6216 Best Restaurants in USA

The specialty at this no-frills spot is biang biang noodles, made by hand (in a dramatic process of stretching and slapping) and topped with spicy, well-oiled meats or vegetables. Xi’an serves the cuisine of China’s Shaanxi province, which is known for its heavy hand with the spices, but the flatbreads, salads, and soups here can be on the milder side.

This small restaurant serves freshly made versions of food from Xi'an (a city in central China), including thick and chewy hand-cut noodles, the slippery and refreshing Liang pi (cold noodles served with chili oil), and rougamo (a burger-like dish of leavened bread stuffed with your choice of meat). If it's your first time, the menu's photos are instructive, while those with knowledge of Xi'an's culinary traditions will be impressed by these well-made versions.

By opening a third restaurant next door to perennial favorites Frontera Grill and Topolobampo, celeb chef Rick Bayless has taken control of this River North block. With Xoco, he's given the city the ultimate place for tortas (Mexican sandwiches) served at breakfast, lunch, and dinner; caldos, generous bowls of pozole, and other Latin-inspired soups; and hot chocolate made from cacao beans that are roasted and ground on the premises. There's also a killer Saturday brunch menu and a happy hour with cheap drinks and bar snacks.

The strip-mall location of this restaurant couldn't be more modest, but the chef is a charmer and his Nepalese, Tibetan, and Indian dishes are flavor revelations. Pakoras (fritters), samosas, dal soup, and momos (steamed dumplings) all make excellent starters, with meat and vegetable curries and sizzling tandoori platters among the mains.

This two-story, 250-seat restaurant offers everything from noodles, curries, and wok dishes to Korean barbecue, with standout entrées that include seared miso salmon or roasted duck with plum barbecue sauce (an occasional prix-fixe menu is offered as well). The decor is pleasantly faux-Asian, with cracked plaster walls, wood carvings, and tile mosaic tabletops, and the adjacent bar is a surprisingly intimate place to escape from the crowds and grab a drink while the kids are getting wet at Kali River Rapids.

Savor the flavors of India, Nepal, and Tibet in this quick, cozy restaurant owned by Lobsang Dorjee, a Tibetan who grew up in India, and his wife, lifelong Alaskan Suzanne Hull. The trim menu spotlights rice bowls and soups, balancing the familiar—pork vindaloo, palak paneer, samosas—with the unexpected, such as lhasa momos, a type of Tibetan dumpling.

Beloved on social media for its sticky buns, addictive two-cheese tater tots, and bacon-jalapeño and other 100% grass-fed burgers, this festive, brightly painted joint wins most diners' hearts with its house-made ingredients, dozens of beers, and upbeat staff. You'll pay more than expected but will likely leave feeling you got your money's worth.

The northern sibling of the Yaks on the 5 restaurant in Dunsmuir begins the day serving breakfast burritos and sandwiches, staying open until mid-evening for lunch- and dinner-oriented burritos and Buddha bowls along with burgers overflowing with ingredients that might include bacon, avocado, pickled jalapeños, crispy onion strings, and one or more cheeses. Smaller than the original Yaks but similarly enlivened by colorful murals and pulsating to indie rock, the Mt. Shasta iteration benefits from zealous staffers aiming to please.

Located in the heart of the Olive Way bar scene, this Middle Eastern walk-up window is all about saj, a thin bread that wraps around eggplant, meat, cheese, or falafel like a burrito, or comes with dips like muhummara, baba ghanouj, or hummus. It's popular with the late-night drinking crowd, but it's great for a delicious meal any time of day. There's no seating; many customers bring their food next door to Hillside Bar or to one of the nearby parklets.

Pillow-soft pita sandwiches, spicy shakshuka, and other Israeli and Middle Eastern specialties pack the menu at this Main Street vegetarian brunch and lunch spot. Try the silky-smooth hummus, which is also available in stores throughout New England.

Serving a complete menu until 1 am, this restaurant decorated with photos of food and people who have stopped by offers not only delicious sushi and sashimi around a small bar, but also teishoku (combination menus), tempura, stews, and cook-it-yourself shabu-shabu at tables. The fish can be depended on for freshness and variety.

There's a helluva lot of southern lovin' from the low country at this funky South Beach spot, where Miami's A-list puts calorie-counting aside to indulge in comfort foods and innovative drinks. The family-style menu is divided between small plates, "the bird" plates, and sides and snacks, but have no doubt that "the bird" takes center stage (or plate) here—you'll rave about Llewellyn's fine fried chicken, which requires a 27-hour marination and slow-cooking process, for weeks to come.

While the specialty here is fried chicken, if you are going here expecting a down-and-diner experience, you'll be disappointed; this is Southern, high-cotton style, though with a healthy sense of humor. The atmosphere is country-esque—rustic wood and brick with chicken-wire windows. At lunch you'll find choices such as the "YB Nashville Hot Sandwich," with Carolina reaper rub and spicy slaw, while the dinner menu tempts with "Baker's Bacon Bouquet" (chicken with spiced watermelon and a sharp cheddar waffle), or a bourbon-glazed short rib. Finish with a fried Oreo sundae or Key lime pie. At brunch from 9 am to 4 pm on weekends, try braised short rib huevos rancheros, or a fried green tomato BLT stack.

If you don't have time for full-service, the restaurant in Yavapai Lodge offers cafeteria-style dining for breakfast and dinner, including beef brisket, pizza, baked chicken, and salmon. Wine and beer, including craft brews from nearby Flagstaff, are also on the menu; or enjoy drinks on the patio at the adjacent Yavapai Tavern, which serves lunch and dinner.

