Top Local Restaurants Receive AAA Four, AAA Five Diamond Ratings

Forty-one Southern California restaurants have received the AAA Four or AAA Five Diamond Award®, the travel authority’s highest rating, over the past 12 months, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California.  

The Auto Club also announced AAA Four Diamond restaurant ratings, including The Steakhouse in Rancho Mirage, which earned its first AAA Four Diamond rating.  

Just 0.2 percent of the more than 32,000 AAA Inspected & Approved restaurants are Five Diamond-rated restaurants. To qualify for the rating, a restaurant will consistently provide leading-edge cuisine of the finest ingredients, uniquely prepared by an acclaimed chef and served by expert service staff in extraordinary surroundings. High-end restaurants are adopting simple, streamlined décor and thanks in part to the popularity of cooking shows and competitions, some continue to highlight lively open kitchen designs that allow guests to watch and even interact with culinary staff. 

“Attaining the AAA Five Diamond rating is an impressive accomplishment,” said Patty Marenco, manager of the Automobile Club of Southern California’s Approved Accommodations program.  “Guests want to be wowed on multiple levels, so exceptional service is also important but they’re not necessarily looking for all the formalities that were once synonymous with fine dining.”

 While some Five Diamond restaurants still have lavish surroundings, others feature counter seating or chef’s tables overlooking or surrounding the cooking area. And many Five Diamond restaurants, including most of those new to the list this year, have tasting menus offering a frequently changing array of intricate small dishes prepared from the finest ingredients and presented in an interactive environment.

 Travelers can find Diamond Rated establishments and inspector insight in AAA trip planning products: the eTourBook^® guides and AAA Mobile^® app for tablets and smartphones, the TripTik^® Travel Planner and Travel Guides on AAA.com and AAA TourBook^® guides available at AAA/CAA offices.

 The AAA Diamond rating system provides consumers with the broadest coverage of any U.S. rating system, geographically and by number of properties rated, including the United States, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean. 

Those at the Four Diamond level, just 2.1 percent of AAA inspected & Approved restaurants, are also an exclusive group. They offer a distinctive fine-dining experience, employing creative preparations that are skillfully served amid upscale ambience.  This year, there are 656 AAA Four Diamond restaurants located across North America, including 39 additions this year (including The Steakhouse in Rancho Mirage..) 

 The Auto Club’s full-time inspection staff reviews Southern California restaurants. The inspectors bring prior hospitality industry experience to the association to give members effective, consistent evaluations that can be used to select the restaurant that meets their travel desires.

Southern California restaurants rated as AAA Five Diamond with year first rated:

Southern California restaurants that received the AAA Four Diamond Award and year first rated: