

Vacation season is upon us, and OpenTable, Inc., a leading provider of free, real-time online restaurant reservations for diners and reservation and guest management solutions for restaurants, is helping diners make the most of their travels by announcing the Diners’ Choice Awards for the top 50 restaurants in the U.S. with the most scenic views. The list of winners is derived from more than ten million reviews submitted by OpenTable diners for more than 12,000 restaurants in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

In keeping with its reputation for culinary excellence and expansive, natural beauty, California claimed half the spots on the list, with eight winners alone in “America’s Finest City,” a.k.a. San Diego. The Bay Area made a strong showing with six winners. New York City’s sweeping skyline helped the Empire State take five spots, while Washington earned three. Two Phoenix, Arizona, restaurants are winners, along with two Illinois restaurants, in addition to honorees in 15 other states, including Alaska, Georgia, Hawaii, Michigan, New Jersey, Oregon, and Texas, among others.

“The winning restaurants on this list represent the best in destination dining,” says Caroline Potter, OpenTable’s Chief Dining Officer. “Whether you’re traveling to discover the beauty and local bounty of a new city or you want to experience the best of what’s in your own backyard, these restaurants will transport you with awe-inspiring panoramas and food to match. From sexy urban skylines to stunning vistas courtesy of Mother Nature, the views at these top restaurants will take your breath away – but not your appetite.”

Based on feedback collected from OpenTable diners between July 2010 and June 2011, the following 50 restaurants, listed in alphabetical order, received the highest scores from OpenTable diners. For more information about this list, please visit http://www.opentable.com/scenic.

A Caprice – Tiburon, California

Bali Hai Restaurant – San Diego, California

Beach Chalet Brewery & Restaurant – San Francisco, California

Bertrand at Mister A’s – San Diego, California

Boat House Waterfront Dining – Tiverton, Rhode Island

Cannons Seafood Grill – Dana Point, California

Chart House Restaurant – Cardiff, California

Chart House Restaurant – Malibu, California

Chart House Restaurant – Portland, Oregon

Chart House Restaurant – San Antonio, Texas

Cite – Chicago, Illinois

Claes Ovation – Laguna Beach, California

Coach Insignia – Detroit, Michigan

Compass Restaurant – Phoenix, Arizona

Different Pointe of View – Phoenix, Arizona

Eagle’s Nest – Indianapolis, Indiana

Edgewood Restaurant – Tahoe, California

Franciscan Crab Restaurant – San Francisco, California

Grandviews at the Grand Hyatt San Francisco – San Francisco, California

High Finance Restaurant – Albuquerque, New Mexico

Highlawn Pavilion – West Orange, New Jersey

Il Fornaio – Coronado, California

Island Prime – San Diego, California

Ivar’s Mukilteo Landing – Mukilteo, Washington

La Costanera – Montara, California

The Marine Room – La Jolla, California

Miramar Beach Restaurant – Half Moon Bay, California

Monterey Bay Fish Grotto – Mount Washington, Pennsylvania

Moss Beach Distillery – Half Moon Bay, California

Nikolai’s Roof – Atlanta, Georgia

Pacific’s Edge Restaurant – Carmel, California

Peaks Restaurant – Palm Springs, California

Peohe’s – Coronado, California

Primavista – Cincinnati, Ohio

R Lounge at Two Times Square – New York, New York

Ray’s Boathouse – Seattle, Washington

River’s End – Bodega Bay, California

Robert – New York, New York

Sarento’s Top of the “I” – Honolulu, Hawaii

Seven Glaciers – Girdwood, Alaska

The Shores Restaurant – La Jolla, California

Signature Room at the 95th – Chicago, Illinois

Six Seven Restaurant & Lounge – Seattle, Washington

The Spinnaker – Sausalito, California

Steamers of Pismo – Pismo Beach, California

The View Restaurant – New York, New York

Top of the Tower – New York, New York

Top of the World Restaurant – Las Vegas, Nevada

Water’s Edge – Long Island City, New York

Yamashiro – Hollywood, California

Diners can also find additional information on the Diners’ Choice Awards for the Best Scenic View Restaurants in the US by visiting the OpenTable “Dining Check” blog at http://blog.opentable.com.

