From an all-you-can-eat chicken restaurant to Mario Batali's Vegas steakhouse: The top 100 highest-grossing independent restaurants revealed

  • Restaurant Business magazine has released a list of the top 100 highest-grossing independent restaurants for 2015 
  • Topping the list is Tao's Asian Bistro in Las Vegas, which made $47,941,106 last year 
  • Rounding out the top five is Joe's Stone Crab in Miami, Tao Downtown and Carmine's Times Square in NYC and DC's Old Ebbitt Grill  

By Ashley Collman For Dailymail.com

Published: 14:06 EST, 7 November 2016 | Updated: 18:01 EST, 7 November 2016

A new list is shedding light on the most popular - and expensive - restaurants in the nation.  

Trade magazine Restaurant Business has released a list of the top 100 highest-grossing independent restaurants in the U.S. 

An independent restaurant only means it does not have more than five locations. 

Topping the list is Tao's Asian Bistro in Las Vegas, Nevada which made $47,941,106 last year, according to the magazine's estimations. 

Scroll down for full list 

Tao's Asian Bistro in Las Vegas, Nevada was the highest-grossing restaurant last year, according to Restaurant Business magazine

Tao's is followed by Joe's Stone Crab in Miami, Florida; Tao Downtown in New York City;  Carmine's Times Square in New York City; and Washington, DC's Old Ebbitt Grill.

Many of the restaurants on the list are pricey, but there are also a few affordable restaurants that make up for their cheap prices in total amount of diners. 

Take for example Zehnder's of Frankenmuth, a Michigan family-style all-you-can eat chicken restaurant where the average check price is just $15. 

The second restaurant on the list is Joe's Stone Crab in Miami Beach, Florida which made $36,837,000 last year 

The Tao company is twice on the list, coming in at first place and at third place with Tao Downtown in New York City

Carmine's Times Square location in New York City comes in at number four with $32,015,788

The Old Ebbitt Grill in Washington, DC served 650,802 meals last year, bringing in more than $30million

The average check size at Lavo New York is $75. The restaurant made $27,508,162

Zehnder's is 66th on the list, making $14,802,943 last year. They served 967,298 meals compared to number one Tao's 22,704.

The most expensive restaurant on the list is Carnevino in Las Vegas, a steakhouse owned by Mario Batali and Joe Bastianich. The average price per meal at that restaurant is a whopping $180. 

Zehnder's all-you-can-eat family-style chicken restaurant was the most affordable restaurant on the list, with an average meal price of just $15

Las Vegas' Carnevino was the most expensive option, with an average meal price of $180. The restaurant is co-owned by Mario Batali and Joe Bastianich

The list shows that New York City is the most popular city for such restaurants, with 30 of the top 100 restaurants located there. Las Vegas follows with 15 restaurants on the list. 

The magazine says they numbers are based on 'gross 2015 food and beverage sales'. 

'Information was gathered through surveys. When data wasn't provided, sales were estimated based on public information, similar concepts and other factors,' the magazine explained.   

