More lists: Opinionated About Dining releases its 2019 lists

I don’t know much about this group or its methodologies, but for what it’s worth, the 2019 list is out…

For North America (excuse the truly crappy copy&paste job on my part; the hotlink takes you to their site for a prettier version):

|1 ||The Willows Inn |Blaine Wetzel |Progressive American |Lummi Island, Washington|
|2 ||Single Thread Farm |Kyle Connaughton |Progressive - Japanese |Healdsburg, California|
|3 ||Chef’s Table at Brooklyn Fare |César Ramirez |Japanese - French |Manhattan, New York|
|4 ||Saison |Laurent Gras |Progressive |San Francisco, California|
|5 ||Somni |Aitor Zabala |Molecular |West Hollywood, California|
|6 ||Smyth |John Shields |Progressive American |Chicago, Illinois|
|7 ||minibar by José Andrés |Ruben Garcia & Jorge Hernandez |Molecular |Washington DC, District of Columbia|
|8 ||Raymond’s Restaurant |Jeremy Charles |Progressive Canadian |St. John’s, Newfoundland|
|9 ||Blue Hill at Stone Barns |Dan Barber |Progressive American |Pocantico Hills, New York|
|10 ||Alinea |Grant Achatz |Molecular |Chicago, Illinois|
|11 ||Manresa |David Kinch |Progressive American |Los Gatos, California|
|12 ||Atera |Rony Emborg |New Nordic |Manhattan, New York|
|13 ||Sushi Amane |Shio Uino |Sushi |Manhattan, New York|
|14 ||Atomix |Junghyun Park |Modern Korean |New York City, New York|
|15 ||Restaurant at Meadowood, The |Christopher Kostow |New American |St. Helena, California|
|16 ||Catbird Seat |Will Aghajanian & Liz Johnson |Progressive American |Nashville, Tennessee|
|17 ||Dialogue |Dave Beran |Progressive American |Santa Monica, California|
|18 ||Benu |Corey Lee |French - Chinese |San Francisco, California|
|19 ||Rogue Experience, The |Alan Latourelle & Jenny Ung |New American |West Hollywood, California|
|20 ||Castagna |Justin Woodward |Progressive |Portland, Oregon|
|21 ||Hugo’s |Mike Wiley & Andrew Taylor |Progressive American |Portland, Maine|
|22 ||Oriole |Noah Sandoval |Progressive American |Chicago, Illinois|
|23 ||Aubergine |Justin Cogley |New American |Carmel-by-the-Sea, California|
|24 ||é by José Andrés |Eric Suniga |Molecular - Spanish |Las Vegas, Nevada|
|25 ||Aska |Fredrik Berselius |New Nordic |Brooklyn, New York|
|26 ||Sushi Sho |Keiji Nakazawa |Sushi |Honolulu, Hawaii|
|27 ||Blanca |Carlo Mirachi |Progressive American |Brooklyn, New York|
|28 ||Guy Savoy |Julian Asseo |French |Las Vegas, Nevada|
|29 ||Alo restaurant |Patrick Kriss |French - Asian |Toronto, Ontario|
|30 ||Nodoguro |Ryan Roadhouse |Sushi |Portland, Oregon|
|31 ||Pujol |Enrique Olivera |Modern Mexican |Mexico City, Mexico|
|32 ||Sushi Taro (Omakase Counter) |Nobu Yamasaki |Sushi |Washington DC, District of Columbia|
|33 ||Bavel |Ori Menashe and Genevieve Gergis |Modern Israeli |Los Angeles, California|
|34 ||Vespertine LA |Jordan Khan |Molecular |Los Angeles, California|
|35 ||Sushi Yoshizumi |Akira Yoshizumi |Sushi |San Mateo, California|
|36 ||per se |Cory Chow |French |Manhattan, New York|
|37 ||Momofuku Ko |Sean Gray |Progressive |Manhattan, New York|
|38 ||French Laundry, The |David Breeden |French |Yountville, California|
|39 ||Taco Maria |Carlos Salgado |Modern Mexican |Costa Mesa, California|
|40 ||Sushi Noz |Nozomu Abe |Sushi |Manhattan, New York|
|41 ||Tempura Matsui |Kiyoshi Chikano |Tempura |Manhattan, New York|
|42 ||Urasawa |Hiro Urasawa |Sushi |Beverly Hills, California|
|43 ||Stages at One Washington |Even Hennessey |Progressive American |Dover, New Hampshire|
|44 ||Quintonil |Jorge Vallejo |Modern Mexican |Mexico City, Mexico|
|45 ||Eleven Madison Park |Daniel Humm |French |Manhattan, New York|
