Jl Trent's Seafood & Grill, Jacksonville, Florida

253+ (Estimated)

Located right next to NAS Jax, JL’s is a friendly and fast hole-in-the-wall that’s been in Jacksonville for over 20 years. Beer was $4.00 for two, free smokey shrimp dip and crackers were served before dinner, and the local crowd was well fed and garrulous. JL’s is a place that will make you love Florida.

Let’s get this out of the way: just get the fresh fried shrimp. It’s the best this Gulf Coast resident has ever had, and has a meaty, clean flavor coated by a light, savory fried coating. We got it in addition to the “Bang-bang” shrimp, which were soggy, semi-sweet, and wan by comparison.

Honorable mentions: the hush puppies have a fluffy, mildly sweet consistency and are fried perfectly. The onion rings feature plenty of onion and just the right amount of breading. Coleslaw is unusual, fine, and not soggy. Get it.

Final Bill: Two beers, Diet Coke, coleslaw, fried shrimp, bang-bang shrimp, a plate full of onion rings, green beans, corn on the cob, and some crackers/dip: $40+.

Worth it.

Calorie count: Unknown but not good.