TOP 100 GROSSING INDEPENDENT RESTAURANTS 
RANK RESTAURANT SALES AV. CHECK SIZELOCATION MEALS SERVED 
1 Tao Asian Bistro$47,941,106 $96 Las Vegas, NV 22,704 
2 Joe's Stone Crab $36,837,000 $80 Miami Beach, FL350,000 
3 Tao Downtown $33,822,962 $77 New York, NY 450,000 
4 Carmine's (Times Square) $32,015,788 $32 New York, NY 395,000 
5 Old Ebbitt Grill $30,568,157 $47 Washington, DC 650,802 
6 Lavo New York $27,508,162 $75 New York, NY 260,000 
7 Smith & Wollensky $25,584,000 $101 New York, NY 298,417 
8 Gibsons Bar & Steakhouse $23,636,657 $73 Chicago, IL 356,051 
9 Prime 112 $23,600,000 $115 Miami Beach, FL 220,000 
10 Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab $23,600,000 $76 Washington, DC 290,800 
11 Tao Uptown $23,357,631 $79 New York, NY 304,689 
12 Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab $22,300,000 $78 Las Vegas, NV 285,900 
13 Bottega Louie $21,732,696 $41 Los Angeles, CA 479,316 
14 Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab $21,600,000 $76 Chicago, IL 276,000 
15 Junior's (Times Square) $21,501,008 $23 New York, NY 950,000 
16 Buddakan $20,960,758 $84 New York, NY 250,416 
17 Carnevino Italian Steakhouse $20,400,000 $180 Las Vegas, NV 113,000 
18 Bazaar Meat by Jose Andres $20,100,000 $105 Las Vegas, NV 191,400 
19 Bryant Park Grill &Café $20,000,000 $50 New York, NY 400,000 
20 Fulton's Crab House $19,900,900 $48 Orlando, FL 414,000 
21 SW Steakhouse $19,900,000 $130 Las Vegas, NV 515,000 
22 The Hamilton $19,314,488 $49 Washington, DC 391,140 
23 David Burke Primehouse $19,300,000 $95 Chicago, IL 203,000 
24 Sparks Steak House $18,600,000 $92 New York, NY 202,000 
25 St. Elmo Steak House $18,460,067 $87 Indianapolis, IN 212,184 
26 Bob Chinn's Crab House $18,426,078 $36 Wheeling, IL 518,273 
27 Blue Fin$18,400,000 $70 New York, NY 263,000 
28 The Smith (Lincoln Square) $18,250,000 $43 New York, NY 492,392 
29 Prime Steakhouse $17,900,000 $155 Las Vegas, NV 116,000 
30 Del Posto $17,900,000 $160 New York, NY 112,000 
31 Mon Ami Gabi $17,400,000 $68 Las Vegas, NV 256,000 
32 Spago $17,400,000 $63 Las Vegas, NV 276,000 
33 Angus Barn $17,345,034 $65 Raleigh, NC 264,963 
34 Shaw's Crab House $17,300,000 $65 Chicago, IL 266,000 
35 Quality Meats  $17,263,000 $98 New York, NY 179,422 
36 Chicago Cut Steakhouse $17,200,000 $75 Chicago, IL 230,000 
37 Abe & Louie's  $17,167,589 $106 Boston, MA 194,047 
38 '21' Club $17,167,544 $175 New York, NY 119,667 
39 Guy's American Kitchen & Bar $17,000,000 $42 New York, NY 405,000 
40 Tavern on the Green $17,000,000 $60 New York, NY 280,000 
41 Taste of Texas $16,959,863 $55 Houston, TX 368,520 
42 Beauty & Essex $16,880,985 $117 New York, NY 268,012 
43 Gibsons Bar & Steakhouse $16,868,128 $70 Rosemont, IL 256,892 
44 Aria Cafe $16,860,000 $22 Las Vegas, NV 767,000 
45 Lavo Italian Restaurant $16,730,072 $114 Las Vegas, NV 160,796 
46 Grand Central Oyster Bar $16,650,000 $53 New York, NY 314,000 
47 Le Diplomate $16,256,705 $52 Washington, DC 305,444 
48 Spice Market $16,150,000 $70 New York, NY 231,000 
49 Blue Water Grill $16,150,000 $74 New York, NY 218,000 
