A tight labor market, mandated wage hikes and markets flooded with new competitors have wreaked havoc on many restaurants' bottom lines. Despite all that, operators ranked in this year's Top 100 Independents still managed to bring in a combined $1.8 billion in 2018 while generally figuring out how to beat last year's numbers, fill staffing gaps and even branch out and grow.
Meet the LeadersTop 100
Independents
Top 100 Independents: The Ranking
Click each concept to see more data.
| Rank | Restaurant | Sales | Average Check | City | State | Meals Served |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joe's Stone Crab Restaurant | $45,298,122 | $120 | Miami Beach | Fla. | 284,799 |
| 2 | The Boathouse | $43,863,194 | $45 | Orlando | Fla. | 1,001,254 |
| 3 | Komodo Miami | $37,209,977 | $126 | Miami Beach | Fla. | 295,055 |
| 4 | Maple & Ash Chicago | $32,011,192 | $225 | Chicago | Ill. | 253,793 |
| 5 | Mila | $31,246,339 | $147 | Miami Beach | Fla. | 202,715 |
| 6 | Sierra Mar | $28,978,562* | $200* | Big Sur | Calif. | 174,000 |
| 7 | Gibsons Bar & Steakhouse (Chicago) | $28,837,192 | $97 | Chicago | Ill. | 322,352 |
| 8 | Gibsons Italia | $28,806,727 | $115 | Chicago | Ill. | 290,631 |
| 9 | Alexxa's | $28,800,000 | $80 | Las Vegas | Nev. | 600,435 |
| 10 | Alinea | $28,359,015* | $650* | Chicago | Ill. | 45,689 |
| 11 | Castaway Burbank | $27,812,116 | $85 | Burbank | Calif. | 230,834 |
| 12 | Tavern on the Green | $26,994,126* | $63* | New York | N.Y. | 649,871 |
| 13 | Paddlefish | $26,745,321* | $56* | Orlando | Fla. | 525,000 |
| 14 | Le Diplomate D.C. | $26,733,921 | $84 | Washington | D.C. | 378,483 |
| 15 | Taste of Texas Restaurant | $26,697,846 | $66 | Houston | Texas | 401,035 |
| 16 | Cafe Americano - Caesars Palace | $26,100,838 | $32 | Las Vegas | Nev. | 767,853 |
| 17 | Top of the World at The STRAT Hotel, Casino & Tower | $26,059,250 | $125 | Las Vegas | Nev. | 200,000 |
| 18 | Smith & Wollensky | $25,954,130 | $119 | New York | N.Y. | 232,756 |
| 19 | Rusty Pelican Miami | $25,792,587 | $87 | Miami | Fla. | 208,380 |
| 20 | Makoto MIAMI | $25,239,426 | $85 | Miami | Fla. | 293,220 |
| 21 | Arnaud's | $25,196,347* | $85* | New Orleans | La. | 319,852 |
| 22 | Maple & Ash Scottsdale | $24,265,878 | $126 | Scottsdale | Ariz. | 193,339 |
| 23 | Gibsons Bar & Steakhouse (Oak Brook) | $24,195,029 | $95 | Oak Brook | Ill. | 275,569 |
| 24 | Prime 112 | $24,150,000 | $160 | Miami Beach | Fla. | 200,000 |
| 25 | Shooters Waterfront Restaurant | $24,107,545 | $67 | Ft. Lauderdale | Fla. | 421,491 |
| 26 | Pastis NY | $23,458,943 | $63 | New York | N.Y. | 358,352 |
| 27 | Papi Steak | $23,082,857 | $230 | Miami Beach | Fla. | 99,966 |
| 28 | Parc | $23,029,465 | $68 | Philadelphia | Pa. | 369,043 |
| 29 | Harris Ranch Resort | $22,903,357 | $43 | Coalinga | Calif. | 669,818 |
| 30 | St. Elmo Steak House | $22,693,928 | $124 | Indianapolis | Ind. | 178,144 |
| 31 | Bazaar Meat by José Andrés | $22,671,698* | $156* | Las Vegas | Nev. | 210,000 |
| 32 | The Oasis | $22,497,269* | $32* | Austin | Texas | 700,000 |
| 33 | Mayami | $22,453,652 | $115 | Miami | Fla. | 250,000 |
