New York’s hardest restaurant reservation is not in NYC: Study
NEW YORK (PIX11) – When it comes to hot reservations, DAMON BAEHREL is in a league of its own.
The Earlton restaurant, which is currently booked for regular reservations through 2030, is the second-hardest reservation to get in the world, according to a ranking from restaurant management system company Dojo.
The restaurant has not taken a reservation for its regular annual schedule since 2014, but it does open some extra reservations one to 16 weeks out based on chef and owner Damon Baehrel’s schedule.
These reservations have no waiting list — they go to people subscribed to the restaurant’s reservation newsletter. According to a spokesperson for the restaurant, the only requirement is that you don't have any food allergies or dietary restrictions.
A spokesperson for the restaurant said Baehrel is the restaurant’s chef, host, server, grower, gatherer, and preserver. He hand-makes all the dinner elements, from dishware to stone-pressed oils.
Once you get there, dining is a five-hour, $495 per person experience. Diners are encouraged to wear “casual-comfortable business attire” but leave their cellphones at home.
New York City is known for hard reservations, and another eatery, Masalawala & Sons, is among the nation’s hardest to get, according to Dojo’s ranking.
The Park Slope eatery has a waitlist of over 600 people, but it does take some walk-ins, according to Dojo.
Resy shows a number of week-of reservations available at the Bengali eatery, but most of August is already booked.
The restaurant, created by Roni Mazumdar and Chintan Pandya, is an ode to “the yesteryears of India,” modeled after Mazumdar’s father from Kolkata, according to its website.
"We’re honored that our casual restaurant in Park Slope is so sought-after by guests that it is named one of the hardest reservations in the world to get," said Mazumdar, CEO of Unapologetic Foods. "This shows that our mission of being unapologetic in our approach to presenting the food of our culture is resonating with the public at large."
Masalawala & Sons has landed on several best restaurant lists in New York City.