yelp is absolutely rubbish.

its where people will complain about service in a low-brow chinese restaurant, sanitation at a food truck, if a restaurant refuses to split a 40$ check between 6 people, and -- no exaggeration -- i recently saw a guy 1* a restaurant because he had "been going [there] for years" but suddenly there was a change in staff and nobody there now remembers his name / recognize him

the fact that reviews can be rated as "funny" or "cool" steer the tone for users. i cant take it seriously if theres no option to down-vote a review. the whole site has too big of an emphasis on the social aspect, and it seems like people pump out reviews as some sort of e-popularity contest.

if im interested in restaurants in a few city, i prefer to use chowhound. seems like those folks in general are a little more wise to the food than yelpers are