The best fine dining restaurant in Waco in 2024, according to Yelp reviews—plus, see the rest of the 14 best

Javier Volcan // Shutterstock

Highest-rated fine dining restaurants in Waco by diners

Fine dining in the U.S. isn't what it used to be. Many customers are no longer interested in classic white tablecloths and 16-ounce New York strips; instead, it's about cutting-edge culinary experiences.

Although steakhouses have defined fine dining in America since the 19th century, that started to change in the mid-1990s. Elite chefs like Thomas Keller at the French Laundry unearthed a whole different kind of tasting experience (with 40 courses), and a new age of fine dining was born. Soon, prix fixe meals—a French style of serving with a set menu—became the norm for fine dining in the U.S.

Between the rise of chef's tasting menus and consumers' continued desire to have diverse culinary experiences , the restaurants that grace the pages of top-tier restaurant reviewers like Zagat or the Michelin Guide look very different today than they did 30 years ago. Restaurant goers aren't just looking for high-quality food. They want the type of menu that will tell a story. They want creative ingredients they've never tried before. They want to be transported into a whole new world.

With so many innovative menus and restaurant experiences popping up across America to choose from, it can be challenging to choose where to go for a special evening. Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated fine dining restaurants in Waco using data from Yelp. Businesses were selected using Yelp's ranking system, which calculates an adjusted rating value that takes into account the number of ratings as well as the rating score itself.

Only businesses with at least five reviews and at least level 2 pricing (i.e., $$ to $$$$) were considered. Also, in an effort to highlight independent businesses and local chains, those with five or more locations nationally (based on Yelp data) were not included. Restaurants in certain lower-cost categories (like "diners," "buffets," and "food trucks") were excluded. Data is as of Aug. 19, 2024.

Read on to find a potential restaurant for your next special meal out!

You may also like: Movies and TV shows casting in Waco

Yelp

#14. Ichiban Japanese Steakhouse

- Rating: 3.3/5 (111 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2501 South Jack Kultgen Expy Waco, Texas
- Categories: Japanese, Salad, Sushi Bars
- Read more on Yelp

Yelp

#13. 1424 Bistro

- Rating: 3.5/5 (182 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1424 Washington Ave. Waco, Texas
- Categories: Seafood, Mediterranean, Bars
- Read more on Yelp

Yelp

#12. Portofino's

- Rating: 3.7/5 (206 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 725 Austin Ave. Waco, Texas
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp

Yelp

#11. Hecho En Waco

- Rating: 3.7/5 (503 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 300 South 6th St. Ste B Waco, Texas
- Categories: New Mexican Cuisine
- Read more on Yelp

Yelp

#10. DiamondBack's

- Rating: 3.8/5 (382 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 217 Mary Ave. Waco, Texas
- Categories: Steakhouses, American, Sushi Bars
- Read more on Yelp

You may also like: Coat drives near Waco

Yelp

#9. Rudy's "Country Store" and Bar-B-Q

- Rating: 3.9/5 (334 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2510 Circle Road Waco, Texas
- Categories: Barbecue
- Read more on Yelp

Yelp

#8. Abuelita's Mexican Restaurant

- Rating: 4.0/5 (93 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1623 North Valley Mills Drive Waco, Texas
- Categories: Mexican, Tex-Mex
- Read more on Yelp

Yelp

#7. Shorty's Pizza Shack

- Rating: 4.1/5 (286 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1712 South 12th St. Waco, Texas
- Categories: Pizza
- Read more on Yelp

Yelp

#6. Baris

- Rating: 4.2/5 (531 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 904 North Valley Mills Drive Waco, Texas
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp

Yelp

#5. One Thirty Five Prime

- Rating: 4.3/5 (238 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 1201 Hewitt Drive Ste 110 Waco, Texas
- Categories: Steakhouses
- Read more on Yelp

You may also like: Cities with the most expensive homes in the Waco metro area

Yelp

#4. Moroso Italian Ristorante

- Rating: 4.4/5 (526 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4700 Bosque Blvd. Waco, Texas
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp

Yelp

#3. L&L Hawaiian Barbecue

- Rating: 4.4/5 (150 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 300 South 6th St. Ste East Waco, Texas
- Categories: Hawaiian, Barbecue, Pan Asian
- Read more on Yelp

Yelp

#2. Di Campli's Italian Ristorante

- Rating: 4.5/5 (314 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 6500 Woodway Drive Ste 121 Waco, Texas
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp

Yelp

#1. Cajun Craft

- Rating: 4.6/5 (663 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 601 South 11th St. Waco, Texas
- Categories: Cajun/Creole, Southern, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp

This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Kiersten Hickman, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 299 metros.