Yelp's Best New Restaurants for 2024: Would you dine at one of the 25 honorees?
It's the time for end-of-year reviews, and Yelp has released its highly-anticipated list of Best New Restaurants.
Twenty-five restaurants made the list this year, ranging from experimental dining in New York City and Orlando, Florida to more relaxed eateries in Chicago and Boise, Idaho.
A desire to tap into something new was popular among Yelp users over the past year. Searches on Yelp for "great new restaurant" increased by 673% between 2023-2024 compared to 2022-2023, according to a Yelp news release.
Interested in learning which restaurants are the cream of the crop? Here are the top 25 new restaurants across the country, per Yelp reviewers and experts.
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Take a look at Yelp's top 5 Best New Restaurants
No. 1: Mēdüzā Mediterrania in New York City, New York
Located in New York's Meatpacking District, Mēdüzā Mediterrania is a Mediterranean restaurant that has been popular among celebrity guests − including Taylor Swift and Cardi B − since its opening in September 2023.
The restaurant features three dining rooms, including a VIP mezzanine and glass-enclosed atrium. Live music or a house DJ fills the restaurant each night. Business casual is required at Mēdüzā Mediterrania. Prohibited attire includes novelty hats and wigs, bandanas, themed costumes, athletic wear, flip flops, ballcaps, shorts (except for brunch), exposed undergarments, excessively baggy or oversized clothing, and bathing suits, per the restaurant's website. Reservations are not required but "highly encouraged."
One of Mēdüzā Mediterrania's signature dishes is the Torre De Mare, a seafood tower made up of cocktail sauce, Meduza Mignonette, horseradish, oysters, little neck clams, two pounds of lobster and U-10 shrimp.
Per a photo of the menu shared by Yelp Elite user Amanda W. in October, entrees range between $31 (falafel) to $195 (prime T-bone steak).
Yelp rating: 3.8 out of 5 stars
Check out the menu: meduza33.com
Book your reservation now on OpenTable
No. 2: Noko Nashville in Nashville, Tennessee
Noko Nashville is an upscale, wood-fired Asian restaurant located in East Nashville. The restaurant was also named the No. 1 Best New Restaurant in the South for 2024 by Yelp. Noko Nashville opened in March 2023.
One of Noko Nashville's signature dishes is the Blue Fin Tuna Crudo, a Chef's cut of tuna made with Wakame, truffle mustard soy sauce, pickled wasabi and crispy onion.
Per the restaurant's website, entrees range between about $13 (The District Sando, made with prosciutto, truffle aioli, white cheddar cheese and Togarashi) to $115 (Tomahawk ribeye steak).
Yelp rating: 4.8 out of 5 stars
Check out the menu: nokonashville.com/menus
Book your reservation now on OpenTable
No. 3: Meesh Meesh Mediterranean in Louisville, Kentucky
A fusion of Mediterranean and Appalachian cuisine, Meesh Meesh Mediterranean opened its doors in September 2023. The restaurant features Middle Eastern dips, schmears and small plates, all meant for sharing around the table. Meesh Meesh was ranked No. 2 on Yelp's Best New Restaurants in the South for 2024.
Meesh Meesh's most requested dish, according to Yelp, is the Smoked Lamb Hummus, which includes lamb that has been smoked for 12 hours, mint, pomegranate molasses and pine nuts.
Per the restaurant's website, entrees range in price between $36 (Kousa Squash) to $69 (grape leaf-wrapped branzino).
Yelp rating: 4.9 out of 5 stars
Check out the menu: meeshmeesh.com/louisville-meesh-meesh-mediterranean-food-menu
No. 4: Kinme Omakase in San Diego, California
Located in San Diego's Bankers Hill neighborhood, Kinme Omakase provides an intimate setting for all guests, as the Japanese restaurant only offers 10 spots at a long, wooden counter. The restaurant, which blends Kaiseki and Edomae sushi, only serves two dinner sets each night. Due to the limited space and service, reservations are required and open at the beginning of each month. Kinme Omakase opened in March 2023.
Kinme Omakase chefs craft a unique 10-course meal for each diner and the menu changes almost daily, according to Yelp. Meals feature both cooked and raw pieces. Sake and wine pairings are available and each meal ends with matcha tea.
Each experience at Kinme Omakase is $195 per person, according to the restaurant's website. Additional sake and wining pairing is $85.
Yelp rating: 4.9 out of 5 stars
No. 5: Burnin' Shell in Los Angeles, California
Burnin' Shell offers a pirate-themed Korean barbeque seafood experience in Los Angeles' Koreatown. The restaurant opened in April 2023 and has grown popular on social media because of its theatrical presentations and large food "sets."
One of Burnin' Shell's most popular dishes, aimed to be shared among four to five people, is the Captain Set. The dish features manila clams, whole-shelled oysters, a large clam, shrimp, mussels, cheese scallops, three abalone hagfish, live steamed lobster, marinated baby octopus, buttered squid, potato and sweet potato.
Burnin' Shell's entrees range from about $40 (live octopus) to $200 (Captain Set), per the restaurant's Instagram. Burnin' Shell does not have a website.
Yelp rating: 4.7 out of 5 stars
Check out the menu: instagram.com/burningshell_la (Click the "Menu" Instagram Story)
Want to try more? Here are a look at the remaining honorees
No. 6: Wicked Butcher in Dallas, Texas (steakhouse) - Book your reservation at OpenTable
No. 7: Course Restaurant in Scottsdale, Arizona (fine dining) - Book your reservation at OpenTable
No. 8: BoujieMana in San Diego, California (Mediterranean) - Book your reservation at OpenTable
No. 9: Paseo in Anaheim, California (Mexican) - Book your reservation at OpenTable
No. 10: Little's Oyster Bar in Houston, Texas (seafood)
No. 11: Kawa Ni in Denver, Colorado (Japanese) - Book your reservation at OpenTable
No. 12: Gannons Nashville in Nashville, Tennessee (American) - Book your reservation at OpenTable
No. 13: Rustica Earth Sea and Fire in St. Augustine, Florida (international fusion)
No. 14: El Cielo in Honolulu, Hawaii (Spanish)
No. 15: Nami in Orlando, Florida (Asian fusion) - Book your reservation at OpenTable
No. 16: The Evie in Chicago, Illinois (American) - Book your reservation at OpenTable
No. 17: Katami in Houston, Texas (Japanese)
No. 18: Kappo DC in Washington, D.C. (Japanese)
No. 19: Sartiano's in New York City, New York (Italian)
No. 20: Casa Pollastro in Dallas, Texas (Brazilian-Italian fusion)
No. 21: Carbonara in Arlington, Virginia (Italian)
No. 22: Love, Makoto in Washington, D.C. (Japanese)
No. 23: Wolf by Vanderpump at Harveys Lake Tahoe in Stateline, Nevada (American) - Book your reservation at Open Table
No. 24: Percy in Boise, Idaho (American)
No. 25: Cataline Kitchen + Bar in Charlotte, North Carolina (scratch kitchen)
How does Yelp pick the best new restaurants?
Restaurants that made Yelp's list this year must have opened after Jan. 1, 2023, be full-service businesses and have passed a health score as of Sept. 1, according to a Yelp news release. Yelp ranks the top restaurants on a number of factors, including total volume and rating of views between Jan. 1, 2023 and Sept. 1, 2024.
Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Follow her on X and Instagram @gretalcross. Story idea? Email her at gcross@gannett.com.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Yelp releases Best New Restaurants for 2024: Would you dine at one?
