I don’t know if I would totally agree with that, I think sometimes they are a good place to start.  Other places to look would be reviews in local newspapers,  local magazines, and maybe even local independent guidebook.  I guess the key here is to take the cue from the locals themselves, whether in print or by word of mouth.

I agree that guidebooks are a good place to start. In Paris, one of the nicest meals I’d ever had came from an online rec.
Poopypants, we enjoyed our meal at this place in Berlin (recommended by a local):
Freischswimmer Restaurant
It’s literally right on the river.

thanks, cil. atmosphere looks cool, and the menu certainly isn’t too spendy. 

I never look in the guidebooks for meals, there’s always a million different places you go by that look good.

Well, lonely planet has gained a bad reputation for their restruant reviews, so thats maybe something to avoid, but whatever.  I don’t see much of a reason to use guidebooks to find a restruant. 
 
This is a good topic though, it would be really cool to get a list of restruants that are suggested by members.  Its hard to remember the names of a lot of the places, but that could be a good thing, maybe people will only remember the very best ones. 
 
 
To date, my favorite restruant in the world is in Veliko Turnovo, Bulgaria.  I don’t know the name, I think it was shaslitsvia or something similar to that, I think we just never learned it because after eating one meal all we cared about was how to get back, and of course its in cyrillic.  Its in the center of town on the main street, Stramblov.  The hostel in town will probably suggest it to you, if not, just ask them or anyone really, its definately the best and most popular place in town.  Serves traditional bulgarian food, its all absolutely delicious, even the stuff we couldn’t pronounce was .  It also has a pizzeria.  Prices are very cheap for huge portions. 
 
My second fav: La Rosa Nautica in Lima, Peru.  Its kind of an up-scale place, but you don’t have to dress up if you don’t want.  Try to go for lunch, great specials and more laid back.  It also sits over the Pacific ocean, so cool scenery and atmosphere. 

haven’t been there in years, but hawelka & wierzynek (krakow) were excellent restaurants back in the day. we used to get great meals and very high-class treatment for about $10 a head. probably not quite the same anymore, but i still plan to visit both while i’m out there.

yeah, Poland has some great food!  I just can’t ever remember the names of the places I ate at.  Look for little restruants that have sausage and meat hanging in the windows in Krakow.  They have wooden tables and interiors and some good hardy food. 

yep. places like that are pretty common out there. not to hijack this thread or anything, but the ice cream places are also excellent in poland, as are the bakeries. you can also never go wrong with fresh rye bread and some quality cold cuts. it’s super cheap over there, and you’ll never have better rye bread than in eastern europe.