Most Famous Restaurant in Every State

Famous for its ribs, Dreamland Bar-B-Que has been satisfying folks in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, since 1958.

Celebrities even come to the restaurant to enjoy the food, including comedians Sean and Penn Teller, actor and singer Reba McEntire, and former president George W. Bush, who ordered some of the restaurant’s famous ribs to-go to eat aboard Air Force One, The Tuscaloosa News reported. 

Located in Anchorage, Alaska, Snow City Cafe is known around town as a popular brunch restaurant specializing in egg sandwiches and pancakes.

The establishment made a name for itself in 2015 when President Barack Obama came in to buy all of the cinnamon rolls for his staffers and even reporters following the president, NBC reported at the time.

Durant’s Steakhouse is a fine-dining restaurant in Phoenix. The establishment is well-known for its steaks, red booths, and martinis.

The food has attracted notable diners through the years, including John Wayne, Joe DiMaggio, and Clark Gable, Visit Arizona reported. The steakhouse is also a popular eatery among Arizona’s politicians. 

Located in Little Rock, Arkansas, Petit and Keet is an award-winning restaurant and bar. Locals have rated it the top restaurant in the state several times in Arkansas Times’ readers choice issue. 

Craig’s opened in 2011 in Los Angeles, and it specializes in Italian and American fare, including dishes like pizza, pasta, honey truffle chicken, and steak.

However, the restaurant is mostly known for its celebrity clientele. Kim Kardashian and “Vanderpump Rules” star Lala Kent have both been photographed at the restaurant, and Eater reported that Lizzo, Olivia Jade, and Nicky Hilton all dined there in 2022.

Biker Jim’s Gourmet Dogs started as a hot dog truck, but now it’s one of the most famous restaurants in Denver. The eatery offers hot dogs made of beef, elk, ostrich, wild boar, and even a combination of rabbit and rattlesnake. Cream cheese and caramelized onions are also popular toppings at this restaurant.

Biker Jim’s unique offerings caught Anthony Bourdain’s attention and were featured on his show “No Reservations.”

Biker Jim’s Gourmet Dogs also appeared on the Travel Channel’s “Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern” and the Food Network’s “The Best Thing I Ever Ate.”

Mystic Pizza opened in 1973 in Mystic, Connecticut, but it wasn’t until the late ’80s that the pizzeria became famous worldwide after screenwriter Amy Jones visited the eatery and decided to set her movie in Mystic Pizza.

The movie, which starred Julia Roberts and was shot on location at the pizzeria, was released in 1988. “Mystic Pizza” became a national phenomenon, causing many tourists to flock to the pizza eatery to try “A Slice of Heaven.”

Stoney’s Pub in Wilmington, Delaware, is best known for its British pub fare like “Mum’s poached or boiled fish,” shrimp and chips, and roast beef dinner.

However, the eatery was put on the map when it appeared on Food Network’s “Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives.”

During the show, host Guy Fieri said, “You’re going to have to pry this out of my hands,” when he took a bite of the restaurant’s gravy-covered roast beef, the Food Network reported.

Seaspice sits on the Miami River offering customers sweeping views of the city.

The restaurant specializes in “gastro-classic dining” serving dishes like wagyu steak tartare, crab tempura, and sushi.

Seaspice often has over a two-hour wait and is a favorite among celebrities like Marc Anthony, the Miami Herald reported after he arrived by yacht to dine at the restaurant in 2016. 

In addition to a hearty lineup of steaks, STK specializes in seafood dishes like oysters, shrimp cocktail, and salmon, as well as other dishes like roasted rack of lamb and short ribs.

The restaurant has drawn celebrities over the years, including Selena Gomez and Denzel Washington.

Scarlett Johansson and Chris Evans were also spotted eating at STK while “Captain America 3” was being shot in Atlanta, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.

The Manago Hotel and Restaurant dates back to 1917, years before Hawaii officially became a state, and is popularly known as the oldest restaurant in Hawaii. 

Among the restaurant’s most famous offerings are its family-style pork chops, which attract tourists from across the country. 

White Horse Saloon, which opened in 1908 and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979, is located in Spirit Lake, Idaho.

The restaurant is known as the oldest operating saloon in the state. While the restaurant is temporarily closed, the bar remains open.

Named by Time Out as “the most prominent Jewish deli in Chicago,” Manny’s Cafeteria and Delicatessen has been owned by four generations of the same family for 80 years, according to the restaurant’s website. 

