Comparison

Eater vs NYC Restaurants

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Eater

Discover top restaurant and bar recommendations curated by expert editors. Find new places in any city, get personalized suggestions, and easily make reservations. Never have a bad meal again with trusted insider picks.

Highlights
  • Editor-curated restaurant picks
  • Personalized recommendations
  • Insider community connection
  • Smart search functionality
  • Create and share custom lists
  • Direct table reservations
Read full description

The Eater app is the most trusted way to find great restaurants. Our editors have spent years eating at the best restaurants and bars so you always know where to go next. Get instant access to all of Eater’s restaurant picks in every major city, whether you're exploring a new neighborhood, planning a trip, or need a quick rec on the go. With the Eater app, you’ll never have a bad meal. What you’ll love about the Eater app: - Curated by editors: Trusted recommendations and reviews from people who know restaurants - Insider to insider: Follow and connect with editors, chefs, and friends, and be part of the Eater community - Ask anything: Smarter search that finds the places you actually want - Recommended for you: Eater’s take on restaurants near you and wherever you travel - Create and share: Browse Eater lists, make your own, and share your favorite spots with friends - Browse to book: Reserve tables directly in the Eater app so you’re one step closer to a great meal With the Eater app, the next great place to eat or drink is in the palm of your hand, no matter where the day (or night) takes you. Download the Eater app to find your next great meal.

About

NYC Restaurants

Discover New York City's dining scene with confidence. Access real-time health inspection results and detailed grades for all registered restaurants across the five boroughs. Make informed dining decisions with this user-friendly guide.

Highlights
  • Search by name, location, or cuisine
  • View detailed health grades
  • Access inspection reports
  • Real-time data updates
  • User-friendly interface
Features
Read full description

Explore New York City’s dining scene with confidence using NYC DineSafe, your essential companion for health and safety dining information. This easy-to-use app offers real-time access to official health inspection results and grades for all registered restaurants across the five boroughs. Key Features: Search & Navigate: Quickly find restaurants by name, location, or cuisine type. Whether it’s a favorite spot or a new find, our comprehensive search tools guide you directly to the best and safest options. Detailed Health Grades: View up-to-date health grades and detailed inspection reports for each restaurant. Understand what each grade means for your dining safety. Real-Time Updates: Benefit from our regular syncing with the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene database, ensuring you always have the latest information. User-Friendly Interface: Enjoy an intuitive design that makes navigating restaurant health information straightforward and hassle-free. NYC DineSafe is more than just an app; it’s your reliable guide to dining out in New York City.  With just a few taps, gain peace of mind and make informed decisions about where to eat, all from the convenience of your iPhone. Proudly powered by the free and open data from NYC Open Data: https://data.cityofnewyork.us/Health/DOHMH-New-York-City-Restaurant-Inspection-Results/43nn-pn8j/about_data For any questions, visit our FAQ: https://opendata.cityofnewyork.us/faq/ By using this app, you agree to the Standard Apple Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Eater4 screens
NYC Restaurants4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: NYC Restaurants at 100% against Eater's 41%. NYC Restaurants also leads on update cadence (every 3 days vs weekly). Eater's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4) and rating (4.1 vs 3.7). On price, ads, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. NYC Restaurants sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Eater asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Eater holds the better App Store score, 4.1 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Eater has 62 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 41% of Eater's written reviews are positive against 100% of NYC Restaurants's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Eater ships an update weekly, NYC Restaurants every 3 days. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Eater versus NYC Restaurants: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterEaterNYC Restaurants
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.1 (62 ratings) — better3.7 (3 ratings)
Positive reviews41.1% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings62 — better3
Update frequencyWeeklyEvery 3 days — better
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhoneiPhone
Requires iOS16.4 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size154 MB13 MB
Age rating12+17+
DeveloperVox Media, Inc.Di Nerd Apps LLC

Customer experience

Eater

All ratings61 ratings
Positive75.4%
Neutral3.3%
Negative21.3%
Written reviews90 reviews
Positive41.1%
Neutral7.8%
Negative51.1%

NYC Restaurants

All ratings3 ratings
Positive66.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative33.3%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

Eater

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Search and account icons smushed on main map page
  • Location settings get stuck after disabling tracking

Requested features

3 requests
  • Add filters and sorting for map/list view
  • Allow sharing of restaurant lists
  • Improve font size and layout on map view

NYC Restaurants

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Eater

No in-app purchases

4 purchases

NYC Restaurants

Subscriptions1
  • Remove All Ads$2.991 Month
One-time3
  • Small Tip$0.99
  • Medium Tip$2.99
  • Large Tip$9.99

Questions

Is Eater free?
Eater is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is NYC Restaurants free?
NYC Restaurants is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Eater or NYC Restaurants?
Eater is rated higher. Eater averages 4.1 out of 5 from 62 ratings, while NYC Restaurants averages 3.7 from 3 ratings.
Do Eater or NYC Restaurants have ads?
Both Eater and NYC Restaurants show ads.
Which is updated more often, Eater or NYC Restaurants?
Eater ships an update weekly, and NYC Restaurants every 3 days. Most recently, Eater was updated on October 24, 2026 and NYC Restaurants on October 24, 2026.

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