The results of Zagat’s 2015 San Francisco Restaurants Survey are here! This year 7,932 local diners shared their opinions of over 1,600 Bay Area restaurants. Ratings and reviews, as well as more than 100 curated lists are available today on Zagat.com, Google Maps and Search.

This year Kokkari Estiatorio wins big, taking Top Food and Decor honors, eclipsing Gary Danko who previously held the Top Food spot for the past 5 years consecutively and 11 times since 2003. However, the team at Gary Danko has much to celebrate, winning major titles Top Service and Most Popular (and coming in at No. 2 for Food). This year’s SF/Bay Area Top 10 Food list is as follows:

1. Kokkari Estiatorio 
2. Gary Danko 
3. Quince 
4. The French Laundry 
5. Evvia 
6. Acquerello 
7. Boulevard 
8. La Folie 
9. Frances 
10. Benu 

According to the survey, the average reported spend per person for dinner out is $41 (vs. $39.40 nationwide). But you don’t have to go broke for good food in San Francisco. Based on the survey results, Zagat editors compiled a list of the Bay Area’s “Best Buys” - or places with high food scores and an average cost of $25 or less:

1. Tartine Bakery & Cafe 
2. Cheese Board Pizza 
3. b. Patisserie 
4. 4505 Burgers & BBQ 
5. 4505 Meats 
6. Fremont Diner 
7. Mama’s 
8. Zachary’s Chicago Pizza 
9. Arizmendi Bakery 
10. Fatted Calf 

In addition, some of this year’s most exciting tables include hot newcomers The Commissary serving up Spanish-influenced Californian cuisine by Traci Des Jardins, the Bernal Heights Japanese ICHI Sushi + NI Bar, Siamese Kin Khao tucked away in the Parc 55 Hotel near Union Square, Lazy Bear, the brick-and-mortar version of the popular underground pop-up, as well as Pabu, Tosca Cafe and Urchin Bistrot.

San Francisco diners are avid but not the most generous. They eat out 4.5 times per week for a combined lunch and dinner - exactly on par with national figures. As for gratuity, they leave a reported 18.7%, which is below the 19.3% national average.

Diner Habits and Preferences:

• Noise is the No. 1 dining irritant (28%) among San Francisco diners followed by Service (25%), Crowds (14%), Prices (13%), Parking (8%), Food (7%) and Traffic (2%). The biggest complaints relating to Noise are bad acoustics; unruly babies/children; loud music and people on mobile phones. 
• When it comes to cuisines, diners say Italian is the favorite (25%), followed by American (12%), French (10%), Japanese (10%), Seafood (7%), Mexican (6%), and Thai (5%). 
• When choosing a restaurant to dine at, 80% of respondents said they consult online menus, 77% say consumer reviews, 63% say restaurant websites, 38% look for photos and 16% seek out blogs. 
• As for cell phone use, 29% say they text or email at the table "occasionally", 42% say "rarely" and 24% claim "never." 
• When it comes to farm-to-table dining, a practice the Bay Area has led for decades, 71% of surveyors still report they "love" the movement. 

For additional results and to explore Zagat’s Top 50 restaurants in San Francisco proper, visit zagat.com/sanfrancisco.

Posted by Tiffany Herklots, Zagat

2015 Big Winners are Le Bernardin (Food, Service), Daniel (Decor), 

Gramercy Tavern (Popularity) and Sushi Nakazawa (Newcomer)

Brooklyn Breaks Records; Casual Restaurants Gain Ground; Steakhouses Sizzle 

The votes are in! Today Zagat reveals the results of its 2015 New York City Restaurants survey covering more than 2,139 restaurants as voted on by 30,592 avid diners. Ratings and reviews are available today on Zagat.com and across Google Maps and Search. Zagat guidebooks will be hitting shelves at local retailers starting tomorrow.

New Yorkers report eating out 4.7 times per week (lunch and dinner) and spending on average $48.15 for dinner (per person), which is well above the $39.40 national figure. When eating out, New York diners are generous and leave 19.3% for gratuity. As for home cooking, respondents prepare 5.7 meals per week at home, compared to 6.8 meals per week, nationally.

