57 Best Restaurants in USA

On an out-of-the-way stretch of the Lower East Side, Ernesto's refined atmosphere and creative, daily-changing menu of satisfying Spanish and Basque delights transports diners to coastal Spain. This isn't the small plates, tapas-style Spanish restaurant that New Yorkers are familiar with, though sharing dishes like a tortilla española (egg and potato omelet) or creamy croquetas (ham-filled deep-fried fritters) and heartier fare like seared duck breast slathered in a port and foie gras sauce or baked salt cod in a garlicky green sauce is not frowned upon.

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.

At this cozy neighborhood spot with a leafy covered patio and an intimate dining room with a fireplace, tuck into plates of Spanish pintxos and tapas—ham and cheese croquettes, grilled bread with roasted mushrooms, Moroccan-style lamb skewers—along with shareable larger platters of tagine and paella. The wine list of well-curated Spanish and Portuguese bottles is one of the best in the city.

A touch of Andalusia in historic Frederick, Isabella's draws lively crowds with a dazzling selection of both hot and cold tapas—small plates intended to be shared. They incorporate the farm to table concept with local produce. Dishes include saffron-infused buttered artichokes stuffed with lumps of crab, delicately flavored chicken mousse alongside rich roasted quail, and goat cheese and almond fritters. Savory paellas, steaks, and seafood cooked with Mediterranean spices satisfy heartier appetites.

Make a meal of the long list of tapas at celebrity chef José Andrés's lively Spanish bistro, although the five types of handcrafted paella are the stars of the ample entrée menu. Tapas highlights include the gambas al ajillo (sautéed garlic shrimp), tender piquillo peppers stuffed with goat cheese, and the grilled homemade chorizo, which also comes draped in creamy mashed potatoes. Cocktail specialties range from sweet and fruity sangria to a half-dozen herbal riffs on the gin and tonic.

Chef José Andrés was one of the first to capitalize on the tapas concept in the United States at his original Washington, D.C., location, and small plates are the highlights of his restaurant here, too. You haven't thoroughly explored the menu until there are stacks of plates on your table. There are classic choices like jamon iberico (Spanish ham) and gambas al ajillo (shrimp in garlic). Or turn it over to the chef, with a tasting menu (two-person minimum). Another highlight: paellas, in at least four varieties. Bring a sense of humor to the main dining room, as some tables are fashioned out of foosball tables that still function perfectly (balls available upon request). For a more formal and intimate experience, try dining in the adjacent "é," an intimate, prix-fixe experience with seats that overlook a separate kitchen.

Jaleo (pronounced huh-lay-oh) means "revelry," and in this contemporary and spacious setting, diners celebrate with authentic paellas cooked over a wood fire, as well as chef and humanitarian José Andrés's signature gambas al ajillo (shrimp sautéed with garlic and chili) or croquetas de pollo (Spanish chicken fritters). The extensive tapas options are perfect for taste-driving a variety of items—the Jaleo Experience prix fixe includes traditional and modern tapas, or go Jose's Way, with a larger and more elaborate selection of the chef's favorites. And remember: when you hear the bell, it’s paella time! Entire pans of paella are available for parties of eight or more with advance notice. Pick up a container of beautiful gazpacho next door at Pepe, a stationary food truck offering grab-and-go items.

An authentic tile-studded interior and open-air front patio help set the scene for savoring the hot and cold Spanish tapas served in traditional small portions at this eatery, a longtime local favorite. A generous happy hour runs from 2 to 6 pm Monday through Friday, featuring half-off on all tapas and drinks.

The perfect stop for chic picnic provisions, a memorable lunch, or a lively pintxos (small bar snacks) dinner with friends, fans of Cúrate are thrilled to find many of its specialties available at this sister establishment, including cured meats, cheeses, sangria—even paella. The "La Bodega Experience" is one of the best prix-fixe menus in town.

Delectable samplings of Spanish cuisine and a lively setting with expanded outdoor seating (Thursday through Sunday only) keep this tapas bar brimming with energy amid savory smells of seafood dishes and small plates of peel-and-eat prawns, lamb sliders with harissa mayo, or goat cheese–stuffed piquillos rellenos. The bar's passion for Spanish cuisine and culture is evident in the wines, the Mediterranean flavors, and the cozy setting with tile mosaics.

Once the kitchen for the 156-year-old Spanish Benevolent Society, La Nacional gives off the vibe of being a hidden private club somewhere in Madrid. This affordable and solid Spanish eatery, which has been lightened up and modernized a bit with elegant high tables and tall chairs, excels at small plates such as crispy patatas bravas, creamy ham croquettes, and garlic shrimp.

There's an infectious vibe at this eclectic, Spanish-inspired Arts District hot spot that's accentuated by its 2,000-square-foot space, lofty tin ceilings, worn maple floors, and mismatched chandeliers. Regulars chat with servers about which just-caught seafood will decorate the paella or which organic veggies will star in the tortillas, one of several tapas choices.