The restaurant serves classic deli fare like Reuben sandwiches and corned beef hash as well as unique dishes like tongue and mushrooms.

St. Elmo Steak House in Indianapolis is well known for its shrimp cocktails, steak, chicken, and seafood.

However, the eatery became known by many more people when it appeared on a 2013 episode of NBC’s “Parks and Recreation,” which is set in the fictional town of Pawnee, Indiana. 

Indianapolis Monthly reported that in the episode, Rob Lowe, Aziz Ansari, Adam Scott, and Nick Offerman go out for steaks at the establishment. 

Northwestern Steakhouse in Mason City, Iowa, opened over 100 years ago in 1920.

Today, the restaurant is still operating, serving steaks covered in olive oil, butter, and Greek seasoning. In 2017, Thrillist named Northwestern Steakhouse the “most iconic restaurant” in Iowa. 

Joe’s Kansas City Bar-B-Que may be a former gas station, but it’s now famous nationwide for its burnt-ends sandwich and ribs.

Founded by Jeff and Joy Stehney in 1990 after the couple attended a local barbecue contest, Joe’s Kansas City Bar-B-Que now has three restaurants across the state, a private tasting room, and an event space. 

Located in North Corbin, Kentucky, the Harland Sanders Cafe and Museum is a popular tourist attraction for KFC enthusiasts and history lovers alike.

Colonel Harland Sanders, the founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken, operated the restaurant from 1940 to 1956. During this time, he developed his signature recipe for fried chicken, which is still used by the fast-food chain.

Visitors to the museum can examine historic memorabilia and exhibits related to KFC’s history and snack on fried chicken. 

Situated inside a bright blue-and-white Victorian-style building in New Orleans’ Garden District, Commander’s Palace opened in 1893 and has been serving locals ever since.

Explore Louisiana reported that celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse worked as the iconic restaurant’s head chef after a stint of restaurant jobs in France, New York, Boston, and Philadelphia.

He worked at Commander’s Palace for eight years, during which time he perfected his signature Creole-influenced cooking style.

Open since the 1920s, The Lobster Shack at Two Lights is located on the shores of Cape Elizabeth. It serves lobster rolls and fried seafood by the basket all summer long.

The restaurant became even more well known when, Food Network reported, celebrity chef and TV personality Bobby Flay visited the eatery on his show “FoodNation,” bringing the Lobster Shack into the national spotlight. 

Woodberry Kitchen in Baltimore is known for its American cuisine and farm-to-table philosophy.

In 2016, Michelle and Malia Obama were spotted dining in the restaurant. It is said to have many celebrity guests but the establishment has a policy that bars employees from disclosing any information, though the owners did reflect on serving Michelle Obama on the restaurant’s 10th anniversary in 2017.

“She gives the best hugs,” former server Amy Sherald, who also was commissioned by the National Portrait Gallery to paint a portrait of Michelle Obama, told Baltimore Magazine. “She walked in and I was thinking she would shake my hand, but she hugged me and the kids.”

Many know Cheers in Boston as the setting for the hit ’80s NBC sitcom of the same name. However, the restaurant was popular long before the show premiered.

According to the restaurant’s website, Cheers was originally named the Bull and Finch Pub and opened in 1969 as a neighborhood spot for classic American grub and beers.

Today, it’s a landmark in Boston, attracting tourists from all over to grab a pint in the place where everybody knows your name. 

Hack-Ma-Tack Inn was founded in 1894 as a private hunting and fishing lodge and was named the most iconic restaurant in Michigan by local news outlet MLive in 2019.

Matt’s Bar in Minneapolis opened in 1954 and made a name for itself after creating the famous Jucy Lucy, the most famous local sandwich in the state. 

Staying true to its name, the Jucy Lucy is a burger filled with oozing, melted cheese.

The burger is so famous that it was even featured on the Travel Channel, appearing on shows like “Man Vs Food” and “Food Wars.”

The Mayflower Cafe is a staple in Jackson, Mississippi, and has been open since 1935. The restaurant has been featured on the Food Network, as well as in the films “Ghosts of Mississippi” and “The Help.”

After opening as a humble hamburger stand, the Mayflower Café has occupied the same street corner for over 80 years, the Clarion Ledger reported.

Gates BBQ in Kansas City, Missouri, opened in 1946 and specializes in pork ribs, barbecue sandwiches, and sides.

The joint’s tomato-based secret sauce also helped make the restaurant an institution in Kansas City.

