San Francisco – November 04, 2026 -- OpenTable has released its Top 100 Restaurants in America for 2026, a list covering 21 states and Washington, D.C., with California claiming the most spots at 19. The list draws on more than 11 million reviews from verified OpenTable diners, plus dining metrics, and includes neighborhood staples as well as MICHELIN-starred destinations.
California leads, with New York City and Chicago close behind
California's 19 honorees span Palm Springs to San Francisco. They include Bar Cecil in Palm Springs, Callie Restaurant in San Diego and Providence in Los Angeles. New York City accounts for 14 honorees, among them Brooklyn's Red Hook Tavern and Sailor, plus Don Angie and Una Pizza Napoletana. Chicago follows with 12, including Daisies, Kasama and Lula Cafe.
Denver grows from one restaurant to seven
Denver went from one restaurant to four over the past couple of years and now has seven on the 2026 list. Alma Fonda Fina, Alteño and The Wolf's Tailor are among them. Philadelphia doubled its share year over year. Smaller places such as Great Falls, Saddle River, Dennis Port and Santa Fe also made the list.
At least 18 restaurants have made the list four years running
Cafe Monarch in Scottsdale and The Pink Door in Seattle are among the repeat honorees.
Rankings rely on ratings, reservations and searches
The data covers September 1, 2025 to August 31, 2026. OpenTable considered restaurants in good standing with a minimum number of diner reviews. It scored them on diner ratings, the percentage of five-star reviews, the number of alerts set, the percentage of reservations made in advance, percentage of capacity and direct searches. The metrics were weighted into an overall score. The list is presented A-Z, not in ranked order.
OpenTable released the list alongside its 2027 Dining Trends Report. Amy Wei, the company's Chief Operating Officer, said the report found 68% of Americans expect to visit restaurants the same amount or more often.
Other states and cities on the list
Texas honorees come from Austin, Dallas and Houston, and Pennsylvania's eight are all in Philadelphia. Tennessee's four are in Nashville, and Ohio's three are in Cincinnati. Hawaii's pick is Merriman's Kapalua in Lahaina, and Louisiana's two are in New Orleans.