Chefs' Favorite U.S. Restaurants

District of Columbia

“There’s a Chinese take-out place next to my restaurant called Yum’s II (1413 14th St. NW, Washington, D.C.; 202/232-5608; lunch for two $18) that has the best cheesesteak outside of Philly. Seriously. But you have to say ‘steak and cheese,’ not ‘cheesesteak,’ or else they’ll give you cheese sticks. And you don’t want those.” —Kyle Bailey, Birch & Barley, 1337 14th St. NW, Washington, D.C.; 202/567-2576.