H Street Life

Gabby Torres, left, defeats Veronika Lukasova during the weekly female arm wrestling contest at Showbar Presents the Palace of Wonders on H Street NE. (Dennis Drenner Ftwp)

Ohio Restaurant and Bar

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1380 H St. NE; 202-399-9279

Etta James blasts from the jukebox and portraits of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X and Haile Selassie hang on wood-paneled walls. The Ohio Restaurant and Bar has sat on this corner for decades, watching the neighborhood move through the riots and the hard times, and though the windows and paint are new, the Formica counter is original -- not something an owner picked up at an architectural antique shop.

The one-room Ohio is a throwback to an urban '60s diner, and chef Harry DaCosta serves up an appropriately rich menu of soul food. Entrees include smothered pork chops, country fried chicken, fried whiting, bone-in croaker and turkey wings. Pick one of those -- the pork chops are outstanding -- then choose two sides from a list, including homemade potato salad, gooey mac and cheese, yams and spicy cabbage. No matter what, you won't pay more than $8 for a full dinner. (If you're on a budget or in a hurry, fish sandwiches are just $3.) There's more than just food here, though -- the Ohio boasts a full bar that has to be the cheapest for blocks around: All imported beers (Heineken, Corona) are $3, and all domestics (Miller Lite, Miller High Life) are $2.50. No wonder you'll find a crowd of older neighborhood residents laughing and talking, nodding their heads to Bobby "Blue" Bland or Silk.

The Argonaut

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1433 H St. NE; 202-397-1416

The Argonaut was the first of Joe Englert's bars to open on H Street, and it quickly settled into its role as a neighborhood tavern, drawing crowds of regulars for after-work drinks, evening get-togethers and Sunday afternoon football. Taking its inspiration from an English pub and adding a healthy dose of seafaring knickknacks -- a diving helmet over the bar and model ships in the window and scattered among the mismatched tables -- the Argonaut isn't fancy, but it's more comfortable than most of the bars on the street.

The nautical theme extends to the drink menu, which offers a number of rum concoctions, including the fruity Pacific Punch, as well as a top-shelf selection of rums. (Sailor Jerry and Seafarer are worth sampling, and you should ask about the bar's own seasonal infusions.) Like at many other H Street spots, though, the menu looks to the South for inspiration: catfish po' boys, a fried green tomato BLT, pulled-pork sandwiches and very good sweet potato fries. The music is as diverse as the crowd: One evening, the jukebox is rocking with AC/DC and Prince before some younger guys cue up Rick Ross's "Hustlin'."

Last month, the Argonaut unveiled its upstairs space, which is filled with benches in all kinds of interesting nooks and crannies, tables made from old barrels, two dartboards, a foosball table and a bar covered in gold doubloons. On Saturdays when a DJ spins old-school hip-hop, it's still more of a place to hang out with friends than a hyperactive singles scene.

Fritz Hahn is the bars and clubs editor at washingtonpost.com.