The Restaurant Business Top 100 ranking of the largest independent restaurants returns after a one-year, pandemic-related hiatus. Restaurants on this year’s list represent a wide range of menus and price points and come in all shapes and sizes. They served 272 million meals last year and generated $1.8 billion in sales. There were also some notable newcomers. RB looks at how these restaurants adapted and evolved to meet a changing industry.
Meet the LeadersTop 100
Independents
Photograph courtesy of Komodo
Top 100 Independents: The Ranking
Click each concept to see more data.
| Rank | Restaurant | Sales | Average Check | City | State | Meals Served |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Komodo | $41,000,000 | $115 | Miami | Fla. | 285,000 |
| 2 | The Boathouse Orlando | $39,863,628 | $44 | Orlando | Fla. | 921,785 |
| 3 | Swan | $31,000,000 | $85 | Miami | Fla. | 185,000 |
| 4 | Maple & Ash (Chicago) | $30,285,684 | $106 | Chicago | Ill. | 285,714 |
| 5 | Mila | $27,350,000 | $134 | Miami Beach | Fla. | 203,990 |
| 6 | Alinea | $27,072,500* | $650* | Chicago | Ill. | 41,650 |
| 7 | Top of the World | $25,672,308 | $133 | Las Vegas | Nev. | 218,586 |
| 8 | Shooters Waterfront | $25,025,370 | $68 | Fort Lauderdale | Fla. | 419,972 |
| 9 | Prime 112 | $24,750,000 | $155 | Miami Beach | Fla. | 210,000 |
| 10 | Paddlefish | $23,795,000* | $52* | Orlando | Fla. | 485,000 |
| 11 | Capa | $23,547,000* | $121* | Orlando | Fla. | 197,000 |
| 12 | Maple & Ash (Scottsdale) | $23,487,122 | $95 | Scottsdale | Ariz. | 247,232 |
| 13 | Commander's Palace | $23,184,000* | $89* | New Orleans | La. | 264,000 |
| 14 | Taste of Texas | $23,180,522 | $64 | Houston | Texas | 356,894 |
| 15 | Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab (Washington, D.C.) | $22,477,000* | $94* | Washington | N/A | 255,000 |
| 16 | Gibsons Italia | $22,342,704 | $116 | Chicago | Ill. | 209,788 |
| 17 | Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab (Chicago) | $22,292,000* | $99* | Chicago | Ill. | 210,000 |
| 18 | Papi Steak | $22,000,000 | $240 | Miami Beach | Fla. | 91,667 |
| 19 | Marion | $21,989,000* | $85* | Miami | Fla. | 255,000 |
| 20 | Buddakan (NYC) | $21,800,593 | $91 | New York | N.Y. | 177,000 |
| 21 | LAVO Italian Restaurant & Nightclub | $21,532,000* | $95* | New York | N.Y. | 175,000 |
| 22 | Parc | $21,528,659 | $74 | Philadelphia | Pa. | 383,392 |
| 23 | Le Diplomate | $21,477,955 | $75 | Washington | D.C. | 347,263 |
| 24 | Gibsons Bar Steakhouse (Oak Brook) | $20,774,202 | $89 | Oak Brook | Ill. | 252,326 |
| 25 | Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab (Las Vegas) | $20,573,000* | $99* | Las Vegas | Nev. | 242,632 |
| 26 | Gibsons Bar & Steakhouse (Chicago) | $20,493,301 | $77 | Chicago | Ill. | 269,777 |
| 27 | RPM Steak | $20,227,000* | $105* | Chicago | Ill. | 193,000 |
| 28 | Rusty Pelican Miami | $20,130,324 | $84 | Miami | Fla. | 185,222 |
| 29 | Bazaar Meat by Jose Andres | $19,963,000* | $139* | Las Vegas | Nev. | 160,528 |
| 30 | Pastis | $19,735,732 | $75 | New York | N.Y. | 268,216 |
