So Bon Appétit has a slideshow listicle (that crashed two Eater editors' browsers, be warned) of what they purport to be the "Toughest Restaurant Reservations in the USA." The list does not contain Grant Achatz's Chicago restaurant Next, despite the fact that the ticketing system crashed the day tables for their Thai menu became available and sold out in 90 minutes when they got it back online. Guess Next doesn't count because they're technically tickets, not reservations? The latest incarnation of Ludovic Lefebvre's LudoBites likewise booked up within minutes of being available.
On the flip side, a couple of the restaurants on the list aren't actually all that hard to get into. Once impenetrable, Momofuku Ko's reservations system is hardly a fortress any more, and reservations are available at Minetta Tavern for those who don't mind eating really early or really late (see Schrambling's review). Here's the full list:
Bon Appétit's Toughest Restaurant Reservations in the USA
1. Rao's, New York, NY
2. Talula's Table, Kennet Square, PA
3. French Laundry, Yountville, CA
4. Alinea, Chicago, IL
5. MiniBar, Washington, DC
6. Per Se, New York, NY
7. Willows Inn, Lummi Island, WA
8. Brooklyn Fare Chef's Table, Brooklyn, NY
9. Minetta Tavern, New York, NY
10. Momofuku Ko, New York, NY
11. Osteria Mozza, Los Angeles, CA
So what other restaurants were left off this list? And which ones shouldn't be on it?
· Toughest Restaurant Reservations in the USA [Bon App]
· All Listicles on Eater [-E-]