Yelp Crowns Tempe's Jungle-Themed Filthy Animal No. 1

Yelp's Best New Restaurants of 2026 list puts Tempe's jungle-themed Filthy Animal at No. 1, with a second Arizona spot and two NYC venues also ranked.

Yelp has released its Best New Restaurants of 2026 list, and the No. 1 spot went to Filthy Animal, a jungle-themed restaurant in Tempe, Arizona. AZ Family reports that chef Rene Vargas serves global-inspired dishes there, including wood-fired beef tartare, pibil dumplings, campfire sea bass and ancho chili-glazed pork chops. According to the New York Post, the restaurant was named after the iconic Home Alone line and transformed a former P.F. Chang's into an open-fire seafood and steak restaurant, with Yelpers praising its animal-print decor and moody ambiance.

The result is notable on several levels. First, it is a Tempe restaurant — not one in New York or Los Angeles — topping a national ranking built on review data and local buzz, as the New York Post frames it. Second, per AZ Family, a second Arizona restaurant made the list: Society Swan inside Scottsdale Fashion Square came in at No. Yelp also identified steakhouses and brunch spots as the year's hottest dining trends, reporting that searches for 'steak near me' rose 59% and hit an all-time high in August 2026, while 'Indian food buffet near me' searches surged 459%.

According to the New York Post, the national top five is rounded out by Firstborn in Los Angeles at No. 2, offering a $68 prix-fixe Chinese-American menu with a Chongqing fried chicken standout; Limusina in Hudson Yards at No. 4, an Indian family-style restaurant with a live-fire grill; and Lilo in Carlsbad at No. 5, which earned a Michelin star within two months of opening. NYC's second entry is Ambassadors Clubhouse at No. 10, whose Northern Indian menu drew Michelin recognition in London — and, per the Post, a recent visit from Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce.

For travelers and food lovers, the rankings function as a ready-made itinerary. AZ Family notes Filthy Animal sits near Mill Avenue and University Drive and also serves brunch items like wood-fired steak and eggs, chai pancakes and pork belly eggs benedict, alongside cocktails such as the 'Bee Something' with bee pollen-infused espresso liqueur. For Arizona's dining scene, having both the No. 1 pick and a No. The full list, per AZ Family, is available on Yelp's site.