This year New York welcomed 160 noteworthy newcomers vs. just 82 closings, the largest differential since 2005. Big name chefs and restaurateurs are investing in the local dining scene with major openings: Danny Bowien (Mission Cantina), Andrew Carmellini (Bar Primi), Bobby Flay (Gato), Marc Forgione (American Cut), Daniel Humm (NoMad Bar), Keith McNally (Cherche Midi) and Danny Meyer (Marta).

The city’s big winners this year are Le Bernardin (Food, Service) which continues to break records for its 13th year in the survey as Top Food (6th consecutive year for Top Food), Daniel (Decor), reclaiming its throne and ending Asiate’s 7-year winning streak, Gramercy Tavern (Most Popular), edging out Le Bernardin (now #2) for Most Popular and the omakase-only Sushi Nakazawa (Newcomer).

Another positive sign of the times: dining in Brooklyn has hit an all-time high. The borough is now home to an unprecedented 340 Zagat-rated restaurants - a 28% increase over last year - the biggest jump in 20 years. Key Brooklyn newcomers include Bergen Hill, Berg’n, Cherry Izakaya, Dover, French Louie, Humboldt & Jackson, and Marco’s.

While fine dining may always be in, casual dining options are on the rise as suggested by shake-ups on the Most Popular list - 5 Napkin Burger (No. 3 up from No. 29), Shake Shack (No. 4 up from No. 25), 2nd Ave. Deli (No. 14 up from No. 32), and Katz’s Deli (No. 18 up from No. 27). Moving down the ranks are haute establishments: Daniel (No. 11 down from No. 4), Eleven Madison Park (No. 23 down from No. 6), Per Se (No. 28 down from No. 14), and The Modern (No. 34 down from No. 21).

Indicating the depth and diversity of the New York market, there were 18 cuisine categories with new winners this year including Barbeque: Mighty Quinn’s; Ice Cream: Ample Hills Creamery; Noodle Shops: Chuko; Pizza: Paulie Gee’s; and Spanish/Tapas: La Vara. Chef-restaurateur couple Alex Raij and Eder Montero sweep the Spanish category with La Vara, Txikito and El Quinto Pino taking the top three spots, respectively.

A cut above the rest, this year we welcomed eight new steakhouses into the mix: American Cut, Charlie Palmer, Fogo de Chão, Il Mulino Prime, M. Wells Steakhouse, Raizes Churrascaria, Reserve Cut and Texas de Brazil. As for French restaurants, New York says ‘Oui’ to newcomers Cherche Midi, Claudette, Dirty French, French Louie, Ladurée, Margaux, and Rotisserie Georgette.

When asked what irritates them most about eating out, diners cite Noise (27%), Service (27%), Prices (21%), Crowds (15%) and Food (5%) as their top complaints. 41% of diners say they are less inclined to go to a restaurant with a cash-only policy, 84% admit to having eavesdropped on a conversation at the next table, and 49% say they “love” Brussels sprouts.

Visit zagat.com/newyork to search and discover this year’s best New York City Restaurants.

Posted by
Tim and Nina Zagat, Co-Chairs, Zagat

The votes have been tallied and the results are in! Today we’re revealing the ratings and reviews for hundreds of top restaurants in New Orleans, based on the feedback of more than 2,800 diners. The new reviews can be found on Zagat.com and across the Google products you use everyday.

Participants come to zagat.com to share their thoughts and opinions on the restaurants they visit throughout the year and separately rate the restaurants for their Food, Decor and Service on a 0-3 scale. Scores are averaged and presented on Zagat’s signature 30-point scale, and our editors curate diners’ comments to create the iconic “quote-filled” reviews.

Below are the top restaurants in New Orleans in a variety of categories.

Top Food: Gautreau’s (Food: 28 Decor: 25 Service: 26 Cost: $77)

Top Decor: Restaurant R’evolution (Food: 27 Decor: 28 Service: 25 Cost: $91)

Top Service: Commander’s Palace (Food: 28 Decor: 28 Service: 28 Cost: $70)

Best Buy: Cochon Butcher (Food: 27 Decor: 21 Service: 22 Cost: $26)

Best French: Gautreau’s (Food: 28 Decor: 25 Service: 26 Cost: $77)

Best Cajun/Creole: Commander’s Palace (Food: 28 Decor: 28 Service: 28 Cost: $70)

Best Late-Night Restaurant: Cafe Du Monde (Food: 25 Decor: 18 Service: 19 Cost: $11)

Check out our list of Top 50 food winners here - an exciting mix of classic favorites, affordable eats and hot newcomers.

