With a name like Snappy's Shrimp House, you'd expect to see hurricane lamps, conch-encrusted fishnets hanging from the walls and paper pirate hats handed out with every kiddie meal. But Snappy's keeps it simple. Its dark wood counters and bright yellow walls feel more like a mellow coffeehouse than a salty seafood shack. Besides, there's barely room for one table and a handful of stools, so most diners just grab and go.

Snappy's mascot says "Know the Difference, Taste the Difference," and a cartoon crustacean can't be wrong. Cooks here use nothing but gulf shrimp hauled all the way from Alabama, instead of the farm-raised freshwater breed. If it swims, Snappy's will batter it and dunk it in boiling oil: jumbo shrimp, catfish strips and sea scallops sold by the pound with calamari, clam strips and oysters on the side. The hush puppies are popular with hungry punters looking to save for a few more pints. Almost everything on the menu runs less than six clams, and, true to its name, Snappy's sees that you get your deep-fried eats in short order.

Average cost: <$10

Centerstage Reviewer: Michael Foreman