Highest-rated restaurants in Waco 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 Waco, 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.
#30. L&L Hawaiian Barbecue
- Rating: 4.5/5 (121 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 300 South 6th St. Ste East Waco, Texas
- Categories: Hawaiian, Barbeque, Pan Asian
- Read more on Yelp
#29. Our Breakfast Place
- Rating: 4.5/5 (191 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4600 Franklin Ave. Ste 100 Waco, Texas
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#28. Cupp's Drive Inn
- Rating: 4.5/5 (101 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1424 Speight Ave. Waco, Texas
- Categories: Burgers, Diners
- Read more on Yelp
#27. King's Chicken Wings
- Rating: 4.5/5 (24 reviews)
- Address: 720 Franklin Ave. Ste 170 Waco, Texas
- Categories: Barbeque, Chicken Wings, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#26. 900° Pizzeria mobile
- Rating: 4.5/5 (20 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: Waco, Texas
- Categories: Food Trucks, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#25. Saffron
- Rating: 4.5/5 (140 reviews)
- Address: 416 North Valley Mills Drive Waco, Texas
- Categories: Indian, Halal, Pakistani
- Read more on Yelp
#24. Tony DeMaria's Bar-B-Que
- Rating: 4.5/5 (136 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1000 Elm St. Waco, Texas
- Categories: Barbeque
- Read more on Yelp
#23. Di Campli's Italian Ristorante
- Rating: 4.5/5 (283 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 6500 Woodway Drive Ste 121 Waco, Texas
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#22. Club Sandwich
- Rating: 4.5/5 (98 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 601 Webster Ave. Waco, Texas
- Categories: Asian Fusion, Food Trucks, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#21. Olympic Family Restaurant
- Rating: 4.5/5 (21 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1901 North 18th St. Waco, Texas
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, American
- Read more on Yelp
#20. Christi's Hamburgers
- Rating: 4.5/5 (82 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3101 Beale St. Waco, Texas
- Categories: Burgers
- Read more on Yelp
#19. Molly's Restaurant
- Rating: 4.5/5 (40 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3211 Bellmead Drive Waco, Texas
- Categories: Tex-Mex, Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#18. Rufi's Cocina
- Rating: 4.5/5 (140 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1801 North 25th St. Waco, Texas
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#17. Fabled Bookshop & Cafe
- Rating: 4.5/5 (73 reviews)
- Address: 215 South 4th St. Waco, Texas
- Categories: Cafes, Bookstores, Gift Shops
- Read more on Yelp
#16. Tru Jamaica Restaurant
- Rating: 4.5/5 (127 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 937 Taylor St. Waco, Texas
- Categories: Caribbean
- Read more on Yelp
#15. J-Petal & Poke' - Waco
- Rating: 4.5/5 (161 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 315 South University Parks Drive Ste 120 Waco, Texas
- Categories: Poke, Creperies
- Read more on Yelp
#14. La Familia Restaurant
- Rating: 4.5/5 (27 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1111 La Salle Ave. Waco, Texas
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#13. Cajun Craft
- Rating: 4.5/5 (608 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 601 South 11th St. Waco, Texas
- Categories: Cajun/Creole, Southern, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#12. Cha Community
- Rating: 4.5/5 (47 reviews)
- Address: 1001 Franklin Ave. Waco, Texas
- Categories: Bubble Tea, Caterers, Taiwanese
- Read more on Yelp
#11. Jasper's Bar-B-Q
- Rating: 4.5/5 (125 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 105 Clifton St. Waco, Texas
- Categories: Barbeque
- Read more on Yelp
#10. Helberg Barbecue
- Rating: 4.5/5 (195 reviews)
- Address: 8532 North Hwy 6 Waco, Texas
- Categories: Barbeque
- Read more on Yelp
#9. Wako Taco
- Rating: 4.5/5 (37 reviews)
- Address: 1800 Summer Ave. Waco, Texas
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#8. Red Wagon BBQ
- Rating: 4.5/5 (41 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 169 Halbert Lane Waco, Texas
- Categories: Barbeque, Food Stands
- Read more on Yelp
#7. Cafe Homestead
- Rating: 5.0/5 (702 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 608 Dry Creek Road Waco, Texas
- Categories: American, Cafes, Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#6. R & S Barbeque
- Rating: 5.0/5 (33 reviews)
- Address: 1101 Richland Drive Ste 6A Waco, Texas
- Categories: Barbeque, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#5. Taqueria El Crucero
- Rating: 5.0/5 (155 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2505 Robinson Drive Waco, Texas
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#4. Friday's Seafood And More Same House
- Rating: 5.0/5 (160 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1308 New Dallas Hwy Waco, Texas
- Categories: Seafood, Cajun/Creole
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Revival Eastside Eatery
- Rating: 5.0/5 (285 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 704 Elm Ave. Waco, Texas
- Categories: Sandwiches, Burgers, Salad
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Heritage Coffee
- Rating: 5.0/5 (49 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 230 Halbert Lane Waco, Texas
- Categories: Cafes, Coffee Roasteries
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Papa Jack's BBQ
- Rating: 5.0/5 (160 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 700 East Waco Drive Ste A Waco, Texas
- Categories: Barbeque
- 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.