Yelp vs. Trip Advisor (The Meal Edition)

HELP! I'm hungry... 

I just moved to San Francisco and have settled down in the Mission District. I've become reliant on Yelp to help me get situated in the area. I decided to see what else was out there, and downloaded the Trip Advisor iPad app. The showdown began tonight, as I tried to figure out where to eat.

User Interface: 

Both UI's have their idiosyncracies, but Trip Advisor's UI is littered with inconsistencies that absolutely wreck the user experience. The app designers tried to cram the too many browsing options into the left panel of the app, which overcrowds that side with different options. The app is a whos who of contemporary UI tricks, with a page out effect to show different map types, a side panel on the right for the filer, a zoom in and out button and pinch gestures to zoom... I'm overwhelmed! Additionally every time a user moves in the map in the Trip Advisor app, the map listings change letters, which confuses the absolute hell out of me when I'm using it. Their top navigation bar is very poorly laid out. 

(Trip Advisor's map view)

On the contrary, the Yelp app has me comfortable and situated. It brings the additional UI elements into a bottom bar that accompanies the map view in the app. The top navigation is nicely laid out, segregating between the left panel options and the map options. The filter is much easier to find and use in the Yelp app. And, the search feature is much more responsive in the Yelp app, allowing you to search by keyword where the TA app forces you to search for a specific location.

(Yelp's map view)

Plus, the Yelp app has kick ass features like a monocle and a picture grid for viewing search listings.

(Yelps Monocle... I don't imagine I'll ever use this, but its totes rad)

Information Layout

Trip Advisor

Tabs?!! Come on TA, are you serious? This is not the best way to present information to a user on an iPad. I will say I do appreciate the formatted menu option. While Pizzeria Delfina sounds enticing, you are just not getting me excited about heading there...

Yelp

This is more like it. Do I even need to elaborate? In case I do, scrolling through a nicely designed information view is much sexier than clicking tabbed info dumps. One gripe... A menu option is totally missing from the Yelp app. (Although I found it on the mobile app as I was walking to the restaurant). Cha-Ya here I come!

Small note on Visual Design: 

Anecdote... My father took me golfing when I was growing up. I haven't golfed since. Don't make me feel like I'm searching for golf courses when I'm trying to go out! It makes me unexcited about doing anything in this city. Red on the other hand makes me want to get up and go!

The winner... YELP! 

And animals everywhere rejoices as we enjoyed vegan num nums.