9201 Best Restaurants in USA

A festive dining room with a fireplace at the Casa Munras hotel is the setting for meals featuring modern and classic versions of empanadas, crispy Spanish octopus, flash-fried wild Gulf prawns, and five types of paella. Midweek specials abound—on Tuesday night, feast on a three-course prix-fixe paella dinner ($38 per person), bottles of wine are half off on Monday, and Wednesday wine flights are just $16 for three tastes.

If you want to sample some local brews, check out the Estes Park Brewery, which has been crafting beer since 1993. The food is no-frills (beer chili is the specialty), and the menu includes things like pizza, burgers, sandwiches, and house-made bratwurst. Not sure which beer you will like? Head downstairs to the tasting area to sample a variety of brews on tap, like the popular Stinger Wild Honey Wheat or the balanced Estes Park Gold amber ale.

Locals treasure this as their secret spot—a simple roadside restaurant housed in a little red house that serves good breakfasts and lunch, as well as fresh, creative American dinner fare. People rave about the blueberry pancakes and chorizo hash. Crab cakes and chicken quesadillas are popular with the lunch crowd, and vegetables and salads couldn't get any fresher—they come from their own garden out back. A three-course prix-fixe dinner is offered for $29. If you want to make a reservation, call between 2 and 3:30.

Tucked away behind the Mall at Green Hills, this restaurant is the kind of place an out-of-towner could easily miss. The menu, though, makes getting out the GPS worth it, as new American favorites are reimagined using international ingredients. They also have an extensive dessert menu and a generous happy hour.

The spongy rolls of sourdough injera bread (ubiquitous on Ethiopian plates) used in place of utensils can make traditional Ethiopian feel decidedly indelicate, but the bright surroundings and friendly service here make for a downright romantic experience. Venture off the well-beaten path of tender curry lamb to try the spicy chickpea dumplings or fragrant simmered split peas, laden with garlic and served in a clay pot. For devoted meat lovers, the cured beef tibs (a type of hearty steak cut) in spicy berbere sauce and the fried croaker fish marinated with fresh herbs and spices will crown a memorable, affordable meal. The full bar also serves potent Ethiopian beers.

On the eastern side of the island, happily ensconced along the Assateague Channel away from the more heavily trafficked main streets of town, this meticulously maintained family-friendly restaurant has a vista as soothing as its food. Its dishes include pastas and popular meat dishes as well as typical fish and shellfish creations. Try the crab cakes, Etta's signature dish.

Named after Jimmy Buffett's beloved yacht, the Euphoria Fish House is just off of the lobby of the Margaritaville Resort Orlando. It's open for breakfast and lunch, as well as dinner, when featured dishes range from lobster rolls to pan-seared Chilean sea bass served with citrus-marinated bok choy. Be sure to ask your server about the margarita of the day—after all, you are in Margaritaville!

Inside Downtown's bohemian temple, the Emergency Arts Building, this restaurant features what they call a "scratch kitchen concept." It may sound rather pot-lucky, but this isn't the standard chain-food menu (despite being part of a California-based chain). How does this sound: skirt steak with broccolini, red chimichurri, chili flakes, Parmesan, and lemon zest; a cowboy burger nearly tipping over with shoestring onions, bacon, cheddar cheese, and a beer barbecue sauce; and a bourbon barrel cake. That's just for starters. For imbibing purposes, sample the local craft beers, small-batch whiskeys, and classic cocktails. And don't miss the daily "Hoppy Hour."

Set in the middle of the genial and hip Proctor retail and restaurant district on the city's north side (not too far from Point Defiance), this charming, affordable neighborhood spot focuses on regional Italian recipes. Regulars feast on traditional panfried zucchini with goat cheese and crostini, slow-roasted lamb over pappardelle noodles, seafood risotto, and thin-crust pizzas.

Artisanal pizza is featured here (including gluten-free), along with lots of pastas, calzones, salads, seafood, steak, and chicken dishes. Candles on the tables, murals, exposed brick, and wood beams give a European flavor to the dining room and adjacent pub. If you can't save room for dessert, take home treats from the in-house bakery.

This colorful, quirky, beer hall–inspired, family-owned eatery is part of a local chain and has an ambitious menu of sandwiches, salads, and soups. There's also an overflowing gourmet-food section; a mind-boggling beer list; cookies big enough to knock someone unconscious; and a range of other generous desserts. Thirsty locals belly up to the impressive, hand-carved bar for monthly beer tastings and daily happy hour (2–7 pm). More mature crowds prefer to sip their Zinfandel in the bustling dining room.

Wicker baskets and lofty shelves brimming with European confections and groceries fill practically every inch of space not occupied by tables at this café (one of three branches), which is known by locals as "E Street." The menu is similarly overloaded, with nearly 100 deli sandwiches and salads, including raspberry-almond chicken salad and the Blue Max, with pastrami, corned beef, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, hot mustard, and blue-cheese dressing. Like its other locations—1704 San Marco Boulevard and 992 Beach Boulevard—the café also offers live music and trivia several nights a week.

Skip the overpriced breakfast at your downtown hotel and make a beeline for this enchanting Parisian-inspired boulangerie with tiled walls, marble café tables, and sidewalk seating out front. Start the day with beet-avocado toast, stuffed French toast oozing with lemon cream cheese and blueberry compote, or a fruit tart or almond croissant. The espresso and cold brew are first-rate, too.

The gas-lamp-style lighting fixtures, charcoal-black hues, and bistro cuisine at Evangeline evoke old New Orleans with a California twist. The chefs put a jaunty spin on dishes that might include gumbo ya-ya or steak with bordelaise sauce; the elaborate weekend brunch, with everything from raw oysters, smoked-salmon toast, and fried chicken and a waffle to Canadian-ham Benedict and a chicory, prosciutto, and apple salad, is an upvalley favorite.

