Updated

What to order at a restaurant: explore your dish picks

Palytt is a free iPhone and iPad app that helps you decide what to order. Where it has enough dish information, an order guide groups picks into get this, add on, popular here and maybe skip. Personal 0–100 scores appear when your taste gives Palytt a basis; friends' verdicts appear when friends have rated a dish.

Open an Order Guide, compare the information available, and keep your verdict for next time: would I order this again?

Android is coming. Get Android updates.

Scallop aguachile with cucumber, red onion and cilantro in a bright green lime sauce

Get the scallop aguachile. Your last three favorites were bright and citrusy.

Example scores and taste notes

How does Palytt pick what you should order?

  1. It learns your taste

    Saves, posts, dish ratings and every “I'd order this again” shape your taste profile. No quiz required.

  2. It helps you compare dishes

    An Order Guide ranks dishes when there is enough information. A personal match score appears only when Palytt has a basis in your taste.

  3. It shows friend verdicts

    When friends have rated a dish, see their verdicts alongside your own match when one is available.

  4. It remembers for next time

    Mark what you'd order again or skip. The next visit starts from your own verdicts.

At the table with a printed menu? See how Palytt's restaurant menu scanner reads the dishes it recognizes and adds taste context when available.

What's in an order guide?

Get this

Strong taste matches when enough evidence is available. Read the dish details before choosing.

Add on

Good matches that round out the table: a side, a starter, something to share.

Popular here

Crowd picks shown separately from your personal taste matches.

Maybe skip

Dishes that don't fit what you usually love, or that you said you wouldn't order again.

Why not just order the most popular dish?

  • Check your taste. A popular dish may suit you; compare its flavors with dishes you have liked.
  • Read about the dish. A restaurant’s overall rating does not describe each plate on its menu.
  • Use friends’ experience. Read a friend’s verdict when they have tried that dish.
  • Read the labels. Check whether a suggestion is a personal match or a crowd pick. Friends’ verdicts stay separate.

Restaurant order guides

No public restaurant order guides have been published yet. A guide appears here once at least 3 Palytt diners have rated 3 or more dishes at a restaurant.

Explore your own dish picks

In the iPhone and iPad app, Palytt can show an order guide when it has enough information to rank dishes for your taste.

Download on the App Store

Read a menu guide now

These editorial guides use restaurant menus to help you choose by taste. They are separate from diner-rated Order Guides and personal match scores.

Android is coming. Check Android availability.

Other ways to decide

Compare the apps

See how Palytt, Yelp, Google Maps and menu scanners compare in the best apps to know what to order.

Decide with friends

Choosing the restaurant first? Decide where to eat with friends.

Coming from Beli?

Beli ranks restaurants; Palytt picks the dish. Read Palytt vs Beli.

Good to know

Is there an app that tells you what to order at a restaurant?

Yes. Palytt is a free iPhone and iPad app that helps you choose a dish. Where there is enough dish information, an order guide groups picks into get this, add on, popular here and maybe skip. Personal 0–100 scores appear only when Palytt has enough evidence from your taste; friends' verdicts appear when friends have rated a dish.

How does Palytt decide what I should order?

It uses your own signals first: dishes you saved, posted, rated and said you would order again. A match score only appears when it is built from your taste; otherwise the guide says it is showing popularity. Learn more about how taste matching works.

What if none of my friends have eaten there?

When there is enough dish information, the guide can use your taste profile and public posts to suggest dishes, and it labels where each pick comes from. Friend verdicts appear when a friend rates a dish there.

Is there an app that ranks dishes instead of restaurants?

Yes. Palytt helps you choose dishes instead of ranking restaurants. Where it has enough dish information, its Order Guide ranks dishes; personal scores and friends' verdicts appear when those signals are available. Savor, RankIt and Top Dish also work at the dish level. See the best apps to know what to order.

How is this different from Yelp or Google popular dishes?

Yelp and Google Maps show dish photos and reviews, and their menu features can help you research an order. Palytt adds your own dish history, personal matches when enough taste evidence exists, and friends’ verdicts when they have rated a dish. Compare Palytt vs Yelp.

Is Palytt free?

Yes. Palytt is free to download on the App Store for iPhone and iPad.

Related reading

More Palytt guides

Stop guessing at the menu.
Know what to order.

Download on the App Store

Free on iPhone and iPad

Android is coming. Get Android updates.