Food critics are not the only ones who apply ratings in the restaurant world. Keith McNally, the pugnacious owner of legendary downtown eateries such as Balthazar, Minetta Tavern and Pastis, rates his customers as precisely as a reviewer would the steak tartare.

Though the worst of McNally’s guests — including James Corden, who the restaurateur recently dragged over the coals for alleged bad behavior — get their comeuppance on his Instagram account, he also has been spreading the love for his restaurants’ VIPs.

McNally has been offering social media followers behind-the-scenes insight via daily reports from maître d’s: revealing who is AA (Rolling Stone scion Gus Wenner, actor Bill Nighy) and who is AAA (playwright Jon Robin Baitz, fashion queen Anna Wintour).

Perhaps only McNally knows the difference between the two tiers, but he did not return calls for comment. Still, some of his VIPs are willing to reveal how they reached coveted status. Here’s who is known to be permanently on the list in McNally’s empire.

Mark Settembre: AAA

Beloved by Baltazhar staffers — “one of our most liked regulars,” a maître d’ gushed in a memo to McNally — Settembre is known for his generosity. A movie producer and NJ-based real estate developer, Settembre told The Post that he has been patronizing Balthazar since it opened in 1997. He considers the eatery “my kitchen” and practically has carte blanche at a place where primetime reservations are hard to come by. “I called Baltazhar on Saturday afternoon to get a table for eight that night; they put it together for me,” he said, adding that one of his dining companions was the singer from the German rock band Rammstein. “The guys in the kitchen all ran out to take pictures with him.” 

Anna Wintour: AAA

Beyond regularly breakfasting at Balthazar with McNally, the Vogue editor and Condé Nast boss also played a key role in his success. Back when the restaurateur was a manager at One Fifth near Washington Square, McNally personally made Wintour eggs Benedict after the chef refused because the kitchen was closed. “When told by the Maître D’ that I was the one who cooked her brunch, [Wintour] gracefully introduced herself,” McNally posted. “Then that day onward we became good friends, and several years later Anna would be responsible for me opening my first restaurant, The Odeon.”

Bill Nighy: AA

The beloved British actor — known for his roles in “Love Actually,” “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows,” and “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dean Man’s Chest” — is a frequent dining companion and rumored boyfriend of Anna Wintour, though he is a letter grade below her. The two are reported to be generous tippers. Nighy, however, doesn’t seem to get much respect at the Crosby Hotel. According to a recent report from the head maître d’, the hotel mixed him up with Bill Murray.

Jean Conlon: AA

“Keith may say that I am double-A but I am triple-A,” Conlon, a representative for photographers and stylists, joked to The Post. “I am not going to Balthazar with my Aunt Myrtle. I am going there with clients. I am there a minimum of three or four times a week,” added Conlon, who received a complimentary glass of champagne during a visit this month. “When Keith is there, I stop by to see hello. I’m greeted warmly. All those things matter.” She also has an unusual alignment with the restaurant. “You receive a postcard with your check and two of my [former] photographers, Minh+Wass, took the picture.”

Leonardo DiCaprio: AA

Apparently, not all VIPs get the special treatment. When Leonardo DiCaprio brunched at Balthazar in November, staffers wanted to do something “very special” for the actor — but McNally nixed it. As brunch maître d’ noted in a report to the boss, “You were quite adamant that we do nothing for him, so we didn’t. Which is kind of a pity … ”

Gus Wenner: AA

Son of Rolling Stone co-founder Jann Wenner and now the magazine’s CEO, this publishing royal made the Minetta Tavern report on a Tuesday night last month. According to a dinner maître d’: “Gus Wenner arrived for dinner with Lorde. The singer looked stunning … ” It was a family affair for the Wenners: Earlier in the evening, Gus’s mom Jane sat at the same table her son and Lorde later took.

Jon Robin Baitz: AAA

A major name on and off-Broadway, Baitz has written plays that have featured starry casts — Sarah Jessica Parker (“The Substance on Fire”), Nathan Lane (“Mizlansky/Zilinsky or ‘Schmucks’”), Al Pacino (“People I Know”), Rachel Griffiths (“Other Desert Cities”) — and been twice nominated for a Pulitzer Prize. On a recent visit to McNally’s Pastis, his high grade earned him a comped glass of champagne.

King Chong: AA

Chong, who handles corporate relations in the fashion industry, said that frequenting McNally’s restaurants and being particularly nice have gone a long way in gaining him elite status. He began eating at Balthazar within a week of its 1997 opening. From the start, Chong told The Post, “I made a habit of learning the names of staff members and having conversations with them.” While many regulars pride themselves on being able to snag reservations at busy times, Chong appreciates a different aspect of Balthazar: “My favorite time to go is when it snows. You have the place to yourself.”

Alexandre Chemla: AAA

Founder and CEO of the travel services company Altour, Chemla likes the fact that McNally’s VIPs are not necessarily celebrities. “It’s not about who you are,” Chemla, who said the restaurant reminds him of his native France, told The Post. “It’s based on what you are and how you act.”

Paul Woolmington: AA

A regular since the early days of the restaurant, this media entrepreneur reportedly knows staffers by name and is said to have hosted many morning meetings over breakfast at Balthazar. 

Chris Paparella: AA

A partner at Steptoe and Johnson, attorney Paparella reps financial institutions in international litigation. He was recently served champagne at McNally’s request.

Mike Romoff: AA

Romoff is an advertising VP at Google and previously served a similar role at LinkedIn.

Joel Cutler: AA

Cutler — a venture capitalist based in Cambridge, Mass. — can afford to splurge on menu items such as Balthazar’s $58 Dover sole: He is reportedly worth “at least $37 million.”

Sandra Mintz: AAA

A West Village resident, Mintz recently made the acquaintance of fellow regular Mark Settembre at McNally’s Morandi. Last Saturday, when they were both dining at Balthazar, Settembre and his partner, Anna, picked up the tab for Mintz and her guests.