Yelp, the crowdsourced review site that hosts more than 285 million critiques and ratings of businesses, has released its annual best new restaurants list with Paseo in Anaheim’s Downtown Disney scoring top honors.
Out of the 100 best new places to eat, according to Yelp reviews, Paseo in Anaheim came in at No. 9.
“Paseo’s Carlos Gaytán has the distinction of being the first Mexican-born chef to receive a Michelin star, and that pedigree can be tasted in every dish at this upscale Mexican spot in the Downtown Disney District (a shopping and dining center just outside Disneyland),” according to Yelp. (In 2013, Gaytán became earned a Michelin star for his work at Mexique in Chicago.)
ALSO SEE: 3 Michelin star dishes you should try on the Paseo menu at Downtown Disney
Yelp honed in on Gaytán’s Mama’s Cochinita Pibil, a pork shank dish served with beans and tortillas, writing, “As the story goes, Chef Carlos’ mother was unsatisfied with his traditional cochinita pibil and made one of her own that incorporated pineapple vinegar and guajillo peppers … From the smoky mezcal in the signature Maya-Tai cocktail to the duck leg carnitas on Paseo Waffles for brunch, look for clever Mexican twists on favorites across the expansive menu.”
Arguably declaring that Paseo prepares the best Mexican food in the Golden State (a ceaseless debate that could launch a thousand think pieces), Yelp Elite member Ann L. opined, “The best Mexican food in the state, wrapped in a beautifully designed interior. The entire dinner was absolute perfection on the palate. [Our meal included] Mejillones, mussels soaked in a citrusy, lemony sauce served with a side of sourdough. Could have sat and dipped [the bread] into this sauce all night and been completely satisfied. Overall, a fantastic experience.”
ALSO SEE: See inside $25 million Paseo restaurant at Downtown Disney
The $25 million Paseo restaurant, which operates alongside sister eateries Centrico, a courtyard bar and restaurant, and Tiendita, a takeout stand, officially opened in April. The trio of restaurants, owned by the Patina Restaurant Group, took over the spots formerly occupied by Catal restaurant, Uva bar and Sprinkles cupcake bakery.
Other Southern California restaurants landing on Yelp’s best new restaurants of 2024 list include Kinme Omakase in San Diego (No. 4), Burnin’ Shell in LA (No. 5) and Boujie Mana in San Diego (No. 8). Coming in at No. 1 is Mēdüzā Mediterrania, found in New York City’s Meatpacking District and frequented by such high-wattage stars as Taylor Swift and Cardi B.
Yelp culls its annual best new restaurants list by identifying full-service eateries that opened after January 1, 2023, then ranked those spots using a handful of factors, including the total volume and ratings of reviews between January 1, 2023, and September 1, 2024. The company also consults with a “Yelp trend expert” to discover which spots Yelpers enjoyed this year.