Securing a reservation at New York’s most sought-after restaurants has become increasingly challenging, reaching an all-time high in difficulty over the past three years. What was once just a tough task has now made dining at the city’s hottest venues feel nearly impossible for many food enthusiasts.
Joel Montaniel, CEO of the reservations platform Sevenrooms, shared insights with Bloomberg on the situation, stating, “There are some restaurants that people can’t get into.” He noted that even experienced restaurateurs struggle to provide tips for getting a table.
The competition for dinner reservations has prompted the New York state legislature to take action. Last month, they voted to ban third-party booking sites like Appointment Trader, which had allowed users to resell restaurant reservations for exorbitant prices, sometimes up to $200. This practice mirrored ticket scalping seen in entertainment events.
According to Melissa Fleischut, President & CEO of the New York State Restaurant Association, this new legislation marks a “major victory for the hospitality industry,” aimed at reducing competition for bookings and shielding restaurants from costly no-shows.
Despite these regulatory changes, the demand for trendy and upscale dining options remains high, often outpacing availability. Travel advisor Jaclyn Sienna India, who runs Sienna Charles—a travel planning service catering to affluent clients—highlighted the ongoing booking frenzy across various leisure sectors, stating, “Post-COVID, I’m sure you’ve noticed that everything is booked up, right? Every plane is full, every restaurant is full, every hotel is full.”
With years of experience working with elite clients, including politicians and celebrities, India points to a shift in consumer preferences. “People have really moved away from fine dining; we very rarely have a client that wants to sit through a tasting menu,” she said, emphasizing the trend toward trendy establishments where the experience is less about the food and more about the exclusivity of being there.
For those who are determined to secure a reservation at one of these coveted restaurants, stay tuned for a list of New York dining spots that are particularly hard to access, as identified by Sienna Charles.