Best Restaurants in the United States :: The portal of the largest rankings on the Internet!
Everyone loves to dine out. The anticipation of a delicious meal, in pleasant surroundings gives you something to look forward to. Whether it’s an impromptu meal out, or a carefully planned special event for a birthday or anniversary, choosing where to dine can be the cause of quite a lot of thought and indecision! We’re lucky in the United States as we have so many amazing restaurants in every town and city, covering such a wide range of cuisines from all around the world, and to suit all budgets. But, having so much choice can seem overwhelming! Here we look at the Top10 restaurants in the United States that are well worth a visit. So if you’re planning a truly special meal, perhaps you want to really treat a loved one, then read on for the best of the best…
The 10 Best Restaurants in the United States
| 1 | Charleston Grill – Charleston, South Carolina |
You’re guaranteed a warm welcome when you step into Charleston Grill. The décor and the ambiance manages to be both sophisticated, but incredibly relaxed and informal. If you find many fine dining restaurants just a little too formal and stuffy, then you’ll love Charleston Grill, it has a lively atmosphere, which is aided by the jazz music that accompanies your meal. Looking for something even more casual, but with a guarantee of great food? Then step into the lounge. This is perfect place to relax and unwind with a pre or post dinner drink, but they’re also happy to serve your entire meal in the lounge if you prefer. The food here really is to die for, Chef Michelle Weaver puts her own unique spin on some classic Southern dishes. There will be some familiar flavors in there, but presented in a manner you’ve never experienced before. Don’t forget to leave room for dessert though, you’ll find some the best desserts in the whole US here! Source: Charlestongrill.com |
| 2 | DANIEL – New York City, New York |
Not only is Daniel one of the best restaurants in the United States, it’s often cited as one of the best restaurants in the world! So, if you live in New York, or will be visiting, this is one place that’s certainly worth a visit. As you can imagine, it’s very popular, so you may need to plan well in advance and get your table booked ready. Daniel opened in 1993 and offers fine dining in a European style. Daniel has over 150 staff members so it’s no surprise that the service is second to none. You’ll find Daniel in the old Mayfair Hotel building on Park Avenue, the perfectly opulent setting for such a prestigious restaurant. Wine lovers will be particularly impressed with the extensive wine list and they also offer some wonderful award winning and rare Champagnes for you to savor with your meal. The menu at Daniel changes with the seasons and all the produce is of the highest quality. Source: https://www.danielnyc.com/about/restaurant-daniel |
| 3 | Victoria & Albert’s – Orlando, Florida |
Most of us would probably not associate Walt Disney World with the ultimate in fine dining, but Disney isn’t all about fast food. Victoria & Albert’s restaurant, located in the Grand Floridian Resort and Spa has held an AAA Five Diamond rating since 2000! The formal, yet relaxing setting sets the scene for what is to come. Victoria & Albert’s offers the best in American cuisine with ingredients sourced from all four corners of the globe. When you dine here, you can rest assured that everything you are eating is the best, carefully chosen and prepared with love and extreme talent. For the ultimate experience, the Chef’s table is a once in a lifetime treat that you’ll never forget. Enjoy a thirteen course journey in deliciousness. You’ll start out with a glass of fine Champagne, then each course is perfectly paired with a wine or spirit. You’ll also get to chat with Chef Scott Hunnel himself! Source: https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/en_GB/dining/grand-floridian-resort-and-spa/victoria-and-alberts |
| 4 | Le Bernardin – New York City, New York |
With 3 Michelin stars, and four stars from The New York Times, you can certainly guarantee nothing but the highest quality of food and level of service at Le Bernadin in New York. The restaurant opened back in 1986 when the owners moved to New York from Paris. Just three months after opening they gained their first four star rating from The New York Times, and they have never dropped a star since. You can dine at lunchtime or dinner time, and there are also three stunning tasting menus, including a vegetarian tasting menu. Add in the wine pairing, with each course perfectly matched to a glass of fine wine, and you’ve got the ultimate culinary experience. Certainly one to linger over and take your time, soaking up the joys of every single mouthful that has been prepared with such finesse. With such unforgettable treats as the Hawaiian Walu-Japanese Wagyu with a red wine and peppercorn sauce, or lacquered lobster tail with tagliatelle and a black truffle emulsion, each dish is a work of art and tastes even better than it looks. This is one of those restaurants where you’ll be tempted to take a quick photo of your meal before you eat it, even if you normally think it’s incredibly crass to do so! Source: Le-bernardin.com |
