3 Maui Restaurants Make OpenTable’s 100 Best Al Fresco Dining List

Three Maui restaurants earned a ranking on OpenTable’s list of 100 Best Al Fresco Dining Restaurants in America for 2017.

Duke’s Beach House, Frida’s and Kimo’s Restaurant, all in Lahaina, made the list along with Gaylord’s at Kilohana on Kauaʻi.

The entrance to Duke’s. Maui Now file photo

OpenTable, a provider of online restaurant reservations, selected the awards based on combined opinions of more than 10 million restaurant reviews submitted by verified OpenTable diners for more than 25,000 restaurants in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.  The reviews were collected between May 1, 2016 and April 30, 2017.

The complete list features restaurants in 17 states, with California boasting 29 winning restaurants, followed by Florida with 28, and Arizona with 22. Hawaii has four standout restaurants, while South Carolina has three, and Nevada and Virginia have two. Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, New Mexico, and Washington, D.C. were also represented.

While many of the winning restaurants serve American fare, other cuisines proved popular, particularly Italian, Mediterranean, and seafood.

“This year’s list of winners features eateries nestled in nature, many of which offer waterside dining experiences that can make you feel as though you’re traveling even if you’re close to home,” said Caroline Potter, OpenTable’s Chief Dining Officer. “The popularity of these restaurants speaks to diners’ desire for their culinary adventures to also include picturesque views, garden patios, urban vistas and overall just a bit of nature and open-air.”

All restaurants with a minimum “overall” score and number of qualifying reviews were included for consideration. Qualifying restaurants were then scored and sorted according to the percentage of reviews for which “great for outdoor dining” was selected as a special feature.

Based on this methodology, the following restaurants, listed in alphabetical order, comprise the 100 Best Al Fresco Dining Restaurants in America for 2017 according to OpenTable diners.

2017 100 Best Al Fresco Restaurants in America
ACQUA – Multiple locations
Adelle’s – Wheaton, Illinois
Bayside Seafood Grill & Bar – Naples, Florida
Beachcomber Cafe – Newport Coast, California
Bistro 821 – Naples, Florida
Blue Moon Fish Co. – Fort Lauderdale, Florida
The Boathouse at Sunday Park – Midlothian, Virginia
Boca – Brandon, Florida
Brave New Restaurant – Little Rock, Arkansas
BRAVO Cucina Italiana – Naples, Florida
Bridges Restaurant – Danville, California
BRIO Tuscan Grille – Multiple Locations
Cafe Amelie – New Orleans, Louisiana
Cafe Berlin – Washington, D.C.
Cafe Lurcat – Naples, Florida
Café Monarch – Scottsdale, Arizona
Cafe Pinot – Los Angeles, California
Campiello – Naples, Florida
Cedar Creek Inn – San Juan Capistrano, California
Columbia Restaurant – Multiple locations
Continental Naples – Naples, Florida
Copley’s on Palm Canyon – Palm Springs, California
Cress on Oak Creek at L’Auberge de Sedona – Sedona, Arizona
Cucina Rustica – Sedona, Arizona
Culinary Dropout at the Yard – Phoenix, Arizona
Da Vinci Ristorante – Marco Island, Florida
Different Pointe of View – Phoenix, Arizona
Duke’s Beach House Maui – Lahaina, Hawaii
El Chorro – Paradise Valley, Arizona
Farm & Table – Albuquerque, New Mexico
Fleet Landing Restaurant & Bar – Charleston, South Carolina
Frida’s – Lahaina, Hawaii
Gaylord’s at Kilohana – Lihue, Hawaii
George’s Ocean Terrace – San Diego, California
Gonza Tacos y Tequila – Durham, North Carolina
Gratitude – Newport Beach, California
Guppy’s – Indian Rocks Beach, Florida
Hearth Restaurant and Pub – Windsor, Colorado
Hot Tin Roof – Key West, Florida
The House Brasserie – Scottsdale, Arizona
Jack Dusty Coastal Cuisine and Crafted Cocktails – Sarasota, Florida
Jake’s – Palm Springs, California
Kaluz Restaurant – Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Kimo’s Restaurant Maui  – Lahaina, Hawaii
La Brasserie Bistro and Bar – La Quinta, California
La Quinta Cliffhouse – La Quinta, California
Laili – Santa Cruz, California
Latitudes on Sunset Key – Key West, Florida
Lavender Bistro  – La Quinta, California
Le Vallauris – Palm Springs, California
Little Beast Restaurant – Los Angeles, California
Lon’s at The Hermosa – Paradise Valley, Arizona
Marche Bacchus – Las Vegas, Nevada
Mariposa – Sedona, Arizona
Mediterrano – Naples, Florida
Michaels Restaurant – Key West, Florida
The Mill Kitchen and Bar – Roswell, Georgia
Miro’s Restaurant – Palm Springs, California
Mitch’s on El Paseo Prime Seafood – Palm Desert, California
Molto Trattoria – Naples, Florida
Momed – Atwater Village, California
Monarch – Scottsdale, Arizona
Morgan’s in the Desert – La Quinta, California
Ocotillo – Phoenix, Arizona
Olive & Ivy Restaurant & Marketplace – Scottsdale, Arizona
Ophelia’s on the Bay – Sarasota, Florida
Osteria Tulia – Naples, Florida
Pacifica Seafood Restaurant – Palm Desert, California
Panama Hotel & Restaurant – San Rafael, California
Paragary’s – Sacramento, California
Parkshore Grill – St. Petersburg, Florida
Passerelle Bistro – Greenville, South Carolina
Portico Restaurant – Richmond, Virginia
Poseidon – Del Mar, California
The Prado at Balboa Park – San Diego, California
Quiessence at The Farm at South Mountain – Phoenix, Arizona
Red Fish Grill – Miami, Florida
Renato’s – Palm Beach, Florida
The Restaurant at Ponte – Temecula, California
Rick’s Cafe Boatyard – Indianapolis, Indiana
Rita’s Kitchen at Camelback Inn, A J.W. Marriott Resort – Scottsdale, Arizona
Sale e Pepe – Marco Beach Ocean Resort –Marco Island, Florida
Saltus River Grill – Beaufort, South Carolina
SASSI – Scottsdale, Arizona
Shore Diner – Sarasota, Florida
Si Bon – Rancho Mirage, California
Spencer’s Restaurant – Palm Springs, California
Spiga Cucina Italiana – Scottsdale, Arizona
Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens – Escondido, California
Sundy House – Delray Beach, Florida
Tom Hams Lighthouse – San Diego, California
Tommy Bahama Restaurant & Bar – Scottsdale, Arizona
Tonto Bar & Grill – Cave Creek, Arizona
The Tropicale – Palm Springs, California
The Turtle Club – Naples, Florida
Vin de Set – St. Louis, Missouri
Virtu Honest Craft – Scottsdale, Arizona
Vivace Restaurant – Tucson, Arizona
The Waterfront Restaurant – Anna Maria, Florida
Wildflower – Tucson, Arizona
Zinc Bistro – Scottsdale, Arizona