Folks come from all over to savor the affordable, fresh, lightly battered, gently fried fish and hand-cut, English-style "chips" at this local institution in Market Square. The family-owned restaurant, which celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2022, serves up a casual and relaxed feast in a wood-paneled dining room.

Decorated with picks, shovels, and other mining equipment, this is a place for casual family-style dining. Locals come in for the steaks and seafood. Lunch and dinner are served year-round, and there's a breakfast buffet in summer.

Glen Ellen's finer restaurants emphasize seasonal local produce, but instead of riffs on French, Italian, or Cal-modern, the farm-to-table creations at this casual space (open kitchen, paper lanterns, wooden tables and chairs) fuse Indian and Himalayan cuisine. Start with samosas or tomato-based Himalayan pepper pot soup from Nepal—so warming on a chilly day—then proceed to curries, sizzling tandooris, or chicken, prawn, or vegetable biryanis of ethereally aromatic saffron basmati rice.

Find authentic Greek specialties like gyros, baklava, and fresh salads.

In winter, this eatery's stone walls and varnished-wood tables impart a warm vibe, and in summer the sprawling beer garden with grand river and mountain views puts everyone in a happy mood. This hipster-approved, counter-service purveyor of fragrant, flavorful Asian-style bone broths and creative pub fare seems always to draw a big, chatty crowd.

Lines for meals stretch well beyond the hostess podium at this family restaurant in the heart of Sarasota's Amish community. Although pies—key lime, egg custard, banana cream, peanut butter, strawberry rhubarb, and others—are the main event, other dishes are tasty, too, including such daily specials as goulash, chicken and dumplings, and pulled smoked pork. For breakfast, choose from French toast stuffed with cream cheese (or Oreos) or a hearty stack of pancakes. Sandwiches include Manhattans (roast beef, turkey, or meat loaf on homemade bread with mashed potatoes and gravy). The place is often crowded, but there's plenty of waitstaff to keep tables clean and cleared, so the flow is steady. The decor retains its Old Florida efficiency appearance.

It doesn't get more old-school than this tiny café that's been serving fresh knishes—the hearty, hand-sized Eastern European pastry—since 1910. You can't go wrong with classic versions filled with potato or kasha (buckwheat) but there are also creative interpretations, with jalapeño and cheddar or garlic and onion, as well as sweet versions like blueberry and cheese.

Eat like a pioneer at this landmark restaurant, once housed inside the livestock-auction building at the Amarillo stockyards. Now, you can belly up next to the local cowhands who still stand in line in the diner-style downtown location to eat lightly breaded chicken-fried steak with white cream gravy made famous by the late Mom Roberts. While the menu selections may be heavy on the calories, the bill will be light on your wallet. If you can, save room for homemade cobbler for dessert. Kids under 12 can choose from the "Lil' Buckaroo's Menu." Call ahead to see whether fajitas are on the menu.

The name means "snow mountain" in Japanese, and the menu has a whirling blend of sushi, sashimi, and maki, as well as hot entrées, including noodle dishes. Observe sushi-making theatrics at the bar while they prepare the 84060 roll in homage to the local zip code, or retreat to the sunken seating of the tatami room. A simple interior—spiced up by a few colorful paintings—keeps the focus on the fresh fish creations.

Yume, which means dream in Japanese, could not be more appropriately named. With its intentionally sourced melts-in-your-mouth fish, precision knife work, eye-catching plating, vegetables that are far from an afterthought (green beans sautéed in sweet garlic sauce will live in your mind rent-free), liberal use of truffle products, and dimly lit sleekly designed space in Old Town Calabasas, you'll fantasize about returning to this second outpost of a stalwart Studio City sushiya nightly. Besides sushi, sashimi, and specialty rolls like cilantro yellowtail roll or albacore with kogashi butter soy (yum!), there are so many other things to eat including salads, oysters with uni and caviar, veggie-forward small plates, skewers, and hot entrées such as escabeche and miso black cod. Open late, a rarity in this sleepy little village, with a bar stocked with rare sakes and lots of Japanese whiskey, it can become quite the "wealthy parents' night out" scene so reservations are encouraged.

This small South End spot might be unassuming, but its chef-founder, Yisha Sua, earned herself a James Beard Foundation Award Best Chef Northeast nomination in 2023. Enjoy classics like spring rolls, garlic shrimp, and General Gao’s chicken, or try authentic Dian dishes found nowhere else in Boston, such as wood ear mushroom salad, Grandma’s Potatoes, mint beef, and the sharable Xishuangbanna lemongrass tilapia. It has a sister restaurant, South of the Clouds, in Brighton, known for its Yunnan rice noodles.

San Francisco's signature Sichuan restaurant is a wonderful place to sample the often spicy, mouth-numbing (that's the "mala" heat, then the cooling effect of the peppers and chilies) cuisine of that northern China region. It's a long menu, so ask for advice from the servers. Be sure to book in advance for dinner, as the place is equally popular with visitors and diners from all over the Bay Area.

This stylish Southwestern fusion outpost is popular for its upscale yet unpretentious vibe and attractively presented Southwestern dishes at fair prices. Try the jerk-chicken Diablo pasta or Tex-Mex plates like the smoked-chicken poblano chile relleno. Portions are hearty, but the salads and small bites, like the grilled-shrimp and guacamole tostada bites, are equally enticing. Peak hours can be noisy, with a good chance of a wait before being seated. Weekend brunch has diverse options, like Barbacoa breakfast enchiladas and chorizo pork scrambles.