When it comes to dining at the very highest level, few recognitions carry as much prestige as three Michelin stars, the top honor awarded by the Michelin Guide. As of the latest announcements, only 14 restaurants in the United States hold this elite bucket-list-level status.
Three new restaurants came in 2025 (Sushi Sho in NYC and Providence and Somni in LA) while three old favorites lost their third star (Masa in NYC, Alinea in Chicago, and The Inn at Little Washington outside DC).
That leaves just one non-New York City, non-California three-star: Smyth in Chicago.
What it means to have three Michelin stars
Michelin’s three-star rating signifies “exceptional cuisine worth a special journey.” It’s a mark of technical mastery, extraordinary ingredients, consistent excellence, and a chef’s unique culinary vision.
The current 14 three-star Michelin restaurants in the U.S.
Below is the list of all U.S. restaurants with three Michelin stars, plus the year in which each earned its third star.
| Restaurant | Location | Year of 3rd star | Highlight |
| Per Se | New York, NY | 2006 | Thomas Keller’s Manhattan restaurant with elegant French-American tasting menus. |
| Le Bernardin | New York, NY | 2006 | Éric Ripert’s world-class French seafood institution known for refined simplicity. |
| The French Laundry | Yountville, CA | 2007 | Thomas Keller’s iconic Napa Valley restaurant rooted in seasonal, garden-driven cuisine. |
| Eleven Madison Park | New York, NY | 2012 | Daniel Humm’s plant-forward, modern tasting menu experience. |
| Benu | San Francisco, CA | 2015 | Corey Lee’s minimalist, deeply technical take on Asian-American cuisine. |
| Quince | San Francisco, CA | 2017 | Michael Tusk’s Italian-influenced Californian fine dining restaurant. |
| SingleThread | Healdsburg, CA | 2019 | A farm-driven Japanese-Californian tasting menu rooted in Sonoma’s seasons. |
| Atelier Crenn | San Francisco, CA | 2019 | Dominique Crenn’s poetic, nature-focused, French modernist cuisine. |
| Addison | San Diego, CA | 2022 | William Bradley’s refined tasting menu; Southern California’s first three-star restaurant. |
| Smyth | Chicago, IL | 2023 | John Shields’s intimate, Midwestern-inspired tasting menu. |
| Jungsik | New York, NY | 2024 | Jungsik Yim’s elevated, contemporary Korean cuisine. |
| Sushi Sho | New York, NY | 2025 | Keiji Nakazawa’s intimate Edomae omakase counter. |
| Providence | Los Angeles, CA | 2025 | Michael Cimarusti’s precision-driven, seafood-focused tasting menu. |
| Somni | West Hollywood, CA | 2025 | Aitor Zabala’s immersive, counter-driven tasting experience. |
Trends and takeaways
- Geographic concentration: The three-star restaurants are clustered in California (8), New York (5), and Chicago (1), showcasing America’s culinary capitals.
- Diverse culinary styles: From Korean (Jungsik) to seafood (Le Bernardin, Providence) to poetic, modernist cuisine (Atelier Crenn), the range is broad.
- New entries: Three in and three out in 2025 underscores Michelin’s evolving elite.
- Longevity and consistency: Per Se, Le Bernardin, and French Laundry remain long-standing pillars with two decades of near perfection.
Why these restaurants matter
These 14 establishments set the standard for culinary excellence in the U.S. They are:
- Benchmarks for innovation, pushing the boundaries of technique and flavor.
- Tourism magnets, drawing food-minded travelers worldwide.
- Leaders in sustainability and sourcing, emphasizing local ingredients and ethical practices.
Final thoughts
If you’re exploring America’s finest dining, this list of 14 U.S. restaurants with three Michelin stars represents a curated map of extraordinary gastronomic experiences. Each restaurant has earned its place not only through flawless execution but through a philosophy and consistency that elevate dining into an art form.
If you’ve been lucky enough to eat at one of these rare birds, tell us about it in the comments section!
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