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America’s hottest 100 restaurants? 25 are in California, 3 in Las Vegas

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Who has time to sample and select the 100 hottest restaurants in the U.S.? OpenTable diners, that's who.

Travelers in pursuit of good food will find the "100 Hottest Restaurants in America for 2016" favors California, Florida and New York -- and finds little culinary buzz in the Northwest.

The list includes 25 restaurants in California (West Hollywood eateries get a lot of love), four in Colorado, three in Las Vegas, two in Arizona and one in Oregon. Hard to believe there wasn't one worthy hot spot in Washington state.

In this hot list, restaurants aren't ranked; they're listed in alphabetical order.

Here are places to try near and far in the Golden State:

AsiaSF

San Francisco | Asian cuisine | asiasf.com

Bestia

Los Angeles | Italian | bestiala.com

What did Jonathan Gold think? Leaping flames, natural wines, a thicket of curing meats — that is Bestia. Decibel levels edge into the 90s; it is the noisiest restaurant in Los Angeles. It is also one of the most popular. Read more >>

 

A bowl of Laksa, a spicy coconut-seafood soup, is one of the traditional Asia dishes that appears on the menu at Cassia. (Michael Robinson Chavez / Los Angeles Times)
(Michael Robinson Chavez / Los Angeles Times)

Cassia

Santa Monica | Asian | cassiala.com

What did Jonathan Gold think? A Vietnamese charcuterie plate? Sure, why not? Delicate terrines, whipped lardo with slivered herbs, smoked duck, air-dried lamb, candied pork belly, ruddy salami flavored with Vietnamese spices — it could make up the filling of the best bánh mì you've ever tasted. Read more >>

E.P. & L.P.

West Hollywood | contemporary Asian | eplosangeles.com

Eight4Nine

Palm Springs | contemporary American | eight4nine.com

Gjelina

Venice | American | gjelina.com

What did Jonathan Gold think? There are a lot of vegetables here: Travis Lett's vaguely Italian cooking has what you might call a co-dependent relationship with the farmers market. Read more >>

High Rooftop Lounge

Venice | tapas/small plates | highvenice.com

ink.

West Hollywood | contemporary American | mvink.com

What did Jonathan Gold think? The murkily lighted Ink flies the modernist flag; deliciousness with a soupçon of strange — soy-cured melon, potato polenta, gooey egg-yolk gnocchi and all. Order the octopus with shaved fennel and a jet-black ocean of ink, and it is as if you have battled the kraken yourself. Read more >>

The Ivy

West Hollywood | Californian | theivyrestaurants.com

Juniper & Ivy

San Diego | American | juniperandivy.com

Kettner Exchange

San Diego | contemporary American | kettnerexchange.com

The Lark Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara | contemporary American | thelarksb.com

 

White Oak grilled sword squid with marinated gigande beans and lemon curd from Manhattan Beach Post. (Arkasha Stevenson / Los Angeles Times)
(Arkasha Stevenson / Los Angeles Times)

Manhattan Beach Post

Manhattan Beach | American | eatmbpost.com

What did Jonathan Gold think? It's exactly the kind of groovy, casual place you'd want to drop by for a plate of shrimp with lentils, blistered green beans or grilled corn with Grist & Toll polenta after a day at the beach. Read more >>

MUA

Oakland | contemporary American | muaoakland.com

The Nest

Indian Wells | Continental | gotothenest.com

The Nice Guy

West Hollywood | Italian | theniceguyla.com

Palmilla Cocina Y Tequila

Hermosa Beach | Mexican | palmillarestaurant.com

Perch LA

Los Angeles | French American | perchla.com

Pump

West Hollywood | Italian | pumprestaurant.com

Steak and just about the best fries in Los Angeles are served at Rpublique. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Republique

Los Angeles | French | republiquela.com

What did Jonathan Gold think? Are you looking for the best French fries in Los Angeles? Because the French fries at République are pretty close: cut in long, perfect blocks from fresh potatoes, steamed, slightly dehydrated in a low-temperature oven and then finally boiled in a bath of beef suet and peanut oil until they are tawny and crisp. Read more >>

Sur Restaurant

West Hollywood | International | surrestaurant.com

The Tropicale

Palm Springs | Californian | thetropicale.com

Toca Madera

West Hollywood | Mexican | tocamadera.com

Ysabel

West Hollywood | contemporary American | ysabel.la

Other restaurants in the West include:

Rose. Rabbit. Lie

Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas | global, international, steak house | rose-rabbit-lie

Tao Restaurant and Nightclub

Las Vegas | Japanese | taolasvegas.com

Culinary Dropout

Tempe, Ariz. | gastro pub | culinarydropout.com

Sumo Maya Mexican-Asian Kitchen

Scottsdale, Ariz. | fusion/eclectic | sumomaya.com

Acorn

Denver | American | denveracorn.com

Izakaya Den

Denver | Japanese | izakayaden.net

Linger

Denver | International | lingerdenver.com

Ophelia's Electric Soapbox

Denver | contemporary | opheliasdenver.com

Departure Restaurant and Lounge

Portland, Ore. | Asian | departureportland.com

The list is based on 5 million reviews from OpenTable users between March 1, 2015, and Feb. 29, 2016, according to an OpenTable statement.

Info: "100 Hottest Restaurants in America for 2016" 

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