There’s something about exclusivity that makes us desire what we can’t have even more. When you hear that a restaurant is hard to get into, it signals that there must be something worthy of drawing a crowd — and with all of the restaurants on this list, that is certainly the case. Whether it’s food so creative you just can’t find it anywhere else, cocktails and wine lists crafted to impress, stellar service, or celebrity sightings, these locations are hard to get a table at for a reason.
With any restaurant reservation, there are some general tips that can help you land a table. Apps like Dorsia allow you to get a reservation a lot faster as long as you’re willing to spend a certain amount of money at the restaurant. Turning on notifications for when something new opens up on Resy or OpenTable is a great way to stay informed, and in some cases, just calling or emailing the restaurant could potentially get you in.
Yet even with all this technology, every restaurant is different. Some have space for walk-ins, but it depends on how early you arrive, while others don’t put tables on Resy at all. We’ve compiled all the information you’ll need to get into these 16 hardest-to-land tables in New York (in no particular order). Soon you’ll be bragging to your friends about that coveted reservation.
1. Ramen By Ra
New York has no shortage of incredible ramen, but Ramen By Ra has been a standout location since chef Rasheeda Purdie launched the brand in 2020. Catching the eye of foodies everywhere with bowls of ramen turned into breakfast classics, Ramen By Ra has been featured in Eater New York, The New York Times, Grub Street, and many more…