Yelp's new Wordmap pulls double duty, either pointing you in the direction of a romantic eatery in your neighborhood, or helping you steer clear of notorious hipster joints.
Yelp's new Wordmap pulls double duty by pointing you in the direction of a romantic eatery in your neighborhood, or helping you steer clear of notorious hipster joints.
The review site hosts a plethora of information about local businesses around the world, but most of it stays hidden behind reviews, photos, and business hours.
That's why Yelp built the Wordmap, a heatmap showing density of keywords used in reviews to reveal what Yelp called "fascinating patterns of local discovery."
"We chose some of the most interesting words to show hot areas for cocktails, typical tourist hangouts and hipster hoods in 14 of our Yelpiest cities," Yelp said in a blog post, pointing to Austin, Boston, Chicago, London, Los Angeles, New York, Paris, Philadelphia, Portland, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Toronto, and Washington, D.C.
For example, Chicagoans can look for a classier dining spot by clicking on "cocktails," or try "BYOB" for a more laid-back vibe.
Almost every one of Yelp's initial cities are on everyone's to-visit list, turning them into tourist-filled hubs, much to the chagrin of most local residents. But you can make a better effort to avoid day-trippers with the Wordmap. Want to head out for lunch in New York, without the hassle of photo-taking city newbies? Yelp gives you fair warning (pictured) to avoid the Times Square area (duh), and instead try an Upper West Side eatery, or perhaps hit any restaurant in Brooklyn.
Meanwhile, Paris seems to be filled with expensive cafés that serve something chocolaty for breakfast.
Those just looking to find a decent bar for happy hour or their next Sunday brunch locale can stick to the full Yelp experience, which recently added images to reviews and boosted its Nearby tab with suggestions geared specifically toward the user's mood.
For more, see PCMag's review of Yelp for iPad and iPhone.