| 31 | Balthazar | $19,638,000* | $98* | New York | N.Y. | 389,250 |
| 32 | SW Steakhouse | $19,371,000* | $163* | Las Vegas | Nev. | 110,000 |
| 33 | Harris Ranch Inn & Restaurant | $18,848,657 | $29 | Coalinga | Calif. | 641,337 |
| 34 | Makoto | $18,572,987 | $78 | Miami Beach | Fla. | 233,039 |
| 35 | Castaway Burbank | $18,387,832 | $135 | Burbank | Calif. | 174,183 |
| 36 | Morimoto Asia | $18,159,000* | $76* | Orlando (Disney Springs) | Fla. | 520,000 |
| 37 | Sharky's on the Pier | $18,159,000* | $45* | Venice | Fla. | 450,000 |
| 38 | Original Joe's Westlake | $18,123,824 | $48 | San Francisco | Calif. | 334,604 |
| 39 | Rustic Inn | $17,900,000 | $58 | Fort Lauderdale | Fla. | 315,000 |
| 40 | BOA Steakhouse | $17,670,519 | $135 | West Hollywood | Calif. | 142,000 |
| 41 | Abe & Louie's | $17,549,249 | $83 | Boston | Mass. | 210,000 |
| 42 | Shaw's Crab House | $17,426,000* | $82* | Chicago | Ill. | 221,520 |
| 43 | St. Elmo Steak House | $17,335,304 | $109 | Indianapolis | Ind. | 154,575 |
| 44 | Chicago Cut Steakhouse | $17,211,000* | $102* | Chicago | Ill. | 198,564 |
| 45 | Swift & Sons | $17,108,000* | $123* | Chicago | Ill. | 184,000 |
| 46 | Zehnder's of Frankenmuth | $17,027,211 | $19 | Frankenmuth | Mich. | 908,951 |
| 47 | Hell's Kitchen (Las Vegas) | $16,899,000* | $135* | Las Vegas | Nev. | 120,000 |
| 48 | Old Mill Restaurant | $16,702,024 | $17 | Pigeon Forge | Tenn. | 966,849 |
| 49 | LAVO Italian Restaurant & Lounge | $16,547,000* | $111* | Las Vegas | Nev. | 110,231 |
| 50 | Prime Steakhouse | $16,423,000* | $195* | Las Vegas | Nev. | 101,145 |
| 51 | Mike's "American" | $16,380,000* | $42* | Springfield | Va. | 390,000 |
| 52 | Mon Ami Gabi | $16,297,000* | $96* | Las Vegas | Nev. | 296,324 |
| 53 | Big Texan Steak Ranch | $16,256,000* | $32* | Amarillo | Texas | 451,265 |
| 54 | Gibsons Bar & Steakhouse (Rosemont) | $16,089,179 | $89 | Rosemont | Ill. | 196,231 |
| 55 | Matt's El Rancho | $15,835,297 | $29 | Austin | Texas | 546,044 |
| 56 | 15th Street Fisheries | $15,826,203 | $72 | Fort Lauderdale | Fla. | 385,000 |
| 57 | Knife & Fork Inn | $15,800,000* | $75* | Atlantic City | N.J. | 225,000 |
| 58 | Bottega Louie | $15,742,000* | $43* | Los Angeles | Calif. | 302,574 |
| 59 | Frankenmuth Bavarian Inn | $15,738,122 | $25 | Frankenmuth | Mich. | 636,526 |
| 60 | Franklin Barbecue | $15,599,000* | $54* | Austin | Texas. | 300,000 |
| 61 | Tavern on Rush | $15,432,000 | $77 | Chicago | Ill. | 240,000 |
| 62 | The Precinct by Jeff Ruby | $15,341,000* | $92* | Cincinnati | Ohio | 189,000 |
| 63 | Harry Caray's Italian Steakhouse | $15,209,000* | $64* | Chicago | Ill. | 279,000 |
| 64 | Lambert's Cafe (Sikeston) | $14,941,000* | $18* | Sikeston | Mo. | 832,000 |
| 65 | Bob Chinn's Crab House | $14,869,222 | $56 | Wheeling | Ill. | 265,522 |
| 66 | Chops Lobster Bar | $14,715,614 | $120 | Atlanta | Ga. | 109,866 |
| 67 | The Lobster House | $14,677,000* | $55* | Cape May | N.J. | 298,000 |
| 68 | Bryant Park Grill & Cafe | $14,600,000 | $60 | New York | N.Y. | 250,000 |
| 69 | Delmonico Steakhouse | $14,538,000* | $126* | Las Vegas | Nev. | 112,453 |