| 34 | Buddakan NY | $21,945,431 | $98 | New York | N.Y. | 217,870 |
| 35 | Perch LA | $21,541,335* | $105* | Los Angeles | Calif. | 227,369 |
| 36 | Juniors Restaurant (Times Square/ 45th St) | $21,472,825 | $25 | New York | N.Y. | 517,894 |
| 37 | Gibsons Bar & Steakhouse (Rosemont) | $21,430,443 | $96 | Rosemont | Ill. | 253,955 |
| 38 | Original Joe's Westlake | $21,018,080 | $53 | Daly City | Calif. | 387,220 |
| 39 | Abe & Louie's | $20,794,901 | $112 | Boston | Mass. | 161,774 |
| 40 | The Hampton Social - Nashville | $20,213,519 | $45 | Nashville | Tenn. | 449,189 |
| 41 | Quality Meats | $20,121,443 | $127 | New York | N.Y. | 156,351 |
| 42 | American Social Bar & Kitchen (Tampa) | $19,551,930 | $50 | Tampa | Fla. | 389,005 |
| 43 | Matt's El Rancho | $19,544,426 | $31 | Austin | Texas | 630,465 |
| 44 | Quality Italian | $19,537,690 | $101 | New York | N.Y. | 197,831 |
| 45 | Swan | $19,470,967 | $113 | Miami | Fla. | 171,428 |
| 46 | Merriman's (Waimea) | $19,369,147* | $105* | Waimea, Big Island | Hawaii | 219,587 |
| 47 | Zehnder's Restaurant | $19,258,113 | $19 | Frankenmuth | Mich. | 970,156 |
| 48 | Chicago Cut Steakhouse | $18,999,632* | $120* | Chicago | Ill. | 224,128 |
| 49 | Cafe Americano - Paris Las Vegas | $18,946,124 | $28 | Las Vegas | Nev. | 661,611 |
| 50 | Bryant Park Grill & Cafe | $18,750,236* | $62* | New York | N.Y. | 300,000 |
| 51 | Quality Bistro | $18,449,068 | $108 | New York | N.Y. | 188,577 |
| 52 | Haywire | $18,242,998 | $47 | Plano | Texas | 386,122 |
| 53 | Frankenmuth Bavarian Inn | $18,234,733 | $23 | Frankenmuth | Mich. | 790,392 |
| 54 | Barry's Downtown Prime | $18,000,000 | $140 | Las Vegas | Nev. | 240,900 |
| 55 | Anaheim White House | $17,998,742* | $136* | Anaheim | Calif. | 199,657 |
| 56 | BOA Steakhouse | $17,809,000 | $125 | West Hollywood | Calif. | 143,000 |
| 57 | Delmonico Steakhouse (Las Vegas) | $17,121,354* | $137* | Las Vegas | Nev. | 135,231 |
| 58 | Junior's Restaurant (Times Square/49th St.) | $16,969,913 | $26 | New York | N.Y. | 425,227 |
| 59 | Old Mill Restaurant | $16,900,000 | $18 | Pigeon Forge | Tenn. | 915,039 |
| 60 | China Live | $16,833,917 | $54 | San Francisco | Calif. | 350,700 |
| 61 | Bob Chinn's Crab House | $16,754,823* | $59* | Wheeling | Ill. | 352,000 |
| 62 | Harry Caray's | $16,541,287* | $69* | Chicago | Ill. | 289,231 |
| 63 | Las Brisas | $16,288,737 | $161 | Laguna Beach | Calif. | 321,253 |
| 64 | Orange Hill | $15,810,523 | $62 | Orange | Calif. | 179,108 |
| 65 | Original Joe's North Beach | $14,975,136 | $51 | San Francisco | Calif. | 262,907 |
| 66 | Quartino Ristorante | $14,941,625 | $34 | Chicago | Ill. | 417,888 |
| 67 | Prime & Provisions | $14,900,000 | $125 | Chicago | Ill. | 119,200 |
| 68 | LYRA | $14,750,000 | $95 | Chicago | Ill. | 155,263 |
| 69 | Beauty & Essex (Las Vegas) | $14,692,417* | $154* | Las Vegas | Nev. | 163,628 |
| 70 | Le Coucou NY | $14,428,386 | $207 | New York | N.Y. | 59,051 |
| 71 | Paradise Cove Beach Cafe | $14,258,926 | $59 | Malibu | Calif. | 241,677 |
| 72 | Whiskey Joe's Bar & Grill Tampa | $13,818,858 | $40 | Tampa | Fla. | 224,564 |
| 73 | Zou Zou's | $13,761,794 | $77 | New York | N.Y. | 122,054 |
