Real restaurant reviews
We've all seen online reviews that just seem too glossy or pessimistic to be true, whether it is for a restaurant or a new gadget. Reading these fake reviews makes me doubt other write ups and leaves me constantly looking over my cyber shoulder.
Now OpenTable, the free online restaurant reservation service, claims "that every review (on their site) came from someone who actually dined at the restaurant," according to TechCrunch. They do this by sending emails to folks who were actually seated after making a reservation on their site. The down side to this is that OpenTable does not share the actual review, instead providing a ranking from confirmed diners. The system also seems to be new enough that very few restaurants have reviews. Boo!
I may stick to Yelp for now. Check out the reservations process for San Fernando Valley area restaurants.
Comments
I use Yelp, and it's helped (I've found the overall mix to be the best guide, rather than specific comments) but I also like Chowhound, Chow and some of the personal blogs. You get to 'know' the people and their tastes and a good reviewer will give specifics so you can 'read between the lines'.
Posted by: Lynda Akin | May 14, 2008 3:19 PM