9221 Best Restaurants in USA

A warm and welcoming Peruvian American family runs this superb—and reasonably priced—Latin American restaurant that occupies a pretty little house on an otherwise bland commercial street in North Portland. The beautifully plated food bursts with flavor and complexity, from classic causas and ceviches packed with seasonal vegetables, Peruvian chilis, and fresh shellfish to stick-to-your-ribs fish, lamb, and steak grills.

A longtime favorite of local burger lovers, Casino El Camino is the best place on the notorious “Dirty Sixth" strip to chow down. Locals arrive in hungover droves for the weekend lunch rushes, when wait times for signatures like the Amarillo and Buffalo burgers can stretch upward of an hour. But this dive bar and juke joint is worth the wait as you'll find out once your thirst is quenched by their Bloody Marys, stacked with bacon, pickled okra, taquitos, even meatballs. Their hearty Angus-beef burgers deliver a classic, artery-clogging ecstasy, especially when paired with a greasy basket of verde chili fries.

People have been known to check their bags at the airport and then go back through security and change terminals just to eat at C&L. The draws at this locally owned restaurant are the gastropub-inspired menu and the microbrews. Locally sourced ingredients highlight the breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus, with items like sandwiches, pulled pork and ribs, and specialty burnt-end meat loaf.

At the north end of town, making it a perfect drop-in after a hike at Ecola State Park, this colorfully decorated spot with its own little tiki bar serves big portions of creatively prepared Caribbean and Creole fare, along with a fittingly extensive selection of tropical cocktails (the Yellowbird, with fresh-squeezed tangerine and lime juice and Tia Maria, is a favorite). Kick things off with Dungeness crab fritters with mango salsa and Bahamian brown stew, before savoring a heartier main dish, perhaps braised pork tenderloin in a rich mushroom-Marsala sauce or New Orleans–style jambalaya with smoked pork shoulder.

No other restaurant in Newport can compete with the spectacular water views from Aurelia, one of four dining rooms inside the historic main inn. A perfect spot for an indulgently romantic dinner, Castle Hill Inn also serves lunch and dinner on The Lawn, allowing you to savor regional cuisine while watching sunlit clouds drift by. Weekend drinks on the inn's lawn is a Newport summer tradition.

Cookbook author and Iron Chef judge Domenica Catelli returned home to revive her family's American-Italian restaurant, a Geyserville fixture. Contemporary abstract paintings, reclaimed-wood furnishings, and muted gray and chocolate-brown walls signal the changing times, but you'll find good-lovin' echoes of traditional cuisine in the sturdy meat sauce that accompanies the signature lasagna, made with paper-thin noodles and a ricotta-and-herb-cheese filling.

Having a meal at this sophisticated little wine and tapas bar down a tiny alley near the downtown riverfront can feel like going to a special dinner party. It has a small exhibition kitchen and bar, and just a handful of tables and chairs, where guests can enjoy a selection of stellar bocadillos, tapas, and pintxos—from piquillo peppers with goat cheese and artichokes to char-grilled baby octopus—plus a few larger plates, such as paella.

For those looking for a quick Mediterranean-inspired bite, Cava is a great option. Start with a base of grains, salads, or pita and top with a selection of proteins and savory dips and spreads such as hummus, tzatziki, spicy feta, and harissa. Don't be intimated by the long line—it moves pretty fast.

This modern mecca for mezes (small plates for sharing) delivers delicious, chic Mediterranean cuisine without the whiz-bang conceits of its pricier cousins. There are few surprises on the menu, save for the feta hush puppies, but the wood-and-brick interior and gallant service make the traditional dishes feel new again. Delicious Greek dishes are available, from fluffy taramosalata (salmon roe dip) with a touch of citrus to mini-gyros that are big on flavor. Fast-casual Cava Grill is a spin-off of this place and serves the menu's greatest hits at more than 15 (and counting) D.C.-area spots.

After three decades of working as a maître d' at some of the city's most upscale eateries, Michael Cecchi-Azzolina has a place of his own. His dimly lit, 120-seat eponymous restaurant exudes a sleek, classic New York vibe with green leather booths and Art Deco lighting fixtures. The kitchen produces excellent American comfort food, including a superlative two-patty burger; mushrooms stuffed with black truffles, breadcrumbs, and grana padano cheese; and sautéed calf's liver with mashed potatoes and bacon. Service, as you'd expect from a restaurant owned by a maître d', is friendly but professional. 

