How to Find the Perfect Dinner Spot on Vacation

Food is an important part of a trip to me. It is a great way to experience the culture of wherever you’re visiting – even if it is just a short drive away. I never used to think about searching for a good restaurant because you can always ask around, right? Well, have you ever had someone tell you about an amazing movie that you “have to see?” And then you see that movie and discover that you find it to be terrible? Yeah… the same thing happens with restaurants. Also, I spent 2 years working as a concierge in Orlando and I learned that hotel employees often earn money or free meals from certain restaurants for sending guests. They won’t send you to the best steakhouse; they will send you to the steakhouse that pays them the most. So instead of taking the risk and asking around, I do the searching myself. Here are my favorite resources:

OpenTable: Not only is this website a great source for delicious restaurants, but you can also view available times and book a table without picking up the phone! With a simple click of a button you can save yourself from the otherwise inevitable ‘hanger’ (hunger + anger). Here is how to find the best places: visit www.OpenTable.com and select the city in which you want to dine. Each city has a list of its “Most Booked Tables.” I always check this list for restaurants! And it has never lead me wrong. OpenTable is a paid service so it’s restaurant offerings can be a little limiting.

TripAdvisor/Yelp: These sources have every restaurant but reviews are subjective and you can have extremely positive and negative reviews for the same place. Look for restaurants that have large amounts of positive reviews. But again, take it with a grain of salt because everyone experiences things differently – which is a nice way of saying that some people are crazy and their online opinions are not to be trusted ☺

TVFoodMaps.com: This is a really fun one for me – these are all the restaurants that Food Network, Travel Channel, etc. have visited and reviewed. As a person that watches these types of shows, I know that the restaurants they visit are often amazing! Once you see a good place, search Google for the actual video or episode of the TV show visiting there.

Concierge: Now, once you’ve settled on your restaurant – ask the concierge to make your reservation or ask them for a coupon. Sometimes that coupon has the concierge’s name on it but also has a discount for you. So it’s a win-win! You save money and the concierge makes a little money. Or let them make your reservation, the meal will cost you the same amount and they will make a little money too. Have them call a taxi, anything else! Let them do their job, just be weary of recommendations. Lastly, everybody loves a tip ☺ Let them know they did a good job.

Final tip: Found a restaurant you love but seems a little out of price range? Visit for lunch and enjoy slightly smaller portions of the same food at a much lower price!

For some of you this may seem like a lot of work, but I thoroughly enjoy learning about travel. So, it’s fun for me and I have never regretted it! Through this method, I found a restaurant that had these amazing Cheese Airbags in Barcelona – check them out!