Chicago Steals the Spotlight in OpenTable's 2025 Top 100 Restaurants List

This year's Top 100 blends long-time favorites with a wave of standout newcomers, painting a picture of resilient yet evolving tastes. 

The 2025 findings also align with OpenTable's newly released 2026 Dining Trends Report, which highlights shifting diner preferences and the rise of design-forward, experience-driven restaurants.

Dining Out Rebounds as Spending Surges

Pandemic years are long over, when Americans leaned heavily on home cooking and perfected comfort recipes like sushi rolls, homemade pizza dough, or Chipotle's popular sofritas.

Now, Americans are choosing restaurants over home kitchens more often, with OpenTable reporting an 8% year-over-year increase in seated diners in 2025.

61% now view restaurant visits as a special treat worth paying for, driving demand for high-quality, reservation-worthy destinations.

In 2025, diners spent 40% more per person on anniversary meals than on ordinary restaurant visits. And now, 55% of Americans say they plan to spend even more on dining out in 2026.

Experiential dining is on the rise for 2026, with reservations for chef's tables, tasting menus and themed nights climbing 46% year over year.

Classics Endure, but Fresh Faces Redefine the 2025 List

Nearly half of the total, carrying over from 2024, includes Tampa's Bern's Steak House and San Francisco's House of Prime Rib. Both of which are timeless classics founded around 70 years ago. 

Yet, over 50 newcomers are crashing the party, injecting fresh energy with experimental concepts and neighborhood gems. Standouts include Austin's Clark's Oyster Bar for all things seafood and Daisies Chicago, a pasta restaurant with a midwestern vibe.

This influx of first-time honorees aligns with OpenTable's observation about experiential dining.

Nearly half of Americans say they plan to book more novel dining experiences in 2026, from pop-ups to chef collaborations. 37% want more experiential, story-driven restaurants.

This appetite for discovery is also reflected in rising interest (+49%) in spontaneity. The84% increase in "Notify Me" alerts also suggests that last-minute walk-ins often drive choices.

Major Cities Jockey for Prime Positions but Chicago Jumps to the Top

Illinois saw the most significant leap, jumping from three Chicago restaurants on the list in 2024 to 16 in 2025. The Windy City has almost as many honorees as the State of California (18).

Akahoshi Ramen, Gibsons Italia, Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab, Le Colonial Chicago, and RL Restaurant remain on the list from 2024, with newcomers such as Elina's, Mon Ami Gabi, Pizzeria Portofino, and Valhalla.

New York City also held steady with nine restaurants, while diners of the city also proved to be the most resilient and patient. They are willing to wait the longest for a table, an average of 57 minutes.

Austin, Texas, climbed sharply as well, earning eight spots out of the ten honorees from Texas. 

California leads the nation with 18 restaurants on OpenTable's 2025 Top 100 list. But unlike Illinois, where Chicago alone accounts for nearly the entire haul, California's winners are spread across multiple cities.

Los Angeles and San Francisco each contribute four restaurants, San Diego adds three, and the rest are scattered across Carlsbad, Oakland, Anaheim, Healdsburg, and Palm Springs.

Philadelphia and Nashville also inched upward, adding a few more restaurants each. However, Kase x Noko, Nashville's popular sushi restaurant, and Mawn, a Cambodian noodle house in Philadelphia, stood out since they also garnered the highest volume of “Notify Me" alerts nationwide.

California Stays on Top While Other States Rise and Fall

California grip remains ironclad in the first-place spot, edging out Illinois in 2025 with 18 restaurants, after a major jump from six in 2024. 

Texas also showed steady growth but remained No. 3, rising from three restaurants in 2024 to 10 in 2025, primarily driven by Austin's growing presence. Florida held its ground at fourth place with seven restaurants.

Massachusetts, which ranked second in 2024 with four restaurants, fell to just one in 2025.

Merriman's Maui in Lahaina marks the debut of Hawaiian cuisine on the list, spotlighting the island's farm-to-table seafood offerings. 

OpenTable's 2025 snapshot shows a dining scene that's shifting fast, with Chicago rising, California holding steady and national data pointing to strong demand for great restaurant experiences. As 2026 approaches, one thing is clear: Americans are eager to book more meals out. But where? Time will tell.