America's 25 best restaurants for tasting menus

Location: New York City

Foursquare rating: 8.50

Simple, yet elegant, Contra's minimalist design lets its adventurous tasting menu speak for itself. "The level of cooking is high-level," Jon Ferrer noted on Foursquare. "The desserts are inventive and delicious. Definitely add the bread into your meal — future you will thank you."

Location: Chicago

Foursquare rating: 8.52

Mercat a la Planxa brings the flavors of Barcelona straight to Chicago through menu items like flash-fried padrón peppers, paella with fresh chorizo and grilled rabbit loin, and patatas bravas: spicy potatoes topped with smoked paprika aioli. Diners can choose between the regular chef's tasting menu for $65 a pop or the luxury version, which goes up to $85 per person.

Location: San Francisco

Foursquare rating: 8.88

Rich Table's impeccable service and creative dishes have earned it a loyal following, with diners raving about the porcini doughnuts in particular. The tasting menu goes for $93 per person and includes a selection of dishes from the chef, such as chicken liver bahn mi, aged duck cannelloni, and ricotta pierogis with Burgundy summer truffles.

Location: New York City

Foursquare rating: 8.90

At Michelin-starred The Musket Room, guests are treated to homestyle New Zealand cooking through dishes that explore the country's rich history. Both the "short story" and "long story" tasting menus take diners on a journey, winding through courses such as quail with blackberries and cod with Brussels sprouts and pomegranate.

Location: New York City

Foursquare rating: 8.91

Asian-American fusion restaurant Annisa incorporates flavors from all over the world to create plates like seared foie gras with soup dumplings and jicama or barbecued squid with Thai basil. The restaurant draws its name from the Arabic word for "women," and features a wine list sourced exclusively from female vintners and vineyard owners.

Location: New York City

Foursquare rating: 8.96

Located in the heart of New York's East Village, Degustation blends French influences and Spanish cuisine. "Sit at the chef's table and get the tasting menu with wine," Foursquare user Jess Kao said. "Awesome to watch the chefs make your meal right there. Great food and wonderful service!"

Location: New York City

Foursquare rating: 8.98

Jean-Georges Vongerichten's Spice Market cooks up elevated takes on Southeast Asian street food, producing dishes such as spiced chicken samosas with cilantro yogurt, roasted cod swiped with a Malaysian chili sauce, and coconut sticky rice steamed in a banana leaf. The eight-course tasting menu costs $68 per person for meat-eaters and $52 for vegetarians. Spice Market will serve its last meal September 29, so don't miss your chance to try the tasting menu.

Location: Las Vegas

Foursquare rating: 8.99

Hosted inside Las Vegas' iconic MGM Grand hotel, Michelin-starred L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon serves up three-, five-, and six-course tasting menus featuring items such as asparagus with foie gras, steak tartare with fries, and Wagyu beef ribeye. Guests can grab a seat at the service counter to watch as their dishes are prepared.

Location: Brooklyn, New York

Foursquare rating: 9.03

Brooklyn's Battersby features rustic decor, local produce, and unpretentious yet intricately designed menu items. The spontaneous tasting menu comes with either five or seven courses, and includes a selection of dishes such as summer squash with hazelnuts and capers and duck sausage with green papaya.

Location: New York City

Foursquare rating: 9.08

Babu Ji's tasting menu — which runs $62 per person — allows diners to taste a variety of Indian classics, such as spicy beef curry with cardamom, clove, and bay leaf, or yogurt croquettes spiced with ginger and green chili. The tasting menu finishes with a serving of Babu Ji's must-try signature dessert: housemade cardamom, honey, and pistachio kulfi.

Location: New York City

Foursquare rating: 9.09

Founded by Thomas Keller, Per Se serves up top-notch French cuisine courtesy of chef de cuisine Eli Kaimeh. Both the vegetable and chef's tasting menus run $325 per person for nine courses and feature dishes such as butter poached Alaskan king crab, foie gras "pastrami," and parmesan-braised celtuce.

Location: Los Angeles

Foursquare rating: 9.09

Diners at Providence can choose between three tasting menus, which range in price from $120 to $220 and all feature the restaurant's innovative seafood dishes. "I tried the nine-course tasting menu and it was divine," Sam Alon shared on Foursquare. "All dishes had amazing combinations of flavors. The strawberry white chocolate pistachio rose water dessert was the best dessert I have ever had."