Lucca’s in Helena, Montana, is a fine-dining restaurant that focuses on Italian cuisine.

The eatery serves Italian mainstays like baked ziti, spaghetti, risotto, and chicken. TripAdvisor has ranked it among the best eateries in the state, and Business Insider previously named Lucca’s the best restaurant in Montana. 

“Lucca’s cozy dining room — which holds a mere 15 tables — creates an intimate environment for guests to enjoy Chef Hyyppa’s carefully crafted dishes,” wrote Business Insider reporter Mary Hanbury. 

Big Mama’s Kitchen in Omaha, Nebraska, specializes in comfort food, serving fried chicken and catfish.

Food Network considers the restaurant one of its “Top Places to Eat,” and on “Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives,” host Guy Fieri said his favorite was the pig-ear sandwich.

Mr Chow is a luxury restaurant inside Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas, and it’s popular among celebrities.

Britney Spears had dinner there on New Year’s Eve to ring in 2016, Eater reported, and Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez even held a party at the establishment before their split, Access reported.

The restaurant itself serves Asian cuisine and offers a performance with a champagne trolley.

Moxy in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, is known for its tapas menu, which offers guests pork belly bites, short rib crostini, and mussels.

Chef and owner Matt Louis helped put the eatery on the map after he became a semi-finalist for the James Beard Award, a top honor in the culinary world, for four years straight in 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018.

He has also been named as a nominee for Food and Wine’s best new chef three times. 

Tops Diner in East Newark, New Jersey, opened in 1942 and has been serving its famous burgers, meatloaf, and lobster mac and cheese for decades.

In 2017, Time Out named Tops the best diner in the country, and back in 2015, Thrillist called the diner the “most iconic” restaurant in New Jersey.

El Pinto in Albuquerque, New Mexico, serves up huevos rancheros, enchiladas, and burritos.

USA Today named El Pinto one of the best restaurants and called it “a local favorite.” It’s also among Food Network’s top places to eat.

Katz’s Delicatessen in New York City is known for two things.

First, the pastrami sandwich is considered one of the best in the country. Second, it was also the setting for an iconic scene in the 1989 movie “When Harry Met Sally,” starring Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal.

Today, the restaurant is a popular tourist attraction where people come to reenact the famous scene and chow down on some of the deli’s classic offerings, from Reubens to matzah ball soup. 

Skylight Inn in Ayden, North Carolina, specializes in southern barbecue.

Food Network named the eatery one of its “Top 5” barbecue restaurants in the US, and says one of the best menu items is the chopped pork sandwich.

Red Pepper has been open for more than 50 years, with students at the University of North Dakota among its many clientele.

The most popular dish served is the everything grinder, which has salami, turkey, ham, and cheese on a roll. The taco burger is also popular at Red Pepper.

The Daily Meal has described the establishment as a “local landmark” and a “local legend,” and Esquire named Red Pepper as one of the best late-night food spots in the country in 2012.

Red Steakhouse in Cleveland is well-known for its steak, pasta, and seafood.

The eatery even has the Kardashian stamp of approval. In an episode of “Keeping Up with the Kardashians,” Kim and Kourtney dined at Red Steakhouse, Refinery 29 reported.

Rock Cafe in Stroud, Oklahoma, sits on the famous Route 66 and has been serving up sandwiches, hot dogs, burgers, and chili since 1939. “Betsy,” the restaurant’s grill, has been used continuously for over 75 years.

The grill has “seared more than 5 million burgers, chicken fried steaks, and much more” over the years, according to the restaurant’s website. 

Food Network reported that Guy Fieri said he loved Rock Cafe’s buffalo and alligator burgers while visiting the establishment on “Diners, Drive-ins, and Drives.”

However, Rock Cafe has another major claim to fame. The restaurant claims that researchers from Pixar Animation Studios visited it in 2001 and then used it as inspiration for the movie “Cars.” Today, there are homages to the movie throughout the restaurant. 

Recently opened in October 2022, Lilia Comedor in Portland was featured in the New York Times’ list of the 50 best restaurants in the United States in 2023 and one of Oregon Live’s best new restaurants in 2022.

Headed by chef Juan Gomez, Lilia Comedor’s menu changes every day but features dishes like pork collar confit, diver scallops, and braised short-rib enmolada.

Established in 1918, Victor Cafe in Philadelphia specializes in Italian food, offering customers ravioli, risotto, and steak.

