Highest-rated restaurants in Waco by diners
Humans are creatures of habit. We tend to stick to our morning routines, rewatch movies we've seen time and time again, and hit up the same tried-and-true restaurants when going out for a meal. In fact, 35% of Americans say they rarely or never try a new restaurant they haven't been to before, according to a from TouchBistro.
But those numbers look quite different when you focus on younger generations—67% of Gen Zers and 40% of millennials in the U.S. say they visit new restaurants once a month or more. When it comes to deciding which new restaurant to try, younger generations are also more likely to rely on social media or online restaurant reviews, through sites like Yelp or Google. The TouchBistro survey found that 52% of Gen Zers have opted to try a new restaurant due to positive feedback on social media, and 67% of millennials have gone to a new dining spot solely because of favorable reviews online.
New restaurants in particular tend to garner a lot of online attention. About 50,000 new restaurants open each year in the U.S., and that number continues to rise. An analysis by Yelp published in June 2024 found that from May 2023 to April 2024. But some of the best restaurants in your neck of the woods might be those established eateries that customers have been visiting for decades.
To help you determine which spots—both new and long-standing—to try out, compiled a list of the highest-rated restaurants in Waco, according to reviews from diners as of January 2025. Only restaurants with at least 20 reviews and a 3.0 rating were considered. Read on to find some inspiration for the next time you dine out.
#30. Cupp's Drive Inn
- Rating: 4.5/5 (107 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1424 Speight Ave. Waco, Texas
- Categories: Burgers, Diners
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#29. Lupita's Restaurant
- Rating: 4.5/5 (21 reviews)
- Address: 3600 North 19th St. Waco, Texas
- Categories: Bakeries, Mexican, Breakfast & Brunch
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#28. Red Herring Restaurant & Bar
- Rating: 4.5/5 (55 reviews)
- Address: 319 South 4th St. Waco, Texas
- Categories: Bars, Seafood, Mediterranean
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#27. Cultura MÃa Mexican Cuisine
- Rating: 4.5/5 (43 reviews)
- Address: 123 North 12th St. Waco, Texas
- Categories: Mexican, Beer Bar
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#26. Terry Black's Barbecue - Waco
- Rating: 4.5/5 (250 reviews)
- Address: 228 South 8th St. Waco, Texas
- Categories: Barbecue
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#25. Fabled Bookshop & Cafe
- Rating: 4.6/5 (98 reviews)
- Address: 215 South 4th St. Waco, Texas
- Categories: Cafes, Bookstores, Gift Shops
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#24. Rufi's Cocina
- Rating: 4.6/5 (146 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1801 North 25th St. Waco, Texas
- Categories: Mexican
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#23. Club Sandwich
- Rating: 4.6/5 (110 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 601 Webster Ave. Waco, Texas
- Categories: Asian Fusion, Food Trucks, Sandwiches
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#22. La Familia Restaurant
- Rating: 4.6/5 (31 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1111 La Salle Ave. Waco, Texas
- Categories: Mexican
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#21. J-Petal & Poke' - Waco
- Rating: 4.6/5 (170 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 315 South University Parks Drive Ste 120 Waco, Texas
- Categories: Poke, Creperies
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#20. Tru Jamaica Restaurant
- Rating: 4.6/5 (139 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 937 Taylor St. Waco, Texas
- Categories: Caribbean
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#19. Cajun Craft
- Rating: 4.6/5 (704 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 601 South 11th St. Waco, Texas
- Categories: Cajun/Creole, Southern, Seafood
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#18. Christi's Hamburgers
- Rating: 4.6/5 (91 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3101 Beale St. Waco, Texas
- Categories: Burgers
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#17. Wako Taco
- Rating: 4.7/5 (55 reviews)
- Address: 1800 Summer Ave. Waco, Texas
- Categories: Mexican
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#16. Jasper's Bar-B-Q
- Rating: 4.7/5 (134 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 105 Clifton St. Waco, Texas
- Categories: Barbecue
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#15. Cha Community
- Rating: 4.7/5 (56 reviews)
- Address: 1001 Franklin Ave. Waco, Texas
- Categories: Bubble Tea, Caterers, Taiwanese
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#14. 900° Pizzeria mobile
- Rating: 4.7/5 (20 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: Waco, Texas
- Categories: Food Trucks, Pizza
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#13. Opal's Oysters
- Rating: 4.7/5 (27 reviews)
- Address: 228 South 8th St. Waco, Texas
- Categories: Seafood, Coffee & Tea, Cocktail Bars
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#12. Revival Eastside Eatery
- Rating: 4.8/5 (342 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 704 Elm Ave. Waco, Texas
- Categories: Sandwiches, Burgers, Salad
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#11. Waffle Chic
- Rating: 4.8/5 (22 reviews)
- Address: 601 Webster Ave. Waco, Texas
- Categories: Waffles, Breakfast & Brunch, Food Trucks
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#10. Taqueria El Crucero
- Rating: 4.8/5 (159 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2505 Robinson Drive Waco, Texas
- Categories: Mexican
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#9. R & S Barbeque
- Rating: 4.8/5 (38 reviews)
- Address: 1101 Richland Drive Ste 6A Waco, Texas
- Categories: Barbecue, Sandwiches
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#8. Friday's Seafood And More
- Rating: 4.8/5 (180 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1308 New Dallas Hwy Waco, Texas
- Categories: Seafood, Cajun/Creole
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#7. Poppa Bear Boba
- Rating: 4.8/5 (39 reviews)
- Address: 4716 West Waco Drive Waco, Texas
- Categories: Bubble Tea, Coffee & Tea, Vietnamese
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#6. Jesse's Tortilla Factory
- Rating: 4.9/5 (20 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1226 Webster Ave. Waco, Texas
- Categories: Mexican
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#5. Bitty & Beau's Coffee
- Rating: 4.9/5 (72 reviews)
- Address: 110 Franklin Ave. Waco, Texas
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch, Juice Bars & Smoothies
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#4. Dos Mundos
- Rating: 4.9/5 (25 reviews)
- Address: 2515 Clay Ave. Waco, Texas
- Categories: American, Mexican
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#3. Papa Jack's BBQ
- Rating: 4.9/5 (220 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 700 East Waco Drive Ste A Waco, Texas
- Categories: Barbecue
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#2. Segovia Wine Bar
- Rating: 5.0/5 (42 reviews)
- Address: 300 South 6th St. Ste F Waco, Texas
- Categories: Tapas Bars, Wine Bars, Tapas/Small Plates
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#1. Krispy Chicken
- Rating: 5.0/5 (22 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2307 Franklin Ave. Waco, Texas
- Categories: Chicken Shop
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This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Jaimie Etkin, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 318 metros.
