6 of the Best Restaurants in the U.S., According to Anthony Bourdain

Anthony Bourdain was a legendary chef, television personality, and advocate for food, adventure, and enjoying life in all its forms. Bourdain started his career as a chef and spent 28 years in the restaurant industry before becoming a famous writer and chronicler of various culinary experiences across the world.

He later launched the show A Cook's Tour and shot to fame with the travel-based food series No Reservations and Parts Unknown. Along the way, Bourdain developed a reputation for connecting with people across cultures and differences through empathy, curiosity, bravery, and great food. 

Bourdain tried countless restaurants, roadside food stands, and delicacies across the U.S. in his day, but there were a few spots that he particularly adored and frequently evangelized. These are six places Bourdain was exceptionally fond of across the United States.

1. Per Se - New York, New York
2. Katz’s Delicatessen - New York, New York
3. Joe’s Kansas City Bar-B-Que (Formerly Oklahoma Joe’s) - Kansas City, Kansas
4. The French Laundry - Yountville, California
5. Swan Oyster Depot - San Francisco, California
6. In-N-Out Burger - Los Angeles, California

Per Se - New York, New York

Bourdain wasn’t shy about expressing love for this Thomas Keller-helmed NYC spot, calling it the “best restaurant in the world, period” in an episode of his first TV show, A Cook's Tour. He particularly loved the daily nine-course tasting menu, which includes an assortment of seasonal vegetables that change with the weather and are never repeated across any of the dishes.

“There's no better way to go than the full-on tasting menu, a once-in-a-lifetime marriage of the best ingredients, creative thinking, and high standards, along with the personal imprint of the most respected chef in the world,” he wrote of Per Se in Men's Health. 

Katz’s Delicatessen - New York, New York

Another New York City spot Bourdain frequented was Katz’s Delicatessen, a Lower East Side staple that slings gigantic pastrami sandwiches among other delicacies like brisket, latkes, and pickles. Bourdain loved this spot and often sung its praises. “When you're the best and everybody agrees that you're the best, and has always felt you're the best, you tend to stay open,” he said in an interview. “I mean, this is an institution in the best sense of the word.”

Joe’s Kansas City Bar-B-Que (Formerly Oklahoma Joe’s) - Kansas City, Kansas

Bourdain also praised this spot in Men’s Health. “People may disagree on who has the best BBQ. Here, the brisket (particularly the burnt ends), pulled pork, and ribs are all of a quality that meet the high standards even of Kansas City natives,” he wrote, adding, “It's the best barbecue in Kansas City, which makes it the best barbecue in the world.”

He visited Joe's Kansas City Bar-B-Que—then Oklahoma Joe's—twice on No Reservations and devoured a Carolina pork sandwich and some burnt ends on his first visit, only to order them again his second time there. Located in a former gas station, this spot is beloved for its barbecue and for its place in Bourdain’s heart.

The French Laundry - Yountville, California

In addition to Per Se, Keller also runs The French Laundry, a spot Bourdain once said served him “the best sit-down, multicourse, white-tablecloth meal of my life.”

He also appreciated the journey required to reach this spot. “I like the idea of having to travel to experience a French Laundry meal. The journey is part of the experience —or was for me—an expression of the seriousness of one's intent, of the otherness of everything Keller,” he wrote in A Cook's Tour: Global Adventures in Extreme Cuisines. “I liked looking out the window and seeing hills and countryside. I don't know if I want to be able to just to pick up the phone, make a reservation, and, sooner or later, simply hop in a cab and zip down to Columbus Circle. One doesn't take the A train to Mecca. That experience, like the French Laundry, should be a pilgrimage.”

Located in California’s Napa Valley, The French Laundry's waiting list typically fills up rapidly, so if you’re hoping to eat there anytime soon, you might want to plan that out in advance.

Swan Oyster Depot - San Francisco, California

Whenever he visited San Francisco for one of his shows, Bourdain would stop at the Swan Oyster Depot for some quality seafood. “True love cannot be denied,” he said of this habit on an episode of his show Parts Unknown, and also described the restaurant as a “touchstone in my world-wide wanderings.” This spot opened in 1912 and specializes in seafood, and Bourdain relished the crab back—a crab shell filled with butter and crab fat—along with the oysters, of course. 

In-N-Out Burger - Los Angeles, California

Bourdain often favored unpretentious spots over gourmet dining. He once called In-N-Out his favorite restaurant in Los Angeles, and explained why its burgers hold up so well in a 2015 interview with Eater. “There are many forces at play with a properly made burger,” he said. “You gotta have a decent bun...to start with. Bun selection—very important. Good quality meat, also.”

In 2015, he told Eater that the restaurant serves “the only fast food that I actually like and think is reasonably good for the world.” As for his specific order, he preferred Animal Style—adding pickles, grilled onions, and plenty of sauce.