9204 Best Restaurants in USA

Popular with locals, this casual counter-service spot is just minutes from Waikiki, on trendy Monsarrat Avenue near the base of Diamond Head. It has something for everyone: generous plate lunches (try the wahoo—a type of mackerel—coated with macadamia-nut pesto and served with a tangy slaw), fish tacos, burritos, burgers, ciabatta-roll sandwiches, and entrée salads. Leave room for dessert, especially the Peanut Butter Temptations, a signature treat that sells out every day.

The first thing you'll see is the large rotisserie, trumpeting the ubiquitous gyro—tasty slices of meat are stuffed inside a large fresh pita, with tangy yogurt and some exemplary fresh veggies. Other Greek specialties, such as stuffed grape leaves, moussaka, and, of course, souvlaki, round out the menu. No pomp and circumstance here, just casual taverna fare and service that's often indifferent. But they must be doing something right—Souvlaki has been going strong since 1977, definitely a record on this mercurial street. A new, slightly upscale bistro recently debuted upstairs.

The food here is OK, but the beer is great, and it's a fun place to come with family and friends. Acclaimed microbrews and flavored ales go well with its burgers, wings, clam fritters, beer-battered shrimp, crab cakes, steak sandwiches, and pastas. Enjoy a Double White, Montauk Light, or seasonal beer like the Summer Blonde, and take in a televised sporting event on a Sunday afternoon. Brunch happens here on weekends as well. Grab a beer and expect a wait, even if you have reservations.

Amanda Wilbanks has come a long way from entering her buttermilk pie in local competitions—she’s now the owner of three storefront locations and the author of a cookbook. There’s a variety of sweet and savory choices at this chic Buckhead Village location (even a Pie-of-the-Month club). Favorites include the caramel pecan pie, original buttermilk pie, and chicken pot pie (the shop only sells whole pies, which start at $39.95).

Early birds flock to this diner starting at 6:30 am for Southern comfort food at great prices and, true to its name, charming, above-and-beyond hospitality. Country-style eggs Benedict features two poached eggs with sausage over a fresh-made biscuit with sausage gravy. Lunch and "supper" menus feature burgers and sandwiches, as well as Southern delicacies such as fried pork chops, fried chicken and waffle, and a better-than-grandma's homemade meat loaf. Unlike many diners, this one serves beer and wine.

This no-frills spot serves meaty masterpieces—no, really—like the Super Butt, house-braised pork with smoked sweet onions and potato cream cheese, and a generous rib-eye cheese steak. Add a hearty beer list and poutine (fries covered in gravy), and it's worth the drive. Heading to Kiawah Island? It's also an excellent weigh station en route.

A few blocks from Central Market, this one-time farmers' market built in 1888 has been repurposed as a food hall. Whether you're in the mood for sushi or bratwurst or just a cup of coffee, you'll find a wide variety of global cuisines at the 12 stands. Order at the stations of your choice and bring your food out to one of the tables or the central bar. A pizza place operates off one end of the hall.

An energetic addition to Nashville's dining scene, The Southern is an airy restaurant on the ground floor of The Pinnacle with a menu that features burgers and sweet potato fries, steak and oysters, salads, and a selection of creative cocktails. Its proximity to a number of major sights, including Bridgestone Arena, Lower Broadway, and the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum means a steady stream of sports fans, locals, and visitors—and live music.

This cozy market combines the convenience of an urban bodega with the charm of a neighborhood market whose shelves are stocked with various sundries, food and drink items, and locally crafted souvenirs. But the real gem is that the butchers who cut the steak and chops for the attached Southern Steak & Oyster restaurant also prepare excellent deli sandwiches to carry out or eat at one of the few small tables in the shop. This is an especially handy spot to purchase locally made culinary items to take home as a memento of a trip to Nashville, ranging from barbecue and hot sauces to hot chicken spice rubs and sweet treats.

If you're looking for a more relaxed scene, head a couple of blocks south of Rittenhouse Square to find local beers and approachable cocktails paired with Korean-inspired bar food like a Seoul hot chicken sandwich, dolsot bibimbap, and crispy Brussels sprouts. Friday and Saturday nights are busy, so it's best to call ahead or make a reservation and, if possible, take advantage of the outdoor seating in nice weather.

You can't go wrong at this unpretentious dive, where seafood reigns. Feast on raw or steamed clams, raw oysters, and peel-and-eat shrimp. Sides include Bimini bread, conch fritters, beer-battered onion rings, and corn on the cob. Follow the motto here, and you'll fit right in: "Eat fish, live longer, eat oysters, love longer, eat clams, last longer."

Co-owners Chris D'Ambro and Marina de Oliveira run this beloved neighborhood restaurant that has one of the city's best bars. The menu features seasonal produce prepared using Italian techniques; the house-made pastas are always a good bet, and their burger is among the best in the city. The intimate bar is as romantic as it is comfortable. On Monday, their sommelier takes over for a wine-focused bar night and there's a limited food-menu and a by-the-glass menu featuring reserve bottles.

