Gayot (pronounced guy-oh) is a world-renowned website that provides the best dining and travel recommendations to a devoted international readership. Boasting a combination of both professional and consumer restaurant reviews, the tagline of the website states, “Since 1969, restaurant, hotel, travel & other witty reviews by a handpicked, worldwide team of discerning professionals – and your views, too.”
Perhaps most noteworthy of Gayot’s restaurant reviews are those written by their professional staff; the reviews are articulate, informative and indeed witty, akin to the reviews or critiques you would find in glossy fine living publications. For the consumer looking for candid info beyond the slick copy, each restaurant has consumer reviews that supplement the professional one (unless the restaurant is new enough that it has yet to be reviewed by an actual customer). Reviews can only be written by registered members (signup is free) and must be approved by a Gayot moderator before it is published.
Gayot employs a 20-point rating system and each restaurant is assigned a number within that scale, 20 being the highest. This numerical rating only reflects the food itself; the ambiance, décor and service of a restaurant are commented upon within the written review.
The restaurant stats offered by Gayot are limited, especially compared to those provided by our top-ranked restaurant reviews sites. A few of the stats you’ll find are restaurant contact info, price range, type of cuisine, and which meals are served. A few other features (such as alcohol service and dress attire) round out the site’s reviews. Restaurants that lack a numerical rating and are labeled “quick bites” indicates the restaurant does not have table service.
In addition to the actual cuisine, Gayot seems to place a big emphasis in its reviews on the ambiance of restaurants, which is ideal for users who are more interested in finding a romantic setting or contemporary vibe than searching by price or type of cuisine.
The Gayot website really shines when it comes to its searching capabilities. Replete with the standard search bar and ability to search by city or name, Gayot also has a handful of creative lists apt for amateur food connoisseurs. For example, you can browse the top 40 (Gayot-rated) restaurants in the U.S. and a variety of top ten lists tailored for major metro areas around the world. The website is also one of only a few that allows users to search by special features, such as “heart-healthy dishes” or “private rooms.”
As aforementioned, the Gayot website offers more than just restaurant reviews – they review everything from hotels to automobiles, wine and spas (hence their slogan, “the guide to the good life”). Users can peruse dozens of different guides and newsletters to discuss the best food, hotels and leisure activities throughout the world.
In addition, the website has a blog and links to their social networking profiles on Facebook, MySpace and Twitter. Want to discuss your favorite bistros and bars around the world with other Gayot readers? The site also has a community section brimming with forums on a wide variety of restaurant related topics (think etiquette, tipping, etc.). Or perhaps you are interested in making reservations at the highly-rated bistro you just discovered? The Gayot website integrates with OpenTable.com, an online restaurant reservation service.
Although the sheer volume of links, options and text on the homepage may seem overwhelming, everything is well organized and categorized. Comprehensive navigation bars at the top and bottom of the page (some of which show more options when you scroll over it) provide intuitive navigation and the overall design of the website is professional and sharp – although we wouldn’t expect anything less from a company that critiques all things luxury.
While Gayot probably isn’t your go-to site if you want to find a cheap eat for the whole family, it’s perfect if you are looking for an upscale eatery to celebrate a special occasion or perhaps trying to impress prospective clients. The intuitive navigation combined with the original, clever reviews makes for a unique and truly enjoyable experience when searching for scrumptious new restaurants.
