The Hardest Restaurant Reservations to Get in New York
Updated July 2026 · 1712 places tracked
These are the New York tables that sell out first — ranked by WaitlistWizard's live booking data across 1712 tracked restaurants, clustered in West Village, East Village, and Lower East Side.
- Hard to get
The Lions
American · East Village · $
4.6(174) - Hard to get
Smithereens
Seafood · East Village · $$
4.5(181) - Hard to get
Rhodora Wine Bar
Fort Greene · $$
4.3(211) - Hard to get
OOTOYA - Chelsea
Japanese · Chelsea · $$
4.3(1,291) - Hard to get
OOTOYA - Union Square
Japanese · Union Square · $$
4.2(716) - Hard to get
Le Café Louis Vuitton
French · Midtown East · $$
0.0(0) 
Hard to getYONO Sushi
Japanese · Midtown · $
0.0(0)- Hard to get
Yellow Magnolia Café
American · Brooklyn · $$
4.2(224) - Hard to get
Wise Bar and Grill
American · Brooklyn · $$
4.1(1,587) - Hard to get
Winona's
Bed-stuy · $$
4.6(353) - Hard to get
Weill Café at Carnegie Hall
American · Midtown · $
4.8(82) - Hard to get
Via Carota
Italian · West Village · $$
4.4(3,312) - Hard to get
Verve Wine
Tribeca · $$
4.7(92) - Hard to get
Two Hands Noho
Noho · $
0.0(0) - Hard to get
Tsion Cafe
Sugar Hill - Harlem · $
4.6(603) - Hard to get
Torrisi
Italian · Nolita · $$$
4.6(962) - Hard to get
Theodora
Mediterranean · Fort Greene · $$
4.6(743) - Hard to get
The Tuck Room - Fulton Market
American · Seaport District · $$
4.0(564) - Hard to get
The Restaurant at Gilder
American · Upper West Side · $$
3.4(106) - Hard to get
The Polo Bar
American · Midtown East · $$$
4.4(1,145) - Hard to get
The LookUp
New York · $
4.4(168) - Hard to get
The Lambs Bar
American · Midtown · $
4.4(832) - Hard to get
THE GRILL
Steakhouse · Midtown East · $$$$
4.6(860) - Hard to get
Feste
Italian · New York · $
0.0(0)
Never miss a table in New York
WaitlistWizard tracks reservation availability at the hardest-to-book restaurants in real time. Set a watch on a sold-out table and get alerted the moment a spot opens up.
Frequently asked questions
- Which restaurant reservations are hardest to get in New York?
- Based on WaitlistWizard's live booking data, The Lions, Smithereens, and Rhodora Wine Bar currently top the list — their tables go almost as soon as reservations open.
- How do I get a table at a fully booked restaurant in New York?
- WaitlistWizard monitors live reservation availability at 1712 of these restaurants. Set a free watch on a sold-out table and you'll get an alert the moment a reservation opens up.