The Washington Post: Tom Sietsema, The Post’s food critic for the past 24 years, began recording and publishing decibel levels, which is a scientific measure of sound intensity, in restaurants in his reviews in 2008 in response to reader feedback. More than a decade later, the problem persists.

Tom Sietsema, The Post’s food critic for the past 24 years, began recording and publishing decibel levels, which is a scientific measure of sound intensity, in restaurants in his reviews in 2008 in response to reader feedback. More than a decade later, the problem persists.

Why restaurants are so loud, and what science says we can do about itwww.washingtonpost.com Complaints about noise continue to dominate restaurant reviews. Here’s what experts say about how sound affects our bodies and what we can do to mitigate it.

Every loud restaurant I've ever been in could be helped by simple acoustic treatment. Absorptive panels on surfaces or hanging from the ceiling. If I like the place, I tell them so. The restaurants that have followed my advice are considerably more pleasant to be in.

Mostly they don't want to spend money that won't show up as recoupable.

Stay home. No rocket science

So, pedantic point. Decibels does not refer to a sound level. It just means a log of the ratio is used. Decibels SPL implies the standard reference for the ratio, and does refer to an actual sound level. Also, 20 dB change is a 10-fold increase, not 10 dB.

Have dinner early before they all arrive.