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Restaurant Review Platform Renzell Joins the Fray Seattle

If there’s one thing that there’s no shortage of in the world it’s ways to find restaurant reviews. From the old school print media to the myriad of digital options and bloggers with an opinion – it can be downright frustrating to find a shining beacon of truth when it comes to selecting a place to dine. Enter Renzell – touting itself as the new kid on the block “poised to disrupt the ratings industry, displacing Michelin and others, by offering an unimpeachable ratings for restaurants across the country.” They are bold if nothing else!

So What’s the Difference Between Renzell and Yelp (and Co.)?

On the surface, they are both review platforms which aggregate user entered data to provide a rating and commentary on restaurants (among other businesses on Yelp). However, the comparisons diverge significantly from there. With Yelp, you get everything from people complaining about a server that looked at them cross-eyed to people exclaiming that they’ve had life changing experiences eating a Caesar salad wrap. Point being – any Tom, Dick or Harry con contribute feedback on Yelp and it ranges from inane to insightful but more heavily towards the former IMO. Add to that the fact that Yelp is universally despised by the food and beverage industry and you have a conundrum on your hands. So, a new solution is required that separates the wheat from the chaff.

Membership Has it’s Privileges

Renzell aims to solve the problem of crowdsourcing data with little to no quality control by limiting reviews to what it deems are the top inside food reviewers in each city it operates. They use a hand-selected panel of over 3,000 members across the country and a comprehensive survey plus a proprietary algorithm to create an accurate assessment of each restaurant that’s included on the site. Renzell members are regular patrons at high-end restaurants who dine out anonymously (at their own expense) and complete a seventy-plus question survey about their experiences at Renzell Restaurants. In turn they receive points which can be accumulated and exchanged for access to special experiences such as private tasting menus at Renzell’s listed restaurants. To become a member, click on the following link here.

Speaking of events, Renzell is hosting selected members in Seattle at Marjorie restaurant for a private tasting on Tuesday, May 30th at 7p. Chef Donna Moodie will be serving up a wide variety of dishes including both Indian and Caribbean influenced plates.

One of the most significant factors distinguishing Renzell is its competitive list of Renzell Restaurants. (No, you won’t find Taco Time on the list). This group of establishments in each city (new venues will be added every year) has already been scrutinized and vetted in advance of being surveyed by Renzell Members. Restaurants are graded on thirty-two specific criteria and outside resources, and must be open for a minimum of one year to be considered for the Renzell list.

The Rating System

Renzell’s ratings are free of the subjectivity, biases, and inaccuracies that plague other systems, such as the Michelin Guide and The World’s 50 Best Restaurants. The Renzell Ratings, which provide overall and categorical scores, are an essential guide to curating ideal dining decisions.

Official ratings for Seattle will be published in May of 2017—overall and in eight categories: cocktails, design, food, hospitality, service, value, vibe, and wine/sake/beer—with scores released periodically to provide regular insights into how restaurants are faring. In an effort to be transparent with the restaurants and consumers, Renzell makes its survey, methodology and data available to the restaurants it covers and the data collection methodology is independently validated by KPMG.

The Seattle List of Restaurants

Without further ado, Renzell has chosen the following restaurants for it’s 2017 launch in the Seattle marketplace. Ratings will be made available to hungry diners soon:

  • Altura
  • Andaluca
  • Art of the Table
  • Bar Melusine
  • Brimmer & Heeltap
  • Canlis
  • Cantinetta
  • Chavez
  • Copperleaf
  • Cuoco
  • Dahlia Lounge
  • Girin
  • The Harvest Vine
  • How to Cook a Wolf
  • Japonessa
  • Joule
  • Lark
  • Le Petit Cochon
  • Le Pichet
  • Lecōsho
  • LloydMartin
  • Lola
  • London Plane
  • Mamnoon
  • Marjorie
  • Matt’s in the Market
  • Mistral Kitchen
  • mkt
  • Momiji
  • Monsoon
  • Nishino
  • Omega Ouzeri
  • Orfeo
  • Pomerol
  • Poppy
  • RN74
  • RockCreek Seafood & Spirits
  • Roux
  • Salare
  • Single Shot
  • Sitka & Spruce
  • Spinasse
  • Staple & Fancy Mercantile
  • Stateside
  • Sushi Kappo Tamura
  • Sushi Kashiba
  • Tanaka San
  • Tavolata
  • Terra Plata
  • Tilth
  • Wataru
  • Westward
  • The Whale Wins

So, if you’re looking for a new way to evaluate that next great dining experience you want to have, check out Renzell whether you are in Seattle or any of the 11 markets they currently operate in or will launch this year! You can also find them on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter by clicking on the links!