OpenTable, a leading provider of free, real-time online restaurant reservations for diners and reservation and guest management solutions for restaurants, is pleased to announce the 2012 Diners’ Choice Award winners for Top 100 Hot Spot Restaurants in the United States. These awards reflect the combined opinions of nearly 5 million reviews submitted by verified OpenTable diners for more than 12,000 restaurants in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
Winning restaurants are scattered throughout 18 states and Washington, D.C. California is king of the hot spot restaurants, taking 25 places on the list of winners. New York comes in second, with 20 winning restaurants. The sunny state of Florida is chock full of trendy restaurants, handily placing third with 15 winners. Illinois accounts for 11 honorees, followed by Nevada with seven standouts and Texas with six. Georgia restaurants earned three places while Tennessee boasts two. Colorado, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, and Washington D.C. are also represented.
“Going to any of these dining hot spots feels like you’re at the hippest party in town, only you don’t need an invitation – just a reservation,” says Caroline Potter, OpenTable’s Chief Dining Officer. “Beyond the buzz of innovative food and cocktails, each restaurant has electricity in the air that creates communal excitement. Diners feel like they’re part of an exclusive experience.”
The Diners’ Choice Awards for the Top 100 Hot Spot Restaurants is generated from nearly 5 million reviews collected from verified OpenTable diners between March 1, 2011 and February 29, 2012. All restaurants with a minimum number of qualifying reviews were included for consideration. Restaurants were then scored and sorted according to the percentage of qualifying reviews for which “hot spot” was selected as a special feature.
Based on this methodology, the following restaurants, listed in alphabetical order, comprise the Top 100 Hot Spot Restaurants in the U.S. according to OpenTable diners. The complete list may also be viewed at http://www.opentable.com/hotspots.
2012 Diners’ Choice Award Winners for Top 100 Hot Spot Restaurants in the U.S.
25 Lusk – San Francisco, California
Abe & Arthur’s – New York, New York
Asellina Ristorante – New York, New York
B.B. King’s Blues Club – Memphis, Tennessee
The Bazaar by Jose Andres – Los Angeles, California
Beaumarchais – New York, New York
Beauty and Essex – New York, New York
BOA Steakhouse – West Hollywood, California
Bond Street Social – Baltimore, Maryland
Broadway by Amar Santana – Laguna Beach, California
Buccan – Palm Beach, Florida
Buddakan – New York, New York
Burlap – San Diego, California
Campo – Reno, Nevada
Catch – New York, New York
Chino Latino – Minneapolis, Minnesota
Cleo-SBE – Los Angeles, California
CO-OP Food & Drink – New York, New York
The Darby – New York, New York
Del Frisco’s Grille – Dallas, Texas
Departure Restaurant and Lounge – Portland, Oregon
do Restaurant at the View – Atlanta, Georgia
Dragonfly at Hotel ZaZa – Dallas, Texas
Drunken Fish – Kansas City, Missouri
Enso Asian Bistro & Sushi Bar – Charlotte, North Carolina
Fig & Olive – West Hollywood, California
Geisha House – Hollywood, California
Gilt Bar – Chicago, Illinois
Girl & the Goat – Chicago, Illinois
GT Fish and Oyster – Chicago, Illinois
HUB 51 – Chicago, Illinois
The Hurricane Club – New York, New York
Imperial No. Nine – New York, New York
ink. – Los Angeles, California
Jaleo-The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas – Las Vegas, Nevada
Katana – West Hollywood, California
Katsuya-Brentwood-SBE – Brentwood, California
Katsuya-Hollywood-SBE – Los Angeles, California
Katsuya-LA LIVE – Los Angeles, California
Katsuya-Laguna Beach-SBE – Laguna Beach, California
Koi – West Hollywood, California
Lavo – Las Vegas, Nevada
Lavo NYC – New York, New York
Linger – Denver, Colorado
The Lion – New York, New York
Lost Society – Washington, D.C.
Lulu California Bistro – Palm Springs, California
Manhattan Beach Post – Manhattan Beach, California
Marble Lane – New York, New York
Maudes liquor bar – Chicago, Illinois
Meat Market – Miami Beach, Florida
Mercadito – Chicago, Illinois
Mercato di Vetro – West Hollywood, California
Mr. Chow-Beverly Hills – Beverly Hills, California
Mr. Chow-Miami – Miami, Florida
N9NE Steakhouse – Las Vegas, Nevada
Nada – Cincinnati, Ohio
Nikko Japanese Restaurant – Charlotte, North Carolina
Nisen – Woodbury, New York
Nobu Miami – Miami Beach, Florida
The Office – Delray Beach, Florida
Paris Club – Chicago, Illinois
Picca – Los Angeles, California
Prato – Winter Park, Florida
Prime Italian – Miami Beach, Florida
Private Social – Dallas, Texas
The Pump Room – Chicago, Illinois
Red Ginger – Traverse City, Michigan
Red Lantern – Boston, Massachusetts
Red Rooster Harlem – New York, New York
Rocco’s Tacos & Tequila Bar – Boca Raton, Florida
Rocco’s Tacos & Tequila Bar – Fort Lauderdale, Florida
ROKA AKOR – Chicago, Illinois
Searsucker – San Diego, California
Sino Restaurant & Lounge – San Jose, California
The Standard Grill – New York, New York
The Stanton Social – New York, New York
STK-Los Angeles – West Hollywood, California
STK-Miami – Miami, Florida
STK-NYC-Meatpacking – New York, New York
STK-The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas – Las Vegas, Nevada
SUGARCANE raw bar grill – Miami, Florida
Sunda – Chicago, Illinois
SUSHISAMBA dromo – Miami Beach, Florida
SUSHISAMBA strip – Las Vegas, Nevada
Tao – New York, New York
Tao Restaurant and Nightclub – Las Vegas, Nevada
Tavernita – Chicago, Illinois
Toku Modern Asian – Manhasset, New York
Triniti – Houston, Texas
Trio Restaurant – Palm Springs, California
Twist – Atlanta, Georgia
TWO urban licks – Atlanta, Georgia
Uchi – Houston, Texas
Uchiko – Austin, Texas
Virago – Nashville, Tennessee
Wang’s in the Desert – Palm Springs, California
Yardbird Southern Table & Bar – Miami Beach, Florida
YOLO – Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Zuma Japanese Restaurant – Miami, Florida
Diners can also read more about the Diners’ Choice Awards for the Top 100 Hot Spot Restaurants in the U.S. by visiting OpenTable Chief Dining Officer Caroline Potter’s “Dining Check” blog.
