While this year’s Top 100 Independent Restaurants’ aggregate food and beverage revenues of $1.8 billion in 2016 were not significantly changed from 2015, the list does include five that are less than 18 months old, and one that wasn’t open the full year and still did enough volume to qualify. In a year when independents were closing, these money makers fought against challenges and changes to stay alive.
Meet the LeadersTop 100
Independents
Top 100 Independents: The Ranking
Click each concept to see more data.
Rank | Restaurant | Sales | Average Check | City | State | Meals Served |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Tao Las Vegas | $42,470,345 | $90 | Las Vegas | Nev. | 226,146 |
2 | Joe’s Stone Crab | $37,243,159 | $80 | Miami Beach | Fla. | 316,000 |
3 | Tao Downtown | $33,401,819 | $95 | New York | N.Y. | 311,945 |
4 | Carmine’s (New York) | $33,147,017 | $33 | New York | N.Y. | 396,871 |
5 | Old Ebbitt Grill | $32,662,051 | $39 | Washington | D.C. | 1,072,293 |
6 | The Boathouse Orlando | $30,814,369 | $43 | Orlando | Fla. | 643,829 |
7 | Lavo New York | $26,822,655 | $85 | New York | N.Y. | 200,000 |
8 | Smith & Wollensky | $25,961,337 | $100 | New York | N.Y. | 296,723 |
9 | Bryant Park Grill & Cafe | $25,400,000 | $50* | New York | N.Y. | 420,000 |
10 | Gibsons Bar & Steakhouse (Chicago) | $24,700,825 | $75 | Chicago | Ill. | 363,301 |
11 | Junior’s (Times Square) | $23,972,978 | $24 | New York | N.Y. | 950,000 |
12 | Vandal | $23,680,917 | $80 | New York | N.Y. | 215,483 |
13 | Prime 112 | $23,100,000 | $120 | Miami Beach | Fla. | 193,000 |
14 | Tao Uptown | $23,089,638 | $85 | New York | N.Y. | 282,827 |
15 | Joe’s Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab | $23,000,000* | $80* | Washington | D.C. | 288,000 |
16 | The Hamilton | $21,978,322 | $34 | Washington | D.C. | 759,970 |
17 | Joe’s Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab | $21,800,000* | $85* | Las Vegas | Nev. | 260,000 |
18 | Bottega Louie | $21,720,463 | $35 | Los Angeles | Calif. | 729,612 |
19 | St. Elmo Steak House | $21,308,565 | $90 | Indianapolis | Ind. | 239,725 |
20 | Joe’s Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab | $21,200,000* | $80* | Chicago | Ill. | 265,000 |
21 | Buddakan | $20,555,460 | $84 | New York | N.Y. | 250,416 |
22 | Angus Barn | $20,402,068 | $68 | Raleigh | N.C. | 298,960 |
23 | Carnevino Italian Steakhouse | $20,400,000* | $182* | Las Vegas | Nev. | 112,000 |
24 | Bazaar Meat by Jose Andres | $20,200,000* | $105* | Las Vegas | Nev. | 192,000 |
25 | SW Steakhouse | $19,900,000* | $130* | Las Vegas | Nev. | 151,000 |
26 | Primehouse | $19,200,000* | $98* | Chicago | Ill. | 200,000 |
27 | The Smith (Lincoln Square) | $18,950,000 | $43 | New York | N.Y. | 530,802 |
28 | Sparks Steak House | $18,150,000* | $90* | New York | N.Y. | 210,000 |
29 | Quality Meats | $18,003,504 | $100 | New York | N.Y. | 178,297 |
30 | Bob Chinn’s Crab House | $17,990,990 | $37 | Wheeling | Ill. | 483,111 |
31 | Acme Feed & Seed | $17,954,879 | $16 | Nashville | Tenn. | 611,454 |
