“I Was So Mad I Wrote My First Ever Google Review”: 35 Restaurant Horror Stories

When choosing a restaurant, Picky Glutton says not to look for the most popular spot. "Popularity does not automatically equal quality," they tell Bored Panda. "Don't automatically assume a restaurant is good purely because there are queues outside."

"Restaurants that are especially good at latching onto faddish trends or paying social media influencers for positive coverage, to give just two examples, may be good at generating queues. That doesn't necessarily mean they're actually any good," the Glutton gives us the inside scoop.

The reviewer suggests thinking about who you'll be eating with and whether it's for a special occasion. "This can be just as important as anything else [when] choosing a restaurant. The preferences and personalities of who you're eating with (such as friends or family), as well as whether it's for a special occasion, such as a birthday or anniversary, can influence where and what you choose."

"For example, if you're meeting a friend you haven't seen in ages and want to catch up over a relaxed and unhurried meal, a quick turnover ramen bar would probably be the wrong choice. If you're having a meal with your temperamental, old-fashioned parents, an experimental fine-dining restaurant might not be the right choice," they add.

Price and fancy concepts don't guarantee a good dining experience either. "Just because a restaurant is expensive, or conversely cheap, doesn't necessarily mean it's any good," the Glutton tells us. "Avoid 'gimmick' restaurants. The classic examples would be restaurants at the top of a tower on a rotating platform or with a view of a landmark. More often than not, such restaurants coast along on the gimmick rather than on their food and service."

When you're vacationing, the Glutton recommends venturing out of the touristy/hospitality areas. "[They] don't have a monopoly on good eating! This is especially true for cuisines from marginalized communities, whose members may not have the financing and negotiating power to get prime real estate," the restaurant reviewer points out.

"Learn how to read between the lines of menus," Picky Glutton also recommends. "Long menus can be signs of a kitchen recycling the same base ingredients and base sauces to give the illusion of choice. Or an unfocussed chef(s) trying to do too much, little of it well."

"Some menus use page layout tricks, such as highlighted boxes, pictures, higher placement, and nostalgic/familial language, etc., in an attempt to sell their most profitable or easy-to-make dishes."

If you're choosing an ethnic restaurant in an English-speaking country, gauge if the members of that ethnic group are eating there. "If not, why not: that could be a reason to give you pause. How does the menu reflect the regionalism and varying traditions of that group? If it doesn't attempt to do so, or attempts to do it all in a superficially comprehensive manner, then that could be a reason to give you pause," the Glutton explains.

If you want more adventurous food experiences, you need to eat as broadly as you can, Picky Glutton says. If you don't have any health- or religious-based diet restrictions, that is. "Don't go to the same ol' chain restaurants – choose an independent [one] instead. Try a cuisine or a dish you've never had before. People often choose comfort foods, but food is also one of the most accessible ways to experience another culture or world view."

If your favorite restaurant reviewer suggests a place, try it out: their taste probably matches yours. "I'm naturally biased towards written reviews, but if you prefer TikTok videos or Instagram stories, then go for it," Picky Glutton says. "Just beware of reviews that have been paid for or where the reviewer has had their meal paid for by the restaurant, potentially compromising their judgment. Sneaky, ambiguous, or easy-to-miss hashtags, like #ad or #invite, are an obvious indicator."