In a cozy space on a prime corner at the gateway to the Funk Zone near Stearns Wharf, Loquita honors Santa Barbara's heritage by serving up authentic Spanish dishes, wines, and cocktails made with fresh, sustainably sourced local ingredients. The menu covers all bases, from tapas to wood-fired seafood and grilled meats to Spanish wines, vermouth, gin and tonics, and sangria.

In one of Miami's most captivating and seductive settings, this headline restaurant by celebrity-chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten fuses Spanish, Caribbean, and Latin American gastronomy while focusing on local products, resulting in a diverse collection of small and large plates. Indulge in tropically inspired plates like avocado pizza, Florida Keys shrimp in "Agua Diablo," and grilled Florida black-grouper tacos.

At the base of the Shops at Hudson Yards is this sprawling love letter to Spanish gastronomy, helmed by chef José Andrés and team. You can eat at self-serve tables; dine in full-service restaurants, Mar, Spanish Diner, or Leña; or pull up a stool at La Barra to sample delectable tapas (with vegetarian and seafood selections) and terrific wine and cocktails. The venue features fresh market (mercado) stands of produce, cheese, jamón (ham), pasteles (pastries), and more, as well as dedicated seafood and paella outposts.

Catalan-inspired restaurant Mercat offers a stylish respite from Michigan Avenue with a view of Grant Park and a menu of small to midsize plates, all of which are great for sharing. To get more bang for your buck, try the chef's tasting menu, with prices starting at $65.

It's easy to miss this intimate storefront space whose kitchen produces stellar Spanish, French, Italian, and Croatian food, but don't miss it. The menu changes daily and specials are written in red ink on the front window and always include some sensational seasonal dishes, from a simple summery radish-and-sweet-pea salad to lamb carpaccio with horseradish-celery root. Olive oils, dressings, sauces, and other gourmet goods for sale are displayed on the back wall.  If there's a wait for a table, head next door to the Navarre's sophisticated sister bar, Angel Face, which features raw oysters, charcuterie, and cocktails.

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.

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.

With a cozy saffron-yellow interior and an outdoor patio that fills up in warm weather, this tapas bar has a mostly Spanish wine list (more than 300 bottles, 95 of which are sherries). Authentic hot and cold tapas and raciones (medium-size plates) include such classics as a tortilla Española, shrimp in garlic oil, braised eggplant, and octopus, along with favorite entrées like paella.

Connected to the Charles Theater, the place for art and indie films in Baltimore, the Tapas Teatro is a popular pre- and post-movie spot. It's often a scene, especially in warm weather, when the glass front is open and tables spill onto the street. Tapas include roasted potatoes, spinach sautéed with crab, and lamb tenderloin. There's also an extensive list of wines by the glass, and if you don't finish them with dinner, you can carry drinks into the Charles. But be careful: it's so much fun to keep sampling that it's easy to run up a hefty bill.

Candles light up the whitewashed walls of these cellar dining rooms, where the menu covers all regions of Spain. The staple is paella à la Valenciana (chicken, sausage, shrimp, clams, and mussels with saffron rice); a less-well-known Basque preparation is red snapper with clams, mussels, asparagus, and boiled egg. Make dinner reservations in advance; walk-in weekday lunch seating is usually available.

The theme at this diminutive Spanish spot is cocina vasca, or the cuisine of the Basque country, one of the most exciting regions in Iberia for eating. Chef Alexandra Raij captures the moment by serving standouts like juicy lamb meatballs in a minty broth, crispy beef tongue, and an addictive crabmeat gratin. The wine list at Txikito (pronounced “chi-kee-toe”) is loaded with great bottles of Rioja and other Tempranillos, many of which are from Basque winemakers.

Savor the vibrant flavors of northern Spain at this upbeat Nye Beach restaurant that turns out exquisitely prepared renditions of boquerones (anchovies) with an orange vinaigrette, crispy squid with black-garlic aioli, and warm dates stuffed with Cabrales cheese, along with several enticing larger plates. Dining is a high-ceilinged loft-style space with the best tables on the mezzanine level, beneath a distinctive corrugated metal and frosted-glass-paneled ceiling. 

Spanish-inspired small plates and craft cocktails are served late at César, Berkeley's premier tapas spot. Couples spill out from street-level windows on warm nights, or rub shoulders at the polished bar and communal table. Founded by a trio of former Chez Panisse chefs, César is like a first cousin to the stalwart eatery next door.

Thick lamb chops, roast lamb, oxtail stew, and shrimp scampi have made this Basque eatery a local institution. All meals are served family style, so you might share your table with diners you don't know. Meals include vegetables and a potato, pasta, or rice dish, and many gluten-free options—but this is no place for vegetarians.