Highest-rated restaurants in Lake Charles by diners
Highest-rated restaurants in Lake Charles 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 Lake Charles, 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. Toga Grill
- Rating: 4.0/5 (87 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4439 Nelson Road Lake Charles, Louisiana
- Categories: Mediterranean, Lebanese
- Read more on Yelp
#29. Tia Juanitas Fish Camp
- Rating: 4.0/5 (193 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 723 Ryan St. Lake Charles, Louisiana
- Categories: Mexican, Cajun/Creole, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#28. Ball's Fried Chick-N
- Rating: 4.0/5 (45 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 606 Enterprise Blvd. Lake Charles, Louisiana
- Categories: Chicken Wings
- Read more on Yelp
#27. Stellar Beans
- Rating: 4.0/5 (130 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 319 Broad St. Lake Charles, Louisiana
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Sandwiches, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#26. Nogal Mexican Cuisine Bar
- Rating: 4.5/5 (31 reviews)
- Address: 1776 West Prien Lake Road Ste East Lake Charles, Louisiana
- Categories: Mexican, Seafood, Sports Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#25. Pizza Artista
- Rating: 4.5/5 (62 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 420 A West Prien Lake Road Lake Charles, Louisiana
- Categories: Pizza, Salad
- Read more on Yelp
#24. Ember Grille & Wine Bar
- Rating: 4.5/5 (91 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 777 Avenue L'Auberge Lake Charles, Louisiana
- Categories: Steakhouses, New American, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#23. Famous Foods
- Rating: 4.5/5 (65 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1475 Gertsner Memorial Drive Lake Charles, Louisiana
- Categories: Barbeque, Chicken Wings, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#22. Cotten's Famous Hamburgers
- Rating: 4.5/5 (126 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2001 Oak Park Blvd. Lake Charles, Louisiana
- Categories: Burgers, Salad, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#21. Botsky's
- Rating: 4.5/5 (123 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 104 West Pujo St. Ste 100 Lake Charles, Louisiana
- Categories: Hot Dogs, Beer Bar, Burgers
- Read more on Yelp
#20. Leonard's Food Quarters
- Rating: 4.5/5 (165 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1708 Gerstner Memorial Drive Lake Charles, Louisiana
- Categories: Seafood, Breakfast & Brunch, Soul Food
- Read more on Yelp
#19. Calla
- Rating: 4.5/5 (138 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 1400 Market St. Lake Charles, Louisiana
- Categories: New American, Gastropubs
- Read more on Yelp
#18. BBQ West
- Rating: 4.5/5 (86 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2618 Derek Drive Lake Charles, Louisiana
- Categories: Barbeque
- Read more on Yelp
#17. Darrell's
- Rating: 4.5/5 (606 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 119 West College St. Lake Charles, Louisiana
- Categories: Sandwiches, Bars, Barbeque
- Read more on Yelp
#16. Shwarmas
- Rating: 4.5/5 (26 reviews)
- Address: 2401 Ryan St. Lake Charles, Louisiana
- Categories: Lebanese, Desserts, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#15. Bodega Wine Dive
- Rating: 4.5/5 (23 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3505 Country Club Road Lake Charles, Louisiana
- Categories: Pizza, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#14. Victoria's Taqueria
- Rating: 4.5/5 (70 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1004 Broad St. Lake Charles, Louisiana
- Categories: Mexican, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#13. The Villa Harlequin
- Rating: 4.5/5 (65 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 324 Pujo St. Lake Charles, Louisiana
- Categories: Italian, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#12. The Kitchen
- Rating: 4.5/5 (47 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 417 Prewitt St. Lake Charles, Louisiana
- Categories: Southern
- Read more on Yelp
#11. Buffi's Peauxboys
- Rating: 4.5/5 (56 reviews)
- Address: 345 Broad St. Lake Charles, Louisiana
- Categories: Sandwiches, Salad, Cajun/Creole
- Read more on Yelp
#10. Prime Butcher & Brasserie
- Rating: 4.5/5 (51 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3505 Country Club Road Lake Charles, Louisiana
- Categories: Burgers, Meat Shops, Steakhouses
- Read more on Yelp
#9. Crying Eagle Brewing
- Rating: 4.5/5 (103 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1165 East Mcneese St. Lake Charles, Louisiana
- Categories: Breweries, Pizza, Beer Tours
- Read more on Yelp
#8. UMAMI Japanese Restaurant Lake Charles
- Rating: 4.5/5 (32 reviews)
- Address: 915 East Prien Lake Road Lake Charles, Louisiana
- Categories: Japanese, Sushi Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#7. Crawfish Boil-N-Go
- Rating: 4.5/5 (27 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 823 University Drive Lake Charles, Louisiana
- Categories: Cajun/Creole, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#6. La Truffe Sauvage
- Rating: 4.5/5 (63 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 815 West Bayou Pines Drive Lake Charles, Louisiana
- Categories: French, Desserts, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#5. The Bekery
- Rating: 5.0/5 (158 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2040 East Walnut St. Lake Charles, Louisiana
- Categories: Cafes, Breakfast & Brunch, Bakeries
- Read more on Yelp
#4. Great Harvest Bread
- Rating: 5.0/5 (62 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 4112 Lake St. Ste 100 Lake Charles, Louisiana
- Categories: Bakeries, Sandwiches, Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Mama Reta's Kitchen
- Rating: 5.0/5 (263 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1916 Belden St. Lake Charles, Louisiana
- Categories: Soul Food
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Biscuits & Jamz
- Rating: 5.0/5 (72 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1620 North Simmons St. Ste B Lake Charles, Louisiana
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Area 337
- Rating: 5.0/5 (31 reviews)
- Address: 2500 Kirkman St. Lake Charles, Louisiana
- Categories: Puerto Rican, Colombian
- 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.
