CARLSBAD, CA — A Carlsbad restaurant has been named among the 100 best in America for 2026, according to a new list released Wednesday by online restaurant reservation service OpenTable.
Lilo in Carlsbad was among five San Diego County restaurants and 19 California establishments recognized on OpenTable's annual Top 100 Restaurants in America list. California had the most restaurants on the list of any state.
The San Diego County restaurants that made the list are:
The list was compiled using more than 11 million reviews from verified OpenTable diners and reservation data collected from Sept. 1, 2025, through Aug. 31, 2026.
Restaurants were evaluated based on diner ratings, the percentage of five-star reviews, the percentage of advance reservations, direct searches and other factors, according to OpenTable. The list is presented alphabetically rather than in ranked order.
California led the country with 19 restaurants on the list, including establishments in Los Angeles, Orange County, Palm Springs and San Francisco.
Nationwide, the list includes restaurants in 21 states and Washington, D.C. New York City had 14 restaurants recognized, followed by Chicago with 12.
At least 18 restaurants have appeared on the list for four consecutive years, according to OpenTable.
The full list is available on OpenTable.
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