Skip to main content

This is the best way to find incredible dog-friendly restaurants near you

Here's how to find a dog-friendly restaurant near you, thanks to Yelp's helpful new list

Dog eating bread
Unsplash

Going out to eat is a fun experience that everyone should be able to enjoy on special occasions–even pet owners! After all, if parents can bring their children to restaurants, why can’t dogs sit next to the table? Bringing a four-legged friend along means that the entire family can enjoy a meal together, but not every restaurant is up for accommodating canine guests.

So how can you find a dog-friendly restaurant? There are many ways to locate a new place to dine with dogs, but Yelp’s new list, “Top 100 Dog-Friendly Places to Eat 2023,” is a fantastic place to start. Let’s break down the places on this list and how to find your new favorite place to eat. If you’ve ever done a Google search for “dog friendly restaurants near me,” then this is the list for you.

Woman relaxing at an Italian restaurant with her dog.
Shutterstock

Yelp’s top dog-friendly restaurants and places to eat: Who’s on the list?

This expertly compiled list features 100 restaurants across the United States with many reviews mentioning “dog friendly.” They ranked the restaurants and chains based on several factors, including dog-related keywords and a passing health safety score.

The top 5 restaurants on Yelp’s list include:

  1. Tin Shed Garden Cafe — Portland, Oregon (American, Breakfast & Brunch)
  2. Morrison Atwater Village — Los Angeles, California (Gastropubs, Burgers)
  3. Yellow Dog Eats — Windermere, Florida (Sandwiches, Barbecue)
  4. Hideaway House — Sedona, Arizona (Pizza, Italian)
  5. Lost Dog Cafe — Folly Beach, South Carolina (Breakfast & Brunch, American)
Recommended Videos

It’s so cool to see a wide variety of foods offered at the top locations on the list and a wide variety of locations. There are many dog-friendly places to live across the country, and this list is a great reflection of those places.

A brown miniature Poodle stands on a chair at a restaurant
Alison Pang/Unsplash / Unsplash

What makes a restaurant dog-friendly?

Not every dog-friendly restaurant will have the same policies, so it’s never a bad idea to double-check before you go. For example, canine guests (besides service animals) may only be allowed to sit outside or in a specific section. However, you’re more likely to enjoy perks like a water bowl for your dog, or even a selection of yummy dog treats to buy. Some restaurants even offer meals for dogs, so don’t forget to ask about a doggie menu!

A Chow Chow dog stands outside of a restaurant
Svetlana Gumerova / Unsplash

How to find dog-friendly places to eat near you

If you don’t live near any of the restaurants on this list, it’s up to you to locate the best spot to dine with your furry friend. But how do you know what to look for?

Aside from searching for reviews mentioning the words “dog friendly,” you can also look for this key detail in a restaurant’s name– the word “dog”! Yep, it’s really that easy. The vast majority of restaurants with the word “dog” in their name are going to be dog-friendly.

Local dog community groups are bound to have suggestions

When in doubt, you can always ask other dog owners for their favorite restaurant suggestions. Whether it’s an in-person conversation with a friend or a post on your local Facebook group, word of mouth is a great way to find new places to take your pet.

Look for dog bowls outside restaurants or signs on restaurant windows

If you’re already out and about for the day, you might need to find somewhere to dine with your dog on short notice. No worries! While you’re walking or driving around, keep an eye out for a water bowl sitting outside a restaurant. This is usually an indication of a dog-friendly location. Signs and stickers in windows can be harder to spot, but these can also tell customers where they can bring their four-legged family members.

When in doubt, it’s never a bad idea to call a restaurant and ask about their dog policy. Review-based websites like Yelp can be a wonderful tool for this exact purpose, too, so why not take advantage of the tools other dog parents have already created? ‘Bone’ appetit!

Gabrielle LaFrank
Gabrielle LaFrank has written for sites such as Psych2Go, Elite Daily, and, currently, PawTracks. When she's not writing, you…
How to bake a dog birthday cake your pup will love
You pup will go bananas for one of these pet-safe birthday cakes
Owner having fun making a birthday party for her dog at home

Every year on your birthday, (hopefully) you get a special dessert. It seems only fair that your pup be allowed the same treat, which may require you to whip out the ingredients. Of course, you can always go for a Puppuccino together, but if you want to give it a little extra, consider creating a dog-friendly cake for the occasion. These concoctions can work out for even a novice baker and will leave both of you thrilled with the results and hungry for more (most dog birthday cakes are edible to humans as well!).
What ingredients should go into a dog-friendly cake?

You may want to pick a staple that your dog loves and build the cake around it. While we're including a dog birthday cake recipe below, you can absolutely mix it up depending on Fido's preferences. Focus on things like pumpkin, peanut butter, yogurt, carrot, and banana.

Read more
Can dogs eat tomatoes without risk? What to understand
As a nightshade, tomatoes should only be fed to dogs in certain ways
Pomeranian looking at a cherry tomato in person's hand

We humans love tomatoes and have incorporated this delicious nightshade into our diets across the world. Today, they even show up in some pet food. While you might chow down on a delectable tomatoey pasta sauce or a salad, it's unlikely that those should enter into Fido's meal plan. So can dogs eat tomatoes plain or canned? You'll need to do your research before slipping them a juicy ripe tomato for a snack.
Can dogs eat tomatoes?

Well, it's not so simple. There are a few foods, such as chocolate and onions, that should always stay on the no list for your pup. You don't ever want to let your beastie have even a little bit of these, as they can prove toxic. Tomatoes, fortunately, aren't in that column, but they shouldn't become a staple in your dog's diet.

Read more
Small dog breeds: The best options for any household
Finding the perfect little dog for your home
A black Havanese dog

Even if you're planning to find your new furry friend at a local animal shelter, researching dog breeds beforehand can be exciting and educational. It can help you decide which breeds, behaviors, and routines fit best into your life, which can mentally prepare you for the realities of pup parenthood. That's how many prospective dog owners discover that they're looking for a pet of a certain size. If you're reading this, odds are you're wondering if a small dog is right for you.
These small dog breeds each have their own sweet personalities and lifestyles, but they could all be wonderful companions for families big and small. They will all adjust well to living in a house, and they're all big balls of love in tiny packages. It doesn't get better than that!

Alaskan Klee kai

Read more