Posted by Tiffany Herklots, Zagat

Are you in a last minute scramble to plan a lovely evening for your Valentine? Hop to it! Reservations are going quick because according to Zagat’s 2014 Valentine’s survey, 42% of respondents will be hitting the town to celebrate the day of love. Whether you’re searching for a restaurant to take your date to, scouting for the perfect gift in a store nearby or looking up directions to a movie with friends, Google Maps has the ingredients to cook up a successful night. To read more, visit Google Lat Long: Forget Cupid, all you need is Google Maps this Valentine's Day.

For the first time, Zagat is adding blog and video coverage for San Diego. Whether you're a local or a visitor, Zagat media editors can help you discover amazing places and experiences like Sublime Tavern's Sisig. Plus, match the perfect spot to any occasion with lists such as Best Restaurants With Fireplaces in San Diego or Best Business Dining Restaurants in San Diego, as well as trusted ratings and reviews for restaurants, shopping and nightlife categories.
Zagat breaks through the clutter with accurate information and the trusted opinions of thousands of avid consumers so you can quickly and easily make informed decisions. Through our digital products, you can discover notable places, perfectly suited for any occasion.

Posted by Curt Gathje, Zagat Lead Editor

Today we’re announcing the results of the 2014 America’s Top Restaurants Survey. The survey covers 1,478 of the nation’s top-rated restaurants in 36 major markets based on ratings and reviews from over 224,000 avid diners.

The full results can be found on zagat.com. This year’s winners include such perennial favorites as the “sensational” Gary Danko (San Francisco) and Eric Ripert’s “extraordinary” Le Bernardin (New York), as well as a new crop of winners: Etch (Nashville), Katsu (Chicago), and Neptune Oyster Bar (Boston). 

A complementary survey of approximately 8,000 surveyors covers dining trends market-by-market across the country. For example, Houston beats out the Dallas/Ft. Worth metroplex as the market whose diners eat out most often (average 5.5 meals out per week in Houston vs. 4.9 in Dallas/Ft. Worth). The national average is 4.4 meals out per week, and the cities with the lowest average are Boston and Portland, OR both with 3.7.

As for the average per capita spend for dinner, Texas cities are among the most affordable surveyed: Dallas/Ft. Worth ($31.87), Austin ($33.76) and Houston ($35.57). In contrast, the national average dinner spend is $40.53. The most expensive markets are New York City ($48.56), followed by the Westchester/Hudson Valley ($46.35) and Long Island ($46.00) close behind.

To learn more about the city-by-city key results and dining trends, including frequency of dining out, average spend and tip, online reservation practices, percent of meals cooked at home and chief dining irritants, click here.

Cheers to the winners!

Tim and Nina Zagat
Co-Chairs, Zagat

Today, Zagat is launching ratings and reviews for over 500 hotels and 4,400 shops on zagat.com across 15 cities, supplementing its extensive coverage of restaurants and nightspots in over 40 cities.

And for the first time, Zagat is adding blog and video coverage for Atlanta, Denver and Toronto. The new cities feature the latest news and curated lists from Zagat local editors, as well as powerful search and map-based browsing capabilities.








Zagat breaks through the clutter with accurate information and the trusted opinions of thousands of avid consumers so you can quickly and easily make informed decisions. Through our digital products, you can discover notable places, perfectly suited for any occasion.

Posted by Curt Gathje, Zagat Lead Editor

Whether you’re traveling to Dallas, Houston, Miami or Seattle for business or pleasure — or you’re a resident simply exploring your own backyard — Zagat can now help you find the perfect place for any occasion. Discover notable places through trusted ratings & reviews, curated lists, and all-new blog and video coverage from Zagat's editors.

