Yelp Knocks RVA Off Our Foodie High Horse

by | Feb 28, 2014 | COMMUNITY

Yelp has released its first Top 100 Place To Eat In The US and Richmond doesn’t have a single entry on the list.

Yelp has released its first Top 100 Place To Eat In The US and Richmond doesn’t have a single entry on the list. Apparently, the entire state only has one worthy entry, a food truck that hangs out in Arlington named El Chilango. That’s surprising considering how much we love and hype up our city’s foodie scene.

Yelp used its own data to determine the top choices.

How’d we make a list so all-encompassing? We dug in to our wealth of rich data to see what the numbers told us about which places Yelpers really love. Engineers on Yelp’s data mining team used a technique based on the Wilson Score to compile a list of highly rated places to eat. This method takes into account both star rating and number of reviews to reveal which spots not only have top notch ratings, but also which are most popular in the Yelp community.

Somehow Millie’s, our top restaurant according to Yelp, didn’t make the cut. Really? Not even Magpie?! Guess we always have next year.

Yelp’s Top 100 Places to Eat in the US: A By-the-Numbers Look

1. Da Poke Shack, Kailua-Kona, HI
2. Paseo, Seattle, WA
3. Oklahoma Joe’s Barbecue, Kansas City, KS
4. The Cinnamon Snail, New York, NY
5. Porto’s Bakery, Burbank, CA
6. Dametra Cafe, Carmel by the Sea, CA
7. Alinea, Chicago, IL
8. Franklin Barbecue, Austin, TX
9. Gary Danko, San Francisco, CA
10. Joe’s Falafel, Los Angeles, CA
11. Sushi Izakaya Gaku, Honolulu, HI
12. Biker Jim’s Gourmet Dogs, Denver, CO
13. Oscar’s Mexican Seafood, San Diego, CA
14. Coop’s West Texas Barbeque, Lemon Grove, CA
15. Tacos El Gordo, Chula Vista, CA
16. Cheese Board Pizza, Berkeley, CA
17. Ricky’s Fish Tacos, Los Angeles, CA
18. Ono Seafood, Honolulu, HI
19. Bogart’s Smoke House, Saint Louis, MO
20. Bakery Nouveau, Seattle, WA
21. Baguette Cafe, Las Vegas, NV
22. Eleven Madison Park, New York, NY
23. T-Deli, San Diego, CA
24. Built to Grill, Portland, OR
25. Alforon, San Diego, CA
26. Daniel, New York, NY
27. Hot Doug’s, Chicago, IL
28. Sal, Kris, & Charlie’s Deli, Astoria, NY
29. Blues City Deli, Saint Louis, MO
30. The Kitchen Restaurant, Sacramento, CA
31. Cream Pan, Tustin, CA
32. Dave’s Fresh Pasta, Somerville, MA
33. Café Besalu, Seattle, WA
34. The French Laundry, Yountville, CA
35. Turf N’ Surf Po Boy, Austin, TX
36. Café Rolle, Sacramento, CA
37. Chama Gaucha Brazilian Steakhouse, Downers Grove, IL
38. Yoshino Japanese Deli, Carlsbad, CA
39. Opal Thai Food, Haleiwa, HI
40. Lou’s Cafe, San Francisco, CA
41. Marukame Udon, Honolulu, HI
42. Monell’s Dining & Catering, Nashville, TN
43. Roxie Food Center, San Francisco, CA
44. Graham Avenue Meats And Deli, Brooklyn, NY
45. Le Bernardin, New York, NY
46. El Chato Taco Truck, Los Angeles, CA
47. Mr. Gyros, Seattle, WA
48. The Waffle Window, Portland, OR
49. Per Se, New York, NY
50. Geste Shrimp Truck, Kahului, HI
51. Frostbites Crepes & Frozen Delights, Cypress, CA
52. Sushi Ota, San Diego, CA
53. Arizmendi Bakery, San Francisco, CA
54. Sweet Potato Stall, Santa Clara, CA
55. Gramercy Tavern, New York, NY
56. Peter’s Kettle Corn, Oakland, CA
57. Johnny Pacific, Winnetka, CA
58. El Chilango, Arlington, VA
59. Ike’s Place, San Francisco, CA
60. Fishermen’s Grill, Portland, ME
61. Sabroso! Mexican Grill, Garden Grove, CA
62. District Wine, Long Beach, CA
63. Chama Gaúcha Brazilian Steakhouse, Houston, TX
64. Bludso’s BBQ, Compton, CA
65. Tiki Juice Bar, Anaheim, CA
66. Wally’s Cafe, Emeryville, CA
67. Vinh Loi Tofu, Reseda, CA
68. Mama D’s Italian Kitchen, Newport Beach, CA
69. Los Andes Restaurant, Providence, RI
70. Little Luca Sandwich Shop & Deli, South San Francisco, CA
71. Pho 95, Denver, CO
72. Garbo’s Grill, Key West, FL
73. Ono Tacos, Lahaina, HI
74. Mattern Sausage & Deli, Orange, CA
75. The Market Grill, Monrovia, CA
76. Urasawa, Beverly Hills, CA
77. Dat Cajun Guy, Haleiwa, HI
78. Los Agaves, Santa Barbara, CA
79. Outlaws Cafe, Van Nuys, CA
80. Gus’s World Famous Hot & Spicy Chicken, Memphis, TN
81. Short Leash Dogs Food Truck, Phoenix, AZ
82. Pono Market, Kapaa, HI
83. Wafels & Dinges, New York, NY
84. Bell Street Farm, Los Alamos, CA
85. Uchiko, Austin, TX
86. Little Deli & Pizzeria, Austin, TX
87. Kokkari Estiatorio, San Francisco, CA
88. Kang Hodong Baekjeong, Los Angeles, CA
89. Komi, Washington, DC
90. Stuff I Eat, Inglewood, CA
91. Taste of Ethiopia, Pflugerville, TX
92. Hy Mart Sandwiches, North Hollywood, CA
93. The Codmother Fish and Chips, San Francisco, CA
94. Mastro’s Steakhouse, Beverly Hills, CA
95. Sushi Sasabune, Honolulu, HI
96. Bern’s Steak House, Tampa, FL
97. Postino Arcadia, Phoenix, AZ
98. Pappy’s Smokehouse, Saint Louis, MO
99. Uchi, Austin, TX
100. Zia Gourmet Pizza, San Diego, CA

