31 Best Restaurants in USA

Next to the clubhouse of the world's lowest golf course, this open-air spot serves hamburgers, hot dogs, chili, and sausages. The bar has a rotating selection of draft beers.

The design of this modern food court, open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, honors the history of rock climbing in Yosemite. Choose from a wide range of menu options, from hamburgers, salads, and pizzas, to rice and noodle bowls.

A crowd of in-the-know locals gathers at this lively restaurant and bar close to downtown Oxnard for south-of-the-border seafood specialties served with fresh handmade tortillas. The rainbow-hued dining rooms and patio are casual and cheery. If you're not a seafood fan, try the carne asada (marinated strips of beef) or one of the large combination plates.

Prepare to wait in line at this tiny downtown eatery owned and operated by married New Yorkers who have years of Big Apple bakery experience. Also be prepared to finally reach the counter only to find that they've sold out of strawberry-poppy scones, cornbread loaves, or blueberry and cream-cheese brioche. Luckily, you can't go wrong with any of the delectable breads, sweet and savory pastries, or sandwiches. If your baked item of choice isn't available, you can simply order a caffeinated beverage, some of which are very creative (Elvis would have loved the peanut butter and banana iced coffee!).

This little roadside restaurant in Hoonah doesn't look like much from the outside, but it comes highly recommended by the locals. The salmon tacos garner particularly high praise. Hours can be variable, especially in the off-season.

Family owned since 1917, this Montgomery tradition is always busy at lunchtime, and for good reason. Chris's famous sauce contains chili peppers, onions, and a variety of herbs that give his hot dogs a one-of-a-kind flavor. The sauce goes on the house special, along with mustard, onions, and kraut. At one time, Chris' Hot Dogs was an all-night joint where country music legend Hank Williams ate.

Don't judge this restaurant by its no-frills exterior—though it may appear closed (especially with its boarded-up windows), this little hole-in-the-wall serves some of the best soul food in town. Follow locals inside for the popular fried chicken, collards, and corn bread served in a surprisingly bright and homey dining room. Portions are generous, so arrive hungry.

A cozy coffeehouse with a counterculture undercurrent, Frontier is a good place to stop before heading into the park—and a popular one, judging by the number of visiting Angelenos in line for prehike egg sandwiches and posthike Top Chico mineral water at any one time. Pair fancy coffee drinks with bagels and parfaits in the morning or salads and sandwiches if you're off to a late start. 

Turns out you can go home again, and, sometimes, when you do, you also quit your day job and open up the kind of restaurant you'd like to hang out in—at least, that's the case with the ex-teacher behind this downtown den that promises (and delivers) "good eats, rad beer." In addition to having the best beer list for 100 miles (with 13 on tap and roughly 70 more in cans and bottles, plus a few ciders, hard kombuchas, seltzers, and wine) it also has delicious food created by a Swedish chef (for real) who worked in big-name kitchens in Copenhagen, New York, and L.A. and who makes falafel so moist and zesty that it will leave carnivores rethinking their stance on veganism.

A popular and quirky spot for hearty Mexican and American fare in downtown Holbrook since the 1940s, this restaurant is perfect for huevos rancheros, chiles rellenos, Navajo tacos, or a chicken-fried steak meal en route to nearby Petrified Forest National Park.

Homemade biscuits, sausage gravy, grilled pork chops, and eggs are just a few ways to start the day at this wee cafe tucked into a shopping center. Fans love breakfast, but lunch and dinner are equally appealing, with Southern and American specialties like liver and onions, chicken and dumplings, speckled butter beans, and creamy squash casserole. Sit on the patio or inside overlooking a mural depicting a pastoral scene with pink flying pigs.

Coffee and hot cocoa, wine and beer (including local brews from Lassen Ale Works), and sandwiches, burgers, soups, salads, bagels, and pizzas are served in this casual eatery inside the park's only year-round visitor center. Indoors, there's a fireplace, but if the weather is fine, the patio with its mountain views is the place to be.

In a hip, modern space—alongside The Local Grape wine bar within a historic building—this unusual-for-the-region eatery serves up savory Japanese soul food. Expect home-style dishes like steaming bowls of toasted-rye ramen noodles swimming in a rich broth For dessert, there's matcha cheesecake and premium mochi ice cream.

A taste of the islands in landlocked Huntsville is served in this café where the food is as colorful as the sunny decor. Bright-orange mangoes liven up chicken, and star in salads. Braised oxtail is akin to homey beef stew. Meatless "meatloaf" and curry "chicken" are among many vegetarian options. Lighter selections include the seafood served escovitch style (marinated in a pickling sauce and then fried).

