Highest-rated restaurants in Lexington by diners
Highest-rated restaurants in Lexington 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 say they rarely or never try a new restaurant they haven't been to before, according to a 2024 survey of more than 1,500 diners from TouchBistro.
But those numbers look quite different when you focus on younger generations—67% of Gen Zers and 40% 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 social media or online restaurant reviews, through sites like Yelp or Google. The TouchBistro survey found that 52% of Gen Zers have opted to try a new restaurant due to positive feedback on social media, and 67% of millennials have gone to a new dining spot solely because of favorable reviews online.
New restaurants in particular tend to garner a lot of online attention. About 50,000 new restaurants open each year in the U.S., and that number continues to rise. An analysis by Yelp published in June 2024 found that new restaurant openings were up 6% from May 2023 to April 2024. But some of the best restaurants in your neck of the woods might be those established eateries that customers have been visiting for decades.
To help you determine which spots—both new and long-standing—to try out, Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated restaurants in Lexington, according to Yelp reviews from diners as of January 2025. Only restaurants with at least 20 reviews and a 3.0 rating were considered. Read on to find some inspiration for the next time you dine out.
#30. La Taquiza
- Rating: 4.6/5 (155 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 130 West Tiverton Way Ste 190 Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#29. Sahara Mediterranean Cuisine
- Rating: 4.6/5 (459 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3061 Fieldstone Way Ste 1200 Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: Mediterranean
- Read more on Yelp
#28. Bella Cafe and Grille
- Rating: 4.6/5 (120 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 890 East High St. Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: Beer, Wine & Spirits, Breakfast & Brunch, American
- Read more on Yelp
#27. Omakase Sushi & Sake Bar
- Rating: 4.6/5 (68 reviews)
- Address: 848 East High St. Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: Sushi Bars, Japanese, Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#26. The Obstinate Sons
- Rating: 4.6/5 (26 reviews)
- Address: 829 Chevy Chase Place Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: American, Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#25. Beau's cafe
- Rating: 4.6/5 (65 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3191 Beaumont Centre Cir Ste 150 Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Coffee & Tea, Gluten-Free
- Read more on Yelp
#24. Java Jukebox Cafe & Eatery
- Rating: 4.6/5 (24 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 640 West Maxwell St. Ste 130 Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Coffee & Tea, Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
#23. Mazunte Bodega - Lexington
- Rating: 4.6/5 (30 reviews)
- Address: 903 Manchester St. Ste 150 Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: Mexican, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#22. Taco Time
- Rating: 4.6/5 (25 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2128 Nicholasville Road Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: Food Trucks, Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#21. South of Wrigley
- Rating: 4.7/5 (72 reviews)
- Address: 472 Southland Drive Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: Sandwiches, Hot Dogs
- Read more on Yelp
#20. Tortillería Y Taquería Ramírez
- Rating: 4.7/5 (219 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1429 Alexandria Drive Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#19. DV8 Kitchen
- Rating: 4.7/5 (71 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 594 East Third St. Ste 100 Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: Bakeries, Breakfast & Brunch, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#18. Pepper's Mexican Grill
- Rating: 4.7/5 (25 reviews)
- Address: 4750 Hartland Pkwy Ste 162 Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#17. México Mi Amor
- Rating: 4.7/5 (22 reviews)
- Address: 780 North Limestone Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: Mexican, Salad
- Read more on Yelp
#16. Viva Mexico Mexican Cuisine
- Rating: 4.7/5 (46 reviews)
- Address: 2573 Richmond Road Ste 170 Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#15. Wing KYng
- Rating: 4.7/5 (47 reviews)
- Address: 101 West Loudon Ave. Unit 110 Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: Chicken Wings
- Read more on Yelp
#14. Maria's Mexican Cuisine
- Rating: 4.7/5 (218 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1079 East New Circle Road Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#13. Moody Mike's
- Rating: 4.7/5 (25 reviews)
- Address: 962 Delaware Ave. Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: Vegan, Food Trucks
- Read more on Yelp
#12. Archa Nine Thai Kitchen - South Elkhorn Village
- Rating: 4.7/5 (25 reviews)
- Address: 4371 Old Harrodsburg Road Ste 160 Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: Thai, Asian Fusion
- Read more on Yelp
#11. DV8 Kitchen
- Rating: 4.7/5 (823 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 867 South Broadway Ste 140 Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: Bakeries, Sandwiches, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#10. favor
- Rating: 4.7/5 (47 reviews)
- Address: 574 North Limestone Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: New American, Diners
- Read more on Yelp
#9. El Patio
- Rating: 4.7/5 (118 reviews)
- Address: 2628 Richmond Road Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: Mexican, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#8. Big Kahuna
- Rating: 4.7/5 (329 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 904 Liberty Road Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: Burgers, Sandwiches, Hawaiian
- Read more on Yelp
#7. Genesis Coffee House & Eatery
- Rating: 4.8/5 (28 reviews)
- Address: 1403 North Forbes Road Ste 130 Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#6. Georgetown Cafe
- Rating: 4.8/5 (30 reviews)
- Address: 417 Georgetown St. Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: Cajun/Creole, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#5. Bourbon n' Toulouse
- Rating: 4.8/5 (90 reviews)
- Address: 1781 Sharkey Way Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: Gluten-Free, Vegetarian, Cajun/Creole
- Read more on Yelp
#4. Blue Skillet
- Rating: 4.8/5 (29 reviews)
- Address: 213 East 7th St. Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: Soul Food
- Read more on Yelp
#3. High on Art & Coffee
- Rating: 4.8/5 (91 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 523 East High St. Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Arts & Crafts, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Dad's Favorites
- Rating: 4.8/5 (453 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 820 Lane Allen Road Ste 148 Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: Delis, Soup
- Read more on Yelp
#1. JY Kitchen
- Rating: 5.0/5 (63 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1006 Delaware Ave. Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: Korean
- Read more on Yelp
This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Jaimie Etkin, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 318 metros.
