Want the scoop on New York City's most talked-about local spots?
We took a data-driven look at the question, using Yelp to discover which eateries have been getting a notable uptick in attention this month.
To find out who made the list, we looked at New York City businesses on Yelp by category and counted how many reviews each received. Rather than compare them based on number of reviews alone, we calculated a percentage increase in reviews over the past month, and tracked businesses that consistently increased their volume of reviews to identify statistically significant outliers compared to past performance.
Read on to see which spots are sizzling hot, right now.
Konbini NY
Whether or not you've been hearing buzz about Midtown's Konbini NY, the casual Japanese spot is a hot topic according to Yelp review data.
While businesses categorized as "Japanese" on Yelp saw a median 1.7% increase in new reviews over the past month, Konbini NY bagged a substantial 200% increase in new reviews within that time frame, with a slight upward trend from a three-star rating a month ago to its current 3.5 stars. It significantly outperformed the previous month by gaining 2.4 times more reviews than expected based on its past performance.
Located in Koreatown at 312 Fifth Ave. (between 31st and 32nd streets), the restaurant relaunched earlier this month after abruptly opening and closing back in September. Originally intended as a Japanese convenience store concept, Konbini NY has shifted gears toward being a more traditional Japanese restaurant with daily breakfast service. On the menu are casual eats like donburi, katsu and udon, as well as Konbini NY's signature Eggbini breakfast sandwiches, served on brioche bread with spicy mayo.
Konbini NY is open from 9 a.m.–2 a.m. Monday-Wednesday and 9 a.m.–5 a.m. Thursday-Sunday.
GLUR Thai
Chelsea's GLUR Thai is also making waves. Open since October at 144 W. 19th St. (between Sixth and Seventh avenues), the restaurant has seen a considerable 225% bump in new reviews over the last month, compared to a median review increase of 2% for all businesses tagged "Thai" on Yelp.
GLUR Thai offers a full menu of Thai favorites, including noodle dishes, curries and vegan-friendly options. Over the past month, it's seen its Yelp rating tick down from five stars to 4.5 stars.
The business is open from 11 a.m.–3:30 p.m. and 5–9:30 p.m. on weekdays and noon–9:30 p.m. on weekends.
Daily Provisions
The Upper West Side's Daily Provisions is the city's buzziest sandwich spot by the numbers.
The cafe and bakery, which opened at 375 Amsterdam Ave. (near the corner of Amsterdam Avenue and 78th Street) in September, increased its new review count by a staggering 180% over the past month, an outlier when compared to the median new review count of 1.8% for the Yelp category "Sandwiches."
This is the second location of the Union Square cafe, which debuted on East 19th Street in 2017. The new restaurant offers the same all-day cafe menu featuring sandwiches like chicken clubs, egg sandwiches and a broccoli melt with Manchego. There are also soups, salads and a full selection of pastries.
Daily Provisions is open from 6 a.m.–9 p.m. on weekdays and 7 a.m.–9 p.m on weekends.
Roasted Masala
The Upper West Side's Roasted Masala is currently on the upswing in the Indian category on Yelp.
While businesses categorized as "Indian" on Yelp saw a median 1.9% increase in new reviews over the past month, this Indian spot increased its new reviews by 85.7% — and kept its rating consistent at 4.5 stars. Review counts increased by more than 180% on a month-to-month basis.
Open for business at 914 Columbus Ave. (near the corner of Columbus Avenue and 105th Street) since January, this family-owned spot serves up authentic Indian curries, biryanis, tandoori dishes and more, made with meat, seafood and veggies. The menu also includes a wide selection of vegetarian and vegan-friendly dishes, and the restaurant advertises Indo-Chinese specials on the weekends. The eatery is currently BYOB.
Roasted Masala is open for lunch from 11:30 a.m.–3 p.m. on weekdays and for dinner from 5–10 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 5–10:30 p.m. on Friday. On Saturday, it's open from 11:30 a.m.–10:30 p.m., and on Sunday, from 11:30 a.m.–10 p.m.
This story was created automatically using local business data, then reviewed and augmented by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.