| 5 | Alinea – Chicago, Illinois |
Of course no list of the best restaurants in the United States would be complete without mentioning Alinea in Chicago. If you’re looking for something totally different, then you’ll love Alinea. If you read this and think it sound interesting, you may take a quick look at their website. Then, you might be rather confused to see that the first line states ‘Alinea is not a restaurant’. Odd hey? That’s because, Alinea is a totally different dining experience. This is no novelty or fad, in fact Alinea has been voted the best restaurant in America three times and has three Michelin stars to back this up. Founded in 2005, Alinea only offers a single tasting menu. The menu typically offers between 18 and 22 courses and it promises to be fun, emotional and provocative, as well as delicious of course! The service at Alinea is perfection from start to finish. To begin with, they do their research and so you’ll be greeted by name as soon as you step foot in the door, and to finish, you’ll be handed back your coat, which has been carefully warmed for you. It’s all in the detail! The presentation of each course is truly special, creativity certainly flows in this restaurant. Source: Alinearestaurant.com |
| 6 | The French Laundry – Yountville, California |
The French Landry in Yountville, CA offers just two tasting menus. The Chef’s Tasting Menu and The Tasting of Vegetables. While many restaurants offer tasting menus these days, what’s special about this one is that no ingredient is ever repeated throughout the entire meal! The menu also changes daily, so you could visit two days in a row and enjoy an entirely different meal, as long as your bank balance can take it! The French Laundry is a pure labor of love. Chef Thomas Keller had always wanted to run a restaurant, and he fulfilled this dream back in 1994 when he opened up The French Laundry. He has since gone on to win many awards. The team at The French Laundry literally go to the ends of the earth to source their ingredients. Everything you eat or drink at this restaurant has been chosen with the ultimate care. Each dish is prepared with skill and attention to detail and there’s also a pretty impressive wine list. In addition, there are some extremely rare vintage spirits to savor. Source: Thomaskeller.com |
| 7 | Cosme – New York City, New York |
If you love Mexican food, then a visit to Cosme in the Flatiron District of New York City is a must. It’s Mexican cuisine, given a modern twist. Chef Enrique Olvera is originally from Mexico City, so obviously he knows a lot about Mexican food and it certainly shows in the delights he offers up from his kitchen. Here you can try some truly special dishes that you just couldn’t find anywhere else, such as the duck carnitas that takes four days to prepare. The restaurant likes to use many locally sourced, seasonal ingredients from the Hudson Valley and surrounding areas. They’re open for lunch and dinner, and there’s also a stunning brunch menu available. If you do visit Cosme, one thing you must do is try the cocktails. There are plenty to choose from and they’re a great way to start your meal. There’s also a massive wine list, and, as you’d expect of a good Mexican restaurant, a huge selection of mezcales to choose from. Source: Cosmenyc.com |
| 8 | Saison – San Francisco, California |
Bored of eating the same old dishes? Then check out Saison in San Francisco for something rather different. Each dish on their tasting menu is inventive and playful, a menu packed full of surprises. The menu changes every night, so repeat visitors will never be disappointed. The ingredients are sourced locally wherever possible and some are even grown in their own garden! What’s really special about the cuisine at Saison is that the dishes are cooked over an open food fire. But, the truly amazing thing about this restaurant is that there is no set menu. When you arrive at Saison, you have a chat with the staff. You let them know how long you wish to dine for, and let them know which types of food you like, those foods and flavors you dislike, and they will personally tailor a meal just for you. Isn’t that amazing? You know you’re going to love every single dish you try. The same applies to the wine, and this restaurant boasts the largest and most impressive selection of wines in the entire country. It’s a relaxed restaurant, there’s no dress code and on arrival there’s free valet parking too, so you can get straight on with your big night out. Source: Saisonsf.com |
| 9 | Per Se – New York City, New York |
Per Se is the second restaurant on our list headed up by chef Thomas Keller. This restaurant has three Michelin stars and serves up the finest French cuisine. The nine course tasting menus don’t repeat any ingredients. Dine at Per Se, and not only will you have a fabulous meal, you’re also treated to a stunning view over Central Park, dine at dusk for a truly magical experience. The setting is quiet and comfortable. The perfect place to relax and unwind. The wine list is certainly extensive with some real treasures to choose from. Attention to detail puts Per Se above many other restaurants. From the exquisite table settings with fresh flowers and fine silverware, to the staff who are perfectly attentive, without being overly so. The signature amuse bouche, salmon in a cone, is an absolute delight. While of course, dining at Per Se comes with a pretty hefty price tag, for a really special occasion, it’s certainly worth every penny. Source: https://www.thomaskeller.com/perseny |
