Restaurant apps for your phone or other hand held devices such as iPods makes finding new restaurants to visit a breeze, and the best apps are fun to use. You can find new locations to dine at, post photos and reviews of your favorite dishes, calculate the tip and much more! Choosing the best apps for your needs can be a little confusing, so it's best to do a little research before deciding which ones fit your specific needs.

One of the most popular and easiest to use apps is called LocalEats and can be purchased from iTunes for 99 cents, or free for android users and it showcases restaurants in your immediate area. The LocalEats app does not cover national chain restaurants, but rather locally owned restaurants. You simply put in your zip code and search nearby locations. You can read reviews, get directions, links for the restaurants websites and review the restaurants prices to ensure you stay within your budget. This app was recommended by the New York Times and USA Today and has many devoted users, making this one of the best choices out there for finding new locally owned restaurants. To find this app online, visit the iTunes store and search for LocalEats.

Another popular app that was named iTunes app of the week in 2010 is called Foodspotting and features a google-powered map with photos of favored dishes. Foodspotting allows users to post photos along with comments and restaurant reviews, and it also allows you to recommend your favorites to other users. This app is free for both iPhones and androids and can be found at foodspotting.com. You can use Foodspotting from their website, by clicking on the photos on the map of your surrounding area restaurants, or download the mobile app to use on the go. Users can vote on the best photos and award a blue ribbon to their favorite dishes, making this a great interactive restaurant app.

You can find many more reviews of different restaurant apps online on sites such as about.com, like the popular app Zagat to Go. When researching different apps, keep a notebook handy and jot down the information for each app so you can choose the best ones for your needs. Another site that features articles on different restaurant apps is chow.com, which gives you all of the details you need to make an informed decision. Once you have chosen the best app for you, you can start trying out new restaurants daily!