It kind of feels like our entire state just got a negative Yelp review, at least as far as food goes. Yelp’s new, top U.S. restaurants list spotlights 100 eateries, but none from Alabama. Zip. Zero. Nada.

Meanwhile, Florida (tops with 13 entries), Texas (eight) and Arizona (eight) restaurants ate up 30 percent of the rankings just by themselves. A popular crowdsourced review app/website founded in 2009, Yelp is headquartered in San Francisco.

Tumerico, a vegan Mexican joint in Tucson with specialties like Cuban tacos, topped Yelp’s 2024 U.S. restaurants tally.

Wendy Garcia, Tumerico’s chef/owner, said, “It’s all about those recipes I made with mom, dad, and grandma—tamales, chilaquiles, enchiladas, barbacoa—whatever Mexican dish you can think of, we can make [a vegetarian version].”

Rounding out the top five, in descending order: St. Louis ramen eatery Menya Rui (known for their pork shoyu and chicken shoyu); Escondido, California sandwich/brunch spot Sunny Side Kitchen (specialties include a meatloaf panini); Covina, California’s GS Cafe and Ethiopian Cuisine (the awaze tibs grilled beef and misir wot lentil stew are recommended); and Coral Gables, Florida’s Fratellino (go-to’s include the sea bass and Italian classics like fettuccine alla papalina).

Here’s how the top 100 was complied, according to Yelp: “[Our] data science team analyzed user submissions to determine the top restaurants by ratings, number of reviews, and volume of submissions, and finalized the rankings with the expertise of our Community Managers.”

The list was written, reported, and fact-checked by Emily Moon, Carol Bialkowski, Kathy Passero, Jacqueline Cain, Adele Chapin, Luis Rendon, Suzanne Barnecut, Kristi Lindahl, Emily Novak, and Kim Bonfadini.

As far as Southeastern states go, Tennessee scored thrice: Italian restaurant Tutti Da Gio (Hermitage), Thai spot Degthai (Nashville), and the Indian fare of Sindoore (Nashville). Georgia was represented by Jim’s Smokin’ Que (Blairsville). North Carolina it up the board with four entries: Haywood Smokehouse (Dillsboro), Odeh’s Mediterranean Kitchen (High Point), Freeman’s Grub & Pub (Greensboro) and elevated classic American takes at The Table (Asheboro).

Emerging culinary trends cited in the Yelp list’s intro include noodles, Korean food and Latin flavors.

Last year’s Yelp list didn’t include any Alabama restaurants either. One would think gems like Purveyor (Huntsville upscale), Saw’s BBQ (Homewood), Bottega (Southern/Italian in Birmingham), Felix’s Fish Camp (Spanish Fort waterfront standout), Odette (contemporary Southern fare in Florence) or others are worthy of top 100 U.S. restaurants status. Or not.

Maybe Alabama shouldn’t feel so bad about these goose-eggs, though. Arkansas, Louisiana, Kentucky, Mississippi and South Carolina were shut out this year, too.

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