City coverage will now be complete with:

1. Full media content including blog posts, video and lists 
2. Brand new nightlife reviews, as well as restaurant ratings & reviews 
3. Local insights via city-specific Zagat Twitter handles 

In order to learn more about diners’ profiles in Dallas, Houston, Miami and Seattle, we conducted a dining trends survey in each of these cities. Here are some of the highlights for each as compared with the national average:

Dallas Diners:

• Eat out often.
• On average, Dallas surveyors report eating out 2.5 lunches and 2.4 dinners per week, for a combined total of 4.9 meals out per week, higher than the national average of 4.4 meals out per week. 
• Spend less for dinners out. 
• They report spending an average of only $31.87 per person for dinner, significantly lower than the national average of $40.53. 
• Love their Mexican food. 
• Although still not beating out classic favorites like No. 1 Italian (18% of the vote) and No. 2 American (14%), Mexican ties Seafood at No. 3 with 13% of the vote for favorite cuisine. But while nationally Seafood cuisine is preferred by 11% of surveyors, Mexican cuisine is only preferred by 5% of them, showing that Dallas residents love Mexican food even more than the rest of us. Find the Top Mexican Restaurants List here…and let’s not forget Tex-Mex Tops too. 

Dallas’ Top-Rated Restaurants Include: Saint-Emilion (Top Food), The French Room (Top Decor & Service) and Abacus (Most Popular)

Houston Diners:

• Eat out even more often (than Dallas diners, as well as the national average). 
• Houston diners eat out for lunch 2.8 times per week (vs. 2.1 nationally) and 2.7 times for dinner (vs. 2.3 nationally), for a combined total of 5.5 meals per week eaten out. 
• Spend less for dinners out too. 
• As previously mentioned, nationally, diners report spending an average of $40.53 per person for a dinner out, but in Houston, the reported average dinner spend is $35.57. 
• Desire more French cuisine. 
• French is the top cuisine in demand in Houston. Nineteen percent of Houston francophiles asked to see more restaurants in the area, in contrast with only 12% nationwide. Check out the Top French Restaurants in Houston here! 

Houston’s Top-Rated Restaurants Include: Da Marco (Top Food & Most Popular) and Brennan's (Top Decor & Service)

Miami Diners:

• Dine out often for dinner, average for lunch. 
• Even with the average reported spend for dinner in Miami at $43.82 (vs. $40.53 national average), Miami surveyors reported eating out for dinner 2.7 times per week, higher than the national average of 2.3 meals/week. Restaurant lunch dining is at 2.2 meals per week, on par with the national average of 2.1 
• Take dining etiquette very seriously. 
• Sixty-three percent of Miami surveyors think it’s “rude and inappropriate” to text, email, tweet or talk on mobile devices in a restaurant, while only 32% feel it’s “ok in moderation.” 
• Are irritated by noisy restaurants. 
• The No. 1 dining irritant among Miami diners is the Noise Level. Eighty percent of Miami surveyors actively avoid restaurants that are too loud vs. 73% nationally. 

Miami’s Top-Rated Restaurants Include: Naoe (Top Food & Service), Setai The Restaurant (Top Decor) and Joe’s Stone Crab (Most Popular)

Seattle Diners:

• Cook/prepare more meals at home. 
• On average, Seattle surveyors cook or prepare 7.5 meals/week vs. the 6.9 meals nationally. They only eat out 4.2 meals per week as compared with the 4.4 meals/week national average. 
• Make reservations via Internet. 
• When Seattle diners do eat out, 60% make their reservations online, with the largest percentage (34%) booking via desktop/laptop. 
• Are irritated by parking. 
• Though the No. 1 dining irritant for Seattle diners is Noise Level (26%) and No. 2 is Service (17%), Parking comes in third at 16%, compared with an average 7% nationally. 

Seattle’s Top-Rated Restaurants Include: Nishino (Top Food), The Georgian (Top Decor), Canlis Restaurant (Top Service) and 13 Coins (Most Popular)

We hope you like the new Dallas, Houston, Miami and Seattle additions to our media coverage. Stay tuned as we continue to expand our content to even more locales in the coming months!

