# Google Maps reviews > Up to 5 of a place's Google reviews in the order you pick (most relevant, newest, highest or lowest), with its rating breakdown. - **Request:** `GET https://api.lurkapi.com/v1/google/maps/reviews` - **Auth:** `x-api-key` header ([get a free key](https://lurkapi.com/login?next=/dashboard)) - **Cost:** 1 credit per call. Validation errors, `401`/`402`/`429` rejections and `5xx` failures are free; `not_found` is charged ([how charging works](https://lurkapi.com/docs.md#credits)). - **MCP tool:** `google_maps_reviews` on `https://api.lurkapi.com/mcp` - **Freshness:** responses are cached for up to 1 hour - **Try it live:** https://lurkapi.com/docs/google/maps-reviews#try (no signup) - **Platform:** [Google](https://lurkapi.com/docs/google.md) (google.com) - **Web page:** https://lurkapi.com/docs/google/maps-reviews ## When to use this Use it to watch what customers say: `sort=newest` polled daily catches new reviews, `sort=lowest` surfaces complaints. Pass the place as `place_id`, `cid` or `url`. **Up to 5 reviews per sort, no pagination.** Google shows signed-out visitors a limited view of Maps, and that's all it serves them; deeper review history needs a signed-in Google account, which we don't use. `ratingCounts` still covers every review. Returns 404 `not_found` when Google has no such place. ## Parameters All parameters go in the query string. | Name | Type | Required | Default | Allowed values | Description | Example | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | `place_id` | string | no | | | The place's Google place id, e.g. `ChIJ1S_Bov20RIYRe7MiR8tYawY` (`placeId` in search results). Pass this, `cid` or `url`. | `ChIJCar0f49ZwokR6ozLV-dHNTE` | | `cid` | string | no | | | The place's cid, the number in `maps.google.com/?cid=…` (`cid` in search results). | | | `url` | string | no | | | A Google Maps link to the place: `…/maps/place/…/data=…!1s0x…:0x…`, `…?cid=…` or `…?q=place_id:ChIJ…`. Short `maps.app.goo.gl` links aren't read yet. | | | `sort` | string | no | `relevant` | `relevant`, `newest`, `highest`, `lowest` | Which reviews: `relevant` (Google's pick, default), `newest`, `highest` or `lowest` rated. | `newest` | | `language` | string | no | `en` | | Language of names, categories, hours and review text, e.g. `en`, `de`, `pt-BR`. Default `en`. | | ## Example request Replace `YOUR_API_KEY` with your key, or set `LURKAPI_KEY` for the code. [Get a free key](https://lurkapi.com/login?next=/dashboard). curl: ```bash curl "https://api.lurkapi.com/v1/google/maps/reviews?place_id=ChIJCar0f49ZwokR6ozLV-dHNTE&sort=newest" \ -H "x-api-key: YOUR_API_KEY" ``` JavaScript: ```js const params = new URLSearchParams({ place_id: "ChIJCar0f49ZwokR6ozLV-dHNTE", sort: "newest", }); const res = await fetch(`https://api.lurkapi.com/v1/google/maps/reviews?${params}`, { headers: { "x-api-key": process.env.LURKAPI_KEY }, }); const data = await res.json(); if (!data.success) throw new Error(`${data.code}: ${data.error}`); console.log(data.reviews); ``` Python: ```python import os import requests res = requests.get( "https://api.lurkapi.com/v1/google/maps/reviews", params={ "place_id": "ChIJCar0f49ZwokR6ozLV-dHNTE", "sort": "newest", }, headers={"x-api-key": os.environ["LURKAPI_KEY"]}, timeout=60, ) data = res.json() if not data["success"]: raise RuntimeError(f"{data['code']}: {data['error']}") print(data["reviews"]) ``` ## Example response A real response from this endpoint, captured from the live API and trimmed to a couple of items. Strings over 96 characters (mostly signed media URLs) are cut short and end in `…`. 