13 Calif. Eateries Named Among Nation's 101 Best Casual Restaurants: LIST

If you are looking for a relaxing, low-maintenance night out in the Golden State – complete with some of the best grub in the nation – you may want to head to the Los Angeles or San Francisco metro areas. That's where a majority of the state's "best casual restaurants" are located, according to a new report.

California is home to 13 of the top 101 casual restaurants in the country, according to The Daily Meal's rankings released on June 2. The publication ranked La Taqueria in San Francisco as the 11th-best casual eatery in the country. Pink's in Los Angeles is the next best in the state – and number 15 nationally.

"From hot dog shacks to taco joints, from neighborhood hangouts to legendary barbecue spots, these are amazing restaurants where price is no barrier to entry and you'll feel right at home in jeans," the publication says of its picks for the annual list.

To assemble the rankings, The Daily Meal says it analyzed things like the average price of meals – two people should be able to get full for $50 or less – the ambiance, reputation and destination status. (Click here for more on the methodology.)

In addition to La Taqueria and Pink's, here's how the rest of California shapes up:

1. #11 nationally: La Taqueria, San Francisco
2. #15 nationally: Pink’s, Los Angeles, Calif.
3. #27 nationally: Pizzeria Delfina, San Francisco
4. #29 nationally: Pizzeria Mozza, Los Angeles
5. #32 nationally: Una Pizza Napoletana, San Francisco
6. #34 nationally: Gott's Roadside, St. Helena, Calif.
7. #50 nationally: Canter's Deli, Los Angeles
8. #57 nationally: Guisados, Los Angeles
9. #65 nationally: Father's Office, Los Angeles
10. #76 nationally: Grill 'Em All, Los Angeles
11. #88 nationally: Guelaguetza, Los Angeles
12. #90 nationally: La Super-Rica, Santa Barbara, Calif.
13. #98 nationally: Roscoe's House of Chicken and Waffles, Los Angeles

The Daily Meal, a subsidiary of Tribune Online Content (tronc), is an online culinary publication that allows users to review restaurants, share recipes and more.

Here's a look at how the top 5 shakes out nationally.

1. Katz's Delicatessen, New York City
2. Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana, New Haven, Conn.
3. Franklin BBQ, Austin, Texas
4. Arthur Bryant's, Kansas City, Mo.
5. #5 Kreuz Market, Lockhart, Texas

>> Click here for the full list. <<

Patch editor Joe Lipovich (Patch Staff) contributed to this report

PHOTO: Pink's in Los Angeles / CREDIT: Flickr user paulsims, used under creative commons license, original photo here