Updated Nov. 5, 2026, 2:11 p.m. CT
Four Nashville restaurants were named to OpenTable’s 2026 Top 100 Restaurants in America list.Nashville was the only city in Tennessee to be represented on the annual list.The list was compiled using diner reviews and demand, with restaurants listed alphabetically.A related OpenTable report indicates Americans are still willing to spend on dining out, especially for celebrations.
Four Nashville restaurants earned spots on OpenTable’s 2026 Top 100 Restaurants in America list, making Nashville the only Tennessee city represented.
Bastion, Kase x Noko, Locust and Noko, all locally grown restaurants, place Nashville alongside dining destinations such as San Francisco, Los Angeles and Philadelphia. Two of the four come from Noko Hospitality, which will soon open its third concept, Noko Yaki.
OpenTable released the annual list reflecting diner reviews and demand Nov. 4. Restaurants are listed alphabetically, rather than ranked.
Alongside this year’s list, the restaurant booking site released a dining trends report suggesting Americans remain willing to spend on restaurant meals, especially when there’s something to celebrate.
OpenTable reported an 11% year-over-year increase in seated diners from online reservations on its U.S. platform from January through August 2026. In a separate diner survey, it found 76% of Americans expect to spend the same or more on dining out next year, while nearly seven in 10 expect to visit restaurants just as much, or even more often.
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Those occasions don’t have to involve birthdays or anniversaries, with more than one-third of Americans expecting to celebrate smaller, everyday wins with restaurant meals more often in 2027, a trend OpenTable calls “micro-occasions.” And apparently, payday counts.
Entertainment is another draw. OpenTable found that 40% of Americans expect entertainment or live events to lead them to dine out more often in 2027, while 83% of Gen Z diners paired a restaurant meal with an entertainment, cultural or community outing in the past year.
Still, a willingness to spend doesn’t mean every dinner will be a splurge. Given the same budget, 34% of Americans would choose a more affordable restaurant where they could order more food and drinks, compared with 18% who would choose a pricier restaurant and order less. Another 26% said it simply depends.
For some diners, the goal is to find a place worth returning to. Nearly two-thirds of Gen Z respondents and 57% of millennials said they’ll try to become a restaurant regular in 2027, motivated by everything from convenience and consistency to better service, a better table or a few perks.
Book the restaurants on — you guessed it — OpenTable.
Reach senior dining reporter Mackensy Lunsford at mlunsford@tennessean.com.
Dining and Cooking