I Tried the Top 5 Restaurants in America – Here’s What Happened

Look, I know what you're thinking - another "I tried the best restaurants" article. But hear me out. I spent way too much money and waited in far too many lines to eat at what are supposedly America's finest restaurants. From waiting three hours for barbecue in Dallas to dropping an eye-watering amount on vegetables (yes, vegetables) in Manhattan, here's my honest take on whether these spots are actually worth the hype.

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Una Pizza Napoletana (New York)

I almost walked past this place - it looks like any other Manhattan pizza joint from the outside. But the moment you step inside, the aroma of wood-fired dough hits you like a brick wall.

I kept it simple and ordered their Margherita pizza with a side of burrata. That burrata? I still dream about it. Imagine the creamiest, most luxurious cheese you've ever had, then multiply that by ten. But the real star was the pizza - the crust had that perfect char and chew that only comes from a blazing hot wood-fired oven. The sauce was bright and fresh, and the basil actually tasted like, you know, basil.

Worth it? If you're a pizza purist, absolutely.

Hell's Kitchen (Las Vegas)

Let's be real - I went here partly because I wanted to see if it lived up to the TV hype. The restaurant leans hard into the show's aesthetic, complete with that signature red and blue kitchen divide. It could easily be tacky, but somehow... it works?

I ordered exactly what Gordon Ramsay would yell at me to order: scallops, Beef Wellington, and sticky toffee pudding. The Wellington was genuinely perfect - medium-rare beef wrapped in golden, flaky pastry. But the real surprise? That sticky toffee pudding. I'm not even a dessert person, but I would fly back to Vegas just for that.

Cattleack Barbecue (Dallas)

This place is only open Thursdays and Fridays, and yes, people line up for hours. Is it worth standing in the Texas heat for barbecue? After trying their brisket - yes, yes it is.

I got the Texas Trinity (brisket, ribs, sausage) because when in Rome, right? The brisket had this perfect black pepper crust and literally melted in my mouth. The ribs were fall-off-the-bone tender without being mushy (barbecue people know what I mean). And their "crack cake" for dessert? Well, the name says it all.

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Ginza Sushi Onodera (Los Angeles)

Fair warning: this place will ruin regular sushi for you forever. It's one of those omakase experiences where you sit at the counter and watch the chefs work their magic. Each piece of fish is treated like a precious jewel - the rice is body temperature, the fish is aged just right, and the wasabi is freshly grated.

The highlight? A piece of fatty tuna that quite literally dissolved on my tongue. I'm not exaggerating when I say I had a moment of silence after that bite.

Eleven Madison Park (New York)

Here's the plot twist - one of America's most expensive restaurants is completely vegan. And I, a committed carnivore, loved it. They somehow made an onion taste better than most steaks I've had.

Each course is like a magic trick - "Here's a sunflower butter that tastes better than foie gras" or "This mushroom dish will make you forget beef exists." Is it worth $335 per person? That depends on how much you value having your mind blown by vegetables.

Look, are these places expensive? Most of them, yes. Will you need to plan ahead and maybe set some alerts for reservations? Absolutely. But if you're the kind of person who gets excited about food - like, really excited - then yeah, these spots are worth saving up for. Just maybe don't check your credit card statement right after.

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Tips for actually getting in:

• For Eleven Madison Park and Ginza, set those reservation alerts and be ready to book exactly when they open up

• Hell's Kitchen isn't as hard to get into as you'd think, especially if you're flexible with timing

• Una Pizza takes walk-ins, but go during off-hours

• For Cattleack, just accept that you'll be waiting in line. Bring water. And a chair.