The use of reviews has become an invaluable tool in orthopaedic surgery to help remain current on the best available evidence. Presently, there are three types of reviews: narrative reviews, systematic reviews, and meta‐analyses. A narrative review summarizes different primary studies from which a broad perspective can be formulated. In contrast, a systematic review, which ranks highest on the hierarchy on evidence, addresses a specific question and uses a planned and systematic approach. Lastly, a meta‐analysis is the statistical analysis of the results from separate studies. The differences between a narrative review and a systematic review are discussed along with methods for their critical appraisal.