Pick up simple prepared foods, groceries, and beverages—local wines and beers among them—at the store, which has an ATM and a pay phone.

Down the street from the REI store, on the corner along the bicycle path on 15th Street, My Brother's Bar is a homey neighborhood tavern that serves microbrews, burgers—buffalo and beef—and sandwiches of all kinds until 1:30 am. The bar's name isn't on the facade, so look for the street number.

This allegedly haunted landmark (there are no overnight accommodations anymore) is on Oatman's historic main drag. Claims that Carole Lombard and Clark Gable honeymooned here have been definitively debunked, but this quirky establishment contains a fun little restaurant that's renowned for its juicy buffalo burgers and addictively filling "burro ears"—house-made potato chips served with tangy salsa.

Serving standard (but pretty decent) cafeteria fare, this is the only place in the park where you can get a full meal.

This is a great place for a beer and a steak, though the menu also has burgers, chicken tenders, fish and chips, pasta dishes, and salads. In summer, dinners (reservations suggested) are served out on the porch, which has spectacular views of Panamint Valley. A limited breakfast and lunch are also served.

Quick snacks are available at the museum during the busy season.

Authentic soul food joins creative Southern home cooking at this cozy little Avondale-district hole-in-the-wall with worn floors and tables so close together you’ll get to know your neighbors. Don’t miss the slow-cooked pulled “pork and greens” served over grits or the “SAW’s bowl,” piled with corn bread, braised pork cheeks, green beans, caramelized onions, and slaw. Chicken marinates in sweet tea before being fried for one sandwich. Even sweeter is the old-fashioned banana pudding.

Formerly Curry Village Pavilion, this casual eatery serves everything from roasted meats and salads to pastas, burritos, rice bowls, and beyond. Alternatively, order a pizza from the stand on the deck, and take in the views of the valley's granite walls.

When in doubt, order pizza from this tidy, tasty spot on the main drag, within walking distance of the national park visitor center, where toppings include things like smoked Gouda, Fresno chili, soppressata, or fried eggs. Sky also turns its ovens on early most mornings to prepare fresh quiche and pastries, which are served from a takeout window and can be enjoyed with a cup of Joe in the expansive courtyard that's shared with the neighboring Joshua Tree Coffee Company.

Down the boardwalk from the port you'll find the Landing Zone. Larger and a bit more upscale than the Cookhouse, the Landing gets its name from its location at the end of the ZipRider zip line; those who remained on the ground can watch their braver friends fly through the air on live-stream video monitors while sipping an Alaskan-brewed beer at the bar. The Landing's half-dozen menu items include salmon prepared at an outdoor grill, beef brisket, and reindeer sausage.

No matter the time of day or year, if this plant-based palate pleaser is open, there will be a wait, but when you finally arrive at the counter to order breakfast or lunch, you'll still be greeted with kind eyes and big smiles. The genuine, happy-hippie kindness will be extended to your digestive system, too, as the wraps, burgers, chia puddings, salads, and avo toasts are mostly organic and always nutritious and bursting with seasonal flavor. Wash everything down with something colorful from the juice and smoothie bar and grab a sweet treat like made-daily muffins or cookies for the end of the trail.

One of the founding businesses/set pieces of Pioneertown's movie colony and a legendary hangout of the Western actors and crews who worked on location there, the Red Dog has been reborn, and its second coming was worth the wait thanks to from-scratch Tex-Mex that's filtered through a California lens and takes full advantage of the Golden State's agricultural bounty. All three meals are available daily although the lunch and dinner menus are the same—chile relleno; tacos (mushroom asada with tomatillo salsa is simple but sapid!); and standard sides like chips and queso or salsa, street corn, and churros. Service at the bar can be slow, but the flavorful margaritas, and fascinating people-watching—from the porch, the main room where they stage concerts and run bingo nights, or the dark den—make up for that annoyance.

Serving throughout the day until 5 or 6 pm, this fast-food eatery cooks up basic breakfast, lunch, and snacks. It's possible that ice cream tastes better at this altitude. Stop in for a quick meal before exploring the meadows.

If a burger joint is what you've been missing, head to this bustling eatery that serves veggie, salmon, and a few other burger varieties in addition to the usual beef patties. Order at the counter, then take your tray out to the deck, and enjoy your meal under the trees.

There's little on offer here, just chips, soft drinks, and concessions served on picnic tables under an awning, but it's the only choice on Wetherill Mesa.