a traditional European beerhall, complete with cocktails, 25 premium draft beers, a selection from local breweries and beers from around the world. The menu includes classic food pairs such as soft pretzals, wings and sandwiches.

Nue is a mystical street food restaurant where a former video game designer is bringing unexpected flavors to well-known dishes. Chris Cvetkovich, the mastermind behind Nue, merges the classic flavors of chicken paprikash onto wings so crispy you can hear the crunch. Their unique dessert burrito is filled with liquid nitrogen peanut and pineapple ice cream and topped with peanut toffee brittle and cilantro.

“This is awesome! It’s like a treehouse with beer,” exclaimed Michael Symon when he stepped into the taproom at the DC Brau Brewing Company. Owners Brandon Skall and Jeff Hancock draw upon both North American and European techniques to produce their beers, most of which are pale ales. Michael was left impressed by the On the Wings of Armageddon Double IPA, which he described as hoppy yet balanced.

Set in a prime spot on the banks of Lake Union, Westward serves a water-inspired Mediterranean menu that's best enjoyed at a picnic table on the patio.

D.C. barbecue devotees head here for the succulent cuts of meats that are smoked, then finished over a grill fueled by red oak and hickory wood. A standout is the smoke-kissed spare ribs, which come coated in a gorgeous char. They’re not overly seasoned, so the natural flavors of the pork shine through. Another popular pick is the Rocklands Pearl: Creamy mac and cheese is layered with baked beans, then piled with chopped pork and finished with a generous ladleful of housemade barbecue sauce.

Next Iron Chef contestant Spike Mendelsohn turns out perfect patties and impeccable shakes at this spot. With so many tasty eats coming out of the kitchen, Jenni Farley said it smelled “like heaven” when she visited with Michael Symon. The pair slurped down toasted-marshmallow milkshakes made with a fresh custard base and crowned with a quenelle of whipped cream. Michael raved about the Coletti’s Smokehouse burger, whose cheese-slicked patty comes stacked with applewood-smoked bacon and onion rings.

A mecca for beer mavens, ChurchKey offers 50 drafts and close to 700 bottled selections. There’s also an extensive food menu that stretches well beyond your average bar bites, with fresh dishes that are seasonally driven. The menu changes regularly, but keep an eye out for the Greek-inspired Gigante Beans dish studded with tangy feta cheese, and the Monte Cristo sandwich stuffed with pig’s head terrine and doused with powdered sugar.

Chef Chris Poetter blends intense Japanese precision and American comfort food to create his towering crunchy burgers. For the Godzilla Attack, a grass-fed beef patty is breaded with panko breadcrumbs and deep fried for a crunchy exterior. The burger is then piled with toppings and a house-made Japanese barbecue sauce and spicy mayo.

At Food Co. you'll find a casual eatery for the classic combo: burgers, fries and shakes, all made with regionally sourced ingredients.

FlintCreek Cattle Co. features dishes where grass-fed game meets upscale cuisine. The meat includes options of duck, elk, lamb and steak and are sourced from small ranches and farms that raise their livestock without added hormones and antibiotics.

Executive Chef Hugo Ortega serves up authentic fare from his native Mexico at this elegant eatery located in a lively part of Houston. Popular menu items include the staple mole dish and signature chocolate desserts. Locals also rave about the Sunday brunch, which features an all-you-can-eat buffet.

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Locals flock to this San Antonio fixture for the menu of reimagined comfort-food classics. Michael Symon’s favorite sandwich here features a slab of meatloaf that’s made from a pork and beef blend to ensure maximum juiciness and seasoned with a spicy dry rub for kick. The meatloaf comes wrapped in strips of applewood bacon and topped with a fried egg that “adds another layer of richness,” Michael says.

At this burger joint and beer garden, Chef-Owner Richard Hartman’s creativity shines through in dishes like the Fried Apple Bacon Blue Cheese Burger that Michael Symon stopped in to try. An 8-ounce beef patty comes loaded with crisp bacon, grilled onions, fried apple slices and a homemade blue cheese dressing. Michael is a fan of the tart-salty combo, calling it “one mean burger.”

At Black's Barbecue, the oldest family-run barbecue joint in Texas, slow-cooked ribs, brisket, sausage and more are the lay of the land. Don't expect to drown your meal in BBQ sauce here; Black's does its meat the old-fashioned way, so nothing gets in the way of its distinctive sweet smokiness.