9186 Best Restaurants in USA

This outpost, with its rough-hewn tables facing the water, serves up Gullah-inspired fare with specialties such as Daufuskie deviled crab and chicken salad on buttery, grilled rolls. Entrées include shrimp and local seafood, while the Lowcountry buffet features pulled pork, fried chicken, and sides like butter beans and potato salad.

Visitors and employees from surrounding offices flock here to drink at the several bars, which seem to go on for miles, and enjoy well-prepared buffalo wings, hamburgers, and hearty sandwiches (the Reuben is a must). Old Ebbitt also has one of Washington's best-known raw bars, a 160-year-old institution (it claims Teddy Roosevelt may have "bagged animal heads" at the main bar). Pasta is homemade, and the late-night menu runs from hummus to tacos until 1 am seven days a week. Despite the crowds, the restaurant never feels cramped, thanks to its well-spaced, comfortable booths. Nevertheless, service can be slow at lunch and during happy hour when the oysters are half-price.

Old Europe's Hungarian owner creates authentic European pastries, all made fresh daily and complemented by Mountain City coffee (including the city's best cold-brewed iced coffee), owned by an MIT grad who brings a scientific approach to coffee roasting. Asheville's oldest, but arguably most peripatetic, coffeehouse opens early and stays busy until late. Its current location, just north of Pack Square, is close to several new hotels.

From the wood-and-leather chairs etched with animal figures to the intricate lighting fixtures that resemble snowcapped trees, there's ample Western atmosphere at this relatively intimate dining room inside the Old Faithful Snow Lodge. The huge windows give you a view of the Old Faithful area, and you can sometimes see the famous geyser as it erupts. The French onion soup will warm you up on a chilly afternoon; among the main courses, standouts include pasta with house-made elk and bison bolognese sauce, and pecan-cornmeal-crusted Montana trout. It's one of the only full-service park dining options open in winter.

Order a platter of pulled pork with slaw, baked beans, or mac and cheese to enjoy while a bluegrass band plays mountain music on the rustic stage at this classic roadside barbecue joint. Bands play both the lunch and dinner shift, and local folk artists display their work in the gift shop and at the museum-like 87 Ruffin Street Gallery next door.

Old Heidelberg is like a Bavarian mirage on State Road 84, with a killer list of German specialties and beers on tap. Classics like bratwurst, knockwurst, kielbasa, and spaetzle dovetail nicely with four types of Wiener schnitzel. And the beer stein–cowbell–cuckoo-clock decor adds to the authenticity.

An informal seafood spot—serving crab cakes, fish sandwiches, and fillets—and a favorite of locals and tourists, is perched on the Intracoastal Waterway with spectacular views. Observation decks with separate bars wrap around the back where boats can dock; indoors is more family-oriented. Of course, order the namesake Key lime pie—the house specialty has been featured in Bon Appétit.

In a National Historic Landmark building, what was the town library, built in 1910 with funds from Andrew Carnegie, was converted to a restaurant in 1983. It retains most of its original architecture—parquet flooring, stained-glass windows, inlaid ceilings. Dining is in hushed, bookshelf-lined, front "library" rooms or a mezzanine overlooking a central atrium. The menu is diverse, with Italian, French, and American dishes. Six-cheese ravioli is served with pesto cream and sautéed spinach; sautéed antelope medallions come with peppercorn sauce; a surf-and-turn combo joins New York strip steak and jumbo scampi. Sunday brunch is served.

If your idea of homestyle Southern cooking includes entrées like chicken and dumplings, sugar-cured ham and turnip greens, or chicken-fried steak and mashed potatoes, you're in the right spot. The grains and grits originate next door at the mill that has been in continuous operation since the 1830s. Think about that while you're chewing a chunk of corn bread, or watching a baseball-size scoop of ice cream melt on top of a made-from-scratch pie while listening to an old-timer pick his guitar on the porch.

