Of the 100 most scenic restaurants of 2019, as ranked by OpenTable, California is home to nearly 25% of them. Topping the list in Los Angeles are some of the coveted DTLA rooftop restaurants, like Perch, which has a stunning rooftop bar, and 71Above, a prix-fixe menu spot in downtown LA’s tallest building. Of course, LA also has several of their famed beach spots ranking on the list—from Maestro’s Ocean Club in Malibu to The Strand House in Manhattan Beach.
But outpacing the LA scenic views are the San Diego restaurants, with eight area restaurants making the list. That means of the 100 most scenic restaurants in America, according to OpenTable, 8% of them are in San Diego. Their beach views clearly can’t be beat. Northern California also made a strong showing on the list, with picks like Sam’s Chowder House, right on Half Moon Bay, ranking in the top 100.
Overall, the rankings for the 100 most scenic restaurants span 24 states and Washington D.C., with California, New York, and Florida claiming the most real estate on the list.
As for how OpenTable came up with the list, it’s entirely based on user reviews collected between June 2018 and May 2019. First, they amassed all the restaurants with a qualifying minimum “overall” score, found based on user klout and total number of reviews, among several other factors. The restaurants with qualifying scores were then sorted based on whether diners complimented their "scenic views," which is a special feature tab on OpenTable.
If you’re looking for other standouts on the list, Mama’s Beach House in Maui ranks—they’re known as one of the best oceanfront restaurants in Hawaii. They’re located in Paia, which is right at the start of the Road to Hana. In Charleston, Fleet Landing Restaurant & Bar makes the list—they’re in a retired naval building right on the eastern perimeter of the Charleston peninsula. And of course, thanks to their unreal Sedona National Park views, Mariposa Restaurant in Arizona made the list—where you can enjoy organically sourced produce and black angus from Creekstone Farms on the patio with the towering rocks as a backdrop.