50 Chops Lobster Bar $16,126,710 $103 Atlanta, GA 193,000 
51 Top of the World $16,000,000 $95 Las Vegas, NV 175,000 
52 Parc $15,984,068 $56 Philadelphia, PA 424,642 
53 SkyCity at the Needle $15,900,000 $58 Seattle, WA 274,000 
54The Rustic Inn$15,900,000$28Fort Lauderdale, FL567,000
55 Keens Steakhouse $15,900,000 $87 New York, NY 182,700 
56 Wolfgang Puck Grand Cafe $15,850,000 $40 Orlando, FL 396,000 
57 The Bazaar by Jose Andres $15,800,000 $100 Beverly Hills, CA 158,000 
58 Quality Italian $15,622,000 $88 New York, NY 170,107 
59 Balthazar  $15,600,000 $68 New York, NY 230,000 
60 Sequoia $15,550,000 $49 Washington, DC 317,000 
61 The Boathouse Orlando $15,211,632 $44 Orlando, FL 360,000 
62 The Smith (Midtown) $15,210,000 $44 New York, NY 345,358 
63 Harry Caray's Italian Steakhouse $15,100,000 $48 Chicago, IL 314,000 
64 Scoma's $15,092,497 $50 San Francisco, CA 323,000 
65 Boa Steakhouse $14,870,355 $75 West Hollywood, CA 179,917 
66 Zehnder's of Frankenmuth $14,802,943 $15 Frankenmuth, MI 967,298 
67 Acme Feed & Seed $14,765,496$23 Nashville, TN 640,000 
68 Gibsons Bar & Steakhouse $14,731,787 $72 Oak Brook, IL 230,343 
69 Hugo's Frog Bar & Fish House $14,708,983 $64 Chicago, IL 208,648 
70 The Lobster House $14,700,000 $37 Cape May, NJ 306,000 
71 Coffee Shop $14,700,000 $28 New York, NY 560,000 
72 Portland City Grill $14,651,911 $71 Portland, OR 213,000 
73 Jean-Georges Steakhouse $14,650,000 $120 Las Vegas, NV 135,000 
74 Harris Ranch Inn & Restaurant  $14,625,584 $27 Coalinga, CA 541,705 
75 Gladstones  $14,500,000 $49 Pacific Palisades, CA 316,000 
76 Delmonico Steakhouse $14,300,000 $88 Las Vegas, NV 165,000 
77 The Four Seasons $14,200,000 $152 New York, NY 106,000 
78 Cliff House $14,126,100 $53 San Francisco, CA 251,000 
79 Frankenmuth Bavarian Inn $14,080,117 $17 Frankenmuth, MI 845,921 
80 Junior's (Brooklyn) $14,073,830 $23 New York, NY 612,000 
81 The Source $14,000,000 $67 Washington, DC 210,000 
82 Carmine's (Atlantic City) $13,871,327 $32 Atlantic City, NJ 101,866 
83 Atlanta Fish Market $13,815,390 $49 Atlanta, GA 267,000 
84 N9NE Steakhouse $13,750,000 $80 Las Vegas, NV 170,000 
85 Virgil's Real Barbecue $13,681,113 $26 New York, NY 995,000 
86 Mike's 'American' $13,650,000 $29 Springfield, VA 460,000 
87 Quartino Ristorante & Wine Bar $13,562,185 $29 Chicago, IL 439,245 
88 Makoto $13,428,258 $64 Bel Harbour, FL 242,751 
89 Tavern on Rush $13,363,304 $72 Chicago, IL 345,773 
90 Boulevard $13,250,000 $77 San Francisco, CA 179,000 
91 Carpaccio $13,200,000 $52 Bel Harbour, FL 250,000 
92 The Southern Steak & Oyster $13,158,586 $61 Nashville, TN 424,000 
93 George's at the Cove $13,150,000 $88 La Jolla, CA165,000 
94 Cut $13,100,000 $125 Las Vegas, NV 106,000 
95 Paradise Cove Beach Cafe $13,033,723 $29 Malibu, CA 450,000 
96 Franciscan Crab Restaurant $12,942,913 $51 San Francisco, CA 250,000 
97 Cafe Fiorello $12,900,00 $57 New York, NY 233,000 
98 Daniel $12,800,000 $170 New York, NY 86,000 
99 Greek Islands $12,200,000 $31 Chicago, IL 390,000 
100 Timberline Steaks and Grille $12,150,000 $16 Denver, CO 803,000 

 

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