Spring has sprung! For weary patrons eager to get back on the scene following a long winter, OpenTable, the world’s leading provider of online restaurant reservations and part of Bookings Holdings, Inc., has released its list of 100 Best Restaurants in America for a Big Night Out. Whether searching for an upbeat locale for drinks with the girls, show stopping views for an anniversary celebration, or lively ambience for a birthday surprise, the top 100 list delivers on delicious fare with flair – the perfect backdrop for a fun night out.
“The list features an array of buzzworthy restaurants, from up-and-coming to established, trendy to tried-and-true, across 24 states and Washington D.C.” said Caroline Potter, Chief Dining Officer at OpenTable. “Whatever your notion of a big night out entails, whether it’s a bustling bar scene or a spot to see-and-be-seen, fun is on the menu at any of these honorees.”
With 18 restaurants on the list, California claimed the highest number of restaurants for a night on the town, with Florida in hot pursuit with 17. Fifty cities, from coast to coast, are also featured. New York and Las Vegas appear more than any other destination on the list; though trailing closely behind is Chicago with seven restaurants, including Girl & the Goat and RPM Italian & RPM Steak.
The list of the 100 Best Restaurants for a Big Night Out is generated solely from more than 12 million verified OpenTable diner reviews collected between February 1, 2017, and January 31, 2018. All restaurants with a minimum “overall” score and number of qualifying reviews were included for consideration. Qualifying restaurants were then scored and sorted according to the percentage of reviews for which “hot spot” was selected as a special feature.
Based on this methodology, the following restaurants, listed in alphabetical order, comprise the 100 Best Restaurants for a Big Night Out in America for 2018, according to OpenTable diners.
Al Biernat’s – Oak Lawn – Dallas, Texas
Andina – Portland, Oregon
Battalion – San Antonio, Texas
Beauty & Essex – Multiple Locations
Bestia – Los Angeles, California
Blend on the Water – Long Island City, New York
The Boathouse – Lake Buena Vista, Florida
Brewery Bhavana – Raleigh, North Carolina
Buddakan – Multiple Locations
Campfire – Carlsbad, California
Campiello- Naples, Florida
Carmine’s – 44th Street – New York, New York
Carnivale – Chicago, Illinois
Carson’s Food & Drink – Lexington, Kentucky
Catch – Multiple Locations
Charlie’s of Bay Head – Bay Head, New Jersey
Coasterra – San Diego, California
Compère Lapin – New Orleans, Louisiana
Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurant – Multiple Locations
Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steak House – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Departure Restaurant and Lounge – Portland, Oregon
Double Knot – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Duck Duck Goat – Chicago, Illinois
El Five – Denver, Colorado
El Vez – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Flight Restaurant & Wine Bar- Memphis, Tennessee
Gato – New York, New York
Giada – The Cromwell – Las Vegas, Nevada
Gibsons Bar & Steakhouse- Chicago, Illinois
Girl & the Goat – Chicago, Illinois
Gordon Ramsay Steak – Paris Las Vegas – Las Vegas, Nevada
Gracias Madre – West Hollywood, California
GW Fins- New Orleans, Louisiana
Halls Chophouse- Charleston, South Carolina
Harp & Crown – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Hell’s Kitchen Minneapolis- Minneapolis, Minnesota
Herb & Wood- San Diego, California
Husk – Charleston- Charleston, South Carolina
Ironside Fish & Oyster-San Diego, California
Ivan Ramen- New York, New York
Ivy- West Hollywood, California
Juniper & Ivy- San Diego, California
Juvia- Miami, Florida
Kaluz Restaurant- Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Komodo- Miami, Florida
KYU- Miami, Florida
The Lark- Santa Barbara, California
Le Diplomate- Washington, DC
Linger- Denver, Colorado
Louie Bossi’s Ristorante Bar Pizzeria- Fort Lauderdale, Florida
LUCA- Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Maple & Ash- Chicago, Illinois
Mariposa- Sedona, Arizona
Mastro’s Ocean Club- Newport Beach, California
Meril- New Orleans, Louisiana
Moku Kitchen- Honolulu, Hawaii
Momofuku Las Vegas- Las Vegas, Nevada
Mora Italian- Phoenix, Arizona
Morimoto Asia- Lake Buena Vista, Florida
Myers + Chang- Boston, Massachusetts
Nobu – Caesars Palace Las Vegas- Las Vegas, Nevada
North Italia – BLVD- Houston, Texas
Ocean Prime – Naples, Florida
Old Ebbitt Grill- Washington, DC
The Optimist- Atlanta, Georgia
Otium- Los Angeles, California
Oxford Exchange- Tampa, Florida
Parc- Detroit, Michigan
The Pearl- Columbus, Ohio
Perch LA- Los Angeles, California
Pump- West Hollywood, California
Red Ash Italia- Austin, Texas
Red Rooster Harlem- New York, New York
Republique- Los Angeles, California
RPM Italian & Steak – Multiple Locations
Sacred Pepper – Tampa, Florida
Sampan- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Sixty Vines- Plano, Texas
Sotto- Cincinnati, Ohio
Southern Social- Germantown, Tennessee
St. Elmo Steak House – Indianapolis, Indiana
Steak 44- Phoenix, Arizona
Steak 48- Houston, Texas
Steve & Cookie’s By the Bay- Margate, New Jersey
STK- Multiple locations
SumoMaya Mexican – Asian Kitchen- Scottsdale, Arizona
Tao- Multiple locations
The Tropicale- Palm Springs, California
Town- San Carlos, California
TWO urban licks- Atlanta, Georgia
Uchi- Austin, Texas
Ulele-Tampa, Florida
Uncle Julio’s – Brentwood- Brentwood, Tennessee
Urban Grub- Nashville, Tennessee
Vandal- New York, New York
Water Grill – South Coast Plaza – Costa Mesa, California
Woodberry Kitchen – Baltimore, Maryland
Yardbird Southern Table & Bar – Miami Beach, Florida
Yvonne’s- Boston, Massachusetts
Zahav- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
The complete list may also be viewed at: https://www.opentable.com/m/100-best-restaurants-for-a-big-night-out-2018/.