Posted by Curt Gathje, Zagat Lead Editor

Other Survey Winners Include: Asiate (Decor), Per Se (Service) and Il Bambino (Best Buy) 
NYC Welcomes 111 Openings vs. 42 Closings 

The results of Zagat’s 2014 New York City Restaurants Survey, covering 2,084 restaurants, are now live on zagat.com. The restaurants include more places than ever in Brooklyn – 265, compared to 127 ten years ago. The ratings and reviews can also be accessed on Zagat’s mobile apps for iPhone and Android, through Google Maps and Search, as well as in local bookstores. In total, 48,114 avid diners voted in the Survey.

This year, surveyors report eating a total of 4.9 meals out per week, including 2.7 dinners out, and spending an average of $48.56 per person, well above the national average of $40.53. The average percent tip left by NYC diners is 18.8%. When it comes to home cooking, New Yorkers cook or prepare 5.5 meals per week (lunch or dinner) at home, compared to 6.9 meals per week, nationally.

Eric Ripert’s Le Bernardin took home the award for Top Food (with a 29 on Zagat’s 30-point scale) for the 12th time, while also winning Most Popular for the third straight year. No other restaurant in the NYC Survey’s history has won Top Food as many times. The other major categories honored repeat winners Asiate (Decor) and Per Se (Service). On the upswing, Bouley (No. 2 for Food) has continued to improve its rankings, jumping from No. 15 to No. 5 in overall popularity.

This year’s Survey crowned nine new cuisine winners: Pies-N-Thighs (Chicken), Prosperity Dumpling (Chinese), Barney Greengrass (Deli), Raoul’s (French Bistro), Kurumazushi (Japanese/Sushi), Jungsik (Korean), Tortilleria Nixtamal (Mexican), Casa Mono (Spanish/Tapas) and Taïm (Vegetarian).

In addition, the Survey welcomes 111 newcomers, compared with 42 reported closings. This year’s hottest debuts include big-name projects like Jean-Georges Vongerichten's ABC Cocina, Mario Carbone, Rich Torrisi and Jeff Zalaznick’s Carbone and Andrew Carmellini’s Lafayette, as well as meat-centric BrisketTown and The Marrow, and quick bites Umami Burger and Salvation Taco. On the East Side, Pearl & Ash and Wylie Dufresne’s Alder have made strong debuts, while the outer boroughs welcomed River Styx and Paul Liebrandt’s The Elm in Brooklyn, as well as M. Wells Dinette in Queens.

With roughly 100 cuisines represented in the Survey, it has long been evident that New York’s dining scene is as diverse as its millions of residents. And though Italian continues to be the favorite cuisine among NYC surveyors with 32% of the vote this year, French restaurants still have a stronghold on the Top Food list, taking seven of the top 10 spots. Despite these stats, Japanese restaurants receive the highest average food score (23.87). In contrast, the average food rating for French restaurants is 22.08. Reflecting the diversification of the NYC palate is the fact that in the last 10 years, there has been 22% growth in the number of Asian, Mexican and Middle Eastern restaurants combined and a 2% decline in Italian, French and American.

When it comes to dining irritants, noise was voted No. 1, with 30% of the total vote. Furthermore, 72% of diners say they actively avoid restaurants that are too loud. And when asked about service, NYC surveyors ranked inattentive staff (17%), slow service (14%), rude staff (12%) and plates being cleared before the entire party finishes the course/meal (11%) as the top complaints. Ironically, rushed service was also a complaint (8%).

New York City surveyors continue to embrace digital dining trends, as 56% say they typically make their reservations via the Internet, including 30% on desktop, 16% on mobile and 10% on tablet. And with the proliferation of brunch in NYC restaurants, 44% of surveyors reported that they go out for brunch “sometimes” while 14% claim to go “nearly every weekend.” For those seeking a few must-try brunches this season, check out this recent zagat.com feature – and happy brunching.

Zagat.com and Google Maps also feature over 100 curated lists of restaurants in NYC designed to help users discover great dining options for different occasions, everything from dining near the Barclays Center, to meeting friends for brunch in Midtown, or even on a break during Jury Duty.

To access all of this year’s ratings and reviews, check out zagat.com, download the Zagat app for Android and iPhone, or purchase the print guide, available at local bookstores.

