You are a traveler in an unfamiliar city, hungry after a long day's sightseeing. Neon lights flash and voices call out for your attention. You are looking for good local fare, served in a comfortable, unpretentious environment. The possibilities seem endless. But are they? Or are you in for a big let down? Here are five ways to avoid a tourist trap and recognize a great place to eat.

1 - No hawkers

A restaurant that wants business so badly, it practically begs in the street is never a good thing. If you spot a man outside clutching a menu attempting to coax passersby into his restaurant, don't go in. This holds true whether you are on New York’s Restaurant Row (West 46^th Street) or avoiding the dodgy tourist joints in Paris’ Latin Quarter.

2 - All About the Context

If a restaurant is one of many all lined up in a row, proceed with caution. If there is a gauntlet of hawkers to run, the entire area is likely a tourist trap. And if you only hear foreign languages such as your own around you, head to less touristy neighborhoods.

3 - Concise menus

If you are unsure whether the charmer who usually flourishes the menu is simply on a bathroom break, take a look at the menu. If it looks like a textbook, do not go in. Huge menus are large for several reasons – they are often translated into many languages, they try to offer more than enough options to please everyone, and they have tried to offer enough options to please everyone in ten languages. Menus translated into more than two languages often go hand in hand with mediocre food. If the menu offers more options than could possibly be prepared with any real skill, avoid like the plague. Sushi and gnocchi? Pork dumplings and biscuits and gravy? All of the above in more than two languages? Run.

4 - Aroma or Lack Thereof

When you step inside a restaurant, inhale deeply through your nose. Smell anything? A good restaurant should be bursting with aroma. The food should be so good, it just can't help itself. If you smell nothing at all, keep looking.

5 - Ask a Local

Locals know where to eat and know how to watch their dollars, pesos or euros. Tell them you are looking for a good neighborhood restaurant that has great ambience and food. People love to give advice and are happy to share their favorite restaurants with you.

Remember, a good neighborhood restaurant with a local following does not need to cater to the whims of the tourist masses. It has a menu that features foods that are prepared regularly and with pride. And it is inexpensive enough that people come back again and again.