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The Top 20 Restaurant Views in America

Jan 30, 2012; 3:30 PM ET

A good restaurant is defined by having good food. A great restaurant is made by having the highest quality food, and an amazing atmosphere to experience; one that creates a treat for all the senses. Now, there are many ways to cultivate the correct atmosphere, but for those restaurants lucky enough to have a unique and beautiful location, all they have to do is display the majesty around them.

Some restaurants focus on locavorism, others on great service, and still others on creating unforgettable experiences and signature dishes. But there's a special category of restaurants across the country, one that showcases where they're situated, creating over-the-top sensory experiences - allowing diners to see for themselves the beauty that can be found only at that locale, and only from that specific table. From awe-inspiring scenic landscapes to romantic twilight city skylines, the 20 restaurants on this list have views that can't be found anywhere else, whether they're unique, picture-perfect Hawaiian sunsets or views of the soaring mountains of Alaska.

Now, none of this is to say that the quality of food isn't paramount when it comes to dining in restaurants, but just ask Per Se in New York how the overwhelming feeling of awe from viewing a perfect skyscraper-studded horizon can be the seasoning that puts a four-star meal over the top.

The same can be said about enjoying a rib-eye steak with a view of the Montana mountain ranges as at Terra Steakhouse, or fresh seafood at a table overlooking the Miami waters where your meal was perhaps just harvested that morning. The view from a restaurant is an underrated and very important part of the dining experience, and these 20 restaurants are taking full advantage of it. Which American city has the most restaurants on the list? Which city's restaurant view ranks highest? Which non-city views top them all? Check out the slideshow. You may be surprised.

Click here for the Top 20 Restaurant Views in America Slideshow.

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Posted by Kenji Magrann-Wells, Junior Writer

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