Posted by Curt Gathje and Carol Diuguid, Zagat Lead Editors

Other Winners Include: Asanebo (Food), The Belvedere (Decor), Mélisse (Service), Gjelina Take Away (Best Buy)

The results of Zagat’s 2014 Los Angeles Restaurants Survey are now available on zagat.com and in local bookstores. Sushi tops the Food list for the fifth year running, as Asanebo unseats last year’s winner, Urasawa, for the No. 1 spot. Other Japanese notables in the Top Food category include Sushi Zo (No. 2), Hamasaku (No. 3) and Matsuhisa (No. 5). Meanwhile, the fast-growing Sugarfish empire from Sushi Nozawa chef-master Kazunori Nozawa is LA’s Most Popular restaurant. Top Decor and Service awards go to The Belvedere in the Peninsula Beverly Hills Hotel and Santa Monica’s Mélisse, respectively.

New to the top lists this year are Downtown’s Bestia, ranked LA’s No. 1 Newcomer, and Gjelina Take Away – the casual offshoot of Venice’s popular Gjelina – pulling in the award for Best Buy.

On average, Los Angeles surveyors report eating 2.4 dinners out per week, spending an average of $38.62 per person, just under the national average of $40.53. Additional stats from the survey reveal that noise is the No. 1 dining irritant, with 76% of diners saying they avoid restaurants that are too loud.

Zagat.com and Google Maps feature 115 curated lists of Los Angeles restaurants designed to help users find the perfect place to dine. Brand-new lists in LA this year include "Tops by Occasion" across a variety of scenarios, from “Anniversaries” to “Group Dinners” to “Lunch with your Agent,” and location-specific lists around local landmarks like “LA Live,” “Gallery Row” and the “Hollywood Walk of Fame.” All of this year’s ratings and reviews are available on zagat.com, the Zagat app for Android and iPhone, and in guides available at local bookstores.

The Los Angeles Survey covers 1,499 restaurants as rated and reviewed by 19,694 avid diners.

Posted by Michelle Golden, Zagat Senior Editor

The results of Zagat’s 2014 San Francisco Bay Area Restaurants Survey are now live on zagat.com and in local bookstores. The Survey covers 1,495 restaurants in the San Francisco Bay Area, including the Wine Country, Silicon Valley and the Monterey Peninsula, as voted on by 17,505 avid diners.

One of the big stories this year is Alice Waters’ historic Chez Panisse, which reopened in June after suffering fire damage in March. But, as Chez Panisse (and its casual upstairs sibling, Chez Panisse Café) continues its fourth decade leading the locavore movement, a new crop of organic, sustainable and locally inspired Mexican restaurants has opened on both sides of the Bay, including El Gusano, Nido and Padrecito.

Looking for hot newcomers across the area? The Mission continues to sizzle with arrivals, including Trick Dog and 20 Spot, while the growing scene in NoPa (North of the Panhandle) welcomed The Mill and Wine Kitchen this year. Elsewhere, top chefs Charles Phan and Michael Chiarello have debuted Hard Water and Coqueta, respectively, and diners have welcomed first-time brick-and-mortar locations of food truck and pop-up restaurants such as Hillside Supper Club, Kronnerburger and B. Patisserie.

Perennial favorite Gary Danko (which celebrates its 15th anniversary this year) won big with surveyors, topping the Food, Service and Popularity lists for the fifth consecutive year, while the “extraordinary architecture” and “best views” at Sierra Mar, located in Big Sur, won for Top Decor.

According to our recent Dining Trends Survey, San Francisco surveyors revealed that they typically eat out 2.0 lunches and 2.2 dinners per week, for a combined average of 4.2 meals out per week, slightly less than the 4.4 national average, but local diners are spending more – $41.87 when eating at a restaurant for dinner, compared to the national average of $40.53.

Italian continues to be the favorite cuisine among San Francisco surveyors, earning 22% of the vote, but when asked which cuisine diners want to see more of in their local area, 15% answered French.

When it comes to making reservations, 68% of the San Francisco voters typically book tables online, well above the national average of 52%. At restaurants that don’t take reservations, 52% of participants say they will wait no more than 30 minutes, while 6% avoid these places altogether.