This family-run roadside seafood shack draws summer visitors like moths to a streetlight. Lobster chow mein is an unusual specialty of the house, but the menu also includes more familiar fried seafood favorites along with burgers and other quick bites. There is a small dining room, but most people just order at the takeout window and eat at one of the picnic tables out back, cooled by breezes off of Nanaquatucket Pond.

This casual seafood spot, where you order at the counter, is an outpost of the famous Portland, Maine, restaurant of the same name. Offering reasonable prices for excellent fare, this is a fun option in Fenway without a lot of fuss. It's known for the brown butter lobster roll and plenty of seafood, but everything from wings, burgers, and grilled cheese sandwiches are available.

Not only does Eventide have fresh, tasty oysters from all over Maine and New England, artfully prepared with novel accoutrements like kimchi, ginger ices, and cucumber-champagne mignonette, it also serves delicious crudos and ceviches with unique ingredients like blood orange and chili miso. The menu constantly changes, depending on what's in season. So it's best to order a handful of small plates, a glass of bubbly or one of the signature tiki-style cocktails, and, of course, a dozen oysters.

Don't judge this restaurant by its dull, gray façade: a bit of art-deco flair in its logo and interior provides a warm, welcoming backdrop to some of the best food in town. A recent award from Grand Rapids Magazine for Best Restaurant in the "Lakeshore" category just shouts the fact a little further. Locally sourced, made-in-house dishes include the starter wasabi pea-crusted ahi tuna with sweet miso dipping sauce and Thai chili aioli. For your main course, try the Gorgonzola pork chop, a 12-ounce roasted local pork chop with caramelized onion jam and Gorgonzola cheese. For lunch, an over-the-top (in a good way) BLT with a fried local organic egg and avocado mayo. At brunch, dress up your own Bloody Mary with house-pickled veggies and local meats and sausages, and smother your golden malted waffle with mascarpone, fruit and Michigan's own bourbon maple syrup. Dine al fresco to the tunes of live jazz during the summer every Thursday through Sunday (generally starting mid-June).

This all-day counter service spot crosses Lebanese and Mexican flavors with some kooky notions (halloumi tacos, baklava crumbled over an ice cream sundae), to fun and tasty results. It’s situated in cheerful digs a stone’s throw from Lincoln Park Zoo—a good place to walk off overindulgence guilt.

This restaurant defies its strip mall location with a bright interior design soaked in natural light and a high-fenced courtyard for warm-weather dining. Coast-inspired comfort food like fish-and-chips occupies the menu alongside fish tacos, mac and cheese, and a savory chicken grilled gyro; lobster Benedict is a brunch staple.

Perched atop the Marriott at Penn Square, this chic lounge and restaurant (for those 21 and over) has the best views in town from its floor-to-ceiling windows and stylish deck. Enjoy a cocktail and the globally inspired small plates, from Lebanon bologna sliders to crispy halloumi cheese, and a rotating selection of wood-fired pizzas while enjoying the view.

Though slammed at lunchtime thanks to the high school across the street, this fast-food restaurant (the original location of a popular local chain) serves up some of the best fried chicken in Seattle—Oprah once had the founders fly to Chicago to make it for her birthday. Both original and spicy flavors are terrific, but be warned that the spicy is exactly that. The rolls are big, fluffy, and baked in generously greased muffin tins. 

This fine-dining restaurant, adjacent to and operated by the same owners as the Lighthouse Club and the Edge hotels, gives you white-linen treatment and views of soothing wetlands and the Bay, and stunning sunsets through its large windows. In addition to ubiquitous fresh-catch seafood, Fager's is renowned for its prime rib. There's an outside deck for more informal dining and a raw bar with lighter fare. Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture is played every evening, with the tumultuous finale timed to coincide with the setting of the sun.

Sample gelato in seasonal flavors like honey lavender and fig vanilla at this small, sweet family-owned shop. Locals in the know skip the big lines at other local chains and come here instead for a quick and delicious frozen treat.

Just off Esplanade Avenue, Fair Grinds Coffeehouse is the neighborhood spot for fair-trade coffee, tea, and snacks—including vegan treats. There's an upstairs balcony for alfresco dining, and live music at least twice a week.

Unusual waffle bowls may not sound very California, but these tasty entrées can be a delicious meal or split as a snack for the whole group. The two soba noodle bowls are chock-full of veggies and give a welcome respite to the fried foods so often found in theme parks, while the Korean barbecue pork belly bowl is a delight. Kids will love the specialty drink with boba pearls.

The friendly, family-run Fairway specializes in Italian comfort food but also has a very popular breakfast. Attached to the Hole in One Bakery—a favorite among locals for exceptional hand-cut doughnuts and muffins—the Fairway puts a jar of crayons on every paper-covered table and sells its own brand of root beer.

The menu at the restaurant in Glacier Bay Lodge, which serves three meals a day and is open to both nonguests and guests, has a decent selection of sandwiches, salads, burgers, and other American fare as well as pasta, steak, and seafood entrées. Sometimes, the indoor dining room requires reservations, but there's almost always room on the sheltered outdoor deck, which has better views of Bartlett Cove and the Fairweather Mountains. With a day's notice, lodge guests can purchase packed lunches to take with them on excursions.

For street food with style, pop into Falafel Heights for a made-from-scratch falafel wrap or chicken shawarma bowl, made Palestinian-style for easy snacking. Be sure to get a few dips on the side for an extra kick.