20 Best Restaurants in USA

Hip and pricey, this tapas bar is a top place in Hanalei in terms of flavor and creativity, with food that's often organic and consistently remarkable. The dining room is super-casual but chic, with a welcoming bar and a nice porch for outdoor dining. Owner-chefs Hanna and Kenny Uddifa's brief menu changes regularly, but favorites include honeycomb with goat cheese and apple or Hawaiian fish (type depends on the local catch) with leek couscous, sunchokes, white wine beurre blanc, and sunflower sprouts. The adjacent sister restaurant, Ama, serves ramen and other Asian-style dishes in an upscale outdoor setting.

Named for the bustling food market in Barcelona, Boqueria was part of the city's first wave of tapas restaurants when it opened back in 2006 and its popularity has never waned, thanks to the seasonal, creative, and delicious food. There are leather banquettes lining the main room and a few seats at the bar, but if you want to make friends, opt for the communal table running down the center of the dining room. This original spot in the Flatiron District is so popular it's spawned offshoots around New York City, as well as in Nashville, DC, Boston, and Chicago.

Most of the delectable items on the menu at this Iberian, small-plates, corner restaurant are made for sharing, but of particular note are all things seared à la plancha (on a metal plate), including blistered peppers and garlic-kissed mushrooms. The atmosphere is always bustling but the best seats are those at the Casa Mono counter overlooking the chef's open kitchen. The perennially cramped and crowded space sends patrons to Bar Jamón, the wine-and-ham-bar annex next door, where you can pick at plates of jamón serrano while awaiting the main feature.

Having a meal at this sophisticated little wine and tapas bar down a tiny alley near the downtown riverfront can feel like going to a special dinner party. It has a small exhibition kitchen and bar, and just a handful of tables and chairs, where guests can enjoy a selection of stellar bocadillos, tapas, and pintxos—from piquillo peppers with goat cheese and artichokes to char-grilled baby octopus—plus a few larger plates, such as paella.

A stylish setting and a taste of impressively authentic Spanish fare—these are the draws of this handsome tapas restaurant in downtown Medford's turn-of-the-20th-century "Goldy" building. Pass around plates of mussels in romesco sauce, apricot-braised-pork empanadas, chorizo-studded Andalusian paella, and lamb-sausage flatbread, while sampling selections from the lengthy beer and cocktail menus.

For those who are looking for a great place to relax over shareable small plates and flowing glasses of Spanish wines, this venerable Atlanta-based chain delivers on relaxed European ambience. Explore the flavors of Spain with Ibérico ham tastings, tender grilled octopus, paella for two, or even an entire roasted pig for tables of six or more. The rooftop patio is an excellent option for alfresco wining and dining.

A cozy, romantic space with a slightly sophisticated (for the North Shore) vibe, Maya’s serves up classic Spanish and Mediterranean dishes with island twists, including a variety of tapas as well as some larger plates. Here, seafood paella is made with local line-caught fish and shrimp, a burger showcases Kunoa beef, and hand-tossed flatbreads come with roasted local veggies and macadamia nut pesto. Sit indoors at a table or the bar or on the patio overlooking the scene at the North Shore Marketplace.

This playfully named restaurant near the Capitol does indeed specialize in tapas, including—naturally—giant Pacific octopus, cured in olive oil and served with crusty house bread. Others treats from the seafood-centric menu are smoked oysters with lemon, mussels in a Thai lemongrass curry, and prawn tacos with pineapple salsa, but the menu lists plenty of meat and veggie options, too.

It's lively, it's casual, and it's the coolest spot to share tapas with a date over a glass of wine. This Leucadia-based bistro turns heads with its black-and-white decor, as does the Spanish-meets-Mediterranean menu inspired by the owners’ travels. Start off with oysters and bite-size cubes of patatas bravas (spicy potatoes), and keep the plates coming with the authentic jamon ibérico, seared artichokes, and shrimp bathed in chili oil. Don't be afraid to eat with your hands and sweep dishes clean with a fist-full of bread.

