This Is Yelp's Most Popular Restaurant For 2022

If you somehow haven't noticed, restaurants have really been put through the wringer over the past couple of years. Between shutdowns during the first wave of COVID-19 and shifting to outdoor or curbside dining, as well as major decreases to the workforce and even supply chain issues, restaurants have had a lot to contend with. (Not to mention difficult customers.) But despite all of the challenges, a nearly 20% increase was predicted in 2021, (via National Restaurant Association) and now, weeks into 2022, some restaurants are being recognized for the food they continue to serve up.

With 2021 in the rearview mirror, Yelp released its ninth annual list of the best 100 restaurants in the U.S. for 2022. According to Yelp, that process included talking with its reviewers to find out their favorite place to eat out. With a list of recommended restaurants in hand, Yelp then combed through the submissions each restaurant had, as well as the ratings and geographic representation of each establishment.

With so many cities packed with amazing restaurant options such as New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and many others, you might be surprised by the location of the top pick for 2022 on Yelp's list. It is actually a Mexican restaurant, Cocina Madrigal, located in the heart of Phoenix, Arizona. Owned and operated by a Latin-x father and son team, the restaurant has received rave reviews from locals. The Yelp review shared with the restaurant's entry said, "The star of the show... was our entrees. My wife got the Crispy Salmon and it was to die for. I can't believe how crispy it was. Amazing! I got the Barbacoa Green Chili Enchiladas and they were top notch! Even the rice and beans were delicious." Enthusiastic fans aside, Yelp claims this restaurant is best known for the quality of the from-scratch dishes Cocina Madrigal serves up.

Like most restaurants on the Yelp 2022 best restaurants list, Cocina Madrigal is not a fine dining experience and nor does it require the wallet of such restaurants. Instead, the most expensive entrée on the menu is a dinner portion of beer tenderloin with a potato pancake and fresh vegetables that costs $25 while other dishes range between $10 and $15 (via Cocina Madrigal).