The family behind Pali Wine Co. opened Cellar Hand in 2024 after completely renovating an Irish pub into a large, breezy, European-style eatery hyper-focused on using all local ingredients and California-made wine. Sourcing everything from around 20 farms and fishermen, the menu changes every week depending on the season and availability, but certain stars always shine on the menu, like ethically raised meat from Thompson Heritage Ranch and fresh wood-fired pita with a full spread of Mediterranean-inspired dips. They're even making their own conservas (tinned fish) for the adventurous eater to munch on with homemade "Ritz" crackers.

An early participant in the Slow Food movement, Central Market serves creative, Cal-Mediterranean dishes—many of whose ingredients come from the restaurant's organic farm—in a century-old building with an exposed brick wall and an open kitchen. The menu, which changes daily depending on chef Tony Najiola's inspiration and what's ripe and ready, might include spicy duck wings or seafood sausage starters, pizzas, a stew, two or three pasta dishes, and wood-grilled fish and meat.

There are plenty of pushcarts dispensing hot dogs and sodas, but to soak up Central Park's magic in an elegant setting, head for the Boathouse overlooking the gondola lake. New Yorkers breathed a sigh of relief when this landmark treasure reopened after a year-long closure in early 2024 with a new operator, a newly renovated outdoor bar, structural improvements to connect the upper and lower outdoor dining patios, a fresh menu, and expanded nearby restrooms. Enjoy light, counter-service fare on the patio or in the adjacent inner dining area of the Express Cafe; savor a glass of wine and a cheese plate on the alfresco Dockside bar; or splurge on seafood, pastas, and fillet of beef in the more formal interior bar-restaurant. In warmer months, the deck and more formal restaurant can get crowded, so aim for a late lunch or early-evening cocktail. In colder months, there is no dinner service in the restaurant and the Dockside is closed. The boathouse is accessible on foot or via a shuttle bus that makes several stops along 5th Avenue.

With regular lines out the door, Old Port’s always-busy bôite is an adventure in bold-meets-local eating. Chef Chris Gould, who co-owns the place with his wife Paige Gould, cheekily pairs stalwart Maine ingredients with luxurious and global ones. Witness creations like local strawberries with lamb bacon and sumac yogurt, or the bone marrow toast with red onion jam. If the root beer float with foie gras ice cream is on the menu, don’t even think twice.

You can watch your handmade artisanal pizza being pulled from the fires of the brick oven, then sit back and enjoy a seasonal pie layered with ingredients like house-made fennel sausage and wood-roasted cremini mushrooms. The creamy vanilla gelato layered with a balsamic reduction and sea salt is highly addictive.

A wall of Mason jars with pickled vegetables and brined olives transports you to an Italian market in Rome where the owner’s mother perfected generations of recipes that have made their way into this Point Loma eatery. Since its 2019 opening, customers have lined up for generous portions of homemade Italian staples including pasta, gnocchi, meatballs, sausage, bread, and decadent desserts. Choose your pasta shape, sauce, and topping, or simply lean on the advice of the knowledgeable waitstaff. The bone marrow and tagliata are cooked to perfection, and the spaghetti with mussels and clams will have you reenacting Lady and the Tramp. For the finale, get your camera ready for the table-side tiramisu drenched in espresso and topped with mascarpone fresco. The outdoor patio is inviting year-round, even in winter when heat lamps, wool blankets, and sheepskin rugs keep things cozy. 

The first farm-to-table restaurant in Savannah, Cha Bella continues to serve only dishes made with the finest local ingredients, so even if you've been here recently, there may be some surprises. With no walk-in freezer, all ingredients must be used within three days of delivery, so the menu is guaranteed to be fresh. The decor is contemporary and comfortable, but the real dining experience is found outside on the patio during the spring and fall. This is also a great spot for a cocktail or dessert, and they sometimes play classic movies on the patio against the wall of the building.

Contemporary artwork on the walls, mod hanging lamps, and water sculptures create a contemporary vibe at this hip, elegant restaurant a short drive north of London Bridge. Superbly prepared steaks and seafood are the key draw, from 28-ounce bone-in porterhouse cuts to cioppino in a saffron-tomato broth, but also consider the barbecue ribs and linguine with sausage and peppers. An extensive tapas list and a great selection of wine and cocktails round out the offerings.

This place is famous among the city's working professionals, who willingly wait in long lines for the signature Chilean-style sandwich, a delicious combination of green beans, chicken, Muenster cheese, tomatoes, and an avocado spread on fresh bread. There are a few other offerings, including empanadas and rice pudding.

