The 12 Best Food Reviews App Options for 2025

In the quest for the perfect meal, the right food reviews app can be an indispensable tool. Whether you're a globetrotting foodie documenting culinary discoveries or a local diner searching for a reliable weeknight spot, the sheer volume of available platforms can be overwhelming. Each app offers a unique blend of features, from community-driven ratings and professional critiques to integrated reservation systems and personal food journaling. Sifting through them to find the one that aligns with your specific dining habits is a challenge in itself.

This comprehensive guide is designed to solve that problem. We've meticulously evaluated the leading food review and discovery platforms to help you make an informed decision. Forget generic summaries; we dive deep into the practical applications of each tool, highlighting its ideal user, key strengths, and potential limitations. From the detailed personal logging capabilities of an app like Savor to the broad, crowd-sourced insights of Yelp or Google Maps, we provide a clear, comparative analysis. Ready to stop forgetting the amazing dishes you discover? You can download Savor today and start building your personal food library.

Throughout this article, you will find a detailed breakdown of each app, complete with screenshots for visual reference and direct links for easy access. Our goal is to equip you with the insights needed to select the best food reviews app that will not only guide you to your next great meal but also enhance your overall dining experience. Let’s find the perfect platform for your palate.

1. Savor: The Critic’s Digital Food Diary

Savor distinguishes itself as an essential food reviews app for the serious enthusiast, focusing on the dish rather than the venue. It operates as a private, searchable food diary, empowering users to track tastes and build a personal flavor database. Instead of crowdsourcing restaurant opinions, Savor offers a precise, data-driven tool for those who want to remember, compare, and analyze every memorable bite with objective, timestamped records. Its "rate like a critic" system and AI-powered categorization make it an indispensable companion for culinary travelers, content creators, and dedicated food lovers.

This dish-first approach allows for nuanced comparisons that are impossible on traditional review platforms. Imagine being able to definitively recall the best cacio e pepe you had in Rome versus one in New York, complete with photos, scores, and notes from years apart. That is the core value Savor delivers.

Key Features & Use Cases

Dish-First Archiving: The entire experience is built around capturing individual dishes. This is ideal for food critics and bloggers who need to compare specific menu items across different restaurants or track a chef's culinary evolution over time.
AI-Assisted Capture: Upon uploading a photo, the app’s AI automatically suggests tags for cuisine and dish type, which significantly speeds up the logging process. This efficiency is critical for travelers documenting multiple meals a day.
Private & Sharable Database: Your food history is private by default. However, its selective sharing and export options allow you to create hyper-personalized recommendation lists for friends or export data for a blog post without exposing your entire history.
Powerful Recall Tools: Features like "Time Machine" and instant filtered lists let you settle debates with data. You can instantly find every pizza you’ve rated or compare all desserts from a specific city. The offline capability ensures you can capture notes even without an internet connection.

How Savor Excels

Savor’s primary strength lies in its meticulous, private-by-default design. While other apps focus on public performance, Savor provides a personal sanctuary for your palate. This makes it a superior tool for genuine taste-tracking rather than public restaurant discovery. Early praise from industry professionals, like James Beard-recognized critic Marcus Chen, validates its utility for those with a discerning palate. You can get a deeper insight into its unique philosophy by reading this detailed Savor app review.

For anyone serious about building a personal culinary library, Savor is the definitive choice. The app is currently launching on iOS.

Ready to start your food journey? Download Savor on the App Store.

2. Yelp

Yelp remains a dominant force in the U.S. food reviews app space, distinguished by its immense database of over 199 million user-generated reviews. Its primary strength lies in discovery, allowing users to apply granular filters for price, location, cuisine, and current operating hours. For foodies seeking new experiences, its map-based search and curated annual lists like the "Top 100 Places to Eat" offer reliable starting points for culinary exploration.

Yelp’s mobile app integrates modern features like AI-powered "Review Insights" on iOS, which conveniently summarizes sentiment about a restaurant's food, service, and ambiance. This feature helps users quickly gauge the consensus without reading dozens of individual entries. The platform also centralizes the dining experience by integrating reservations, delivery, and pickup services through its various partners, making it a comprehensive tool from discovery to dining. For those who want to remember their own personal take on the places they discover, pairing Yelp with a private food diary like Savor creates the ultimate culinary toolkit. You can download Savor here.

However, the platform is not without its drawbacks. The quality of reviews can be inconsistent, and some businesses have voiced concerns regarding its review moderation and advertising practices. Despite this, its sheer volume of content and powerful search tools make it an indispensable resource for diners.

