For those eager to dine out in New York, securing a reservation has become more challenging than ever. Over the past three years, the process of obtaining a seat at the city’s most sought-after restaurants has transformed from difficult to nearly impossible for many food enthusiasts.
Joel Montaniel, the CEO of booking platform Sevenrooms, recently shared insights with Bloomberg, stating, “There are some restaurants that people can’t get into.” He recounted conversations with restaurateurs during panel discussions, where they admitted they had no tips to help diners gain access.
The competitiveness surrounding dinner reservations is so intense that last month, the New York state legislature passed a law prohibiting third-party booking sites like Appointment Trader, which allowed users to resell restaurant reservations for $200 or more, a practice once seen in concert and sporting event ticketing.
Melissa Fleischut, President & CEO of the New York State Restaurant Association, hailed the legislation as a “major victory for the hospitality industry” that aims to lessen reservation competition and protect restaurants from costly cancellations.
Despite these legislative efforts, the reality remains that the appetite for trendy and luxurious experiences continues to outstrip availability. Travel advisor Jaclyn Sienna India observed, “Post-COVID, everything is booked up, right? Every plane is full, every restaurant is full, every hotel is full.” She emphasizes the challenge of securing bookings in an environment already filled to capacity.
With 16 years of experience running Sienna Charles, a concierge and travel planning service for affluent clients, India has a wealth of knowledge in this area. Her clientele includes families with net worths exceeding $100 million, including notable figures like George W. Bush and Mariah Carey.
Despite her impressive background, India indicates that gaining access to top restaurants, hotels, or luxury experiences depends on a few key elements: understanding clients’ desires and cultivating relationships with restaurants that meet those expectations.
“People have really moved away from fine dining; we very rarely have a client requesting a tasting menu,” she noted. “The shift over the last three years has been towards trendy venues where the emphasis isn’t merely on food, but rather on the experience. It’s about the fear of missing out (FOMO) and having bragging rights.”
For those determined to claim their own bragging rights and willing to persist in securing a reservation, read on to discover which New York restaurants are the hardest to book, according to Sienna Charles.