Highest-rated restaurants in Rockford by diners
Highest-rated restaurants in Rockford by diners
Humans are creatures of habit. We tend to stick to our morning routines, rewatch movies we've seen time and time again, and hit up the same tried-and-true restaurants when going out for a meal. In fact, 35% of Americans said they rarely, if ever, try a new restaurant they haven't been to before, and 5% say they never do, according to a survey of more than 2,600 diners from TouchBistro.
But those numbers look quite different when you focus on younger generations—56% of Gen Zers and 47% of millennials in the U.S. say they visit new restaurants once a month or more. When it comes to deciding which new restaurant to try, younger generations are also more likely to rely on online reviews, through sites like Yelp or Google or from social media. The TouchBistro survey found that 71% of Gen Zers and 72% of millennials have opted to try a new restaurant solely because of favorable reviews online.
Some of the best restaurants in your neck of the woods might be those established spots that customers have been visiting for decades, but some may be brand new. More than 10,000 new restaurants opened in 2023, up 5.7% from 2022, according to a report from BentoBox. The states that saw the most new restaurants open up in 2023 were Florida, Texas, California, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania, but new locales are popping up all over the U.S.
To help you determine which spots—both new and long-standing—to try out, Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated restaurants in Rockford, according to Yelp reviews from diners as of January 2024. Only restaurants with at least 20 reviews were considered. Read on to find some inspiration for the next time you dine out.
Note: The photos in this article are stock images and do not necessarily reflect each restaurant listed.
#30. Jason's Deli
- Rating: 4.0/5 (64 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 575 South Perryville Road Ste 127 Rockford, Illinois
- Categories: Delis, Sandwiches, Salad
- Read more on Yelp
#29. 5 Coins Restaurant
- Rating: 4.0/5 (39 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 4358 Sandy Hollow Road Rockford, Illinois
- Categories: American, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#28. Prairie Street Brewing Company
- Rating: 4.0/5 (460 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 200 Prairie St. Rockford, Illinois
- Categories: Breweries, American, Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#27. Cantina Taco
- Rating: 4.0/5 (34 reviews)
- Address: 117 South Main St. Rockford, Illinois
- Categories: Tacos
- Read more on Yelp
#26. Lucerne's Fondue & Spirits
- Rating: 4.0/5 (28 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 845 North Church St. Rockford, Illinois
- Categories: Diners, Modern European
- Read more on Yelp
#25. It's A Wing Thing
- Rating: 4.0/5 (28 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 5120 Spooner Drive Rockford, Illinois
- Categories: Chicken Wings
- Read more on Yelp
#24. Johnny Pamcakes
- Rating: 4.0/5 (155 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3700 East State St. Rockford, Illinois
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#23. Eggsclusive Cafe
- Rating: 4.0/5 (335 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 7105 Cherryvale North Blvd. Rockford, Illinois
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#22. Woodfire Brick Oven Pizza
- Rating: 4.0/5 (187 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 408 East State St. Rockford, Illinois
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#21. Chick-fil-A
- Rating: 4.5/5 (69 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 280 North Perryville Road Rockford, Illinois
- Categories: Fast food, Chicken Shop, Salad
- Read more on Yelp
#20. Primo's Pizza
- Rating: 4.5/5 (42 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1710 Rural St. Rockford, Illinois
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#19. Lino's
- Rating: 4.5/5 (343 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 5611 East State St. Rockford, Illinois
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#18. Hai Quynh Restaurant
- Rating: 4.5/5 (75 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 324 7th St. Rockford, Illinois
- Categories: Vietnamese, Asian Fusion
- Read more on Yelp
#17. John's Restaurant & Pizzeria
- Rating: 4.5/5 (85 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2914 11th St. Rockford, Illinois
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#16. Wired Cafe
- Rating: 4.5/5 (55 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 414 East State St. Rockford, Illinois
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Sandwiches, Desserts
- Read more on Yelp
#15. Meg's Daily Grind
- Rating: 4.5/5 (26 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3885 North Perryville Road Rockford, Illinois
- Categories: Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
#14. Buddy's Burgers
- Rating: 4.5/5 (160 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 6551 East Riverside Blvd. Rockford, Illinois
- Categories: Burgers, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#13. Lydia's Cafe
- Rating: 4.5/5 (91 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1710 Rural St. Ste 3 Rockford, Illinois
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Sandwiches, New American
- Read more on Yelp
#12. Jerry's Cafe
- Rating: 4.5/5 (44 reviews)
- Address: 2601 North Mulford Road Rockford, Illinois
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Burgers, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#11. Smokehouse Barbecue
- Rating: 4.5/5 (83 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 432 West Harrison Ave. Rockford, Illinois
- Categories: Barbeque
- Read more on Yelp
#10. Rock-Pho'd
- Rating: 4.5/5 (179 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 6551 East Riverside Blvd. Rockford, Illinois
- Categories: Asian Fusion
- Read more on Yelp
#9. DiTullio's Italian Market & Cafe
- Rating: 4.5/5 (68 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2207 East State St. Rockford, Illinois
- Categories: Grocery, Caterers, Delis
- Read more on Yelp
#8. Social Charcuterie Bar & Cocktails
- Rating: 4.5/5 (175 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 509 East State St. Rockford, Illinois
- Categories: New American, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#7. Katie's Cup
- Rating: 4.5/5 (25 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 502 7th St. Rockford, Illinois
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Venues & Event Spaces, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#6. Abreo Restaurant
- Rating: 4.5/5 (159 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 515 East State St. Rockford, Illinois
- Categories: Tapas Bars, New American
- Read more on Yelp
#5. The Norwegian
- Rating: 4.5/5 (178 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1402 North Main St. Rockford, Illinois
- Categories: Scandinavian, Breakfast & Brunch, Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#4. Mission BBQ
- Rating: 4.5/5 (21 reviews)
- Address: 6820 East State St. Rockford, Illinois
- Categories: Barbeque
- Read more on Yelp
#3. LimaMar Restaurant
- Rating: 4.5/5 (49 reviews)
- Address: 221 East State St. Rockford, Illinois
- Categories: Peruvian, Desserts, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#2. 8th Ward Pub
- Rating: 4.5/5 (28 reviews)
- Address: 3905 Broadway Rockford, Illinois
- Categories: Tapas/Small Plates, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Sahara Palace Restaurant
- Rating: 4.5/5 (254 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 5890 East State St. Rockford, Illinois
- Categories: Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, Kebab
- Read more on Yelp
This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Jaimie Etkin, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 331 metros.