Best For: Users in the U.S. seeking a high volume of reviews and robust discovery filters.
Pricing: Free to use.
Key Feature: AI Review Insights summarizing user sentiment.
Website: https://www.yelp.com

3. Google Maps

Google Maps has evolved from a simple navigation tool into a powerful food reviews app, leveraging its massive user base to create a constantly updated repository of dining information. Its strength lies in its seamless integration of discovery and logistics. Users can find restaurants, browse ratings, view user-submitted photos, and get directions all within a single interface. The platform excels at providing deep contextual data, such as peak busy hours, average visit duration, and direct access to menus.

The platform’s review ecosystem is one of the most active globally, ensuring a high volume of fresh opinions for most establishments. Features like saved places and list sharing make it easy to organize and collaborate on culinary plans. However, Google’s tendency for feature churn can be a drawback, as useful social or organizational tools may be unexpectedly deprecated. While Google Maps is excellent for public consensus, those wanting a more personal food journal to remember their favorite dishes and notes might find a dedicated app like Savor (download on iOS) a better fit for their own curated experiences.

Despite its occasional changes, Google Maps remains an essential tool for its unparalleled coverage and the sheer convenience of having reviews, photos, and navigation in one place. Its ongoing efforts to combat fake reviews also help maintain a baseline of trust.

Best For: Users seeking an all-in-one tool for discovery, contextual information, and navigation.
Pricing: Free to use.
Key Feature: Integration of user reviews with real-time data like peak hours and navigation.
Website: https://www.google.com/maps

4. Tripadvisor

While primarily known as a global travel platform, Tripadvisor has a robust and widely used restaurant section that makes it a powerful food reviews app, especially for those dining abroad. Its key differentiator is its massive international footprint, offering millions of user-submitted reviews and photos for eateries in virtually every corner of the world. This makes it an invaluable tool for travelers seeking authentic local dining experiences or trying to navigate unfamiliar culinary landscapes.

The mobile app enhances this experience with nearby discovery features, booking integrations, and even rewards like Trip Cash. A standout feature is the recent introduction of AI-powered review summaries, which distill thousands of opinions into a digestible overview of a restaurant's highlights and common critiques. For restaurant owners, the platform offers a "Review Hub" to aggregate and manage feedback from multiple sites, though this is a subscription-based service. The sheer volume of global content makes Tripadvisor an essential app for any globetrotting foodie. If you're looking for more details, you can learn more about Tripadvisor reviews on our blog.

Although its reputation for review authenticity can vary by region, its utility for travel-related dining is undeniable. Unlike a personal food journal like Savor, Tripadvisor excels at public discovery.

Best For: Travelers seeking restaurant recommendations and reviews in international destinations.
Pricing: Free for consumers; Review Hub for businesses is subscription-based.
Key Feature: Extensive global database of restaurant reviews with AI-powered summaries.
Website: https://www.tripadvisor.com

5. OpenTable

OpenTable excels by integrating the dining discovery and reservation processes into one seamless workflow. Its core strength lies in its review system, which only permits reviews from diners who have made and honored a reservation through the platform. This verification process creates a highly trusted ecosystem, ensuring that every review on this food reviews app comes from a genuine customer, eliminating the noise of unverified or fake feedback.

With over 60,000 bookable restaurants, the app allows users to filter by occasion, special menus, and availability, making it ideal for planning ahead. Users can create wish lists, set alerts for popular tables, and even message owners directly. While OpenTable is fantastic for planning and booking, for those who prefer to keep a personal, private journal of their culinary experiences without public reviews, an app like Savor offers a perfect complement. You can download Savor to catalog every dish and memory.

While the platform is highly reliable for booking, some users have noted friction with its points system and occasional user experience issues. Nevertheless, its tight integration of verified reviews with a powerful reservation engine makes it an essential tool for diners who value authenticity and convenience.

Best For: Planners who want to secure reservations and read reviews from verified diners in one place.
Pricing: Free for diners to use.
Key Feature: Verified Reviews system tied directly to completed reservations.
Website: https://www.opentable.com

6. Resy

Resy distinguishes itself from the typical food reviews app by focusing on curated discovery and reservations at high-demand, chef-driven restaurants. Acquired by American Express, the platform excels in major metropolitan areas, offering users access to exclusive tables and culinary events. Its strength lies not in user-generated reviews but in editorial content found in the "Discover" tab, featuring curated "Hit Lists" and guides that direct foodies to the most talked-about spots in their city.

The app's primary function is seamless booking, enhanced by a sophisticated notification system. Users can set alerts for hard-to-get reservations and join digital waitlists, a crucial feature for snagging a table at popular establishments. While it doesn’t host traditional reviews like other platforms, its curated selection acts as a powerful endorsement of quality. This makes it an ideal tool for planning special occasion meals or exploring the top tier of a city's dining scene. Once you've had that unforgettable meal, be sure to log it in Savor so you never forget the details. Download it here.