In 2022, this unassuming storefront Indian street food eatery stunned the culinary world by winning the James Beard Award for Most Outstanding Restaurant in the country. Fortunately, the accolade hasn't changed the laid-back delightful experience of dining here. Chef-owner Meherwan Irani draws inspiration from his hometown near Mumbai in dishes like bhel puri (crispy puffed rice with a tamarind sauce) or chicken pakoras (savory fritters).

Chaia started its vegetarian taco fast-casual restaurant in Georgetown and has expanded its popular concept to Downtown D.C. Guests can choose from veggie tacos featuring braised mushrooms, kale and potato, roasted eggplant, and sweet potato hash. The menu also includes enchiladas, quesadillas, and sides like rice and beans. Although the selections feature cheese, they are easily customizable to vegan. 

But for a smattering of colorful papel picado (cut paper) flags strung along the ceiling and some neon Mexican beer signs, this unassuming eatery on the east side of Torrey lacks much in the way of ambience. The plates brimming with vibrant sauces, fresh vegetables, and tender steak, chicken, and seafood, however, hint at why this relatively new Mexican restaurant has such a passionate following. Service is friendly and knowledgeable, too.

The food of the Republic of Georgia is one of the best and underrepresented cuisines of the world. Most of the excellent Georgian restaurants in New York are lodged deep into Brooklyn, but Chama Mama is a superb Manhattan option if you want to avoid a long subway ride. Start with khachapuri, the ubiquitous baked cheese bread (the boat-shape version from the region of Adjara has become the international face of Georgian cuisine) and then move to shkmeruli, a tender Cornish game hen cooked in a garlicky cream sauce. The khinkhali, broth-filled dumplings, are also excellent. There's now a second location on the Upper West Side (Amsterdam Avenue and West 78th Street).

Chef-owner Cindy Wolf's cuisine has a South Carolina Low Country accent with French roots—and the results are unparalleled. Inside the glowingly lit dining room, classics like she-crab soup and shrimp and grits complement more elegant fare, such as a lobster bisque spiced with curry or wild salmon with avocado.

Perpetually packed, Italian-leaning Charlie Bird is the brainchild of sommelier Robert Bohr, who was in charge of wine at vino-mad Cru, and chef Ryan Hardy, who made a name for himself at Little Nell in Aspen and has been the private chef for Jay-Z and Beyoncé (not surprisingly, the restaurant has a hip-hop theme). The menu is divided into small and large plates, vegetables, a "raw" section, and pasta. The uni-loaded duck-egg spaghetti marries surf 'n' turf in a deeply satisfying way, while the Roman pasta dish cacio e pepe is one of the best versions this side of the Atlantic. 

Elliot Bell, a French Laundry alum, St. Helena resident, and volunteer firefighter, took over a light-filled space formerly occupied by Cindy Pawlcyn of Mustards fame, enchanting patrons with elevated comfort cuisine and variations on fine-dining classics. Ingredients from local farms and protein purveyors go into apps, sides, and mains that might include abalone Rockefeller, shrimp and grits, slow-cooked trout, vegetarian potato Milanese, and brown-butter-aged Wagyu brisket.

This fun-and-funky grease pit in Deerfield Beach is one of Broward County's favorite dives on the supercheap. Serving up massive beef burgers, chicken burgers, and veggie burgers piled high with unapologetically fattening toppings like candied bacon strips, haystack onion straws, hash browns, and blue cheese spread, this is the true diet nemesis. Grab a side of hand-cut sweet potato fries with your burger, wash it all down with a thick Key lime milk shake, and then seal the food coma deal with a dessert of fried Oreos fritters or The Carnie, fried Twinkies with vanilla ice cream, chocolate sauce, and powdered sugar.

Enjoy sunset views over the yacht harbor, live music, and signature "Guy-Tai" cocktails at this Waikiki landmark opened in 1969 by surfing legend Joey Cabell. The extensive menu maintains the mid-century notion of fine dining, with oysters Rockefeller, shrimp cocktail, and steaks (including a bison tenderloin from Ted Turner's ranch) alongside poke, macadamia-nut-crusted mahi mahi, and the fan-favorite "Joey's ahi mignon." Early birds can take advantage of the "surf break" menu, and there's a very popular weekend brunch (book in advance). Regulars perch at the bar, and in the dining room, local families, couples, and tourists feast amid the dark, cork-lined walls while admiring the lovely marina.