Highest-rated fine dining restaurants in Amarillo by diners
Fine dining in the U.S. isn't what it used to be. Many customers are no longer interested in classic white tablecloths and 16-ounce New York strips; instead, it's 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 at the 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 chef's 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 to choose from, 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 Amarillo 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., $$ to $$$$) were considered. Also, in an effort to highlight independent businesses and local chains, those with five or more locations nationally (based on Yelp data) were not included. Restaurants in certain lower-cost categories (like "diners," "buffets," and "food trucks") were excluded. Data is as of Aug. 19, 2024.
Read on to find a potential restaurant for your next special meal out!
#14. Pescaraz Italian Restaurant
- Rating: 3.8/5 (130 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3415 South Bell St. Amarillo, Texas
- Categories: Italian, Venues & Event Spaces
- Read more on Yelp
#13. Cask & Cork
- Rating: 3.8/5 (112 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 5461 McKenna Square Ste 101 Amarillo, Texas
- Categories: American, Venues & Event Spaces
- Read more on Yelp
#12. The Plaza Restaurant & Bar
- Rating: 3.8/5 (163 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2101 South Soncy Road Amarillo, Texas
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#11. Saltgrass Steak House
- Rating: 3.8/5 (396 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 8300 I 40 West Amarillo, Texas
- Categories: Steakhouses, Seafood, American
- Read more on Yelp
#10. Napoli's Italian Restaurant
- Rating: 3.9/5 (228 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 700 South Taylor St. Amarillo, Texas
- Categories: Italian, Pizza, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#9. The Drunken Oyster
- Rating: 4.0/5 (263 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 7606 Southwest 45th Ave. Ste 100 Amarillo, Texas
- Categories: Cajun/Creole, Seafood, Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#8. Macaroni Joe's
- Rating: 4.1/5 (111 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1619 South Kentucky St. Ste D1500 Amarillo, Texas
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#7. Pacific Rim
- Rating: 4.1/5 (80 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2061 Paramount Blvd. Amarillo, Texas
- Categories: Chinese, Food Delivery Services, Fruits & Veggies
- Read more on Yelp
#6. Public House
- Rating: 4.1/5 (226 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 3333 Coulter St. Amarillo, Texas
- Categories: Cocktail Bars, Steakhouses, American
- Read more on Yelp
#5. Scott's Oyster Bar
- Rating: 4.1/5 (81 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4150 Paramount Blvd. Amarillo, Texas
- Categories: Seafood, Cajun/Creole
- Read more on Yelp
#4. Youngblood's Cafe
- Rating: 4.3/5 (140 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 620 Southwest 16th Ave. Amarillo, Texas
- Categories: American
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Crush
- Rating: 4.3/5 (343 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 627 South Polk St. Amarillo, Texas
- Categories: New American, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#2. OHMS Cafe And Bar
- Rating: 4.5/5 (167 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 619 South Tyler St. Amarillo, Texas
- Categories: Cafes, Bars, New American
- Read more on Yelp
#1. It's a Punjabi Affair
- Rating: 4.8/5 (548 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4201 Bushland Blvd. Amarillo, Texas
- Categories: Indian, Food Delivery Services
- Read more on Yelp
This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Kiersten Hickman, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 299 metros.
