Highest-rated restaurants in Bloomington by diners
Highest-rated restaurants in Bloomington by diners
Humans are creatures of habit. We tend to stick to our morning routines, rewatch movies we've seen time and time again, and hit up the same tried-and-true restaurants when going out for a meal. In fact, 35% of Americans said they rarely, if ever, try a new restaurant they haven't been to before, and 5% say they never do, according to a survey of more than 2,600 diners from TouchBistro.
But those numbers look quite different when you focus on younger generations—56% of Gen Zers and 47% of millennials in the U.S. say they visit new restaurants once a month or more. When it comes to deciding which new restaurant to try, younger generations are also more likely to rely on online reviews, through sites like Yelp or Google or from social media. The TouchBistro survey found that 71% of Gen Zers and 72% of millennials have opted to try a new restaurant solely because of favorable reviews online.
Some of the best restaurants in your neck of the woods might be those established spots that customers have been visiting for decades, but some may be brand new. More than 10,000 new restaurants opened in 2023, up 5.7% from 2022, according to a report from BentoBox. The states that saw the most new restaurants open up in 2023 were Florida, Texas, California, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania, but new locales are popping up all over the U.S.
To help you determine which spots—both new and long-standing—to try out, Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated restaurants in Bloomington, according to Yelp reviews from diners as of January 2024. Only restaurants with at least 20 reviews were considered. Read on to find some inspiration for the next time you dine out.
Note: The photos in this article are stock images and do not necessarily reflect each restaurant listed.
#30. C3 Bar
- Rating: 4.0/5 (117 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1505 South Piazza Drive Bloomington, Indiana
- Categories: Cocktail Bars, Tapas/Small Plates
- Read more on Yelp
#29. Anyetsang Little Tibet Restaurant
- Rating: 4.0/5 (202 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 415 East 4th St. Bloomington, Indiana
- Categories: Himalayan/Nepalese, Thai, Indian
- Read more on Yelp
#28. Nourish Bar
- Rating: 4.0/5 (20 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 217 West 6th St. Bloomington, Indiana
- Categories: Salad, Soup, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#27. Uptown Cafe
- Rating: 4.0/5 (679 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 102 East Kirkwood Ave. Bloomington, Indiana
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Cajun/Creole, American
- Read more on Yelp
#26. Judy's Kitchen
- Rating: 4.0/5 (66 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2894 East 3rd St. Bloomington, Indiana
- Categories: Taiwanese, Chinese
- Read more on Yelp
#25. Siam House
- Rating: 4.5/5 (210 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 430 East 4th St. Bloomington, Indiana
- Categories: Thai
- Read more on Yelp
#24. Korea Restaurant
- Rating: 4.5/5 (99 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 409 East 4th St. Bloomington, Indiana
- Categories: Korean
- Read more on Yelp
#23. Bloomington Brewing Company
- Rating: 4.5/5 (30 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 514 East Kirkwood Ave. Bloomington, Indiana
- Categories: Breweries, American
- Read more on Yelp
#22. The Chocolate Moose
- Rating: 4.5/5 (208 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 405 South Walnut St. Bloomington, Indiana
- Categories: Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt, Desserts, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#21. Mother Bear's Pizza Campus
- Rating: 4.5/5 (801 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1428 East 3rd St. Bloomington, Indiana
- Categories: Pizza, Salad, Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#20. Longfei
- Rating: 4.5/5 (134 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 113 South Grant St. Bloomington, Indiana
- Categories: Chinese, Seafood, Noodles
- Read more on Yelp
#19. The Owlery Restaurant
- Rating: 4.5/5 (340 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 118 West 6th St. Bloomington, Indiana
- Categories: Vegan, Vegetarian, American
- Read more on Yelp
#18. Lucky Express
- Rating: 4.5/5 (178 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 307 East 3rd St. Bloomington, Indiana
- Categories: Chinese
- Read more on Yelp
#17. Lan Ramen & Aqua Tea
- Rating: 4.5/5 (35 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 250 South Washington St. Bloomington, Indiana
- Categories: Tea Rooms, Ramen
- Read more on Yelp
#16. Feast Market & Cellar
- Rating: 4.5/5 (129 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 407 West Patterson Drive Bloomington, Indiana
- Categories: Bakeries, New American, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#15. Happy Thai Restaurant
- Rating: 4.5/5 (49 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 519 South Walnut St. Bloomington, Indiana
- Categories: Thai
- Read more on Yelp
#14. Culver's
- Rating: 4.5/5 (51 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1918 West 3rd St. Bloomington, Indiana
- Categories: Burgers, Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt, fast food
- Read more on Yelp
#13. Chop Shop Market & Table
- Rating: 4.5/5 (30 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1915 South Walnut St. Bloomington, Indiana
- Categories: Butcher, Delis, Bakeries
- Read more on Yelp
#12. Samira Restaurant
- Rating: 4.5/5 (239 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 100 West 6th St. Bloomington, Indiana
- Categories: Afghan, Salad, Soup
- Read more on Yelp
#11. The Elm
- Rating: 4.5/5 (64 reviews)
- Address: 614 East 2nd St. Bloomington, Indiana
- Categories: New American
- Read more on Yelp
#10. Parlor Doughnuts
- Rating: 4.5/5 (42 reviews)
- Address: 322 East Kirkwood Ave. Bloomington, Indiana
- Categories: Donuts, Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#9. Cardinal Spirits
- Rating: 4.5/5 (229 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 922 South Morton St. Bloomington, Indiana
- Categories: Cocktail Bars, Distilleries, New American
- Read more on Yelp
#8. Turkuaz Cafe
- Rating: 4.5/5 (410 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 301 East 3rd St. Bloomington, Indiana
- Categories: Mediterranean, Turkish, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#7. Rainbow Bakery
- Rating: 4.5/5 (134 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 201 South Rogers I Fell Building Bloomington, Indiana
- Categories: Bakeries, Vegan, Gluten-Free
- Read more on Yelp
#6. Roly Poly
- Rating: 4.5/5 (41 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1616 West 3rd St. Bloomington, Indiana
- Categories: Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#5. Switchyard Brewing Company
- Rating: 4.5/5 (129 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 419 North Walnut St. Bloomington, Indiana
- Categories: Venues & Event Spaces, Pizza, Brewpubs
- Read more on Yelp
#4. Toto's Uncle Cafe
- Rating: 4.5/5 (99 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3297 East Covenanter Drive Bloomington, Indiana
- Categories: Korean, Noodles
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Doner Kebab
- Rating: 4.5/5 (32 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 304 East Kirkwood Ave. Bloomington, Indiana
- Categories: Kebab, Food Trucks
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Hoosier Seoulmate Korean Restaurant
- Rating: 4.5/5 (61 reviews)
- Address: 1614 West 3rd St. Bloomington, Indiana
- Categories: Korean
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Gables Bagels
- Rating: 5.0/5 (43 reviews)
- Address: 421 East 3rd St. Ste 10 Bloomington, Indiana
- Categories: Bagels, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Jaimie Etkin, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 331 metros.