Looking for local suggestions? Check out our editors’ lists for best restaurants, now on zagat.com and Google Maps. Whether you’re grabbing a bite before the Giants game, planning brunch with friends or even taking a trip to Napa or Sonoma, our curated content will guide you toward exceptional experiences for any occasion.

To access all of this year’s ratings and reviews, check out zagat.com, download the Zagat app for Android and iPhone, or purchase the print guide, available at local bookstores.

Posted by Cynthia Kilian, Zagat Lead Editor

The results of Zagat’s 2014 Boston Restaurants Survey are now live on zagat.com, covering 1,207 restaurants in the Greater Boston Area. Based on the collective opinions of 8,514 avid diners, the survey shows that the resilient dining scene has welcomed a healthy batch of newcomers while celebrating long-held local favorites.

Some shakes-ups were seen among the Top Food list, with the North’s End’s Neptune Oyster taking top honors (up from No. 4 in the last survey), followed by another seafood restaurant, Island Creek Oyster Bar, which was previously unranked. The rest of the Top Food list includes perennial favorites like Oleana (No. 3), Lumière (No. 5) and Hamersley’s Bistro (No. 9), as well as some restaurants new to the top ten this year – Craigie on Main (No. 4, previously No. 15), Life Alive (No. 6, previously unranked), No. 9 Park (No. 8, previously No. 17) and Il Capriccio (No. 10, previously No. 32).

In other major categories, Jamie Mammano’s “breathtaking” Back Bay Italian, Sorellina, wins for Top Decor, while Barbara Lynch’s Menton repeats atop the list for Service. This year’s Most Popular restaurant in Boston is Abe & Louie’s. A few of this year’s notable newcomers include Asta in Back Bay, Tavern Road in the Seaport District and Bronwyn in Somerville, as well as BoMA Restaurant + Bar and Cinquecento in the South End.

According to the results of our Dining Trends Survey, Boston diners typically eat out 3.7 times per week (for lunch and dinner combined), and report spending an average of $44.19 per dinner. What irritates diners most? Noise – it tops the list with 23% of the vote, followed closely by service (21%) and prices (18%). However, one thing diners do not find irritating is taking pictures of their food and/or their companions – 83% of diners say its “ok in moderation” or “perfectly acceptable.” On the flip side, 60% find it “rude and inappropriate” to text, tweet, call or e-mail from the table.

In the wake of April’s Boston Marathon bombings, local restaurants have proven resilient and charitable, with many reopening for business and others making donations to aid recovery efforts or hosting charitable events. As the city looks forward to next year’s marathon, our editors have compiled a list of restaurants with a unique vantage point along the Marathon route, as well as more than 100 other Zagat lists, available through Google Maps, to help diners discover the city – everything from “Student Hangouts” and “Freedom Trail Restaurants” to restaurants for when you’re “Shopping in the Back Bay.”

To access all of this year’s ratings and reviews, check out zagat.com, download the Zagat app for Android and iPhone, or purchase the print guide, available at local bookstores.

Posted by Bill Corsello and Emil Ross, Zagat Senior Editors

The results of the Zagat 2014 London Restaurants Survey are now available on zagat.com! This year, The Waterside Inn in Bray not only earns top ratings for Food, but also adds Top Service to its awards; in London-proper, those honors go to Yashin Sushi and The Ledbury. Sketch – The Lecture Room & Library earns the Top Decor rating, The Wolseley is again voted Most Popular and Masala Zone ranks as the Most Popular chain. The survey covers 1,290 eateries in London and the surrounding areas as voted on by 10,271 surveyors.

On average, London surveyors report eating out 3.7 meals per week – 1.7 times per week for lunch and 2.0 times for dinner. Italian cuisine is favoured according to 23% of surveyors, followed by Japanese (17%) and last year’s runner up, French (14%). In fact, 18% of London diners declare that they they would prefer to see even more Japanese restaurants popping up in the near future, supporting Japanese’s rise in the ranks this year from third to second favourite cuisine.

Additional trends from the survey reveal that service is the No. 1 dining irritant (30%), with the main service complaints relating to slow service, inattentive and rude staff. Diners’ second largest irritant was prices (24%), with surveyors reportedly spending an average of £37.35 per person for dinner out in London.

