Are you tired of spending your hard earned cash and precious personal time in noisy restaurants and bistros?

What is it with the night club-like atmosphere in so many restaurants these days? Places to dine out are already noisy by virtue of their everyday business, but add thumping music to the mix and an intimate conversation is no longer possible. And let’s not get ageist; this isn’t just a seniors’ issue. Zagat, the restaurant ratings outfit, cites noise as the number one complaint from restaurant patrons.

As a way of empowering restaurant goers to find that just-right quiet dining experience, ZoomerMedia founder Moses Znaimer launched the Anti-Noise Pollution League over a decade ago. This online Facebook community, an initiative of The New Classical FM, has a mission to get restaurateurs to turn down the music and to celebrate those that have already done so.

Restaurant critics are taking notice too of the increasing noise levels. The Washington Post food critic Tom Sietsema routinely includes decibel readings in his restaurant reviews and suggests avoiding noise by eating early before the crowds or sitting in booths. And, according to estimates by SoundPrint, maker of an app that allows you to measure and publicly share sound levels in restaurants and cafés, four out of 10 restaurants in Canada are loud enough to potentially damage hearing–meaning, these places have decibel levels above 80 dBs.

Prolonged exposure to excessive noise isn’t just about hearing, it can impact heart health, anxiety levels and even diabetes. In fact, the World Health Organization has identified urban noise as the second largest environmental cause of health problems, next only to air pollution.

Hearing advocacy groups also warn that, driven by earbud use, hearing loss will impact younger and younger age groups. Reports already show an unprecedented number of adults in their 20s and 30s with hearing troubles. These experts predict the problem could balloon to epidemic proportions in another 10-20 years and tell us we should turn down the volume on those buds. Hearing loss is usually permanent.

You CAN have your voice heard.

With input from the readers of DailyHive + Dished, the Anti-Noise Pollution League, anpl.ca, recently launched its community-sourced list of Vancouver cafes, bars and restaurants that are both quiet and inviting. The Toronto GTA list has expanded to include a host of new suggestions from ANPL Ambassadors, members of its online community who are actively seeking out dining and drinking establishments where you don’t need raised voices to have a conversation.

For those in other communities across the country, try searching “quiet restaurants” in your browser for a local list or download the free SoundPrint app and use their search function, which shows crowd-sourced decibel readings alongside the restaurant name so you can see where – and sometimes when – to go. Other ways to address the noise:

• If you have a chance, check out the acoustics of the restaurant in advance. Spaces with low ceilings, wall décor, curtains and tablecloths can help absorb sound, decreasing reverberation and distortion of sound.

• Choose a booth if available.

• Avoid sitting near a noisier bar or open kitchen.

• If music is the issue or contributing to it, you can always ask the restaurant staff if it might be adjusted. If you’re in a hot spot on a Friday night this may not be likely, but many establishments will be more than happy to accommodate a polite request that makes their patrons more comfortable.

Visit anpl.ca to learn more about safe sound levels and where you can go for quiet dining + drinking. And please take our short poll about your perspective on quiet dining.