I'm often the person that my friends come to when they want to know where to make a reservation for family, friends, a date, etc. I love getting calls or texts requesting restaurant recommendations, mostly because reading menus and doing research about a restaurant is fun and exciting for me. Even if I haven't eaten there I can usually gauge the atmosphere and the quality using a few websites and tools. Here's a list of the things that I look for when I'm picking out a restaurant for a friend (or even for myself):
1. Urban Spoon Reviews -- After the whole Yelp scandal (people claimed that Yelp was deleting their good reviews as a punishment for not sponsoring the website), I don't trust a lot of food-reviewing sites. However, I find Urban Spoon honest and easy to navigate. They've got pictures and a series of blog reviews as well as professional reviews--the over-all convenience is hard to beat. But make sure you don't judge a restaurant simply by the percentage that Urban Spoon awards it. Check out the personal reviews and read what bloggers and reporters have to say.
2. Zagat -- I've found Zagat ratings to be pretty spot on with 90% of restaurants I've visited. The great thing about Zagat is that they give you a number to base your decisions on, which is nice if you prefer concrete data to individual reviews. The ratings are even broken down further into food, cost, decor, and service, and Zagat also has great search tools on their website that let you zero in on exactly what kind of cuisine/atmosphere you want. Registration for Zagat is free and easy.
3. Food Blogs -- There are TONS of food blogs out there (including my own), that all offer their own unique opinions and preferences about restaurants all over the world. Each blogger has their own point of view, so if you've done a little research about the blogger (make sure you read a few of their other posts and that you generally agree with what they've got to say) it will make it easier to put their reviews into perspective. Once you've found a few sites that you have enough in common with, consult their posts and reviews for recommendations. Food blog search is a great tool to find quality food blogs to peruse for reviews and suggestions-- http://foodblogsearch.com/
4. Local Newspapers and Magazines -- I'm currently living in Washington, DC, so the Washingtonian and the Washington Post are two of my food Bibles. I keep a copy of the Washingtonian's 100 "Best Restaurants of 2013" in my desk drawer and often consult both the Washingtonian and the Washington Post's websites for restaurant suggestions. Both sites have a great restaurant search tool that allows you to plug in desired cuisine, price, and location. Just be careful not to ONLY use these tools because they are DC-centric and exclude some great "hidden gem" restaurants. Brightest Young Things (an online magazine) is also another great food resource for those of you in the DC or NY area, check them out at BrightestYoungThings.com.
6. The Menu -- Whenever you're picking out a restaurant for someone, you need to understand what type of food they like and what their general dining preferences are. If they're a vegetarian, you are obviously not going to recommend Morton's Steakhouse. That's why menu research is important and very very necessary. Usually, I'll have someone give me their favorite type of food (fish, pasta, steak, burgers), and make sure that some version of that food is on the menu. It also helps to understand the preferences of their dining companions, so try and acquire that information if possible. You also need to understand your friends price range, and the menu gives you imperative access to the cost of the different courses.
There are probably a million other ways to find quality restaurants in your area, but these six are my tried-and-true tips. Search away!
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