|46 ||Kato |Jon Yao |New Taiwanese |Los Angeles, California|
|47 ||Birch |Benjamin Sukle |Progressive American |Providence, Rhode Island|
|48 ||Angler |Nicolas Ferreira |Progressive American |San Francisco, California|
|49 ||Commis |James Syhabout |Progressive American |Oakland, California|
|50 ||Le Bernardin |Eric Ripert |French - Seafood |Manhattan, New York|
|51 ||Nicos |Gerardo Vázquez Lugo |Modern Mexican |Mexico City, Mexico|
|52 ||Sushi Inoue |Shinichi Innoue |Sushi |Manhattan, New York|
|53 ||Atelier Crenn |Dominique Crenn |Modern French |San Francisco, California|
|54 ||Totoraku |Kaz Oyama |Yakiniku |Los Angeles, California|
|55 ||Kali |Kevin Meehan |Californian |Los Angeles, California|
|56 ||Maude |Curtis Stone |New American |Los Angeles, California|
|57 ||Quince |Michael Tusk |Italian |San Francisco, California|
|58 ||Next |Jenner Tomaska |Eclectic |Chicago, Illinois|
|59 ||Masa |Masa Takayama |Sushi |Manhattan, New York|
|60 ||Mourad |Mourad Lahlo |Modern Morrocan |San Francisco, California|
|61 ||Elements |Scott Anderson |Progressive American |Princeton, New York|
|62 ||Nozawa Bar |Osamu Fujita |Sushi |Beverly Hills, California|
|63 ||Sushi Zo |Masashi Ito |Sushi |Los Angeles, California|
|64 ||O Ya |Tim Cushman |Japanese Small Plates |Boston, Massachusetts|
|65 ||DAMON BAEHREL |Damon Baehrel |New American |Earlton, New York|
|66 ||Providence |Michael Cimarusti |Contemporary Seafood |Los Angeles, California|
|67 ||Marea |Michael White |Italian |Manhattan, New York|
|68 ||Le Coucou |Daniel Rose |French |Manhattan, New York|
|69 ||Pineapple & Pearls |Aaron Silverman |Progressive American |Washington DC, District of Columbia|
|70 ||In Situ |Corey Lee |Eclectic |San Francisco, California|
|71 ||Alter |Brad Kilgore |Progressive American |Miami, Florida|
|72 ||Shoji at 69 Leonard |Derrick Wilcox |Kaiseki - Sushi |Manhattan, New York|
|73 ||N’Naka |Niki Nakayama |Japanese |Los Angeles, California|
|74 ||Schwa |Michael Carlson |Progressive American |Chicago, Illinois|
|75 ||Yamakase |Kiyoshiro Yamamoto |Sushi |Los Angeles, California|
|76 ||Jung Sik Dang |Junk Sik Yim |Progressive Korean |Manhattan, New York|
|77 ||Shibumi |David Schlosser |Japanese Small Plates |Los Angeles, California|
|78 ||Californios |Val Cantu |Californian |San Francisco, California|
|79 ||Gabriel Kreuther |Gabriel Kreuther |French |Manhattan, New York|
|80 ||Atelier |Marc Lepine |Progressive Canadian |Ottowa, Ontario|
|81 ||Actinolite |Justin Cournoyer |Progressive Canadian |Toronto, Ontario|
|82 ||Sushi Nakazawa |Daisuke Nakzawa |Sushi |Manhattan, New York|
|83 ||Flora Bar |Ignacio Mattos |Seafood Small Plates |Manhattan, New York|
|84 ||Modern, The |Abram Bissell |New American |Manhattan, New York|
|85 ||Jean George |Jean-George Vongerichten |French |Manhattan, New York|
|86 ||Contra |Jeremiah Stone |Progressive American |Manhattan, New York|
|87 ||Orsa & Winston |Josef Centeno |Californian |Los Angeles, California|
|88 ||O Ya NYC |Tim Cushman |Sushi |Manhattan, New York|
|89 ||Hashimoto |Masaki Hashimoto |Kaiseki |Toronto, Ontario|
|90 ||Shuko |Nick Kim & Jimmy Lau |Sushi |Manhattan, New York|
|91 ||Lorea |Oswaldo Oliva |Modern Mexican |Mexico City, Mexico|
|92 ||Kyo Ya |Chikara Sono |Kaiseki |Manhattan, New York|
|93 ||Coi |Erik Anderson |Progressive American |San Francisco, California|
|94 ||Café Juanita |Holly Smith |Italian |Seattle, Washington|
|95 ||Günter Seeger |Guenther Seeger |New American |Manhattan, New York|
|96 ||Canlis |Brady Willliams |New American |Seattle, Washington|
|97 ||Aquavit |Emma Bengtsson |Swedish |Manhattan, New York|
