Michelin Stars vs Google Reviews: What Really Makes a Great Restaurant?
When people are looking for somewhere to eat in Singapore, they increasingly have an enormous amount of information available to them.
There are Michelin Stars.
There are Google Reviews.
There are food bloggers.
There are social media recommendations.
There are photographs.
And, of course, there is the restaurant’s own reputation.
But do all these things actually measure the same thing?
Not at all.
Michelin and Google Ask Different Questions
A Michelin inspector and an ordinary restaurant customer are looking at a restaurant from very different perspectives.
Michelin uses anonymous inspectors and a defined set of criteria to assess restaurants. Its inspectors look closely at elements such as the quality of the ingredients, mastery of cooking techniques, harmony of flavours and consistency.
Google Reviews are different.
A customer walks through the door, chooses a table, looks at the menu, orders food, interacts with the staff, eats the meal, receives the bill and decides how they feel about the entire experience.
Then they can leave a review.
Both perspectives are valuable.
But they answer different questions.
Michelin Measures Culinary Recognition
A Michelin Star is an extraordinary achievement.
It represents recognition from one of the world’s most recognised restaurant guides and can be an important indication of culinary quality.
We respect that.
But a Michelin Star isn’t intended to tell you whether every customer will love the restaurant.
It doesn’t necessarily tell you whether:
- the restaurant suits your budget;
- you will enjoy the atmosphere;
- your children will enjoy the experience;
- the owner will spend time recommending dishes;
- you like the portion sizes;
- you enjoy the style of service;
- you think the meal represents good value.
Those are personal experiences.
And that’s where customer reviews become interesting.
What Do Nearly 1,000 Google Reviews Tell You?
At Thong Thai Bistro, we have been fortunate to receive almost 1,000 Google reviews while maintaining a rating around 4.8 stars.
We’re incredibly proud of that.
Why?
Because 4.8 from a handful of reviews is one thing.
Maintaining approximately 4.8 as the number of reviews approaches 1,000 is considerably more difficult.
Every new customer becomes part of that average.
Every experience counts.
And unlike a professional restaurant inspection, our Google reviews come from the people who actually chose to spend their money with us.
They tell us what they really thought.
Customers Judge Much More Than Food
Read through our reviews and you’ll notice something interesting.
Our guests don’t only talk about food.
They talk about Indi.
They talk about Chef June.
They talk about hospitality.
They talk about our recommendations.
They talk about the atmosphere.
They talk about fresh seafood.
They talk about vegetarian choices.
They talk about the spice levels.
They talk about celebrations and family dinners.
They talk about the experience.
That’s important to us because we never wanted Thong Thai Bistro to be simply a place where someone eats a plate of Thai food and leaves.
We want people to feel welcomed.
Fresh Ingredients Matter
There is another recurring theme in our reviews: freshness.
Our vegetables are purchased daily.
Our seafood is personally selected according to quality and freshness.
Chef June rejects ingredients that don’t meet her standards.
And dishes are prepared after they are ordered.
That approach costs more.
It takes more labour.
It isn’t always the easiest way to operate a restaurant.
But we believe fresh ingredients make better food.
And ultimately, that is what we want our customers to experience.
So Which Rating Should You Trust?
The honest answer is:
Look at both—but understand what they mean.
A Michelin Star tells you that professional inspectors have recognised a restaurant according to Michelin’s standards.
Google Reviews tell you what a large number of customers thought about their actual experiences.
Neither should automatically replace the other.
If you’re looking for a technically exceptional culinary experience, Michelin can be an excellent guide.
If you’re looking for somewhere to spend an evening with your family, friends or colleagues, customer reviews can tell you something else that is equally important:
What is it actually like to eat there?
We Are Proud of What Our Guests Say
We don’t claim to be the cheapest Thai restaurant in Singapore.
We don’t try to be.
We use fresh ingredients, fresh seafood and prepare our food to order. That comes with a cost, and we’ve always tried to be transparent about our pricing.
But we are extremely proud when our customers tell us that the experience was worth it.
Almost 1,000 reviews.
Around 4.8 stars.
Thousands of individual dining experiences.
That’s not something we can manufacture.
It’s built one table at a time.
Michelin Recognition and Customer Recognition Are Different
Perhaps the best way to look at it is this:
Michelin recognition is an honour.
Customer recognition is a responsibility.
A Michelin Star, when earned, is something a restaurant can celebrate.
But when almost 1,000 customers continue to leave positive reviews, that creates another kind of responsibility.
It tells us that we have to keep doing what brought those customers through the door in the first place.
Fresh food.
Authentic Thai flavours.
Careful preparation.
Warm hospitality.
And, hopefully, another reason for you to come back.