| 10 | Eleven Madison Park – New York City, New York |
Our final suggestion for a place in the Top10 restaurants in the United States is Eleven Madison Park. This restaurants offers elegant, sophisticated dining with views across Madison Square Park. You’ll find the restaurant in a stunning art deco building on the corner of 24th Street and Madison Avenue. Top chef Daniel Humm and restaurateur Will Guidara have been enchanting guests with their fine dining cuisine since 2011 and they’ve won many awards and accolades over the years. Eleven Madison Park offers a tasting menu of eight to ten courses, but there’s also a bar where you can sample a smaller menu or try a light snack, or one of their extra special cocktails. There are also several private dining spaces of varying sizes if you want to hold the most amazing private gathering for friends and family, or for a very impressive business dinner. A meal at Eleven Madison Park is the highlight of any trip to New York City. Source: Elevenmadisonpark.com |
How to Choose the Perfect Restaurant in the United States
If you’ve got a special event coming up, perhaps it’s a special birthday or it’s your anniversary, you’ll want to celebrate in style. While most of the top10 restaurants in the United States are out of the price range for most of us to dine at on a regular basis, for a real treat, it’s certainly worth pushing the boat out and picking somewhere really special to eat. Dining out isn’t just about a lovely evening with delicious food, it’s all about making memories that will last a lifetime. If the decision of where to go is down to you, perhaps it’s going to be a surprise for a loved one, then you’ve got a bit of pressure on to find the place that’s going to be just perfect. It’s especially important to choose well when you’re spending a large amount of money. So how do you choose? Here are some things to consider, that might just help you to narrow down your choice…
Location
While some restaurants really are worth traveling some distance for, you need to take location into account. You really don’t want to be traveling for longer than you’ll be spending eating. So, it’s usually best to find somewhere relatively close to home. If you really want to visit somewhere further afield, it could be a wise idea to book a hotel so you won’t have a long journey home when you’re full and tired. You should also think about how you are going to travel. If you’re taking the car, do you know the area and be able to find it okay? If not, it’s time to do your research. You don’t want to miss your reservation because you got lost! If you’re using public transport, perhaps because you all want to have an alcoholic drink, is the restaurant close to transport links?
Type of cuisine
The type of restaurant is also important. If you’re taking someone else out with you, be sure you know exactly what they like and dislike. It would be a shame to take a vegetarian for a set taster menu that contains several meat courses, or to visit an Indian restaurant when your guest hates spicy food.
Budget
The prices at some of the best restaurants in the United States can come as a bit of a shock. You don’t need to spend your life savings to have a wonderful meal, so unless money is no object, it might be wise to get a rough idea of prices before you book a table. It would be simply awful to be sat at a table, then be horrified when all the dishes are ten times the price you’d budgeted for. Don’t forget drinks too, they can certainly add up over the course of a night.
Ambiance
What atmosphere are you really looking for? Something elegant and very formal, or perhaps somewhere quiet and relaxed with an intimate feel? Or maybe you want somewhere lively and entertaining, somewhere with life music playing perhaps?
Do your research in advance
When you’re going for an expensive, one-off meal out, it’s a good idea to read reviews. This will help you get an overview of just what the restaurant is like, and you’ll see if other customers have enjoyed their experience and thought it to be well worth the money.
Check the booking procedure
Some of the best restaurants in the United States can be booked up months, or even years in advance, so as soon as you have the idea to visit a fine restaurant, get your table booked, or you may be disappointed.
Have a wonderful time
Once you’ve chosen your restaurant, looking forward to it is half the fun! Have a lovely time, make sure you know exactly where you’re going, where you need to get off the train or where you can park your car. Set off well in advance and you won’t have to rush in a panic or risk missing your reservation slot. It’s far better to arrive early, enjoy a pre-dinner drink and soak up the atmosphere of the restaurant before you’re shown to your table.