Highest-rated restaurants in California, Maryland by diners
Highest-rated restaurants in California, Maryland 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 California, 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.
#27. Red Robin Gourmet Burgers and Brews
- Rating: 3.0/5 (102 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 45305 Abell House Lane California, Maryland
- Categories: American, Burgers
- Read more on Yelp
#26. Panera Bread
- Rating: 3.0/5 (64 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 45250 Worth Avenue California, Maryland
- Categories: Sandwiches, Salad, Soup
- Read more on Yelp
#25. Chick-fil-A
- Rating: 3.0/5 (77 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 45150 First Colony Way California, Maryland
- Categories: Fast food, Chicken Shop, Salad
- Read more on Yelp
#24. IHOP
- Rating: 3.0/5 (25 reviews)
- Address: 45138 First Colony Blvd. California, Maryland
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Burgers, American
- Read more on Yelp
#23. Nicolletti's Pizza
- Rating: 3.5/5 (149 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 22741 Three Notch Road California, Maryland
- Categories: Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#22. Texas Roadhouse
- Rating: 3.5/5 (122 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 45255 Abell House Lane California, Maryland
- Categories: Steakhouses, Barbeque, American
- Read more on Yelp
#21. Okada Japanese Steak & Seafood
- Rating: 3.5/5 (111 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 23415 Three Notch Road Ste 2015 California, Maryland
- Categories: Japanese, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#20. Outback Steakhouse
- Rating: 3.5/5 (95 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 23415 Three Notch Road California, Maryland
- Categories: Steakhouses
- Read more on Yelp
#19. Olive Garden Italian Restaurant
- Rating: 3.5/5 (82 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 45265 Abell House Lane California, Maryland
- Categories: Italian, Salad, Soup
- Read more on Yelp
#18. Plaza Tolteca
- Rating: 3.5/5 (124 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 22769 3 Notch Road California, Maryland
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#17. Slim Chickens
- Rating: 3.5/5 (28 reviews)
- Address: 22622 Macarthur Blvd. California, Maryland
- Categories: Chicken Wings, Salad, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#16. Asahi Japanese Steak & Seafood House
- Rating: 3.5/5 (137 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 22576 MacArthur Blvd. Ste 302 California, Maryland
- Categories: Japanese, Sushi Bars, Steakhouses
- Read more on Yelp
#15. Potbelly Sandwich Shop
- Rating: 4.0/5 (38 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 23064 Three Notch Road Ste 101 California, Maryland
- Categories: Sandwiches, fast food, Salad
- Read more on Yelp
#14. Wawa
- Rating: 4.0/5 (20 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 23141 Three Notch Road California, Maryland
- Categories: Convenience Stores, Gas Stations, fast food
- Read more on Yelp
#13. Tropical Smoothie Cafe
- Rating: 4.0/5 (20 reviews)
- Address: 44980 St. Andrews Church Road California, Maryland
- Categories: Juice Bars & Smoothies, Sandwiches, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#12. Five Guys
- Rating: 4.0/5 (34 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 45250-B Worth Ave. California, Maryland
- Categories: Burgers, fast food
- Read more on Yelp
#11. Hong Kong Restaurant III
- Rating: 4.0/5 (42 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 45315 Alton Lane Unit 16060 California, Maryland
- Categories: Chinese
- Read more on Yelp
#10. Thai Inter
- Rating: 4.0/5 (168 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 22576 Macarthur Blvd. Ste 336 California, Maryland
- Categories: Thai, Seafood, Vegetarian
- Read more on Yelp
#9. Bollywood Masala
- Rating: 4.0/5 (292 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 23418 Three Notch Road California, Maryland
- Categories: Indian
- Read more on Yelp
#8. MOD Pizza
- Rating: 4.0/5 (72 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 44940 St. Andrews Church Road California, Maryland
- Categories: Fast food, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#7. Teariffic Cafe
- Rating: 4.0/5 (172 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 22576 MacArthur Blvd. California, Maryland
- Categories: Asian Fusion, Chinese, Juice Bars & Smoothies
- Read more on Yelp
#6. The Beanery Cafe & Bakery
- Rating: 4.0/5 (78 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 22741 Three Notch Road California, Maryland
- Categories: Cafes, Coffee & Tea, Bakeries
- Read more on Yelp
#5. Happy Seafood House
- Rating: 4.0/5 (31 reviews)
- Address: 22558 Macarthur Blvd. Ste 376 California, Maryland
- Categories: Seafood, Cajun/Creole
- Read more on Yelp
#4. The Jamaican Grill
- Rating: 4.0/5 (34 reviews)
- Address: 23105 Three Notch Road California, Maryland
- Categories: Caribbean, Food Trucks
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Mezeh
- Rating: 4.5/5 (32 reviews)
- Address: 45000 St. Andrews Church Road Bldg 5 Unit A California, Maryland
- Categories: Mediterranean, Salad, Halal
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Mission BBQ
- Rating: 4.5/5 (288 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 22599 MacArthur Blvd. Ste 136C California, Maryland
- Categories: Barbeque
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Woo's Kitchen Korean Grill Express
- Rating: 4.5/5 (98 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 22558 MacArthur Blvd. Ste 378 California, Maryland
- Categories: Korean
- 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.