However, Resy's coverage is less comprehensive in suburban or rural areas, and its focus on trendy restaurants may not suit every diner. Its user experience is sleek but can feel less intuitive than broader platforms.

Best For: Diners in major cities looking to book reservations at trend-forward and acclaimed restaurants.
Pricing: Free to use.
Key Feature: Sophisticated alert and waitlist system for securing tables at in-demand locations.
Website: https://www.resy.com

7. HappyCow

HappyCow is an indispensable food reviews app for vegetarian, vegan, and plant-based diners, offering a specialized global database that sets it apart. With over 240,000 listings across 185 countries, its core strength lies in its powerful dietary filters, allowing users to quickly find vegan, vegetarian, or veg-friendly restaurants anywhere in the world. The platform thrives on its dedicated community, which contributes reviews, photos, and updates, ensuring the listings remain relevant for plant-focused eaters.

The app's interface is built for discovery, featuring an interactive map and the ability to save lists offline, a practical tool for international travelers. While the website is free, the iOS app requires a one-time purchase, a small price for its convenience. The platform’s singular focus on plant-based dining means it won't replace a general-purpose app, but for its niche, it is the undisputed leader. For those who want to remember every delicious plant-based meal they discover, pairing HappyCow with a personal food journal app like Savor creates a comprehensive dining log.

While its community is active, some users report moderation delays or outdated information in less-traveled regions. Despite this, its focused mission and extensive global reach make it an essential tool for anyone following a plant-based lifestyle.

Best For: Vegetarians, vegans, and travelers seeking reliable plant-based dining options globally.
Pricing: Free on the website and Android; a one-time purchase on iOS.
Key Feature: Extensive global database with powerful vegan and vegetarian-specific filters.
Website: https://www.happycow.net

8. The MICHELIN Guide

The MICHELIN Guide represents the pinnacle of professional food criticism, offering an expertly curated selection of restaurants vetted by anonymous inspectors. Its main strength is the high level of trust and prestige associated with its distinctions, such as the coveted Stars for exceptional cuisine and the Bib Gourmand for high-quality, good-value dining. This makes it an unparalleled resource for discovering fine dining and memorable culinary experiences for special occasions.

The platform’s website and app provide detailed inspector write-ups, map-based searches, and seamless integration with reservation services like Resy and OpenTable. This creates a direct path from discovery to booking a table at a world-class establishment. While its global coverage is impressive, it is inherently selective, meaning many excellent casual restaurants are not featured. For users who value expert opinion over crowd-sourced volume, The MICHELIN Guide is the definitive food reviews app for elevated dining.

While MICHELIN is ideal for finding critic-approved restaurants, if you want a more personal way to remember and share your own culinary discoveries, consider an app like Savor. You can download Savor on the App Store to create your own private guide to every great meal.

Best For: Foodies seeking highly trusted, professional recommendations for special-occasion and fine dining.
Pricing: Free to use; optional paid 'Plus' membership for hotel benefits.
Key Feature: Prestigious distinctions like MICHELIN Stars and Bib Gourmand awarded by anonymous inspectors.
Website: https://guide.michelin.com

9. The Infatuation

The Infatuation offers a distinct alternative to crowd-sourced platforms by providing professionally written, editorial reviews and curated city guides. This food reviews app stands out with its strong, reliable voice, focusing on situational recommendations. Instead of just searching by cuisine, users can filter by scenarios like "First Date," "Late Night Eats," or "Impressing the In-Laws," making it an invaluable tool for finding the perfect spot for a specific occasion.

The platform’s strength lies in its trusted, staff-written content, which provides a clear and often witty point of view across more than 40 major cities. It also leverages its ownership of the legendary Zagat brand, further cementing its authority. Its mobile app allows users to easily access city guides, save favorite restaurants to lists, and explore curated maps. This approach is a welcome change for those who find user-generated reviews overwhelming or inconsistent. If you enjoy curated picks but want a more personal way to track your own dining journey, consider using an app like Savor (Download Savor on iOS) to log your experiences.

The main drawback is its city-centric model, which offers limited utility outside of major metropolitan areas. Additionally, its review volume is much smaller than platforms like Yelp. Despite these limitations, its editorial integrity and unique filtering system make it a go-to resource for decisive, high-quality recommendations.