One of German Village's first pubs, this eatery in a 1933 building is famous for its horseshoe-shape bar. Pictures of staff and customers cover the walls. With the food a cut above "pub grub," it's one of few places that stays open until midnight on weekdays and 1 am on the weekends. Specials are ever-changing and there are all-you-can-eat quesadillas nights. Popular dishes include the roast beef sandwich with chicken salad on top and beef stew served in a hollowed-out round of bread.

Locals come for affordable sandwiches and seafood in the vaulted, vine-twisted courtyard of this traditional pub, which has been tucked away from the shopping traffic of upscale Third Street since 1990. It's an everybody-knows-your-name kind of place, with jars of pickles on the tables; friendly bartenders; and a menu of fried "ungrouper" sandwiches (made with "mild flaky white fillet" as grouper numbers wait to make a comeback), burgers, chicken salad, nachos, and fried gator tail. There's musical entertainment Wednesday through Sunday year round.

Just like its name suggests, this was once a post office. Today it's a popular spot for fish-boil dinners, an Upper Great Lakes tradition, particularly in Scandinavian circles. Chunks of Lake Michigan whitefish are boiled with salt and red potatoes in a large kettle. Warm butter is ladled over the fish just before serving. A theatrical demonstration of the process is hosted by boil master Earl Jones in the restaurant's backyard Monday through Saturday evenings. Slices of cherry pie end the meal on a sweet note.

A menu of steamer and raw-bar options supplements such much-enjoyed favorites as quarter-pound hot dogs, fish-and-chips, wings, and burgers—and early birds can catch breakfast here, too. With views of New Pass between Longboat and Lido keys, this is a popular stop for locals and visitors en route from Mote Aquarium and the adjoining bay-front park. The open-air dining area is comfortable even in summer, thanks to a pleasant breeze. Its bar is shaped from the hull of an old boat. There are two additional branches on Siesta Key and Venice Island.

Located in a long red building designed to resemble an old-time, one-room schoolhouse, this craft brewpub sits between the town's main drag and the Chewuch River. While waiting for a burger or a bowl of chili, sip an Epiphany Pale, Hooligan Stout, or Ruud Awakening IPA. Live music plays on the outdoor stage in the riverbank beer garden on summer weekend nights. In winter, make a reservation to dine outdoors in the heated Geodomes with your family or small group for a unique experience. Other locations of the brewery in nearby towns are the Old Schoolhouse Taproom in Twisp and the Mazama Public House in Mazama.

Since 1732, this sturdy bluish gray stone home has welcomed travelers along a road called by turns the National Trail, the National Road, the Old National Pike, and (least romantically) Route 40. Historic figures Daniel Webster and Henry Clay stopped here, and during the Civil War, John Brown's followers seized control of the building for a day. Just prior to the Battle of Antietam, it served as the headquarters for a Confederate general. The menu is as elegant as the setting: highlights include fillet Mona Lisa, a seared filet mignon with a cabernet sauvignon demi-glace, served over crispy fried leeks. The extensive dessert list includes peanut butter, fresh apple, and bourbon pecan pies; Godiva chocolate cake; and ice cream sundaes.

Not every burger is created equal, and the cooks at Old Town are dead set to prove it with its collection of Hawaiian burgers, mushroom burgers, and cheeseburgers. This restaurant favored by locals also serves up food for those seeking Alaska-specific fare such as halibut sandwiches, halibut and chips, and fried salmon (perhaps the only place in the state where you can find that). Old Town opens at 5 am for breakfast but stops serving at 10 pm.

Despite Old Town's (somewhat accurate) reputation as a tourist trap, Old Town Mexican Cafe has been a favorite for locals and tourists since opening in 1977. Expect crowds from open until close, with a line of guests hungry for popular breakfast dishes like chilaquiles, omelettes, and huevos rancheros, as well as lunch and dinner specialties like fish tacos, carne asada, enchiladas, and much more. Wash it all down with one of their famous margaritas or michelada made with lime, clamato, and your choice of beer (any Mexican Lager strongly recommended).

Don't count calories here, because you'll lose track at this old-fashioned sweet shop with over 22 types of fudge, 43 flavors of ice cream, 15 different candy apples, and chocolate made in house. Their retro, and viral candy, will take you back in time. 

