3 Ways to Avoid Tourist Trap Restaurants

Here are 3 of my go-to ways to avoid tourist trap restaurants. 

1. Check Who is Eating There:
If you look around and see a bunch of other tourists it's definitely a trap. Look for where the locals eat if you want really good food. 

2. Explore Off the Beaten Path:
Tourist traps are set where the tourists are. Once you get out of that area you'll have so many more authentic, local options to choose from. 

3. Pay Attention to the Menu Size:
Those giant menus with cuisines from every continent are a total trap red flag. Look for the small places with a small menu. Everything on there will be exceptional. 

If you're in Detroit for the NFL Draft and looking for good food, we've got you covered. Head down to Hart Plaza and come find us. 

- Chef Mike

#Detroit #DetroitFood #LocalFood #touristtrap

[TheQuinto]

"The menu is enormous but nothing tastes good...." Shots fired at cheesecake factory.

[kinyonfinley]

If the chef can't speak your language and the waitress has more sass then a southern mama. You know your about to eat good

[mikehamm]

My wife hates this but I follow the number 7… I’ll take a main attraction or square and go up two blocks then left/right one block. Basically form the number 7 on a map and eat there.

[BEdwardStover]

I've been to a restaurant that had no printed menu. All the standard breakfast foods were available, you just had to ask/order. Lunch was most sandwiches and 1 or 2 soups to choose from. Dinner/supper was whatever they decided to make for dinner for themselves, they just made a lot of it. they closed when they ran out. If the closed sooner, then leftovers were available for lunch the next day. Chalkboard and chalk was the menu. For breakfast it said breakfast. Lunch said lunch and named the soups, adding sandwiches. Then dinner was just the entray listed. There were, of course dinner rolls and bread available, but nothing served that was not asked for. They hated throwing out food. Food to throw out went to a neighbor who raised a couple pigs. Prices were higher if they did not recognize you. I only know this as prices dropped over time. That truly was a mom and pop place.

[stingray]

The best fried chicken I have ever eaten was in a hole in the wall in Baguio, Philippines. This place was such a shack, that it would have been shut down in New York and the owners arrested.

[kyuutatsu]

I always do this no matter where I go. I live in Europe (from America) and I always tell people “I want the real food, not the tourist food”

[KaitoGillscale]

As a New Yorker, follow the ethnicities that you can tell are locals. You see a bunch of dressed up foreigners taking pictures…you know they’re tourists. Find people in regular clothes…wait til it’s actually lunch or dinner time…and see where they go. Or hell, go to a gas station and ask the guy at the register where he likes going for lunch. As long as the store is mostly dead, most people have a favorite.

[dmtnydw]

My grandparents lived in Mexico. Every time we went they had a new place for us to try, and they were never tourist traps. For context, they’re American-born and moved for retirement.

[ShatteredQvartz]

Since México got mentioned, I'll give you some local advice :D

If you want good tacos at a reasonable price, avoid chain restaurants at all costs

El Califa, for example, is one of the most egregious examples. It's overpriced, it's not authentic, and it's not that good

You are better off asking a taxi driver, a cop or a white collar worker where to eat some good tacos, they always know the best ones around

[Mike-vnlt]

However if you're in a country where you don't speak the language and aren't familiar with the cities, you can get yourself into heaps of problems wandering aimlessly through the city in search of authenticity. Don't get mugged and murdered looking for a better sandwich.

[thebigdoghimself]

Find the hole in the wall places. I always tell friends that if you walk into a Mexican restaurant and there are no Mexicans in line ordering tacos, immediately turn around and walk out.

[angelbulldog]

You're right. The mom n pop places are the best. No chains for me--ever.
You're single-handedly making Detroit a destination. Thanks!

[DoctorMantisTabogganMD]

I love that I grew up in South Florida where I did. There are so many amazing hole in the wall restaurants that serve every genre and culture of food. I’ve really grown to appreciate just how many people came from other places to bring there local favorites to us.

[syaril]

Go to where locals go but sometimes locals aren’t friendly to outsiders and will say you dont belong here only locals. And sometimes they see outsiders they charge non local price. But of course there are welcoming ones. So depends on your luck.

[scotthill]

Best thing you can do from my experience is use the online reviews, with a grain of salt & then when you find a good restaurant, ask the staff where are some good local places you should try next. If the staff / owners are nice they’ll be more than happy to give you some great recommendations on food & other things to do around their local area. Being nice, tipping well if deserved, showing respect & having a good time goes a LONG way

[Infinite]

In Mexico the best tacos are always the ones from carts on a busy street somewhere

[lazarnikolic]

I think I know a very good way to identify if you're in a tourist trap zone
I haven't travelled a lot but I noticed 2 things:

1. you will see bunch of English and certain phrases/words
-> if it's truly a restaurant for the people of certain country, why would they use English? If you can't see English you're on a better track, basically AVOID ENGLISH
-> also avoid "traditional *countryName*" places

2. bad Exchange Office rates
-> what I accidentally noticed, but it makes sense because foreigners are near tourist traps, only makes sense to scam them more because they might be clueless about currency rates

I saw this in my country and also in Budapest and Vienna
If this helped you I'm glad : )

[iamexhaustion]

I can’t agree more with the last statement considering my short career as a “cook” at various places, I’ve noticed the smaller the menu the easier and better the food tastes vs a massive menu with everything makes the dinner/lunch rush way more chaotic and less enjoyable

[natroze_]

Literally the greatest suggestions. Stayed for a few days in Paris. Booked a hotel a few clicks from the Eiffel tower. We ate in small hole in the wall shops. Ordered in partial French. Spent a week in Berlin. Went to a few restaurants that were 100% tourist traps. Had some lovely currywurst.

Biggest suggestion. Learn some of the language. As long as you try and are genuine, most places are willing to work with you and give you the good stuff.❤

[TeezoTarantino]

IE you go to the Hood of DC, Chicago, Bmore, NYC, & Philly to get the REAL food especially in DC & Philly