(NEXSTAR) – TripAdvisor has revealed its top-rated “hidden gem” restaurants in the United States, highlighting 25 relatively unknown eateries that consistently earn praise from the platform’s users, including two from North Carolina.

These top-rated “hidden” restaurants (which likely won’t stay hidden for much longer) were announced Wednesday as part of TripAdvisor’s Travelers’ Choice Best of the Best Awards, an annual ranking of the site’s top-rated dining destinations across seven different categories.

The honorees in this year’s “hidden gem” category include plenty of no-frills, under-the-radar restaurants serving up everything from lobster rolls and fries to tikka masala and whoopie pies. But only one restaurant can take the No. 1 spot — and this year, that honor goes to a burger-and-shake joint in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.

Cookie Dough Monster, located in an unassuming strip mall just a few miles from Dollywood, earned high marks for its food, service, value and atmosphere, according to TripAdvisor.

“Reminds me of a little burger joint in a college town,” one recent TripAdvisor reviewer remarked. “Will definitely come back.”

North Carolina’s Cafe Pamlico in Buxton made it to the #17 spot.

A few places down, Haywood SmokeHouse, in Waynesville, was #21.

But before you try to rub it in South Carolina’s face, you should know that S.C. boasts three on the list with Cru Cafe in Charleston at #9, The Jazz Corner in Hilton Head at #14 and 42nd Street Bar and Grill in Myrtle Beach at #19.

A complete ranking of TripAdvisor’s top 25 “hidden gem” restaurants in the U.S. can be found below.

1.	Cookie Dough Monster – Pigeon Forge, Tennessee
2.	Riverfront Seafood Company – Kingsport, Tennessee
3.	Kaya Island Eats – Key West, Florida
4.	Rendezvous Bar & Grill – Fort Lauderdale, Florida
5.	Happy Fish Peruvian Fusion Restaurant – Tampa, Florida
6.	Katherine Meets Toni – New York City, New York
7.	Piccola Cucina Osteria – New York City, New York
8.	Express Cafe – Kissimmee, Florida
9.	Cru Cafe – Charleston, South Carolina
10.	Spice Symphony – New York City, New York
11.	The Barn Bowl & Bistro – Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts
12.	JBJ Soul Kitchen – Red Bank, New Jersey
13.	Trish’s Mountain Diner – Gatlinburg, Tennessee
14.	The Jazz Corner – Hilton Head, South Carolina
15.	Giuliana’s Ristorante – Staten Island, New York
16.	Indigo Coastal Shanty – Brunswick, Georgia
17.	Cafe Pamlico – Buxton, North Carolina
18.	The Travelin Lobster – Bar Harbor, Maine
19.	42nd Street Bar and Grill – Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
20.	Lawrence Park Dinor – Erie, Pennsylvania
21.	Haywood SmokeHouse – Waynesville, North Carolina
22.	A Little Pizza Heaven – Scranton, Pennsylvania
23.	LaBinnah Bistro – Hannibal, Missouri
24.	Shaka Tacoz – Captain Cook, Hawaii
25.	IL Punto Ristorante – New York City, New York

It’s unclear exactly how TripAdvisor categorized each restaurant as a “hidden gem,” though a representative for the platform said eateries earn the designation through a “combination of user reviews and feedback.” In addition, each of 2023’s honorees has never before been ranked in TripAdvisor’s previous “Best of the Best” rankings to further the focus on lesser-known restaurants.

The winners of this year’s Best of the Best Awards were chosen based on the quality and quantity of user-generated reviews between June 1, 2022, and May 31, 2023, according to TripAdvisor.

TripAdvisor’s complete rankings, including its 2023 lists of the best family-friendly, vegetarian-friendly and fine-dining restaurants, can be found on the official TripAdvisor website.