32 | Del Posto | $17,800,000* | $162* | New York | N.Y. | 110,000 |
33 | Blue Fin | $17,500,000* | $72* | New York | N.Y. | 243,000 |
34 | Abe & Louie’s | $17,463,196 | $85 | Boston | Mass. | 222,599 |
35 | The Smith (Midtown) | $17,450,000 | $44 | New York | N.Y. | 395,911 |
36 | Gibsons Bar & Steakhouse (Rosemont, Ill.) | $17,442,193 | $71 | Rosemont | Ill. | 258,249 |
37 | Founding Farmers (DC) | $17,243,194 | $35 | Washington | D.C. | 571,078 |
38 | Chicago Cut Steakhouse | $17,200,000* | $85* | Chicago | Ill. | 210,000 |
39 | Mon Ami Gabi | $17,200,000* | $66* | Las Vegas | Nev. | 300,000 |
40 | Tavern on the Green | $17,200,000* | $70* | New York | N.Y. | 260,000 |
41 | Shaw’s Crab House | $17,100,000* | $65* | Chicago | Ill. | 265,000 |
42 | Guy’s American Kitchen & Bar | $17,000,000* | $43* | New York | N.Y. | 406,000 |
43 | Parc | $16,921,459 | $56 | Philadelphia | Pa. | 423,619 |
44 | Aria Cafe | $16,800,000* | $24* | Las Vegas | Nev. | 700,000 |
45 | Prime Steakhouse | $16,800,000* | $158* | Las Vegas | Nev. | 112,675 |
46 | Taste of Texas | $16,720,966 | $55 | Houston | Texas | 363,715 |
47 | Quality Italian | $16,529,915 | $90 | New York | N.Y. | 171,713 |
48 | Grand Central Oyster Bar | $16,400,000* | $54* | New York | N.Y. | 310,000 |
49 | Le Diplomate | $16,377,232 | $58 | Washington | D.C. | 306,708 |
50 | Beauty & Essex | $16,308,810 | $85 | New York City | N.Y. | 191,505 |
51 | Komodo | $16,250,000 | $93 | Miami | Fla. | 180,000 |
52 | La Sirena | $16,200,000* | $80* | New York | N.Y. | 225,000 |
53 | ‘21’ Club | $16,117,593 | $190 | New York | N.Y. | 112,361 |
54 | Keens Steakhouse | $16,100,000* | $90* | New York | N.Y. | 179,000 |
55 | Lavo Las Vegas | $16,015,498 | $85 | Las Vegas | Nev. | 134,783 |
56 | Chops Lobster Bar | $16,000,000* | $103* | Atlanta | Ga. | 193,000 |
57 | Top of the World | $16,000,000* | $96* | Las Vegas | Nev. | 173,000 |
58 | Wolfgang Puck Grand Cafe | $15,900,000* | $48* | Orlando | Fla. | 345,000 |
59 | Gibsons Bar & Steakhouse (Oak Brook, Ill.) | $15,773,912 | $73 | Oak Brook | Ill. | 239,403 |
60 | Blue Water Grill | $15,700,000* | $74* | New York | N.Y. | 218,000 |
61 | Morimoto Asia | $15,640,000* | $65* | Orlando | Fla. | 490,000 |
62 | The Southern Steak & Oyster | $15,602,342 | $74 | Nashville | Tenn. | 383,950 |
63 | SkyCity at the Needle | $15,600,000* | $61* | Seattle | Wash. | 258,000 |
64 | Scoma’s | $15,498,854 | $52* | San Francisco | Calif. | 330,000 |
65 | The Smith (NoMad) | $15,350,000 | $44 | New York | N.Y. | 365,811 |
66 | Zehnder’s of Frankenmuth | $15,083,189 | $16 | Frankenmuth | Mich. | 945,364 |
67 | Harris Ranch Inn & Restaurant | $15,000,303 | $29 | Coalinga | Calif. | 518,664 |
68 | Portland City Grill | $14,918,871 | $73 | Portland | Ore. | 313,033 |
69 | The Lobster House | $14,900,000* | $38* | Cape May | N.J. | 310,000 |
70 | Harry Caray’s Italian Steakhouse | $14,800,000* | $52* | Chicago | Ill. | 290,000 |
71 | Franciscan Crab Restaurant | $14,784,499 | $53 | San Francisco | Calif. | 285,000 |
