Securing a dinner reservation in New York has become more difficult than ever, with the last three years witnessing a dramatic shift from merely challenging to nearly impossible for many diners.
Joel Montaniel, CEO of the booking platform Sevenrooms, highlighted this issue, stating that some restaurants are nearly inaccessible. Even restaurateurs have been unable to provide tips on how to snag a reservation.
In response to the skyrocketing demand, the New York state legislature recently passed a law banning third-party booking sites like Appointment Trader, where users were known to sell restaurant reservations for $200 or more, a practice reminiscent of ticket scalping for concerts and sporting events.
Melissa Fleischut, President and CEO of the New York State Restaurant Association, hailed the new legislation as a significant win for the hospitality sector, asserting that it will help reduce reservation competition and protect restaurants from costly cancellations.
Nonetheless, the post-COVID landscape shows that the appetite for trendy and luxurious experiences continues to exceed their availability. Travel advisor Jaclyn Sienna India noted that every aspect of travel, from flights to restaurants and hotels, is fully booked.
India, who has spent 16 years running Sienna Charles—an exclusive travel and concierge service for wealthy clients—emphasized that gaining access to sought-after restaurants hinges on understanding clients’ needs and fostering relationships with those establishments.
She observed a trend away from traditional fine dining, with clients now preferring trendy venues where the emphasis often lies more on the experience and social clout rather than the food itself. “It’s about FOMO. It’s about saying that you got in; it’s a bragging right,” she elaborated.
For those eager to secure their own bragging rights and willing to navigate the challenging reservation landscape, there are certain New York restaurants that stand out as the hardest to book, according to Sienna Charles.