A field guide to Yelp reviewers

OK, treading lightly onto very dangerous ground here. There's an essay on Atlantic's Life website that I find hilarious. It's about Yelp reviewers and it's by Derek Brown, a Washington, D.C. mixologist. As you can guess, he's not terribly complimentary. There are a few scattered obligatory caveats ("Before one gets the wrong idea, I like Yelp and appreciate the concept"), but for the most part it's pretty scathing.

The problem, he says, is that the good content is pushed out by the bad and he breaks the unhelpful reviewers down into a few categories: The Ubermensch who condemns the herd mentality; the Blood Feud, who reviews a meal he had several years ago; the Cheapskate who ... well, you can probably guess; and my personal favorite, the Know-Nothing, who posts comments such as: "The pickled vegetables were too sour; they reminded me of vegetables + vinegar."

What do you think? How reliable do you find Yelp reviews? Incidentally, if you haven't already, be sure to bookmark the page, which is home to consistently interesting, well-written pieces on food and, now, style.

--Russ Parsons

Photo: Yelp co-founder Jeremy Stoppelman

Photo credit: Bebeto Matthews/Associated Press

Comments

[Buck]

I write a food blog and it's funny that I just had this discussion with my readers on our Facebook fan page. I occasionally write a review at Yelp! but usually wonder why I bother within moments when I read those around it. My reviews are thoughtful and fair and written like I do any review of a food product or service on my blog. Then I read the previous 4 or 5 "reviews" and am stunned to see how idiotic they can be. The Blood Feud people are the worst. I've run across someone who posted a new review of a restaurant they visited 5 or 10 years ago on a weekend visit to a city. Completely useless. Furthermore, those tend to be people who have little or no idea about local cuisines. When I read Yelp reviews of authentic Mexican/Sonoran restaurants in Tucson, AZ by people from New Jersey who complain the cuisine isn't "authentic" I know the reviewer is a moron and wonder why Yelp would even allow the review to be posted.

[OverIt]

I used to Yelp, but I find that most people have terrible taste. In addition, Yelp's business practices make me question the validity of the whole system. Now, if I want to find a new place, I just ask a friend or use Groupon as an excuse to do something different.

[Bill]

I read the Atlantic review and tend to agree with the guy. I stopped taking Yelp seriously when I read a scathing review of a diner I frequent that I thought was just fine...decent food at a thrifty price. The reviewer absolutely slammed the place for about 200 words. She (sorry ladies) did everything but use a baseball bat. Then at the end of the review she boldly states she was in a bad mood that day and opined that might have had something to do with her review...!!!!!!!

This is a small diner owned by a couple of good guys trying to make a living. The review had been posted several months before I read it. That Yelp would allow this to remain on their site tells me much about the people who run it. They must value this kind of mud throwing for the worst of reasons.

I went to other reviews by the same woman and it was more of the same. Anything that was not "superhot and trendy" (her words) was just napalmed.

I will just stop here and state that I no longer use the site.

[Mikey]

Yelp has let me down sooo many times. I honestly think it is a waste of time to even look up any place on the service. I'd rather go with Zagat or OpenTable's reviews. Also, I find it a shame that one bad review from one person could destroy the future of any business, which is what Yelp is good for. Nothing more than a complaint department.

[Felicia]

Yelp's system and culture just isn't a laughing matter any more. Way too much serious damage being done to hard-working small business owners in our communities, just when we all so badly need small business sector recovery to lead economic growth in our country. It's not just a problem of clueless reviewers, its also very callous and ignorant young Yelp employees playing god over people's business survival and livelihoods without any responsible management controls at all. Everyone, please file complaints against Yelp with the Federal Trade Commission and the California Attorney General. Time to shut this toxic, corrupt Yelp corporation down.

[tbplayer]

I'm with the previous poster. I write a review when I want people to know that there's some great food out there to enjoy, or warn them that there's terrible food to avoid.

[oakmonster]

I'm an Extremist. I only review places I REALLY like or REALLY hate. 4-5 stars or nothing.