Looking to explore the best dining experiences or plan your next culinary adventure? In today’s digital age, there are numerous websites and platforms dedicated to helping you discover top-notch restaurants and eateries. From crowd-sourced reviews to curated lists inspired by popular TV shows, these platforms offer valuable insights and recommendations to enhance your dining experiences. Whether you’re a food enthusiast or simply seeking a new place to try, these tools make it easy to navigate the vast culinary landscape. Join me as we explore some of the best resources for finding great places to eat and uncovering hidden food gems!

Yelp:

Yelp is a widely-used review platform that has made a significant impact with its extensive coverage of businesses, particularly in the realm of restaurant reviews. Users can rate and write reviews for a wide range of businesses, upload photos of their experiences, and check-in to share their visits with others. Known for its commitment to authenticity, Yelp strives to maintain genuine reviews by encouraging real experiences from its community of users. This platform is particularly valuable for travelers and locals alike seeking reliable insights into dining options, local services, and attractions. Its bookmarking feature allows users to save favorite places and create folders for easy reference, making it a practical tool for discovering new spots or remembering enjoyable experiences for future visits or recommendations. Whether searching for a cozy cafe, a lively bar, or a top-notch restaurant, Yelp offers a comprehensive resource to help users make informed decisions based on peer-generated feedback. They do a good job of trying to keep the reviews real and they have amazing coverage in the US.

• TIP: You can bookmark places and create folders. I do this by location so I never forget where I ate for when I return or if people ask for recommendations.

TVFoodMaps:

I found this site while looking for restaurants that were on Drivers, Diners and Dive’s TV show. ITVFoodMaps is a specialized online platform that compiles a database of restaurants featured on popular television food shows such as “Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives” and “Man vs. Food.” This unique website allows users to search for restaurants by the show they were featured on, location, or type of cuisine. It serves as a convenient tool for food enthusiasts looking to visit eateries they’ve seen on TV, offering detailed information and reviews to help plan culinary adventures inspired by their favorite television programs. TVFoodMaps also features a road trip function, allowing users to input their starting point and destination, and find nearby restaurants featured on TV along the route. This makes it an invaluable resource for travelers seeking to explore iconic food destinations and discover hidden gems across the United States and beyond. Users can search for restaurants by show, location, or cuisine, making it easier to plan culinary adventures inspired by their favorite TV food programs.

• TIP: It has a really neat road trip function where you can put in your start and end point as well as how far off the path you are willing to go.

Foodie Pie:

Foodie Pie is a niche website catering to food enthusiasts who seek to recreate culinary experiences featured on television shows. Unlike broader platforms, Foodie Pie specializes in highlighting specific menu items that have been showcased on popular TV programs. This focus helps users find and enjoy dishes that have received acclaim on screen, aiming to replicate the same quality and flavor. While it may not offer as extensive a database as some competitors, its emphasis on featured menu items ensures that users can potentially enjoy exceptional dining experiences based on trusted recommendations. This doesn’t seem as complete to me as TV Food Maps but it does a better job telling you what menu item was featured. I’ve never had a bad meal when I have ordered exactly what was featured on the show but I have heard from several people who have order other things not featured & ended up disappointed.

Thrillist:

Thrillist’s restaurant recommendations span a wide range of cuisines and dining experiences, offering insights into both popular favorites and lesser-known gems worth exploring. Whether you’re a local or visiting a new city, these recommendations can guide you to memorable dining experiences that reflect the unique flavors and culinary cultures of each location. We use this site for restaurant and other travel recommendations. We have just really enjoyed things we have found on it. So you’ll see a lot of places on our list on their lists.

Tripadvisor:

TripAdvisor is a renowned travel and restaurant review platform that helps travelers plan their trips by offering reviews, ratings, and recommendations for hotels, restaurants, attractions, and more. It’s a go-to platform for travelers seeking insights and feedback from fellow tourists, making it easier to make informed decisions when planning vacations. It is extremely popular so where some of the websites on this list might be limited in some areas, you almost always find a good selection on Tripadvisor.

Google:

Google Reviews, in particular, allows users to rate and write reviews for businesses, including restaurants, providing valuable insights for others looking for recommendations. Whether you are using it to search “Restaurants Near Me” or plug in “restaurant” into the search while in Google Maps. This is something I use often when looking for places to eat while on road trips.