However, the restaurant isn’t known just for its food. Victor Cafe’s claim to fame is its appearances in the “Rocky” franchise, when the restaurant appeared in “Rocky Balboa” in 2006, according to the restaurant’s website, and in its spinoff, “Creed.” In the movies, the restaurant is called Adrian’s.

Located in Narragansett, Rhode Island, Crazy Burger is famous for its hamburgers. Some notable burgers include the Mahi Mahi Taco Burger, the Poco Loco Vegan Burger, and the Luna-Sea Fish Burger.

Crazy Burger got national attention when Food Network’s Guy Fieri visited the restaurant on “Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives,” eating something called the “Whassupy Burger,” which comes with sesame, wasabi, and fennel rub on a beef burger, topped with Brie cheese and onion rings on an ancient grain bun.

Henry’s On The Market is the oldest restaurant in the state. According to its website, Henry’s On The Market was one of the most popular restaurants to eat at from 1932 to 1960.

The restaurant has undergone various transformations over the years, but it remains a popular spot for live music and features a rooftop bar and dance lounge.

In South Dakota, you can famously see signs along the road for Wall Drug Store more than 1,000 miles before you’re even near it. The road signs are a genius marketing strategy thought up by Dorothy Hustead in the 1930s to entice drivers along Route 16 to come to her drugstore, according to the store’s website.

Today, the road signs still stand and Wall Drug Store includes a restaurant where tourists come from all over to try the donuts, ice cream, and famous beef sandwiches. 

Bluebird Cafe in Nashville is a restaurant and famous music venue. It opened in 1982 and serves minimal comfort foods, including chicken fingers and turkey club sandwiches.

However, the real draw is the music performances and the famous guests, which have included Johnny Cash, Taylor Swift, Jon Bon Jovi, Melissa Etheridge, and Garth Brooks. The ABC show “Nashville” was also filmed there in 2012. 

Established in 2009, Franklin Barbecue has been a staple in the Texas and Austin barbecue scenes for years and has even gained a reputation worldwide for its mouthwatering brisket and barbecue sides. 

Eater reported that Anthony Bourdain visited the spot for an episode of “No Reservations” in 2012, where he waited in line for over an hour. The barbecue was apparently well worth the wait since he called the brisket “earth-shatteringly good.”

In 2011, Bon Appetit called Franklin the “best barbecue in the country,” and Texas Monthly ranked the restaurant first on its list of “The Top 50 Barbecue Joints in Texas.”

Franklin Barbecue owner Aaron Franklin is also one of the top names in barbecue. In 2015, he became the first chef specializing in barbecue to be awarded the James Beard Foundation Award for best chef in the Southwest.

Ruth’s Diner in Salt Lake City allows guests to dine in railroad cars that were operating during the early 1900s. The restaurant focuses on brunch foods, serving cinnamon roll French toast, huevos rancheros, and deep-fried mac and cheese.

When “Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives” host Guy Fieri visited the restaurant, he said he couldn’t get enough of the fluffy biscuits. 

Located in Waterbury, Vermont, Prohibition Pig specializes in smoked meats and beer, but the Food Network says the real star on the menu is the mac and cheese.

Located in Virginia Beach, Beach Pub serves up seafood classics like crab cakes, shrimp, and fish-n-chips.

Their popular seafood dishes attracted Food Network host Guy Fieri in 2011. While there, he ate the oyster Rockefeller, baked rockfish, and fish hash, giving the pub national attention and fame. 

Before Canlis opened in the 1950s, founder Peter Canlis wanted to build the restaurant in downtown Seattle, but he couldn’t afford it. Instead, he built his eatery outside the city and on the edge of a cliff.

The second-choice location seemed to pay off, because Canlis has been nominated for 21 James Beard Awards in its history.

The Greenbrier Resort’s main dining room has been serving customers for over 100 years and has become a landmark in the state.

The fine-dining restaurant serves dishes like tuna crudo, beef tenderloin tartare, and curried carrot spaghetti.

Located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Mader’s Restaurant has been open for over 100 years. It serves mostly German foods like wiener schnitzel, German potato salad, and Hungarian-style beef goulash.

However, throughout its long history, Mader’s has served nearly 100 famous guests, including John F. Kennedy, Ronald Reagan, and Frank Sinatra, according to the restaurant’s website.

Since its opening in 1862, Miners and Stockmen’s has been a local favorite and is regarded as the oldest restaurant in the state.

The rustic appeal and history of this restaurant aren’t the only draw, however. It also serves up classic favorites like steaks, salads, and decadent desserts.