Two Idaho Restaurants Make Prestigious List of the Best Restaurants in the Country

For a town of just a little over 3,000 residents, this is a major accomplishment! 

Each year, for the past nine-year, the incredibly popular review website Yelp has released a list of the "Top 100 US Restaurants." It's no easy feat since Yelp's collected more than 184 million reviews from all over the world. The 2022 list is here and looking at it is fascinating. Arizona, Florida, Georiga, Pennsylvania and Idaho's neighbor, Oregon led the way with five restaurants a piece in the Top 100.

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15 states are bummed that they weren't represented at all in 2022, including some New England states that are well known for their seafood. That's why Salmon, Idaho should hold their head high!

Junkyard Bistro Takes Idaho's Top Honor

They made the list at #7 overall! Junkyard Bistro describes themselves as a neighborhood restaurant where you can feel like you're already a friend of their team the first time you visit. They attribute that to their superior hospitality and open kitchen setup. They've been a staple in Salmon since 2007 and their diverse menu is part of the draw.

Reading through the reviews, it's a toss-up over which menu item is the most delicious. The vote seems split between their "Infamous" Garlic Burger which is they add homemade roasted garlic aioli to or their Mongolian Beef Noodle Bowl.

They've racked up 175 reviews on Yelp, earning a 4.5-star rating. Many reviewers make it sound like a crime if you visit Salmon without stopping at Junkyard Bistro! It's been a long time since we were in Salmon to run the now-defunct Salmon Marathon, but we're like 99% sure this is where we ate our pre-race dinner because they have an amazing "add your own junk" pasta menu. If it was, we can agree this place is AMAZING.

Brick 29 Bistro Takes a Major Leap

Junkyard Bistro wasn't the only Idaho restaurant on the list! Nampa's Brick 29 made the list at #27. Brick 29 ranked #78 on the 2021 list. They're celebrating their fifteenth year in business this year. Head chef and owner, Dustan Bristol, opened the restaurant in 2007 after working as the executive chef at Berryhill and company and Murphy's Steak and Seafood.

Brick 29's regular menu always offers guests unique flavors like the Blue-Fig Grilled Cheese or Blueberry Pork Chop. They've also been known to try some more exotic or unimagined dishes that you won't anywhere else in the Treasure Valley.

In the past dishes like kangaroo tenderloin with venison sausage, an oyster club sandwich and bacon-wrapped meatloaf have appeared on the menu or as specials.

We know it's a long shot, but Brick 29 was voted one of the local restaurants you'd like to see open a second location in the Treasure Valley! Check out who else made that list.