This Popular East Coast State Has The Dirtiest Restaurants In The Entire US

When you're traveling, the cleanliness (or lack thereof) of a location can make a world of difference. From filthy beaches to dirty hotel rooms to a lack of airport cleanliness, trash and grime can ruin a good time. When you're traveling on the East Coast, be warned that one popular state has been deemed to have the dirtiest restaurants in the entire U.S.: New Jersey.

A 2024 study by Affordable Seating, a restaurant furniture manufacturer, analyzed TripAdvisor data to determine the 10 states with the dirtiest restaurants. The analysis paid close attention to particular phrases that often cropped up in TripAdvisor reviews, such as "dirty restaurant," "rats," "roaches," and "hair in food." Out of all 50 states, the Garden State won the dubious honor of having the grimiest eateries, followed closely behind by Florida, California, Arizona, Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, Nevada, and Georgia.

New Jersey's reviews were noticeably worse than the reviews left for the number-two state of Florida. The study found 320,520 reviews that use the phrase "dirty restaurant" in reference to New Jersey's restaurants, compared to 4,560 reviews that mention "dirty restaurant" in reference to Florida's food spots. California ranked third-worst overall, but had the most reviews about rats and rodents out of all the states; California's restaurants received 960 complaints in total about critters, compared to 810 for New Jersey's restaurants and 636 for Florida's restaurants.

A quick search online will show you examples of the type of complaints that New Jersey's restaurants often attract. "I have never in my life had the misfortune to visit a dirtier place. It is absolutely filthy, I wouldn't even disgust you with pictures of the place," writes one British tourist on TripAdvisor. The restaurant in question? A KFC in Iselin, New Jersey. "I'd not even bring my dogs to eat here," the reviewer continued. 

But don't let the dramatic reviews fool you. Not all restaurants in New Jersey are filthy. Other eateries have earned reviews praising their cleanliness. "The place is very clean and they have a large window where you can see the kitchen staff hard at work preparing food," writes one New York-based TripAdvisor reviewer of Marvis Diner in Wildwood, New Jersey. "I honestly cannot think of anything we did not like about this place," the commentator said, "we will definitely be making it an annual stop on our vacation." 

New Jersey is also home to several award-winning restaurants, including Razza in Jersey City. The New York Times once cheekily declared that Razza had "the best pizza in New York." You should also visit Lita in Aberdeen, New Jersey, which serves stellar Portuguese and Spanish cuisine. The Dirty Jerz has its share of foodie champions, too. "I feel like lot of people especially New Yorkers love to clown on Jersey for everything, but when it comes to food, this state quietly delivers some of the best stuff around," writes one Redditor. Heed this local's warning: "Jersey's food scene is seriously underrated, especially if you actually live here and eat local instead of just passing through on the Turnpike." Do your research, and you'll be able to leave the Garden State with your taste buds satisfied.