Best For: Diners in major cities seeking trusted, professional reviews for specific situations.
Pricing: Free to use.
Key Feature: Situational "Perfect For" filters that match restaurants to occasions.
Website: https://www.theinfatuation.com

10. Apple Maps

Apple Maps has evolved into a formidable food discovery tool, particularly for users embedded in the Apple ecosystem. Its core strength is its seamless integration across iOS, macOS, and watchOS, offering a privacy-first approach to finding restaurants. The platform presents detailed place cards with essential information like hours, price range, and photos, often aggregated from partners like Yelp and TripAdvisor, providing a convenient, all-in-one view without leaving the app.

A standout feature is the editorially curated "Guides" from trusted publishers like The Infatuation and Eater. These collections offer expert recommendations for specific cities or cuisines, making it an excellent starting point for culinary exploration. While its volume of user-generated reviews doesn't match competitors, its clean interface and focus on high-quality, curated content provide a less cluttered experience. For those who want to keep their own private notes on these discoveries, an app like Savor is the perfect companion, allowing you to build a personal food journal. You can download Savor on the App Store to get started.

The main drawback is its more limited user review base in certain regions and a less robust web client compared to Google Maps. However, for iPhone users prioritizing convenience, privacy, and curated discovery, Apple Maps is an exceptional built-in food reviews app.

Best For: Apple users seeking a private, integrated discovery experience with curated editorial guides.
Pricing: Free to use.
Key Feature: Curated Guides from trusted publishers for expert food recommendations.
Website: https://www.apple.com/maps

11. Grubhub

Primarily known as a food delivery marketplace, Grubhub also functions as a practical food reviews app, especially for users focused on the takeout and delivery experience. Its strength lies in reviews that are directly tied to actual orders, offering insights into food quality upon arrival, delivery timeliness, and packaging. Users can filter restaurants by cuisine, ratings, and delivery fees, making it easy to find reliable options for a night in.

Grubhub's platform integrates the entire ordering process, from browsing menus and reading recent delivery-specific feedback to tracking the order in real-time. This holistic view is invaluable for anyone who frequently orders in and wants to avoid common pitfalls like cold food or late deliveries. For those who want to remember which delivery meals were truly exceptional, a dedicated app like Savor can help catalog those specific dishes for easy reordering later.

The main drawback is that the reviews are heavily skewed towards the delivery experience, which may not accurately reflect the quality of a dine-in meal or the restaurant's ambiance. Customer service sentiment can also be mixed. However, for its intended purpose, Grubhub provides a focused and highly relevant set of user-generated data for delivery-first diners.

Best For: Users prioritizing reviews related to food delivery and takeout quality.
Pricing: Free to use (Grubhub+ membership available for perks).
Key Feature: Ratings and reviews are tied directly to verified delivery experiences.
Website: https://www.grubhub.com

12. DoorDash

While primarily a food delivery service, DoorDash has evolved into a valuable supplementary food reviews app, especially for gauging menu-specific quality and delivery experiences. Its platform features star ratings and, most importantly, item-level feedback and recent user comments. This granularity allows diners to assess not just the restaurant as a whole, but specific dishes, providing insights on portion size, flavor, and how well the food travels, a crucial factor for delivery.

The app's strength lies in its enormous and active user base, which generates a constant stream of fresh, relevant feedback. Unlike platforms focused on dine-in experiences, DoorDash reviews offer a real-time pulse on a restaurant's current delivery and takeout operations. This makes it an excellent resource for deciding what to order, rather than just where to order from. For a more personalized and centralized record of your own culinary discoveries, consider using a dedicated food journaling app like Savor (download here) to log notes on specific items you've tried.

However, its focus on delivery is also its main limitation. The reviews often reflect factors like driver speed and packaging rather than the in-house ambiance or service, making them less useful for planning a dine-in meal. Despite this, its item-specific insights make it a powerful tool for the modern diner.

Best For: Users wanting item-specific feedback and reviews focused on the delivery experience.
Pricing: Free to use (delivery fees apply; DashPass membership available).
Key Feature: Item-level user notes and recent comments on specific dishes.
Website: https://www.doordash.com

