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 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 California, 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.

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#26. Chick-fil-A

- Rating: 3.0/5 (93 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 45150 First Colony Way California, Maryland
- Categories: Fast food, Chicken Shop, Salad
- Read more on Yelp

2 / 26

#25. Panera Bread

- Rating: 3.1/5 (71 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 45250 Worth Ave. California, Maryland
- Categories: Sandwiches, Salad, Soup
- Read more on Yelp

3 / 26

#24. Tia's Cantina

- Rating: 3.2/5 (25 reviews)
- Address: 23415 Three Notch Road California, Maryland
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

4 / 26

#23. Okada Japanese Steak & Seafood

- Rating: 3.2/5 (122 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 23415 Three Notch Road Ste 2015 California, Maryland
- Categories: Japanese, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp

5 / 26

#22. Plaza Tolteca

- Rating: 3.3/5 (135 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 22769 3 Notch Road California, Maryland
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

6 / 26

#21. Nicolletti's Pizza

- Rating: 3.3/5 (166 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 22741 Three Notch Road California, Maryland
- Categories: Pizza
- Read more on Yelp

7 / 26

#20. Texas Roadhouse

- Rating: 3.3/5 (132 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 45255 Abell House Lane California, Maryland
- Categories: Steakhouses, Barbecue, American
- Read more on Yelp

8 / 26

#19. Outback Steakhouse

- Rating: 3.4/5 (108 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 23415 Three Notch Road California, Maryland
- Categories: Steakhouses
- Read more on Yelp

9 / 26

#18. Olive Garden Italian Restaurant

- Rating: 3.5/5 (90 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 45265 Abell House Lane California, Maryland
- Categories: Italian, Salad, Soup
- Read more on Yelp

10 / 26

#17. Asahi Japanese Steak & Seafood House

- Rating: 3.5/5 (146 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 22576 MacArthur Blvd. Ste 302 California, Maryland
- Categories: Japanese, Sushi Bars, Steakhouses
- Read more on Yelp

11 / 26

#16. Slim Chickens

- Rating: 3.7/5 (41 reviews)
- Address: 22622 Macarthur Blvd. California, Maryland
- Categories: Chicken Wings, Salad, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp

12 / 26

#15. Tropical Smoothie Cafe

- Rating: 3.7/5 (21 reviews)
- Address: 44980 St. Andrews Church Road California, Maryland
- Categories: Juice Bars & Smoothies, Sandwiches, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp

13 / 26

#14. Wawa

- Rating: 3.7/5 (23 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 23141 Three Notch Road California, Maryland
- Categories: Convenience Stores, Gas Stations, fast food
- Read more on Yelp

14 / 26

#13. Potbelly Sandwich Shop

- Rating: 3.9/5 (41 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 23064 Three Notch Road Ste 101 California, Maryland
- Categories: Sandwiches, fast food, Salad
- Read more on Yelp

15 / 26

#12. The Jamaican Grill

- Rating: 3.9/5 (43 reviews)
- Address: 23105 Three Notch Road California, Maryland
- Categories: Caribbean, Food Trucks
- Read more on Yelp

16 / 26

#11. Five Guys

- Rating: 3.9/5 (37 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 45250-B Worth Ave. California, Maryland
- Categories: Burgers, fast food
- Read more on Yelp

17 / 26

#10. Bollywood Masala

- Rating: 3.9/5 (310 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 23418 Three Notch Road California, Maryland
- Categories: Indian
- Read more on Yelp

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#9. Thai Inter

- Rating: 3.9/5 (181 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 22576 Macarthur Blvd. Ste 336 California, Maryland
- Categories: Thai, Seafood, Vegetarian
- Read more on Yelp

19 / 26

#8. MOD Pizza

- Rating: 3.9/5 (77 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 44940 St. Andrews Church Road California, Maryland
- Categories: Fast food, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp

20 / 26

#7. Teariffic Cafe

- Rating: 4.0/5 (185 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 22576 MacArthur Blvd. California, Maryland
- Categories: Asian Fusion, Chinese, Juice Bars & Smoothies
- Read more on Yelp

21 / 26

#6. Hong Kong Restaurant III

- Rating: 4.0/5 (47 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 45315 Alton Lane Unit 16060 California, Maryland
- Categories: Chinese
- Read more on Yelp

22 / 26

#5. Happy Seafood House

- Rating: 4.1/5 (35 reviews)
- Address: 22558 Macarthur Blvd. Ste 376 California, Maryland
- Categories: Seafood, Cajun/Creole
- Read more on Yelp

23 / 26

#4. The Beanery Cafe & Bakery

- Rating: 4.1/5 (94 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 22741 Three Notch Road California, Maryland
- Categories: Cafes, Coffee & Tea, Bakeries
- Read more on Yelp

24 / 26

#3. Mission BBQ

- Rating: 4.2/5 (300 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 22599 MacArthur Blvd. Ste 136C California, Maryland
- Categories: Barbecue
- Read more on Yelp

25 / 26

#2. Mezeh

- Rating: 4.3/5 (57 reviews)
- Address: 45000 St. Andrews Church Road Bldg 5 Unit A California, Maryland
- Categories: Mediterranean, Salad, Halal
- Read more on Yelp

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26 / 26

#1. Woo's Kitchen Korean Grill Express

- Rating: 4.6/5 (105 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 22558 MacArthur Blvd. Ste 378 California, Maryland
- 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.