Zagat.com features more than 100 lists of London restaurants, compiled by our local editors, and is designed to help users find the perfect place to dine. Brand-new lists in London this year include "Tops by Occasion" across a variety of categories, from "Curing a Hangover" to "Dinner with Your Parents", and holiday-specific lists like "New Year's Eve". All of this year’s ratings and reviews are available on zagat.com, the Zagat app for Android and iPhone, and in guides available at local bookstores.

Posted by Neil Fazakerley, Zagat Senior Editor

The Zagat 2014 Chicago Restaurants Survey results are in! With a surprising upset in the Top Food category, Japanese favorite Katsu took the top spot, followed by Paul Virant’s Vie. Grant Achatz’s Next not only won for Service, but also came in third for Food, followed by older sibling Alinea, which slipped from the number one spot to fourth place. Shanghai Terrace at the Peninsula Hotel won for Top Decor. The survey is based on the opinions of 7,634 avid diners who collectively rated and reviewed 1,147 Chicago restaurants.

This year’s survey reveals that Chicago diners strike a balance between old and new habits, embracing mobile technology while respecting the basics of dining etiquette. Whereas only 16% of diners nationwide make reservations online using smartphones, 20% of tech-savvy Chicagoans do so. However, once in a restaurant, 57% of Chicagoans feel “it’s rude and inappropriate” for those mobile devices to be used for texting, tweeting or talking at the table, up from 52% in 2012.

Zagat.com features more than 100 lists of Chicago restaurants, compiled by our local editors, and is designed to help users find the perfect place to dine. Brand-new lists for Chicago this year include “Best Buys” across a variety of categories, “Craft Beer” and “Craft Cocktails,” satisfying diners’ demand for artisanal drinks, as well as “Chicago Icons” featuring restaurants that have achieved a remarkable longevity.

All of this year’s ratings and reviews – as well as lists from “Bachelorette Party” to “Brunch with Parents” – are available on zagat.com, the Zagat app for Android and iPhone, and in guides available at local bookstores.

Posted by Emily Rothschild, Zagat Senior Editor

Copyright: Moyan Brenn

Zagat is your guide to finding “the very best places for every occasion.” For over three decades Zagat has combined the power of user-generated content with the precision of expert editors to bring you accurate information about the places that best meet your needs. Curated reviews incorporating quotes from real users and multidimensional 30-point ratings are central to the Zagat experience.

Today marks the release of Zagat’s 2014 Paris Restaurants guide covering 822 restaurants as voted on by 9,692 avid local diners who shared their experiences with us. The updated guide reflects significant changes to the dining scene since our last survey, and includes approximately 115 new additions. In addition to exciting new arrivals such as La Dame de Pic, Le Sergent Recruteur and Miss Ko, the guide includes a series of new lists to help you find the city’s most exceptional places in a variety of categories:

Top Restaurants With a View: 

1. La Tour d’Argent 2. Les Ombres 3. Chez Francis 4. Georges 5. Ciel de Paris 

Top Bourgeois Bohemian:

1. Le Chateaubriand 2. Derrière 3. Chez Prune 4. Café Pinson  5. Nanashi

Top Design:

1. Restaurant Pershing  2. L’Opéra 3. Buddha Bar  4. Kong 5. Ciel de Paris

Top Vintage Chic:

1. Ladurée 2. Derrière 3. Andy Wahloo  4. Le Square Gardette  5. Pan

According to a recent survey of Parisian diners conducted on the Zagat blog, respondents report eating out 3.1 times per week on average. When it comes to their favorite cuisine, not surprisingly, French is No.1 (62%), followed distantly by Italian (9%), Japanese (8%), and Thai (8%), among others. While 72% of diners still make restaurant reservations by phone, only 10% do so online, 1% do so in person, and 17% do not make reservations at all. When asked whether they would like to see more restaurants sign up for internet-based reservation services, 46% said “yes.”

The Zagat 2014 Paris Restaurants guide is available today at major booksellers including Publicis Drugstore and online at Amazon.com. Through our guides we look forward to helping you search and discover the best places in Paris and other cities around the world!