9204 Best Restaurants in USA

Arguably Nashville’s most popular Thai restaurant, The Smiling Elephant serves classic Thai dishes featuring a daily rotating curry menu in a quirky cottage-like environment. Given its popularity and no-reservations policy, expect a moderate wait, especially at peak mealtimes. The talented cooks in the kitchen are working those woks as fast as they can, but quality usually takes time.

Bright, loud, raucous, and fun, with a brightly lit bar and long, communal tables, this branch of the New York City original makes it hard not to meet people. An "American" brasserie, it's an ample space with an even bigger menu. Bright hanging chandeliers and smoked mirrors accent the dining room. High ceilings and tile everywhere raise the decibel level, but this is not the spot you come to for a quiet, intimate conversation. The dinner menu is ravenously eclectic, offering everything from a skirt steak to pastas to Korean bibimbap to a lobster roll. It's also open for breakfast at 8 am daily.

House-made bold and tangy, thick and sweet, and smoky and spicy sauces on every table add extra flavor to the traditional barbecue dishes, perfectly prepared in an open kitchen at this casual restaurant with neutral-hue booths, wood tables, and a wall of windows. Try the mac and cheese topped with smoked pork or load up on southern sides. Unique cocktails complement the hearty entrées.

Chicken has become kind of a thing in Nashville, and Smokin Thighs has lots of it on its menu—wings, quarters, and, of course, thighs—all smoked or grilled using a signature applewood blend. There's also salads, chicken burgers, and tacos available, as well as pimento mac and cheese. There's now a second location in Sylvan Park.

This good ole' family BBQ offers an alternative to the East Hampton scene. Barbecued ribs and chicken are the big draw, but the quesedillas, wraps, and salads are also quite popular. Enjoy a beer or scoop of Hershey's ice cream at the outdoor picnic table seating or dine indoors year-round at this family-friendly spot. It's outside the village with its own lot, so parking is easy here. Catering is available for events and house parties, and you can call ahead for take-out.

The sweet, smoky aroma wafting out of this casual barbecue spot always attracts a crowd, and although the line to order at the counter extends out the door on weekends, it moves quickly. Smoque covers a range of barbecue styles, from St. Louis ribs to 14-hour-cooked Texas-style brisket. If you can't make up your mind between brisket or shredded pork shoulder, order the half-and-half—a sandwich with half of each. It's BYOB, so pick up a beer or two before arriving if desired.

Named 2020's Restaurant of the Year by Chicago's annual Jean Banchet Awards, Smyth features a 15-course tasting menu that's tweaked daily by husband-and-wife chefs John B. and Karen Urie Shields. The dishes are ever-changing and depend on what the kitchen can get from The Farm, just outside the city, which provides ingredients grown to the chefs’ specifications; for a more casual meal—including the Chicago Tribune's pick for the city's best burger—head downstairs to the Loyalist bar.

This longtime Chinese and American restaurant is known for its rice and noodle dishes. Look for udon and egg foo young, along with fried food baskets, sandwiches, and family dinner specials like burger packs that include four burgers with fries and soda.

One of Jackson's mainstays for special-occasion dining, this sophisticated restaurant serves creatively prepared dishes using meats and fish loved across the West. The menu changes regularly, reflecting what's available in the market, and the extensive wine list has garnered countless awards.

In a lively waterfront setting, Snappers has live music, Sunday brunch (including a build-your-own Bloody Mary bar), killer rum drinks, and seating alongside the fishing dock. The crab cakes are famous, as is the Bahamian cocktail sauce that accompanies them. Catch of the day might include yellowtail snapper or seared yellowfin tuna steak with mojo aioli; the options change every day. Don't miss the raw bar or wahoo ceviche.

Join regulars at this casual waterside restaurant and bar on the edge of town that has a wide-ranging menu with a Southwestern flavor. Mexican quesadillas are a Snappers specialty, but there is also an array of burritos, enchiladas, and fajitas. Jamaican jerk spices enhance burgers and crab cakes. From waters close to home, there's shrimp, stuffed or simply fried. Sandwiches, wraps, and pasta also satisfy the local lunch crowd.

What started as a funky little spot in a ramshackle building on St. Claude Avenue is now a Bywater go-to for new American fare with an emphasis on vegan and vegetarian cuisine. Try the scrumptious buffalo tofu wrap; for meat-lovers, the wagyu burger is juicy and filling.

The line for this ballpark neighborhood joint starts just before the 6:30 am weekday opening and sometimes an hour before it opens on weekends, because the lavish breakfasts are well worth the wait. The hollandaise-smothered creations alone—for instance, the Bella! Bella!, with Taleggio cheese and prosciutto on toasted ciabatta—are a must-try, and the pineapple upside-down pancakes, with vanilla crème anglaise and cinnamon butter, are exquisite. Get a cup of coffee and get to know your line neighbor, or try your luck at one of the other metro-area locations, including Union Station.

