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These restaurants should win a Michelin star for exclusivity.
Scoring a reservation at certain New York City restaurants can sometimes feel like trying to get booked on a commercial shuttle to Mars.
Fortunately, a purported luxury hotel concierge has spilled the beans on how to land a spot at the most coveted restaurants, which they revealed in a viral Reddit post.
What are the most requested restaurant reservations in the Big Apple? According to the anonymous culinary liaison, who reportedly works at an unnamed “very luxury hotel in Midtown,” the two most in-demand establishments are Ralph Lauren’s fancy-pants American eatery The Polo Bar and bougie West Village Italian spot Carbone.
For the uninitiated, the latter is so exclusive that A-list couple Justin and Hailey Bieber were shunned two years ago for showing up there without a reservation.
Shakira dines at Carbone on March 26 in New York City. GC Images
“These two have become triggers for every concierge in the city,” lamented the beleaguered concierge.
Trailing close behind are Per Se, Monkey Bar, Le Bernardin (which was named the best restaurant in the world by La Liste last year), 4 Charles Prime Rib, Don Angie, Torrisi, Blue Box Cafe, COTE and Balthazar, per the concierge.
The hospitality expert added that sometimes people want in-demand hotspots like Via Carota, I Sodi, Tatiana, The Office of Mr. Moto, and Peter Luger.
“Every day we have guests who looked up a 10 Hardest Restaurant Reservations article or saw some Instagram food blogger and demand these,” said the concierge.
“These two have become triggers for every concierge in the city,” lamented the beleaguered expert while describing The Polo Bar (pictured) and Carbone. Patrick McMullan via Getty Images
Diners at the Luxe Shed. Helayne Seidman
How does one increase their chances of getting into these gastronomic Valhallas? By giving the concierge plenty of “advance notice,” they advise.
“Most trendy restaurants take reservations 28-30 days in advance,” the restaurant wingperson wrote. “A few of the exceptions such as Don Angie is 7 days or Cipriani is 14 days but doesn’t hurt to ask for it a month in advance.”
Brunch at the Blue Box Cafe hosted by Daniel Boulud and Martha Stewart on Oct. 13, 2023, in New York City. Getty Images for NYCWFF
They added, “We set alerts to work on the reservations the day they are released. But please also don’t contact us in April if you are coming in December, if you know what I mean.”
The concierge said tips, thank you notes and treats are also “greatly appreciated,” as is being nice and understanding.
“We love guests who are easy to work with,” the concierge said. “I will reach out to the restaurant GM if you are nice to me, but if you are entitled and pushy, good luck.”
Unfortunately, a lot of prospective patrons fail to follow those golden rules. Many treat concierges like the restaurant equivalent of a jet-setting PR rep who can procure any celebrity’s phone number on a dime.
A dish is served at Don Angie on Oct. 15, 2021, in New York City. Getty Images for NYCWFF
“Majority of them do so same day or a day or two in advance for party of 4 or more on a Friday & Saturday night at 7 p.m., 8 p.m. if we asked for flexibility,” he said. “They don’t read anything beyond the name of the restaurant and expect to be accommodated because they are staying at our hotel and think we control the reservation systems of all restaurants in New York City, somehow.”
That led to the expert’s distinct warning.
“Let’s just say, unless you are a celebrity stylist and part of your dinner party is Pedro Pascal, you are not getting a last-minute 7 p.m. reservation for the Polo Bar.”
The concierge then recounted one ridiculous request they’d received.
“Guy from Miami calls us and goes, ‘I’m checking in tomorrow, I am very important, do you know who I am? I got married at the hotel last year, and you need to get me into ________ tomorrow (a Friday) 7 p.m.’
“I replied with our usual, ‘We are happy to contact but reservations are booked up 30 days in advance,’” they added, “and he goes, ‘But I’m somebody. I go there all the time, they know me. And you are a concierge of ________, you can’t get me in?!?!’”
When the concierge called the restaurant to inquire about said patron, they discovered that they did know who he was — but not for the reasons he suggested.
“He wasn’t lying when he said they know him, because he’s been banned for being ‘pushy, rude, always intoxicated and treated staff horribly,’” they recalled.
