OpenTable Adds User-Created Restaurant Reviews
Written by DCist contributor Wade Green Jr.
Pull up a chair to the new OpenTable. The online real-time restaurant reservation site has added a new feature allowing diners to contribute their feedback on a restaurant just moments after dining — and even have their opinion provided to the restaurant, if they like. After honoring a reservation, patrons will receive a form email asking what they thought of the restaurant. Food, ambiance, service and the overall experience are rated from one to five stars, with a five star rating being “a rare find.” The surveys are then combined with other diners’ ratings and updated frequently on the website — ensuring that local foodies have the most recent opinions on local restaurants. The survey also lets diners rate the noise level of the restaurant and assign one or more categories out of 14, including: romantic, kid friendly, “hot spot,” notable wine list, and others. Based on over 200,000 submissions per month, OpenTable then plans to generate city-specific "best of" lists that provide diners with additional insight into restaurants' noteworthy attributes.
According to OpenTable, D.C. is one of the first cities to get the lists, but other cities will get customized feedback lists soon.
The new features have been in beta for awhile now and should have enough dining data from users to generate their top ten lists accurately. CityZen, Citronelle, and Marcel's top the lists for Best Overall and Best Food, while The Willard Room and CityZen take Best Ambiance and Best Service, respectively. Other notable top rankings:
Most Booked: Old Ebbitt Grill
Fit for Foodies: Farrah Olivia
Romantic: La Rue 123
Neighborhood Gem: Del Merei Grillle
Hot Spot: Posh Restaurant & Supper Club
One should keep in mind that there are many local restaurants not on the OpenTable network who would easily top many of the categories; 2 Amys, Restaurant Eve, Minibar (understandable), Cork and Komi to name a few. While one should use the rankings with caution, the feedback feature should prove to be a valuable asset for restaurants looking to improve their service, and customers, who can offer feedback from the relative anonymity of their computers.