Google makes finding a place to eat easier with critic reviews, best-of articles

By Julian Chokkattu Published August 4, 2016

Whether you’re itching for something to do in your home city or visiting a new place, you’ve probably run a search like “best spots to eat.” Up until now, Google would offer up a few top-rated spots from Zagat and Google Maps, but the search giant is expanding the feature to show picks from top critics and reputable publishers.

“Starting [Thursday] in the U.S., when you search on your Google app for the best spots to eat and drink, you’ll have access to reviews from top critics and best-of lists from reputable publishers,” Ronnie Falcon, product manager at Google Search, writes in a blog post.

Recommended Videos

It works like this — if you search for a term like “Chinese restaurants” in Google’s app, you’ll find yourself staring at a list of top-rated spots and a map with these locations listed. Click on one, and you’ll be greeted with the familiar Google Maps-style result that offers the restaurant’s website, menu, number, directions, hours, and more. Scroll down a little and you’ll see two new sections: “Critic reviews” and “On these lists.”

“Critic reviews” gives you a quick blurb of a review from various sites like Google-owned Zagat, or Eater, CBS Local, and UrbanDaddy. You’ll get a link to the review if you want to read it in-depth, but there are no ratings shown here.

Below that, “On these lists” shows a multitude of articles that the restaurant is mentioned in — these can range from posts like Zagat’s “8 must-try dumpling spots in NYC” to Thrillist Media Group’s “Chinese food near New York.” Clicking on these will bring you to those respective websites.

google search critic reviews restaurants — 1. A general search.
2. Restaurants with the new feature will have these icons below them.
3. What you see when you click on a restaurant. This is not new.
4. Scroll down and you’ll see the new sections.

google search critic reviews restaurants — 1. A general search.
2. Restaurants with the new feature will have these icons below them.
3. What you see when you click on a restaurant. This is not new.
4. Scroll down and you’ll see the new sections.

Further down below, you’ll find photos of the restaurant and Google reviews from your average Joe — but these have been there for a while.

The feature should be available for you to try now in the Google app, and note that not all restaurants will show “Critic reviews” and “On these lists.”

Julian Chokkattu

Former Mobile and Wearables Editor

Julian is the mobile and wearables editor at Digital Trends, covering smartphones, fitness trackers, smartwatches, and more…

Topics

Phones

I picked four wireless chargers so you can stop making your iPhone, AirPods, and Apple Watch fight over one dorm outlet

The best back-to-school wireless chargers for dorm desks, study spaces, and travel

Computer, Electronics, Laptop

A dorm-room desk can disappear surprisingly quickly beneath a laptop charger, phone cable, Apple Watch puck, and the growing collection of adapters required to power them all. Add textbooks and other academic materials, and finding enough room to study becomes the first assignment of the semester.

A wireless charging stand can consolidate several of those cables into one station. It also gives your phone a dedicated place to sit, which helps when you are checking the time or watching a lecture. Every charger here still needs one connection to the wall. So finding a peripheral that works with all of your gadgets isn't just convenient, it's smart. I picked four models ranging from an inexpensive two-device stand to a fast 25W wireless charger capable of powering an entire Apple setup.

Phones

Your backpack needs one of these power banks before classes start

I picked 4 power banks that can survive your longest day on campus

Anker Nano 3-in-1 10,000mAh portable power bank for iPhone.

Finding an empty outlet on campus can require more patience than registering for a popular class. Common spaces like libraries or lecture halls rarely have sockets in the right places. So a good power bank gives you far more freedom. It gives you the option to choose the quiet corner of the library, work outside between classes, or even finish an assignment without worrying about your laptop's battery.

The right model depends on what you carry, since a phone needs far less power than a MacBook or gaming laptop. I picked four Anker power banks that cover everything from everyday phone charging to running several demanding devices at once.

Phones

The Minimal Phone 2 looks dramatically better than the original, and I’m genuinely here for it

Plastic is out, metal is in, and Minimal Phone 2's renders suggest the digital detox phone concept finally has the hardware to match its ambition.

Electronics, Mobile Phone, Phone

I've been following the Minimal Phone since its initial crowdfunding days. The first iteration had the right idea trapped inside the wrong body, I’d say. Plastic build, no 5G, an underwhelming camera, and e-paper ghosting that frustrated early adopters; all these issues kept the phone from reaching a wider audience.

Now, founder Armen Youssefian has posted what appears to be a 360-degree render of the Minimal Phone 2 on X, and from what I can see, the team has done its homework.