Yelp - Power to the People!

Since discovering Yelp last year I have been an avid fan. Long ago I was a big fan of Sidewalk which eventually became Citysearch. The editorial reviews were helpful and having a map to show not only where you wanted to go, but also surrounding businesses was an evolutionary step forward at the time.

Citysearch lost it's coolness for me and my friends. They started skewing too much towards paid advertisements at the site and losing much of what people loved about the site.

So here comes Yelp, full of Web2.0 goodness and ready to take on more established sites. What differentiates Yelp from similar review sites is that there are no editorial reviews. Everything is customer based. Your opinion matters as much as anyone else's. Yelp encourages you to post your own reviews.

There is power in this that is one of the primary reasons I became a devoted Yelper. I went to a movie at a theater and had a horrible experience. I got stuck in one of their small screens and there was a popping sound coming from one of the speakers. I got my money back, but I was pissed off still that my night's expectations had been dashed. So I Yelp'ed about it. And I felt better.

I have wondered how much I could believe the reviews of the masses. It turns out the masses have pretty good taste here in San Francisco. Every place I have tried via strictly Yelp reviewers has hit right on the mark from Sushi to Indian food to bars and where to buy kitchen appliances.

A couple nights ago I reviewed an Indian restaurant we ordered delivery from. I was particularly upset about what I believed was my too small portion of Lamb Biryana I received. The next day I received a message via Yelp from the owner of the restaurant inviting me to the restaurant where the next meal was on her. To be fair I didn't flame the restaurant. I gave them 3 stars and noted their food was good, but I docked them a star for portion size of the lamb dish.

I love Yelp not because I received an offer of a free dinner. I love Yelp because it gives users a venue to dish out the good and back, what they like and what they don't like. And it's obvious that at least in some cases that those being reviewed are listening.

Thank you Yelp.