How We Rate Restaurants

Our Ratings

In order to be fair to all restaurants, our rating choices are based on a five-star rating scale in several areas of interest. Each interest is something that I deem important experiences when dining in a restaurant as opposed to a quick meal in a uber-chain restaurant (think Applebee's) or fast food establishment (i.e. Taco Bell). While I do rate uber-chains and fast-food restaurants on occasion, you'll find those ratings on Yelp! This blog is about overall dining experience and as such here is the scale each restaurant needs to meet in order to receive a top-notch rating:

• Date-Worthy - is this a place you would want to take a date?
• 1 star - only take a date here if: 
• You never want to date them again
• You want to know how well they behave in a dive
• 5 star - this is the place
• This is a great place to impress your potential mate
• You were able to have a lovely conversation without shouting
• You didn't feel ridiculous all dressed up or were still comfortable in decent casual clothing
• Service - how well are your dining needs addressed by the wait-staff?
• 1 star - don't expect to eat any time soon, and don't expect your order to be right or on time, and forget about requesting anything to be rectified.
• The wait person is rude, unpleasant, and unhelpful (and this is not a brand choice by the restaurant)
• You ordered something, and you didn't get what you ordered or it wasn't prepared the way you wanted it (caveat here is you must say something to give them a chance to rectify the issue)
• You sat at your table for more than 20 minutes without anyone approaching you for service requests
• Your dishes, utensils, glasses, table, chairs were dirty (I absolutely hate lipstick on my wine glass unless I put it there! and those nasty forks and knives... sticky tables - yuck)
• You asked for something, and never received it (like lemon, Splenda, or a new setup)
• 5 star - we thank you for your service!
• Only took a few moments for someone to approach and take care of your drink needs
• When asked, they gave great recommendations on what to select from the menu
• They were pleasant and helpful - AND interested in you as a patron and not another cow at a processing plant
• They didn't bother you too much during the dinner
• You received what you ordered and how you wanted it prepared
• They responded appropriately to any requests to rectify an issue you may have during the course of your meal
• They didn't rush you out the door
• Your dishes and utensils were spotless
• Menu - how well does the menu stand up under scrutiny:
• 1 star - either too little and uninteresting choices or so many it might as well be an uber-chain restaurant:
• The menu is dirty, unappealing, or actually looks like it belongs to some other restaurant
• 5 star - you have a wonderful time enjoying what opportunities lie ahead of you:
• The food appropriately matches the ethnicity of the restaurant brand
• Classics are either up-cycled or altered to reflect a style to make them unique and attractive
• Flavor combinations are detailed enough to create interest
• The overall look and feel of the menu is attractive and clearly reflects the restaurant brand
• Food Quantity/Taste - Here we branch into two separate categories:
• Quantity:
• You expect enough food to pleasantly fill you without dessert/appetizer, but leave you with the decision to have dessert if you want it. 
• Exceptions are places where large or small quantities are an expected part of the restaurant brand. 
• Taste:
• Either the food combinations are great or the worst you've ever experienced. It's all about the enjoyability of the food. This is the most subjective item on the scale. Either I like the taste or I don't. 
• Location:
• 1 star - If I have to park some distance away and walk through poring rain to get to the front door, or need a body guard to escort me from where I parked to the front door... I think you get my drift.
• 5 star - Plenty of adequate parking or valet service is available at a reasonable fee. I feel safe getting to and from the restaurant. 
• Overall Dining Experience:
• The final Grade based on all of the above. 

A note about Price: Some folks wanted to know where pricing falls in this scale. While I may mention this in a review, pricing really doesn't factor into my rating scale unless it sticks out like a sore thumb. If I feel the pricing is extravagant for what I'm receiving, this will be reflected in the Overall Dining Experience. However, price is a measure of value, and to me, a great meal in a great location in a great atmosphere is worth parting with my hard-earned money.