You know, I don't really go by how a place looks on the outside. I look to see how busy it is.
And, if you want to know where the best dive bars and eateries are? Ask a biker or a truck driver. They know where the best places are to eat.
Me personally? If I walk into a place, and I don't smell any food cooking, or if I smell something that I don't like, then I walk. If I walk in, and the place smells good? Then I eat there.
And..................some of the best soul food and barbecue places look kinda ramshackle on the surface, but they have EXCELLENT food. Shi-Lee's Barbecue, and Tyler's Texas Barbecue, both in Amarillo, come readily to mind. The buildings on the outside look humble, and on the inside, the decor isn't really much to write home about, but the food in both those places is some of the best in Amarillo.