Freelance Writing: How to Write Restaurant Reviews

Writing restaurant reviews can be an enjoyable way to supplement your freelance writing or just another way to give your opinion, but to do it effectively, there are certain elements that your review should include.

It is important to let your audience, the reader, know who you are. Keep it short and let them know what perspective you are writing from. Do you typically enjoy the type of restaurant and food you are eating at? Did I say keep it short? Your reader does not want or need a long narrative about you and your background, but your personal experience is essential.

Eat at the restaurant at least twice. Before you slam the establishment for bad service or the dirty utensils, remember that your review should be honest, tempered, and accurate. Restaurants (and the people that work in them) have bad days too. If your first visit isn't a good one, or an atrocious one, if you can muster up the fortitude to try it again, you should. If you decide never to return to that restaurant, be honest with your reader and tell them it was your only experience.

The basics of a restaurant review should include the following elements:

Atmosphere

Describe the establishment. Nothing too fancy, but your reader wants to know if the place is a romantic place, good for an anniversary dinner, or is it a good place to gather with your buddies after work. Is their a dress code or a good place to take the kids? Additionally, describe the layout of the restaurant if needed. Is there a lounge or bar attached to the dining room?

The Menu

Describe what's on the menu. Again, this is another area to keep brief. If you have a favorite menu item, by all means describe it with your personal opinion, but don't describe everything on the menu. Keep it down to the main types of food. Your reader is also interested in prices. Give a price range, but don't re-write the menu!

The Service

The service you receive at a restaurant probably makes up half of your opinion of the establishment. Remember to be honest here, but be fair. What is your definition of good service? How about great service? Your opinion is very important regarding this, it is what your reader is basing their expectations upon. When I walk into a restaurant, I make it an assumption that the service will be adequate, or good. If it is better than I expected, obviously my opinion goes up. If the service is just adequate, doesn't mean it was a bad experience.

If the restaurant is unique in anyway, be it location, menu items, or even the atmosphere, be sure and include it in your review. A good example of this was a restaurant I took my family. The atmosphere was awesome! Each table had a different theme, the salad bar was made from an old car, and the staff wore costumes of cartoon characters. It was great place to take the kids, no doubt, mostly because they didn't care a lot about the quality of the food or the prices, which were way below average and way too high, respectively.

Put your opinion into your reviews, it is what your reader is looking for. Keep your facts truthful and brief. Don't just look for what is wrong with an establishment, look for what they are doing right, unique, or above and beyond! Be fair, be accurate, and be honest. Remember that even though you are the "critic", your writing and opinions are also under observation.