Top 12 Food Review Apps: Side-by-Side Comparison

Product	Core focus	UX & trust	Value / price	Target audience & USP
Savor (Recommended)	Dish-first food diary; AI auto-categorize; 1–10 scoring	Private-by-default, offline-capable, fast capture; Time Machine for comparisons	Freemium (MVP iOS launch)	Serious foodies, critics, culinary travelers — Time Machine & Instant Lists for personal taste proof
Yelp	Crowd-sourced restaurant discovery & reviews	Massive review base, strong filters, AI Review Insights	Free (ad-supported)	General diners seeking discovery — scale and local coverage
Google Maps	Place pages + navigation with reviews & context	Fresh reviews, menus, peak times, navigation integration	Free	Broad audience needing navigation + discovery — deep contextual data
Tripadvisor	Global travel-focused restaurant reviews	Large international reviews, travel planning tools	Free (some business subscriptions)	Travelers planning meals abroad — global footprint & owner tools
OpenTable	Reservations + verified post-meal reviews	Booking + verified diner reviews; seamless planning	Free for diners; restaurants pay	Diners who book — trusted reviews tied to reservations
Resy	Curated reservations & editorial content	Alerts, waitlists, editorial Discover tab	Free	Trend-forward, chef-driven diners — hard-to-get reservations & alerts
HappyCow	Vegan/vegetarian restaurant directory & filters	Strong dietary filters, community listings, offline lists	iOS paid app (one-time) / web free	Plant-based diners and travelers — best-in-class dietary search
The MICHELIN Guide	Inspector-curated editorial & distinctions	High editorial trust; Stars & Bib Gourmand write-ups	Mostly free content; optional paid 'Plus' perks	Fine-dining seekers — critic-vetted recommendations
The Infatuation	City-based editorial reviews & guides	Clear staff POV, situational filters, saved lists	Free	Urban diners in major cities — reliable editorial picks for occasions
Apple Maps	iOS-native discovery with curated Guides	Privacy-forward, Siri + device integration	Free	iPhone users wanting privacy and seamless OS integration
Grubhub	Delivery marketplace with delivery-focused reviews	Order tracking, delivery-specific ratings	Free app; Grubhub+ subscription available	Delivery-first customers — recent delivery experience signals
DoorDash	Large delivery marketplace with item-level feedback	Item-level notes, scheduling, DashPass membership	Free app; DashPass subscription available	Delivery customers and bargain seekers — item-specific feedback and promos

Choosing Your Culinary Co-Pilot

Navigating the vast world of dining options has been fundamentally transformed by the digital age. The array of applications at our fingertips means we are no longer just diners; we are curators, critics, and explorers armed with powerful tools. As we've journeyed through this comprehensive list, from the ubiquitous reach of Google Maps and Yelp to the niche excellence of The MICHELIN Guide and HappyCow, a clear pattern emerges: the best food reviews app is not a one-size-fits-all solution. It is a personalized choice, a digital co-pilot tailored to your specific culinary mission.

The selection process hinges on your primary motivation. Are you a global traveler seeking reliable, world-renowned recommendations? Tripadvisor or The MICHELIN Guide might be your most trusted companions. Are you a local resident focused on discovering neighborhood gems and supporting community businesses? Yelp and The Infatuation offer that grassroots, insider perspective. For those prioritizing convenience, the integrated review and reservation systems of OpenTable and Resy, or the delivery-focused insights from Grubhub and DoorDash, provide an all-in-one, seamless experience.

Key Takeaways for Selecting Your App

Making the right choice requires a moment of self-reflection on your dining habits and goals. Consider these factors as you build your digital toolkit:

Breadth vs. Depth: Do you need an app with millions of reviews covering nearly every establishment (like Google Maps), or do you prefer a curated platform with fewer, but more expertly vetted, selections (like The Infatuation)?
Utility vs. Experience: Is your goal purely functional, such as booking a table or ordering delivery? Or are you seeking to document and remember your culinary journey, creating a personal log of tastes and experiences?
Community vs. Curation: Do you trust the "wisdom of the crowd" found on platforms like Yelp, or do you place more value on professional, editorialized reviews from established critics?

Actionable Next Steps

To move from analysis to action, we recommend a "multi-app" strategy. No single application excels at everything. A practical approach involves designating a primary app for daily use while keeping specialized tools on hand for specific needs. For instance, you might use Google Maps for quick, on-the-go searches but turn to The MICHELIN Guide when planning a special occasion.

Most importantly, consider an app dedicated not just to finding new places, but to remembering the ones you've loved. While many platforms focus on public-facing reviews, a personal catalog is invaluable. This is where a dedicated tool for private journaling becomes essential for the serious food enthusiast. An effective food reviews app should not only guide you to your next meal but also help you cherish the memory of every bite.

Ultimately, your phone can become a powerful extension of your palate. By strategically selecting and combining these digital tools, you transform every dining decision from a simple choice into a deliberate, informed, and memorable culinary adventure.

Ready to stop forgetting the amazing dishes you discover? While public review platforms serve the crowd, Savor is built for you. It’s your private, beautifully organized journal to remember every meal, note your favorite flavors, and build a personal culinary map. Download Savor today at Savor and start creating a food diary worthy of your experiences.