You can now message businesses directly through Yelp

Yelp has a very active community of reviewers, giving you plenty to consider as you search for the perfect restaurant, bar or spa. While the site gives you no shortage of opinions, sometimes you have something specific in mind -- like renting out an eatery for a rehearsal dinner -- that reviews don't answer. To help you find what you need, Yelp's added the ability to message businesses directly from the site.

Sure, you could always pick up the phone, but if you're not in the mood, head to a business' Yelp page and click on the "Message the business" link just under the address and phone number. From there, you can ask and submit a question, and Yelp will give you an estimated response time. This new feature is currently rolling out to Yelp for Business users, and I found the direct message option on many pages when I did a search across a few cities. For businesses, it's one more way to engage with users and attract new customers. For you, it's a great opportunity to quiz your favorite pizza joint about that shady hygiene rating.