R. Anthony Harris

R. Anthony Harris

In 2005, I created RVA Magazine, and I'm still at the helm as its publisher. From day one, it’s been about pushing the “RVA” identity, celebrating the raw creativity and grit of this city. Along the way, we’ve hosted events, published stacks of issues, and, most importantly, connected with a hell of a lot of remarkable people who make this place what it is. Catch me at @majormajor____




more in community

There’s a Murder Coming to Richmond, and You’re Stuck on the Train

Virginia Repertory Theatre is kicking off its new season the way any sensible theatre should: with a train, a murder, and a detective who’s just trying to make sense of it all. Murder on the Orient Express is Agatha Christie’s great reminder that people are both awful...

Confederate Nostalgia, Black Voices: The Paradox of Polk Miller

Over a century ago, engineers from the Edison Company hauled their bulky recording equipment from New Jersey to Richmond, Virginia. In 1909, they captured one of the first interracial recording sessions in American history: Polk Miller, a white Confederate veteran...

The Felon Who Built Scott’s Addition

Before the beer taps and condos, before the buzzwords about ‘revitalization,’ Scott’s Addition’s future passed through the hands of a single man: Justin Glynn French. A convicted felon whose empire collapsed in scandal, he set the stage, even if unintentionally, for...

It’s Still Our City | Ep. 13 Stooping RVA

"The joy of finding a perfectly reusable gem on a sidewalk, in an alley, or on a porch stoop is one of the perks of living in such close proximity in the city of Richmond. The FOMO of not making it on your bike in time for a taxidermy dolphin or a surprisingly decent...

Topics: