Relying on yelp for Rest. recommendations?

[Richard Pryor]

Is it a good idea?

Some folks have recommended certain restaurants in NYC, but according to yelp, there seems to be better options... with plenty of reviews!


RP

 

[mcbrown]

Chowhound. Yelp is for finding barbers.

 

[mcbrown]

Correction: Yelp is for finding ****** barbers.

 

[Richard Pryor]

Don't understand. Doesn't the law of averages prevail? If 1k+ people rate a restaurant with a certain number, why is that not trustworthy?

 

[Xericx]

I use it as a guide. specially when on mobile device in a new city to see what's around me.

I often use Chowhound (or here even) first then write names down on my yelp account to bookmark then go.

 

[mcbrown]



Don't understand. Doesn't the law of averages prevail? If 1k+ people rate a restaurant with a certain number, why is that not trustworthy?

When you are looking for a dry cleaner, do you go to yelp for the collective advice of the sartorially clueless masses, or do you check SF for the opinions of people who have expensive suits and know how they should be cared for?

 

[xpress]



When you are looking for a dry cleaner, do you go to yelp for the collective advice of the sartorially clueless masses, or do you check SF for the opinions of people who have expensive suits and know how they should be cared for?

En Garde.

 

[Joffrey]

If I'm totally clueless I probably wouldn't use yelp first. I'd go to a reputable source for restaurant reviews and start there. After I select a few places of interest I may check yelp for a general idea of people's thoughts. For instance in DC I'd check the Washington post and Washingtonian for reviews, then maybe google the place and see what comes up.

 

[akatsuki]

Yelp - you have to read the reviews carefully. Some are valuable, but most are crap and immaterial to the restaurant. Plus yelp allows places to pay to bury bad reviews, so it is pretty suspect.

Chowhound has a SF-style cult/herd mentality about places, and sometimes it is on track, sometimes not.

 

[Piobaire]

Yelp review:

We headed back for a second visit as we loved the soup so much. I must give this visit 1 star because they had changed the soup de jour!!!!!!!!????

 

[Vastrm Darren]

Yelp has been a good resource of where not to go, but not necessarily the best tool to find where to go. Plus some reviews just seem completely bought or fabricated.