Epicureans flock to this bustling, high-ceilinged deli and specialty market in the heart of downtown for delicious  sandwiches, salads, and charcuterie and cheese plates featuring the best goods from Portland's famed Olympia Provisions and Seattle's vaunted Salumi. The muffaletta sandwich with pistachio-flecked mortadella, salami, ham, provolone, and olive salad, served on a baguette from renowned Bread Farm bakery, is a favorite. The shelves lining the dining room are stocked with hard-to-find imported and regional wines, plus fine sauces and chocolates.

What looks rather ramshackle from the nondescript street outside is the only place in Ephrata for oysters and prime rib, but along with the dinner plates it also serves burgers, sandwiches, and salads. The tablecloth-dressed dining room is spacious, and the tin-ceilinged tavern has an 1800s bar. 

The array of delectable baked goods at this counter-serve spot imported from Denmark is what lures most customers, but locals know this is also a great place for sandwiches, soups, and fresh bread. If you like cinnamon, you must try the cinnamon pastries.

A charming small café with bountiful planters of flowers and artsy touches like a gorgeous forest-scene stained glass window, the relatively new Olga Rising has become a neighborhood fixture quickly. (Note: Despite the name, it's in Eastbound, not the tiny hamlet of Olga.)

From lattes to rickies, the sheer variety of beverage selections at this casual local spot will have your mouth watering, whether you like coffee or not—try the Greek frappe, it's the owner's specialty. Nosh on egg sandwiches, bagels, and muffins in the morning, or move on to grilled cheese and deli sandwiches at lunchtime. 

Sophisticated Italian cuisine with an emphasis on Sicily is served at this restaurant near the Arlington. The veal scaloppine is popular, but surprises abound here, with unusual dishes such as the duck ravioli or the ribbon pasta with quail and sausage in a mushroom ragout.

Tucked into the south side of the high-traffic, high-priced Scottsdale waterfront complex, Olive & Ivy is a pleasant surprise. By day the light comes from the wall of windows that look out onto the ample patio with cozy couches and fire pits; by night the giant space becomes intimate with dim, designer lighting. A full dinner menu, featuring a mix of fish and meat creations with Italian and Mediterranean twists like veal and spinach ravioli, is available, but the delicious variety of appetizers, like bacon-wrapped dates, beet salad with goat-cheese and pistachio, and flatbreads make for a good meal. Wash them down with something from their ample wine list or one of their unique signature cocktails.

Whether you're grabbing a cocktail at the bar, sharing a few appetizers with friends on the treehouse-like outdoor patio, or settling in to one of the elegant-yet-cozy booths for a romantic dinner with your honey, this Bryker Woods locale in northwest Austin serves up a satisfying lineup of fresh, Italian-inspired fare. Top picks from the popular picolo piatti (small plates) menu include scallop crudo with butternut squash and thinly sliced zucchini involtini wrapped around a decadent mushroom filling.

In the Chautauqua Suites hotel, this restaurant puts a twist on traditional in northern Italian dishes such as seared salmon in a pinot grigio–butter sauce and slow-roasted pork served in the style of osso buco with an herb-reduction-and-mascarpone polenta. Lunches consist of pasta, paninis, and pizzas—the Calvatore is topped with cremini and portobello mushrooms, truffle oil, and fontina. Chef Andrew Culver has worked at Washington, D.C.'s Mandarin Oriental, and at the White House. Some pastries—such as a lemon butter-cream tart—are imports from the owners' Bonjour Cafe & Patisserie, on Mayville's main street.

Named after one of the two masterminds behind the design of Central Park and Prospect Park—Frederick Law Olmsted that is, of Olmsted & Vaux—this restaurant caused a stir when it first opened in 2016, for keeping live farm animals in its backyard. Today, the animals are gone, but you can still sip a cocktail there before enjoying seasonal farm-to-table fare. The airy space with an exposed-brick wall and a cascade of plants is a welcome respite in any season, but gets especially lively during brunch on weekends.