I often check Google restaurant reviews of places mainly to look at the photos and the menus.
But I can’t stand these kind of reviews from people
Oh My Gaw…This is the best XYZ I ever tasted (you go eat there and its the usual shit with honey mustard sauce thrown on it )
The boss is so nice (when he was in a good mood, today he looks like the devil himself )
I am an expert in say…eating burgers because I ate burgers all my life and this is the real deal burger . …Nobody else can be an expert like me because I grew up eating the burger this particular way. A great burger is my way or the highway .
Great value (you check the price and it is often expensive because all some of these rich kids do is eat out on family money )
Somebody moans about the food not being great or to ‘their expectations’ and the boss has to come on and say oh yes…’.You are right…We will do better for you next time’ …Even though 90% of the time you can tell these people think they know food just because they eat out a lot…And somebody should bow down to them because…I don’t know.
The popularity of the restaurant in terms of number of reviews is usually a good sign
Also the overall star number seems a bit more accurate. I tend to worry a bit about places that have almost no reviews.
Not restaurant related, but a while ago I was looking for a podiatrist as near to me as possible. My right leg is partially paralyzed, so I walk with my foot curled upwards. Some days I’m on my feet for twelve hours or so, constantly walking, and I develop very painful, deep corns.
I hit Google and find a place. It has a 4.5 star rating. These people aren’t doctors, more masseurs and reflexology quacks, but they do treat corns and calluses.
The reviews were all along the lines of: “Great treatment. The boss is excellent. His son is useless, though.”
I get there, and lo and behold, the son starts prodding at my foot. Says he can’t do anything because There Will Be Blood, and I’ll get an infection. Now, because of the Google review, I knew the dude was useless, so I complained to the boss. Dad makes a call. Five minutes later a pro walks in, and within fifteen minutes painlessly rips a hard lump the size of a peanut out of my foot. I felt like I was walking on air.
Just to say, sometimes those reviews can be useful.
A new Restaurant in Australia made the news a few months back in regard to some (positive) Google reviews as reviews had been made several days before the place opened.