Armchair food critics name Palace Arms, Splendido the creme de la creme

A fine-dining institution in Denver and another in Beaver Creek have been named among the nation's 100 best restaurants in Open Table’s just-released 2012 Diners Choice Award winners.

The Palace Arms at Denver's historic Brown Palace hotel and Splendido in Beaver Creek can lay claim to what no restaurant in Chicago can: the collective opinions of more than 5 million reviews on Open Table for more than 15,000 eateries in all 50 states and the District of Columbia elevated them to the top. Open Table is a free online restaurant reservations and review site that's been around since 1998.

"This year's honorees have accomplished what every restaurant aspires to – making guests feel as though they have had a truly singular dining experience," OpenTable Chief Dining Officer Caroline Potter said in a press release. "These best overall restaurants are consistently getting it right on every level, from top flight ambiance and service to cocktail lists and menus that positively dazzle diners."

The reviews came from verified diners between Dec. 1, 2011, and Nov. 30.

Restaurants with the minimum number of qualifying reviews were sorted according to a score calculated from each of their average ratings in the online review site's “overall” category along with its rating relative to other eateries in the same metro area. The average number of restaurants reviewed by diners who reviewed each restaurant was also factored into the equation. In the end, 100 restaurants were selected that span 27 states plus the District of Columbia. Twenty-three states — and a few conspicuous cities known for their culinary accomplishments, such as Chicago — didn't make the cut.

Reviewers on Open Table hailed The Palace Arms for its exceptional service, cuisine and ambiance.

“The Palace Arms at the Brown Palace is a wonderful experience one does not find out West very often. The tables are located far enough away from each other so one has the privacy and intimacy of a quiet romantic dinner. The food is superb, and the service is excellent. One is not hurried through any of the courses of meals,” one reviewer on the site wrote on Dec. 5.

“My fiance and I are vegan. We e-mailed with maitre d'Perejda about this, and the chef created a wonderful 5-course menu for us! He took the time to come speak to us about each course. Everyone was very nice, very clean, and very aware of our needs,” another wrote on Nov. 16.

Like The Palace Arms, Splendido has a five-star reputation on Open Table. Run by executive chef David Walford, Splendido on Chateau Lane describes itself as a “rustic American culinary experience.

“The menu its simply amazing and very diversified,” an Open Table diner wrote on Nov. 24. “The service is impeccable and their wine list is second to none.”

California restaurants earned 24 spots on the list, followed by New York with 18 winners. Virginia boasts six winning restaurants, trailed by Arizona, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania with four honorees apiece. North Carolina, Rhode Island, Texas, Washington, and Washington, D.C. all have three winning restaurants, while Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, and Ohio have two each. Connecticut earned a single spot, as did Hawaii, Kansas, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, South Carolina, and Tennessee. Restaurants serving American fare dominated the list; French cuisine is also strongly represented.

Here is the complete list in alphabetical order:

Acquerello – San Francisco, California
Addison at The Grand Del Mar – San Diego, California
Altura – Seattle, Washington
Andrea at Pelican Hill – Newport Coast, California
Annisa – New York, New York
Artisanal Restaurant – Banner Elk, North Carolina
The Ashby Inn – Paris, Virginia
Atelier Crenn – San Francisco, California
Auberge du Soleil – Rutherford, California
Bacchanalia – Atlanta, Georgia
The Belvedere – Beverly Hills, California
Bibou – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Binkley's Restaurant – Cave Creek, Arizona
Bistro L'Hermitage – Woodbridge, Virginia
Blue Hill at Stone Barns – Pocantico Hills, New York
Bouchard Restaurant and Inn – Newport, Rhode Island
Bouley – New York, New York
Café Provence – Prairie Village, Kansas
Café Renaissance – Vienna, Virginia
Canlis – Seattle, Washington
Capital Grille – Kansas City, Missouri
Capital Grille – Minneapolis, Minnesota
Carpe Vino – Auburn, California
Castle Hill Inn – Newport, Rhode Island
Chachama Grill – East Patchogue, New York
Chama Gaucha Brazilian Steakhouse – Downers Grove, Illinois
Charleston – Baltimore, Maryland
Charleston Grill – Charleston, South Carolina
Chez Francois – Vermilion, Ohio
Chez Nous French Restaurant – Humble, Texas
CityZen – Washington, D.C.
Commis – Oakland, California
Cottage Place Restaurant – Flagstaff, Arizona
Daniel – New York, New York
Daniel-Lounge Seating – New York, New York
Del Posto – New York, New York
Eleven Madison Park – New York, New York
Farmhouse Inn & Restaurant – Forestville, California
Fearrington House Restaurant – Pittsboro, North Carolina
Fountain Restaurant – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
The French Laundry – Yountville, California
The French Room – Dallas, Texas
Geronimo – Santa Fe, New Mexico
The Goodstone Inn & Estate Restaurant – Middleburg, Virginia
Gracie's – Providence, Rhode Island
Gramercy Tavern – New York, New York
Hannas Prime Steak – Rancho Santa Margarita, California
The Hobbit – Orange, California
Jean Georges – New York, New York
Joseph Tambellini – Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
JUNGSIK – New York, New York
Kai – Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort – Chandler, Arizona
Keiko à Nob Hill – San Francisco, California
King Umberto – Elmont, New York
The Kitchen Restaurant – Sacramento, California
La Ciccia – San Francisco, California
La Folie – San Francisco, California
La Grenouille – New York, New York
L'Auberge Chez Francois – Great Falls, Virginia
Le Bernardin – New York, New York
Le Vallauris – Palm Springs, California
Le Yaca – Williamsburg, Virginia
L'Espalier – Boston, Massachusetts
The Loft at Montage Laguna Beach – Laguna Beach, California
Mama's Fish House – Paia, Hawaii
Manresa – Los Gatos, California
Marcel's – Washington, D.C.
Marinus-Bernadus Lodge – Carmel Valley, California
Menton – Boston, Massachusetts
Michael's – South Point Casino – Las Vegas, Nevada
The Modern-Dining Room – New York, New York
n/naka – Los Angeles, California
NAOE – Miami, Florida
Nicholas – Red Bank, New Jersey
Norman's at The Ritz-Carlton Orlando – Orlando, Florida
The North Fork Table & Inn – Southold, New York
o ya – Boston, Massachusetts
ON20 – Hartford, Connecticut
Orchids at Palm Court – Cincinnati, Ohio
The Painted Lady – Newberg, Oregon
Palace Arms at The Brown Palace – Denver, Colorado
Per Se – New York, New York
Perry Street Brasserie – Galena, Illinois
Providence – Los Angeles, California
Restaurant Alma – Minneapolis, Minnesota
Restaurant Iris – Memphis, Tennessee
Rover's – Seattle, Washington
Rudy & Paco Restaurant & Bar – Galveston, Texas
Saint Jacques French Cuisine – Raleigh, North Carolina
Saison – San Francisco, California
Scalini Fedeli – New York, New York
ShinBay – Scottsdale, Arizona
Sonoma – Princeton, Massachusetts
Splendido – Beaver Creek, Colorado
Studio at Montage Laguna Beach – Laguna Beach, California
Tony's – St. Louis, Missouri
Tosca Ristorante – Washington, D.C.
Vetri – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
VOLT – Frederick, Maryland
Woodfire Grill – Atlanta, Georgia