The rustic atmosphere of the Atlantic City outpost of Chef Jose Garces's tapas-style restaurant is the perfect accompaniment to a night out at the Ocean Casino Resort. The Spanish-inspired menu includes dishes like bacon-wrapped dates, Spanish omelet, crab-stuffed peppers, and seafood paella, but if you're feeling really hungry opt for the chef’s tasting menu or the suckling pig.

Austrian-born chef-owner Karin Guerin dishes up intriguing, tapas-style small plates—from mojito ginger wings to Madagascar beef skewers—as well as full-size risotto, vegetarian, vegan, and seafood entrées. Be sure to try the fried oysters in vichyssoise sauce with flying-fish roe. On a fine summer day, the open-air rooftop and bar is a wonderful spot to dine.

A Spanish expat from Galicia runs this tapas restaurant beloved by visiting Spaniards, local families, dating couples, and bargain chowhounds for the selection of shareable classic and creative small plates, most for under $10 and featuring a range of meat, seafood, and veggie options. This is a loud and boisterous spot, so be prepared for conviviality—but sometimes on weekends waits can stretch to hours.

The more casual sister restaurant to Cypress Hall, this laid-back but elegant tapas-oriented space keeps everything under $20, from an indulgent bucatini carbonara to smoked oysters served with hot sauces and lemon. Cozy up in the intimate dining room with dark gray walls and tile floors accented by leather and brass, and order liberally—including from the excellent cocktail menu. Stick around for live music most nights.

This tiny spot north of the Arboretum is a sweet, cheerful place to enjoy delicious Basque tapas, including chorizo with grilled bread, pan-seared tuna belly with vanilla-bean-infused oil, grilled sardines, and duck confit. There's an impressive selection of Spanish wine, sherry, and vermouth. Seats at the chef's counter are the most atmospheric, and some are set aside for walk-ins. 

Stop here for artisanal cocktails and tasty tapas before dinner, and it just might end up being your dinner spot. The rum is divine (ask for a free tasting)—there's a light and a dark, both skillfully distilled on-site in copper stills from Portugal using fresh local-spring water (come by between noon and 5 Wednesday through Saturday for a distillery tour). Try the rum straight or in an inventive cocktail, such as the local favorite Maharaja, which blends chai spices with ginger and lime.

Libations are the star here, but Neat has an intriguing, ever-changing menu of shareable small bites, too. The Tasting Room opens at 2 pm, so it's the perfect spot for an afternoon cocktail and nibbles while waiting for dinner reservations; the neighboring Bottle Shop sells artisanal spirits, wines, and craft beers as well as bar tools, and some of its offerings are from producers in and around 30A.

This warmly lighted, inviting downtown spot for Pacific Northwest–inspired Spanish tapas is adjacent to similarly excellent Burrata Bistro and is popular for its afternoon and late-night happy hours as well as for lunch and dinner. Paella is the big star here—it's studded with fresh local seafood, but you could easily make a meal of delicious tapas, including achiote-marinated beef short ribs over polenta, and roasted brussels sprouts with pancetta and manchego cheese.

This colorful Spanish-style tapas/pintxos bar deserves a spot especially if you need a quick bite with an appetite-stimulating vermouth-based aperitif before heading off to dinner. The food is delicious, with delightful ambience, and it's a not-to-miss for anyone who could use a night off from Italian. Try the fun pintxos bites like jamon croquetas and sobrasada bocadillo, a paprika-spiced soft salumi (sobresada) slathered on a roll and wedged with nutty Manchego cheese.

Sophisticated tapas—think grilled octopus in black ink sauce, pistachio-crusted veal sweetbreads with blackberries, and squash gnocchi—have made Zambra one of the most interesting restaurants in Asheville. Moorish colors, dim lighting, and an underground setting create a romantic atmosphere.