|98 ||Hawksworth |David Hawksworth |Canadian |Vancouver, British Columbia|
|99 ||Trois Mec |Ludo Lefebvre |Progressive French |Los Angeles, California|
|100 ||Union Square Cafe |Carmen Quagliata |New American |Manhattan, New York|
|101 ||Barley Swine |Bryce Gilmore |New American |Austin, Texas|
|102 ||Dante |Dante Boccuzzi |New American |Cleveland, Ohio|
|103 ||Q Sushi |Hiroyuki Naruke |Sushi |Los Angeles, California|
|104 ||Rasika |Vikram Sunderam |Indian |Washington DC, District of Columbia|
|105 ||Secchu Yokota |Atsushi Yokota. |Kaiseki |Manhattan, New York|
|106 ||Tasting Counter |Peter Ungár |Progressive American |Somerville, Massachusetts|
|107 ||Joe Beef |David McMillan & Frédéric Morin |Canadian - French |Montreal, Quebec|
|108 ||Bardot Brasserie |Joshua Smith |French |Las Vegas, Nevada|
|109 ||Yakiniku Yazawa |Tomo Inada |Yakiniku |Los Angeles, California|
|110 ||Frenchette |Riad Nasr & Lee Hanson |French - Brasserie |Manhattan, New York|
|111 ||Menton |Lucas Sousa |French |Boston, Massachusetts|
|112 ||Sushi Zo |Keizo Seki |Sushi |Manhattan, New York|
|113 ||Nomad |James Kent |New American |Manhattan, New York|
|114 ||Uchu |Samuel Clonts |Kaiseki |Manhattan, New York|
|115 ||Sons & Daughters |Teague Moriarty |New American |San Francisco, California|
|116 ||Canoe |Ron McKinlay |Canadian |Toronto, Ontario|
|117 ||Maum |Michael and Meichih Kim |Modern Korean |Palo Alto, California|
|118 ||Kabuto |Various |Sushi |Las Vegas, Nevada|
|119 ||Uchi |Tyson Cole |Sushi - Japanese |Austin, Texas|
|120 ||Binkley’s |Kevin Binkley |New American |Phoenix, Arizona|
|121 ||Acquerello |Suzette Greshem |Italian - French |San Francisco, California|
|122 ||Harbor House Inn |Matthew Kammerer |Progressive American |Elk, California|
|123 ||Beatrice Inn |Angie Mar |French - Steak |Manhattan, New York|
|124 ||Baumé |Bruno Chemel |Modern French |Palo Alto, California|
|125 ||Commonwealth |Jason Fox |New American |San Francisco, California|
|126 ||Blackberry Farm |Casidee Dabney |New American |Walland, Tennessee|
|127 ||Eight Tables by George Chen |George Chen |Modern Chinese |San Francisco, California|
|128 ||Shunji |Shunji Nakao |Sushi |Los Angeles, California|
|129 ||edulis |Michael Caballo |Spanish |Toronto, Ontario|
|130 ||Ardent |Justin Carlisle |Progressive American |Milwaukee, Wisconsin|
|131 ||Travail Kitchen & Amusements |James Winberg, Bob Gerken, & Mike Brown |Progressive American |Minneapolis, Minnesota|
|132 ||Europea |Jérôme Ferrer |French |Montreal, Quebec|
|133 ||Toqué |Normand Laprise |French |Montreal, Quebec|
|134 ||Otium |Timothy Hollingsworth |New American |Los Angeles, California|
|135 ||Ukiyo |Marco Prins |Japanese - American |Manhattan, New York|
|136 ||Cote |David Shim |Korean Steakhouse |Manhattan, New York|
|137 ||Kuruma Zushi |Toshihiro Uezu |Sushi |Manhattan, New York|
|138 ||Takashi |Saheem Ali |Yakiniku |Manhattan, New York|
|139 ||The Bazaar by José Andrés |Holly Jivin |Spanish - Molecular |West Hollywood, California|
|140 ||Scaramouche |Keith Froggett |French |Toronto, Ontario|
|141 ||Bohemian, The |Kiyo Shinoki |Japanese Steak |Manhattan, New York|
|142 ||The Pool |Rich Torrisi |Contemporary Seafood |Manhattan, New York|
|143 ||Mori Sushi |Masanori Nagano |Sushi |Los Angeles, California|
|144 ||Bouley at Home |David Bouley |French |Manhattan, New York|
|145 ||Joel Robuchon at The Mansion |Christophe de Lellis |French |Las Vegas, Nevada|
|146 ||71above |Vartan Abgaryan |New American |Los Angeles, California|
|147 ||Merotoro |Jair Téllez |Modern Mexican |Mexico City, Mexico|
|148 ||George’s California Modern |Trey Foshee |New American |La Jolla, California|
