Upscale and modern, The Capital Grille aims to put customers at ease and engage them in a meal that stimulates all five senses. Dry-aged steaks are hand-carved in-house, the wine list runs more than 350 options deep, and many restaurant locations boast historical and cultural significance. A small chain with only 54 locations, The Capital Grille still pulled in an Read more...

The Cheesecake Factory began as a family business that started with one homemade cheesecake in 1949, officially opening its first full-service restaurant in 1978 thanks to David Overton, whose mother’s recipe is the “Original” cheesecake in the restaurant. Boasting over $1.9 billion in revenue last year, the California-based chain is widely popular for its generous portions, extensive menu, and more Read more...

Serving unlimited hot, buttery breadsticks is one way the Italian-American chain Olive Garden keeps customers coming through the doors. The casual dining chain opened its first restaurant in Orlando in 1982. It now operates 841 locations globally, earning almost $3.75 billion in sales last year. After years of decline, the chain just reported its best quarterly sales performance in years, Read more...

The Italian-American restaurant Maggiano’s began in Chicago 25 years ago. The family-style chain features classic homemade Italian dishes like spaghetti and meatballs, lasagna, and chicken parmesan. With just 51 US locations, Maggiano’s may still be a well-kept secret. Employees at Maggiano’s also put in time outside the kitchen. This year, the restaurant celebrated a 13-year partnership with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Read more...

The smallest chain on our list, with just 37 US locations, Bahama Breeze Island Grille serves up Caribbean-inspired fare with tropical cocktails to match. The menu features everything from Jamaican jerk chicken to conch fritters, as well as drinks laced with pineapple juice, coconut, and plenty of rum. Live reggae completes the atmosphere, with a show almost every night. Owned Read more...

Started by two Sicilian guys from Texas, Carrabba’s Italian Grill serves traditional Italian cuisine based off recipes passed down generations in the founding family. The uncle-nephew team of John Carrabba and Damian Mandola opened the first Carrabba’s in Houston in 1986. Now boasting more than 240 locations, Carrabba’s offers customers Italian dishes that showcase the diverse cuisine, from traditional pastas Read more...

Brews, food, and tunes are what keep customers coming back to Yard House, the modest Irvine-based restaurant chain founded in 1996. It was dubbed the sixth-fastest-growing chain in the country in 2015. With more than 100 brews on draft and a 4,000-gallon keg room, Yard House prides itself on having some of the most extensively cultivated beer selections in the Read more...

Friends Tim Curci and Chris Parker’s love for catching and cooking fish was manifested in the opening of the first Bonefish Grill in St. Petersburg, Florida, in 2000. The chain focuses on “elegant simplicity” in its fresh, seasonal seafood dishes. And the dedication pays off: Consumers voted Bonefish Grill the best restaurant for quality of food in a 2016 Technomic Read more...

It’s all about burgers, burgers, and more burgers at Red Robin Gourmet Burgers & Brews. The souped-up burger joint boasts 510 US locations, featuring signature creations such as the Prime Chophouse, topped with sautéed mushrooms, steak sauce, and crispy onion straws, and the Chili Chili Cheeseburger, smothered in cheese, chipotle aioli, and — you guessed it — a hefty portion Read more...

Giving a Southern California twist on the traditional Chicago deep-dish pizza, BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse offered great pizza and a family-friendly menu when it opened in 1978. By 1996, the franchise had seven locations and experienced a pivot: craft beer. In the 20 years since, BJ’s Restaurant and Brewhouse has been given more than 150 awards for its craft brews, Read more...