| 74 | Bestia | $13,752,421* | $95* | Los Angeles | Calif. | 145,169 |
| 75 | Atlanta Fish Market | $13,603,566 | $59 | Atlanta | Ga. | 195,333 |
| 76 | Girl & the Goat | $13,599,487* | $97* | Chicago | Ill. | 176,000 |
| 77 | 15th Street Fisheries | $13,459,696 | $53 | Fort Lauderdale | Fla. | 305,225 |
| 78 | Harry & Izzy's | $13,353,893 | $80 | Indianapolis | Ind. | 160,821 |
| 79 | CHICA Las Vegas | $13,147,642 | $104 | Las Vegas | Nev. | 74,730 |
| 80 | Bistro 31 | $12,986,512* | $89* | Dallas | Texas | 144,890 |
| 81 | Cabo Wabo Cantina | $12,858,269* | $55* | Las Vegas | Nev. | 230,000 |
| 82 | Tony's Pizza Napoletana | $12,713,556 | $32 | San Francisco | Calif. | 397,299 |
| 83 | Hugo's Frog Bar & Fish House | $12,695,383 | $64 | Chicago | Ill. | 153,586 |
| 84 | Carte Blanche | $12,655,451* | $325* | Dallas | Texas | 32,786 |
| 85 | The Spot | $12,350,000 | $18 | Galveston | Texas | 686,000 |
| 86 | Atlantic Fish Company | $12,277,555 | $71 | Boston | Mass. | 145,023 |
| 87 | Junior's Restaurant (Brooklyn) | $12,268,300 | $25 | Brooklyn | N.Y. | 159,903 |
| 88 | Ida Claire | $12,242,375 | $38 | San Antonio | Texas | 322,167 |
| 89 | Francie | $12,138,974* | $195* | Brooklyn | N.Y. | 49,987 |
| 90 | Brindille Chicago | $11,998,753* | $200* | Chicago | Ill. | 48,651 |
| 91 | Siena Tavern | $11,900,000 | $57 | Chicago | Ill. | 206,957 |
| 92 | Fleet Landing Restaurant & Bar | $11,784,512 | $44 | Charleston | S.C. | 312,019 |
| 93 | Electric Lemon NY | $11,747,367 | $90 | New York | N.Y. | 143,955 |
| 94 | Bar Siena | $11,500,000 | $39 | Chicago | Ill. | 294,872 |
| 95 | El Vez | $11,434,983 | $55 | Philadelphia | Pa. | 255,826 |
| 96 | Mi Vida | $11,337,995 | $51 | Washington | D.C. | 226,981 |
| 97 | Scoma's Restaurant | $11,300,000 | $67 | San Francisco | Calif. | 167,577 |
| 98 | Mexican Sugar | $11,262,743 | $33 | Las Colinas | Texas | 318,579 |
| 99 | The Shed Barbecue & Blues Joint | $11,235,658* | $35* | Ocean Springs | Miss. | 321,000 |
| 100 | Chef Adrianne's Vineyard Restaurant and Bar | $11,155,420 | $91 | Miami | Fla. | 122,587 |
*RB estimate
Methodology
RB’s Top 100 Independents ranking is a measure of the highest-grossing independent restaurants. Only restaurant concepts with no more than five locations are considered “independents” for the purpose of this list (although it’s possible a restaurant that shares a name with a chain but is owned and operated separately would qualify, such as Smith & Wollensky in New York City). Rankings are based on gross 2018 food and beverage sales. Information was gathered through surveys. When data wasn’t provided, sales were estimated based on public information, similar concepts and other factors.
Did we miss your restaurant? If your operation had food and beverage sales above $10 million, we want to know about it. Please contact Sara Rush Wirth at swirth@winsightmedia.com to be included in the next Top 100 Independents survey.
Staying at the TopHow they do it
Hot Menu Trends From the Top 100
A look at the menus of these top-earning independents sheds light onto some bigger trends that have the potential to hit the rest of the industry.
See the Trends