SALT LAKE CITY — Utah is home to the 35th-best restaurant in the country, according to Yelp’s annual list.
Yelp has released its 9th annual “Top 100 US Restaurants” ranking, and the Red Iguana in Salt Lake City made the cut. No other Utah dining destinations joined it, however.
Red Iguana is a well-loved Mexican restaurant located at 736 W. North Temple. It was founded in 1965 by Ramon and Maria Cardenas, whose children now carry on the family tradition.
The eatery has even been featured on Food Network’s “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.”
Yelp says it chooses its top-ranked restaurants across the country by reaching out to its own reviewers and asking for their favorite dining spots. The final rankings are chosen based on the total number of submissions each restaurant receives in this process, as well as ratings, reviews, “geographic representation” and other factors.
“Mole heaven. That’s what Red Iguana is,” said Yelper John S. in a review included in Yelp’s short write-up. “All 7 of their regular moles—plus the pistachio that makes an appearance here and there—are outstanding. The best way to experience them is to ask for a sampler plate when you’re first seated and try them out before ordering.”
With the restaurant’s slogan of “Killer food that’s worth the wait,” Yelp says to expect about an hour wait at the Iguana on any night of the week.
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