|149 ||Sushi Gen |Toshiaki Toyoshima |Sushi |Los Angeles, California|
|150 ||Daniel |Daniel Boulud |French |Manhattan, New York|
|151 ||Opus Restaurant |Jason Cox |Canadian |Toronto, Ontario|
|152 ||Birdsong |Christopher Bleidorn |Progressive American |San Francisco, California|
|153 ||Agern |Gunnar Gíslason |New Nordic |Manhattan, New York|
|154 ||Sierra Mar |Elizabeth Murray |New American |Big Sur, California|
|155 ||Dulce Patria |Martha Ortiz Chapa |Modern Mexican |Mexico City, Mexico|
|156 ||Sushi Yasuda |Mitsuru Tamura |Sushi |Manhattan, New York|
|157 ||Batard |Markus Glocker |French |Manhattan, New York|
|158 ||Park Restaurant |Antonio Park |Japanese |Montreal, Quebec|
|159 ||Addison |William Bradley |French |Del Mar, California|
|160 ||Aldea |George Mendes |Modern Portugese |Manhattan, New York|
|161 ||Sushi Tsujita |Hideyuki Takada |Sushi |Los Angeles, California|
|162 ||Tanoshi Sushi |Toshio Oguma |Sushi |Manhattan, New York|
|163 ||Musket Room, The |Matt Lambert |New American |Manhattan, New York|
|164 ||Indian Accent |Manish Malhotra |Indian |Manhattan, New York|
|165 ||Contramar |Gabriela Cámara |Modern Mexican |Mexico City, Mexico|
|166 ||Gramercy Tavern |Michael Anthony |New American |Manhattan, New York|
|167 ||Elizabeth |Ileana Regan |Progressive American |Chicago, Illinois|
|168 ||August |Todd Pulsinelli |New American |New Orleans, Louisiana|
|169 ||Blue Hill |Dan Barber |New American |Manhattan, New York|
|170 ||Hartwood |Eric Werner |Modern Mexican |Tulum, Mexico|
|171 ||Atelier de Robuchon |Steve Benjamin |French |Las Vegas, Nevada|
|172 ||Sanford |Justin Aprahamian |New American |Milwaukee, Wisconsin|
|173 ||Hakkasan |Ho Chee Boon |Chinese |Las Vegas, Nevada|
|174 ||WP 24 |John Lechleidner |New American |Los Angeles, California|
|175 ||Ushiwakamura |Hideo Kuribara |Sushi |Manhattan, New York|
|176 ||Clocktower |Jason Atherton |New American |Manhattan, New York|
|177 ||Elske |David & Anna Posey |New American |Chicago, Illinois|
|178 ||Aburiya Raku |Mitsuo Endo |Japanese |Las Vegas, Nevada|
|179 ||Tempura Endo |Koichi Endo |Tempura |Los Angeles, California|
|180 ||NAOE |Kevin Corey |Sushi |Miami, Florida|
|181 ||Eigensinn Farm |Michael Stadtlander |Progressive Canadian |Singhampton, Ontario|
|182 ||Scratch Bar |Phillip Frankland Lee |Progressive American |Encino, California|
|183 ||Tei-An |Teiichi Sakurai |Japanese |Dallas, Texas|
|184 ||Komi |Jonny Monis |Greek |Washington DC, District of Columbia|
|185 ||Lazy Bear |David Barzelay |Progressive American |San Francisco, California|
|186 ||buca yorkville |Rob Gentile |Italian |Toronto, Ontario|
|187 ||Frasca Food & Wine |Lachlan Mackinnon Patterson |Italian |Boulder, Colorado|
|188 ||Matsuhisa |Nobuyuki Matsuhisa |Sushi - Japanese |West Hollywood, California|
|189 ||Avery |Rodney Wages |Progressive Asian |San Francisco, California|
|190 ||Uni |Tony Messina |Japanese |Boston, Massachusetts|
|191 ||petit crenn |Dominique Crenn |French |San Francisco, California|
|192 ||15 East |Noriyuki Takahashi |Sushi - Japanese |Manhattan, New York|
|193 ||Del Posto |Mellisa Rodriquez |Italian |Manhattan, New York|
|194 ||aster |Brett Cooper |Californian |San Francisco, California|
|195 ||Bastion |Josh Habiger |Progressive American |Nashville, Tennessee|
|196 ||Alan Wong’s |Alan Wong |Hawaiian |Honolulu, Hawaii|
|197 ||Asanebo |Tetsuya Nakao |Sushi |Studio City, California|
|198 ||El Ideas |Phillip Foss |Progressive American |Chicago, Illinois|
|199 ||Spago |Tetsu Yahagi |Californian - French |Beverly Hills, California|
|200 ||Redbird |Neal Fraser |New American |Los Angeles, California|