200 OK (application/json): ```json { "success": true, "credits_remaining": 999982, "credits_charged": 1, "placeId": "ChIJCar0f49ZwokR6ozLV-dHNTE", "name": "Katz's Delicatessen", "rating": 4.5, "reviewsCount": 56147, "sort": "newest", "ratingCounts": { "1": 1848, "2": 1441, "3": 3392, "4": 8902, "5": 40564 }, "reviews": [ { "reviewId": "Ci9DQUlRQUNvZENodHljRjlvT210aE9EWTNhbFoyZDJaSFV6VllhRUpxVGxKelNsRRAB", "url": "https://www.google.com/maps/reviews/data=!4m8!14m7!1m6!2m5!1sCi9DQUlRQUN…", "rating": 5, "text": "Must try when in NY!! Remember to tip your cutter and to not lose your ticket.", "language": "en", "publishedAt": "2026-10-19T22:10:28.394Z", "author": { "name": "Pietro Parodi", "id": "104704096717639011291", "url": "https://www.google.com/maps/contrib/104704096717639011291?hl=en-US", "photo": "https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/a/ACg8ocIc_yJQNSyCLcP95BR2qPzie4IxgLEB…", "reviewsCount": 36, "photosCount": 111, "localGuide": true }, "photos": [ "https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/grass-cs/AABkmLcTccp1cyO9ifcyrpV2fC9z0…", "https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/grass-cs/AABkmLdgKILH-R_Igz-mXt-sgBbCL…", "https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/grass-cs/AABkmLdcg314NoszWXkixRxsTa1Yj…", "https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/grass-cs/AABkmLdZAhjv9YAmLIO1gK5lHCgWl…", "https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/grass-cs/AABkmLfjcYf08lB_AT1jMCK51VnNk…" ], "ownerResponse": null }, { "reviewId": "Ci9DQUlRQUNvZENodHljRjlvT25SNlMxRjZWbEoxZDI1SmJqUjVaa3cwVWxocFpWRRAB", "url": "https://www.google.com/maps/reviews/data=!4m8!14m7!1m6!2m5!1sCi9DQUlRQUN…", "rating": 5, "text": "סנדוויץ׳ פסטרמה טעים בטירוף", "language": "iw", "publishedAt": "2026-10-19T22:04:07.220Z", "author": { "name": "Guy Avivit", "id": "113582222686806290670", "url": "https://www.google.com/maps/contrib/113582222686806290670?hl=en-US", "photo": "https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/a-/ALV-UjWsoDyW-h2oEv4FpHIuSx6BJIl25E_…", "reviewsCount": 27, "photosCount": 281, "localGuide": true }, "photos": [ "https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/grass-cs/AABkmLcDgsv3T4xrmoDOk_6X9fA3w…", "https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/grass-cs/AABkmLdKfP64Z1oa-8DDOalemnsCB…", "https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/grass-cs/AABkmLf3U8jB8tNx_bTqd-kbcw0Xn…", "https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/grass-cs/AABkmLfgYM9eaJcGE0hQYE9GWmLv2…", "https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/grass-cs/AABkmLeYncRy7Je5Ug-n1_kl0C9e3…", "https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/grass-cs/AABkmLcz9WeyZ3U9gcMDcMCba2q5-…", "https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/grass-cs/AABkmLcyk6UvgkLobMovrxiOsyGsd…", "https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/grass-cs/AABkmLe2OSEmPju0DccANIH9kfTdp…" ], "ownerResponse": null } ] } ``` ## Response fields Every field of a successful response. `[]` marks a list: `a[].b` is the `b` of each item in `a`. **nullable** fields can be `null`; **optional** fields can be missing. | Field | Type | Description | | --- | --- | --- | | `success` | `true` | Always true here; errors have `success: false`. | | `credits_remaining` | `number` | Your balance after this call. On anonymous playground calls: free tries left today. | | `credits_charged` | `number` | Credits this call cost; 0 on free endpoints. On anonymous playground calls: tries used (1). | | `placeId` | `string`, nullable | Google's place id (`ChIJ…`). | | `name` | `string` | The place's name. | | `rating` | `number`, nullable | Average star rating, 1–5; null with no reviews. | | `reviewsCount` | `number`, nullable | How many reviews Google counts. | | `ratingCounts` | `object`, nullable | How many reviews gave each star rating; null when Google shows no breakdown. | | `ratingCounts.1` | `number` | 1-star reviews. | | `ratingCounts.2` | `number` | 2-star reviews. | | `ratingCounts.3` | `number` | 3-star reviews. | | `ratingCounts.4` | `number` | 4-star reviews. | | `ratingCounts.5` | `number` | 5-star reviews. | | `sort` | `string` | The order these reviews are in. | | `reviews` | `object[]` | Up to 5 reviews in `sort` order. For hotels Google mixes in reviews from partner sites (e.g. TrustYou), whose `author.id` is null. | | `reviews[].reviewId` | `string` | The review's id. | | `reviews[].url` | `string`, nullable | The review on Google Maps. | | `reviews[].rating` | `number`, nullable | Stars given, 1–5 (hotel reviews from partner sites can be fractional). | | `reviews[].text` | `string`, nullable | The review text as written; null for a rating without text. | | `reviews[].language` | `string`, nullable | The language the review was written in, e.g. en. | | `reviews[].publishedAt` | `string`, nullable | When the review was posted, ISO 8601 (UTC). | | `reviews[].author` | `object` | Who wrote it. | | `reviews[].author.name` | `string`, nullable | The reviewer's public name. | | `reviews[].author.id` | `string`, nullable | The reviewer's Google Maps contributor id; null for a partner-site review. | | `reviews[].author.url` | `string`, nullable | The reviewer's contributor page (a partner-site review links to that site). | | `reviews[].author.photo` | `string`, nullable | The reviewer's profile picture. | | `reviews[].author.reviewsCount` | `number`, nullable | How many reviews the reviewer has written. | | `reviews[].author.photosCount` | `number`, nullable | How many photos the reviewer has posted. | | `reviews[].author.localGuide` | `boolean` | Whether the reviewer is a Google Local Guide. | | `reviews[].photos` | `string[]` | Photos attached to the review, 800 px wide. | | `reviews[].ownerResponse` | `object`, nullable | The business owner's reply; null when there's none. | | `reviews[].ownerResponse.text` | `string` | The owner's reply. | | `reviews[].ownerResponse.publishedAt` | `string`, nullable | When the owner replied, ISO 8601 (UTC). | ## Caching and freshness Responses are cached for up to 1 hour, so a repeat call within that window can return the same data. It still costs 1 credit. ## Errors Errors return `{ success: false, error, code, docs }` with the HTTP status below. Validation errors, `401`/`402`/`429` rejections and `5xx` failures are free; `not_found` is charged ([how charging works](https://lurkapi.com/docs.md#credits)). [All error codes](https://lurkapi.com/docs.md#errors). | Status | Code | Meaning | | --- | --- | --- | | 401 | `missing_api_key` | No API key. Send it in the `x-api-key` header. | | 401 | `invalid_api_key` | The key is unknown or was revoked. | | 402 | `insufficient_credits` | Not enough credits for this call. Buy a pack or wait for tomorrow's top-up. | | 403 | `account_suspended` | This account is suspended. Contact support@lurkapi.com. Never charged. | | 404 | `not_found` | The endpoint, or the thing you asked for (ad, post, subreddit), doesn't exist. Charged when the platform was checked. | | 405 | `method_not_allowed` | Endpoints take GET with query params. | | 429 | `rate_limited` | Too many calls at once. Wait for the `retry-after` seconds, then retry. | | 500 | `internal_error` | Something broke on our side. Retry; 5xx errors are free. | | 502 | `upstream_error` | The platform didn't give a usable answer. Retry; 5xx errors are free. | | 503 | `upstream_busy` | All our connections to the platform are busy. Retry in a few seconds; 5xx errors are free. | | 504 | `upstream_timeout` | The platform took over 30 seconds to answer (90 for web pages). Retry; timeouts are free. | ## Use it in Claude Once LurkAPI is [connected to Claude](https://lurkapi.com/docs.md#claude), this endpoint is the `google_maps_reviews` tool. Ask in plain English, for example: Ask Claude: ```text Use LurkAPI's google_maps_reviews with place_id "ChIJCar0f49ZwokR6ozLV-dHNTE", sort "newest" and summarize what you find. ``` Claude calls `google_maps_reviews` with arguments like these, and each call costs 1 credit: Tool arguments: ```json { "place_id": "ChIJCar0f49ZwokR6ozLV-dHNTE", "sort": "newest" } ``` Tool results are compact to save tokens: no nulls or empty lists, one URL per image or video, transcripts as plain text unless you pass `timestamps=true`. A result over 45,000 characters comes in parts: its `_note` gives the `offset` for the rest, and later parts are free for 15 minutes. `trim=false` returns the full response. --- Previous: [Google Maps place details](https://lurkapi.com/docs/google/maps-place.md) · Next: [Search Google News](https://lurkapi.com/docs/google/news.md)