72 | Frankenmuth Bavarian Inn | $14,677,690 | $17 | Frankenmuth | Mich. | 847,585 |
73 | The Rustic Inn | $14,625,000* | $28* | Dania Beach | Fla. | 520,000 |
74 | Junior’s (Brooklyn) | $14,511,308 | $23 | New York | N.Y. | 620,000 |
75 | Spago | $14,500,000* | $75* | Las Vegas | Nev. | 180,000 |
76 | The Bazaar by Jose Andres | $14,500,000* | $95* | Beverly Hills | Calif. | 152,000 |
77 | Jean-Georges Steakhouse | $14,400,000* | $110* | Las Vegas | Nev. | 125,000 |
78 | Boa Steakhouse | $14,347,346 | $105 | West Hollywood | Calif. | 133,604 |
79 | Coffee Shop | $14,300,000* | $47* | New York | N.Y. | 314,000 |
80 | Hugo’s Frog Bar & Fish House | $14,269,812 | $74 | Chicago | Ill. | 182,161 |
81 | 15th Street Fisheries | $14,200,000* | $60* | Fort Lauderdale | Fla. | 350,000 |
82 | Cliff House | $14,091,992 | $46 | San Francisco | Calif. | 283,658 |
83 | Gladstones | $14,000,000* | $50* | Pacific Palisades | Calif. | 300,000 |
84 | Carmine’s (Atlantic City) | $13,978,014 | $33 | Atlantic City | N.J. | 101,914 |
85 | Paradise Cove Beach Cafe | $13,926,000 | $31 | Malibu | Calif. | 454,000 |
86 | Atlanta Fish Market | $13,800,000* | $49* | Atlanta | Ga. | 268,000 |
87 | Delmonico Steakhouse | $13,800,000* | $92* | Las Vegas | Nev. | 150,000 |
88 | Quartino Ristorante & Wine Bar | $13,790,000 | $29 | Chicago | Ill. | 438,677 |
89 | Virgil’s Real Barbecue | $13,755,053 | $26 | New York | N.Y. | 396,871 |
90 | N9NE Steakhouse | $13,700,000* | $80* | Las Vegas | Nev. | 170,000 |
91 | Mike’s “American” | $13,500,000* | $30* | Springfield | Va. | 460,000 |
92 | Founding Farmers (Tysons, Va.) | $13,425,130 | $39 | Tysons | Va. | 400,904 |
93 | Tavern on Rush | $13,409,416 | $74 | Chicago | Ill. | 350,000 |
94 | Timberline Steaks & Grille | $13,358,746 | $16 | Denver | Colo. | 1,055,679 |
96 | Balthazar | $13,300,000* | $70* | New York | N.Y. | 230,000 |
96 | George’s at the Cove | $13,200,000* | $85* | La Jolla | Calif. | 265,000 |
97 | Makoto | $13,190,879 | $61 | Bal Harbour | Fla. | 223,121 |
98 | Boulevard | $13,000,000* | $100* | San Francisco | Calif. | 124,000 |
99 | Carpaccio | $13,000,000* | $54* | Bal Harbour | Fla. | 237,000 |
100 | Cafe Fiorello | $12,950,000* | $56* | New York | N.Y. | 235,000 |
Methodology
RB’s Top 100 Independents ranking is a measure of the highest-grossing independent restaurants. Only restaurant concepts with no more than five locations are considered “independents” for the purpose of this list (although it’s possible a restaurant that shares a name with a chain but is owned and operated separately would qualify, as with Smith & Wollensky in New York City). Rankings are based on gross 2016 food and beverage sales. Information was gathered through surveys. When data wasn’t provided, sales were estimated based on public information, similar concepts and other factors.
Did we miss your restaurant? If your operation had food and beverage sales above $10 million, we want to know about it. Please contact Sara Rush Wirth at swirth@winsightmedia.com to be included in the next Top 100 Independents survey.