How did Kali end up so high on the list? :thinking:

Like I said, I have no idea what their methodology is…

I think each reviewer’s rating of the restaurants are weighted according to the # of reviews they have or something to that effect…

WP24?
71Above?
Nozawa Bar?

@beefnoguy sums it up nicely.

Ctrl + F / “Stinking Rose”

NOPE, this list sucks.

6 Likes

careful what you say about oad: plotnicki is famously lititgious…

If you look at the top reviewers on the OAD list, a number of them are social media moguls or powerhouses themselves, and wield a lot of influence in the food and beverage industry (some globally to an extent or cross country). Most of you probably already follow them in one form or another.

A lot of these people are well connected and can get into these restaurants that are notoriously difficult to book, or they basically trade favors where one is a regular and another is regular somewhere else (or they just curry favor with the best concierge services in town in addition). A few of them are not just jet setter types but also have the power to vote for a restaurant either in Michelin or Pellegrino. So some restaurants have to really play nice, knowing that their glory and reputation could be at stake.

Bottom line, don’t let these people tell you where to eat. Just like the Michelin guide, it is just but another list, but at least more weighted. It’s really up to you and the readers, to research, use OAD or their reviewer’s social media to figure out if going to a particularly top restaurant is worth your while. And bear in mind most of these restaurants already know who these reviewers are, unless they choose to hide their face (generally from public social media if so), and of course they will likely tread extra carefully around them and play extra nice on top.

If only we really knew how the system worked…our opinions of them would be …very very different (this applies to Michelin standards/ratings as well).

Personally I was not fond of Single Thread and am baffled still about their Michelin stars and within a short period of time. But I know people who went who loved it. It is a place to impress and to impress others, at least visually. Though to be fair I went when they first opened, but even then they did not move me the way Meadowood did.
Certainly some restaurants are darn good, and some will be WTF? It is what it is.

4 Likes

Damn straight. I never would have found quesadilla lady of Echo Park if I had heeded these rigged lists…

3 Likes

It’s not just the usual suspects. It includes some board favorites that don’t have 2-3 Michelin stars and aren’t on the Pellegrino lists.

All the sushi is in New York. And does anyone kinow what “Progressive American” is meant to invoke?

That’s what Grant Achatz calls his work at Alinea.

There’s a selection of sushi they pulled from L.A. I think I saw Matsuhisa and a couple of others in the mix.

1 Like

ny sushi > la sushi

Wrong. Read it again.

Oh, Robert. You’re so literal sometimes. :wink:

1 Like

14 NY, 11 LA, 7 elsewhere

Asanebo - Studio City, California
Matsuhisa - West Hollywood, California
Mori Sushi - Los Angeles, California
Nozawa Bar - Beverly Hills, California
Q Sushi - Los Angeles, California
Shunji - Los Angeles, California
Sushi Gen - Los Angeles, California
Sushi Tsujita - Los Angeles, California
Sushi Zo - Los Angeles, California
Urasawa - Beverly Hills, California
Yamakase - Los Angeles, California

Sushi Amane - Manhattan, New York
15 East - Manhattan, New York
Kuruma Zushi - Manhattan, New York
Masa - Manhattan, New York
O Ya NYC - Manhattan, New York
Shoji at 69 Leonard - Manhattan, New York
Shuko - Manhattan, New York
Sushi Inoue - Manhattan, New York
Sushi Nakazawa - Manhattan, New York
Sushi Noz - Manhattan, New York
Sushi Yasuda - Manhattan, New York
Sushi Zo - Manhattan, New York
Tanoshi Sushi - Manhattan, New York
Ushiwakamura - Manhattan, New York

Kabuto - Las Vegas, Nevada
NAOE - Miami, Florida
Nodoguro - Portland, Oregon
Sushi Sho - Honolulu, Hawaii
Sushi Taro (Omakase Counter) - Washington DC, District of Columbia
Sushi Yoshizumi - San Mateo, California
Uchi - Austin, Texas\

First I’ve heard of Maum.

http://maumpaloalto.com

No. They did miss the best SF Bay Area places (with a nod to Yoshizumi in San Mateo).