• Even with the downturn in the economy, reservations at the best restaurants in New York City can still be extremely difficult to get. The insider tips on this page will show you how to get restaurant reservations in New York City.

  • Tips

    • Always try to book as early as possible
    • Use online reservation booking systems
    • Call more than once
    • Be flexible, consider a slightly earlier or later time. Try eating at the bar

  • Introduction

    There are over 18,000 restaurants in New York City, and yet often no matter where you call, getting a peak time reservation especially in Manhattan is close to impossible. The dining scene is a big part of New York City culture, and most people want to eat between 8 and 9 pm. Most peak time reservations are often booked up everywhere more than a week in advance, and you will need to do more than make one simple phone call to get the table you want.

  • Step 1: Book Early

    If you have a special occasion coming up but haven't yet decided where you want to go, or how many will be in your group, it's still a good idea to book a few in advance. Most restaurants will take bookings up to three months in advance, so book a few restaurants for the largest number of people you think may attend. Just always be courteous enough to cancel the reservations you don't want, once you've made your decision.

  • Step 2: OpenTable

    Many of the most popular restaurants in NYC use the online reservation system OpenTable. This is a great place to start looking for reservations as it shows you exactly which restaurants have openings on your required dates, at your required time. However if you are trying to book relatively last minute, or for a Saturday night you will mostly find all the prime time slots are already taken. This is when you need to call the restaurant.

  • Step 3: Be Flexible About Time

    Everybody asks for an 8 pm or 9 pm reservation, but booking systems usually take reservations for 7.45 pm, 9.15 pm and so on. Get creative with the time you ask for.

  • Step 4: Call the restaurant more than once

    Most restaurants that use online booking systems don't put all their table availability online. They always hold a few back for walk-ins or manager use, and have the ability to add extra booking times. But restaurants can't magically come up with extra physical tables, and in a city of 9 million people, even if you call on a Monday morning you will still often find that the prime time reservations for later in the week are already booked up. Call more than once at different times, you may reach someone more accommodating on a second call, or the restaurant may have had cancellations.

  • Step 5: Walk in

    Many restaurants do try and accommodate walk ins, so you can always just turn up and hope for the best. Often people don’t turn up for their reservations, so may get lucky and get seated promptly. Alternatively, a busy night may run at capacity, and you could turn up at 8 pm and not get seated until 10 pm. Call in advance to check the restaurant's walk in policy.

  • Step 6: Eat at the bar

    Restaurants with full bar areas will normally let you eat at the bar, which is worth doing if you desperately want to eat somewhere but can’t get that table. Call and check which restaurants offer bar dining.

  • Step 7: Cancellations

    Most restaurants call to confirm their reservations for the day from about midday on. This is when people tend to cancel and free up slots. Give the restaurant of your choice a couple of calls in the afternoon on the day you want to go, and you may get lucky and snag a reservation.

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