Bright “Brady Bunch” decor, plus plenty of sunshine and fresh air pouring through windows and skylights, are cheery wake-ups for diners at this hip neighborhood haunt for pancakes and lattes. Expect long waits for a table, especially on weekends; free coffee helps the time pass while you wait to indulge in made-from-scratch breakfast bliss.

Burgers and fries are served in huge portions at this SMU student favorite. Don't miss the cheddar fries, a generous serving of fries covered with melted cheddar, jalapeños, chives, and bacon. The kitchen stays open until midnight during the week and until 2 am Friday and Saturday.

This chic restaurant has three dining levels. The main bar is on the first floor, there's a small dining area on the mezzanine, and glass sculptures adorn the two dining rooms on level three. The top floor also has a small bar and an enclosed deck. The pan-Asian menu includes sushi, tuna tartare, and seaweed salad appetizers. Entrees include seared rare tuna with ginger fried rice and kimchi, and filet mignon with chili-garlic mashed potatoes.

In an industrial area close to Miller Park and right off I-94, this burger joint makes good on its claim to be "Milwaukee's best burgers." Burgers are made from fresh-not-frozen certified Black Angus beef, served on a baked-locally butter roll. Owner Dave Sobelman plays up the rugged surroundings—and the building's history as one of the original Schlitz taverns—with touches like wooden Sprecher's beer barrels as tables in the cozy, flower-filled outdoor patio. Non-burger options make the grade too: grilled chicken cordon bleu, fried chicken, fish sandwiches and black bean burgers. Come in early for a bloody Mary.

This sleek venture (whose name is short for "South of Bourbon Street") from the Commander's Palace team puts cocktails, beer, and wine front and center. The menu includes Louisiana-style snacks, such as grilled alligator sausage or cracklings with pimento-cheese fondue, and the cocktails are a mix of pre-Prohibition classics and crowd-pleasing originals. A row of self-service machines dispense wines by the taste or the glass, and a few coveted tables even have personal beer taps. The chef grew up in Puerto Rico, so Latin flavors creep into many dishes, like the oyster tacos or shrimp and tasso pinchos.

A unique blend of African culinary influences along with flavors from various Latin American countries are the draw at chef Nelson German's restaurant. Each tapa is compelling (there are no main courses, though there are more than enough tempting dishes to satisfy a group) and nicely ties together the two geographic regions. This is a perfect example of a bar with excellent food or a restaurant with standout cocktails—it toes the line perfectly between the two. The decor is sleek with a gentle island theme as if it's a hip supper club in Miami. Every night feels like a party.

The palette of plums and golds is a stunning contrast to the original brick and wood that was uncovered during the renovation of this 19th-century cotton exchange building. Although the menu changes seasonally, perennial favorites—a layered appetizer of fried green tomatoes and jalapeño pimento cheese, shrimp, and locally ground grits, and the wonderful white-chocolate banana-cream pie—are always available.

Take a break from your stroll through downtown Concord and treat yourself to a dish or cone of small-batch ice cream at this cute parlor across the New Hampshire State House. Top flavors include bourbon vanilla, maple latter, and roasted strawberry, but watch for seasonal specials, too.

At this bright and lively restaurant 3 miles outside of downtown, the menu primarily features modern southern dishes that don't stray too far from home: chicken-fried green tomatoes, Louisiana shrimp flatbread, and a smoke-fried chicken and biscuits entrée are just some of the highlights. The whiskey list is extensive, and the cocktails are exceptional. If you had too much fun the night before, the "Walk of Shame frites" could be exactly what you need.

The COVID-19 pandemic's outdoor dining requirement led San Franciscans to discover the city's premier patios—like the one at this Presidio Heights stalwart. Whether you're dining on that patio or in the elegant dining room, Italian and seasonal Californian cooking mingle together on the menu. Each night's selections mix staple dishes—game hen cooked under a brick, tagliatelle Bolognese—and creations like Dungeness crab with tarragon oil and dragon fruit. The wine list showcases several excellent choices from across California and Italy, but the real strength comes from its collection of northern Italian bottles.

Micro-batched and hand-crafted ice cream makes this small shop tucked in a side street a must stop for any ice cream lover. Be adventurous and try one-of-a-kind flavors like Blueberry Honey Lavender or Mission Figs, made with figs hand-shucked by the makers.

This lively indoor/outdoor café is a popular place for locals and tourists alike, serving coffee, desserts and pastries, smoothies, and a full breakfast and lunch menu with omelets, salads, and sandwiches. Next door is the market, staffed by a friendly crew, and packed full of gourmet as well as affordably priced fresh produce, dairy products, local meats, dry goods, frozen foods, snacks, treats, pet foods, household products, body care and personal items, and gift and boutique items.

Head to a poolside, historical adobe building in the center of The Paloma Resort for Spanish tapas incorporating local delicacies like dates, chiles, and citrus and big plates designed to feed two, as well as tequila and mezcal cocktails. Breakfasts have a foreign flair with wine-soaked French toast and Iberico ham Benedicts, lunches feature options like Manchego-cheese beef sliders and blue-cheese Serrano fries, and dinners focus on protein-heavy dishes.