With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, a Naperville restaurant made OpenTable’s 100 Most Romantic Restaurants in America list. Mesón Sabika is the only Illinois restaurant to be included.
Romantic Spanish Flair
Mesón Sabika has been serving the Naperville community since 1990, featuring the cuisine of Spain. The mansion in which the restaurant is housed was built in 1847 on the four-acre estate. The mansion has eight dining rooms decorated in traditional Spanish décor.
OpenTable curated the list by analyzing more than 12.4 million U.S. diner reviews between January 1, 2021 and December 31, 2021. According to a company press release, survey findings showed parts of the nationwide population haven’t dined out for the holiday of love since 2019.
“Our date suggests that Valentine’s Day dining is rebounding this year, with reservations up 30% nationwide compared to last year,” said Susan Lee, chief growth officer at OpenTable in a press release. “We’re excited to see this momentum leading up to what has traditionally been one of the biggest dining days of the year for restaurants.”
How it Was Scored
All restaurants with a minimum “overall” score and number of qualifying reviews were included for consideration. The overall score is made up of overall diner rating, user clout, total number of reviews, and regional overall rating. Qualifying restaurants were then scored and sorted according to the percentage of reviews where “romantic” was selected as a special feature.
OpenTable listed the restaurants alphabetically. In 2019, the restaurant also made OpenTable’s 50 Best Restaurants for a Date in America list. At that time, it was one of only six in Illinois to make the list, which highlights 50 restaurants with the perfect ambience, menu, and mood to fit the bill for a romantic night out.
Naperville News 17’s Aysha Ashley Househ reports.