Join the lines, get ready to Instagram, and enjoy the superb Cali-Greek pita sandwiches and salads at the flagship of this fast-casual (or self-described "fast-fine") concept. The menu keeps it simple with four proteins (roasted white sweet potato or a trio of spit-roasted meats), but the secret to the magic is how each protein is pre-partnered with captivating sauces and fresh garnishes, turning a simple-sounding white sweet potato sandwich into a stellar meal. If you want to try all four proteins at all five locations, then plan a trip around town to the counterpart Souvla locations in the Marina, NoPa (North of the Panhandle), the Mission, and Dogpatch.

Chef Nick Farrell transforms local and organic seasonal ingredients into satisfying meals in a rustic-chic space (think exposed brick, open kitchen, wood, a large aluminum-topped bar, and modern fixtures) 2 miles north of downtown Kennett Square in a shopping center. The cuisine mixes contemporary American choices with French, Italian, and Mediterranean fare, including sophisticated pastas, wood-fired pizzas, meat and seafood, and creative sandwiches and salads at lunch (vegetarian and vegan options are ample). Take time to study the good-size list of cocktails, wines, and after-dinner drinks. The space can get a bit noisy at night.  

At what is, literally, an out-of-this-world restaurant, you board a special elevator to travel 220 miles above the planet to a dining room with panoramas of Earth through viewports that use real-time, above-the-clouds imagery. The prix-fixe menu ($55 at lunch and $79 for dinner, $29 for kids under 9) includes a liftoff (read: appetizer) and a star (main) course. Liftoff selections include starry calamari, blue moon cauliflower, and space greens; the star course menu features dishes like galactic miso salmon with glazed rainbow carrots and slow-rotation short rib with cheddar grits. 

It's a marriage made in Hawaii heaven—the California cuisine of celebrity-chef Wolfgang Puck combined with Maui flavors and served lobby-level and oceanfront at the luxurious Four Seasons Resort Maui. Try the spicy ahi (yellowfin tuna) poke in sesame miso cones to start, and then see what the chef can do with some of the island's fantastic fish. It will cost you, but the service is spot-on, and the contemporary interior allows the food to claim the spotlight.

After more than 25 years at The Forum Shops at Caesars Palace—where it launched Las Vegas's enduring romance with celebrity chefs—Spago moved to Bellagio, in a spot overlooking the famous Fountains of Bellagio. The menu's still vintage Wolfgang Puck, of course, which means his signature pizzas, house-made pastas, and entrées with produce fresh from the market. Brunch is served on Friday and Saturday.

This Spanish restaurant earns high marks for beautifully prepared and presented food and deft service; the paella is legendary. Arched architectural features and greenery help create a Mediterranean mood, and in summer you can dine on a patio anchored by a three-tier fountain and a massive brick fireplace.

This is the place to satisfy a hankering for the original crispy chicken fingers without going downtown.

The decor here is nothing fancy—just plastic tablecloths over picnic tables—but the whole family can fill up on generous portions of delicious smoked pork and beef barbecue. Ribs and brisket are as tender as they come, all slow-cooked in house-made sauce.

Brace yourself to spend indulgently at this famed steak house, where the dining rooms are festooned with pricey magnums of wines and have walls lined with pictures and tables draped in white linens. Although tasty, fresh seafood is given more than fair play on the menu—and the extra-thick lamb and veal chops are noteworthy—Sparks is really about dry-aged steak. Classic sides of hash browns, creamed spinach, baked potato, and sautéed mushrooms, are all you need to complete the experience, and maybe a martini. 

Since 2002, Sparky's has been whetting the appetite of locals and travelers alike with delicious appetizers (cheese curds, Southern fried pickles, and "lugnutz"—deep-fried salmon wontons), salads, burgers and more. While you wait for your food, take a look at the cool classic decor including the fun vintage signs.

The newest creation of local chef and restaurateur John Bourdeau is manned by another local chef, Mike Sorenson, who produces globally inspired dishes for an ever-changing, seasonal menu. Expect dishes like potstickers or caviar grilled cheese, outstanding smashburgers, and in-house baked bread. The indoor-outdoor space will suit diners for all seasons.

The Speckled Ax serves up a seriously delicious coffee, whether cold brewed or piping hot with frothy milk. The secret to the richness of the beans is the painstaking roasting process, using a vintage Italian Petroncini roaster fired with local hardwood—ask to take a peek at that contraption while you wait for your drink.

Even on a rainy day, this homespun café feels sunny. Decidedly unfancy, the menu—burgers, salads, soups, and all-day breakfast—incorporates many local ingredients. Coffee and homemade lemonade make it easy to linger awhile, and there's a taproom serving craft beer, wine, and cocktails. You might even catch live music at Sunday brunch.

This family-owned coffee roaster has been turning out small-batch beans and blends since 1993, making it a well-loved local watering hole for almost three decades. This quirky, funky café is a prime old-school spot to pick up a bag of beans or mull over the morning paper with a cup of Maple French Roast.

The amusing assortment of wall art here pays homage to the roadhouses that dot the state, but Spenard Roadhouse is by no means just a place to grab a quick meal while traveling. The warm and inviting restaurant offers creative comfort food, plus a daily brunch menu; the cocktails alone are worth the journey.