For those eager to enjoy dining out in New York, securing a reservation has become increasingly difficult. Over the past three years, the challenge of landing a seat at the city’s most sought-after restaurants has escalated to a point that many aspiring diners find themselves facing significant hurdles.
“There are restaurants that remain inaccessible to many,” said Joel Montaniel, CEO of the booking platform Sevenrooms, in a recent interview. “I’ve discussed this challenge with restaurateurs, and even after hosting panels to share advice on how to get a reservation, they confess they have no solutions.”
The competition for dinner reservations has intensified to such an extent that last month, the New York State Legislature approved a ban on third-party booking sites like Appointment Trader, where individuals were reselling restaurant slots for $200 or more—a practice that mirrors ticket scalping for concerts and sporting events.
Melissa Fleischut, President & CEO of the New York State Restaurant Association, hailed the new legislation as a “significant win for the hospitality sector,” aiming to lessen reservation competition and shield restaurants from costly cancellations.
Despite these legislative efforts, the reality is that the demand for exclusive, trendy experiences consistently exceeds supply.
“Post-COVID, you may have noticed that everything is packed—every flight, every restaurant, every hotel,” remarked travel advisor Jaclyn Sienna India. “So how do you manage getting people into restaurants, hotels, yachts, and experiences when everything is already fully booked?”
With 16 years of experience running Sienna Charles, a concierge and travel planning service catering to ultra-wealthy clients, India is well-versed in navigating the complexities of securing reservations. Her clientele often includes individuals with fortunes exceeding $100 million, including notable figures like George W. Bush and Mariah Carey.
Yet, despite her impressive background, India emphasizes that gaining access to the trendiest restaurants—or other luxury experiences—relies on a few key elements: understanding client preferences and cultivating strong relationships with the establishments that can meet those needs.
“Clients have largely shifted away from traditional fine dining; we rarely encounter requests for tasting menus,” she noted. “In the past three years, there has been a noticeable pivot towards trendy spots where the experience is less about the food and more about the social validation. It’s about the experience of securing a reservation—it’s a status symbol.”
For those determined to secure their own bragging rights and willing to persist in the quest for a reservation, Sienna Charles offers insights on which New York restaurants are currently the most elusive.