Location: Philadelphia

Foursquare rating: 9.14

Sampan's fresh takes on traditional Asian street food run the gamut from edamame dumplings with truffle and pea shoots to barbecue pork egg rolls to Korean fried chicken topped with kimchi apple and crispy garlic. Though dishes can be ordered a la carte, Foursquare users cheer the tasting menu, which allows visitors to sample a variety of the spot's offerings.

Location: Honolulu

Foursquare rating: 9.23

Despite its location on the third floor of an office building — with no ocean view to boot — Alan Wong's Honolulu stands as one of the Hawaiian capital's best hidden gems. The innovative restaurant highlights Hawaii's local cuisine through plates such as lobster and shrimp lasagna, New York strip "poké," and mango shaved ice. A five-course tasting menu is available for $89 per person and a seven-course one runs $130 per head.

Location: Brooklyn, New York

Foursquare rating: 9.27

An incredible deal at around $50 per person, Traif's nine-course tasting menu allows guests to pick two dishes off the dinner menu, while the other seven are filled in by the chef. Between choices like strawberry-cinnamon glazed baby back ribs and buffalo-style frog legs, it's nearly impossible to narrow it down, but you can't go wrong at the pork-focused spot.

Location: New York City

Foursquare rating: 9.28

A New York City staple, Del Posto blends flawless service with elegant Italian fare, producing dishes such as bauletti stuffed with sheep's milk ricotta and black truffle butter or seared lamb chop with golden chanterelles. The spot holds a Michelin star and serves two tasting menus: a five-course one for $149 per person and an eight-course option for $179 per person.

Location: New York City

Foursquare rating: 9.30

Jean-Georges combines elements of French, American, and Asian cuisine to create an ever-changing menu that features everything from scallops with caramelized cauliflower to parmesan-crusted organic chicken. The restaurant offers two six-course tasting menus, comprised of a rotating selection of the chef's signature dishes.

Location: New York City

Foursquare rating: 9.32

Daniel Boulud's namesake restaurant boasts two Michelin stars and features upscale French dishes inspired by the four seasons. A selection of menu items includes heirloom tomato gazpacho with parmesan-encrusted langoustine, wasabi-cured Japanese snapper, and flambéed foie gras.

Location: Brooklyn, New York

Foursquare rating: 9.33

Xixa transforms Mexican street food into elevated dishes with ingredients like foie gras, smoked pork belly, and ancho honey. "Go tasting menu and settle in for an amazing meal," Matt Raoul said on Foursqaure. "Request either the foie gras al pastor or the steak tartare and marrow tacos. Sip on a old fashioned cube that's actually made with Mezcal, and enjoy."

Location: San Francisco

Foursquare rating: 9.34

Situated in San Francisco's trendy Mission District, Mr. Pollo's tasting menu is a steal at $30 a pop for four courses. "Small and low-key, you can talk to chef Manny who makes those innovative bites," Foursquare user Megan Masters wrote. "Come with an open mind and an empty belly, and you'll have a great meal."

Location: New York City

Foursquare rating: 9.39

Eleven Madison Park offers only an elaborate prix-fixe menu from chef de cuisine Chris Flint, which goes for $295 per person. Each meal features eight to 10 courses based on ingredients sourced locally in New York. The menu changes daily, but sample dishes include anything from carrot tartare to poached lobster with beets, ginger, and bone marrow.

Location: New York City

Foursquare rating: 9.42

The six-course tasting menu at upscale French spot Bouley goes for $195 a head, but it's worth the price. "The dinner tasting menu was sublime," Foursquare user James Kelly noted. "Flavors were sophisticated, nuanced, and delicate. Every dish was a surprise, immaculate presentation, and perfect balance. A joy even in the food glut that is NYC."

Location: New York City

Foursquare rating: 9.45

Known for its handcrafted seafood dishes, Le Bernardin has been an institution in New York since 1986. Try the chef's tasting menu for $215 per person, or the Le Bernardin-branded tasting menu for $180 a pop, which include delicacies like seafood truffle pasta, crab-filled calamari, and grilled escolar with seared Wagyu beef and fresh kimchi.

Location: New York City

Foursquare rating: 9.57

A New York City institution, Danny Meyer's Gramercy Tavern has been serving up contemporary American fare since 1994. The three-course tasting menu costs $98 per person and rotates seasonally. A sampling of menu items includes everything from beef tartare with peaches to red snapper with artichokes to lamb loin and shoulder with a side of summer squash.