I love to eat at a good restaurant.
And there are plenty of them out there.
But some are much better than others. In fact, there are loads of “lists” out there that rank the “best restaurants in the world.” Probably, the gem of them all is the Michelin Guide. Its rankings are trusted more than any.
Yet. Here is the thing. Once a restaurant is deemed “excellent” and the word gets out, everyone wants to dine there, of course. As a result, those places become hard to get into.
Today, we explore exactly that. We will all need plenty of patience and stamina to get into the best restaurants in the United States.
There are strategies for this. Signing up for email alerts or push notifications, for one. Some people will set an alarm for a few minutes before online reservations go live. Then, there is always the method of contacting the restaurant a few months (or even a year) out. Calling relentlessly.
Otherwise, you’re better off checking religiously for openings on apps like Resy, OpenTable, and Tock—or, if you’re a premium credit cardholder, contacting the concierge team to help wrangle a reservation on your behalf.
As a sidebar, this isn’t for me. While I love a great place to eat, I don’t want to wait around for it. If the waiting is more than 30 minutes, I say “Goodbye.” There are plenty of good places out there with an open table ready for me. Besides, I’m not that picky. A good cheeseburger anywhere always does the trick.
But. If you want the hottest numbers out there, here are the eight hardest restaurant reservations to snag in the U.S.
THIS LIST TAKEN DIRECTLY FROM MENTAL FLOSS
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1. Rao’s // New York City
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubDC8PgniUM
At the original Rao’s in East Harlem, it all comes down to who you know, as you’ll have to be a regular—or be invited by one—to snag one of its 10 tables. Seats are “owned” by celebrities or friends of the owners who have been coming in for decades, with “table rights” being passed down for generations. Your best bet is to call the restaurant directly or simply head to the bar and wait around to see if anything opens up. Of course, you’ll have a better chance of enjoying Rao’s legendary Italian food at its other outposts in Los Angeles or Miami, which offer more tables.
2. Flour + Water // San Francisco
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjyU8oAeGLg
Not even Apple co-founder Steve Jobs could nab one of this pasta-centric restaurant’s 11 exclusive tables—he was famously turned away in 2010 after the group in front of him got the last one. You’ll have a better shot at dining at Flour + Water by sitting at the bar or walk-in-only communal table at 5 p.m., dining after 9 p.m., reserving your table at midnight 28 days ahead of time, or signing up for Resy alerts in case of a last-minute cancellation.
3. The Lost Kitchen // Freedom, Maine
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSMq-Ong-OA
To score a table at this iconic Maine eatery, you’ll need to mail a postcard with your name and contact info and hope it’s hand-picked by the staff come April. If you’re one of the lucky ones—you’d have to be, with Chef Erin French’s restaurant receiving 20,000 postcards annually—they’ll call to confirm your reservation dates. If not, your postcard might still be drawn between April and late September if anyone cancels, so don’t give up yet.
4. Albi // Washington, D.C.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XG8caL9NxCU
Securing a spot at Chef Michael Rafidi’s popular Middle Eastern eatery is quite a feat. Check Resy for dining room openings about a month ahead or use Tock to book an exclusive seat at the hearth table for a memorable 2.5-hour multi-course “journey through Levantine cooking.” If all else fails, stake out a place by the bar—if you don’t mind missing out on views of the open kitchen, that is.
5. Bacanora // Phoenix
Check Resy on the first of the month at 9 a.m. for a chance to book a table for the following month at this in-demand establishment. Located in Phoenix, Bacanora specializes in all things Sonoran cuisine (think Mexican-style dishes like fire-roasted corn topped with spices and cotija cheese, burritos, and pollo asado). Flexibility is key—arriving 30 minutes before it opens and sitting at the bar, or setting up alerts through Resy for several days can seriously boost your chances.
6. Tatiana by Kwame Onwuachi // New York City
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Co-SRNUEKBs
Tatiana by Kwame Onwuachi in New York City’s Lincoln Center neighborhood has been a go-to spot for elevated Afro-Caribbean fusion cuisine since opening in 2022—for those who can get in, at least. Scoring a table can be, as one Reddit user put it, “comically impossible.” But don’t let that stop you from checking Resy at noon 28 days in advance—just make sure you’re logged into your account before you start refreshing the page at 11:59 a.m. or you could lose your spot. You can also sign up for alerts, just in case.
7. Rose Mary // Chicago
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUxEP4BvB9E
Top Chef winner Joe Flamm serves up Italian classics like risotto and gnocchi with a decidedly Croatian twist at this notable Fulton Market District spot in Chicago’s West Loop neighborhood. Reservations are released via OpenTable 60 days in advance, so mark your calendar. Or, you can take your chances and try for a seat at the bar when the restaurant opens at 5 p.m.
8. Mujō // Atlanta
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dly4Lkya1EU
Mujō in Atlanta’s West Midtown neighborhood earned a Michelin star in 2023 with Chef J. Trent Harris’s innovative and ever-changing omakase-style sushi offerings. Head to Resy just before 10 a.m. on the first day of the month the month before you wish to dine to snag one of the highly-coveted 14 seats around the sushi table. There’s no capacity for walk-ins, so keep an eye on Resy alerts in case someone cancels, as that might be your only way in.
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You know what I say about all of this?
In my French snooty voice.
“Reeeee-dick-you-lussss.”
Translation: Ridiculous.
I don’t jump through hoops for much. And this would be one of them.
Cheeseburger. Cheeseburger. Cheeseburger.
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“Good food is very often, even most often, simple food.” — Anthony Bourdain
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“The only thing I like better than talking about food is eating.” — John Walters
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“Food is our common ground, a universal experience.” — James Beard
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The hardest places to get into. Wait for it.
