Highest-rated fine dining restaurants in the Johnson City area by diners
Highest-rated fine dining restaurants in the Johnson City area by diners
Fine dining in the United States isn't what it used to be. Many customers are no longer interested in classic white tablecloths and 16-ounce New York strips; these days, it's all about cutting-edge culinary experiences.
Although steakhouses have defined fine dining in America since the 19th century, that started to change in the mid-1990s. Elite chefs like Thomas Keller and his three-Michelin-starred restaurant, French Laundry, unearthed a whole different kind of tasting experience (with 40 courses), and a new age of fine dining was born. Soon, prix fixe meals—a French style of serving with a set menu—became the norm for fine dining in the U.S.
Between the rise of chefs' tasting menus and consumers' continued desire to have diverse culinary experiences, the restaurants that grace the pages of top-tier restaurant reviewers like Zagat or the Michelin Guide look very different today than they did 30 years ago. Restaurant goers aren't just looking for high-quality food. They want the type of menu that will tell a story. They want creative ingredients they've never tried before. They want to be transported into a whole new world.
With so many innovative menus and restaurant experiences popping up across America, it can be challenging to choose where to go for a special evening. Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated fine dining restaurants in the Johnson City area using data from Yelp. Businesses were selected using Yelp's ranking system, which calculates an adjusted rating value that takes into account the number of ratings as well as the rating score itself.
Only businesses with at least five reviews and at least level 2 pricing (i.e., $$ to $$$$) were considered. Also, in an effort to highlight independent businesses and local chains, those with five or more locations nationally (based on Yelp data) were not included. Restaurants in certain lower-cost categories (like "diners," "buffets," and "food trucks") were excluded. Data is as of June 25, 2025.
Read on to find a potential restaurant for your next special meal out!
#18. Buffalo Wild Wings
- Rating: 2.6/5 (64 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2035 Hamilton Place Drive Johnson City, Tennessee
- Categories: Chicken Wings, American, Sports Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#17. Beef 'O' Brady's
- Rating: 3.4/5 (37 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2913 Boones Creek Road Johnson City, Tennessee
- Categories: American, Pubs, Sports Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#16. Aubrey's
- Rating: 3.6/5 (89 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3029 Hamilton Place Johnson City, Tennessee
- Categories: American, Tapas/Small Plates
- Read more on Yelp
#15. Wellington's
- Rating: 3.9/5 (116 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1216 West State Of Franklin Road Johnson City, Tennessee
- Categories: Bars, Breakfast & Brunch, Venues & Event Spaces
- Read more on Yelp
#14. Label Restaurant
- Rating: 4.1/5 (377 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 112 Tipton St. Johnson City, Tennessee
- Categories: Sushi Bars, Steakhouses, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#13. White Duck Taco Shop
- Rating: 4.1/5 (316 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 126 Buffalo St. Johnson City, Tennessee
- Categories: New American, Mexican, Soup
- Read more on Yelp
#12. Ridgewood Barbecue
- Rating: 4.2/5 (299 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 900 Elizabethton Hwy Bluff City, Tennessee
- Categories: Barbecue
- Read more on Yelp
#11. Freiberg's German Restaurant
- Rating: 4.2/5 (309 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 203 East Main St. Johnson City, Tennessee
- Categories: German, Desserts, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#10. The Black Olive
- Rating: 4.3/5 (57 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 202 East Main St. Johnson City, Tennessee
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#9. Gourmet & Co
- Rating: 4.3/5 (106 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 214 East Mountcastle Drive Johnson City, Tennessee
- Categories: New American
- Read more on Yelp
#8. Pinto
- Rating: 4.3/5 (61 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2203 Mckinley Road Ste 100 Johnson City, Tennessee
- Categories: Thai, Asian Fusion, Sushi Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#7. Mid City Grill
- Rating: 4.3/5 (168 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 106 South Commerce St. Johnson City, Tennessee
- Categories: Sandwiches, Burgers, American
- Read more on Yelp
#6. Babylon
- Rating: 4.4/5 (117 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2122 North Roan St. Ste 8 Johnson City, Tennessee
- Categories: Mediterranean, Middle Eastern
- Read more on Yelp
#5. Sahib
- Rating: 4.4/5 (205 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1803 West Market St. Johnson City, Tennessee
- Categories: Indian, Buffets, Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#4. Cafe Lola
- Rating: 4.5/5 (249 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1805 North Roan St. Ste B1 Johnson City, Tennessee
- Categories: New American
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Timber!
- Rating: 4.5/5 (96 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 415 West Walnut St. Johnson City, Tennessee
- Categories: Bars, American
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Juniper
- Rating: 4.6/5 (90 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 1033 West Oakland Ave. Johnson City, Tennessee
- Categories: Cocktail Bars, New American
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Tacos & Grill Mexican Cuisine
- Rating: 4.6/5 (140 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2530 East Oakland Ave. Ste 28 Johnson City, Tennessee
- Categories: Mexican, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 319 metros.