| 70 | Sparks Steak House | $14,015,000* | $105* | New York | N.Y. | 176,327 |
| 71 | Paradise Cove Beach Cafe | $13,987,695 | $54 | Malibu | Calif. | 259,031 |
| 72 | Prime & Provisions | $13,900,000 | $125 | Chicago | Ill. | 111,200 |
| 73 | Tavern on the Green | $13,770,000* | $87* | New York | N.Y. | 236,124 |
| 74 | Bar Siena | $13,750,000 | $68 | Chicago | Ill. | 202,200 |
| 75 | The Hampton Social (Nashville) | $13,430,746 | $42 | Nashville | Tenn. | 319,779 |
| 76 | Whiskey Joe's Tampa | $13,143,520 | $34 | Tampa | Fla. | 267,988 |
| 77 | Beauty & Essex (New York City) | $13,091,000* | $97* | New York | N.Y. | 175,648 |
| 78 | Grand Central Oyster Bar | $13,043,000* | $71* | New York | N.Y. | 264,328 |
| 79 | Casa Tua Miami | $13,009,000* | $55* | Miami Beach | Fla. | 235,000 |
| 80 | Beauty & Essex (Las Vegas) | $12,717,000* | $124* | Las Vegas | Nev. | 124,321 |
| 81 | Girl & the Goat | $12,507,000* | $95* | Chicago | Ill. | 175,623 |
| 82 | China Live | $12,504,518 | $54 | San Francisco | Calif. | 87,882 |
| 83 | Keens Steakhouse | $12,503,000* | $105* | New York | N.Y. | 143,698 |
| 84 | On Swann | $12,483,000* | $76* | Tampa | Fla. | 164,250 |
| 85 | Pancake Pantry | $12,350,000* | $16* | Gatlinburg | Tenn. | 745,000 |
| 86 | Bistro 31 | $12,315,724 | $85 | Dallas | Texas | 123,854 |
| 87 | Atlanta Fish Market | $12,193,856 | $56 | Atlanta | Ga. | 193,439 |
| 88 | Original Joe's North Beach | $11,976,922 | $53 | San Francisco | Calif. | 215,492 |
| 89 | Mickey Mantle's Steakhouse | $11,894,000* | $104* | Oklahoma City | Okla. | 110,000 |
| 90 | Gladstones | $11,784,000* | $50* | Pacific Palisades | Calif. | 240,000 |
| 91 | Hugo's Frog Bar & Fish House | $11,704,132 | $79 | Chicago | Ill. | 146,319 |
| 92 | The Spot | $11,695,800 | $20 | Galveston | Texas | 585,000 |
| 93 | Steak 954 | $11,545,321 | $108 | Fort Lauderdale | Fla. | 134,741 |
| 94 | Siena Tavern | $11,500,000 | $65 | Chicago | Ill. | 176,900 |
| 95 | El Vez Philadelphia | $11,472,765 | $49 | Philadelphia | Pa. | 257,639 |
| 96 | George's at the Cove | $11,218,000* | $93* | La Jolla | Calif. | 221,671 |
| 97 | Stubborn Seed | $11,158,000* | $124* | Miami Beach | Fla. | 89,986 |
| 98 | Toulouse Cafe & Bar Houston | $11,074,759 | $78 | Houston | Texas | 113,609 |
| 99 | L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon Miami | $11,063,000* | $195* | Miami | Fla. | 54,215 |
| 100 | Mélisse | $11,050,000* | $425* | Santa Monica | Calif. | 26,000 |
*RB estimate
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. Rankings are based on gross 2021 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.
Want your restaurant to be considered for next year’s Top 100 Independents list? Contact us at jmaze@winsightmedia.com.
“Over the past year we’ve added a ‘text for reservation’ option that not only cut down our call volume but gave our guests another way to interact with us directly. Adding this technology has made our team much more efficient and enables us to capture more reservations in real time.”MOLLY CURREY, CMO, WHAT IF...SYNDICATE (NOS. 4, 12)